Tuesday, October 07, 2025

Backgammon






Thrills & Spills

There are a few Backgammon games available for the Atari ST. Although I'm hardly proficient, it's a board game I enjoy. To rephrase that last line - basically, I’m the world’s worst player, yet I somehow enjoy it!! Anyhow, ARC released this in 1988, and it remains one of the few commercial GEM-based games. A quirky oddity in itself, but that means the Blitter is used by default, which means this release is an enhanced game for the Atari STe. Well, hardly, but it was fun saying that, and you should click the link to check out this growing list.

For those who don't know the game of Backgammon, the manual is excellent and clearly explains the basic rules to follow. This is a two-player board game that blends strategy, skill, and a bit of luck. It’s played on a board featuring 24 narrow triangles, known as points, which are grouped into four quadrants. Each player starts with 15 checkers and uses two dice to move them around the board in a specific path.

Players move their checkers based on the roll of two dice, advancing them in opposite directions around the board. Each die represents a separate move, so a roll of 3 and 5 means you can move one checker 3 spaces and another 5 - or a single checker a total of 8. The aim is to be the first to move all your checkers off the board (known as bearing off) before your opponent does. You can pit wits against the ST or go head-to-head with a friend. Thankfully, there is a demo mode, which is something you should take advantage of.

If you're now tempted to download this game, then all of this typing wasn't for nothing after all. Here are a few tips: It's wise to focus on building a strong defensive position early on. Try stacking two or more checkers on a space to block your opponent from landing there. Avoid leaving single checkers exposed, as they’re easy targets. Just load it up and have a go, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you don't, just boot up Turrican!

Whilst something like Backgammon might not immediately be your obvious gaming choice, I say give it a whirl. It's actually very good, and your Atari ST provides a worthy opponent. Also, GEM works very well as an interface for the original board game, which means it will support Blitter, screen accelerators, and even high resolution. Yep, this is a great game for a night in, so I'm giving it a Steve-Is-A-Bore rating of 80%.

  • Atari Legend has a couple of floppy disk menus to download.
  • The hard disk master, PP/8BitChip, has created a superb version!
  • Still not sure? How about a history and guide on how to play?
  • You've got the Backgammon bug now, eh? There are loads more listed on Atarimania.

I couldn't leave without a couple of gripping screenshots!



Made a mistake, then use the restore option.

Friday, October 03, 2025

Space Zot






Zot o'clock

There are two things I love, my family and. No, I meant beer and travelling through the cosmos!! Do you remember when I roamed (and completed) the vast floppy disk universe in Cosmos Chronicles? Yeah, I spent many hours chatting to shady strangers in World's End bar, and loved every second of it.

But there is some bad news: the bar’s about to run out of booze. As an alliance pilot, I’ve been called in to rescue the situation by retrieving precious cargo (beer!) from a damaged freighter somewhere in the Caissel asteroid belt. The fate of every thirsty patron depends on my flying skills, so there’s no time to waste!

Space Zot, coded in 2023 using GFA Basic by Shaoth (the chap behind the brilliant roguelike Nano Cave), is one of those games that looks like one thing but turns out to be another. At first glance, you’d think it’s a shooter, but it leans more towards something like R0x - a game of avoidance? There are no blasters or lasers; your mission is to grab as many beers as possible. As you can imagine, this is a goal I can easily get behind.

Of course, space isn’t just full of free booze; it’s also packed with rocks hurtling down your lovely SC1224 display. You’ll need sharp reflexes to weave through the space junk. By the third level, things get hairy - faster rocks, trickier angles, and a screen so cluttered you’re gasping for breathing room. Thankfully, the controls are tight and responsive, which is essential when survival depends entirely on dodging rather than blasting.

I first played Space Zot on another world, and now I’ve been enjoying it back home on my Atari STe (a pretty bold statement that I hope doesn't confuse anyone). This is a cracking little game, and even if I’m a couple of years late, it comes highly recommended by yours truly. Right, it's time for another beer run...




You get points for all pick-ups, especially the beers.



Collect the letters for an extra life.



This was my second attempt, and I reached stage 6. Can you beat me?

Wednesday, October 01, 2025

Mega Twins






Chiki Chiki Boys

Once upon a monster-infested time, when the peaceful kingdom of Alurea was overrun by a horde of nasties, leaving the royal castle in ruins. With their father, the brave King, tragically slain, his young twin sons were left powerless to stop the chaos. But time passed, the boys grew stronger, and now they’re ready to take back what’s theirs. Armed with courage, oversized swords, and matching outfits, the dynamic duo set off on a quest to reclaim their homeland - and track down a mythical stone said to hold the key to peace.

I’ve wanted to feature this platformer for ages. It’s been sitting in my downloads folder for several years, and today I finally booted it up! Who says I’m slow? Mega Twins is an absolute corker of a platformer - instantly fun, with slick joystick controls and colourful, comical visuals. The earlier bosses aren’t too tricky - even I managed to beat them - with a few credits! The latter ones are a real challenge for anyone playing solo (so use your extra powers wisely). Wait, that’s right, two people can play at once - which is absolutely fantastic!

The visuals are absolutely superb, with a charming cartoon vibe running throughout the levels. The sound effects are excellent, but oddly, I didn’t notice the lack of in-game music until the underwater stage - probably because I stopped hammering the fire button to figure out how to clobber things down there!

I'd rate this platformer a Double Trouble 85% because it's brilliant with perfect controls, loads of levels, and supports two players. However, be warned, some of the later levels are way too hard without a cheat or better reactions than mine! Enjoy my gameplay video of the opening level before clicking on these links...


The first level is so good that I almost wanted it to continue throughout.


TWO players can, erm, play - at the same time. BRILLIANT!!


We've now gone underwater. The controls are very different, but still cool.


Didn't want to kill this cute beast. But I did.


One of those bosses that moves/jumps too fast for our little hero.


Those blue bats are gorgeous. Then again, everything in this game is!


Probably the best of all the bosses before a Nebulous stage, that is superb.


We're on the way down - as it explodes!



Made it to the end. Wait, no... There is one more boss before we're done.

Friday, September 26, 2025

B SQUAD






A Crusade In Space

My first experience of an ST turn-based strategy game was with Sabre Team. I loved it, and it was one of those moments I wondered why I had spent my life 'avoiding' such games. Sure, I didn’t initially grasp the concept, but once I realised it wasn’t a run-and-gunner, I loved it. Games like this eat away the hours in the best way possible. I enjoy the careful pace, the planning, and the risk involved with every decision.

I suppose I've become a fan of turn-based games now. How did that happen?

B Squad was released in 1996 by Richard Hansell and has elements suspiciously similar to Space Crusade. So if you enjoyed that (stupendous) game, then I reckon you're gonna be head over heels about this one! However, please note this is the demo version and, with a heavy heart, I expect the full version wasn't released. Possibly because few people registered so late in the ST's life? If it had been released a few years earlier, I imagine it would have been a hit(££) like so many other PD/Shareware games within our library.

Before we begin, let's take a look at the first screenshot of my A-Team in action...



As you can see, the user interface is minimal, but incredibly effective.
(iPhone screenshots for this review rather than from Hatari)




User Interface

The story takes us into deep space as our ship docks with another that is (wait for it) infested with aliens! Of course, it is. And their queen has even taken control of the ship’s computers, preventing us from accessing the terminals, which means she also controls the AI droids. The good news is that we're not alone and part of a team of six military soldiers armed, who obviously have never seen any of the Alien movies.

When you first boot up B Squad, you're thrown into the start of a new game without so much of an intro or title music. The user interface is displayed alongside the main gameplay window and features our team and action buttons. Immediately, I'm impressed by this, as there is nothing worse than a chaotic screen of buttons offering functions that could easily have been simplified, as I found with (albeit excellent) Bio Hazard.

  • To the right is our team that shows their name, health, and action points (you can right-click on any to view stats and information that will help with weapons, and more).
  • Underneath are the movement arrows with the option to centre the gameplay screen around that particular character. These also scroll the gameplay window to.
  • The button with the little squares is a map of the ship. Use this!
  • To the right of the map is the button to execute commands.
  • Next to the funky image (of your currently selected) soldier carrying his gun is a "?". This is used to describe the surrounding area of any soldier (similar to Temple of Apshai).
  • Now you have two more boxes that are blank until attacking - the top one informs you of the chance of hitting the enemy (the calculation is based on distance, location, and weaponry). The lower one displays their chances of defence, and feels more like the expected dice roll.
  • Finally, there is a button on the left side of the (erm) left arrow. Use that to end your turn.

See, it takes longer to read that than it does to understand. Let's see another screenshot...


We're inside the lift, which offers access to even more rooms to kill the beasts!




Let's play!

We're in control of six soldiers that we command in turn. Their efforts are executed using "action points" for walking/shooting. Being turn-based, the order of play is Your Turn - ST/Alien Turn - Random Events (before looping back to you again). The random events are a curious addition that works well; they might be something like jammed doorways or lifts failing, but could also be something irritating, such as random teleportation, or an explosion on a lower deck (which always seems to be where your soldiers are standing!).

Getting around is brilliantly easy using a grid layout for soldiers, enemies, and objects. Just select the soldier, and the screen changes to show all possible tiles that can be reached within the turn. Unlike in Space Crusade, walking doesn't need to be performed in one go, as you can move again later. This means you could move, shoot, and leggit (depending on how many action points remain). It's also worth noting that our soldiers need to walk around the team members during this action; you can't merely stride over a taken tile.

Each man (and two women) has their own skills and strengths, which should be taken into account before arming or positioning. Each person is different; for example, Hooper has tremendous strength, so I have him take point. Roxy has high agility with increased movements for each turn. Dorian is expendable, but he is good at chucking grenades. Also, this approach applies to the cargo boxes you find along your travels - inside are grenades, scanners, health packs, or better weapons like flamethrowers, assault rifles, and more.

Remember, check the character's stats. Put the right weapons in the right hands...

  • Roxy is an ex-pirate and is best with an assault rifle (found near the start).
  • Dorian is someone I'm wondering why he's here. A poet, no less, and with poor combat skills. Great.
  • Julius is one of my favourite soldiers and is great with an assault rifle and grenades.
  • Hooper is great with a flamethrower.
  • Tobias is a good all-rounder who is neither rubbish nor excellent. Although if you find a plasma device, then he's your man. Powerful stuff that fwiw.
  • Tallis is a great soldier and skilled with a Needle Gun.

The ship is split into three levels that you access using the elevator (lift!). The current level is free of the Alien Queen, but she has Grubs and Droids roaming the corridors, so it isn't long before you bump into something. There aren't many different enemies to contend with, but they are plentiful in number...

  • Grubs are like a blob filled with explosive gas, so don't let it get too close!
  • Droids are, just as you would expect. And they are armed to the teeth.
  • Nest Warriors are extremely vicious, breathing fire that can affect multiple soldiers who are close together.
  • Look out for Turrets later on, they're being controlled by the Queen, and they fire a powerful laser.
  • Mines are something to obviously avoid. You may need to shoot some to create a pathway.
  • The Nest Queen doesn't move, but it spawns Grubs through four tentacles. She is very strong and has bad breath, so beware! Beat her, and you've won the game.

It's worthwhile exploring everywhere on the current level before deciding to use the lift and venture deeper into the ship. My tip would be to head northwest of your starting location, as many decent weapons are waiting to be taken. And you won't stand a chance against the queen unless you are equipped properly!

Let's see another iPhone shot of my ST's screen in all its fuzzy glory...


The map might be a bit cramped, but it's helpful. Especially when locating members of your team
who were teleported elsewhere during the "Random Events". Can you spot the poor sod?




Aesthetics

The graphics are like an amateur Space Crusade, with a clean design that I love. Okay, I mean only the overhead part, as there is no funky-cool isometric display whenever the combat takes place. With that in mind, each part of the ship is distinct, and with a descriptive text that adds extra depth to your current location (think of Temple of Apshai). Likewise, the user interface is nothing short of legendary, with a clutter-free display. However, and this is my only quibble, I wish our six soldiers had more variety rather than all looking the same.

Interestingly, this game uses the Blitter, which positively affects general performance, especially when displaying new parts of the ship. So (yipee) play using an Atari STe if you can!

As for the audio, there is no music whatsoever, but we have DMA samples for shooting, explosions, cries, and (some) enemy movements. Sadly, our own men don't make a sound when walking. But, thinking about that, I'm sure they're in stealth and wouldn't want to give away their position... Hmm, I know, I know!

Right, it's time for a screenshot break with the Alien Queen spawning Grubs...


The "final" room with the Alien Queen. She's a beast of an opponent who spawns Grubs.
You shall note the computer-controlled turrets? Well, the Queen controls those, so beware!!




CryptO'pinion

I've thoroughly enjoyed playing through until the end (yes, without cheating!!). Most games I feature on my little-known website are deleted after reviewing, as I'm always on the go with something new to play and review. That won't be happening this time. B Squad is one of the best shareware games I've ever played. If you enjoy a tactical slog exploring a spaceship whilst hunting down the baddies, then this is for you. I've only defeated the Alien Queen once and lost two team members, but it's an incredibly tough mission! You won't get anywhere near beating it without exploring every inch of the ship to scrounge for new weapons/helpful items.

Surely I've got something to whinge about? Well, the soldiers could walk faster, and although there are loads of cargo boxes, there aren't enough health packs. My only real quibble is with the random events that occur after the computer has had its turn. That "Random Teleportation" sends one of your teammates to a distant part of the ship. ((Wow, what a whinger! I feel like slapping myself for that last whine because it happens so few times. At worst, it forces you to drop the plans you had to rethink and support that lone soldier))

B Squad is a legendary turn-based game and one I feel fortunate to have discovered (Richard, if I'd have known, I would have registered back in 1996). A terrific demo, and I can only dream what might have been with a full version. Quite literally one of the best games from the ST's homebrew library. Play this!!



I may have lost a couple of men, but I am victorious after killing the Alien Queen!!


It's an unfinished demo version, but I cannot deny how fantastic it is!!

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

AFL Pro Football






Time for another ad.

AFL Pro Football was released in 1996 by Brendan O'Brien and was originally planned for a commercial release. By that time, though, the idea wasn’t feasible, so Brendan released it as shareware instead. Hopefully, even in 1996, he picked up many registrations - which, if you keep reading, I think you’ll understand why.

Now, I know absolutely nothing about American Football. Zero. Zilch. Nada. So I’m hardly the best person to be writing this, so think of it more as a “news alert”, and a very late one! That said, I’m sure a few Americans stumble onto the nonsense I post here on AtariCrypt, so perhaps this will be of interest to them, and maybe a few curious “football” fans elsewhere.

From the start, gameplay settings can be altered to adjust match length, pitch type, and skill level. You can play with team rosters, although the demo sticks with the same two sides (not that I’d know the difference anyway). The AI is reportedly brilliant, but without knowing the rules, I couldn’t honestly tell you.

The graphics immediately impressed me with a choice of an overhead view and a spanky 3D perspective. The 3D look is incredible, though it does shrink the playing area - something you might not even notice until you try the overhead mode. While the overhead option is no slouch, I prefer the exceptional 3D visuals.

Hey, maybe someone from across the pond can explain this to me: why does American "football" involve so much, well, not playing? The endless standing around - timeouts, stoppages, adverts(!!), and something called a "huddle". Still, at least they are unlikely to get injured; half of the time, they are not moving!

From my admittedly clueless perspective, AFL Pro Football is slick and plays well, despite the sport's stop/starts! Sure, I don’t know my NFL from my elbow, but I can tell this is a classy game that's gonna appeal to fans big time. It’s just a shame we only have the demo; I fear the full version may be lost to time.

  • Sadly, I only found the demo version, which is over at Atarimania.
  • Into The Vertical Blank knows football and has a fascinating video you should enjoy!
  • Yes, it's only for the Atari STe, so check out our list of other Enhanced Games.


The crowd are cheering as the teams rush on in next-gen 3D!


Something's going on here, no idea what!


The guy with the red marker is me, and moments later, I fell flat on my face.


Umm, something is incomplete. No idea what, though lol. What a game!!


The overhead mode has a bigger screen and feels more like an ST game now.


Right then, something's going on here. Yep, something...


The crowd look on in amazement as a goal still hasn't been scored!


Touchdown was made, and a goal was scored. Yippee, can I go home now?

Sunday, September 21, 2025

R0x Zero






Blink and You’re Space Dust

Who remembers R0x, which was a peculiar game of scrape 'em? Yes, I just invented that genre! Anyhow, you couldn’t shoot a thing; instead, you brushed dangerously close to drifting rocks in deep space for points. I enjoyed that idea because I’m not often a fan of vertical shooters, preferring horizontal ones instead. Ironic for an Atari ST fella, right? Umm, maybe you should watch this video recording I made.

R0x Zero is its 2018 sequel; it changes the original format to a nonstop, frantic shooter inspired by Terry Cavanagh’s Self Destruct(PC). It's programmed by Tomchi in GFA BASIC, which is something that boggles my mind. It features a continuous level with no additional ones or bosses to contend with. It's a relentless onslaught of enemies trying to erase you from existence through randomly generated attack waves.

You’ll need an Atari STe with 1MB RAM and, oddly enough, a Jaguar controller. Those three buttons handle fire, shields, and nukes. It’s an arcade-like setup that makes total sense. And this isn’t STe-only for only that reason: R0x Zero makes full use of the Blitter, hardware scrolling, DMA audio, and enough extra colours to make your eyes jump out of your head with joy. Shame there’s no mouse option, though - I’d happily trade the Jagpad for the mouse, even if it meant reaching for the spacebar to nuke the screen.

This game isn't easy. Not even close! Your survival hinges on quick reactions and using the three meters displayed on the right side of the screen: Power, Shields, and Nukes. The key is to repeatedly collect the power-ups that appear after killing the enemies to keep these meters topped up. If you let Power drop too low, your guns fizzle into pea-shooters that can’t cope with the chaos. Shields help soak up bullet damage, and nukes give you a much-needed breather when things get overwhelming. Which happens a lot for me!

At the left of the screen, above your score, are 'chain' and 'multi': chain represents the successive hits you've made, so the better you are, the more your points are multiplied. The screen never gets a breather, and neither will you. The trick is to keep calm and hit everything - but keep topping up your power-ups when they appear. And if you see a power-up called 'X', then make a beeline for that above all others!

In essence, R0x Zero is about endurance and perseverance, whilst wishing you still had the physical reactions of a teenager. There’s no level progression, just a brutal test of how long you can last against never-ending waves of enemies. All whilst desperately managing your power-ups and pushing your multiplier to rack up your score. It’s an endless adrenaline trial to see how long you last and how high you can climb the ranks.

Good luck with this wonderfully outlandish shooter. You're gonna need all the luck you can muster!

  • The download is available at Atarimania (for both hard drive and floppy).
  • Demozoo features all credits with links to more of their work and more.
  • R0x Zero goes straight into the enhanced Atari STe games list.
  • Did you miss the original R0x? Better click that link then!
  • For this feature, all screenshots were taken using emulation. Use real hardware!!








'Poor' lol. You must play using real hardware; emulation won't cut it!

Random ATARI ST articles from the archives