BACK FROM THE DEAD - July 2001

A big eight-page feature initially supposed to be a two-page one about Visual Pinball, but which rapidly expanded into a mammoth overview of the world of emulation, leading to PCZ becoming the first print games mag ever to actually commit itself to a monthly page on the hugely-popular niche. The feature was substantially rearranged for publication (the general-emulation part was promoted to become the leading section, with the Visual Pinball stuff moved to the back), and generally mucked around with, leading to the deeply embarrassing inclusion of Golden Axe in the published "Ten Great MAME Games" boxout. This, obviously, is the original version, although some boxouts have been omitted as they were almost entirely visual and screenshot-based and would hence make no sense here. To view the article as it appeared in the magazine, check the "Features" section of the PC Zone website.

EMULATION ZONE #1 - August 2001

The first in a regular column following on from the feature above, giving UK videogames magazines their first regular column dedicated to emulation, some eight or so years after the hobby started to take off..

EMULATION ZONE #2 - September 2001

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #3 - October 2001

This one appears to be really short for some reason. Maybe there were a lot of pictures to fit in that month.

EMULATION ZONE #4 - November 2001

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #5 - December 2001

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #6 - "Christmas" 2001

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #7 - January 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #8 - February 2002

Some more emulation.

HOIST THE JOLLY ROGER: PIRACY FEATURE PT.1 - March 2002

Once again, your intrepid correspondent dons his suit of armour and goes where no-one else in the videogames industry wants to go - into the heart of the piracy scene, armed with an open mind.

EMULATION ZONE #9 - March 2002

A change in format this month, dumping the "Visual Pinball Table Of The Month" section to reflect the horrible unpleasantness and uncertainty regarding the Visual Pinball scene at the time, and also the fact that we'd pretty much banged that drum to death by then.

THE KILLING GAME: PIRACY FEATURE PT. 2 - April 2002

Second part of the colossally huge feature. Most notable for a fantastic interview with ELSPA's Mike Rawlinson, in which among other things he berates society's lack of respect for rules and responsible behaviour, while simultaneously driving down a busy road and using a mobile phone.

EMULATION ZONE #10 - April 2002

Some more emulation.

COMMENT: THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM - May 2002

Back-page feature, written by a different PCZ contributor every month. The payment for this sorry tale covered approximately 20% of what I lost when the shower of rip-off merchants discussed in the column who I'd bought a new PC from (European Computers) disappeared with my cash without exchanging it for, say, a new PC.

EMULATION ZONE #11 - May 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #12 - June 2002

Some more emulation.

I'VE GOT A BIT OF A NIPON - July 2002

Feature on the obscure PC phenomenon of "Nipon Shoot 'Em-Ups", largely homebrewn arcade shooting games on the PC in the vein of console classics like Giga Wing and Mars Matrix, almost all created in the mostly-barren PC environment of Japan.

EMULATION ZONE #13 - July 2002

Some more emulation.

SECRET HISTORY OF VIDEOGAMES - August 2002

An Emulation Zone special, revealing some of the great "lost" videogames of history. And yes, it is rather a lot like the feature I wrote for Edge a couple of years before. Want to make something of it?

EMULATION ZONE #14 - August 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #15 - September 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #16 - October 2002

Some more emulation.

TOP TEN - November 2002

A personal selection of ten all-time classic games for the regular charts/directory section at the back of the mag, supplied by a different writer every month to reflect some games they hold in particularly high regard, rather than a numbered list of the ten greatest games of all time or anything like that..

EMULATION ZONE #`17 - November 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #18 - December 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #19 - "Christmas" 2002

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #20 - January 2003

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #21 - February 2003

A special two-page edition commemorating PC Zone's 10th anniversary by looking at the best games of that year and how you can play them again now via the miracle of emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #22 - March 2003

Some more emulation.

EMULATION ZONE #23 - April 2003

Some more emulation.

BACKED INTO A CORNER - January 2004

A PCZ Special Report looking at the new copyright laws implemented as part of the European Union Copyright Directive, and their more interesting implications.