Persifal

Jump. Fall. Splat! Swear!! Repeat.

This is one of those games I’d honestly never heard of before, yet somehow I stumbled across it purely by chance. And I'm so glad I did. When I first booted it up, I expected it to be horse doodoo, but... it isn't. It's actually a very, very good platformer from 1989 by Oliver Merklinghaus and Markus Reiser. Interestingly, I'm wondering if the name Persifal is possibly a twist on Parsifal, the medieval knight?

We play as Persifal, a hapless court jester on a mission through a bizarre world of wacky rooms packed with the expected dangers - like treacherous swamps, fire, and deadly spikes. The basic idea is to run through the screens, looking for five keys to unlock the exit to the next level. It’s clear where the inspiration comes from - this is a platformer with a familiar vibe that will appeal to fans of Giana Sisters, Terry’s Big Adventure, and the like. The joystick controls are light and responsive, with that trademark floaty feel thanks to gravity and inertia. We can walk left and right, and jumping gets extra height if you hold the stick a bit longer.

There are a LOT of power-ups to collect, and most will do something pointless like increasing your score. Others are essential and add extra time to the clock (yes, there's a timer!). However, never have I known a game with so many near-duplicate pick-ups that more or less do the same thing. There are lots of extra points/time, which is bizarre. Thankfully, there are a few more that provide either something helpful or annoying:

• Spell out "BONUS" to earn an extra life.
• Fire extinguishers help with flames (surprise!).
• Freeze enemies for a breather. (can also hit spacebar)
• Bombs wipe out everything on screen (Defender-style).
• Some pickups reverse your controls. Argh!!
• Others mess with gravity - in a bad way.

Forget the cheesy graphics and ripoff ideas; what really won me over was the level design. It’s simple stuff, but each screen is cleverly laid out and fun to explore. Nothing feels unfair, and there’s a good mix of challenge without (too) much frustration. Heck, it even supports two players (not at the same time) and appears to utilise the Blitter on machines like the Atari STe (although it feels the same when played on my Blitter-less STM. YMMV). Sadly, I don’t have a trained version, so I only made it to the second level before it was (ugh) Game Over. If anyone out there has a cracked version with infinite lives - please get in touch!

I would give Persifal a solid 75%, maybe more if I weren’t so utterly useless with my crabby joystick. Seriously, this is one of the most surprisingly enjoyable (PD) ST platformers I've played in ages. Grab the download from Atarimania, after you've viewed these screenshots, of course. You won't regret it.

• Interested in more 'PD' platformers? Then click right here, big boy!
• Since it's a Friday, here are a bunch of great games to play over the weekend.
• And there are loads more sections listed down the right... check 'em out!!

Ohh, I wonder what that heavy-looking axe does?

Possibly the hardest screen of all if you want that key. Watch out for spikes!

See that bomb? You might wanna use it; otherwise, this screen is impossible!

Only one enemy bounces from left to right, but it's still tough!

This is a seriously hard room. A snail is guarding that key!

Yep, I've beaten the first stage and am rewarded for my efforts.

I reached the second stage, but died after 3/4 rooms. Can you beat my high score?

Enhanced games - part 4

Five Star

Here we are again with another selection of games that are enhanced in some particular way when run on the Atari STe. What, you missed the other compilations? Shame on you, but I'll be nice and include the links to those articles right here(1), here(2), and here(3). Let’s crack on and see which games I've picked...

Birds of Prey is an unfinished project by Argonaut Software, with its intro released in 1991. While the game never reached completion, the surviving intro is a technical marvel, showing off the Atari STe with smooth 3D visuals and striking sound effects (all created on the ST). The gameplay would have been more of a lite-flight sim. Not really my cup of tea, but it's a shame that they cancelled it. It's definitely worth watching this intro, which is available at Atarimania.

Future Wars was released in 1989 by Delphine Software and was the first to use their "Cinematique" point-and-click engine. You play a window-cleaner who stumbles across a time machine and ends up bouncing through history - from medieval Europe to prehistoric eras and far into the future, all while trying to foil the evil alien Crughons. The game wowed everyone with its outstanding backdrops, smooth animations, and unforgettable DMA audio (ohh yeah). This little paragraph does it no justice. A true classic of its time, and the download is available at 8BitChip.

Leavin' Teramis was released in 1990 by Thalion Software and is often celebrated as one of the finest overhead shooters for the Atari ST. We are Nigel MacGibbons, an unlucky marine who wakes aboard an alien-infested spaceship and must blast his way through the levels. The gameplay is perfectly balanced, mixing frantic shooting with simple exploration with secrets and power-ups. This is one of the least "enhanced" games, but it's already a class act with supersonic scrolling, perfect music, and fantastic gameplay. Probably one of the finest shooters there is, so ignore the reviews out there and play it!! Downloads are available from Atari Legend.

Road Runner was released in 1987 by US Gold, where we guide the speedy bird across hazardous desert roads while avoiding Wile E. Coyote and his endless traps. It's like playing your very own cartoon! It's actually a fun game and a very enjoyable way to relive your childhood TV memories. Additionally, the game was updated in 2018 with Blitter support for the Atari STe by Peter Putnik. The download has both game versions and is at 8BitChip.

Robocop 3 is something of a masterpiece by Ocean in 1992. Obviously, based on the film, it mixes 3D Hard Drivin' with first-person shooting and even has a jetpack scene. So step into the metallic shoes of RoboCop to clean up the crime-ridden streets of Detroit. On the Atari STe, the game makes use of enhanced sound hardware, giving the gritty battles and explosive effects extra punch compared to the standard ST version. The download is available from Atari Legend.

That was quite a mix of incredibly different titles, and they're all good to play for different reasons. I really enjoyed Leavin' Teramis and Robocop 3, plus the improvement made to Road Runner is nice. However, there is no denying that Future Wars is something everyone needs to play. As always, compiling this list was fun, and each title has been added to our ever-growing Enhanced Games page. Go on, take a look at it.

I hope you enjoyed this fourth compilation. Stay enhanced... Stay Atari STe!!

You might not be able to play the game, but don't miss watching this intro!

What an absolutely epic adventure!!  >> Miss this one at your peril <<

Classy overhead shooter. Those with a keen eye will notice overscan (status bar).

MeepMeep... I'm reliving my 1970s/80s with this game!!

Way ahead of its time in terms of ideas, style, and performance.

Warlock the Avenger

Druid

Warlock the Avenger is the third and final chapter in the Druid trilogy. What trilogy, I hear you ask? Well, the first two games were on 8-bit machines, so you may have missed them before upgrading to the Atari ST. I certainly don’t recall either, although I do have fond memories of Electric Dreams’ Dandy (ZX Spectrum).

Warlock the Avenger is a top-down maze game, similar to Gauntlet. You explore labyrinths, blasting monsters with your wand, loot treasure chests, and desperately search for the exit while enemies respawn with irritating enthusiasm. Additionally, Millennium has included the original game, which is an incredible freebie!

Here, we play a druid spellcaster dude tasked with saving the land of Belorn from yet another surge of demonic chaos (I guess we didn't win in the other games?). Anyhow, an evil lord named Acamantor has clawed his way back from oblivion to enslave everyone. Our mission is to reawaken ancient elemental magic by navigating monster-infested mazes filled with passages, magical power-ups, and plenty of treasure.

Sounds pretty cool, right? Yeah, so let's see a screenshot...

The status bar shows what we have. Keep an eye on it, especially spells and keys.

Let's play!

The opening level plonks you into a woodland surrounded by roaming hordes. Some enemies go down easily, while others soak up multiple hits, encouraging you to switch wand types - some spells are more effective against specific foes. That is something you learn early on, with unobvious help from using the F6 key.

A status bar along the top of the screen shows your energy, keys, power-ups, and spells. Keep your eyes on this, especially the available firepower and keys. Sadly, you only get one life, and contact with an enemy drains your energy. Thankfully, there are special floor tiles that replenish it, but they’re pretty scarce.

Treasure chests are scattered throughout and are absolutely central to survival. Inside, you’ll find spells, keys, screen-clearing special powers, and occasionally a friendly Golem ally. But there's a catch: while a chest may contain several items, you can’t just grab everything and run. Only one thing may be taken, and once you've chosen, that’s it - the chest is gone forever. A poor choice can doom your entire run!

This decision-making is the real heart of Warlock: do you take more firepower, or stock up with keys, but risk running out of "ammo"? Early on, it feels forgiving, but later levels flood you with locked doors. No matter how many keys you think you’ve collected, it never seems to be enough. Arghh, so irritating.

Warlock transported me straight back to my 8-bit gaming days as it’s deceptively simple: explore, kill, loot and repeat. However, the real challenge lies in resource management, particularly looting treasure chests. While spells are often your primary weapon against beasts, keys are arguably the most crucial items.

Several levels in, I found myself completely stuck. The exit lay behind a locked door. I couldn't find any hidden passageways, and I had no keys left. Plus, every chest had already been looted. My only option was to backtrack to a previous level, in the blind hope of finding a chest I may have missed. Sigh.

So close, but no cigar? Well, maybe, but let's see another screenshot...

The ghouls are constantly spawning and are up for a chase. Relentless they are!

Big Tips

This is a maddening game, so do you fancy a few juicy tips? Of course, you do...

• Never open a chest unless the immediate area is clear of monsters.
• Different spells work better on certain enemies. So, switch if something took 2/3 shots to die!
• Hidden passageways are literally invisible, so stay close to a wall to find one.
• No matter how many goodies are inside a chest, only one item can be taken.
• Chests can only be opened once.
• Firepower is important, of course, but the keys are essential.
• Try to hug the walls, as there might be a hidden passage nearby.
• Forget the spells unless you have an abundance of keys!
• Control the wizard in the opening screen to access the original game.
• Did I mention how important keys and hidden passages are?

I already have loads of spells, so I chose the key from this treasure chest...

Ah, the chest screen with many goodies, but you're only allowed to pick one!

Aesthetics

Players who started their computing life on the Atari ST may find it looks dated. Those of us who upgraded from 8-bit machines will likely feel right at home. It has the look of a ZX Spectrum game without colour clash. The scrolling is always smooth, and the sprites generally look cool - especially on the later levels.

Talking of 8-bit, the original original game never made it to the Atari ST, but it's included, which is a fantastic addition. It plays the same, but I might be brave here by saying that it's better. The game looks great with gorgeous backgrounds and sprites. Yep, I might actually prefer this!!

The audio is less impressive, with a decent piece of chip music on the title screen. But in-game, you’re left with sound effects - most of which consist of your wand firing endlessly at respawning monsters.

Let's break up the reading with (you guessed it) another screenshot...

See that daft symbol on the floor? Walk over and stand on it for a while.

CryptO'pinion

I have mixed feelings about Warlock the Avenger. On one hand, it captures the joy of old-school maze games beautifully: rushed exploration, constant combat, and panicked scrambles for the exit. Plus, we get the original game, which wasn’t released on the ST – a fantastic bonus that I wish more games offered.

However, it tries too hard to be different with multiple spells, unnecessary power-ups and a largely unwanted Golem. This muddies what should have been a simple arcade-style game. The single life and brutal energy meter also force you to cheat, which is frustrating. The worst part is having to press F1 to open doors - and only when you’re perfectly aligned with the doorway. Try doing that when monsters are spawning around you!

I’ve enjoyed Warlock, and the inclusion of the original game is a brilliant move by Millennium. Both games play well, though the one-life restriction is a bit of a downer for me. For that reason alone, it falls short. A seriously tough game that forces you to cheat, which isn't good, right? I still enjoyed Warlock, though.

• Dream Weavers #22 is the disk I used, which I downloaded from Atari Legend.
• Atarimania have a download (my greetings to Marko!!)
• Warlock can be installed onto your hard drive thanks to D-Bug and 8BitChip.
• If you enjoyed this, we have a "overhead" shooters group with loads more!

Shoot the snakes and see what treasures lie ahead.

This is as far as I got. I think that I was about 7/8 levels in, but I ran out of keys, and there were no hidden walls or chests. Must admit, I was more than a bit gutted by that. I need a cheat with 99 keys lol

These next four screenshots are from the original game...

The objective appears the same: run/fight/kill/panic/die!

Oh no, skeletons make their way towards me - Thriller style!!

This old game might be better than its sequel. What, really? Yup, I think so.

Cannon Fodder [WIP]

Fodder Reborn

When Cannon Fodder hit the shelves in 1993, it wasn’t just another game - it was an instant cult classic. Rightly so, it's a cool mix of action, strategy, and a dollop of dark humour thrown in for good measure. I loved the game, and even had the Atari Jaguar version, which played better than I imagined it would using the pad.

The game has us commanding a tiny squadron of soldiers, leading them through jungles, deserts, and snowfields, looking for enemies to blast to smithereens. We could use machine guns and grenades, blowing up little huts and generally running around like the A-Team, killing everything. So much fun!

I was thrilled when Cannon Fodder eventually arrived on the ST. However, this joy was short-lived as it became evident that we had been saddled with a lazy port without proper horizontal scrolling. For me, this has always been a bitter pill to swallow for over three decades. I’m not interested in excuses; a bad workman always blames his tools. Confusingly, this was the same person who gave us Sensible Soccer. Wow!

Fast forward three+ decades, and we finally have a proper Cannon Fodder with horizontal scrolling thanks to Krzysztof (kTz) Jarzyna of Retro Blitter Team (you need an Atari STe or an ST w/Blitter). No need to rub your eyes in disbelief, as it's true - no more jarring screen flips! Now, the battlefield scrolls as your squad advances. So, Cannon Fodder is fully playable without the need to look over our shoulders at the Amiga fanboys. Not only that, but Hospes will soon improve the intro's graphics and feature background music!!

I'd like to tip my (virtual) hat at Krzysztof as he's obviously worked hard hacking away at the code to find ways to improve it. It's still a WIP, but after all these years, we have a fully playable game. That makes me very happy!! So gear up, as we’re finally entering battle in a version the Atari always deserved!!

Here are loads of links to the new game, along with loads of other cool stuff...

• Retro Blitter Team's Cannon Fodder is available for download (*WIP*).
• This ultra-sexy new version has been added to my list of Enhanced Games. Check it out.
• Fancy something different from war? How about skiing with Whipper Snapper Race?
• I couldn't finish without mentioning this classic Golden Dawn intro!!
• kTz and Hospes are featured on Demozoo.

I made a little video, just to show the horizontal scrolling.

If in doubt, lob a grenade as quickly as possible!!

Finally, after decades, I'm actually playing through Cannon Fodder!

Shall I risk wading across the water or look for a better route?

The desert proves tough with hidden traps, so don't get blown up!

The Dukes of Hazzard comes to the world of Cannon Fodder!!

Very tough now, especially with guys off-screen accurately firing at me!

ST Cheaters Unite

AtariCrypt Magazine #2

I’m not quite sure about that, but carry on reading as "I've done a thing". Back in the day, ST Action was superb and my favourite for games. A dedicated game magazine free from the negativity and lack of enthusiasm found in other publications. I’ve collected almost every issue and many of their fantastic cover disks.

Issue #53 came with a cover disk containing over 2000 hints, cheats, and level codes. It's only a couple of (large) text files, so I copied them to my Mac and wondered if there was a better way to view the contents rather than searching or manually scrolling through. So, I compiled them into a magazine-style PDF. It’s nothing flashy, as I don’t have the design skills of Darren Doyle, but I’m pleased with the result.

Happy reading/cheating/gaming...

• Click here to download the PDF and get it printed (gimme some feedback!)
• Talking of magazines, have you seen AtariCrypt Magazine?
• I've made loads of other ST disks; click here to be blown away. Maybe!
• All credit to ST Action for this compilation (thx Atarimania).
• Yes, I used AI for the magazine cover (with a wonky ST), as I cannot draw for peanuts!