I went on a road trip...

Cow Killer

For some strange reason, I realised I hadn't played Hunter in years. A real shame because it's one of the best Atari ST games ever. Perhaps that's the price of running AtariCrypt - either play, write, and post stuff, or just play, and AtariCrypt dies. Nooo! So I decided to boot it up and use a fantastic trainer by Pompey Pirates. I wasn’t keen on playing it properly - I just wanted to explore, steal vehicles, and blow things up.

Playing Hunter again was a revelation. It’s so far ahead of its time, and I'd forgotten how incredible its open-world was. Riding a bicycle through the land was, oddly, my favourite way to get around. A strange thing to say, as there are jeeps, boats, tanks, and more! However, I still cannot fly a helicopter properly!!

So basically, I went around the island in cheat mode, exploding buildings and killing everything from enemy soldiers to rabbits, seagulls, and cows (these are so funny, but I wonder what Paul Holmes had against them lol). I love how they relentlessly chase you. Weirdly, my rockets never hit it, but bullets did.

In short, this is probably the best Atari game out there. Well, along with Dungeon Master, Shadowlands, Turrican, Rick Dangerous, Stardust, Rogue, Oids, North & South... Ah, ignore me:-)

Hey, click that link above!! Done? Okay, I thought you’d enjoy these screenshots and a video....

Just me out for a bike ride in the lush countryside.

Hey, what's that tower, I wonder...

I didn't like the look of it, so I fired rockets to see what would happen. BOOM!!

Come on, who expected to find a rabid cow that chases them?

That cow destroyed my bike!! Not to worry, as I see a tank!

Only in Hunter will a Red Cross truck try to run you down!

Lots of different clips bundled together for your entertainment.

Look, just play the game for yourself! ;)

Rogül

Ten Dimensions of Doom

Originally released on the Atari 8-bit by Wojtek Bociański, Rogul arrives on the ST/STe courtesy Retro Blitter Team (yes, those of Cannon Fodder fame), with strikingly atmospheric visuals by Hospes. You already know how much I love roguelikes, so the thought of another sent quivers down my giant sword (ooer!!).

This time, we’re not simply descending into a creepy dungeon; we guide a lone warrior through ten demonic dimensions to eventually challenge Amalotolos. He is the tyrant who has plunged the realms into chaos, spreading hunger, violence, and death through his ruthless rule and ever-present minions.

Of course, the goal for each level is to kill monsters, build XP, and level up to get stronger for the worst monsters that lie ahead. Clear enough of any realm, and a Portal Key will eventually drop, opening the way forward. Amalotolos is waiting in the tenth and final realm. Yes, I'm scared already.

Your survival hinges on exploration, lots of killing, clever use of the turn-based system, and whatever is in your backpack. Along the way, you can gamble at mysterious altars for divine favour (or punishment), and spend hard-earned gold at rare trading machines that appear every few realms. Thankfully, there are many items to aid your journey, ranging from health potions to scrolls for teleportation and much more.

The first level gradually introduces you to the type of challenge that lies ahead. However, it’s not long before you face tougher and more aggressive foes with different skills. So use your melee weapons and hit hard - these range from blades to heavy hitters like war axes and great swords. Range attacks are possible, but only when the monsters drop bows or crossbows. Tactical positioning is key to success, as the immediate terrain modifies the combat stats of both you and your enemies. So look where you're standing!

I must admit that after my first playtests, Rogul is beyond impressive. I tip my hat to Wojtek for creating such an impressive game. He's taken the #roguelike format and ramped it up with some truly exciting ideas that I love. Kudos to the Retro Blitter Team, who proved their incredible talent in converting Rogul to both ST models, using each computer's respective audio strengths. Of course, the STe is better because of its DMA hardware, but you won't believe how much until you have played for yourself (follow my Rogul posts on X).

Just a few more weeks until the bugs are squashed and the final touches are added...

Prepare thyself!!

I'd like to express my gratitude to KtZ and Hospes for sending me an early version. The public release is pencilled in for the end of May, so whilst you wait for that, you can play Rogue (that I improved with DMA-streamed audio - check that out), along with the magnificent Nano Cave that blew my socks off. So, until then, here are some cool screenshots...

A gorgeous loading screen as displayed on the STe using its extended palette.

The screen is littered with enemies, and those (grey) Banshees are scary!

Yes, I'm hiding behind a wall. Too scared to come out!

Remember, not everything goes into your inventory as it's used straight away.

You receive a bonus when levelling up or casting a Wisdom Spell.

Wow, I've finally reached the surreal 10th dimension, and I'm scared stiff!!

I did it. Amalotolos is dead!! 💀 💀 💀 

ST2VGA Enhanced VGA Adapter

Pixel Sharp

Those of you following my ramblings over the years will remember that I originally had a terrible flat-screen TV. I then bought two really old VGA monitors and used a standard cable. It worked, but produced weird lines on the screen. These looked like scratches that worsened whenever disk access was happening. Later, I bought the UBESWITCH, which is a superb product with a sharp display. Sadly, the scratches remained.

So, after that long-winded background, let's get to the point! Okay, I bought SidecarTridge's enhanced VGA adapter, which is a little more expensive than their other adapter. The ST2VGA Enhanced has an active video processing stage that amplifies the analog signal before it reaches the monitor.

This model draws power via a USB port (I use a nifty dongle in the cartridge port or a free USB slot on my Mac). I've tested this on two different VGA monitors, and it's ultra-sharp without those dreaded scratch marks. I'm sharing this to encourage more ST Nutters to buy this superb bit of kit. Excellent work, Diego!

Here are the links, plus some badly taken photos using my phone (which seemed like a good idea at the time!). You might not be able to see how great the display is, but you shall note the scratches are gone...

• SidecarTridge web page for their enhanced adapter (always worth paying that bit extra!).
• Check out SidecarTridge on X and give Diego a follow.
• Listed down the right side of every page is our Hardware section - check it out.

I thought I'd show this boring screen - completely free of scratches!

Again, a black background without scratches. I'm loving this adapter :)

Then I thought a close-up of the sharp display... Ugh... Trust me, it's sharp.

This one captured well, I thought. Look how nice and clear the text is. Niiiiiice!!