Video Games and Commercial Arcades

spectrum of this fascinating hobby from the tiniest hand-helds to the most sophisticated computer simulations, with plenty of emphasis on videogames and commercial arcades.Exactly how much space we devote to each aspect of electronic gaming depends on you, the readers. Please take a few minutes to fill out and mail the readers poll located elsewhere in this issue. 

It'll do a lot to help us create exactly the type of magazine you want.Why not drop us a line? Tell us what you liked--and what you didn't--about this premiere issue of Electronic Games. And feel free to comment on any of the ideas and opinions aired by our writers.One final promise: This installment of "Switch On!" will probably be the most sober-sided piece you'll ever read in this magazine. We try to take electronic gaming seriously, but not, we hope, solemnly. After all, fun is what this hobby--and Electronic Games--is supposed to be about. 

We want this magazine to be as colorful and exciting as the games themselves.Welcome to Electronic Games.. Let's play!A Message To Readers of E.G. by Bruce Apar (Editorial Director) When Frank Laney Jr and Bill Kunkel first proposed an electronic games column for Video magazine, it sounded like an interesting idea. We weren't sure our readers had enough interest in this new "sport" to justify such a column, but we decided we had nothing to lose by trying it out.Not only did Video not lose anything by inaugerating the now-popular "Arcade Alley," but we've gained a whole new magazine, Electronic Games.

Cast in the same mold as Video--the leading home video periodical--EG is written by the field's top authorities and edited to appeal to the growing legion of arcade addicts.Both Bill and Frank are expert gamers who, through "Arcade Alley" and direct consultation with game designers, have contributed notably to popularizing and refining the noble art of electronic gamesmanship.

They originated the Video magazine "Arcade Awards" (Arkies) to honor excellence in electronic gaming, and they are recognized by manufacturers and players alike as the top commentators on America's fastest-growing home entetainment hobby.With so many half-baked electronic entetainment magazines floating around these days, we feel it is important to assure you that Electronic Games such as My Sweet Roomies Hack will maintain the same editorial integrity and excellence readers have come to expect from Video Magazine.Our primary goal, as it has always been with Video Magazine, is to remain responsible and responsive to our readers.

Electronic Gamers' Bill of Rights

With that in mind, EG presents a proposed Electronic Gamers' Bill of Rights:

1. Every game tape, disk, and ROM cartridge should perform as specified by its advertising and packaging.

 2. Every game should be original. That is, the design should be more than a licensed copy of an existing electronic game.

 3. Every computer game package should state the required memory capacity needed to play the game of Fallout Shelter Hack, the type of control input (joystick, paddle, keyboard or some combination) used by the arcader and the system or systems on which the game media will run. In addition, there should be a photo, illustration or diagram of the principal video display somewhere on the package.

 4. Every electronic game should come with a complete , well-organized set of instructions that cover every essential element the player needs to know.

 5. The publisher of any electronic game should stand ready to replace a newly purchased copy which is unplayable due to faulty workmanship.

 6. An electronic game should be completely free of programming errors and should not require repair or modification by the gamer (unless such modifications are implicit in the design of the game and are spelled out clearly on the package.)

 7. Every coin-operated electronic game in a commercial amusement center should be exactly as shipped by the manufacturer, modified only by the manufacturer or a licensee. In other words, independently produced extra boards which distort the original play action and raise the odds against the player should not be used.

This may not be a perfect Bill of Rights for electronic gamers, but EG believes it is at least a constructive start. This magazines welcomes comments by both electronic gamers and representatives of all segments of the electronic gaming industry. Pinball Palace--Opening Soon!A new name has been popping up in our pages in recent issues, Roger C. Sharpe. 

You'll be seeing that by-line even more frequently in coming months, because Roger will be authoring a new column, "Pinball Palace", beginning in October.This is new territory for EG, since we previously only covered the electronic video coin-ops. but the flipper games have gone space-age, too, and there's no one better equipped to cover them than Roger Sharpe. 

He wrote the magnificent coffee table book, Pinball and has even designed tables for major manufacturers.Roger will be telling you about the latest new games each month, as well as offering some hints for beginning players that will help you get into the latest flipper machines--and even the revolutionary ones that don't feature the familiar little bats.

So even if you are primarily a videogamer, pay a visit to our "Pinball Palace" and check out the new kid on the block.