"It's been a long time since I've rock and rolled....."  - Jimmy Page / Robert Plant

Whew!  Where has all the time gone?  Checking out the last RELEASES it was BEFORE the end of the year.  And, WOW, what a fall it was.  It was also rather disappointing for other reasons too, but we won't (U7) mention any names (Strike Commander) now will we?  That just (Ultrabots) wouldn't be polite (Powermonger) at all, now would (Indy Jones 4) it?

At any rate, here we are,  poised on the precipice of another gaming year about to unfold.  Aren't you just disgusted with the months of January through March?  Bleeeahh!  Totally dry.  Nice to see some good stuff liven it up lately like Underworld, Planets Edge, and Global Conquest.  But believe me, the rest of '92 looks VERY hot with some kick-butt games in store.  Claude's personal advice to all:  RUN, don't walk and get yourself a CD-ROM drive.  Virgin Games alone will make it worth your while.  Read on, oh slaves, read on.

As promised in the last issue, you should be reading/printing this through Word for Windows 2.0 now; arguably the best text handler of all time.  I love it.  Get your 3.1 Windows upgrade too.  No more reason to complain.  Join the rest of the planet.  Claude's advice regarding NoS/2??  Don't bother.  More bells and whistles, but for the gaming world we love to live in, DOS/WIN is the way to go.  I'm content - leave me alone, and no, I don't care about preemptive multitasking and HPFS.  On the Windows front, there are is an increasing number of good games coming out for Windows.  Read on, oh peasants, read on.  Heh. ;-).

Now it's time for Claude's regular, "don't hold me to the release dates...I just report what the vendors say" tripe.  When you see a date listed at it says the 30th or 31st, count on it showing up at the end of the month (roughly).  There are, however, some surprises.  Nobody, not even the vendor, can predict to the day when something is going to ship unless you call them EVERY SINGLE DAY.  No, Claude is not going to do that.  I'll give you the range - sit on your hands for a little while around then.

I'm making my annual pilgrimage to CES this summer and it may signal the end of summer CES as we know it.  Did you know you're invited??  On the final two days of the show, the doors are open to consumers.  On the first two days of the show, they are not.  I'll be there for the first two days reporting the news as I see it for "y'all" and am bugging out before they open the doors.  I might also add that the exhibiting vendors are NOT happy about this at all.  Some have chosen to not attend at all because of these consumer days.  Way too many hassles.  Virtually all of the others I have talked to have said that they are really going to clam up talking and showing the new stuff slated for the Christmas season when the consumers flood the place.  If you think this will be really great to go to CES to see the new games, don't expect much.  On the final two days, you'll mostly just see 'already-shipping - old games'.  Don't worry - Claude will give you the skinny on ALL the stuff that is under private wraps.  Already got some hot invitations to some private showings in some hotel suites.

And now, on with the show.... As always, if you have a question that isn't answered here or in CAPSULES, leave me a message and I'll find it.  Enjoy.






Jack Nicklaus Unlimited Golf Signature Edition	Accolade	OUT
Dvorak's Top 30 for Windows	Interplay	OUT
Atominoes	Psygnosis	OUT
Out of This World	Interplay	OUT
SWOTL Planes: HE162	Lucasfilms	OUT
Leather Goddess of Phobos II: Gas Pump Girls	Activision	OUT
American Gladiators	Gametek	OUT

Battle Isle (U.S.)	UBI Soft	4/10
LaRussa 1990 Statistical Disk	SSI	4/10
Conflict Korea	SSI	4/10

Ultima 7	Origin	4/13

Al Michael's Announces Hardball III	Accolade	4/15
Grand Prix Unlimited	Accolade	4/15
Star Control 2	Accolade	4/15
Lord of the Rings II: The Two Towers	Interplay	4/15
Classics 5	Interplay	4/15
Ninja Turtles Arcade (U.S.)	Konami	4/15
Monkey Island: CD-ROM	Lucasfilms	4/15
Loom: CD-ROM	Lucasfilms	4/15
Robosport for Windows	Maxis	4/15
Microleague Baseball: USA Today Edition	Microleague Sports	4/15
Vegas Entertainment Pack for Windows	New World Computing	4/15
Darkman	Ocean	4/15
Wing Commander 2: Special Ops #2	Origin	4/15
California Scenery Disks	SubLOGIC	4/15
Cybercon III	U.S. Gold	4/15
Cruise for a Corpse	U.S. Gold	4/15
The Magnetic Scrolls Collection  (BUGLESS U.S. release)	Virgin Games	4/15

Solitaire's Journey: 1998	QQP	4/25

Links Courses: Royal Troon (AZ)	Access Software	4/30
Aces of the Pacific	Dynamix	4/30
Magic Garden	Electronic Zoo	4/30
Son of Zeus	Electronic Zoo	4/30
Abandoned Places	Electronic Zoo	4/30
Team Yankee II: The Pacific Islands	Empire	4/30
Mutant Warriors	Innerprise Software	4/30
Pacific Theater of Operations	Koei	4/30
A-Train	Maxis	4/30
Tom Landry Football	Merit Software	4/30
Microleague Hockey	Microleague Sports	4/30
Microleague Boxing	Microleague Sports	4/30
Flames of Freedom (U.S.)	Microprose	4/30
Cribbage for Window MPC	Ninga Software	4/30
Elf	Ocean	4/30
Guy Spy	Readysoft	4/30
Space Quest IV - CD-ROM	Sierra On-Line	4/30
Crisis in the Kremlin	Spectrum Holobyte	4/30
Omniplay Horse Racing: Jockey Competition	Sporttime	4/30
Omniplay Basketball: NBA Pro League Module	Sporttime	4/30
LaRussa 1991 Statistical Disk	SSI	4/30
Carrier Strike	SSI	4/30
The Dark Queen of Krynn	SSI	4/30
Megafortress Mission Disk: Operation Skymasters	Three-Sixty	4/30
Jetfighter II: Mission Disks	Velocity Development	4/30
Realms	Virgin Games	4/30
NFL Challenge 3.0	XOR	4/30

Gateway	Legend/Accolade	5/15
Pinball for Windows	Dynamix	5/15
Powermonger PC	Electronic Arts	5/15
Rampart	Electronic Arts	5/15
Heroes of the 357th	Electronic Arts	5/15
Gods (U.S.)	Konami	5/15
B-17	Microprose	5/15
Greens	Microprose	5/15
Laura Bow Adventures: The Dagger of Amon Ra	Sierra On-Line	5/15
Theater of War	Three-Sixty	5/15

Hong Kong Majongg	Electronic Arts	5/31
Global Effects	Electronic Arts	5/31
Tennis Cup II	Electronic Zoo	5/31
Dark Spyre II	Electronic Zoo	5/31
International Sports Challenge	Empire	5/31
Daemonsgate I: Dorovan's Key	Gametek	5/31
The Gadget Twins	Gametek	5/31
Mario Teaches Typing	Interplay	5/31
NFL	Konami	5/31
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis	Lucasfilms	5/31
Major League Baseball	Micro Sports	5/31
Quest for Glory I - VGA	Sierra On-Line	5/31
Police Quest I - VGA	Sierra On-Line	5/31
Wizardry 7: Crusaders of the Dark Savant	Sir-Tech Software	5/31
Captive	Software Toolworks	5/31
Carriers at War	SSG	5/31
Prophecy of the Shadow	SSI	5/31
Air Force Pilot Trainer	SubLOGIC	5/31
Heimdall	Virgin Games	5/31
Dune	Virgin Games	5/31
Drakkhen 2	Infogrammers	5/31
Wolf Child	Core Design	5/31

Arcade Game Compilation	Domark	6/15
Campaign	Domark	6/15
SWOTL Planes: Dornier 335	Lucasfilms	6/15
Siege	Mindcraft	6/15
Mantis: Experimental Fighter	Paragon	6/15
Armourgeddon	Psygnosis	6/15

Links 386 Pro with Harbor Town	Access Software	6/30
Red Baron Mission Builder / Planes / Missions	Dynamix	6/30
Birds of Prey PC	Electronic Arts	6/30
4-D Tennis	Electronic Arts	6/30
Campaign	Empire	6/30
Eye of the Storm	Empire	6/30
The Cool Croc Twins	Empire	6/30
Humans	Gametek	6/30
Sword of Sodan	Innerprise	6/30
Buzz Aldrin's Race into Space	Interplay	6/30
Dvorak on Typing for Windows	Interplay	6/30
World Circuit	Microprose	6/30
Darklands	Microprose	6/30
A.T.A.C.	Microprose	6/30
Backgammon for Windows MPC	Ninga Software	6/30
Special Forces	Ocean	6/30
Spoils of War	RAW Entertainment	6/30
Space Inc.	RAW Entertainment	6/30
Dominant Species	RAW Entertainment	6/30
Tetris Classic	Spectrum Holobyte	6/30
Operation: Flying Tiger	Spectrum Holobyte	6/30
Omniplay Football	Sporttime	6/30
Omniplay Baseball	Sporttime	6/30
Time Gates	Symtus	6/30
True Classics Golf: Wailea	T&E Software	6/30
True Classics Golf: Pebble Beach	T&E Software	6/30
B.A.T. II: The Koshan Conspiracy	UBI Soft	6/30
Megalomania	UBI Soft	6/30
Kyrandia: Fables and Themes	Virgin Games	6/30
Sherlocks Holmes: Consulting Detective	ICOM	6/30
Battlecruiser: 3000 A.D.	Galcom	6/30
Spellcraft	ASCIIware	6/30

RAF in the Pacific - Aces of the Pacific Mission Disk	Dynamix	7/15
Mercenaries	Mindcraft	7/15
Robocop 3D	Ocean	7/15

Links for Windows	Access Software	7/31
Roller Coaster Contruction Set	Disney Software	7/31
Heaven and Earth	Disney Software	7/31
Utopia: Creation of a Nation	Konami	7/31
Plan 9 From Outer Space	Konami	7/31
Dream Web	Live Studios	7/31
NFL Football '92	Micro Sports	7/31
KGB	Virgin Games	7/31
Monopoly for Windows	Virgin Games	7/31

Car and Driver	Electronic Arts	8/15

Amazon	Access Software	8/31
Links Courses: Mauna Kea	Access Software	8/31
2300 A.D.	Bethesda Softworks	8/31
U.S.S. John Young	Digitek	8/31
Hext	Digitek	8/31
Second World	Digitek	8/31
Stunt Island	Disney Software	8/31
John Madden Football II	Electronic Arts	8/31
Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel	Electronic Arts	8/31
Checkmate for Windows 3.0	Interplay	8/31
Battlechess 4000	Interplay	8/31
Magic Pockets	Konami	8/31
SimAnt for Windows	Maxis	8/31
SimLife	Maxis	8/31
Microleague Basketball	Microleague Sports	8/31
College League Football '92	Micro Sports	8/31
Strike Commander	Ocean	8/31
Ultima 7 1/2: Serpent Isle	Origin	8/31
Spellbound	Paragon	8/31
Fleet Commander	RAW Entertainment	8/31
Leisure Suit Larry I: CD-ROM	Sierra On-Line	8/31
Line in the Sand	SSI	8/31
Bismarck	SSI	8/31
"Cowboy Collection" Scenery	SubLOGIC	8/31
V for Victory	Three-Sixty	8/31
Megafortress Scenario Editor	Three-Sixty	8/31
The Godfather Strategy Game	U.S. Gold	8/31
Guest - CD-ROM	Virgin Games	8/31

Flight Simulator 5.0 for Windows	BAO/Microsoft	9/30
Gretzky Hockey III	Bethesda Softworks	9/30
Terminator 2029: Man's Battle for Survival	Bethesda Softworks	9/30
Ultrabots Sanction: Earth	DataEast	9/30
Dog Eat Dog World	Disney Software	9/30
Harrier Assault	Domark	9/30
Columbus	Domark	9/30
Michael Jordan Flight	Electronic Arts	9/30
Liberty or Death	Koei	9/30
Champions	Konami	9/30
Frozen Jungle	Mindcraft	9/30
"Might and Magic 4" (new name coming)	New World Computing	9/30
Epic	Ocean	9/30
Lemmings II	Psygnosis	9/30
Air Support	Psygnosis	9/30
Hired Gun	Psygnosis	9/30
Lost Admiral Scenario Disk	QQP	9/30
Castles and Catapaults	QQP	9/30
Battle for Guadalcanal	RAW Entertainment	9/30
Quest for Glory 3: Wages of War	Sierra On-Line	9/30
Space Quest V	Sierra On-Line / Dynamix	9/30
Mario is Missing	Software Toolworks	9/30
Warthog	Spectrum Holobyte	9/30
Celtic Legends	UBI Soft	9/30
Dune: The Battle for Arrakis	Virgin Games	9/30
Monopoly Deluxe	Virgin Games	9/30

Tower	Wesson International	10/15

Links Multimedia - CD-ROM	Access Software	10/31
Prince of Persia II	Broderbund	10/31
Battlefield 2000	DataEast	10/31
Shadowland	Domark	10/31
WW2: 1946 - Aces of the Pacific Mission Disk	Dynamix	10/31
Dynamix Football	Dynamix	10/31
Cyberfight	Electronic Arts	10/31
Castles II	Interplay	10/31
Chaos Engine	Konami	10/31
SimCity II	Maxis	10/31
SimCity: CD-ROM	Maxis	10/31
SimFarm	Maxis	10/31
F-15 Strike Eagle III	Microprose	10/31
Johnny Crash	Microprose	10/31
Task Force 1942	Microprose	10/31
Rex Nubular	Microprose	10/31
Pirates Gold	Microprose	10/31
NBA Basketball	Micro Sports	10/31
Megatraveller 3: Unknown Worlds	Paragon	10/31
King's Quest VI	Sierra On-Line	10/31
"Spectrum Holobyte Chess"	Spectrum Holobyte	10/31
Warlords II	SSG	10/31
Patriot	Three-Sixty	10/31
Spectre	Velocity Development	10/31
Legacy of the Necromancer	Virgin Games	10/31

Cyberspace	Empire	11/30
College League Basketball	Micro Sports	11/30
Microcosm CD-ROM	Psygnosis	11/30
The Island of Dr. Brain	Sierra On-Line	11/30
"Codename: Iceman Sequel"	Sierra On-Line	11/30
"Fantasy Multi-Player Game"	SimSystems	11/30
Ambush	Sir-Tech Software	11/30
Victory at Sea	Three-Sixty	11/30

Aces over Europe	Dynamix	12/15
"Rift War" Fantasy RPG	Dynamix	12/15
Dark Star	Interstel	12/15
Light Quest	UBI Soft	12/15

Populous II PC	Electronic Arts	12/31
The Magic Candle III	Mindcraft	12/31
Eye of the Beholder 3	SSI	12/31
Megafortress 2 player Co-op version	Three-Sixty	12/31
AWACs Simulation	Wesson International	12/31

NCAA Football	Bethesda Softworks	1Q93
Lode Runner II	Broderbund	1Q93
Willy Beamish II	Dynamix	1Q93
Dragon Wars II	Interplay	1Q93
Mean Time	Interplay	1Q93
F-22 Advanced Technology Fighter	Microprose	1Q93
Attack Sub 2000	Microprose	1Q93
Wing Commander 3	Origin	1Q93
Ultima 8	Origin	1Q93
Twilight 2001	Paragon	1Q93
Star Trek: The Next Generation	Spectrum Holobyte	1Q93
El Grito Del Jaguary - CD-ROM	Spectrum Holobyte	1Q93
Harpoon 2.0 w/ Pacific Battleset	Three-Sixty	1Q93
Cybernet	Virgin Games	1Q93
Monopoly - CD-ROM	Virgin Games	1Q93
Race to Mars	Wesson International	1Q93

Links Course Designer	Access Software	2Q93
Dynamix 'Golf'	Dynamix	2Q93
Lord of the Rings III: Return of the King	Interplay	2Q93
Task Force 1942 w/ fllight simulator	Microprose	2Q93
"Might and Magic 5" (new name coming)	New World Computing	2Q93
Trade Commander	Origin	2Q93
Planetside	Psygnosis	2Q93
AH-64 Attack Chopper	Spectrum Holobyte	2Q93
Sphere of Influence	Spectrum Holobyte	2Q93

Harpoon 386	Three-Sixty	4Q93
Jetfighter III	Velocity Development	4Q93

Tank 2.0	Spectrum Holobyte	1Q94


The Omnipresent "To-Be-Determined TBD" or "We have no idea when or if this is still coming out" List

Links Courses: Merion	Access Software	TBD
Links Courses: Balybunion	Access Software	TBD
Links Courses: Royal Melbourne	Access Software	TBD
Conspiracy: The Deadlock Files	Accolade	TBD
Lost Treasures of Infocom II	Activision/Infocom	TBD
Where in Space is Hans Solo	Broderbund	TBD
Earthling	Electronic Arts	TBD
Dungeon Master PC	FTL Games	TBD
Chaos Strikes Back	FTL Games	TBD
Star Fleet III	Interstel	TBD
Monkey Island 2: CD-ROM	Lucasfilms	TBD
Final Conflict	Merit Software	TBD
Fight for Rome	Merit Software	TBD
Merchant Colony	Merit Software	TBD
Traders	Merit Software	TBD
Botts	Microprose	TBD
"Planetary Exploration" Game	Mindcraft	TBD
Civil War	Ninga Software	TBD
Paragon Golf	Paragon	TBD
Mantis: CD-ROM	Paragon	TBD
Spellbound: CD-ROM	Paragon	TBD
Lemmings Construction Set	Psygnosis	TBD
The Tomato Game	Psygnosis	TBD
Castles and Catapaults	QQP	TBD
Scary Tales	Sierra On-Line	TBD
"Ecoquest Sequel"	Sierra On-Line	TBD
King's Quest II - VGA	Sierra On-Line	TBD
King's Quest III - VGA	Sierra On-Line	TBD
Citadel of the Black Sun	SSI	TBD
Winter Olympics	Three-Sixty	TBD
B-70 Valkyrie	Three-Sixty	TBD

That's all for now, folks.  Hope you enjoy.  Stay tuned for a blockbuster RELEASES #20. It will be the full coverage of Summer CES '92.  Computer Gaming World??  Incomplete.  Computer Game Review?  Flashy Graphics, no meat.  Strategy Plus?  Just the headline stuff.  Claude takes you through every aisle, every vendor.  On sale at newsstands early June!  Watch for it.

Claude Rains
4/3/92