There are plenty of magazines that deal with video games, and probably even a few that get down with gaming culture, but none do it with the panache of 1-Up MegaZine. Beautifully designed in a 100-page perfectbound format, the latest issue offers a great mix of memories, minutiae, interviews, comix, and arcade-inspired art. There's a feature-filled section on Street Fighter II, "the mother of all fighting games," plus an interview with the reigning king of Pac-Man, Billy Mitchell. If you grew up with video games and made an emotional connection with the titles you played, then 1-Up will probably resonate with you.

Harold Check