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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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..

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.

All PCZ Emulation Zone columns have now been moved to their own site.