Whack a Virus!

What, no mallet?

This game really shows how quickly time flies, as it was released in 2020, right in the middle of the global scamdemic. I don't know what's taken me so long to get around to playing this, but we are here now (finally). Well, this is a spin on the classic arcade game ‘Whack-a-Mole’, except here you’re hammering viruses instead of cheeky moles. This is a monochrome-only release for the Atari ST/e, Falcon, and TT by Janez Valant [Swe], featuring superb graphics by Mic and excellent music by Mathieu Stempell [DMA-SC].

Just like in the arcades, it’s simple but manic. The screen is divided into a 3×3 grid, each square mapped to the 1–9 keys on the pad. Viruses pop up randomly, and our job is to hit the right key before they slide back down. Not all squares are active at once, so you’re always adapting to shifting patterns of open spots.

Smacking a virus successfully boosts your energy, but every miss knocks a huge 20% off your bar - so don’t just mash the keys blindly hoping for the best. Thankfully, pills appear from time to time and can really help, sometimes even closing parts of the board so you’ve got fewer squares to worry about at once. Whatever you do, make sure to grab those pills! However, once your energy reaches zero, it’s game over.

This was a perfectly timed release; I can only apologise that it’s taken me ages to feature it. Whack a Virus is good fun, demanding fast reflexes and a sharp eye, especially on the tougher levels. Sure, it can get samey after a while, but as a quick, light-hearted blast, it's superb. I reckon your kids will love it too!!

• You should check out Swe’s excellent Atari Falcon puzzle, CAPY.
• Put your SM124 to great use with even more high-resolution games.
• Thanks to its Blitter and DMA support, this earns a spot on the enhanced gaming list.
• This feature is dedicated to Miesiu for being a massive Crypt fan!!

As the viruses appear, hit the relevant key (key 6 here)

Be quick, they don't hang around these damn bugs (key 2 here)

The high score table screen has many bugs showing up.

The Greetings Screen is pretty darn cool!