I know I'm a little LTTP when it comes to this RIP, but the truth is I wasn't planning to write about this rather sad occasion (
Nintendo Power's December 2012 issue will be its last), mainly because I haven't flipped through a copy of the magazine in ages.
Then I came across a photo I took a few years back of
Nintendo Power's first issue (below and
here), and it brought to mind all sorts of amazingly fond memories.
One of them: If memory serves, the issue above was sent to me and my brother shortly after we acquired our NES. Although we were quite content with the pack-in title (
Super Mario Bros./
Duck Hunt), those first images of
Super Mario Bros. 2 blew our young minds.
In fact, I'm pretty sure the timing of
Super Mario Bros. 2's announcement and release is solely responsible for Mario's first sequel (in the US) becoming my favorite of all his two-dimensional adventures.
Nintendo Power's second issue (above and
here) was only slightly less amazing than its first thanks to features that focused on
Bionic Commando and
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. (Oh, and more
Super Mario Bros. 2, of course.)
And then, in the magazine's fourth issue (below and
here), we got both a (somewhat disturbing due to its use of mannequins) cover image devoted to and a review of
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, another game that--at the time, at least--completely rocked my world.
(To see an early
Nintendo Power cover that I'm much more fond of, check out
this photo of the July/August 1989 issue. Claymation Mega Man FTW!)
Will any of you be sad to see
Nintendo Power go the way of the
Dodo? If so, what are some of your most cherished memories of this nearly 25-year-old publication?