ST Format #42 featured The Fractal Engine by Daniel Grace and Mike Harris. I love programs like this and, after a couple of hours of tinkering, I began creating some rather funky images. This superb program is capable of creating impressive images using tripped-out colourful effects - if you have the spare time?
Here are the main techie features of The Fractal Engine...
17 different fractal types (11 Mandelbrot/Julia pairs & Lindemayer Systems)
Divide and conquer algorithms, with fixed-point arithmetic
Zoom animation and Julia Set morph batch processing
3-Dimensional Mandelbrot and Julia landscapes
480, 16 colour palettes
Simple but effective image compression
The Fractal Engine delivers exquisite results and is extremely easy to use. Oh no, does this mean I'm turning into a groovy hippie? Hey, I hope not!! Regardless, I hope you like my images, which were all calculated using my own Atari STe. (Thanks to Michael Keenleyside for this link to the latest version).
What's more fun than creating trippy images on your Atari computer? Nothing. Yep, that's right.
ST Survivor asked me for a video recording of Quartet, a new game based on the original, by Photonstorm. The task is to place pieces of four faces into four slots, in four separate areas, with bonuses awarded for a whole face. Watch my video recording, and you will see that it's simpler than it reads - and very addictive!
I love finding YouTube channels with great Atari ST content and The New Retro Show is one such place to get my fix. It's run by a fella with a beard, called Mike! He's been addicted to the ST since he first got to play Dungeon Master (there's a shocker) and currently owns two machines: a Mega STe and a 1040 ST.
After watching his video I came up with the idea for a challenge and suggested a few games that have appeared on AtariCrypt: Chubby Gristle, Cybernoid, Zynaps, along with others. Shockingly, he actually agreed to the challenge (Muwhahaha!!) and released the first Ironman Challenge which you can watch here.
My thanks to Mike for taking on my silly challenge but I am now looking forward to the second part!!
Whitewater Madness was under development in 1989 by Scott Williamson and Ed Schneider for Atari. With great faith, it was specifically designed for the new Atari STe (possibly one of the first games to utilise the enhanced hardware). The game was finished but never released, which is disappointing, to say the least.
This is a shoot 'em up taking place on a river; imagine what would happen if you took Toobin' and then slapped in a dollop of River Raid's violence. You will have Whitewater Madness, a vertically scrolling shooter that has us sailing down a bizarre stretch of water through space and time like Dr Who.
In Atari's wisdom, they decided not to bother releasing it. It was left gathering dust in the halls of the forgotten. I love Atari for giving us the ST/STe computers, but their marketing skills tested our patience! Well, cheer up, I have a treat for you - the full and finished version of Whitewater Madness to download and play for yourself. That's right, the disks have been found, and I've been given precious copies - by the developer!!
Note, for years there has been a demo version available to download. Do not bother with that. It's a lame, and very old beta, which plays nothing like this final release you will find today on AtariCrypt.
Are you excited? I know I am, so let's see a screenshot and find out more about this game...
The controls are superb, but you can also use the rapids for additional effect.
A Toobin' River Raid?
We sail a magical river in our little Pod to search for green energy cells. Collect them to raise your Warp Energy levels to maximum capacity - so we can travel further through time. If successful, we are presented with an information screen telling us how good (or bad) we did. However, if you failed to collect the required amount, then you're sent back to the start again to do it all over again. (I saw that a lot)
Our dinghy is equipped with a rapid-firing mounted gun! This is a good job because we are under a constant onslaught of hazards and weird creatures. Avoid dangers such as rocky rapids, mines, artillery, and other crazy stuff like kamikaze dinosaurs - who love to leap from the shores. It's absolutely insane!! There are lots causing mayhem: cavemen, something that resembles a pterodactyl, a giant turtle, and centaurs.
The controls are dead easy to get to grips with - and superbly responsive. I love the directional method that works for fast and efficient guidance down our insane river raid. Picking up green "L" pills will recharge the Pod and stop it from going BOOM, but these are few, so collect as many as possible - quickly.
Let's take a break to check out another screenshot from this crazy Toobin...
Those rapids are ace, but watch out for the nasties - like kamikaze dinosaurs!
An Atari STe game that never was!
Old gamers (me!) will love the graphics that are kinda 8-bit. It feels like something you'd expect of a console because of its traditional palette and dinky sprites. They are small, with little animation, but nicely detailed. With one exception, a hostile kamikaze dinosaur that loves to leap from the shores!!
Scott informed me the Blitter co-processor was used to handle the visuals. And it shows with brisk movements that keeps up perfectly with the player and the hectic action without any trouble.
The sound effects are nice with lots of shooting, explosions, and more. The DMA coprocessor is used and is super-duper. However, I must admit to being disappointed with the title music because it sounds like it's using low-frequency samples and is "STFM" in quality. A bit odd considering what the STe is capable of.
Fancy another screenshot? Of course, you do so, here you go...
Watch out for dinosaurs, mines, birds, riverside cavemen, and lots more!
The CryptO'pinion?
Whitewater Madness has the hallmarks of a fantastic arcade game and is something I'd expect to see on an Atari console. I love the frantic Toobin-style action, which is perfectly balanced yet challenging without feeling impossible. There's much going on, and I think this is an exciting arcade shooter.
Why Atari didn't release this is unbelievable! It's a great game, so it sails into the seas of retro gaming gold!! It's simple, it's fun, and it's now available to download after being 'lost' for decades. That alone makes it special, so enjoy what would have been one of the first Atari STe games. A delightful arcade game!!
The ST world constantly amazes me. Just when you think you've seen it all, a "new" version of Street Fighter pops up and slapped me in the face!! Yep, I'd never heard of this before! Where have I been?
Anyhow, this was developed for the Atari STe by Patrice Mandin (the guy behind Doom and more). However, it's incomplete and without colours (although it is running in ST low). Regardless, as is, it's fast and responsive because of the Blitter, hardware scrolling, and DMA sounds. It's actually very, very playable!
Sadly, Patrice stopped development, so he left his project in limbo - possibly waiting for another techie to pick up the gauntlet. Great progress has already been achieved, and the source code is included. After all this time, it's sad that nobody from the scene has attempted to finish this incredible "beta".
Give it a whirl, and download Street Fighter for the Atari STe. Prepare thy jaw to drop!!
I've listened to an amazing tune called Wowy, by Tomchi (played using JAM), and had to record it. Absolutely superb!!! So, kick off your weekend in style and download this chiptune for your Atari STe!! 🎧
Infogrames has once again delivered something truly unique and special. In Mystical, players embark on a magical adventure, battling bizarre creatures. As a novice magician under the tutelage of the Grand Wizard, he's eager to learn but quick to make silly mistakes like losing precious scrolls and phials. Now, he must travel to parallel worlds to retrieve them. Prepare for the most unexpected journey of your life!
Our quest will take us into strange places to battle against wacky characters: Buzzards, shepherds, faithless Monks, reptiles, sea creatures, farmers, little girls, Vikings, walking trees, and more. Most will throw something at you or chase you. Sounds mad, right? It certainly is, and I'm sure everyone will love its silliness.
I cannot continue without showing screenshots of just how unique this game is...
I must say, the palettes used are pastel-perfect, and with lovely artistic tones too.
The characters you meet are... different! What a weird game this is.
Magically weird
The big man has granted permission to use his magic. This means the ability to cast spells that provide unique ways to dispose of our foes. For example, the ring of fire scorches anyone who dares to get too close, whereas the blue ring deflects enemy attacks. Another will open up the ground to swallow our victims, which is superb. Possibly the best of all is shouting "Boo" to shoo off anything nasty. Seriously!!
As you collect them, a spell activates immediately, but if you are quick, slap that Spacebar to stockpile it for later use - in combination with the Return key. Yes, it's a cumbersome design, but it works well if ever you're struggling. Each level ends when you reach the pentagram for a battle with an end-of-level boss - the first throws babies at you! Once defeated, a large sphere appears and whisks you off to the next level.
I'm sure you're thinking this is weird. And you're right, it is!! But it's brilliantly weird...
Collect the funky power-ups and use all magic spells to the best of your ability!
I'm tripping out here, but three blue dudes appear and cause me trouble.
Aesthetics!
The visuals are gorgeous with smooth scrolling across beautiful landscapes. All use an impressive and pleasing palette, I might add. However, it's the tremendous quantity and quality of the characters that steal the limelight. Never have I seen such gorgeous sprites with humour and detailed animation.
I must take off my hat and commend Olivier Roge and Jocelyn Valais for such amazing work. Take a look at these screenshots and tell me you're not impressed by the sprites and even the artwork as a whole? Possibly one of the best examples of 16-bit pixel art I've seen in a game.
The audio is a mixed bag. The sound effects are ace, using samples for each character and other things like the spells. All great, and I adore the "Bla Bla Bla", which reminded me of the speech in Donkey Island. Sadly, the title music is awful, and I can’t understand why they used low-quality samples over a chiptune.
Fancy another screenshot? What about silly faces to start off...
Hey, what's that? I've got a doppelganger to help me out.
Who are those people in the cages? Enemies, so don't help them!!
The CryptO'pinion?
Mystical is a generic shoot 'em up, albeit with cool power-ups and humour. (I never knew the French had a sense of humour? heh). Unfortunately, it’s repetitive, and the end-of-level bosses are frustrating. Regardless, it’s clear that a lot of time and effort went into Mystical’s production. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it, and I’m sure most gamers will appreciate its distinctive style and personality. A rather silly game you're gonna love!
Hard 'n' Heavy follows on from Giana Sisters in true fashion with more Mario-esque levels to run and jump through. The official commercial release was poor with awful flip-screen scrolling that ultimately ruined what might have been a great conversion. Sure, flip might work well with some platformers, for example, Jet Set Willy, which would have been horrendous with scrolling. Just imagine... but Hard 'n' Heavy needs scrolling!!
That's where the bad lesson ends and the good news begins as Peter Putnik has developed a version that features smooth-as-silk scrolling thanks to the use of the Blitter lurking inside every Atari STe. And also most other earlier models (incl. later STFM models which had a Blitter or at least a hungry socket).
Hard 'n' Heavy obviously looks and feels similar to Giana Sisters, so if you didn't like that game, then you may as well start looking elsewhere right now. Interestingly, the physics exaggerate the Giana experience to feel more like we're floating, and this took me a few goes to master. It's pretty surreal. Okay, there are 25 levels of shooting the baddies, destroying blocks to find all the bonuses, and even access to hidden levels - if you can. Also available is an incredible two-player feature, with various game types.
This is superb, and I'm sure a Giana Sisters fan will love what is more of the same with a few extra bells and whistles. Peter has done well to transform that pathetic commercial game into something it should have been all along. Make sure you play it on a real computer to experience the silky-smooth movement.
I prefer Giana Sisters, but this Hard & Heavy upgrade is downright marvellous. Highly recommended!!
I finally rebought Magic Pockets by the great Bitmap Bros! Those guys sure knew how to program - never once settled for a lame Amiga port. Not ever, which is a prime historical example to shame many other developers. I'm proud to own what is nothing less than a belting piece of hiSTory by the Bitmaps!!
So the story? Ah, yes... the infamous storyline. Well, brace yourself for a cracker! Okay, the Bitmap Kid (BK to his burger friends) has been given a brand new pair of magical trousers from an old man he met in the park one evening. No, not really lol!! Anyhow, he loves these trousers but, finds out that his toys have somehow disappeared into a fantasy world: PocketLand. Of course, this cool Kid is determined to get his toys back. So, he enters via a black hole he conjured!! Boy, if there was ever a whackier storyline than this!
Anyhow, let's take a gander at a lovely bluey screenshot of the kid in his weird new world...
There are many crazy monsters to kill but... hang on... what's that TV doing there?
Short arms, deep pockets
PocketLand is split over four enormous levels - and they are HUGE. BK is armed with different powers depending on the world he's currently in. There are many strange enemies and also many bonuses to use - heck, he even has extra abilities like the whirlwind to jump great heights. Sometimes the route through can feel like a wild goose chase, but you're often led onto secret areas - that contain lots of goodies. I admire the design because most levels don't feel linear, even though they are which is a muddled thing to say, right?
The joystick controls are spritely with flexible action and movement. I have always liked their responsive mechanics because - it feels less like a computer platformer and more like something a console would knock out. Of course, neither is better than the other. It's just how Magic Pockets feels (to me) and a platformer like this demands decent controls. So I like this game today as much as I did in the 1990s.
Well, it's time for yet another screenshot. Wow, gripping stuff...
The first level nicely introduces various aspects of the game with its trippy mechanics.
Aesthetics
Visually, it has a Godly appearance that the Bitmaps sure enjoyed using. Hardly original but peppered with lovely colours splashed throughout each and every level. The scrolling is fast and fluent - so always manages to keep up the gameplay's pace. However, it's the sprites that are something else; so many incredibly cute critters all of which are nicely animated too. Why can't all games look this beautiful? Outstanding pixel artwork.
The sound effects are fantastic but I would prefer an option for a background tune. Famously, the title music is by Betty Boo but, I'm kinda meh about that. I guess it's nice to have and the quality is pretty good.
Get on your bike and get ready for another screenshot of crazy gameplay...
Hey, I've found a bike? Weeee, come on, there aren't many games like this!!
The CryptO'pinion?
I feel like Magic Pockets is brand new again so I'm well happy with my purchase. At the moment, I haven't gotten very far if I'm honest. But it's fun trying and what a gem this platformer is! It's wonderful to play it again after all these years. I feel it hasn't aged badly whatsoever. In fact, it's still just as much fun and as entertaining as it ever was. You could say that I'm feeling like a big kid on Christmas Day.
Magic Pockets is an outstanding platformer and easy to get into. This article might be a preview but, anything from the Bitmap Brothers is top-notch. I know I'll be enjoying this for many moons to come.
Highly recommended isn't a good enough phrase to use. PLAY THIS GAME!!
Electronic Images released the most hilarious Atari ST demo I've seen. I tried to record a video, but my emulator messed up the graphics, and the sine scroller (which is beautiful) was jerking like it had a nervous twitch. So I gave up and burned the image to a floppy disk. Nothing beats the real hardware.
Download this utterly stupid demo from AtariMania, then turn up the volume and enjoy the show.
Credits 4mat - Music Count Zero - Music Griff - Code, Text J.C.B - Graphics (Animation)
Menace is one of the few Psygnosis games that I respect. It's a good shooter. Okay, it should have been better with a little effort, but that's an Amiga company for you. Anyhow, it's still a decent game, and I enjoy it. But what's with the YELLOW ship compared to that other version? For years, I've hated its bland colour and wondered what they were thinking. And if it was possible to change it for something better?
So I contacted Atari ST wizard Peter Putnik about my dilemma. He's always up for a challenge and open to ideas. It wasn't long until he came back with a solution that worked well. As you can see in both the video and screenshots, our spaceship now has a new paint job!! The caveat is a change to the (badly placed) status pane due to the 16-colour palette. Of course, the game remains the same, but we now pilot a white ship!
You know, folks, this is what makes the Atari ST scene a marvellous place. Think about it, I wasn't happy with a commercial game from 30+ years ago. I asked a guy living in another country for his thoughts. What does he do? He fixes it without hesitation. Incredible. What an amazing community we have.
My sincere thanks to Peter for being gracious with my request. This version of Menace is the only one I will play on the Atari ST. Here's the download to the newly designed AtariCrypt White Star (geddit?).
Please watch the video trailer above and gander at these lovely screenshots...
I made this silly image. Can you tell? lol
Here it is, our brand new white ship!
Just look at it. Much better now, albeit at the expense of the status bar.
Skimming along through space in my spanky new ship!!
It might not be the best shooter, but the graphics are cool.
It has its haters, but this is better than most of the drivel Psygnosis produced for us.
Reanimators #6 features cool fx with a superb chiptune (hmm, it sounds familiar). You know me, I love sine scrollers, and this one is a belter and displayed using the full range of lovely rainbow colours. On the disk is Thunderstrike, an incredible 3D shoot 'em up with great graphics - like an early Cybermorph ;-)
There are many amazing artists, and I've always had a soft spot for the guys that make up the incredible YM Rockerz. So here is the wonderful compilation called "wave upon wave", which they released 17 years ago! It features tracks by their awesome musicians: 505, D-Force, Dma-Sc, Tao, Lotek Style, and Milhouse.
It's impossible to pick a favourite, but I love Shifter by Tao, which you can listen to by clicking on the GEM green arrow. Check out the YM Rockerz website ... I think I'm going to listen to "Seven" again tonight!
I've just been going through the latest uploads on Demozoo, and there have been many incredible releases of demos, artwork, and music from both the Outline and Sommarhack parties. I'm constantly blown away by what the DHS boys can produce: the video is of Midnight Sun for the Atari STe (running overscan).
Now check out these screenshots for an idea of what the Atari ST #demoscne is capable of knocking out. Remember, YouTube is good, but nothing beats the experience of using a real Atari ST/e computer.
P-47 was released in 1988 by Firebird and is based on the Jaleco arcade game. There are several levels through a variety of landscapes, so put on your Biggles outfit because you're about to reach for the skies.
Any shoot 'em up needs decent scrolling, awesome controls, and enemies to kill. P-47 has this by the bucketload. It's immediately obvious that the teamwork that went into development has certainly paid off. Choose either a 50/60Hz display with smooth parallax scrolling, great graphics throughout, and fast sprites that honour the original. Funky chipmusic plays alongside the pizazz sound effects, both of which are great.
The action is hectic as the planes whizz into view and tanks blast artillery - they're just asking for a MOAB!! Other levels have us flying through sunset clouds, pyramids, and over the seas (I love the missiles, which emerge from underwater). Oddly, the bosses are easy to defeat by positioning in a safe place and repeatedly dropping a payload of bombs. Each level varies, but the concept remains: fly, avoid, panic, and kill everything.
Where P-47 fails is the frustratingly great difficulty - the screen will always be cluttered with many baddies, and a collision is inevitable. Stick with it; collect the power-ups, learn the enemy's attack pattern, and keep on firing. Sure, this is imperfect, but it's also one I really enjoy and a darn challenging shoot 'em up.
Atari Legend has the floppies, and I recommend New Order #20 Menu CD.
Hard drive installable versions are available by both 8BitChip and D-Bug.
I recently discovered an unreleased shooter called Bold by Laurent Kermel. Rather than my usual approach, I delved into the documentation and found his website listed, which is still working. It has an Atari ST section detailing unfinished ST games. Take a look at these pictures (above) of Slug Dragoon Twins Tenesis and Empire. These are truly impressive ST games, I’m sure you’ll agree, but sadly lost to time.
I messaged Laurent to express my gratitude for Bold and Wiliness 3 (Dungeon Master). Laurent is a genuinely kind person, and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. Maybe he'll complete his works, one day?
Bold is a fantastic shoot ‘em up for the Atari ST/e, drawing inspiration from several games. It’s a cross between Zynaps and R-Type, offering fast and frantic action as enemies zoom across the screen like they’re on steroids. Yes, quick reactions are essential!! I love the graphics, but it’s a shame that a large portion of the screen remains unused (an intended status panel?). Bold isn’t controlled with a joystick but the mouse, which took a few games to fully grasp. However, I soon realised it’s absolutely perfect for sharp manoeuvrability.
Any ST model is compatible, but Bold performs better (and smoother) with a Blitter chip. While all Atari STe computers meet that requirement, other users might need to purchase one to fill the empty socket inside their STFM. Unfortunately, those old pre-1987 STs might not even have an empty socket. YMMV.
Despite its unfinished state, Bold is incredible with precise mouse control. It’s a thrilling shooter!
The Bold web page has the download and a nifty walkthrough of each level.
I made a video, but I hate YouTube, so advise you not to watch - instead PLAY the game :-)
A cheat code is mentioned in the interview with Laurent within Alive Magazine #09.
Chris Swinson, aka Exxos, sells Blitter chips, but I've now exhausted my hardware knowledge...
- W I L I N E S S III -
Grab a flask and sword, we're going in!!
Laurent developed a Dungeon Master clone called Wiliness 3, which is shockingly professional and could have been a rival to the FTL classic. The RPG experience is amazing with a familiar user interface as we crawl through another creepy dungeon. Of course, it's unfinished, but 6 levels are playable, plus I liked the control system and those eerie sound effects. Wiliness had the potential to be something quite extraordinary.
This is something I need to spend a weekend on sometime. A brilliant dungeon crawler!
The Wiliness web page has the download and a BUCKET load of helpful information!
There are many different boot sector programs to add cool FX to a floppy. This helps prevent virus infections, but we all love the dazzling effects! Some are technically amazing! Bootblock by The Fingerbobs is one of my favourite programs that writes a number of boot sectors, and the one above is Bladerunners!!
Credits: Bootblock was coded by Oberje of Fingerbobs with music by Jochen Hippel.
I love finding awesome programs like this, and it's one of the reasons the ST never fails to impress. I'd bet there are more lurking out there in ST Land. Let me know in the comments what programs you find :-)
