Volume 5 - Issue 4

Once again, Mario took over the cover story with the release of famed compilation cartridge Super Mario All-Stars. While the idea of playing updated, 16-bit versions of the classic Super Mario Bros. games was exciting enough, the compilation also contained SMB: The Lost Levels. This game was the 'real' SMB2 in Japan; while it looked very similar to the original SMB, it was much more challenging. Super Mario All-Stars would mark the Lost Levels' first ever release outside of Japan.

Other highlights in this issue included the debut adventures of a little pink puffball named Kirby. Predominantly aimed at children, these games followed Kirby's attempts at keeping the world of Dream Land safe from evil. If cutesy games about pink blobs didn't appeal, then there were more hardcore alternatives in the form of The Lost Vikings, Mega Man 4, and a triple-whammy of Battletoads games.