{"id":2044,"date":"2015-09-08T16:51:03","date_gmt":"2015-09-08T20:51:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/?p=2044"},"modified":"2015-10-02T09:51:51","modified_gmt":"2015-10-02T13:51:51","slug":"magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/","title":{"rendered":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this ongoing Armchair Arcade<\/strong> series<\/a>, I take a look at random videogame- and computer-centric magazines from years past. I’ll point out particularly interesting content within each magazine and provide commentary from the perspective of what we know now. Whenever possible, I’ll provide direct links to PDF scans of the material so you can follow along.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today’s feature, 001, is on the August 1986 issue of Computer Gaming World<\/a><\/em>, which is issue 30.<\/p>\n

\"Computer

Computer Gaming World<\/em>, 08\/1986 (cover)<\/p><\/div>\n

Starting with the cover, I know I’m already in for a treat as\u00a0artwork from SSI’s Phantasie II<\/a><\/em>\u00a0box is featured. The Phantasie<\/em> series was my first proper introduction to Dungeons & Dragons<\/em> pen and paper-style role-playing on a computer – in this case my Commodore 64 (C-64) – and it left a lasting impression. I also had fun with the other game mentioned on the cover, GBA Championship Basketball\u00a0<\/em>and dabbled with Activision’s Gamemaker<\/em>, although I never ended up making much with it. I’m not sure what American Dream<\/em>\u00a0is, so I’ll be curious to find out. In any case, there’s a lot to be said for\u00a0Computer Gaming World<\/a><\/em>‘s (hereafter, CGW)<\/em> cover design, as the artwork against the blue background and clean lettering is particularly classy. It’s understated in a way that today’s magazines simply wouldn’t be able to attempt.<\/p>\n

On page 5, in the Taking a Peek<\/strong> column (short previews), a mention is made of a “nice new entry into the ranks of chess programs,” called Chessmaster 2000<\/a><\/em>, available for Apple II, Atari 8-bit, C64\/128, Amiga, and Atari ST (and as was normal for the time, suggesting to Circle Reader Service # 23<\/strong> on the magazine’s advertiser’s card to potentially get more information mailed to you). Chessmaster<\/em>\u00a0was of course a long running multi-platform series that made it into the modern era, and was arguably the most popular chess simulation series of all time. Ubisoft last held the rights, but it’s unclear to me who owns them now. Either way, it’s not possible to play a version of the game on a modern platform, which is a pity because I always liked the core concept of playing against computer opponents with different personalities rather than just a generic opponent. The latest version I own is for the Microsoft Xbox 360, followed by versions for the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation 2. While I still can play on any of those systems any time I want, I’d much rather have a version for a newer platform, and especially on the PC side.<\/p>\n

Also mentioned on page 5 is The American Challenge<\/em>, a match race sailing simulation for Apple II and IBM (and compatible) computers. Sailing simulations were definitely a thing at one time, although I can’t think of any prominent titles\u00a0these days.<\/p>\n

On page 10 is an ad for Dragon Fire II: The Dungeonmaster’s Assistant<\/em>, which works on IBM PCs and compatibles, C-64, and Apple II. The only other major commercial dungeon master assistant I was aware of was the stuff from SSI during the Gold Box<\/a> era. I suppose the advantage of this one is that it was meant to be somewhat generic and work with most pen and paper role playing systems. It’s an interesting artifact even if I’ve never heard of it before myself.<\/p>\n

\"Computer

Computer Gaming World<\/em>, 08\/1986 (page 12)<\/p><\/div>\n

On page 12 is American Dream: The Management Simulation<\/em> from Blue Chip Software (BC) for the IBM PC and compatibles. Now I know what it is. I’m\u00a0intimately\u00a0familiar with BC’s earlier management simulations like Millionaire<\/em>\u00a0and always liked the padded vinyl packaging (later releases went to cardboard), but perhaps because this particular game was not multi-platform like the others (not surprising since this one is not strictly text-based like the earlier games) relegated it to greater obscurity. As usual, BC wasn’t shy about pricing their software sky high, this one at $124.95 (about\u00a0$272.06 in today’s dollars!). Presumably the target audience was high powered business executives.<\/p>\n

Page 16 has the Phantasie II<\/em> review (original Apple II version) by the infamous Scorpia. She makes good points, in that even at the time I thought Phantasie II<\/em> was really just a bug fixed minor update of the first Phantasie<\/em> game. I still loved it, however, and the concluding paragraph of the review more or less agrees:<\/p>\n

“Bottom line: Although flawed in certain aspects, Phantasie II\u00a0is an interesting, and overall good, game of the RPG type; if you liked the original Phantasie, you won’t want to miss this one.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

Page 20 has a rather breathless review of GBA Championship Basketball: Two On Two<\/em>. It was a favorite of mine too, only surpassed a few years later for me by Cinemaware’s\u00a0TV Sports: Basketball<\/em>. Either way, it’s still good for a spin now and again.<\/p>\n

Page 24 features a Consumer Electronics Show<\/strong> and Origins: The National Strategy and Adventure Gaming Convention<\/strong> post-mortem, discussing some of the games shown there.<\/p>\n

\"Computer

Computer Gaming World<\/em>, 08\/1986 (page 25)<\/p><\/div>\n

Page 25 has the first mention of Cinemaware<\/a>\u00a0and some of their upcoming titles, including what would be the Amiga’s killer app, Defender of the Crown<\/em>. Needless to say, the writer was very impressed by the upcoming Cinemaware offerings (page 46, where the story continues, there’s mention of Star Rush<\/em>, which I’m pretty sure was never released in any form).<\/p>\n

Page 26 shows Amiga<\/a>\u00a0game momentum building, with mention of another popular early title, the arcade conversion for Marble Madness<\/em>. Notable is another very early Amiga game,\u00a0Mind Walker<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0being written as Mynd Walker<\/em>. There’s also a mention of the graphical Epyx release of Rogue.<\/em><\/p>\n

Page 28 is interesting. Notable is the mention of the influx of British software into the US, as well as something that I’ve talked about many times, and that’s how quickly the US moved away from cassette software and onto disk software versus almost every other territory, particularly Britain. The author quotes 97% of all Commodore 64 users having disk drives. While I think that’s probably a bit high, even for 1986, I suspect that number wasn’t even a quarter of that in the UK, where they were far more price sensitive.<\/p>\n

For those that lament that today’s games are released buggy, page 30 shows that was also sometimes the case in the past as well. Being an owner of Star Trek: The Kobayashi Alternative<\/em> from back in the day, I can definitely confirm some of the bugs mentioned.<\/p>\n

It’s nice to see they have a Macintosh column on page 36. While it was never a premiere gaming platform, it definitely had some interesting releases in the 80s.<\/p>\n

\"Computer

Computer Gaming World<\/em>, 08\/1986 (page 39)<\/p><\/div>\n

Page 39 has a Game Designers’ Workshop ad. Combined with some of the other ads, including those from SSI, and the general editorial content, it’s clear to see that a big portion of CGW’s audience at the time must have been into simulations. Targeted advertising (and an early form of\u00a0narrow-casting) at its best.<\/p>\n

Page 44 has mention of more Commodore 64<\/a>s being sold than any other home computer, with a claim from Commodore of 3.5 million combined C-64s and C-128s. As we know now, the Commodore 64 would retain that title, selling quite a few more units worldwide into the early part of the 90s. As I recounted in Vintage Game Consoles<\/strong>: An Inside Look at Apple, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, and the Greatest Gaming Platforms of All Time<\/em><\/a>, unfortunately, various factors have contributed to the final official number being difficult for historians to determine. Sales have been reported by various sources as anywhere between 12 and 30 million. Even taking the lowest number, it\u2019s still more than any other single computer (the C-128<\/a>, often wrongly considered a failure, reportedly sold close to six million units when all was said and done, though again, I wouldn’t take those figures as definitive).<\/p>\n

\"Computer

Computer Gaming World<\/em>, 08\/1986 (page 48)<\/p><\/div>\n

Page 48 has a nice reader-driven rating summary for various games. The games on the list again clearly\u00a0indicate\u00a0the editorial focus of the publication.<\/p>\n

\"And

And just to finish off the feature is the back cover, which has a nice Origin advertisement.<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In this ongoing Armchair Arcade series, I take a look at random videogame- and computer-centric magazines from years past. I’ll point out particularly interesting content within each magazine and provide commentary from the perspective of what we know now. Whenever possible, I’ll provide direct links to PDF scans of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986. #cgw","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15,57],"tags":[562,561,560,559],"class_list":["post-2044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial","category-history","tag-cgw","tag-computer-gaming-world","tag-magazine","tag-magazine-hindsight"],"yoast_head":"\nMagazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986 - Armchair Arcade<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986, Issue 30.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986 - Armchair Arcade\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986, Issue 30.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Armchair Arcade\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Armchair-Arcade\/141237783007\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=1073711687&ref=name\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"765\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"244\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bill Loguidice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/billloguidice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@armchairarcade\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Bill Loguidice\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Bill Loguidice\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bae714a369574316943170bcaf9bc436\"},\"headline\":\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\\\/1986\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1404,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"cgw\",\"computer gaming world\",\"magazine\",\"magazine hindsight\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Editorial\",\"History\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/\",\"name\":\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\\\/1986 - Armchair Arcade\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00\",\"description\":\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\\\/1986, Issue 30.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1\",\"width\":765,\"height\":244,\"caption\":\"Computer Gaming World masthead\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/2015\\\/09\\\/08\\\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\\\/1986\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/\",\"name\":\"Armchair Arcade\",\"description\":\"Chronicling the complete history of videogames, computers, technology, and pop culture since 2003\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"AA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Armchair Arcade\",\"alternateName\":\"AA\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Google-250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/08\\\/Google-250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1\",\"width\":250,\"height\":250,\"caption\":\"Armchair Arcade\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/pages\\\/Armchair-Arcade\\\/141237783007\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/armchairarcade\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/bill_loguidice\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/billloguidice\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/billloguidice\\\/armchair-arcade\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/BillLoguidice\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/bae714a369574316943170bcaf9bc436\",\"name\":\"Bill Loguidice\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/10\\\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/10\\\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2014\\\/10\\\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1\",\"caption\":\"Bill Loguidice\"},\"description\":\"Bill Loguidice is a Founder and Managing Director for Armchair Arcade, as well as a critically acclaimed technology author and journalist.\u00a0 He is also the co-founder of creative services firm, Armchair Creative Services, and a noted videogame and computer historian and subject matter expert. See full bio\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/team\\\/bill-loguidice\\\/\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/profile.php?id=1073711687&ref=name\",\"http:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/bill_loguidice\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/billloguidice\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/billloguidice\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/billloguidice\",\"http:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/BillLoguidice\",\"http:\\\/\\\/billloguidice.tumblr.com\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/armchairarcade.com\\\/perspectives\\\/author\\\/bill-loguidice\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986 - Armchair Arcade","description":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986, Issue 30.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986 - Armchair Arcade","og_description":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986, Issue 30.","og_url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/","og_site_name":"Armchair Arcade","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Armchair-Arcade\/141237783007","article_author":"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=1073711687&ref=name","article_published_time":"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00","article_modified_time":"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00","og_image":[{"width":765,"height":244,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Bill Loguidice","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/billloguidice","twitter_site":"@armchairarcade","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Bill Loguidice","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/"},"author":{"name":"Bill Loguidice","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#\/schema\/person\/bae714a369574316943170bcaf9bc436"},"headline":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986","datePublished":"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00","dateModified":"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/"},"wordCount":1404,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","keywords":["cgw","computer gaming world","magazine","magazine hindsight"],"articleSection":["Editorial","History"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/","url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/","name":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986 - Armchair Arcade","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","datePublished":"2015-09-08T20:51:03+00:00","dateModified":"2015-10-02T13:51:51+00:00","description":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986, Issue 30.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","width":765,"height":244,"caption":"Computer Gaming World masthead"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/09\/08\/magazine-hindsight-001-computer-gaming-world-081986\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Magazine Hindsight (001) : Computer Gaming World, 08\/1986"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#website","url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/","name":"Armchair Arcade","description":"Chronicling the complete history of videogames, computers, technology, and pop culture since 2003","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#organization"},"alternateName":"AA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#organization","name":"Armchair Arcade","alternateName":"AA","url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Google-250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Google-250.png?fit=250%2C250&ssl=1","width":250,"height":250,"caption":"Armchair Arcade"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Armchair-Arcade\/141237783007","https:\/\/x.com\/armchairarcade","https:\/\/instagram.com\/bill_loguidice\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/billloguidice","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/billloguidice\/armchair-arcade\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BillLoguidice\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/#\/schema\/person\/bae714a369574316943170bcaf9bc436","name":"Bill Loguidice","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/Bill-Loguidice-October-2025-1-1_small.jpg?fit=96%2C96&ssl=1","caption":"Bill Loguidice"},"description":"Bill Loguidice is a Founder and Managing Director for Armchair Arcade, as well as a critically acclaimed technology author and journalist.\u00a0 He is also the co-founder of creative services firm, Armchair Creative Services, and a noted videogame and computer historian and subject matter expert. See full bio","sameAs":["https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/team\/bill-loguidice\/","http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=1073711687&ref=name","http:\/\/instagram.com\/bill_loguidice","http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/billloguidice","http:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/billloguidice\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/billloguidice","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/BillLoguidice","http:\/\/billloguidice.tumblr.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/author\/bill-loguidice\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/ScreenClip2.png?fit=765%2C244&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":190404,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2025\/08\/13\/computer-entertainer-the-video-game-update-1982-1990-newsletter-archive-now-freely-available\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":0},"title":"Computer Entertainer \/ The Video Game update 1982 – 1990 newsletter archive now freely available","author":"Bill Loguidice","date":"August 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Video Game History Foundation, as part of their Digital Archive, has made Computer Entertainer (nee, The Video Game Update) newsletter archive available within their wider magazine library.","rel":"","context":"In "History"","block_context":{"text":"History","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Atari Enjoy Every Single Bite ad upscaled with AI and cropped","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/enjoy_every_single_byte_atari_ad-Picsart-AiImageEnhancer.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/enjoy_every_single_byte_atari_ad-Picsart-AiImageEnhancer.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/enjoy_every_single_byte_atari_ad-Picsart-AiImageEnhancer.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/enjoy_every_single_byte_atari_ad-Picsart-AiImageEnhancer.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/enjoy_every_single_byte_atari_ad-Picsart-AiImageEnhancer.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2219,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2015\/10\/01\/magazine-hindsight-002-electronic-games-061983\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":1},"title":"Magazine Hindsight (002) : Electronic Games, 06\/1983","author":"Bill Loguidice","date":"October 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"In this ongoing Armchair Arcade series, I take a look at random videogame- and computer-centric magazines from years past. I'll point out particularly interesting content within each magazine and provide commentary from the perspective of what we know now. Whenever possible, I'll provide direct links to PDF scans of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Editorial"","block_context":{"text":"Editorial","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/editorial\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cover - Electronic Games, June 1983","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/EG-06-83_Page_001.png?fit=873%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/EG-06-83_Page_001.png?fit=873%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/EG-06-83_Page_001.png?fit=873%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/EG-06-83_Page_001.png?fit=873%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7316,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2018\/05\/04\/new-updates-for-the-massive-private-vintage-and-modern-videogame-and-computer-auction-set-for-may-31-2018-in-edison-nj\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":2},"title":"New updates for the massive private vintage and modern videogame and computer auction set for May 31, 2018 in Edison, NJ!","author":"Bill Loguidice","date":"May 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"(UPDATE 1: Check out this cool Kotaku article on the collection\/auction.) (UPDATE 2: PC Gamer's coverage.) If you've been following along on my previous updates, here, you'll already be familiar with the backstory for this massive single owner (me!) auction. Long story short, this is primarily an onsite auction of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Announcement"","block_context":{"text":"Announcement","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/announcement\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"New updates for the massive private vintage and modern videogame and computer auction set for May 31, 2018 in Edison, NJ!","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/ScreenClip.png?fit=879%2C657&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/ScreenClip.png?fit=879%2C657&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/ScreenClip.png?fit=879%2C657&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/ScreenClip.png?fit=879%2C657&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":186043,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2024\/04\/02\/fallout-vault-33-computer-and-gaming-glasses\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":3},"title":"New Fallout Vault 33 computer and gaming glasses from Gunnar Optiks available now","author":"Bill Loguidice","date":"April 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"At SXSW 2024, Gunnar Optiks, in collaboration with Amazon Studios, unveiled their new Fallout Vault 33 computer and gaming glasses.","rel":"","context":"In "Sale"","block_context":{"text":"Sale","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/sale\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Gunnar Gaming Glasses, Amber Tint, worn by woman","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Fallout_Vault33_2_lifestyle4.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Fallout_Vault33_2_lifestyle4.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Fallout_Vault33_2_lifestyle4.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Fallout_Vault33_2_lifestyle4.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Fallout_Vault33_2_lifestyle4.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":191431,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2025\/11\/19\/fallout-the-witcher-borderlands-and-stark-industries-computer-glasses-up-to-47-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":4},"title":"Fallout, The Witcher, Borderlands, and Stark Industries computer glasses up to 47% off!","author":"Bill Loguidice","date":"November 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I've reviewed the Gunnar Fallout Vault 33 and several of their other glasses before, and they're excellent UV and blue light blocking glasses. Now, they're on sale on Amazon via automatic coupon codes.","rel":"","context":"In "Sale"","block_context":{"text":"Sale","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/sale\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Blonde woman modeling Gunnar x The Witcher Gaming and Computer Glasses.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Gunnar-x-The-Witcher-Gaming-and-Computer-Glasses.png?fit=490%2C394&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":10837,"url":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/2020\/01\/28\/how-virtual-reality-is-shaping-the-online-gaming-industry\/","url_meta":{"origin":2044,"position":5},"title":"How Virtual Reality Is Shaping the Online Gaming Industry","author":"Jonathan Adams","date":"January 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"You might have heard or read about the 3-D computer games but did not get a clear understanding of what it is and how it is affecting the gaming industry. Be ready to learn and understand why virtual reality is so popular, including how it has shaped the gaming industry.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Editorial"","block_context":{"text":"Editorial","link":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/category\/editorial\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"How Virtual Reality Is Shaping the Online Gaming Industry","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/people-2562207_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/people-2562207_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/people-2562207_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/people-2562207_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/people-2562207_1280.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5dH5R-wY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2044"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2044\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/armchairarcade.com\/perspectives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}