Fanwor – The Legend of Gemda

Link plays Atari

Fanwor is a brave attempt to recreate the commercial NES game "The Legend of Zelda" and works on all Atari computers. Thomas Huth took on the challenge of Fanwor a quarter of a century ago for the MagiC Game Contest. However, unless you have an upgraded ST/STe, this is a game for the TT and Falcon.

The storyline is unique, so concentrate - Princess Gemda ruled over the peaceful land of Fanwor protected by eight "Gems of Power" (I imagine these were created by Sam Tramiel). Monsters stole the gems and buried them in dungeons. Let's take a wild stab at what we've got to do to restore peace and prosperity.

So, who's up for helping Princess Zelda's sister and going on a gem hunt...

You begin your noble quest here. Don't bother going into the cave, he's not there!

Triforce of Wisdom

The original is an action/role-playing game with outdoor locations full of monsters. There are secret locations, interactions, weapon upgrades, and pick-ups for health/etc. Sadly, the Atari game is stripped down somewhat, but the map and (most) of the monsters are present while you hunt down the stolen gems.

Fans of the original will instantly notice the difference; ours runs in GEM. On the first screen, we begin armed, so there is no need to enter the cave - which is void of that helpful dude. As you explore, you will notice that there are no secret passages (that I found), no character interactions, no extra weapons, and no pickups for health/etc. I imagine implementing the extra parts would have been a massive undertaking.

Thankfully, almost all locations are near-exact replications, which is surprising considering how many there are. A few are slightly different because of their missing content, but not enough to warrant any kind of criticism. Even without the role-playing elements, we have a tremendous explorational action-adventure.

A cynic will say it's now a different game, but I'll halt that topic for a screenshot...

The spiders bounce around their location in an annoyingly accurate manner!

Explore & Kill

So, with these differences out of the way, what is left? Fanwor is old school, and keeps the objective simple for a damn fine game of exploration and monster killing. The objective, the game map, and the enemies remain much the same (any slain monsters will respawn if you go back to any given screen). However, the gameplay is now completely centred on exploring and killing monsters as you look for the eight gems.

Link can move in all four directions, and hitting the fire, thrusts his sword. You can use the keyboard, joystick, or JagPad, but I preferred the keyboard. Monsters can be killed with one hit, but the further you venture, the tougher they become. These enemies aren't merely sitting idle as they roam in random patterns. The spiders and flies are different and bounce around wildly, making them difficult to hit without losing HP.

Without the pickups from the original game, health is quite hard to replenish. You begin with 20HP and have three methods to stay alive 1) find a fairy to fully regenerate health. 2) find one of the eight gems, which also increases your max HP by 10. 3) don't fight every battle, and learn to be evasive.

The third option is good advice, which is a trait you should employ. Fanwor is well-balanced, and although 20HP is low, finding the gems is not impossible. Soon, I had 40HP and repeatedly used the fairies to keep me alive. Using this process, I completed Fanwor without cheating. A commendable attribute of any game.

It's got to that point where I stop waffling and show a couple of screenshots...

One of the few lakes with a magical fairy who's only too willing to help you out.

Aesthetics

Even if you've played the NES game, the graphics won't impress. It's crude and too yellow much of the time, but this is a game from 1986, and I think it looks like retrogaming gold, something I never expected. Thankfully, Thomas didn't use push scrolling and opted for flick-screen, which is easily the best choice and suits the style. Overall, our ST conversion closely follows the original, and its authenticity is commendable.

Sadly, I've no idea why the performance is so poor. On an ST (without Blitter), it's too sluggish to be playable. The STs with a Blitter handle gameplay better with faster controls and smoother visuals. However, even on these computers, it's still too slow (especially if you have played the original). So, unless you have an upgraded ST/e or own a Mega STe/TT/Falcon, you are forced to use emulation, opting for a speedy config.

The quirky fun doesn't stop there - the audio is well-supported with chip and DMA sounds. These play alongside stunning tracker music by Malcolm Grant. There is an option to use your preferred ACC player (BackTrack, Paula, etc). Sadly, the music is a hit to performance and is best left to the faster computers!

This is one of the rare times real hardware loses out. Unless you're rich! Screenshot time...

Gone is the yellow desert for a murky graveyard (and a chasing ghost!)

CryptO'pinion

For all its ridiculous hardware demands and missing gameplay elements, I have still thoroughly enjoyed Fanwor. It's simple, without much depth, and reminded me of Sword of Kadash in some respects. Sure, it's far too slow, so I used my 16MHz Mega STe - consider that the minimum spec, but obviously, all upgraded STs will be fine. With this in mind, I have had a blast exploring, mapping, and completing the game.

So if you enjoy exploring and blindly killing hundreds of monsters, you're gonna enjoy this walk down memory lane. For those who turned up their noses when they saw the screenshots, well, they've already left and will miss an opportunity to play something quirky, pointless, and mind-numbingly enjoyable.

One for the eccentric odd-bod gamer with enough time on their hands for something different. :]

• Atarimania has the floppies https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-fanwor...
• 8BitChip has a version ready for hard drives https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/fanwor.html
• There is a newer v1.03 with "updated" graphics https://demozoo.org/productions/135316/
• Reservoir Gods have something cool for Falcon owners! https://www.atarimania.com/g...
• Here is a list of loads more STe enhanced games https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/enhanced...
• I've mapped many other Atari ST games https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/maps...

There might be no secrets, but we still need to find the gems. Look inside the cave!

This is how the later versions look, but I preferred the older games myself.

Now that I've finished Fanwor, I was thinking about Fantastic World(s). A good idea?

The Maps

Right then, you've scrolled this far and are still here. I'm impressed! Continue to scroll a little more for a thumbnail of the map. Wait, it's a small thumbnail picture and not a high-resolution map!!

To download the high-resolution images, just click here. Within this download is the map for the HUGE outdoor area. Also included are the keys to each of the eight dungeons (also fully mapped).

I hope my maps are enough to lure you into playing this game. Enjoy...

Are you wondering why it's small? You clicked it, right? Doh!! Read the text above!!

Everyone's gone out!

Me Time

It’s been a wild couple of weeks playtesting two incredible versions of DOOM - STDOOM and DOOM8088. Honestly, I never thought I would see the day when I could even think about booting up id Software’s classic shooter on my Atari ST. Sure, it’s early days and there’s plenty of optimisation ahead (and much hopeful expectation), but I’m absolutely buzzing with excitement and wish Jonas/Frenkel all my beST.

That said, I figured it was time to get back to something a bit more “normal”. So today, the family are out so I decided to re/re/re/relive the glory days, 1990s style. As the familiar thrilling effects swirled and scrolled across my screen, a few others caught my eye and I couldn’t resist sharing them with you...

• StarPlayer is a MOD player that I've never booted up in my entire life! I thought I knew every type of tracker player for the ST/e, but alas, no. So this was a super-nice shock. It's actually a good program, with a nice design, and the mod's name is used as an adjustable sine wave. We can even alter the volume, balance, bass, and so on. I really like this player and should add it to this list I made a few years ago!! https://demozoo.org/productions/96029/
• PlaySID is something I've used loads over the years, yet sadly, not so much lately. And I've no idea why. The good'ol Commodore 64 has some crappy tunes but tons of fantastic ones also. Somehow, I actually forgot it has stereo playback, which is excellent. Cream nailed it once again for this brilliant chiptune player. https://demozoo.org/productions/65441/
• DBA #06. A legendary release. Not only was DBA a fantastic diskmag, but this particular one marked a change in how the ST sounded. At least for me. The disk's intro features music by Scavenger, one of my favourite musicians. It's mind-blowing, not only the music, but the visual effects help to produce something that is nothing less than iconic. https://demozoo.org/groups/13045/
• We Were @ is a favourite demo of mine, and arguably one of the best demos ever made. So stylish with many full-screen effects to blow you away. If you are one of the few 4MB STe owners that's never watched this demo, then rectify that right away. https://demozoo.org/productions/151600/
• Next up is Out A Time, which was released at Silly Venture by Baky, Jade, MiKRO, Sedma, Vasyl, and X-Ceed. The storage demands are huge, but everything worked fine for me. Thankfully so, because this is a stonking production! https://demozoo.org/productions/362494/
• It's about now you're probably wondering why only music and demos? How strange of you! Well, I ended with a game, and it's a belting platformer too. But I boot it up now and then for another reason. I'll leave you to fathom what that is, but I have a bigger grin than the Cheshire Cat's whenever I watch this awesome intro by the mighty Replicants!! https://www.atarilegend.com

So yeah, what started as a peaceful moment in the house turned into a full-blown blast through some of the best sights and sounds the Atari ST/e has to offer. Productions like these aren’t just eye/ear candy – they’re living proof of how much talent the ST scene has. Oh, and if you're wondering about the title image, it's from Yrasters by Extream. A wonderful screen that I've never seen before, and thoroughly enjoyed!

So that concludes my silliness for today. It's been fun reliving my youth, watching demos and listening to great chip music. Hang on, what am I saying - I do that most days with my Mega STe <gloating emoji>. I hope you have enjoyed this pointless posting of demoscene wonders. Have you got any favourites of your own - demos, music, intros, diskmags, etc/etc. Drop a comment below. I would love to check 'em out...

StarPlayer is superb, I loved the visual effects and superb 25 KHz playback.

Oh yeah, good old Commodore 64 tunes on the ST/e. Fantastic!!

One image does the DBA #06 intro no justice. Download it.

Leonard blows me away time and time again. An outstanding production.

This one was totally new to me and is an incredible showcase.

What a platformer, and now fully playable for the first time in decades!

Doom8088: Atari ST Edition

DOOOOOOOM

After my shock and awe of finally getting Doom running on the Atari ST, another surprise comes along that I never expected. Frenkel recently dropped me a message about his hack of DOOM8088 for any Atari ST/STe with only 1MB of RAM. To get an acceptable framerate, something had to give - no 16 colours, a lower game resolution, etc. Massive hits, but these sacrifices make Doom playable on the 8MHz Atari ST/e.

Here's the bit taken from Frenkel's page before the all-important download link...

Doom was originally designed in 1993 for 32-bit DOS computers with 4 MB of RAM. It's mostly written in C code with very little assembly code. It has been ported to all kinds of systems. Usually, these systems are 32-bit or more and have a flat memory model.

Doom8088: Atari ST Edition is a port for Atari ST computers. It's based on Doom8088, a port of Doom for 16-bit DOS computers.

What's special (first release)?

• Supports only Doom 1 Episode 1
• Rotating overlaid automap
• Only demo3 is supported
• 2 colour mode
• No sound effects
• No music
• No texture-mapped floors and ceilings
• No light diminishing
• No saving and loading
• No multiplayer
• No PWADs
• No screen resizing
• No mouse and joystick support

I must admit, I still can’t fully believe how this is happening. Here I am, playing DOOM8088 on my Mega STe, and it’s incredible, albeit at the expense of aesthetics. But gameplay matters more! I’ve tested using Hatari, and the game works on every configuration of ST/STe except the 520 models. Quite staggering!!

My thanks to Frenkel for getting in touch; I hope this project is only the beginning :)

Go on, grab the download right away https://github.com/FrenkelS/Doom8088ST

Armada

BattleScapes

I wanted to pay my respects to the service men and women who have sacrificed to keep us safe. I'm not really into "military/war" games, so I wasn’t sure where to start. The Atari ST has a huge selection, and the closest I’d ever come to the genre was probably D-Day a few years back. But I knew I had to do something for our pride in #VEday80 - and then it hit me, like a cannonball fired from The Golden Hind! (geddit??)

Okay, I’ve got a bit of a "thing" for Atari’s ARC label. I've been slowly collecting their games over the years - I'm just waiting on a (decent) copy of Photon Storm to complete the set. Anyhow, that also means some games have been merely sitting idle on my shelf! Heck, I've never played Gettysburg, Armada, Prince, or Borodino. Well, I dabbled in Prince, but was blown away by its learning curve (I'm lazy). It was now that I realised how many "war" games I owned - maybe I’m more of a fan than I consciously realised. Ha, maybe!!

So, what to play for the big day? Well, I just flipped a (virtual) coin and took a chance...

Armada was the winner, which means I was about to set sail on the high seas around southern England for a war against the superpower, Spain. Armada was released in 1990 by Peter Turcan, the same developer behind Waterloo, Borodino, Austerlitz, and Gettysburg. Wow, I guess he really likes his history?

The game is based on historical events and is definitely one you will struggle to play without the manual. Not just for the backstory but for an understanding of how to command your fleet, as I discovered. The manual is great, providing a concise account of the historical events without becoming a long-winded chore to read through. I'm not much of a reader, but I set aside an evening to go through it. And I’m glad I did!

It’s a fascinating period in European history. I learned that the sheer numbers the Spanish managed to gather were impressive, becoming nothing less than formidable. But when you look back on these events, things did not go according to plan. It's an understatement to say the battles didn’t quite live up to their expectations - more like a soggy dud firework that failed to go off. Regardless, it’s surreal reading about these events, especially considering the limited technology, navigation, and communication of the time.

For me, that "dud firework" moment came early on. It became clear that, while the Spanish had an enormous fleet, they lacked the skill and experience of the English, who had the disadvantage of a smaller fleet. It’s hard to go into much detail without spoiling the game you will play. That said, it was heartbreaking to read how the men in the Spanish fleet ended up circling Britain, almost starving before facing their cruel and bloody fate. And then, how the English government appallingly treated their victorious veterans afterwards.

I hope this is proving as interesting for you as it is for me. Shall we pause for some screenshots...

The game introduces the opening moments of the war.
You are asked some questions that assist in your learning of this deep game!

The graphics draw before your very eyes and look pretty nice.
The ships are well represented, as is the coastline of southern England.

Reliving the War

It's 8am, July 31st, 1588, and the Spanish Armada have been sighted off the coasts of Cornwall. It's time to gather the brave men and head out into the seas to defend England. But wait, don't sail out yet because a few questions require answering. These help to configure your experience, especially for new players:

• Trail Fleets - Basically, lower the number of ships to make it quicker and manageable. Choose "Y".
• Two-Day Battle - A shorter game, so newcomers should choose "Y".
• Human/Computer - Either can be chosen for English and/or Spanish. (Y/N)
• Signalling - Used as a trainer, believe it or not, for new players, so answer "Y"
• Viewpoint - Another "cheat" for new players, but something I'd consider answering "N" to.
• Cannon firing - Of course, you must answer "Y" to see the action! (sarcasm)
• Existing Orders - Choose whether to keep things historically accurate, but you can still override.

From the perspective of the English, we play as Admiral Lord Howard. We will take command of our squadron along with those captained by Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher. The game begins at the battle's dawn, and depending on how you answer the human/computer question, you are either English or Spanish.

If you choose to be Spanish, you are Alonso Pérez, the Duke of Medina Sidonia (the computer could play the part of the English). Of course, you could attempt to play both sides or leave the computer to act out both sides of the conflict for you. But why you would want to do that is anyone's guess!

Now the game begins, and you are bewildered! Yep. So let's pause for a couple of screenshots...

You can request updates from particular captains or the squadron as a whole.

Use the mouse to identify places and any vessels.

A time to lead

The game begins, and you feel abandoned and left without a plan or any kind of assistance. Armada leaves you out in the cold!! So, grab the manual and also look at the underwhelming paper map inside the box. What? You have a cracked copy? Ha, play something else then - you don't stand a chance mate!!

I mean this - immediately, you are thrown in at the deep end. A visual representation of the day is drawn before your very eyes. You are instantly expected to command and give orders. If I'm honest, this is a truly bewildering moment. Quite mind-blowing, and I felt lost wondering where to begin. I'll say it again, you must read the manual. But, even then, you're left unaided with a fleet of men looking at you for leadership!

Armada is nothing like I expected. I thought I would have icons to click, but instead, we use a command-line parser much like a text adventure. Commands are structured and issued in a set format of [to whom] [when] [what to do] [timescale]. This is powerful but very difficult to understand, as I found out.

Here are the commands that I have come to use often. There are lots more commands apt at particular points in the conflict, but consider the following a list of the base commands you will probably use. There are two main types of commands: either you signal the squadrons (or ships) directly, or your own captain.

With that in mind, here are some examples...

signal all squadrons to sail to plymouth

captain sail to plymouth

These mean exactly what they say, everything heads in the direction given. The first, commands the fleet. Whereas the second, yours. You can tailor that to send Drake to Poole, for example.

signal Hawkins to sail in line astern formation

captain sail in crescent formation

You may wish to adopt a nice pattern to sail the seas? The first command directs Hawkins' squadron. Whereas the second is ours. You can also command all the squadrons.

signal drake to blockade Plymouth

This is mentioned in the manual and something to consider, but maybe not only Plymouth?

signal all squadrons to attack enemy

signal drake attack enemy

When the time is right and the enemy is closing in - fight (with lame cannon effects). The first commands everyone to attack. However, if you have left (as in the example above) Drake elsewhere, then you might direct him separately. It depends on how you direct the battle.

captain adopt short/long range tactics

signal all squadrons to adopt short/long range tactics

signal Frobisher to adopt grappling tactics

These commands are interesting. If you aren't close, then long-range tactics (cannons) are needed. Grappling is when you are close and you attempt to board an enemy ship.

signal all squadrons disengage

signal all squadrons send me your battle reports

The first command helps you to backtrack, if in trouble. The second command provides feedback provided by each squadron. It's slow and pre-internet speeds!

As you can tell, the manual is desperately needed. I personally think this game is impossible to play without it. The manual may have a fantastic backstory to the war and provides lots of technical details about the ships, and much more. But it's not great at assisting a (new) player. I felt it didn't help with the basics, so you spend the first few games blindly guessing what to do without much visual feedback to aid.

With that in mind, we definitely need a break! So here are a few images you will appreciate...

After reading all the above, you may be disappointed. Fear not, we have a mouse!

That's right, whenever the fleet requires commanding, use the mouse to identify ships/etc.

I had a play with formations, but I think I made things worse! lol

Here you can see my ships heading towards the distant Spanish fleet.

The CryptO'pinion

Beginning Armada is baffling. More than I realised, so I dug out the map and re/read parts of the manual - yet again. Learning the commands and their finicky structure was tough, very tough. So I don't think this war game will be for everyone. If you're brave enough to download it, then this is my humble advice:

Remember that you have your own Captain onboard (and your own squadron of ships). This means you don't need to worry about the finer details because you should leave the captain to worry about that. However, you still need to address your squadron as you would the others - Drake, Hawkins, and Frobisher. Get an image of how that setup looks in your mind, and rather than directing commands at ships, use squadrons.

For a quick start, I figured Plymouth or Poole were destinations worthy of a Spanish attack. So my tactic was to flood these seas with my fleet. I blocked off Plymouth using Drake's squadron and left Frobisher nearby. That left two squadrons, which I took towards Poole. Well, that was my novice theory. And I felt it worked.

Regardless, this game is huge and with a technical command-based system. So that means its learning curve is massive and probably the biggest of any ST game I've played. I fear this could put many off it. Having said that, I rather enjoyed playing Armada a bunch. I ended up beating the Spanish after a handful of games. That was quite a proud achievement, considering the negative thoughts I had on my first attempt.

Armada is only for serious war fans. If that's you, I would easily rate this old seadog an apt 80%.

• Atarimania has scans of both the manual and game map (don't bother playing without these!) https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-armada_11094.html
• 8BitChip has a version for hard drives https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/armada.html
• A few more Tactical/Strategies here https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/TacticalStrategy

This doesn't happen often (and it didn't happen on my first "few" attempts!).
But eventually, I did it and stopped those Spaniards from invading my country. Woohoo!

STDOOM

DOOOOOOOOM!!

If you’ve been following me on Twitter/X, you will know I've shared screenshots and video clips of Doom running on my Atari STe (and later my Mega STe). This is thanks to Jonas Eschenburg, who has been hard at work getting the source code to compile and run on our favourite 68000 computer. It’s mind-boggling to see this game running on my Atari ST, but it’s also bittersweet because it reminds me of when I first saw Doom in 1993. By then, the 16-bit era was drawing to a close, and Doom’s release was like the final nail in the coffin [sigh!]

Decades later, I’m geeking out about the ability to “run” Doom on my Atari ST. This all started thanks to a thread over at Atari-Forum, with a post by Badwolf that had my mouth watering. Okay, it's an accelerated computer, but the possibility of "STDOOM" began. (Greetings @Badwolf for that download)

Later, I read a post on Twitter by Jonas, and the joy truly began when I saw screenshots of Doom running on the ST. Accelerated/emulated or not, this was starting to "be something". I contacted him and we've since found/fixed errors and even got it to work within 4MB of RAM. This has been fun and exciting!!

I eagerly asked Jonas for his thoughts on what he hopes to accomplish with STDOOM...

I would like to emphasize I was a little surprised that apparently no officially recognized ST port existed. I kind of naively tried to compile the official Doom sources to Thorsten Otto‘s great GCC port. After ripping out code that was never going to work on the ST, I had a version running after just one night of hacking.

I was mainly interested in supporting the ST‘s original graphics, so I experimented with medium-res using black & white. I had ideas for how to support 16 colours, so that came next. I really like the dithered colours now. The experiences I gained on my VoxelSpace demo were very helpful.

It’s a technical challenge, and not a very hard one. There’s an emotional aspect to it as well. In a way I’m giving a present to my 13-year old self who saw his friends, with their PCs, play doom while I was left with an old ST. I know some of you feel the same. Whatever your reasons are, I’m happy if you enjoy the fact that there is now DOOM for the ST.

I won’t make any promise of playability on original (8MHz) hardware, but I’ll see what I can do. However, I’m pretty sure that id software did their best optimizing the hell out of this game. It was considered a hardware seller for the PC platform at the time for a reason. But even if it only runs at acceptable speed, with accelerated hardware or under emulation, I think having a best-effort port for the ST is valuable on its own.

One thing missing is audio and I’m not experienced with the YM2149. If anybody would like to help me with support for DMA sound effects and YM music, I would love to accept help.

Yep, nobody expects Doom to be properly playable on an 8MHz STe, but Jonas is convinced more optimisation can be done. A carrot & donkey moment for me as I hope to moderately play it on my Mega STe.

Seriously, I wonder what lies ahead on this long road that leads into Doom heaven (hell?).

Remarkable times, folks!! Check out these links and watch this space...

• Follow Jonas/get in touch to help with development https://x.com/indyjonas
• Have you seen Jonas' VoxelSpace engine? https://demozoo.org/productions/370162/
• Here is a Doom slideshow to whet your appetite https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/doom.html
• Aranym is a great ST Doom "option" https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2017/05/easyaramint.html
• Do you want more ST FPS games? https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/FPS
• Those lucky pluckers with a Falcon should play BadMood https://www.leonik.net/dml/
• As you all know, I'm not technically minded when it comes to programming (I know now't!). ST guys like Jonas blow my mind, kinda like this CAD application did a few years ago... https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2016/03/a-day-in-life.html

Okay, I've sludged through the slideshow framerate and found a Shotgun Guy!

He turns and hits me, but it's futile in God Mode!

Oh yeah - Take that!!

His already dead corpse is... dead for good this time!!

Reload and move on for the next zombie to slay!

There is no sound yet, but reducing the screen size helps a (tiny) bit!

This help screen is for anyone who’s never heard of Doom - bless ’em...

Power Drift

More Speed, Less CPU Strain

This is an arcade racer I’ve always loathed. I remember playing the ST conversion and instantly taking a dislike to it. Looking back, I reckon it was probably because the game was too ambitious for a 512KB 16-bit computer. I wouldn’t have thought that at the time, of course, but that’s how I translate my old memories.

Now, don’t take this for a review - it’s more of an excuse to add another game to my STe Enhanced section. Yes, AtariCrypt actually has a section dedicated to enhanced games! Bet you didn’t even know that, did you? Well, take a look to the right of any page and you shall see a link to this list (WIP - loads more to come).

Wait… what? Power Drift is STe enhanced? Well, yes and no. It makes use of the Blitter, which is something within every Atari STe. The standard ST is supported - if you were lucky enough to have one installed - like the Mega ST (I also believe late-model STfms had an empty socket waiting to be filled?). Okay, considering the game was released in 1989, I would have been using my older 520 STfm (without a Blitter). That would certainly explain my long-standing grudge against this racer, which I never bothered loading up again - until now!

Fast forward way too many years, and I’m lucky enough to own both machines (though Hatari’s a decent option). So, booting it up on an ST without a Blitter, and the framerate is awful. Fire it up on an STe, and it’s a different story. The Blitter kicks in - probably handling the sprites - and the framerate feels much better. That might sound dramatic to some of the ST Nutters out there, but trust me, it makes all the difference.

If I'm honest, I only ever expected a small improvement. Something hardly noticeable because I still expected to be unimpressed by a rubbish port. Turns out, I was completely wrong! Power Drift is actually a blast, and I can’t believe I’ve spent decades ignoring it. Sure, it's not the best racer we have because it's far too ambitious for any 16-bit computer. But if you use an Atari STe, download this game and give it a whirl.

It's weird how such an old game surprised me like this. Power Drift isn't a serious racer; rather one to take lightly, but it's fun. Highly recommended and I'm confident to rate at 75% (40% without Blitter).

• Atari Legend has the best disk - Dodgysoft #75 https://www.atarilegend.com/games/power-drift
• 8BitChip has a version for hard drive https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/powerdrf.html
• If you’re too lazy to glance right for more enhanced games, just hit this link right now https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/enhanced-games.html

Master those corners, and you have a cracking racer. Well, on an Atari STe!!

Phantasie - Day 4

Izzy, wizzy, let's get busy!

Hello and welcome to day four of my grand adventure through Phantasie I. If you’ve missed the previous entries, don’t worry - they are all available and neatly grouped together for easy catching up. Yeah, I know you want to click that link, and I'll wait here until you return. Okay, are you back yet? Then let's carry on...

To recap, it was Into The Vertical Blank that initially sparked my interest in this RPG. We began by exploring the bustling town of Pelnor to see what services it offered. Afterwards, we delved into the most crucial aspect of the game - combat! Today, I’m expanding on that by diving into the magical side of fighting.

This plays a pivotal role in Phantasie. In fact, you won’t get far without making use of spellcasters within a well-balanced team of different magical (and melee) players. I think it's fair to say that magic isn’t an optional extra in Phantasie - it’s an absolute necessity. Without it, your journey would be cut short rather quickly!

You have many options for race/class, but my approach involves a simple magical duo: a Priest and a Wizard. I decided to rely on two spellcasters to keep the whole team alive and kicking (although my range/melee characters have limited tricks up their sleeves as well, but it's nothing compared to a real spellcaster). Each brings something vital to the table, ensuring my party stays in top form whilst being aggressive.

There are two basic types of magic used in battle, passive and active. Each has its own benefits, and you soon begin to realise that the manual is a very good thing to have! There are a few exceptions, such as using a vision spell in the wilderness. So with all this in mind, let's take a peep at my two spellcasters...

The Priest

My Holy Man is the team's lifeline because his skills help keep us alive and prolong the fight. He is a genuine team player with healing and tactical spells instrumental in my survival. Hey, he's saved my bacon loads of times, and I doubt I’d have made it this far without his help. Here’s a breakdown of the spells he wields...

• Charm – Pacifies an enemy, making them easier to defeat.
• Awaken – Invaluable when ambushed, rousing any stunned or sleeping party members.
• Healing – Restores hit points to a selected character, an absolute must-have. Remember to upgrade this skill; otherwise, it becomes less effective later on.
• Protection – Strengthens defences to withstand incoming attacks (for each character). It's a passive skill that remains throughout the battle.
• Binding – Immobilises foes, effectively nailing their feet to the ground! Or their wings...
• Confusion – I prefer the priest to use this (and it's stackable) to muddle an enemy’s mind, making it difficult for them to fight/cast spells competently.
• Dispel Undead – Useful against skeletons and other undead horrors. Fantastic skill to have!

The Wizard

While the Priest helps to keep everyone standing, my Wizard takes a more direct approach to an encounter. He has an arsenal of spells and is never afraid to use them (when I'm in charge!). He can obliterate enemies with a range of devastating spells, but not all are offensive. Here are some of my favourites...

• Fireflash – A searing burst of light to scorch the enemy!! (Again, upgrade when possible.)
• Quickness – Enhances agility, improving attack speed and evasion. Quite weak until upgraded.
• Mindblast – Damage an enemy just by thinking about it. Not bad, but needs upgrading.
• Strength – Temporarily boosts a character’s muscles, making them hit like Schwarzenegger! Something to use early in a battle, I find.
• Flamebolt – Like the fireflash but not quite as powerful.
• Ninja – Enhances stealth, allowing for surprise attacks. Don't use it until you've upgraded.
• Fear – One to stack. Instils dread, making them run away. Probably.

With the risk of repeating myself, magic isn’t just useful - it’s essential. Of course, it’s not just what your spellcasters can do offensively; they can also counter enemy magic aimed at you. Trust me, when your melee fighters are affected by a Confusion spell and having trouble landing a hit, you’ll be glad to have a wizard on your side to tip the scales in your favour. And these things are what I love about Phantasie!

Well, that’s my quick look into the magical side of Phantasie - at least the spells I’ve tried so far. Don’t forget to spend your earned XP at the town’s guild to level up, aka train. This improves certain abilities and unlocks new spells to try out. The progression system is great, always pushing you to master more powerful magic and discover fresh spells. Training increases your MP (Magic Points), so you can cast more spells before needing a break. And speaking of breaks, be sure to stop by a town often to restock your resources.

This post is dedicated to my mate Paul Neiland, whom I've known for many moons (over three decades!). Thank you, my friend, for all your support of my little AtariCrypt venture :-)

Next time, we will look at scary, monster-infested, trap-ridden dungeons!! Until then, happy slaying!

Wizz is my, ahem, wizard. As you can see, I've made progress over the weeks.

Some of the spells my Wizard can use (with upgrades).

Some more spells my wizard loves to cast.

Charlie is my priest and is a helpful chap, albeit with a poor name.

Some of the spells my Priest is a master of.

Good'ol Charlie helps the team with a Binding spell.