RetroMagazine World #13 – Eng – February 2022

People involved in the preparation of this issue of RetroMagazine World (in no particular order):

• Alberto Apostolo
• Dr. Andrea Q.
• Carlo N. Del Mar Pirazzini
• Daniele Brahimi
• Mic the Biker Novarina
• Francesco Fiorentini
• David La Monaca
• Leonardo Miliani
• Barbara “Morgana” Murgida
• Takahiro Yoshioka
• Roberto Del Mar Pirazzini
• Ingrid Poggiali
• Gianluca Girelli
• Giampaolo Moraschi
• Querino Ialongo
• Giorgio Balestrieri
• Felice Nardella
• Franco Bressan
• Cover & full-page image: Giuseppe Mangini
• Cover layout: Carlo N. Del Mar Pirazzini

Editorial by David La Monaca

Necessity is the Mother of invention

RetroMagazine World, with every issue in two versions, Italian and English, registers an ever-growing number of readers and arouses constant interest in the topics we cover. Our choice to avoid the distribution of printed copies, in addition to keeping us away from a number of problems arising from the management of subscriptions and shippings, brings some advantages, not least of which is that we can continue to guarantee the complete gratuity of the magazine, and allows us to reach anywhere in the world with a simple URL. The number of downloads of the new issues as well as of the previous ones testifies the goodness of this decision. Moreover, the Common Creative license used to release the magazine does not prohibit printing hard copies and, in fact, we are aware of the many retrocomputing groups that produce bound copies of issues and make them available to all members of their clubs.
Another difference of RMW from the “classic” magazines of the fantastic 80’s and 90’s is the lack of a permanent column hosting Readers’ Mail. One of the most important reasons why RMW keeps being released is the preservation of the knowledge and memory of all the home computing systems in history, so we give a lot of importance to feedback and interaction with all the old and new retrocomputing enthusiasts. But the scenario (if compared to the early years of 8/16 bit machines diffusion) has totally changed. In the past, newsstand magazines were basically the only dynamic medium for computer news. The editorial offices were by necessity the point of reference for all those approaching the world of computers and game consoles for the first time. Often the mail columns were targeted by questions of all kinds and in some cases, rather than serving as a centre of generic information, became a battleground between “fans” of different platforms.
Nowadays, we have dozens of possible tools for interaction available (from simple e-mail to the most advanced instant messaging tools) but the feedback we receive from readers regarding discussions and insights generated by our articles and reviews is quite small. We at RMW run a Facebook page, an updated website, a Twitter account, Instagram, Telegram, YouTube, etc., and we feel it is our duty to open and manage the flow of information using all these channels for anyone to interact with us, but, apart from a few isolated cases, reader comments are often concentrated around a few posts published on the FB page. Too little, especially if we think that retrocomputing in the last 4-5 years has “infected”, please forgive the use of this term, hundreds of thousands of fans, even those belonging to younger generations.
So what has changed for readers when they browse a magazine like RMW, albeit it is only digitally published? Have we impoverished ourselves in our ability to interact? Have we become lazier and more inclined to “get lost” in the vast amount of information that the Net continually provides us, although in the form of pills? Do we prefer a less structured and rigorous kind of information today, based more on word of mouth and the experience of individuals on social media and digital forums? Could it be that 40 years ago, the lack of tools and documentation increased our desire for documentation and communicative exchange with many interlocutors? Could it be that only “hunger” drives inventiveness and aids creativity and discussion?

Summary:

• GameBoy & GB Color – the (un)protections
• ZX99 and other unofficial add-ons…
• Analogue Pocket…
• Fairchild Channel F
• FOCAL language on PDP-8 – part 1
• 8-Bit fractals in BASIC sauce – part 3
• C128 in 80 column mode – part 2
• How to create a BASIC game for C64 – p1
• Musica Maestro SID!
• Interview with Bas Scheijde…
• Interview with Alessandro Rogati…
• Remembering Jerry Lawson…
• Warren Davis and the invention of Q*bert
• Sometimes they come back…
• R-TYPE – Shoot’em up year zero
• The Age of Heroes (C64)
• The Shadows of Sergoth (Amiga)
• Puzzle Bobble (C64)
• Wizard ofethe Board (N64)
• Silver Valley (SMS)
• Knightmare (Amiga)
• Retaliate C.E. (C64)
• Mega Turrican Director’s Cut (MegaDrive)
• Eyra, the Crow Maiden (MegaDrive)
• Knight Guy in Low Res World (Atari 7800)
• Robot in Action (C64)
• Shonen Jump’s One Piece (GameBoy)
• Gremlins 2 the New Batch (GameBoy)
• Crisis Force (NES)
• Classic Kong (SNES)
• Prohibition (C64)
• Retro Multiplayer