68 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Overall Great Nintendo magazine, but may not be for everyone., July 30, 2008
This review is from: Nintendo Power (Magazine)
I've had this magazine for almost a decade now and it's gone through many changes and renovations through those years. Here though, I'll try to explain the aspects of the most recent phase of this magazine.
- There's a section dedicated exclusively to Wii Channels. Here, the staff will provide previews and reviews on wiiware and virtual console games. Being that wiiware previews/reviews aren't as widespread across the net as actual games, these insights might prove useful.
- There's also a very nifty chart keeping track of all games in development for Nintendo systems. I often refer to this chart as it is very convenient.
- The magazine maintains a good connection with readers and fans. There are the usual few pages dedicated to reading mail, but in addition to that, Nintendo Power likes to look at what fanboys/girls are doing to show their Nintenlove. They interview fans who hand-craft real-life replicas of Zelda swords, someone who made their house into a model of Super Mario Bros., and other die-hard fans like that. So all you Nintendo fans, rejoice!
- Lots of interviews. Nintendo Power really wants you to know what's in the minds of developers, publishers, and other big people in the gaming world. I find that in general, each issue has several interviews. This is nice and all, but if you're not into interviews, you may find these things taking up space.
- Lots of screenshots. There is not a single page without a picture on it. Every game they present to you will have a screenshot with it. And with games in the features section, you'll often find the pictures taking up more space than the words. This, of course, makes the article seem much longer than it actually is. But in general, I find these pictures very useful for getting an idea of the graphical style of games. And this is a big plus for those who like to quickly go through a magazine and check out the pictures.
- Maybe not as mature as some other gaming magazines. I do notice some of the content is organized with the younger reader in mind. I did notice that one article even had a warning which urged those under 17 to skip the article. This isn't to say that older readers won't enjoy this magazine at all, but don't expect anything overly mature.
- Many of the articles also tend to be "light reads." They may look long but they're actually not. I'd say that each article is about a page or so (in conventional, small magazine font) without all the pictures. So those looking for extensive, long articles may find themselves dissapointed. But those who are looking for a general idea of a game and its concepts will be very pleased.
- Biased reviews. This is definitely noticeable. If Nintendo published or developed the game, don't trust the review on it. Their reviews of third-party games are generally reliable, but I would suggest that you consult other sources for game reviews.
- They do offer a contest every magazine, and the prizes are always desirable. A definite plus.
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Better before the FutureUS take over., May 30, 2010
This review is from: Nintendo Power (Magazine)
Nintendo Power is a great magazine for Nintendo fans. However, it was significantly better when Nintendo published it in-house. FutureUS ruined some of the best parts in it and also never delivered on the promises that were made in the last issue Nintendo actually published themselves. FutureUS' customer service people are also extremely annoying and pushy. They will send you a "FINAL NOTICE" warning about your subscription expiring when you still have four months to go. Nintendo Power will break some news first but shortly after they do, you can easily find it online. For free. In addition, a lot of the news they publish that isn't an exclusive is usually out of date. I kept my subscription to the magazine for a year after FutureUS took over but did not renew it as I was very disappointed with the direction the magazine was going.
Bottom line: If you're looking for Nintendo news, you'll have better luck online or in other magazines. FutureUS has very pushy people when it comes to renewing your subscription. The majority of the news published in Nintendo Power is also out of date by at least a whole month. I've seen things that have been two months old, such as their E3 coverage.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Issues always missing or late -- poor customer service, June 16, 2011
This review is from: Nintendo Power (Magazine)
Right now, I am beyond frustrated with Nintendo Power. EVERY MONTH, I have to email because of a missing issue. EVERY MONTH, they tell me it's too late, no issues left to send out, they'll extend my subscription. Once in awhile, I'll get the issues late -- very late -- but that tells me they have the correct address. I call to complain that I didn't get the last three issues and the lady on the line said my subscription has been extended too many times, so she takes some of the extensions back. Not to mention she did nothing about my missing issues. According to her, it's the post office's problem. She'll send me a letter so that I can bring it to the post office and file a complaint.
What??? I expected her to send me my missing issues and I get her (and her supervisor) arguing with me that the issues have been sent and there's nothing they could do.
My coworker's daughters also subscribe to this magazine. Whenever the issues are late, I check with her to see if she's gotten hers. She also has a problem with the issues arriving on time. I told customer service that, and they continue to insist it's the post office. I'm sure someone in our city is looking through the mail every month and taking only Nintendo magazines out of everyone's mail. Nothing else is missing. That doesn't convince them.
I really and truly would love to cancel this magazine. This review would actually contain some four letter descriptive text, except that I don't swear. My son loves the content and it always makes him feel like he's "in the know" before all his friends. It's the only reason I don't cancel. This was a gift to him from last year, but we won't be renewing.
Nintendo Power deserves less than one star for its subscription management and customer service. My son would give it five stars for content. He devours it. For someone who doesn't read much, I'm happy he's found something he enjoys.
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