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Kurosawa had zero coding knowledge. He spent just a few days with a friend coding a basic, endless vertical shooter. The premise was deliberately absurd:
: Because unlicensed games and the "game copiers" (like the Magikon) required to play them were illegal in Japan, Kurosawa could only use underground magazines like Game Labo (then called Backup Katsuyo Technique ) and Game Urara to reach his audience.
rarely featured in mainstream magazines for its "top" qualities, except when ranked as one of the worst games ever made . Created by Japanese journalist Kowloon Kurosawa
Understanding this topic requires looking at how a seven-day coding joke captured the attention of the 1990s Japanese tech underground, the exact print publications that made its distribution possible, and why it remains a legendary "kusoge" (shitty game) decades later. The Genesis of Hong Kong 97 hong kong 97 magazine top
(a digitized, likely unauthorized image of Jackie Chan), who is hired by the Hong Kong government to wipe out the entire population of mainland China. Visual Horrors
The infamous video game Hong Kong 97 is rarely remembered for traditional magazine coverage, as its distribution was largely underground and illegal. However, the most "solid" historical print reference comes from Game Urara , a short-lived Japanese hacker magazine. The Original Magazine Print While the game's creator, Yoshihisa "Kowloon" Kurosawa , initially believed he advertised in , researchers later found the actual print ad in the first issue of Game Urara : The advertisement listed the game for
Its design features—crude scanned photos and a three-second infinite loop of the song "I Love Beijing Tiananmen"—distinguish it from any mainstream "glossy" magazine titles of the 90s. Modern Evolution
, an underground Japanese magazine known for adult and niche content. Related search suggestions provided
One of the main reasons Hong Kong 97 gained infamy was its infamous "Top 10" list. Each issue featured a countdown of the city's most popular or notorious individuals, businesses, or events, often with a tongue-in-cheek commentary. The list became a closely anticipated feature, with readers eagerly awaiting the latest rankings.
What gave Hong Kong 97 magazine its edge? The content was aimed squarely at adult male readers, and the editorial approach was unapologetically provocative. But beyond the sensational photography, the magazine had a structure: photo spreads of East Asian models (often in shower and outdoor scenes), short reviews of entertainment venues and events, written features, columns, and reader letters (a common feature in the genre that built a sense of community among a discreet readership).
The phrase likely refers to the "Top Mag" (or similar publication) advertisements that were one of the few places the infamous 1995 video game Hong Kong 97 was actually marketed . 1. The Historical Hook: "The Game That Shouldn't Exist"
: Blending geographic precision with human interest stories, this issue explored how everyday citizens viewed their changing identity. 🕶️ The Pop Culture & Men's Lifestyle Boom The premise was deliberately absurd: : Because unlicensed
While Hong Kong 97 was not the most popular magazine in Hong Kong in terms of mainstream circulation—titles like Next Magazine and Cosmopolitan held those honors—it occupied a specific role as a cultural shock absorber. In a year defined by political tension and identity crisis, the magazine offered pure escapism. It was a celebration of the body and commerce at a time when the future of the city's "one country, two systems" principle was still an unknown.
Reception and Impact
For those seeking to add Hong Kong 97 to their collection, here are the top issues to look out for:
In the mid-1990s, as the clock ticked down to the historic handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese rule, the city became a frenzy of capitalism, anxiety, and unprecedented commercial energy. Amid the official banquets and the souvenir stalls hawking everything from "1997" cigarettes to commemorative statues, a different kind of publication surfaced on newsstands: the Hong Kong 97 magazine.
The arrival of these magazines directly hurt the sales of older titles like Nan Zi Han , which saw its readership fragment. By the late 1990s, the adult magazine market was overcrowded, with dozens of titles fighting for shelf space.
Below you’ll find a of every title, plus a quick note on where to pick it up (newsstand, subscription, or e‑edition).