Sega Force
Encyclopedia
Sega Force was an early 1990s publication that covered the Sega console range (Sega Mega Drive
, Mega CD, Master System and Game Gear).
The magazine featured artwork created by Oliver Frey that was inspired by Japanese anime
, such as Akira
. Frey often introduced a horror element into his artwork. His artwork for a Lemmings
cover replaced the rodents with humans, depicting their horrified faces as they fell to the ground. The title also featured work by Stuart Wynne, Phil King, Steve Shields, Adrian Pitt and Matt Yeo.
The magazine occasionally featured novellas based on console games. Staff writer, Matt Yeo worked in conjunction with Acclaim software to publish a novella based on Super Smash TV
. The narrative followed the plot of the computer game closely and at the end of each chapter offered readers hints and tips on how to complete the game. The narrative style was in keeping with the brash violent cartoons used within the title itself - and bore striking similarities to Stephen King
's The Running Man
. Sega Forces move into computer game fiction is considered to be a response to its rival Sega Power
, which had already had success with several books based on computer games.
In 1993, Impact Magazines made the decision to separate the Sega Force and N-Force titles. Sega Force was split into Sega Force Mega (covering the Mega Drive and Mega CD) and Sega Master Force (covering the Master System). Both titles featured a G-Force
section that covered the Sega Game Gear
.
magazine. The first issues were produced at Europress Impact, but later the magazine was outsourced to a company located in Newton Abbot
, while Impact staff moved on to a new magazine, Mega Machines. Each issue of Sega Force Mega featured 100 pages, consisting of news features, reviews, G-Force and a buyers guide. Six issues were published along with a 'special' seventh issue that included past reviews and news.
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
, Mega CD, Master System and Game Gear).
History
Sega Force and Nintendo Force were initially announced in mid-1991 by Newsfield. However, the liquidation of the publisher resulted in the magazine being significantly delayed. It was eventually launched by Europress Impact in December 1991.The magazine featured artwork created by Oliver Frey that was inspired by Japanese anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
, such as Akira
Akira (film)
is a 1988 Japanese animated cyberpunk science fiction film directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, written by Otomo and Izo Hashimoto, and starring the voices of Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mami Koyama and Taro Ishida. The screenplay is based on Otomo's manga Akira....
. Frey often introduced a horror element into his artwork. His artwork for a Lemmings
Lemmings (video game)
Lemmings is a puzzle computer game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis in . Originally developed for PC and Commodore Amiga, Lemmings was one of the most popular computer games of its time, and several gaming magazines gave it some of their highest review scores at the time...
cover replaced the rodents with humans, depicting their horrified faces as they fell to the ground. The title also featured work by Stuart Wynne, Phil King, Steve Shields, Adrian Pitt and Matt Yeo.
The magazine occasionally featured novellas based on console games. Staff writer, Matt Yeo worked in conjunction with Acclaim software to publish a novella based on Super Smash TV
Smash TV
Smash TV is a 1990 arcade game created by Eugene Jarvis and Mark Turmell for Williams. Home versions were developed for various platforms and most were published by Acclaim Entertainment.-Description:...
. The narrative followed the plot of the computer game closely and at the end of each chapter offered readers hints and tips on how to complete the game. The narrative style was in keeping with the brash violent cartoons used within the title itself - and bore striking similarities to Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's The Running Man
The Running Man
The Running Man is a science fiction novel by Stephen King, first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982 as a paperback original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books...
. Sega Forces move into computer game fiction is considered to be a response to its rival Sega Power
Sega Power
Sega Power, initially known as S: The Sega Magazine, was a Future publication aimed at the Sega range of consoles, including the Master System, Mega Drive, Game Gear and later on the Mega CD, 32X and Saturn...
, which had already had success with several books based on computer games.
In 1993, Impact Magazines made the decision to separate the Sega Force and N-Force titles. Sega Force was split into Sega Force Mega (covering the Mega Drive and Mega CD) and Sega Master Force (covering the Master System). Both titles featured a G-Force
G-force
The g-force associated with an object is its acceleration relative to free-fall. This acceleration experienced by an object is due to the vector sum of non-gravitational forces acting on an object free to move. The accelerations that are not produced by gravity are termed proper accelerations, and...
section that covered the Sega Game Gear
Sega Game Gear
The was Sega's first handheld game console. It was the third commercially available color handheld console, after the Atari Lynx and the TurboExpress....
.
Sega Master Force
Sega Master Force was aimed at the younger market, though it remained readable for older Sega fans. The magazine was edited by Nick Roberts and retained the visual appearance of Sega Force. Six issues of Sega Master Force were published, each featuring 68 pages.Sega Force Mega
Sega Force Mega was marketed as a grown-up games publication that would better compete with Future's MEGAMega (magazine)
MEGA, subtitled '100% pure Mega Drive' was a monthly magazine, published in the United Kingdom, aimed at users of the Sega Mega Drive and its additions, the Mega CD and 32X. During its time, as one of the main Mega Drive publications, Mega covered the golden age of the Sega Mega Drive; from 1992 to...
magazine. The first issues were produced at Europress Impact, but later the magazine was outsourced to a company located in Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot
Newton Abbot is a market town and civil parish in the Teignbridge District of Devon, England on the River Teign, with a population of 23,580....
, while Impact staff moved on to a new magazine, Mega Machines. Each issue of Sega Force Mega featured 100 pages, consisting of news features, reviews, G-Force and a buyers guide. Six issues were published along with a 'special' seventh issue that included past reviews and news.