Game Tunnel Magazine

By: Derek Yu

On: September 1st, 2006

Game Tunnel Magazine

GAME. TUNNEL. MAGAZINE. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, we’re now about two steps away from a Game Tunnel movie, Game Tunnel video games, Dan MacDonald bobbleheads, a Russell Carroll centerfold in Playboy… you name it. And you know what I have to say to that?

Good on them! No really, I think it’s a great idea and a big step towards maybe someday having a “legitimate” (i.e. non-web) small-press game rag on the store shelves. And that rag will be called TIGSource Magazine. (I kid, I kid.)

GRAPHICS: The design is amateurish – I’ve never seen rounded boxes and primary colors abused like that. However, more importantly, it’s very clean and there are lots of pretty pictures.

SOUND: It’s a magazine, dumbass. There’s no sound!

GAMEPLAY: I hate reading PDF’s on my monitor, but that’s no fault of Game Tunnel. The layout is simple and effective as such!

CONCEPT: Great idea! They should diversify the staff, though. Because I’m pretty sure more people play indie games than white males with glasses in their 20s and 30s… I could be wrong. The two-page reviews are too damn long, also. Put in some more editorials and features. Maybe from some developers?

FUN: Yes! Fun! I love fun!

VALUE: Well, it’s fucking free, ain’t it?

OVERALL: Game Tunnel holds up better as a magazine than a website, especially since reviews and columns (the meat of their content) tend to roll out pretty slowly. It’s a fun and informative read and I think it’s a great boon to the community. This is a nice start, guys!

VERDICT: ALWAYS, ALWAYS try before you buy. Especially if it’s free.

  • anonymous

    About as fucking useful as The Gamer’s Quarter and The Escapist.

  • nullerator

    “I hate reading PDF’s on my monitor,”

    So does everyone else.

    “Great idea!”

    Not really, as everyone hates reading PDF’s on their monitors.

  • Mess

    reviews on the site are useless. having it in print or PDF doesn’t change that, russy!

  • NO!

    What’s the point? A web document that can be read like a printed magazine? That’s unpractical… And I hope none is printing this, let’s save some trees!

  • poogirl

    I’d kill more than one tree just to have the chance to hold a Russell Carroll centerfold in my sweaty, sweaty hands.

  • http://www.joy90.co.uk Moschops

    I don’t get this. At a time when printed games journalism is dying and people are looking to the web for up to date news, a games news website decides to create magazine filled with stuff we already know ‘coz we read it on the site …

    Doesn’t anyone else think that’s a bit of an oversight?

  • NHP

    Shut the hell up! What do you know! Game Tunnel magazine in print is the best!

    I’d finally have something worthy of wiping my ass.

  • Albert Lai

    Well, I don’t feel that print journalism is dead (Wired is a good read, I feel, and, of course, I enjoy Times , though it’s been suspiciously thin the past month).

    Problem is, people won’t say “Oh boy! New Game Tunnel!” print it out, bind it, and read it. It’d be much cooler if they managed a print run, and people could suscribe to it. Though, heck, I don’t know much about this.

  • Advenith

    “That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, we’re now about two steps away from a Game Tunnel movie, Game Tunnel video games, Dan MacDonald bobbleheads, a Russell Carroll centerfold in Playboy… you name it.”

    Don’t forget the comic book, action figures, and licensed Japanese sex toys!

  • Matt

    It’s actually not a bad read. It’s not groundbreaking but much like Game Tunnel, it began small and improved as it went along.

  • poogirl

    “That’s what she said!”

  • Hamumu

    I don’t wear glasses.