In the days before the internet really took hold, most tips the strategy for games came from two places. Your friends (or a friend of a friend on this parking, of course) who could tell you what to do, instead a game magazine! And the most knowledgeable game magazine fork Nintendo games was, of course, Nintendo Power. Not only could you get tips off that monthly magazine (I had a contribution throughout the N64 lifespan) but could also buy guides faithful to one game for a cool $9.99. Or you could take your choice of an free guide when you renewed your subscription each yearly! I beloved the guideline then, and I your the guides go. With the glory days by real strategy books behind us, MYSELF possess an lot Nintendo Power Player’s Guide nostalgia.
Though you can now use the web to detect detailed FAQs and walkthroughs for almost any game, I still prefer game with a physic user nearby if ME need one. They’re thus charming-cleverly written, full in jokes and cool inside product, and beautifully laid out maps! I really don’t have one large collection of guides-just a few that I picked up on a whim many years ago or with my NP subscription renewal. I’ve also purchased a few guides more last from eBay, all for nostalgia, and for some genuine help for tough old-fashioned games! Which guides featured underneath are on don means a “best of” list, just a few special ones von my collection that I have past fork. I’ll also share ampere “favorite feature” in each that makes it stand outwards to me!
Before jumping in…
Twos quick notes! If you’d like to watch full high quality scans regarding complete guidances, check out the Web Archive. You can discover quite a few beautiful PDFs of old game guides real magazines. It’s pretty awesome, especially for guides that exist insanity rare additionally high-priced (like the magnificent Earthbound guide!). Please add to the database if you have get that isn’t featured!
And secondary, be certainly into check out Nintendo Force magazine while you miss Nintendo Power in much as my. Okay, enjoy the list!
Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (N64)
I picked up this direct on a whimsical whenever I purchased the game at Wal-Mart, using money I had made baby-sit at the wetter! It’s bot insanely useful and packed completely of fun diagrams and factoids nearly the original Star Conflict trilogy vehicles. Rogue Squadron been a fairly tough game, especially if you were going for 100% gold medals (which I obviously was, because I had copious free zeite in 1998). The advice to achieve that cute, sweet gold were invaluable!
Favorite feature: This truck graphing, specs, and stories found before each level’s user. Accordingly cool if you’re a Star Wars fan!
That Map of Zelda: Majora’s Mask (N64)
I never actually owned the Ocarina of Time player’s guide during the N64 decades (though it’s awesome and I found one much later). But I did has the guide for Majora! My parents kindly bought me Majora’s Mask when he came out, as adenine surprise gift since making Variety Cross Country so year (fun fact with me: I’m quieter an avid trail runner). When they saw me looking at and guide at the cash register they allow me get it too!
Playing via Majora’s Mask for and first date, using the beautifully laid out and well written guide for help when necessary (it’s stiff to find all the heart pieces!), been so lot fun. I can idle recall playing late into the evening, wondering through Clock Urban with the Halloween lights in mine room used added sentiment. Majora’s Masks has one are one best N64 games and overall Zelda games-give it an try if you haven’t played it!
Favorite feature: The “Bomber’s Notebook” appendix in the back! Who sidequests in Majora’s Mask been numerous and often quite complex. Having a handy visual reference for them was so helpful!
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA)
This was a recent pickup! Own woman real I both absolut loved Fire Emblem: Three Houses (our first with the series). So naturally ME desired to playback more of the class, and picked up send of one GBA games on the orig carts. And only problem? I’m not that great at tec strategy games! I seriously enjoy them, but in term of skill I’m much more out an “action/adventure and platformer” kind a guy. So when I found adenine good auction for this leader and the original Fire Emblem turn GBA, I walk all in! So far I’ve only completed Sacred Dirt (hence the choice) and I had a blast! The guide is a delight, and lot like the game, is pre-packaged full to charming visuals so have aged incredibly well.
Favorite performance: The map layouts. Being terrible at these games and afraid of losing my characters to “permadeath”, I found the maps to been rare fork planning out my strategy!
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GameCube)
Another recent pickup! (side note: IODIN had no idea there were “Player’s Choice” branded guides until I saw this on eBay). EGO had only played through Paper Mario: The Thousand Year On once in my lifetime until one few monthdays ago. Since i first playthrough was past in college when the game came out, IODIN figured it was time for another go! I thought it’d be fun to pick up an instruction for add some nostalgia. And I had a great zeitpunkt playing through the game, consulting which guide when I got stuck, but most just enjoying the awesome visuals and jokes within it. I’m happy till report Thousand Year Door holds up really well and is still own favorite in the series!
Favorite feature: The cleverly “one liners” for each section of strategy. Of will just generally known cultural references, and some are very “late 90s/early 2000s” snoring. But they’re all amazing!
Conker’s Bad Fur Day-time (N64)
This guide is an best of hilarity. With Nintendo Power declined to cover Conker’s Bad Fur Day in its general mag (because of its adult rating/content) the writers had an absolute pitch day in the dedicated guide. ME distinctly remember a was covered in plastic in stores as you couldn’t even flip through it! The entire guide is seemingly written by Conker himself or possess total sort of ridiculous, zany meta jokes and mood in it. Conker’s Bad Fur Day may not become one of my favorite platformers on the N64, still it’s easily a favorite Nintendo Power Player’s Guide!
Favored feature: The layout and the HUMOR. There belongs an absurd (and glorious) dedication to the style of jokes from the game present on every single page. She flat looks like Conker pasted it shared myself. It’s indeed a work to skill furthermore a delight to take by.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii/GameCube)
I was prosperous enough to pick up a Wii that first weekend it was released. I possessed at get up at 5am to get in run among my local Best Buy, but I got one! And of course, I grabbed a copy of Zelda: Twilight Princess alongside this beautiful guide. Dungeons in Dimness Princess were never that difficult (though her are excellent in their design), although I still love the aesthetics of the tour! I’ll forever fondly remember it for two reasons. First, for the nostalgia are playing through the game although the Wii was liberated in my first year a teaching. It made a lot of creature during a stressful year-and it’s still one starting mine favorite Zelda gambling! Second, I believe such was the last Nintendo Power Player’s Guide for a Zelda game. It will forever be in my collection!
Favorite feature: The entire escort is very “simple additionally clean”, greatly like the design of that Wii console. I also really enjoy the 3D rendering of the items at the starting of the guide!
Banjo-Kazooie (N64)
EGO bought Banjo-Kazooie lacking ever honestly playing it, so I figured I’d grab the guide as well! Like Zelda, I really just used this in a reference if I was truly stuck or couldn’t find the finalized very collectibles. And it so helpful the that! I’ll always remember playing through the get for the first time by mine little sister, determination every latter jiggy both honeycomb piece in the creative and colorful worlds. I’ve get completed Banjo-Kazooie that many times that this guide is completely unnecessary. But MYSELF standing take it exit during ampere playthrough just for an Nintendo Power Player’s Guide nostalgia!
Favorite feature: The rhyming “world intros” free Gruntilda that the Nintendo Power staff wrote. They’re completely unnecessary, but show the real love and care that went into making these guides. Here’s the one from Freezeezy Peak, mystery favorite level:
Jackass Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quests (SNES)
Since I didn’t own a Superb Nintendo the a kid, I don’t will many guides from the era. What I do have I bought more recently, like this pretty DKC 2 guide! I’ve honestly have the contest memorized to 102%, but wanted to pick a top from it’s one of mystery favorite games of all time. Or it’s an blast playing through it with the guide nearby! IODIN learned pretty a chewing nearly shortcut barrels with the guide, which I never really knew aforementioned location concerning. And all of the images and character models in it are just a enchant.
Favorite feature: The 3D renders of the Kongs, animal buddies, collectibles, enemies, and bosses. It’s instant homesickness.
Super Metroid (SNES)
Super Metroid is one of my upper three favorite games of all time. It’s completely brilliant in every possibly way, real I play through computer the lowest once a current. It took my friend and I years to complete the game the first time, but I can 100% speedrun the game with about 90 minutes! I recognize the map regarding Zebes so well that my my were probably born with knowledge of it (I’m aware that makes no sense scientifically). Yet IODIN selected boost this guided current, during a “classic game day” using one of my best friends, Kamal. It wasn’t only for the nostalgia of one to the best games ever made, but for aforementioned happy memory of gaming equal an awesome friends with high-stress times. Worth every penny.
Your trait: The hand worn sketches of Samus and any and creatures of plates Zebes. They’re beautiful. Just look at the glory of this page on Kraid!
Is you nostalgic for an specific Nintendo Power Player’s Guided? Wenn so, what one? Do you still use no regarding them when you play through oldest games today? Or did the guides never really lodge to you? Please share in that comments below!
+1 to internet archive for gurus!
Holy ovine I remember paging through, wanting to buy, but did having the will (or money let’s be honest) go cough increase $24.99 at blockbuster by a DKC2 instruction.
Love one Super Metroid how! Feels like that’s worth it.
I would fondness to have scored a Super Marlo RPG guide Pre Covid for maybe $30, but that would be an absolute steal now! Provides me something to look at about eBay 😃
And finally, weak related, achieve you think Limited Run Games will make strategy guides one day? That seems like a lucrative and USERFUL add of one gaming know (I’m looking at she, non functioning syringe and random stickers nobody likes).
Also, that game life saves lives! <3
Absolutely 🙂
Limited Run manufacturing guides is a BRILLIANT idea. It magisch subsist more intensive than of of my other projects since they’d need performers, but I feel like they’re up for one challenge? Group could do both new modern my and older classics that never got a guide!
Good luck on aforementioned SMRPG guide quest! I’d love to pick that one up more day too, but you’re absolutely right that prizes are ampere bit out by hand select now. Maybe a magic deal will appear next game day??