Sunday, February 28, 2016

RoadBlasters



Wanna race? Bring a gun!

Road Blasters - an arcade conversion by US Gold that attempts to recreate the speed and thrills of the original. Imagine a Bullrun Rally event through 50 overcrowded highways where you must win each in order to progress on to the next. Yep, nothing new but I'm sure you already know that this is still going to be tons of fun, right?

What makes this game different from many other racers is a combination of driving and shooting. This means your gleaming red sports car has a mounted machine gun. The easiest targets are the yellow cars which are a quick kill, but the motorbikes are a pest because of their tiny size. Occasionally, several jeeps will swarm around you like something from a Mad Max movie for a hair-raising moment - so react quickly and viciously. Take no prisoners, kill everyone. Oh, yeah!!

Right, it's time to break up the reading with a screenshot. And I want one with a green blob...


Bubble City sounds like a cool place - I must drive there!


Carmageddon!

Watch out for other various hazards like oil spills, roadside turrets, bullet-proof purple cars and those darn proximity mines. Fortunately, you do seem to have friends, a futuristic aircraft frequently flies by with power-ups: speed boost, extra weapons, shields, etc... However, it takes lots of practice to precisely collect these goodies!

At your disposal is a limitless supply of replacement cars but they are all fuel-greedy, so if you run dry then it's game over. Luckily, fuel pods are available which can be collected by simply driving through them for an instant top-up. Your car is also equipped with a reserve fuel tank which should only be relied upon as a last resort, but the good news is that it's replenished at the end of each race. Well, depending on your performance of course. So keep practising!

Oh, it's sounding very exciting, isn't it? Well, I think it's still time for another screenshot...



Fast cars and guns. What more could you ever desire?


Input & Output!

The controls are sharp with responsive steering that retains an arcade experience - as much as is possible with a joystick. No complaints here, because I found the car handled excellently and instantaneously took to it.

Visually, this is an older generation of racer on the Atari ST, more like a Crazy Cars 2 than the third or even a Lotus 2. I never expected arcade-quality visuals but it retains a good feeling of the original whilst not being the best you'll get from an Atari ST. It's colourful but also a bit bland in decor and with stodgy sprites. But I like it, sorry, not sorry!

The sound effects are pretty good and better than Lotus Turbo and I really enjoyed the music. Nuff said.



Now is the time to drive like Knight Ride to collect those goodies from above!


The CryptO'pinion?

I've loved this old arcade speedster, it might not be perfect but at least it's nothing like that dreadful Outrun. And we're armed so that's basically one hell of an added bonus and is probably the best of that ilk on the Atari ST. Having spent several nights playing this, it's certainly got that "just one more go" factor. A much-underrated game that deserves more attention because it's fast, thrilling and the car has a gun. What more could you want? So much fun and I love it.


There is a fantastic hdd version to download or
the floppies if you desire that authenticity!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

ZX81



The good old days?

Back in the 90s, Christoph Zwerschke developed a Sinclair ZX81 emulator for the Atari ST. Believe it or not but I've never actually owned or even used this old Sinclair computer before! From what I've seen, it's mute and cannot make a sound plus the graphics are actually made up of monochrome blocks rather than colourful pixels.

This might all sound rather lame but there is a certain charm to the itsy-bitsy computer with less processing power than your average kettle. So I powered on this quirky computer and even took a stab at programming...

10 PRINT "ATARICRYPT ROCKS YOUR ST WORLD"
20 GOTO 10
RUN L

The stock Atari ST should be able to run any of its games perfectly fine and from either a floppy or (better still) a hard drive device. However, if you feel that the ZX81 is running in overdrive, then hit the UNDO key and adjust the speed limiter. I needed to do this for Pac-Man which was otherwise insanely too fast!

Yep, I've never owned a ZX81 but was shocked to discover lots of games that are surprisingly playable without sound or pixels. For starters, 3D Monster Maze by Malcolm Evans is a great example and is highly regarded as one of the best reasons why many adore this old paperweight. Truly, this game is way ahead of its time and perhaps even the first survival horror game using a first-person perspective? (check out Retro Resolution for a review!).


I gotta say, Mazogs is something else!! (have you played Bugziacs?)


The CryptO'pinion?

This is a fantastic emulator and one that feels complete and robust too. It gives the opportunity to play games from an era when fancy graphics and 3D sounds weren't necessary and gameplay mattered. Tell that to today's millennials! Give it a whirl and boot up this fantastic ZX81 emulator to flip your Atari ST into a Sinclair ZX81.

Party like it's 1981 and have tons of fun. Win, Win!! :^) Scroll down for more ZX81 games that I liked...


I was also equally impressed by the simplicity of Galaxians.


Castle Of Carmain is just downright awesome fun!!


The mighty 3D Labyrinth is thrilling.

Saturday, February 20, 2016

Alcatraz



Steve McQueen?

I have just received a factory-sealed treat, a copy of Alcatraz by Infogrames. I thought about leaving it as is but, within milliseconds, I had ripped it open!! Mint condition and I'm loving the contents of this hidden gem.

Hostages fans will appreciate it but surely that goes without saying? This time, the head honcho of a nasty drug cartel has taken shelter in Alcatraz prison and he happens to be surrounded by many loyal henchmen. Yep, you've probably already guessed that it's your job to sneak in, kill the bad guys, destroy everything and escape in the nick of time.

Well, in light of that stunning revelation, I think we should take a look at a screenshot...



The first stage displays the coop action and reveals that strength comes from stealth.


Take it easy, take it slow

This isn't a gung-ho game, Alcatraz demands stealth and careful covert tactics. The starting level first appears in the style of an arcade beat 'em up but is actually the complete opposite. Tread lightly because firing your loud weapon isn't always the answer! Use the darkness to your advantage by nipping into the background scenery, avoiding any unwelcome attention. It's fantastic being able to hide and watch the enemy oblivious to you lurking in the shadows!!

This won't always be the answer of course, so you may need to resort to a little gunplay now and then. However, it's worth considering your weapon choice: why not silently throw a knife instead of using your BAM BAM noisy gun? And it's this way of thinking that makes Alcatraz very exciting to play. It's like you're there being sneaky and covert. Love it.

This next screenshot is for those who often go out at night and hide in the darkness...



Take cover in the shadows and wait for the best moment to step out and take 'em by surprise!


But is it fun?

Initially, I admit I wasn't sure about this game if I'm dreadfully honest. The controls can feel a bit fluffy, but stick with it and you will master that within a few plays. What is immediately superb is the support for two players in coop who can enjoy each mission simultaneously. This really makes a difference compared to going solo for such demanding missions.

Venturing deeper inside Alcatraz, the game changes to a first-person shooter, similar to a Dungeon Master clone - but we have a machine gun!! There is a handy map function which I really liked because it helped to detail the locations of enemies, rooms, etc. I really loved this part of the game but, I died. Talk about tough love.

Talk about a brilliant surprise! Let's take a gander at a screenshot...



Okay, now we're talking. This Doom part of the game was blummin' excellent!!


The CryptO'pinion?

Alcatraz is nothing like I initially expected but I'm really enjoying it. The tactical aspect of each and every move you make is exhilarating and feels quite realistic. I like what they attempted to construct and it works in so many ways. I only wish it was a little quicker and more responsive during the opening stages... Whiffs of a rushed port?

There's so much to enjoy, especially with a friend playing coop alongside - that alone makes this game extra special. If you're running solo, then I advise less Rambo and a more cautious secret agent. Otherwise, you won't last very long at all. What a great game of perseverance, stealth and tactics which will eat away the spare hours. For all its flaws, I love it.

Downloads are available as floppy disk images with a better option for hard drive owners (D-Bug).

Wait, don't go as I made a video and I wanna show you all what's inside the box...


Here's the back of the box cover which advertises the original game, Hostages.


The floppy disks were protected and unused for three decades. Yes, they work!


Codes! Fuzzy to read and will pop your eyeballs if you stare at it too long!


No, I'm not going to post this. Can you imagine their faces? lol


Short but sweet manual but it has a decent map of the island.


This was interesting to find. If anyone wants better scans of the pages then just holla.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Traveller-Box


I recently stumbled upon a nifty resource for lots of Atari ST goodies just waiting to be downloaded. It's the leftover remains of what used to be a popular BBS in Germany called Traveller-Box, by Alexander Bochmann. His old hard drives have been recovered and their BBS contents uploaded for the Atari community to enjoy again!!

Look, stop reading this and go and check it out for yourself... Enjoy!!

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Zany Golf



It's time for Crazy Golf!!

Zany Golf was developed by Will Harvey of The Immortal and is one of those games I spent much of my college years playing - instead of studying! What a simple yet addictive game which is obviously based on crazy golf. It's excellent solo and better with friends but best of all, you don't need to visit the local park anymore.

Play through several whacky courses to get that ball into the hole and yes, that's my technical explanation! Controls are actioned using the mouse and feel somewhat similar to any snooker or pool game: click/hold on the golf ball for a directional line to appear. Use this to guide the speed/direction of your shot. Interestingly, a level of interaction can be required which might include controlling fans, playing pinball, making a burger jump, and more.

It's quirky, it's silly and it's a little lame... but... Zany Golf is freakingly fantastic so comes highly recommended!!

Download the floppy disk or this cool version for a hard drive.


What? A pinball table!! Zany Golf turns into Insane Golf.


So, you didn't believe me? Now I am hungry!!


Aww, a cute little house for an easy hole-in-one shot. No problem!

Saturday, February 13, 2016

MOD Players



Tricky Trackers!

I remember when I first heard tracker music, it was around 1989 and it was a pretty cool experience albeit not on the ST. To be honest, it was something that I never expected to hear from such a small file - after all, I am comparing it to a sound sample of course would eat up the entire space on any floppy disk (and then the Ram).

So, when I upgraded to an Atari STe in 1990, finding a MOD player was one of the first things I attempted. I think that I wanted to ditch chipmusic for this tantalising new style of computer music. It's weird but, back then, I felt disappointed in my Atari ST and its chip music but I don't feel that way now. In fact, I find many of those MODs I find poor and often quite irritating, excluding classics like R-Type, Menace, and a few others.

Today, I'm a chip guy, but that doesn't mean I'm completely against MODs. I just prefer chip. I see videos on YouTube and read people's comments of how they wished a particular ST game sounded more like the Amiga. I get that but, imagine IF our computer did sound the same. Would that be a good thing? I don't think so. The ST is its own entity with the ability to sound its own way using gorgeous chip music. If the ST had the same music capabilities as the Amiga (in games) then why not just buy the Amiga and have done with it?

No other computer out there has to justify itself like the Atari ST and that ... annoys me! Think about it. In fact, this is why I started AtariCrypt because I was tired of the way we were ignored. I want the ST to be an ST and not pretend to be something else. The YM is part of what makes the ST an ST, and that's a good thing and shouldn't be thought of in a negative way. With that off my chest, here is a selection of excellent MOD players for the Atari STe...



Atari STe MOD / Tracker Players




BackTrack - I wasn't too sure about this at first but I cannot deny its playback quality and the selectable frequencies is a brilliant idea that will be useful on every model of Atari. The audio playback sounds great, especially at 50KHz - but you might need a Mega STe for that!! (v4.04 - released 1993 - by Wizzcat)




CD Player STE - This is like a CD player from the 90s. Just copy the MOD files into the same folder as the program and boot it up. Obviously not a GEM program but something that works really well and is very effective and with a fantastic interface. Cracking program - leave it running while you work! (released 1990 - by Light)





DBE Player - Another GEM program to punch out your favourite MODS. The quality is excellent and has a decent playlist feature but it's pretty demanding of the basic model STe (v2.0 - released 1999 - by Sector One)




The MusicPlayer - Ignoring its quirky GEM interface (which is odd) I thought this program produced good sound quality and even supports 50KHz / 8 channels! (v1.0 - released 1994 - by Christian Dahl)





Sirius Player - This is another that refuses to use GEM and replaces that with its own beautiful UI and what a gorgeous player it is!! The sound quality is Grade A with support for 50KHz thus proving a normal 8MHz STe can handle outside of GEM. Also, 8-channel MODS can be played using features like presets /etc/etc. Don't forget to press the HELP key for all of the options. This is my favourite program of the lot because its playback quality is literally mind-boggling!! (v2.0 - released 2001 - by TSCC 2001)




Paula - A great program that makes you wish you'd have bought a Mega STe for that extra grunt! This is yet another example of the sound quality an Atari STe can produce - and in GEM too. My thanks to Pavel Puchala for alerting me to the freeware release! (v2.6 - released 1999 - by Pascal Fellerich)




JAM - A true jack of all trades that works either in GEM or using its own frontend GUI. It features a neat plugin architecture so lots of different file types are supported - not just MODs but various chiptunes. This is absolutely fascinating and JAM always produces excellent sounds! (v1.0 - released 2000 - by Cream)



The CryptO'pinion?


This page proves nothing. Well, except that the Atari STe can easily handle those Amiga MODs with quality playback, no matter what program you decide to use. They're all great. It just depends on your own needs: if you need a GEM player then any of the above is a good choice to install onto your hard drive/ultrasatan.

Yes, they are all great in their own way but I really loved how CD Player can be stacked up and left to play while you're doing something else. Also, JAM is great and can handle a wide variety of different formats too. Ultimately, I think Sirius is best (for me) with its astounding 50Khz playback, so I tend to prefer this above all others.

Tuesday, February 09, 2016

Xenon II - STE - Megablast!



Real music in-game!!

Xenon 2 is pretty much Marmite - some love it and some appear to hate it. Well, I love it. It's one of my favourite shooters with fantastic power-ups and freaky baddies. Plus, it's a technical masterpiece with outstanding aesthetics that proves the power of the Atari ST - when in the hands of developers with talent and commitment in equal measure. We need no custom chips nor those horrendously lame Amiga ports from the 90s!!

Okay, rant over. Here is a brand new Xenon II upgrade for 1MB+ Atari STe computers with an UltraSatan or decent hard drive. This new version streams 25KHz music, during gameplay, thanks to the DMA Audio hardware. There is no CPU hit whatsoever so everything is as good as it ever was BUT with your choice of music :-)

Just convert any song into: 8-Bit @ 25033Hz using a free program like Audacity. I've a massive selection of rock/metal songs stored and ZZ Top is currently during my games!!

Xenon II just got even better and I hope Peter converts many more games to make use of the DMA co-processor. The possibilities are endless... Hmm, perhaps I should send him a wishlist? LOL he'll block me!!

Monday, February 08, 2016

Atari Mega STe


I recently asked Peter Putnik, from over on 8BitChip, if there was a program that allowed the Mega STe to flip between 8 and 16MHz - but without having XControl preloaded. He said yes, and a couple days later he had created it!! What a great Atari community we have - my sincere gratitude to Peter. Thank you mate!!

The download link is available via the AtariAge forums.

Sunday, February 07, 2016

Well 'Ard



Wanna be a thug?

Well, today is your lucky day because we are a rather fiercely-looking dude who loves to jump on all kinds of nasties. This violent act kills and splatters the baddies and they fall off the screen dead. Sound familiar?

Released in 1994 by Cybernation Software, it was developed by Simon Scott and is a platformer created using GFA Basic. Well Ard is a cracking game and to think it was developed in GFA Basic is quite incredible. Earlier levels are quite easy but it certainly becomes challenging later on - some of those jumps are insanely tricky!

The scrolling is smooth, with fast action and lots of large sprites - I love the snowman. Controls are accurate and responsive with lots of tight jumps on interesting levels. Strangely, there are no optional methods to kill the enemy, so no weapons. Instead, reap violence only by leaping and using our red booties. Yep, it's weird but who cares?

This is definitely one of the most enjoyable platformers I've played in a long time. Addictive gameplay that has you coming back for more so put on your red boots and play it. Downloads can be found for floppy or hard disk.

Here are some more screenshots to whet your appetite...


Look at those teeth. This guy is a beast so don't mess with him!!


Jump up and down until they're all dead - not violent at all. Honest.


Well 'Ard features some odd critters but don't waste time looking - squash them.

Saturday, February 06, 2016

Atari ST chiptunes



The wife has gone out shopping and gracefully left me to do the housework! There is no way I can do these boring chores in silence so let's power on the ST and play a few toons from the SNDH Archive / SNDH Record

Here is just a selection of my favourite chiptunes at this moment... What are yours??

Nowhere by 505 ( listen / or click the GREEN arrow below! )
Best Part of Creation by Big Alec ( listen )
Sausage 3D by Xyce ( listen )
Little sexy square by Crazy Q ( listen )
Sweety by Lotek Style ( listen )

Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Ugly medium resolution?



Tippy typey

Like anything in this life, nothing is perfect. Shockingly this also applies to our Atari ST which has one characteristic I have never really cared for: its obscure, ugly, stretched medium resolution. Well, since my colour monitor decided to blow up, I have been happily zipping along in monochrome which would explain the recent run of high-resolution articles. All were written using the classic, 1st Word Plus. (Go on, you can call me a geek if you want!)

Okay, it's hardly a modern word processor bursting with features but it does the job perfectly well. Sure, I can't wait to get my new colour monitor bought as I'm missing games in glorious 16-bit technicolour. However, I have definitely fallen in love with this crisp black and white display which has met each and every requirement lately.

Who needs an expensive modern computer? Obviously not me!! But, I am mad... :^)

Tuesday, February 02, 2016

Megaroids



Get ready for one of the oldest ST games...

Asteroids is a true arcade classic and one that has been converted to just about every home computer ever made. Not to be left out, Megamax released Megaroids for the Atari ST in 1985 which was developed using their own C programming tool. If I'm honest, initially I expected a crude take with poor graphics and pathetic gameplay. Come on, it was made in 1985 the same year Atari gave birth to the ST. Well, how wrong I was...

There's little to tell here. It's asteroids and plays brilliantly. Shoot the rocks for points but don't forget to blast the alien ships when you see them - lots more points! Controls are dead easy with Z and X rotating your craft and SHIFT to fire. Thrust uses the ? key and SpaceBar activates a hyperspace when you're in trouble.

The visuals are different. Gone are the vectors in favour of nicely drawn bitmaps that sweep across the screen like butter falling from a hot knife. It's nothing like I imagined this drastic change from the lines would be. Spoilt perhaps? No way, it's just as good. In fact, Megaroids is so smooth and looks wonderful in high resolution (640x400).

Don't worry, colour systems have not been forgotten but we're not limited to the (albeit colourful) LOW resolution. Medium is used which is an obscure and quirky mode at best but this time it's interlaced. That means the vertical resolution has doubled so it's running at 640x400 with 4 colours. Stop. Don't ask - it's not flickery and will not hurt your eyes. Everything looks better and I wish more game developers would have used interlace!

Sounds are nothing more than you would expect for asteroids. They're nice and work very well. Especially when you remember this is a 1985 game for a 1985 computer. I'm really impressed all things considered.

Megaroids not only looks gorgeous (for Asteroids!) but has an authenticity which I really liked. It feels like the real deal and plays extremely well to offer a bucket load of retro action. In fact, a part of me still doesn't grasp how good this is for a 1985 release. Overall, a superb clone that offers tons of fun blasting chunks of rock to smithereens.

AtariMania and Old Games Finder has floppy disks.

Monday, February 01, 2016

N.o.B.I. - Racing



Knob Racing??

N.o.B.I Racing was released by Joytrick (1994) and is a 'snake' clone where we guide 'Alfred' through a series of mazes. Always hungry, and always on the move, Alfred needs our assistance as he munches everything in his path. However, every time he eats, he grows a little longer and this can become quite embarrassing, especially if he bites into himself. So our task is to help Alfred through the mazes without bumping into his own tale.

Two types of bonus levels appear at frequent intervals, feature two-player gaming, DMA audio, and it even supports multiple resolutions. Simple stuff for dexterous players but soon becomes incredibly fast on later levels - and against the clock too!! NoBI Racing is very old school and that means it's extremely addictive and a bucket load of fun!!

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Mac Pan



Mac Pac, err, Pac-Man? What?

After yesterday's awesome (but mind-blowing!) technical flight sim I needed something a little less taxing on my old brain cells. So, I'm taking an easier route today and playing a Pac-Man clone called Mac Pan. Weird name and there are already lots of PacMan games but this one is more vanilla, so let's get pill-popping and ghost munching!

Mac Pan was released in 1987 by Richard Beith and works in ST High resolution. There are a few integrated features that I really liked: hold down the fire button and you can temporally increase the yellow guy's speed. Hang on, he's not yellow anymore! Anyhow, the game's speed can be tinkered with in the preference. The graphics and sounds are pretty good plus there is support for simultaneous 2-players.

It's not the best PacMan game I've played but I still enjoyed it and being able to choose the game's speed is a superb idea. It's easy to imagine German office workers in the 80s playing Mac Pan during their lunch break. Monochrome users should jump up & down with excitement because this is an excellent clone of the classic.

Downloads are available using Old Games Finder.

Friday, January 29, 2016

ProFlight



Flight for the pros?

This morning I played ProFlight by Nick Brown of HiSoft - I jumped inside my Panavia Tornado to take it for a spin Maverick style. It runs fine on any Atari ST but will certainly benefit from faster computers: my Mega STE delivered an astounding framerate boost. As you can see from the animation, it's compatible with both display modes (mono shown).

Now, I do remember labouring over ProFlight back in the day so wondered how my older (and wiser?) brain would cope with this monster flight simulator. The main emphasis is on simulated realism so you're out of luck if you thought this was an arcade-style combat shooter. However, that doesn't mean it's all work and no play because, once you've got over the hefty learning curve, there is an enjoyable and rewarding experience to be had. However, that curve is indeed hefty!

Man, this is such a professional product and one that comes in a large box with a thick and weighty manual - it's like something you would expect from a real flight school! Yes, this is an incredible flight sim for techie gurus to drool over and certainly one of the most rewarding sims I have ever played. Please be careful and don't crash it O_o

However, I fear this game might be too big and too complex for the casual game to bother with? The sheer amount of hours that are needed to fully devote yourself to the game are huge thanks to its immensely complex design. However, players without kids and tons of spare time will be rewarded with a fantastic flight sim experience. Tell me if I'm wrong.

HiSoft is trusting you with their precious plane that can be enjoyed using either a floppy disk or hard drive.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Diamond Edge



I loved Hi-Soft!!

Isn't Diamond Edge a brilliant program? One of its features is 'Test Disk' which scans for various types of potential problems and, only the other day, this saved my bacon because Drive C (a 32MB partition) suddenly reported itself as 22MB. Why I do not know, but Diamond Edge came to the rescue and fixed several serious errors!!

I have also found it particularly useful to optimise (defrag) the partitions in order to better stream audio for (storage) demanding games (Cannon Fodder / Xenon II) or other programs like ST Video Player. I try and defrag the drives on a monthly basis. Don't even get me started with Undelete, another superb part of the Diamond Edge suit.

Diamond Edge is one of the most fundamental utilities for all Atari computers equipped with a hard drive. Anodyne has Diamond Edge freely available to download along with the manual too. Which is simply excellent.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Bolo



Brick Blast in STyle!

Tons of Atari ST games run in high resolution and one of the best is Bolo, a Breakout clone. It takes the familiar concept and improves upon it tremendously with lots of extra features, like the ability to move the bat almost anywhere you like. There are also gravitational effects which are cunningly effective and also different brick types and the ability to change the physics of the ball's speed and direction. Yep, Bolo is an awesome brick-blaster everyone loves. Because it's brilliant!!

Monday, January 25, 2016

SysInfo




Needing tech support?

SysInfo is an incredibly useful utility that can display a whole raft of details about your Atari ST. It has recently helped me diagnose a problem with my Mega STe's audio but it can diagnose everything from TOS/GEM details to the more technical aspects like the Cookie Jar, VBL, traps & other mind-boggling jargon. Really helpful and perfect for geeks!

Download SysInfo from "Atari ST Essential software (The List)" which is a great website.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Maggie


Can you believe this... No, wait for it... Maggie 25th Anniversary issue was released this weekend!!!

It's been far too many years since the previous issues and it is now available to download or view off/online. I'm going to download myself a copy and spend some serious time reliving my ST days by reading this ace diskmag. Yes, it's been far too long and I'm incredibly excited!! My congrats to everyone involved - thank you!!

Download Maggie #25 for your Atari computer (I personally prefer this). Or download an HTML version to browse anytime. Also, you can find everything over on their website and the Maggie Team are featured on Demozoo.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

Video Games 1


Andrei Ellman, Wacko Software, created a game made from three classics: Pong, Space Invaders and Pac-Man. But this release is different as all three games are playable at the same time. Yep, you heard correctly!

Pong is controlled by holding the fire button and moving up/down.
Pac Man is initially quite confusing so read the docs within the download!
Space Invaders is easy, left/right moves and pushing up/down fires the gun.

The controls are odd and things get weird when all running everything at once! However, there's only so much my tiny brain could cope with and I found that I could play two games at once. I had no chance with three! Visually, it kinda works well but if you're struggling then you can alter each game's appearance using the numeric pad. Also, there's an option to invert colours which makes everything look ugly but it's much better on the eyes.

I think Andrei was one crazy, mixed-up kid who had a good laugh when coding this. Don't take it too seriously and practice with the controls because Video Games 1 is ridiculously entertaining. You will love this maddening game(s)!!!