SidecarTridge Multi-Device

Multi-Device

Wow, how long has it been since I posted anything in our Hardware section? Well, my dry spell finally comes to an end as I've treated myself to a gadget that plugs into the side of any Atari ST. Yep, no case cutting or soldering needed at all. It's called the SidecarTridge Multi-Device and is based on the Raspberry Pi Pico, designed by Diego Parrilla. I won't pretend to know what that is because it's all black magic to me!

It has many uses, but the main use (for me) is booting floppy disk images as if a real floppy disk were inserted into the drive. Of course, there is much more to this tiny piece of hardware: it can also act as a GEMDOS drive (like in Hatari), features a real-time clock, supports an SD Card storage, and can connect to WiFi to download games and programs on the fly. There's even a USB port to power my Ultrasatan - how cool is that?

This little gadget fits snugly into the cartridge port, and from the moment of power on, you are presented with the option to activate it or boot as normal. Hitting the left shift key takes you into its menu, where you should complete the initial (one-off) configuration for WiFi access (and inverting the screen colours to prevent your eyes from exploding). It's also worthwhile to format an SD Card on your Mac/PC, with three folders...

• An "HD" folder is used by the Multidevice as an emulated hard drive, similar to how Hatari works (GEMDOS). Anything you store within here will be accessed as Drive C by your Atari.
• A "ROMS" folder is for any images you may have.
• Finally, the "FLOPPIES" folder is where you will keep any MSA/ST disk images.

Regardless of what you choose to store within the folders, there is the option to download games and more over WiFi. Yes, on the fly, which is pretty darn awesome!! Anyhow, once you've formatted that SD Card (as FAT16 or exFAT) and created the (above) folders, slide the card inside the device and reboot your ST.

As I mentioned, my primary reason for purchasing this device is to find a more convenient way to use floppy disks again. So, when you have configured WiFi, choose option 5 from the main menu to access a database of ST games. This gives access to thousands of disks by Automation, Medway Boys, and others. All can be downloaded and instantly used, without the faff of using a Mac/PC and manually copying them to the SD card. It’s much quicker, and beats my old method of converting an MSA/ST image back onto a real disk!!

This database is alphabetically listed, and you can filter by letter simply by hitting the relevant key (example: R for Rogue, X for Xenon, etc). Also, you can then use the left/right keys to "quickly" paginate through the list. Sadly, there is no actual search option, so if you wanted to play Dynamite Dux, that means you must wade through several pages listing games beginning with 'D'. That also includes loads of "doc" disks... Not ideal, but hardly the end of the world.

Okay, let's take a break to see the main menu and access the device's game database...

This is the main menu and, as you can see, it's dead easy to use.

Option 5 presents a massive database of programs to download via WiFi.

Compatibility?

I have tested Multi-Device on five Atari computers...

• 520 STM 512Kb TOS 1.00 - I had trouble getting the ST to recognise the cartridge. I had to reboot the device a few times before it worked. Thankfully, things improved afterwards, and I was able to load most disks. Sadly, some still fail, possibly because of the limited RAM or the TOS version.
• 520 STM 1MB TOS 1.02 - Similar to the above, but with much better success thanks to a couple of extra reboots at initial power on. Sadly, it often crashed in the menu with many bombs!! I fear that might be the cartridge port, which felt quite slack. I need to repair this ASAP :(
• 1040 STF 1MB TOS 1.02 - Worked perfectly with floppy images downloaded via WiFi or via the SD Card. However, I was concerned about how reliable TOS would be when used as a 'hard drive'.
• 520 STe 4MB TOS 1.62 - The best of the bunch and remains the computer on my desk. It works like a dream and is fast and responsive when running through different menus/etc/etc.
• Mega STe 4MB TOS 2.02 - Performed perfectly well, just like the stock STe, except that TOS 2 has an annoying feature to keep testing the RAM, which becomes irritating when using the Multi-Device. Nothing major, just my personal feeling, as everything else worked well.

Of course, the compatibility isn't just about the hardware alone. We want this thing to play ST games, watch demos, listen to music, view art, read disk mags, and do everything we did back in the day. Sadly, things get a little sketchy, and I had mixed results. Browsing the games over wifi delivers an enormous list, by many crackers. It's huge, but I'm sure it could be even bigger when you consider 95% of crews aren't included (just look at Atari Legend to see what I mean). I hope Diego finds some way to include more from other archives.

Many disks worked great, but some didn't, as they weirdly still attempted to access the hardware directly. So, rather than loading data from within the virtual drive within the Multi-Device, you will instead hear the floppy drive spin up. These disks are the ones that won't work, no matter what I try. Of course, if one crew's disk fails, you can always source another, as numerous games are listed more than once.

Generally speaking, Automation disks are a safe choice and work about 90% of the time. Some disks still fail as they attempt to access the real floppy disk drive, for example, Rick Dangerous II on disk #362. Thankfully, the SidecarTridge lists many games multiple times, and Rick Dangerous also appears on Flame of Finland #49, and that works a treat. Also, Terry's Big Adventure is featured on three different crews' disks - it's fine with the Automation and Pompey Pirates disks, but the Medway Boys let us down. It's not all bad news, as Dan Dare III appears on Pompey, FOF, and Automation, and works flawlessly on all.

Sadly, some games fail no matter which crew you choose to try: Golden Axe as both the Pompey Pirates and the Automation disks attempt to access the floppy, which results in BOMBS. Also, Fire & Forget II has the same crashes from both the Automation and FOF versions. So disappointing :(

Of course, some games that fail are listed only once: Alien Storm (D-Bug), Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Pompey), Lemmings II (Adrenalin), Chaos Engine (D-Bug). However, many work a treat: Sabre Team (Superior), Galaxy Force (Automation), Ballzone (D-Bug), Warlock The Avenger (Medway), War In The Gulf (Adrenalin), Hero Quest (Superior), Moonfall (Cynix), Z-Out (Pompey), etc/etc. This means you should manually download another crew's disk from Atari Legend and manually copy it over to the SD Card to playtest.

Additionally, games on two disks cannot be played unless you download the disk images and mount them manually (using menu option 3). It's not a big deal downloading two disks, but it is a bit of a faff. Of course, the game itself still needs to support Drive B, which is often another issue altogether!! ie, Domark's F1, Cannon Fodder, Cadaver, Ghostbusters II, Magic Boy, and others do not recognise the virtual Drive B.

This has been a lot of work, but somebody's got to do it lol. Hey, it's screenshot time...

Option 3 displays all the floppy images I've copied onto the SD Card.

If you have some hard drive-adapted games, then option 4 is for you!

CryptO'pinion

The Multi-Device is a marvellous piece of kit and only costs around £40 incl. postage. Incredible value for money when you think about it. This offers us a wealth of functions without much initial configuration. So it's a matter of simply powering on and pressing the Left Shift key to begin. It's that simple. And having access to loads of ROMS and floppy disks via the WiFi is a killer feature! Thankfully, no internal soldering or case cutting is required, which is ideal for people like me who are dangerously inept at that sort of thing!

Once again, I know this is a "multi-device", but my main reason for buying this is to access floppy disks, mainly menu disks. I cannot tell you the joy I feel in easily flipping between disk images. It can mount anything (ST/MSA format), which means you could download everything from magazine cover disks to PD Disks to Menu disks and relive the 1990s, which is absolutely amazing!! However, it's not perfect as I've previously mentioned. Plus, the menu is missing a few basic features, like an option to delete unwanted MSA/ST images.

Of course, the device provides those alluring extra features - mounting ROM images and having an alternative type of hard drive are interesting. However, I have my Ultrasatan, which is better than any GEMDOS/GEMDRIVE. Again, I bought the MultiDevice to use ST floppy disks. Have I mentioned that already? :-)

This is a fabulous piece of hardware, which has provided me with the opportunity to relive my cracker days and enjoy menus. No more impaired emulation, or converting disk images into real floppies, whilst hoping that the disk is free of bad sectors. Yup, I cannot recommend this device enough: it's easy to install/setup and provides access to squillions of menu disks with more games than you can shake a stick at. Marvellous.

• SidecarTridge's Mult-Device is awesome, so click here to buy one yourself.
• They have loads of other cool gadgets you'll love right here.
• Why not follow Diego's ST passion over on X/Twitter!!
• Check out my 'Hardware' section for other goodies I've bought.

Lethal Xcess

Play fast, die faster

Certain games, I am never going to bother reviewing here on AtariCrypt because everyone already knows them. For example, Eclipse's amazingly sadistic shooter, which is the 1991 sequel to Wings of Death. So, instead, I've created a gameplay video to showcase the levels (I tried to last as long as possible without dying!). Okay, I know that there are already squillions of video recordings out there, but I feel I must add my own. Plus, this gives me the perfect opportunity to add Lethal Xcess to this ever-growing list of enhanced games.

If, like me, you are struggling to successfully play this zappy shooter, then check out my previous page for Wings of Death (linked below). Many of its gameplay tips apply here, and it's not always a case of rushing to collect every power-up dropped by these ferocious enemies! Switching weapon types will only get you into trouble - so I stick to the same weapon and upgrade it rather than switching to something else.

Grab a coffee, sit back, and watch my talented gameplay video before clicking on these links...

• Floppy disks are best sourced from Atari Legend, and I used Fuzion #128.
• Both PP and D-Bug have hard drive installable versions.
• Hey, check out my Enhanced games list for the Atari STe :)
• The original Wings Of Death is slightly easier and definitely worth playing!

The first level is a killer, and here I am - dying!!

The second stage feels easier, but, oddly enough, I still die.

The difficulty cranks up for the third stage, and it looks rather Xenon'y too!

Guess what? Yep, that's right, the fourth stage is rock hard.

Call me daft, but the fifth stage is less painful compared to the others. I still died.

Using the cheat on Fuzion #128 allowed me to finally watch the end sequence.

Enhanced games

Baker's Dozen

I have picked out thirteen random games, each varying in style and (ahem) overall quality, but all sharing one interesting thing in common. Can you guess what that is? That’s right - each game has been STe-enhanced in some particular way. So, let’s crack on and see exactly which ones made the cut...

Crime Time is an adventure with a superb intro and quirky graphics (which I love). Sadly, it’s all in German, though apparently there’s an English version floating around somewhere. Maybe someone knows where to find a download? I’d love to explore more of this game. It features DMA sound and takes advantage of the colours. Download is available at Atari FTP Archive.

Esprit was created by the Bolo folk over at ASH, and is the predecessor to Oxyd, boasting 100 passworded levels. You guide a ball through a world ruled by physical forces like acceleration. Touching a stone reveals a hidden symbol, and matching two identical symbols in succession locks them in place. Once all stones are locked, the level is complete. In short, it’s "Memory", only with marbles and momentum. Interestingly, this might be the first game to feature DMA sound. Or at least, the first monochrome game to do so? Downloads are available at Atarimania.

H-Mec really should have been featured years ago, as it’s a brilliant twist on the classic Pac-Man formula. Much like in its sequel, it may look like the same game, but the ghosts’ AI behaves in completely different. It's quite unexpected, turning it into a deadly, game of chase. I actually interviewed the author, Jon Garry, a while back - you should definitely give that a read. H-Mec is superb: slick, smooth, and packed with excellent sound effects, all thanks to the hardware scrolling, Blitter magic, and DMA audio. Downloads are available from Atarimania.

Kittypuk is something completely silly, and definitely unexpected! Imagine if Atari had released Pong, but instead of batting a ball, you shoot a cat. It’s bonkers, yet a cruel form of entertainment you just can’t deny yourself!! The DMA sound effects are brilliantly funny, and it’s worth firing this up for one or two hilarious games. Downloads are available at AtariUpToDate.

Landmine is a good spin on Minesweeper and runs in GEM, which means it uses the Blitter by default and also features DMA sounds to boot. Download is available at Atari FTP Archive.

Paragliding is a terrible game, but at least they added DMA audio, I guess. What was Loriciel thinking? Yeah, I can't believe it's one of their games. I really wouldn't bother unless you're totally mind-numbingly braindead. Download is available at Atari FTP Archive.

Stone Age is a puzzler with gorgeous aesthetics and devilishly challenging mechanics. I know plenty of people who adore this game, and I can see why. Sadly, it’s just a bit too taxing for my pathetic little brain, ugh!! Enhanced with outstanding DMA audio and a splash of extra colours, it’s a real treat for those who can handle the stress. Grab the download at Atarimania.

Stupid Balloon Game is by Ed Cleveland (yes, the Donkey Island guy!!), is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from its title. It’s a terrible game. Sorry, Ed - but at least you had the decency to make it Blitter-powered with a dash of DMA audio. Downloads are available at Atarimania.

Styx II is (sigh) yet another Tetris clone, as if we didn't have enough already. Must admit though, it's pretty good with smooth Blitter movement and DMA sounds. If you haven't had enough Tetris in your disappointing life, then the download is available at AtariUpToDate.

Walz is a twist on Breakout, as if we didn't have enough (wow, Mr Grumps). Well, here is another, and it apparently uses the Blitter and features DMA sounds. It is good, but not if you have Arkanoid on the hard drive! Downloads are available at Atarimania and Atari FTP Archive.

Worm Race transforms you into... a line! A line that loves to race around a track similar to Super Sprint. No, it's nothing close to that classic, and is only worthwhile playing as a multiplayer game. Uses the DMA for its cool sounds, and the download is available at Atari Legend.

Wrecking Ball is still in development(?) and looking rather promising, although yet another Breakout variation! I hope he continues, as the current release is enjoyable, albeit with incomplete bat physics. DMA is used for the sounds, and the download link is listed at Atari Legend.

Zuffers is one of those headache-inducing puzzlers. I like the concept, but it's nothing new really. My brain hated it, but my ears loved the DMA audio. Downloads are available at Atarimania.

That’s quite a mix of very different games. Some are definitely worth playing, others… not so much. But, each to their own, right? So why did I round up this motley little bunch? Simple - it was fun, and I wanted to add them to our ever-growing Enhanced Games list. Have you had a look at that yet? You really should :)

I hope you enjoyed this feature. Stay enhanced... STay Atari STe!!

Crime Time is only good if you speak the language!

If you're good at Memory, then you'll love this one.

Why no H-Mec screenshot? Because I love its boot piccy!

Pong with guns. Shoot the cat!!

Landmine is so tough. Then again, I'm hopeless at these games.

This loading screen is the best part of the game!

Stone Age has some of the best music ever!!

Mr Cleveland has a lot to answer for...

Either I'm a bad player, or I simply couldn't be bothered?

Yet more blocks to break with Walz.

And the winner of the most boring screenshot ever is Worm Race!

I had to capture its title screen because it's soooo cool.

Zuffers has some freaky faces looking at you for help.

What have I done?

Grizzly or Cuddly?

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big fan of Dungeon Master (who isn't?). In fact, I always choose the Daroou avatar for myself on everything from Twitter/X to forums. Heck, even my Mac thinks I am Daroou! I love this champion the most because he's a great all-rounder with clobbering skills that complement his spellcaster skills. And he looks like a grizzly beast you wouldn't want to bump into on a dark night!

As I am unable to draw, I often turn to AI (don't hate me) to assist with creating a logo whenever I'm unable to find something suitable. One day, I thought it would be "funny" to ask for a 3D representation of Daroou rather than only seeing the top half. And this is the result. I couldn’t stop laughing at what was produced.

I hope you enjoyed this silly post!

Phantasie - Day 6

I came, I saw, I conqu...

Well, no, I didn’t actually beat it - but it’s been an engrossing slog over the past few months. I hope you've been following my ventures here and on Twitter (oops, X) over the past few months? Well, hundreds, if not thousands, of monsters met a bloody end, and I can’t thank the lads over at Into The Vertical Blank enough for their teaser that got me hooked in the first place. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every second of this olde classic.

Phantasie helped lay down the groundwork for party-based RPGs where you get to build your own custom team from scratch, then head out into the wilds of Gelnor to battle many different types of creatures. It might look a bit plain now, but the GEM interface works superbly (yeah, I’m shocked too) with an uncluttered layout and nicely drawn fantasy world featuring more monsters than you can shake a stick at... or a sword!!

I feel like Phantasie is pretty much timeless. It's a classic with all the main aspects of any RPG, but it’s fantastic fun without much difficulty to begin playing. What I immediately got from playing this was...

• Storyline - You're up against the evil sorcerer Nikademus, who's causing all sorts of grief. However, the plot is hidden somewhere amidst the fighting and isn't really integrated into the adventure.
• Create your own party system – Roll up six custom characters, cleverly mixing their classes from races like humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, and even mighty trolls. What a mix!
• Open world adventuring – Travel across the vast continent of Gelnor, exploring towns, dungeons, and wilderness areas. It's a bit sparse, but riddled with dangerous monsters and treasure.
• Turn-based combat - Strategic party battles; think before stabbing something too strong.
• Dungeon crawling with traps and puzzles – No mapping is necessary, though you’ll quickly realise you still need to remember to make reliable notes. Get that pen & paper out!
• Progression and loot galore - Level up your party, learn new spells, and gather better gear.

Explore everywhere; this builds experience points and offers many treasures.

Life-Sucking-Fun

Phantasie 1 is everything that I expected from a turn-based adventure and more. It keeps everything simple without the complexity of a modern RPG. From the start, it plays as an action-adventure and remains so. The above points are relevant, but for me, Phantasie mainly focuses on three gameplay aspects...

• Levelling up your party, of course. Grind like mad, collect loot, and beef up your stats until you're an unstoppable force. And that's what you will become, because out in the wild, the difficulty doesn't exactly ramp up. It just throws in stronger-looking enemies that often turn out to be more bark than bite. A strong team that spent time grinding will have no problems.
• See how far your party can walk before being jumped by random monsters. You walk, you fight, you walk, you fight, it's all about conflict, and I love it! Well, who doesn't enjoy a fisticuff?
• Collecting the elusive runes from within each dungeon. Love these parts the most, but some of the puzzles are about as clear as a glass of Porter - aggravated by conflicts purposely positioned on certain tiles with no way to avoid them. Also, I found myself locked out of some rooms without a clue. Only if you properly looted the previous dungeon will you possess the right items/knowledge.

Yeah, Phantasie's strength lies in the ability to immediately begin without the need to study the backstory, seek out people, gather information, etc. You're here to grind, earn cash, level up your team, and hack, slash, and fling magic at anything that looks at you funny. Everything revolves around fighting, looting rewards to gain strength, and fighting some more. Erm, you will battle all kinds of weird creatures, a lot!

However, while the exploration and action are genuinely engrossing, the storyline fails to unfold without the lore, character interaction, and secrets. Magical spells are just what you’ve seen before many times, and there's limited room for a progressive experience. A few extra grumbles stood out: remembering it’s the first game, the interface lacks refinement, scroll usage is clunky, and there’s no journal – meaning you’ll need pen and paper like it’s 1986 (which I suppose it is!). Item management? Forget it. You simply can’t equip what you find until you’re back in town, so don’t get too excited about that shiny new sword you just picked up.

My ideal party always seems to lean towards melee! With that in mind, consider running with these guys...

1. Fighter (Troll or Dwarf) – Hit like a truck and soak up damage like a sponge.
2. Fighter (Minotaur) – Brutal strength, smashes through anything.
3. Ranger (Half-Elf) – Solid melee, doubles as a backup healer too.
4. Monk (Human or Gnome) – Punches hard, helpful with spells.
5. Priest (Human) – Your main healer; one is enough when there are few spellcasters.
6. Thief (Halfling) – Absolutely essential for traps/locks, and quick with the blade!

Oh yeah, dragons appear, and we're ready with cunning, magic, and a bloody sword!

CryptO'pinion

This game has kept me hooked since February, and that’s saying something as I often get distracted and move to something else far too easily. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone seeking a straightforward fantasy RPG centred on action and exploration. It’s easy to get into, and refreshingly simple. Sure, parts of it have aged like warm milk, but the core gameplay holds up surprisingly well today. It's a whole lotta fun!

Phantasie earns itself a bloodthirsty 80%, so dust off your +2 axe and hit those dungeons like it’s 1986.

For reference, here are the previous Phantasie articles I posted, and a little bit more...

• Day One - Almost 4 decades too late, I discovered Phantasie I.
• Day Two - The basics are covered in and around the town of Pelnor.
• Day Three - It's why people boot up this game - let's fight!!
• Day Four - Expanding on Day Three with a dollop of magical information.
• Day Five - My progress report before this gripping conclusion.
• Twitter/X - I posted many silly screenshots as I played Phantasie I.
• Into The Vertical Blank's channel - always worth checking out!!
• Lastly, but most certainly not least, my sincere gratitude and greetings to John Heritage for being a true ST knight and twice supporter of my Phantasie quest! :-)

We found the body of an Elvin Fighter, but the ceiling caved in!

This left us trapped, looking for a secret passageway...

Oh no, what shall we do? Well, they wanted equality, so help the man for a cryptic clue.

The dungeons are amazing and full of wonders. Can you find this warrior?

Sometimes the fights feel a little unfair. Make sure you command your party well.

Arghh, a Hill Giant and Kobolds decide to try their luck!!

A few more steps, and I'm attacked by Skeletons and Wraiths. Great!

Right, that's me done! Three Black Knights are two too many for my weary party...