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The
background
In the summer of 2001, a guy called Gazunta on the Zzap!
Rrap message board over at the Def
Guide to Zzap!64 mentioned that it would be a neat idea to bring
out a new issue of Zzap!... It quickly became apparent that this idea
was a) popular, and b) not stupid. We realised that we could easily
fill three dozen pages with reviews of recent C64 games (yes, there
still are some)
and features on the current Commodore scene (yes, there still is one).
A crazed mob rushed to contribute—resulting in five months
of blood, sweat and emails, and a brand new 36-page
special. Particular credit should go to Gaz, who organised the whole
thing; to Craig Grannell, who designed the pages from scratch, laid
them out, and even found time for editorial work; and to Ant Stiller,
who drew all the reviewer heads and did much more besides... But around
20 other people contributed too, including ex-Zzapers Paul Glancey and
Robin Hogg—and me, because I can't keep my nose out of anything.
The
contents
So what's inside the latest issue? For a full list of contents and contributors,
click here... But
basically, there are seven new reviews; old favourites such as Lloyd,
the Scorelord and the White Wizard; regulars such as the news, previews,
and tips; and features on emulators, websites, a history of Zzap!, and
the current audio and demo scenes.
The
top 50 games
Back in September 2001, we posted messages on the web asking people
to list their favourite C64 games of all time. Over 300 replies were
received, with nominations ranging from the universally-loved Paradroid
to an obscure Hungarian text adventure called Új vadnyugat.
The new issue has details of the Top 10 (and includes the Top 5, with
instructions, on its accompanying Mega-tape). However, if you want to
know which games made it into the Top 50, click here.
(Alternatively, right-click here and select
'Save Target As' to download the list as a text file.)
So
how do I get hold of the new Zzap!?
Two versions are available for download: lo-res (4.8Mb), which
is ideal for reading on screen, and fine for a basic printing job (at
720dpi or better); and hi-res (30Mb), for anyone who wants a
good print copy which they can stroke lovingly, before binding it firmly
with staples and slipping it carefully into a maroon binder. Either
way, you can get them here.
Both are .pdf files, viewable with Adobe's (free) Acrobat Reader software,
which you can download here.
Will
there ever be another one?
Maybe, maybe not. It was fun while it lasted, but it took a lot of voluntary
work on behalf of a lot of people. If we get huge numbers of requests
for another one, and we summon the enthusiasm (and find the time) to
create z108, it could just happen. But for now, this is definitely
the last ever issue of a once-great magazine. We hope you enjoy reading
it...
|
Okay, okay, there never actually was a
Zzap!107. I know that, you know that, and my pet stoat Roderick knows it.
Zzap! ran to Issue 90, and its successor Commodore Force took up the baton
for another sixteen months, making a total of 106 issues in all. So what's
this page all about? Well, it's a long and unbelievably dull story, which
I'll try to keep as short as possible—but if you don't want to hear it,
just click here to download
the new issue. Alternatively, click on my head to return to the Zzap!
contents, on my arm to visit The Burrow, and on my initials to go to my Commodore
64 pages. And if you do download z107, and feel enthusiastic enough to have
an opinion, you can email me here:
.
