Most of you are by now very well aware, but I am a nostalgic person.
As an eternal sentimentalist, I can think back on many things from my childhood with a fondness that brings me a great deal of elation even as an adult. One of the things that sends me straight back into happy memories is the feeling of holding a brand-new Nintendo Power magazine in my hand.
Aside from the few issues I lovingly saved, I'll never really have that experience again - but a user named Gumball has made it so that I can at least experience the next best thing! Earlier this week, they uploaded all 285 issues of Nintendo Power to Archive.org, making it possible for me - and so many others - to live out our childhoods again.
The magazine was discontinued in 2012 (it was picked up as a podcast some 5 years later) and was an absolutely critical source of information from game previews to elusive strategies or hidden game Easter eggs. It thrills me to be able to look back on old issues and remember those moments where I learned something new or found a guide that would help me get past a place I'd been stuck for several weeks.
The magazines are available (unofficially) in .cbr format and come in at just around 40 gigabytes for everything. The vast majority of the collection comes courtesy of Retromags, which is a community-run project dedicated to archiving classic video game magazines. Every issue has been scanned in full color and is a wonderful way to remember some slices of gaming history.
In a Reddit comment, Gumball stated "I've been collecting manuals and stuff for systems I grew up with. It's a piece of a lot of kids' childhoods and gaming history, so I think it's important that they are available for everyone to read." I may be biased, but I certainly agree! Man, I miss those old comics.
Gumball had to do some hunting to complete the collection, but thanks to their dedication we all now can benefit. Thanks, retro gaming community - you've done it again!
Did you have a favorite issue of Nintendo Power or other gaming magazine? Share with me!
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