Defender II

Defenda

Unlike many of you, my first experience with Defender wasn’t in the arcades but on my ZX Spectrum. That little machine wasn’t exactly a powerhouse, but it was versatile and capable of handling this arcade shooter. I could be wrong, but I'm sure it was Defenda by Interstella Software, released in 1984. I absolutely loved it, though I wouldn’t exactly call myself skilled. Oh, what a shocker - Steve is rubbish at a fast-paced shooter!!

Fast forward a good few years, and along comes ARC with Defender II, developed by none other than Jeff Minter. Oddly enough - and I know this is practically sacrilegious coming from an Atari ST guy - whenever I hear his name, I immediately think of the Jaguar's Tempest 2000. I spent countless hours playing that trippy game in 1994/95. And half the time, I’d just leave it running in the background!! But anyway, back on topic - Minter programmed Defender II for the ST in 1990, and it’s everything you’d hope for, with loads of extra visual flair jazzing up the arcade classic. Not only that but the two original games are included as well.

Yes, Defender and Stargate are included, but my focus is Defender II. Don’t get me wrong, having all three games in one is incredible, but if I’m being brutally honest, they’re pretty similar. That statement might get me slapped by a purist, but hey - whatever! At the end of the day, I fire it up to play Defender II.

Let's have a break for some screenshots that really don't do the action any justice...

As a base comparison, this is the original Defender. It's zany, zappy, and FUN!

Defender II explodes all that zappy'ness into a zillion Llama-crushing pieces.

Defender II

From the golden era of Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man came a furious shooter called Defender. The objective is always the same: little men wander the planet’s surface, innocently going about their business - until aliens swoop in from the skies, intent on abducting them for some bizarre, probe-related experimentation. We can’t let that happen! So, we skim the planet’s surface, blasting every last alien into smithereens. It’s a wonderfully simple concept, like so many old games. Straight to the action and I love that.

The controls weren’t quite what I expected, Defender II uses a combination of mouse and keyboard. Moving the mouse adjusts altitude, the left button thrusts, and the right changes direction. So how do you shoot? That’s done with the Shift key, which you can hold down for rapid firing. And because this is Defender, I naturally want a smart bomb to clear the screen when things get tough - just hit Control, and hey presto, BOOM!!

But there’s more gun love just waiting to be discovered - pressing Alt unleashes an electrical weapon called the Smart Laser, which instantly fries anything nearby. It’s powerful but has limited fuel reserves, so I tend to use it early on when the screen is flooded with (far too many) enemies for my meagre reflexes. Thankfully, every 10,000 points earn you a fuel top-up, along with an extra life and another smart bomb.

Jeff Minter didn't hold back and cranked up the mayhem, making Defender II an even more exhilarating arcade experience. And it doesn’t stop there - we have an optional AI Drone, a handy companion that mirrors your actions for much-needed extra firepower. Hitting the Spacebar toggles its functions between this standard mode into a powerful "toothpaste" laser (stronger beam), up-shooter, and bombing mode.

Defender II goes beyond anything I expected from a mere Defender clone. Jeff has transformed it into something else entirely. The AI Drone is a brilliant addition, but for me, the true game-changer is the Smart Laser. With that, your experience - and progress - improves more than you ever thought possible!

It's about now that you should leave to boot up your Atari ST to play. Wait, don't go just yet...

The training mode is superb as it introduces you to everything very nicely.

Completing a wave results in this nifty info screen with bonus rewards.

Aesthetics

It’s hard to imagine a game from the early 80s could be dramatically improved. After all, it’s Defender - a game where a black background takes up 95% of the screen. Well... hold my beer... because ARC’s version is an absolute visual feast, far beyond anything the original ever was. The credit for these sexy pixels goes to Wayne Smithson and Simon Butler, though, at first glance, they might not look like much.

What I mean is, that the magic happens only when triggered by playing the game - firing and obliterating enemies. These actions turn boring old Defender into a psychedelic explosion of party pixels. It’s pure visual chaos - stunning and borderline hypnotic. At first, I found myself watching the dazzling display rather than playing - so I kept dying! When playing properly, the action never lets up, throwing an eye-popping, high-energy spectacle at you from start to finish. Honestly, it’s one of the best-looking games I’ve seen.

The audio is almost as impressive, packed with superb sound effects that belch and burp loudly with every move you make. The laser - easily the most frequently heard sound - has more of a machine-gun vibe, though it takes a backseat whenever explosions and other effects are heard. It’s a shame the DMA hardware wasn’t utilised, but honestly, I have no complaints - Defender II is as loud and obnoxious as it is visually glamorous.

Interestingly, the theme music was created by Martin Walker using Microdeal's Quartet. I love what musicians have managed to produce with that, and I only wish it had been used more often. Superb music.

Right then, I'm yapped on enough so carry on scrolling for the ultimate opinion you're dying to read...

Having 3-in-1 is tremendous Minter value. Play the originals - they're damn excellent!

Of course, it's Defender II I prefer - there's nothing quite like it!

The CryptO'pinion

Disregarding the fantastic value of three games in one, this is an absolutely stupendous product. Defender II is a monumental shooter - a true masterpiece, perhaps even superior to StarRay or Anarchy?

It’s not just the frantic speed or the jazzy visuals that make this version so brilliant; it’s the innovative new weaponry that transforms the basic gameplay without ruining it. The drone is a worthy addition, offering several attack modes (though, in my humble opinion, it’s best left as it is). It’s the smart laser that really tips the balance, elevating the game from being great to truly exceptional. This underrated feature is a must-use, as it compensates for slower reactions and lets you progress deeper into the later missions.

I’m sure you’ve all guessed it by now: I’m giving it a massive 98% and awarding it the AtariCrypt SMASH accolade. Defender II is arguably the best horizontally scrolling shooter for the Atari ST. Wow, that's a bold statement alright so let me know what you guys think in the comments section below.

Right, waste no more time and click these links to play Defender II...

• Atari Legend has a ton of excellent menu disks: https://www.atarilegend.com
• 8BitChip has the hard drive version: https://atari.8bitchip.info...
• Demozoo has a wedge of Quartet music I'm going to enjoy: https://demozoo.org/quartet/
• Here are more jazzy screenshots along with level codes (untested by me - YMMV)

Level 5 - FLOYD Level 9 - FURRY Level 13 - BEAST Level 17 - LEMAC Level 21 - ZIPPO Level 25 - LASER Level 29 - DAFAD

Level 33 - MAGOG Level 37 - FUNKY Level 41 - DONKY Level 49 - KANJI Level 53 - IRATA Level 57 - NEURO Level 61 - STOAT

Any easy SMASH rating so go and grab it off those download links!!

Out Run

Oh no, yuppie racing!!

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of beta-testing an enhanced version of Out Run for Peter Jørgensen. Happy times, and I really miss those days! If you’re wondering who he is, he’s the guy behind YMT Player, Manic Miner, and a new version of Enduro Racer. He also helped me to create two (ahem) fantastic slideshows - ZombieCrypt and Half-Life 2. Anyhow, those were great days, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I’d never featured Out Run. I wonder why - maybe I was waiting for the “next beta” which never happened?

Who knows, but here we are now! So, everyone knows how disappointing Outrun is, so perhaps that was what spurred Peter to create a better game. I can't recall every detail of the planned specs and enhancements - it’s been six years - but I do remember he was aiming for a smoother framerate, better sprites, and DMA sound effects. Although it isn’t finished, it's already a major improvement over the dreadful original.

Before downloading this beta, grab a copy of the original and play it first. That way, you'll truly appreciate the differences. I hope Peter eventually returns to complete the hard work he’s already put into this.

• Atarimania hosts the latest beta version (ST/STe - requires a Blitter)
• Atari Legend has the original game on several menu disks.
• If you fancy playing more enhanced Atari STe games then tickle this link.
• Peter's profile is available on Demozoo and if you're wondering about his other productions then use the search at the top/right of this page!

The familiar rush through the sunshine in your Ferrari Testarossa.

The second stage is annoying with many roadside obstacles.

My game ended at this point but I liked the look of the dust so had to screenshot it.

I reached the third stage - which is good for me!!

Phantasie - Day 2

Commence The Adventure!

I have begun my adventure in the northwestern part of Gelnor; a lovely woodland area surrounded by natural wildlife and LOTS OF MONSTERS. The first thing to do is have a butchers at the incredibly detailed manual. However, I'm not a big reader and ended up skimming through far too quickly. Yep, I made some mistakes picking party members so I went back to read a little more! When will I ever learn?

There are few buildings within the town of Pelnor. First, we have a bank to safeguard our fortune, which is pooled among the party but can be shared as needed. Next is a mystic who appears to be of little help! An armoury is the town's one and only shop stocking the basic requirements. Pelnor's Inn is fantastic, providing free lodging for all weary travellers seeking rest and also a secure place to organise their party's belongings.

Lastly, there’s the Guild, where we can create and later manage our adventurers, choosing from Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and more. Interestingly, we can select random characters, though they may be harder to level up as they're disliked by Humans! Be warned, the system can generate poor rolls, so you may need to repeat the process to achieve the right balance of resilience, health, and ability. But you knew that!

There are many stats to consider but remember that fighters demand strength and dexterity whereas spellcasters require intelligence and MP. Of course, a good balance of most stats is favourable and you should always note the HP offered. Another interesting detail to consider is age as humans typically don't age well whereas Gnomes and Elves are rather lucky in that department.

Feel like you messed up? Party members not living up to expectations? Were some lost in battle? Well, you can return to the Guild anytime to create new players or rearrange the party. However, think carefully if you've been playing for a while - starting a new character (and playing catchup) can be time-consuming.

I'm more of a melee guy but your party needs to be diverse to survive. So I've plumbed for human/dwarf fighters who handle the grunt of warfare. Also, I have a couple of wizards for my magical needs (absolutely essential). Finally, I have a thief and a priest who are good fighters and provide stealth and healing support.

Alright then, I reckon I’ve got the right team, so I plan to leave town and explore. Maybe start a few fights and hopefully not be beaten too much. I've started a dedicated Quest section listed down the right ~~>

Okay, let's see if this adventure really is worth the grind...

We begin our journey in the northwestern region of Gelnor.
There is a hidden Temple in the woodlands, but I've no idea how to access it.

Ahh, Pelnor is a lovely and safe town of refuge.

Where is everyone and why one guard? And he's not locked the gatehouse!

My attempt to create "Shorty", a dwarven fighter. Terrible stats so I rerolled...
Interestingly, look at the age. That matters in Phantasie, depending on their race.

Shorty goes shopping in the town's, erm, one and only shop.

However, he's a bit skint atm and needs to kill monsters/visit the bank.

The building near the entrance has a wise old mystic.
I guess I need to return here later for more helpful information?

So, I finally dared to step outside the town and was pounced on!
Hey, shall I try the greeting option?

[STOT] ST Offline Tournament

ST Offline Tournament

STOT has been running for several years in a dedicated section of Atari-Forum. I had heard others talk about it but, for some reason, I never got involved - something I now look back on with a mix of confusion and regret. Thankfully, I've finally come to my senses and joined in. And I'm absolutely loving it!

So, what is STOT? Simple - it’s an offline gaming tournament. Well, to be more precise, it’s a tournament for ST Gamers organised by three familiar names from Atari-Forum and beyond: Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS. Games are suggested by the community, and the admins then decide which ones to feature. Each game now runs for a month, and 2025 kicked off with the fantastic racer, FASTER. This month, we’re tackling a puzzler called Chroma Grid, and next month, we're whizzing through space like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

My gaming skills are often terrible - an odd thing to admit, considering I run AtariCrypt! Well, I finished near the bottom of the league for January’s FASTER, an incredible Atari STe racer by Jonathan Thomas. Sheesh, there are some seriously good players out there with way quicker reflexes than mine! Thankfully, Chroma Grid is going a bit better for me, but like all puzzlers, it soon pushes my ageing brain cells to their limit. As for Star Wars in March… I’m kind of dreading it - I haven’t played that since my Speccy days!

So, do you fancy getting involved? It’s easy, just create a (free) account on Atari-Forum to play the current game on your Atari ST or an emulator. Then post a photo or screenshot of your score on the forum. That’s all there is to it. I hope this tempts you to join in, play some Atari ST games, and be part of the ST community.

So, click here to access Atari-Forum's STOT section and get gaming - have fun!!

Finally, I recently chatted with Thorn(þ) and asked him some questions about STOT. He went away and came back with responses from all three - so a huge thanks to Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS for taking the time; I really appreciate it. I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and maybe tempted you to check out the tournament?

I hope so - don’t game alone, be proud of your high scores. Get involved and join in the STOT fun...

How did you guys get the idea for STOT?

---

ChrisTOS

If I remember correctly Thorn, SSB and I were talking in #atariscne on IRC and thought how nice it would be to have online gaming either using emulators or real networked Ataris. We got the idea that we could hold a contest similar to the High Score Club in AtariAge. The concept was that we would create themes (eg space shooter/sync scrolling games etc), give them nice names, people would vote for which games to play and we'd play that game. Real hardware or emulator was accepted and we wanted to support new games.

As for the name, it's the ST Offline Tournament. I believe we chose it because it was also a small wordplay on STOS. Plus those Germans do like to be a bit accurate in their descriptions!

SSB

As far as I remember it was an online discussion between Christos, Thorn and myself around 2009. I don't remember the details. The basic idea was: "Hey we like playing ST games. Let's play them for real." We wrote an article for our LowRes online magazine around the time (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/that-is-stot-st-offline-tournament/)

þ

Back in the day, I loved to attend the High Score Clubs on Atari Age for the other Atari platforms. I also founded the "Abbuc Bundesliga" a competition where people meet once a month in a chatroom and play an Atari 8-bit game for 1 hour. On the ST there was nothing like that. So during some chats with SSB and Christos the idea of STOT was born. The format was copied from the HSC, but we chose atari-forum.com instead of AtariAge because it's the home of the ST scene.

We stopped some years ago. Because there was a demand on the forum to restart, SSB did a restart, many thanks to the people who requested it and participated in the first round after the restart (Riverpirate, LynxXX) and many thanks to SSB to do the restart. Even if there are only 2-3 gamers, it's worth continuing cause STOT is an indicator that Atari ST gaming is alive. Talking about games is great, but if you really play them and then send a score, that is the definition of active. I play much more ST since the restart. Being Atarian because you buy Atari merch alone is lame, scoring a post on STOT is cool.

Could any games make a return?

---

ChrisTOS

We have revisited games in the past but not too often. I am still sore from losing a great score in Starball due to a crash for example. Of course, Xerus (like always) and Lotek obliterated my attempts.

SSB

I personally play 'Virus' and 'Goldrunner' from time to time so another STOT round with them would be welcome. Important is that games have a useful scoring system and no selection menu to keep it easy to track. And no tutorials or "learn how to play" sessions". We all are middle-aged guys now with real life so playing those should be a distraction you can try for a half hour of free time without preparation.

Þ

We played Metrocross at least 2 times. In the wish list for 2026, we could also include games to play again. However, there are so many games left to play in a competition mode, that it's great to give them a try instead of playing the same games a number of times. I would go for one game per year, the ST Classics of the year.

Favourite memories?

---

ChrisTOS

There were a lot. The aforementioned Outline events. Cooper released a game just for STOT, D-bug who patched games for the Falcon and Hard disk so that we could play in STOT. There was quite a bit of competition in those events. Starball, Obsession. PS. I missed Nano Cave too.

SSB

The few where my girlfriend and now wife participated. We both like to play 'Rodland' in two-player mode from time to time.

þ

At the outline live STOT competition, I met Christos in person, that was cool. I met SSB a number of times, for 11 months we both lived in Friedrichshafen at the lake of Constance, we had some cool sessions where we played the actual STOT game and SSB explained to me his secret “mouth pockets” receipt: Ready-made mouth pockets and chicken broth from the supermarket and water! Easy, cheap, delicious.

The Super Sprint competition was very close, I scored 2nd, but only very close. In the end, I got so much adrenaline in the final levels, I needed 15 minutes to calm down.

The highlight was the Switchblade II compo where Simon Phipps the author himself sent us self-painted winner certificates with his signature. Was a great sign of respect for us that people see that we try to keep the Atari gaming alive.

Phobia. I won it, I love it. Many complained it was too hard, but I passed level 1.

All the games where I reached a level I never was before, because I had the motivation to get a high score. Apache Flight was great, but I would have given up with level 1 until Wietze sent in a screenshot of level 2 for example.

Any future plans for STOT?

---

ChrisTOS

For plans, I don't know, maybe find time to play some games? We were much younger people when we started STOT and with fewer obligations. My favourite moment is the tournament we held at Outline back in 2009. So a repeat of that would have been great. Maybe at a Sommarhack this time. Also since Hatari now supports Falcon, we could think of including a couple of Falcon games in the mix.

SSB

We should keep going as long as players are willing to participate.

þ

Best homebrew game award? Therefore we need a constant number of entries. 2025 is already looking good. The difference to other awards like the one on Atari Age is, that this award is given to active gamers since only people who entered scores would be allowed to vote.

More cooperation with all the Atari gamers on YouTube like yours, Stickhead, Hundgirrid, etc. You guys find the games, we do a STOT round. During the rounds, we could also do some more videos. We need people who try out a game and have the feeling that it's worth doing a competition.

STOT gaming competitions on-site at Atari meetings. Once we did one at an Outline party, I would like to do one at the ADN, GemTOS, SillyVenture, OFAM, ejagfest, and so on. Looking back on the STOT history I also like to mention Xerus. He showed in many competitions that he was the best Atari ST gamer back in the day. Would be great to see him back.

Nano Cave - this is a good example of the STOT philosophy. It was a wish and was a new game, so was prioritised. I tested it before when I played some games on the ADN (the best Atari party in France). There the first two levels were great fun and I liked the visual concept that you have different original designs from all the other Hack versions of the previous years.

So a STOT round was announced 1-2 months later. There we played the game and had fun, but suddenly we found out, that there were so many bugs, that scoring was nearly impossible. Since Nano Cave is such a great game, we would do immediately another round if there would be a new version. (I love Nano Cave so THAT is something I will look forward to - Steve)

Puffy’s Saga

Cheesy Gauntlet

What do you get if you mix Gauntlet with Pac-Man? If you guessed Puffy’s Saga, well done - you’ve clearly read the title! Released in 1989 by UBI Soft and developed by Claude Sablatou, this adventure sees Puffy and Puffyn trapped in a 20-level dungeon on an alien world. Naturally, it’s packed with monsters lurking around every corner, ready to attack or (hopefully) be avoided. The goal is simple - collect all the power dots and escape.

Each level is designed much like Gauntlet, with a similar look and feel. There are plenty of traps to avoid (if you can), and the monsters are a bizarre bunch - jellyfish, living puddles of water, and relentless eyeballs that will chase when you get too close - and they can’t be killed! The joystick controls are responsive, especially for Puffyn, who moves with a bit more agility (Puffy is stronger with better weapon fire).

You can play as either character but this isn’t a multiplayer fest like you might first assume, but rather solo. However, there’s a small co-op element in the form of character switching, though this relies on a collectable item called a Magic Gom. Picking one up lets you swap characters, gain better firepower, move faster, and so on. If you’re lucky enough to find more, you can even skip a level or slow down the monsters.

Playing Puffy’s Saga is a fun, familiar experience because it feels like Gauntlet. However, it is more like a chaotic game of chase in a maze (I like how that sounds). There are tons of monsters eager to hunt you down, and every touch drains your energy. That is displayed on the status panel and gradually depletes over time. So you will need to constantly hunt for food to keep going, which detracts from the fun of exploration.

Ultimately, Puffy and Puffyn are essentially playing Pac-Man - grabbing dots, dodging enemies, and rushing to the next level in a bewildering panic. The challenge is with the monsters' sheer number (and strength) because there are way too many to cope with. As a result, your energy drains far too quickly, which was my biggest gripe - it's not balanced and feels restrictive. Because of this, I never made it past a handful of levels.

Okay, let's take a small break and check out a couple of screenshots...

Being chased, losing valuable energy... at least I have a near-pointless map!

Looking remarkably like Gauntlet for the second level I thought.

Monsters, Power-Ups, and Other Stuff!

The main menu is essentially a help sheet, so take a good look before blindly starting. It showcases the monsters - some, like the eyeballs, are invincible and best avoided (if you can), while others can be defeated or lured away. You’ll also spot a list of power-ups, though I only managed to find extra speed and firepower!

Interestingly, the function keys unlock a variety of “hidden” features:

• F1 will pause the game.
• F2 flips between 50/60Hz.
• F3/F4 will slow/increase the speed of the game.
• F5 utilises that empty part of the screen with a map (requires two Magic Goms).
• F6 provides a training mode that whisks you off to level 7.

These power-ups require one magic gom to work:

• The HELP key will switch between the two characters.
• F key will give you bad breath as a temporary firepower.
• S key provides a speed bonus.
• Pressing H adds 100 points to your health.

These two functions require two magic goms:

• The UNDO key zips you off to the next level.
• And the M key slows the monsters down.

Hang on, what's a Magic Gom? It’s a blue ball - grab them whenever you can. That said, keep an eye out for food as well, as it restores health. It only adds 100 points, which isn’t much, but hey, it’s better than nothing!

Right, I'm hitting the F1 key to pause the chat for a couple of screenshots...

Pods, keys, beef, and magic are what you need. Stay clear of the "monsters"!

On this level, I was struggling (as always) with my health and needed food. Use the map!

Aesthetics

The visuals are a bit odd and left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the design might be a bit familiar (cough - cough - totally ripped idea), but everything still looks great. I really liked the use of colour and the cartoon-like designs of the sprites and items are superb. The scrolling is fairly smooth, though it can slow down a little when a bunch of enemies are chasing after you. The real bummer is that older STs (without a Blitter Chip) suffer from awful push-scrolling, which is horrendous for a "must-scroll" game like this.

Surprisingly, this game supports the Blitter! Yep, the Mega ST and all Atari STe computers will produce real scrolling instead of that push muck!! In all honesty, I was shocked by this discovery as it fees like a hidden backdoor attempt of supporting the Atari STe? Almost a secret!

Perhaps this is the first game to support the Atari STe? Although it appears to have been released before the computer itself. Or rather the first game to support the Mega ST as that had a Blitter from 1987. But it would require TOS 1.04 because the game isn't compatible with TOS 1.02.

My head is about to explode!! Anyhow, kudos to Claude for going that extra mile!!

The audio is delightful, with samples for every action - eat something, and you hear “YUM!”. When low on energy, you’re warned about death. It’s all cute and in a French style we love. However, and I hate to say this but, after a while, it can get a bit grating. I would’ve loved the option for YM effects instead. That said, I’ve got to tip my virtual hat to Claude for going the extra mile with so many silly sound samples.

Could this be one of the first Blitter games? Let's see some screenshots while we ponder over that...

As with Gauntlet, keys unlock the barriers blocking our path.

I just started the level and immediately I'm surrounded by those damn jellyfish!

The CryptO'pinion

Puffy’s Saga was always going to be seen as a cheap Gauntlet knockoff, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a decent game. Unfortunately, it falls short due to its cumbersome design. You're always in a panic worrying about dying due to the lack of health and food pick-ups. Plus, the hoards of monsters become nearly impossible to defeat when all swarm together. Factor in the complexity of the power-ups, Magic Goms, and the absence of a default map, and it all becomes far too much to handle, making it more frustrating than enjoyable.

Wow, this isn't looking good, is it? Despite my whinging, the core gameplay isn’t bad - running through Gauntlet levels and killing monsters is fun. I liked the speed of Puffyn and the power of Puffy, this spices things up nicely. Plus, like many French games, the aesthetics are lovely - stunning visuals and silly samples.

Puffy's Saga needed more energy and greater rewards from food pickups. Not to mention better use of items/power-ups and dumping that bad idea of Magic Goms!! All this would’ve eased the difficulty, making it balanced and more enjoyable. As it is, I struggled to get too far without running out of energy!

I reckon I need to rate this based on the hardware. On older STs without a Blitter, the push-scrolling is painful, so I’d have to give it a rather brutal 35%. But on something like the Mega ST or Atari STe, it runs much smoother and plays way better. The proper scrolling makes it a lot more enjoyable - so I'd say it deserves a surprisingly decent 60%. At the end of the day, though, Blitter or not - just play Gauntlet II instead.

• Atari Legend has the best floppy disk by The Midland Boyz.
• 8BitChip has an installable hard drive game that now supports the Blitter.
• It's not often I record videos these days but, check out the ST scrolling...

Phantasie - Day 1

I've arrived on the Isle of Gelnor

Some of you might remember the fun I had sharing my progress in Cosmos Chronicles, Sword of Kadash, Galdregon's Domain, Uninvited, and others. No? Oh... Well, I enjoy RPG and Adventure games and was in the mood for something new to experience. Lately, I’ve spent plenty of time crawling through LARN, Rogue, Nano Cave, etc. All brilliant, but none offer that sense of a larger "journey" or long-term quest.

I was craving something fresh to really sink my teeth into. Then I remembered a video by Into The Vertical Blank about Phantasie, which I’ve never played. You’ve got to love Jeff’s enthusiasm! He made it seem like a grind worth taking on, and that was all the encouragement I needed to start on my own adventure!

So, let's embark on this new adventure, a journey I've missed out on for the past four decades...

I find myself on an island called Gelnor, which is riddled with danger at every turn. I can see an entrance to a distant dungeon amongst the lush woodlands as I enter the town of Pelnor. Seeking answers, I step into the local inn, where a hushed conversation unveils a grim truth. I learn that a sorcerer called Nikademus who uses Black Knights to wreak havoc across the island.

Should I rise to the challenge and seek to defeat Nikademus, freeing this island from his reign of terror? Of course, I will. Yet it’s only a matter of time before I come face to face with the Black Knights. So I need allies - strong and fearless - because no one has ever triumphed against them. To the Guild, then. Let’s see who has the courage to stand with me on this journey!

Hmm, I feel I should warn you that this won’t be over quickly, and I’m bound to make plenty of rookie mistakes. But rest assured, I'm enthusiastic and always welcome to receive any feedback along the way. So, over the coming months, I'll post regular updates on how I'm getting on. Unless, of course, I give up! O_o

Yes, folks, here I am, starting something new and daring enough to share it with the world.

Let’s hope I don’t end up looking like a complete knob.

• Into The Vertical Blank website https://intotheverticalblank.com
• Worth The Grind video https://youtu.be/xFsqb6I4v54...
• 8BitChip has an excellent hard drive installable version https://atari.8bitchip.info/phantasie.html
• Old Games Finder has access to all the different Phantasie floppies http://www.oldgamesfinder.com/phantasie
• Atari Legend has the manual on a lovely Sewer Doc Disc https://www.atarilegend.com/phantasie
• Look to your right for all the previously mentioned ST games ~~~>

Sleuth (mapped)

Inspector Clouseau

Many moons ago when the Crypt was young I stumbled upon a Berzerk game called Sleuth. It's by Larry Scholz and originally came on an ST Review cover disk. It sucked compared to the Dave Munsie conversion but I still liked it. In fact, I liked it enough to warrant spending many hours over Christmas mapping it.

However, without a trainer, I had to save my progress each time I entered a new room. It was a tedious process, and I desperately needed a better solution. That’s when Mug UK came to the rescue, kindly creating a hack for extra lives. Remarkably, the change only required 4 bytes. Not that I'd understand the jargon:

"I disassembled it using EasyRider4. Then converted the huge source file using Stew's Convert program to make it smaller.

Using Notepad++, I search for all occurrences of '5' being moved into a value. I then worked out which address the lives were (at a guess) being stored in, then looked elsewhere in the code for that same address.

Found a SUBQ.W #1, address and removed it using 2 x NOPS (4E71 twice, hence 4 bytes). Tested it and it worked the first time 🙂 "

This was a game-changer. It's remarkable how such a small change made a big difference - I could suddenly map Sleuth a hundred times faster so it wasn't long before the entire game was fully mapped - complete with all the extra details: key locations, locked doors, and bonus lives. I might be the only person left on Earth to play this quirky Berzerker, but I hope my map sparks curiosity and inspires someone else to try it.

And you should download it because Mug UK went the extra mile - Sleuth now boots up with a trainer option screen before the game begins. So I’ve created a floppy disk image (which you can optionally copy to your Ultrasatan or hard drive). Of course, it’s free to download and exclusively available first here on AtariCrypt. Now, the big question: what should I name this new disk? Arghh, surely not SleuthCrypt you cry? O_o

All credit goes to Mike Mee ~~> aka Mug UK <~~ for his fantastic hacking skills. My sincere gratitude as I doubt I would have made it past the first locked door without the extra lives (not without spending several months of my life). Okay, I imagine somebody out there is eager to play the Crypt version of Sleuth?

I sure hope so; keeping my fingers crossed. Here are all the links...

• SleuthCrypt: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d1djl0biy8twqm030e4b4/SleuthCrypt...
• The map: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/on5on2sewc895oekjlyr3/Sleuth-map...
• Atari Legend: https://www.atarilegend.com/games/sleuth-majicsoft
• Mug UK: https://demozoo.org/sceners/2542/
• Mike's website: https://mug-uk.co.uk
• More ST game maps: https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/game-maps.html
• Even more ST productions by me: https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/MySTstuff/

I would never have seen the final room without a trainer. Flashy place, uh?

Can you beat me? Will anyone ever play this game again?

It was only after completing the game I noticed it was on "Novice".
I replayed on "Expert", the controls seem quicker but everything else is the same?

Yep, I have fully mapped the game and the download link is above!