Sega Power

Sega Power
Launch Editor	Steve Jarratt
Company	Future Publishing
ISSN	0961-2718
First Date	October 1989
Final Date	June 1997
Total Issues	91

Sega Power, initially known as S: The Sega Magazine, was launched in October 1989 by Future Publishing and was aimed at the Sega range of consoles, including the Master System, Mega Drive, Game Gear and later on the Mega CD, 32X and Saturn. The magazine was later re-launched in June 1997 as Saturn Power.

See here for a front cover gallery

History

Edited by Steve Jarratt, the early Sega incarnation known as S: The Sega Magazine had originally and exclusively covered the 8-bit Master System console and the original page count was quite small (32 pages) compared to later issues of Sega Power, though some issues had more than five reviews. The first issue was sent out to owners who had registered their Sega Master Systems via warranty cards, with further early issues only being available via subscription. It was also obtainable for free with the purchase of a game from selected retailers. After 6 issues, the magazine went on general sale. Since Issue 10's cover heralded the arrival of the 16-bit Mega Drive, the magazine began expanding its focus to two consoles.

After 12 issues, the magazine was re-named Sega Power in readiness for the forecast boom in video games consoles. After surviving on low sales for over a year and thanks to rising Mega Drive/Sonic The Hedgehog sales, the magazine circulation more than doubled during late 1991. The magazine enjoyed many successful years as one of the biggest selling Sega titles, along with Paragon's Sega Pro and EMAP's Mean Machines Sega. It covered multiple Sega consoles such as the Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, Mega CD, Sega 32X and eventually the Saturn.

The Mega Drive had the longest-lasting coverage in the entirety of the magazine's history due to its years of massive, console-of-choice success in the UK and Europe. Ranging from Truxton and Super Hang-On in Issue 12 (November 1990) to NBA Hang Time in Issue 90 (March 1997), the Mega Drive had over 500 reviews in total (both official and import) during the magazine's history. In 1997, Mega Drive coverage was shrinking as Sega decided to fully focus on the Saturn. In response in June 1997, the magazine was re-launched and re-named as Saturn Power.

Staff

Editors

Steve Jarratt (Oct 1989 - Aug 1990)

Phil South (Aug 1990)

Andy Smith (Sept 1990 - April 1993)

Mark Ramshaw (May 1993 - March 1994)

Please see here for a list of writers who are credited with writing articles or reviews in Sega Power.

Stats

Reviews

Please see here for a list of reviews throughout the magazine's lifespan.

Issue	Reviews	Avg Score	High Score	Highest scoring game	Low Score	Lowest scoring game
1	3	76%	92%	Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap	57%	Casino Games
2	7	71%	89%	Spellcaster	55%	Alex Kidd: High-Tech World
3	4	76%	93%	Psycho Fox	53%	Basketball Nightmare
4	4	70%	91%	R-Type	47%	Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars
5	6	72%	90%	Power Strike	55%	R.C. Grand Prix
6	5	72%	91%	Rastan	48%	World Games
7	9	79%	94%	Phantasy Star	64%	Lord of the Sword
8	15	67%	91%	Fantasy Zone	17%	TransBot
9	10	71%	92%	Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar	52%	Great Basketball
10	4	85%	93%	Alex Kidd in Miracle World	74%	Super Monaco GP
11	13	71%	91%	Shanghai	45%	Time Soldiers
12	6	81%	92%	Impossible Mission	60%	Quartet
13	5	80%	93%	Populous, Columns	51%	Cyber Police ESWAT
14	6	80%	93%	The Revenge of Shinobi	56%	Zany Golf
15	6	72%	94%	Phantasy Star II	44%	World Cup Italia '90
16	6	72%	94%	Pac-Mania	45%	Sword of Sodan, World Cup Italia ’90
17	9	73%	96%	Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse	30%	Dick Tracy
18	9	76%	94%	Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse	55%	The Cyber Shinobi
19	10	75%	95%	Strider	55%	Fatal Labyrinth
20	7	64%	91%	Sword of Vermilion	41%	Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair
21	7	74%	96%	Populous	58%	Centurion: Defender of Rome
22	8	82%	97%	Sonic the Hedgehog	55%	Wrestle War

Other Stats

Issue	Cover Date	Release Date	Pages	Price	Editor	Publisher
1	N/A	October 1989	32	N/A	Steve Jarratt	Future
2	January 1990	December 1989*	32	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
3	February 1990	January 1990*	32	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
4	March 1990	February 1990*	32	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
5	April 1990	March 1990*	32	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
6	May 1990	April 1990*	36	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
7	June 1990	May 1990*	36	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
8	July 1990	7 June 1990	36	£1.25	Steve Jarratt	Future
9	August 1990	5 July 1990	36	£1.25	Steve Jarratt, Phil South	Future
10	September 1990	2 August 1990	36	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
11	October 1990	6 September 1990	36	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
12	November 1990	4 October 1990	36	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
13	December 1990	1 November 1990	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
14	January 1991	6 December 1990	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
15	February 1991	3 January 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
16	March 1991	7 February 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
17	April 1991	7 March 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
18	May 1991	4 April 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
19	June 1991	2 May 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
20	July 1991	6 June 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
21	August 1991	4 July 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
22	September 1991	1 August 1991	52	£1.25	Andy Smith	Future
23	October 1991	5 September 1991	68	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
24	November 1991	3 October 1991	68	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
25	December 1991	7 November 1991	68	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
26	January 1992	5 December 1991	84	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
27	February 1992	2 January 1992	84	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
28	March 1992	6 February 1992	84	£1.75	Andy Smith	Future
29	April 1992	5 March 1992	84	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
30	May 1992	2 April 1992	84	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
31	June 1992	7 May 1992	84	£2.50	Andy Smith	Future
32	July 1992	4 June 1992	84	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
33	August 1992	2 July 1992	84	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
34	September 1992	6 August 1992	84	£2.50	Andy Smith	Future
35	October 1992	3 September 1992	100	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
36	November 1992	1 October 1992	116	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
37	December 1992	5 November 1992	132	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
38	January 1993	3 December 1992	148	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
39	February 1993	7 January 1993	116	£1.95	Andy Smith	Future
40	March 1993	4 February 1993	100	£2.25	Andy Smith	Future
41	April 1993	4 March 1993	100	£2.25	Andy Smith	Future
42	May 1993	1 April 1993	100	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
43	June 1993	6 May 1993	100	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
44	July 1993	3 June 1993	116	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
45	August 1993	1 July 1993	116	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
46	September 1993	5 August 1993	116	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
47	October 1993	2 September 1993	116	£2.25	Mark Ramshaw	Future
48	November 1993	7 October 1993	132	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future
49	December 1993	4 November 1993	148	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future
50	January 1994	2 December 1993	148	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future
51	February 1994	6 January 1994	116	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future
52	March 1994	3 February 1994	100	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future
53	April 1994	3 March 1994	100	£2.50	Mark Ramshaw	Future

  * assumption

Issues

Sega Power Index

Date	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Xms
1989										1
1990	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
1991	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25
1992	26	27	28	29	Cover missing 30	Cover missing 31	Cover missing 32	Cover missing 33	Cover missing 34	Cover missing 35	Cover missing 36	Cover missing 37
1993	Cover missing 38	Cover missing 39	Cover missing 40	Cover missing 41	Cover missing 42	Cover missing 43	Cover missing 44	Cover missing 45	Cover missing 46	Cover missing 47	Cover missing 48	Cover missing 49
1994	Cover missing 50	Cover missing 51	Cover missing 52	Cover missing 53	Cover missing 54	Cover missing 55	Cover missing 56	Cover missing 57	Cover missing 58	Cover missing 59	Cover missing 60	Cover missing 61
1995	Cover missing 62	Cover missing 63	Cover missing 64	Cover missing 65	Cover missing 66	Cover missing 67	Cover missing 68	Cover missing 69	Cover missing 70	Cover missing 71	Cover missing 72	Cover missing 73
1996	Cover missing 74	Cover missing 75	Cover missing 76	Cover missing 77	Cover missing 78	Cover missing 79	Cover missing 80	Cover missing 81,82	Cover missing 83	Cover missing 84	Cover missing 85	Cover missing 86	Cover missing 87
1997	Cover missing 88	Cover missing 89	Cover missing 90	Cover missing 91