Sega Force

Infobox Magazine
title = Sega Force

| image_size = 200px | image_caption = "Sega Force" #1, January 1992
editor = Stuart Wynne
Roger Kean "(Acting Editor)"
Chris Knight
Steve Shields "(Managing Editor)"
frequency = Monthly
circulation =
category = Video game magazines
company = Europress Impact Impact Magazines
firstdate = January 1992
country = United Kingdom
language = English
website =
issn = 0964-2552
finaldate = July 1993
finalnumber = 19

"Sega Force" was an early 1990s publication that covered the Sega console range (Sega Mega Drive, 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 delay. It was eventually launched by Europress Impact in January 1992.

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 Sheilds, 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 bared striking similarities to Stephen King's "The Running Man". "Sega Force"'s 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.

Infobox Magazine
title = Sega Master Force

| image_size = 200px | image_caption = "Sega Maser Force" #1, August 1993
editor = Steve Shields "(Managing Editor)"
Nick Roberts
frequency = Monthly
circulation =
category = Video game magazines
company = Impact Magazines
firstdate = August 1993
country = United Kingdom
language = English
website =
issn =
finaldate = December 1993
finalnumber = 6

"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 "MEGA" magazine. The work on the magazine was outsourced to a company located in Newton Abbot. Each issue 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.

Infobox Magazine
title = Sega Force Mega

| image_size = 200px | image_caption = "Sega Force Mega" #1, August 1993
editor = Steve Shields "(Managing Editor)"
Mark Smith
frequency = Monthly
circulation =
category = Video game magazines
company = Impact Magazines
firstdate = August 1993
country = United Kingdom
language = English
website =
issn =
finaldate = January 1994
finalnumber = 7

"Sega Force" Special

The seventh, and what would turn out to be the final, issue of "Sega Force Mega" was dubbed a "Sega Force Special". The 132-page magazine featured reprints of reviews that had appeared in the previous six issues of "Sega Force Mega" and "Sega Master Force". The preview of Sonic Chaos for the Master System was updated to provide a game rating. In the editorial, Nick Roberts indicated that "Sega Force Mega" would be 'back to normal' in the following month, but did not mention "Sega Master Force". However, issue 8 failed to appear and it was learned that all of Impact's magazines were closed.

ee also

* Video game journalism
* Magazine
* Video game