With the Gamecube set to launch on European shores in either April or May, we at Gamecube Europe feel that you guys at home would like to find as much information on the Cube as possible. We put a few Gamecube magazines to the test . . .

First up is the Nintendo Official Magazine. With its glossy look and friendly layout it becomes apparent that this magazine is aimed at the 9-13 age bracket.Nintendo need to give Emap (the publisher of NOM)a kick up the backside - the magazine needs a decent overhaul and redirection ready for the Gamecube launch. The UK Dreamcast Official Magazine lead the pack in official gaming mags with its funky layout and true reviews - I think Emap need to take a leaf out of their book. The reviews are very Nintendo-biased - they don't really help you make up your mind on you next gaming purchase. Ok, so maybe Zelda OOT did deserve 97% percent, but other reviews are so false that you will start to wonder whether they've actually played the game. Some of the letters in the feedback section are so laughable that you start to wonder whether the staff at the mag wrote them. Never . . .

UK NINTENDO OFFICIAL MAGAZINE (�3.00/€4.91) Rating: 5/10

Next up we have the NGC magazine. Previously known as N64 magazine, the name was changed accordingly with the impending release of Nintendo's newest baby. I like the layout, the news, previews and the reviews - every thing is fresh and not aimed at little kiddies. The magazine always comes with a free gift - the new edition came with a GC calendar and the first ever issue of NGC came with a video. The price is reasonable too, at a rather affordable �3.30 or sometimes slightly more expensive �3.80. Some of the review scores are a little distorted in my opinion - for example the two year old Crazy Taxi received the very decent score of 81/100. CT has had no graphic upgrades or game enhancements from the original so this score seems unfair in the light of Crazy Taxi 2, which has already been released on the Dreamcast. A good mag though overall.

NGC MAGAZINE (�3.30/€5.41 or �3.80/€6.21)Rating: 8/10

Lastly we have the Cube magazine. The layout is different to say the least, but it is clear and makes for an interesting mag. The review scores a quite high, but still the magazine manages to sustain a good standard overall. Some of the news stories are old hat, but it is the first issue, so people who are new to the Cube will find it good reading. I think the cost was around �3.50 to �4.00 and the mag did come with a video showcasing the GC's launch titles. This is a decent, solid mag from the people who bought us 64 Magazine.

CUBE MAGAZINE (�4.00/€6.56) Rating: 7/10

So the NGC Mag just clinches it. It's a hard choice between both NGC Magazine and Cube Magazine. Unless you are around ten years old or a serious Pokemon fan, steer clear of the UK Nintendo Official Magazine. All magazines tested were readily available in the UK, but I am not sure of the availability elsewhere in the European continent. I know that there is a different Nintendo Official Magazine in France however - if that's any help. Unfortunately NOM France is published by a division of Emap Active, the people who publish NOM Uk. There's also X64 Magazine in France - the sister magazine to N64 Mag here in the UK (which has become NGC Magazine now). Common sense tells me that maybe X64 Magazine is now known as XGC, although I'm not sure (thanks to Matt Dillner).