Thursday, April 17, 2025

Magicland Dizzy






I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning

To celebrate the Easter holidays, I thought I should do something a little eggy (no, not that!). Yep, I've gone and mapped another game for my ever-increasing collection that I hope you check out. Magicland Dizzy can be found mapped elsewhere on the internet, but I wanted to make an official Atari ST version!

Originally released by Code Masters in 1991, it was developed by Derek Leigh-Gilchrist with graphics by Leigh Christian and music by Matthew Simmonds. Now, being a bit of an odd bod, I've never taken much time to properly play the ST's Dizzy games. So, I figured I should choose Magicland Dizzy because I started playing it a few years ago, but never finished. Not even close! So, here we are, and it's also fully mapped.

So what’s the story then? Well, Magicland’s fallen under the spell of a nasty evil wizard who’s gone and captured several of our deliciously nutritious friends - who are at serious risk of being fried, poached, and scrambled (well, they would be if I had anything to do with it lol!). But wait - the wizard clearly didn’t count on Dizzy’s puzzle-solving talents, because our little egg-on-legs hero plans to save the day!

This sounds like a cracking game. Well, let's see a helpful screenshot before we carry on...


The game has a fantastic intro showing off the basics of exploration and puzzle solving.





Eggciting gameplay?

As you would expect, explore Magicland and tackle loads of ridiculous puzzles - some are straightforward, while others are irritatingly vague. Cracking these will help us rescue each of our friends and, in turn, take down the wizard himself. Let’s just hope Dizzy’s up to the task - especially with me in charge of the joystick.

Talking of joysticks, the controls are spot-on perfect as you wander around each screen looking for anything helpful. However, the only places this isn't so are the ones that had me leaping over water. One slight blunder and Dizzy is plunged into an immediate death (with a precious life lost). These parts are so finicky and annoying compared to all other rooms, which are perfectly designed. Yes, I ended up using a trainer!

Guiding our Easter egg through a charming fantasy world filled with quirky characters and oddball items is pretty brilliant. Well, to start with. You will soon find yourself scratching your head over most items; some are pretty obvious, as the game breaks you in gently, like using a key to unlock the castle door. Others are harder, like helping the witch and finding the dagger to free Denzil. Factor in having only three lives and (replenishable) energy drainage by touching anything nasty, and it soon becomes a tough challenge.

Sadly, many puzzles don’t make much logical sense (at least not to me!). Some problems are bizarre, and that situation worsens the further you venture. Magicland Dizzy goes beyond trial-and-error problem-solving and into the lands of guesswork and pure luck. Honestly, I would have never cracked the game without online help. That's something I'm not happy about, but impossible without. Especially when wanting to make a map!

I'm egghausted now! We need a little screenshot break...


I had to capture this screenshot simply because of its name!





The CryptO'pinion

I enjoyed Magicland Dizzy, but I struggle a lot - maybe I don’t get the logic behind each problem? Possibly, as I had a similar experience with Slightly Magic. Though to be fair, that game felt more straightforward, with puzzles that actually followed some level of common sense. At the end of the day, Spikey in Transylvania still stands out as the best of the bunch (at least from the ones here on AtariCrypt). It managed to strike the right balance, offering puzzles that were not only clever but also genuinely fun and satisfying to solve.

Okay, I might be giving a negative opinion here? Well, I'm not saying Magicland Dizzy is a bad game. It's not. It's got loads of cool screens with silly puzzles that expert Dizzy fans will appreciate. The graphics are beautifully cartoon-like, and the audio features stunning chip music. However, what puts me off rating Magicland Dizzy as high as Spikey In Transylvania is the puzzles, which is the game when you think about it. I found many made little sense, and I would never have sussed 'em out without resorting to help.

Magicland Dizzy reminds me of my 8-bit days playing Stormbringer, which brought back many happy memories. Sadly, I had more fun playing the previously mentioned games than this one. Don't get me wrong; it's a good game, but there are better Dizzy-esque games. So I rate this an overcooked, hard-boiled 60%.

Not the result I was hoping for, but it's hardly a rotten egg. I hope you download and use the map. This game deserves your playtesting, so let me know what you guys think. Have a blessed Easter †




An angry monkey is sitting in the trees, throwing rocks!


Falling down the well too soon is deadly, but check out the artwork for the mouse!


The areas around the witch have tricky jumps. I hated seeing that "Whoops" message!



The closing moments of the game, but who asked me to cast Zak's ring into the flames?


Oh dear, trust the devil to try and ruin our Easter fun! And we're helping him O_o



After defeating Zak, peace and harmony reign over the lands once again. And we are in love!



Dizzy gets to spend time with his freed family, and they all make a yummy omelette together.


This is a thumbnail of the game's map. The download link is above!!

Saturday, March 29, 2025

Transylvania






Hammer House

I’ve been a fan of this adventure game for years, even though I’ve never played it. I sound crazy, right? Visually, it has a blend of 8/16-bit styles I’ve always found curiously captivating (something you only get from early ST games). Plus it reminds me of the adventures I played as a kid - The Hobbit and Twin Kingdom Valley. I know I'm bonkers, but I’ve always fancied having a go just to wander around its "spooky" locations.

Transylvania was originally developed by Antonio Antiochia in 1982 by Penguin Software for the Apple II. Our version was ported by Robert Hardy and released in the ST's infancy. Considering the ST was 0 years old, it still punched out classics like Ultima II, Megaroids, Mudpies, Time Bandit, and loads of adventures.

It feels weird to finally play something that’s been sitting on my bucket list for decades. I’m not expecting anything on the level of Magnetic Scrolls, but I’m still geekily excited to finally boot it up!

So, after that glimpse into my dark mind, let's crack on and take it for a playtest...



This is where the adventure begins with nothing more to see than a stump!
However, for illogical reasons, you will return later for a knock or two...



This location leads in four directions, although not always how you imagine.
I only got to read the note here because of the dreaded Werewolf chasing me!





The Adventure Begins

Let's start with the (very) original tale: The Royal Court of Wallachia needs a champion (here we go again). The king’s in a panic because his daughter, Princess Sabrina, has gone missing. He’s calling for a hero to bring her back, but it means trekking deep into the creepy forests of Transylvania - a dark place probably with many monsters. Still, for a hero like us, rescuing damsels in distress is just another day on the job!

There are two ways to control your adventure, you can type using two-worded commands - "get item", "open object", "enter place", and the like. Sentences can increase in length and complexity but I rarely found the need, if I'm honest. Optionally, you can use the mouse to list your inventory and explore using the compass directions. However, you aren't able to use the mouse to interact with items or objects in the main window. It's a bit strange to have mouse support, so I recommend sticking with the keyboard for everything.

A tree stump marks the beginning of our adventure and leads to the first location which appears completely pointless. So, moving on, the next screen provides the first clue - a note briefly explaining that the princess dies at dawn. Yep, that’s all we get, and from here on out, we’re pretty much on our own. So, like any good adventurer, we start exploring, hoping to find more clues or anything useful along the way.

The woodland area isn't large and is made from select locations with a few notable spots to check out. You are likely to wander in circles, passing by the cabins, an old wagon, and a grave. The cabins have a piece of garlic, which could come in handy later? The wagon’s got a coffin on the back, but it’s nailed shut for some reason. And the grave, though drawn quite terribly, surely has some kind of dark purpose? Who knows...

Around this point, you might start noticing a Werewolf showing up every now and then. As you'd expect, this creature is fast, so you’ll need to react correctly with the next command. That means leg it out of there using one of the available exits. He will still follow in the background and will eventually catch up, so when that happens, just repeat the process. If I'm honest, he pops up way too often (which starts to get dead annoying) especially when you’ve got to keep going in and out of the same places to get something done.

A bit further on, we find a house and inside, is a loaf of bread and a gun! That’s when I thought I might be getting somewhere. Unfortunately, the gun’s not loaded. Nearby is a castle, with its one lone vampire, perhaps that garlic might come in handy? Be quick, as you only have a couple of moves before he sinks his teeth into your neck. It's now, things are coming into play nicely but, I need bullets for my gun!

Sadly, after wandering about like a fool and getting nowhere, I feel I've hit a dead end. On top of that, I wasn’t finding any useful items. I did come across a goblin with a key, but he wasn’t having any of it - and looked a bit freaky! Also, I wanted to get into that coffin on the wagon - not something I thought I would ever say. However, I couldn’t find anything to open it with. Later, I found a frog beside a lake and realised that was the way out (after rescuing the princess). If she's not with you, the King’s guard sends you straight back.

I had a great time getting this far but I reached my natural end and failed to venture further. Plus I was getting fed up with that Werewolf showing up, near enough, on every screen - I never did find a silver bullet to kill him!! Also, I didn't discover a way to open the coffin which was curiously placed for an obvious reason. For a small adventure, there wasn’t much to work with. So... I gave up and ended it there. Gutted!

Or did I? Well, carry on scrolling after you've browsed these next screenshots...



I thought locations like this would have housed tools to logically solve puzzles.
Nope. And that damn Werewolf turned up AGAIN!



Oddly, I'm including this screenshot simply because I love the artwork.
At least the Werewolf stayed away long enough for me to capture it. There's a first!





GameFAQs

As you can imagine, I was pretty frustrated with my lack of progress. Getting into the castle felt like a big deal, and I thought I was on the verge of breaking the adventure's back. But the vampire shows no mercy, and he’s quick to dig his teeth into my neck. I also had this nagging feeling that I’d missed something obvious with that coffin on the wagon - why couldn't I open it (Grrr!!). And don’t get me started on the cabin with the deer's head - it drove me mad, no matter how many times I pushed, pulled, or kicked that stupid ornament!

So... I ended up going online and found a walkthrough (linked below). I don’t usually like doing that because it spoils the point of playing a game. But, in all honestly, I felt like I’d wasted enough time aimlessly wandering around an empty woodland that I originally imagined would be full of spooky creatures!

Their guide is pretty much spot-on for the ST version and it solved the obvious and not-so-obvious puzzles I was struggling with. Honestly, some of the puzzles, I never would’ve figured out in a million years. For example, the cabin puzzle made absolutely no sense at all. Oh, and watch out for the eagle with its grabby claws!

I later discovered that the princess requires a potion to wake her as she's spending the last moments of her life drugged up on Rohypnol. Once she’s awake, she follows you completely, so head to the lakeside boat to sail away. It’s a bit of a rubbish ending, but thanks to GameFAQs, I got to see it after all my anxiety.

It’s nice to finally finish a game, even if it was with a walkthrough!! Screenshot time...



Other than heading southward, I wonder what might have triggered that?
The game has many moments which made me smile.



Here is another - this room contains one item, garlic. I ate it here lol.
I'm sure you can guess the use inside the castle? Come on, sure you can!





The CryptO'pinion

It may sound like I didn't enjoy Transylvania, but I actually did! It’s a fun adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously, with intriguing puzzles that I really liked. And, considering it's an early game, it looks good with decent graphics that draw before your very eyes. Well, ignoring a few locations like the graveyard which are terrible. I love this olde effect that's not nearly as slow as you initially dread. But, let's have a whinge...

Being called Transylvania, I expected lots of Hammer House Of Horror cliches with bloody gore, corpses, and maybe a ghostly haunted house. But, nothing of the sort. Ignoring the Werewolf and the castle's Vampire, there's not much "horror". In fact, other surprising oddities don't fit the horror theme whatsoever - like a giant frog, a tormenting goblin, and (wait for it) aliens who appear in their spaceship. Quite bizarre!!

Plus, many locations are oddly designed, making mapping tricky since the game ignores its own paths. For example, if you walk south from the forest to the lakeside, you can’t go back north as the trail no longer exists! There are other examples which make no sense and spoil the experience somewhat.

Despite everything, the most annoying part of the whole adventure has to be the werewolf. It's a good feature but he is constantly lurking, ready to pounce far too often. That frequency needed lowering as running away only prevented the inevitable for this never-ending chase. I needed to find a silver bullet for my gun!

Okay, I feel I should be a little lenient as this was released the same year the ST was birthed! Sure, it has its faults but it's an engaging adventure and not too large so it's impossible to feel lost or easily bored. Sadly, I was disappointed by its so-called horror theme but that didn't stop me from having fun killing the vampire. But I never did find a silver bullet - I would have loved to have blown away that damn Werewolf!!

Overall, I'm glad I finally got to play this anomaly after all this time! Even if it didn't quite live up to my expectations, I bet a younger me in 1985 would have loved it. Regardless, if you are after a bit of gore and fancy a decent horror-themed adventure then check out Ooze, Uninvited, and The Curse of Rabenstein. Gratefully, I dedicate this review to my friend Carlos, who kindly bought me a few coffees recently! :-)

Transylvania is flawed but amusing for budding adventurers so I'd rate this a surprisingly warm 69%.




I thought I'd post one more screenshot of this damn Werewolf!



This is a puzzle I would NEVER have sussed out without the guide!



Snow White is finally awake and heading home to see her dad, the king.



Unfortunately, that didn't go down too well...

"After a precarious few minutes, the Journey goes smoothly. A somewhat tired and bewildered Princess Sabrina graciously thanks you as you return to her kingdom. The king is suitably impressed and asks that you be sent to deepest Africa to save his other daughter. That evening, you sneak out in peasant dress, plotting your rescue of Sabrina from the king's castle... Well Done!!! THE END."

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Jungle Hero





Take cover fast!

I remember those episodes of classic 80s TV shows like The A-Team, where they would trek through a jungle in some third-world country to rescue hostages held by the cartel. It was so cheesy and totally unrealistic, yet always entertaining. I really miss the 1980s, especially the TV shows and the music!

Anyway, let's not dwell too much because Jungle Hero takes us back to those days. It’s a straightforward game created in STOS for the Atari ST (not the STe) by Jason Holliday in 1989. There are just four screens, but the objective is simple - on the first screen, there’s a sleeping guard. Sneak up and take him out, but watch out for three twigs precariously lying on the ground. Breaking them will alert the guard.

The second and third screens are about ducking and dodging until you get close enough to take the shot. Unfortunately, I failed, so I jumped through and exploited an obvious bug in the code. The final screen’s a breeze - just shoot the boss holding the (invisible) hostage. Then, it's back to the beginning to repeat the whole thing, like an endless nightmare lol. I managed to rescue one prisoner, but that was as far as I got.

I think it's clear by now - this game is an absolute disaster. It’s awful beyond words. The controls are so finicky that even the smallest mistake gets you shot. The basic mechanics make no sense, and you just die over and over again. It's a constant cycle of frustration. Also, the graphics look like something I would have drawn, and the animations are a joke. Honestly, it’s probably the tackiest game I’ve ever played.

So why on God's green earth am I featuring Jungle Hero?

Easy. Because this is a brilliant game. It's ridiculous, makes no sense, and is mind-numbingly pointless. However, I kept on playing. I couldn't stop. Not only that but the death scenes are incredible, packed with 'gore'. There might only be four badly designed and senseless screens, but trust me, you’ve got to give this a go.

Jungle Hero is so bad it's great! No, it's actually terrible but I absolutely loved it.




He's fast asleep but too far away. Tread carefully and shoot him when close enough.


You're supposed to be able to duck from his firing but I found that impossible.



This giant won't even shoot if you hop towards him like Bugs Bunny!



One final shot rescues the hostage. Not them all, just one...

Monday, March 24, 2025

Super Chicken





Faster than a speeding nugget!

I always say this, but I’m dead chuffed when I come across summat new for the ST. Well, new to me, anyway. Odds are, everyone else already knows, and it’s just me who’s been left in the dark? With that in mind, here’s a game I happened to stumble on by chance while moochin’ through the Hang Loose archive.

The moment I saw the name Super Chicken, I was amusingly intrigued. I chuckled to myself, assuming it would be some childish, half-baked attempt at a shooter or something. As it turns out, it’s actually a platformer developed in STOS by a guy called Thomas Smith in 1996. Maybe some of you have heard of it before, but I certainly hadn’t - because, around that time, I packed up my ST and went the Mac route.

The objective of the game is simple - just collect all the eggs and make your way to the exit. However, there is a catch! As soon as you pick up an egg, the floor tile beneath it becomes electrified, meaning you can’t step on it again. So, you’ve got to grab the egg and keep moving, or you’ll end up as fried chicken! Along the way, you will come across ladders and escalators to help you reach other eggs. Some tiles even have two eggs, but you can only pick up one at once! The exit remains blocked until all eggs are collected.

Super Chicken is all about planning the best route in real-time as you walk, making sure you never have to step on the same tile twice. Well, you physically can’t, unless you fancy getting zapped! Miss just one egg, and there’s no way to go back for it. No matter how many others you collect, the exit will remain blocked. It’s incredibly frustrating - especially when you realise you’ve left just one egg behind (as in my screenshots).

I think this is surprisingly good for a homebrew game released in the ST's dark ages. It’s frustrating, yet incredibly addictive all at the same time. I was shocked to stumble across it - but even more surprised to find that it looks comical, scrolls smoothly, and sounds great. Thomas clearly knew his stuff! It’s just a shame it came out several years too late for most ST gamers to hear about it. Or is it just me, again?

Give this a download - I’m sure you’ll enjoy it for a few plays! Let me know what you think in the comments. This review is dedicated to Miesiu who visits AtariCrypt all the time and leaves comments on so many pages! Okay, since this isn't a commercial title, I’m giving it a solid 60% because it’s damn good fun!



This is the start, shall we take the escalator or ladder route?


Can you see where I went wrong here?


Foolishly I thought I was rocking the opening level.


Yep, I missed one egg so I could not exit... ARGHHH!!


Instead, I was fried alive like something from an old cartoon!

Thursday, March 20, 2025

QuartetCrypt





I made another disk!

I’ve got a feeling you knew I was up to something daft after I went on about my love for Quartet recently. Well, you were right - I've crammed a floppy disk full of Quartet tunes! Well, sort of. These music files can be pretty large, so you can’t fit loads onto a single disk. But hey, I went ahead and made a disk anyway!

Yes, here is a floppy disk by yours truly that I've decided to call QuartetCrypt. Apologies - my lack of imagination for these titles is astounding, right? Anyhow, my disk boots up with background music and a dead-interesting scroller before dropping into GEM where you can pick from a bunch of cracking Quartet tunes.

You guys already know I've no programming, music, or pixel art skills! So how have I done this? Easy, I used the talents of other people! So here are the due credits along with some more links you will love...

  • Message Writer by Gareth Pople
  • Quartet Player by Dan Panke
  • Background music by Unknown
  • Dead Human by Spaz / The Lost Boys
  • PYM Reset by Spaz / The Lost Boys
  • Indian Swirl by DNA and Exarch / Paranoia
  • Good Old Times by 607
  • Wreckers by Warren Cann

Don't forget to check out my previous Quartet post https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/quartet-player.
Additionally, I recorded Wreckers (DMA stereo) https://www.youtube.com/@AtariCrypt.
There are loads more Atari ST disks by me! https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/about-me.html.

Friday, March 14, 2025

FateMaster






Strange creatures with guns

Fate Master is a top-down RPG released by Animal Soft in 1992 and programmed by Floris Muller (remember Color Clash and the Gobblin & Piggy games?). We are Tsin-Fei on planet Tafoi, which is at war with the Swocki who have killed many Galluks. Weird names, but it's the usual storyline with puzzles and payback.

As Tsin-Fei, we have 20 hit points, plus stats for strength, speed, and defence. Our inventory includes a pistol, two grenades, and a V-potion (health). We begin in town looking for information and items that may help our quest for justice. Explore, but beware, some places have bizarre monsters whizzing about...

Contact with them results in an automatic battle that begins with two options: Attack & Escape (that rarely works). These battles are turn-based and conclude once someone dies. Successfully killing the enemy provides a cash reward you can use with traders to purchase better weapons and V-potions. The more cash you have, the better the weapons you can afford. I particularly like the very effective grenades and rockets.

Along the way, there are clues, hidden games, items (mostly pointless), and characters with information. Some might provide a hint to nudge in the right direction. You're unlikely to get lost as the levels aren't large and the puzzles are easy to suss. Just make sure you have a stockpile of V-Potions and a decent weapon.

Right then, I'm getting bored with all this chit-chat. Let's see a couple of screenshots...



I accidentally bumped into a spider and had to fight it to the death!
Most enemies appear to have (ahem) similar strengths.



The red splodge is a dead enemy and you can see my HP, stats/etc.
Killing enemies increases stats, but you will run out of HP (and cash) doing so.





Something's not quite right

It's time for a whinge. Have you ever played a game, but felt let down because something didn’t feel right? Something that makes you wonder what was going through the developer's mind. Well, I wasn't long into the first level before I noticed that "something". The concept of Fate Master is superb but spoilt by unfair mechanics. The idea is to battle/earn money, buy weapons, and progress deeper into the adventure. Simple.

However, the money earned by defeating monsters should be better when compared to the expensive shop prices. That difference is way off balance. So you're left deciding whether to buy a better weapon and hope you don't lose too much HP, or buy V-Potions. Rarely can you do both. It's a catch-22.

Not only that, but avoiding battles isn't always possible. Many rooms have no way to safely pass, so you are thrown into an unnecessary conflict. To make matters worse, the defeated won't stay dead and respawn fresh and healthy to do battle again! Yup, you're forced into (yet) another fight on your way back!

Also, I'm not sure this is an "RPG" as there is no sense of progression and my stats never seemed to affect performance. Basic character interaction is, well, very basic!! Also, all weapons -more or less- perform the same. Perhaps a lite RPG but I feel it's more of an action/adventure and its "RPG" aspects can be ignored.

Okay, I barely scraped through level one, but the unfair design made the second impossible - without cheating! Sigh, the cash rewards don't work, but maybe it would if monsters didn’t respawn? Anyhow, this mix of unfair rewards and endlessly respawning enemies kills the game’s potential. Disappointing.

I'm shocked Animalsoft made such an unfair game! Let's console ourselves with screenshots...



The rockets are great but expensive! He respawned so I had to fight him again :(
And yes, my HP is maxed at 20 because I am cheating!! I had no choice O_o



The stats for strength/etc don't appear to have any effect. Kinda odd, right?
The "escape" option rarely works. In fact, it only ever worked once or twice for me!





Aesthetics

Floris' visual styles use a cartoon design we all recognise. This design stands out a mile and looks great with its strange-looking characters. I loved the extra attention to detail, especially the blood! Each location is rather basic, but I liked the unnecessary clutter which is clean and functional using a quirky perspective.

The audio is lame because there isn't chip music to help keep us engrossed. In fact, we only have a few spot effects when something gets shot, blown up, or dies. Yeah, it desperately needed a chiptune.

This game isn't exactly impressing me, right? Let's wipe away my tears with more screenshots...



Blood and dead bodies were everywhere. Wait, I see a survivor hiding!
One of the more gruesome screens in the entire game.



The second stage is good but would have been better with more shops.
It's impossible to play, without a decent gun and lots of V-Potions in stock!





The CryptO'pinion

I absolutely loved the simplicity Fate Master presented when I began playing. It's easy to get around using smooth controls, the locations are no-frills but work well, the storyline is predictable yet interesting, and the monsters are humorously weird. I was hooked, so much so, that I began mapping it with vigour.

Sadly, my passion waned halfway through the first level. I simply didn't have many opportunities to upgrade both weaponry and V-Potions to compensate for the loss of my HP. Not to mention the fact I was pointlessly fighting some of the monsters for a second time. Hence, even more HP loss which made the game impossible. Now, add suspect collision detection and Houston, we have a problem. A misquote, but it applies!

At its heart, this could have been a great action/adventure. However, the cash situation is off balance by a mile, and the respawning enemies killed any chance the game had to redeem itself. Never have I been so disappointed by a game for many years. I shall rate Fate Master a depressing 25% which kills me to type.

  • Atari Legend has the floppies and I recommend Neon Lights #15.
  • Carry on scrolling for the hi-res level maps (others here).



Perhaps the most impressive room? Access to information, dynamite, and a freebie weapon.
However, try to exit this screen without coming into contact with an enemy. If you can!



Hidden games exist that provide a humorous and welcome break from the game!
You can find them all using the maps. Just keep on scrolling...




Level 1-3 Mapped

Firstly, I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to Peter Putnik for helping me with my gruesome project to map Fate Master. Sadly, the game appears to crash when fighting the "last" monster, as it cannot die. However, after playing and mapping three levels, I lost interest. Perhaps there is a fourth level; who knows/cares?

As always, these images are thumbnails so click here to download the high-res originals!



For the most part, level one was a hoot to play!



The second level is tiny, difficult, and without much-needed rewards.



The third level is possibly the "easiest" but without decent options to restock.

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