Axel is a young boy with a hammer. No, he's not a raging lunatic but a young lad on a mission. His girlfriend, Lucy, has been kidnapped and is held in the dungeon of Mystic Castle. How did this tragedy happen I hear you cry. Well, a nasty green dragon called Nilmerg is the villain responsible. To rescue Lucy, he must be slain. Of course, Nilmerg is far away; we must cross several large continents before reaching his castle.
This journey is going to be long and treacherous. It begins in an old Roman village before climbing the "cliff section" to reach the ice caps that lead to a tropical jungle. The Egyptian Pyramids are next and preceded a rather interesting industrial stage. The penultimate level is within caves and woodlands before eventually reaching the castle. Could Alex have simply travelled in a straight line? Who knows lol
Anyhow, every level is crammed with nasties so Axel must defend himself with his hammer. But that's not all we can do as each screen has many destroyable areas. Those can help gain rewards or access to other regions. I love platformers and this one sounds rather interesting, especially being able to break stuff!
Let's pause my blabbering for some nifty screenshots from the earlier levels...
Each level has a secret or two to discover. These are often places with high rewards.
The second level takes us underground. Hey, they look quite familiar!
Things get chilly for the third level so bring a heavy coat and scarf.
Let's play!
Axel walks, leaps, and bashes critters (and blocks) throughout the levels. Anything can be killed if you hit it enough times like an insane serial killer. Only ghosts are immune to your clobbering but are rare until later. The status bar displays the score, items collected, and two bars for energy and a timer. Yes, a timer...
Getting around each screen is a breeze with responsive joystick controls. However, jumping diagonally is (initially) annoying because it's something you cannot do mid-jump. That needs to be initiated from the start to make the intended jump. Yeah, that might sound awkward but you easily get used to it.
Each screen offers the same troubles - monsters, obstacles, and destroyable blocks. The addition of smashing blocks is a fantastic feature that reveals many different power-up bonuses. Most of these provide extra points but you can also find weapon upgrades and energy/timer replenishment. Also, keys are scattered throughout which will unlock restricted areas with loads more bonuses. Yes, this game certainly loves bonuses!
I enjoy most platformers because of their mix of adventure, dexterity, and exploration - run, leap, fight, and explore new screens. That's it. I'm happy that Axel has this in abundance thanks to its great design, which is interesting and engaging. The added mechanic of block bashing isn't only for fun or power-ups - this can carve a different path to climb further in the room, collect (even more) bonuses, or uncover hidden places.
Let's take another pause for some rather sexy screenshots...
Jumping straight to level 5, we find ourselves in a place Daniel Jackson would love.
This is the entrance of an industrial complex which I enjoyed a bunch.
Finally, I'm at the castle. It's spooky and difficult near the end. Very difficult!
Aesthetics
From the moment, I saw the loading screen I thought this game was gonna suck big time. I'm not exactly a fan of its crude and childish artwork. Perhaps I'm being harsh there? Anyhow, the game itself is much better; all eight levels are attractive and diverse using a Kid Gloves/Mega Twins style I found most appealing.
There is no scrolling as the push effect is used to move from "room to room". If this was a Mario/Giana clone, it would fail miserably. But it's not. So, each screen has its own distinct mini-adventure and plays as such. Ignore what you might have heard, there is no need for scrolling whatsoever.
Disregarding the Egyptian level, all of the other levels are incredibly beautiful. Terry Lloyd designed gorgeous scenarios that are high in detail. I liked the sprites the most, as the creatures are cute, cunning, and well-drawn. You might even see some similarities with those from Rick Dangerous, for the obvious reason.
Musically, things are less impressive with one main theme tune by Ben Daglish. It's a good chiptune and suits the "young theme" but, hardly his best work. There are no in-game tunes but the sound effects are superb with many silly samples that work well. Like the graphics, you might hear the odd familiar sound effect.
Right then, I've got one more batch of screenshots to share before the gripping conclusion...
This is your big chance to slay the beast and grab the girl!
Of course, I did it and got a kiss too!! All without a trainer... ahem...
The map proves walking in a straight line would have been much quicker ;) Hey, can you beat my score? Nah, I bet you can't.
CryptO'pinion
I'm sure you can tell how much I've enjoyed playing Axel's Magic Hammer? It's a straightforward platformer with great controls and interesting levels, and we've been given a hammer to bash animals with. Not only that but this tool is also utilised to reach difficult parts of the screen, uncover bonuses, and hidden rooms. This adds so much depth to almost every room you visit. Yes, I have thoroughly enjoyed being young Axel.
As you might expect, nothing in this life is perfect and I have one of two niggles. Along with the weird diagonal jump, which takes some getting used to, I found a few rooms rather troublesome as their difficulty was suddenly harder than the rest of the game. Also, there is a completely unnecessary timer - whhhhhhhy!!
Axel is a humble platformer without many distinctive qualities but that doesn't stop it from being interesting and damn good fun. I have enjoyed hopping and bashing my way through the levels. It's playable and addictive, not to mention we have a hammer. I rate this a respectable 80% and highly recommend you have a bash!
Floppies can be nabbed via Atari Legend and 8BitChip has the hard drive version.
In the not-too-distant future, everything will be impossibly expensive with jobs becoming scarce and no decent opportunities for the majority of us (now that's quite a scary prediction). Perhaps we should quickly move on? Thankfully, there is the prospect of joining the Roto-Raiders who pilot huge tanks through dangerous caverns all for a lucrative reward. Only the brave need apply because the missions are deadly. Dare you sign up? Of course, we do so count me in!
Gravitar-Esque games are popular for the Atari ST and we have some killer titles that are extraordinarily awesome - Oids and Thrust instantly come to mind. However, that means Arcana had to bring something new to the table in order to stand out from the crowd. Plus I naturally had high expectations considering the strong competition!
Before we crack on, I blindly bought Rotor off eBay as it was going cheap! So let's take a look at all the goodies...
Yeah, it's hardly in perfect condition but it's pretty good and I like the design too.
Hmm, mind-blowing content, right? Yep, minimalistic but it's nice owning a piece of hiSTory.
Get to it, I wanna blow stuff up!
Okay, Rotor is a game much like Thrust with numerous tasks split into separate missions. We begin with a training simulator to learn the controls and how to collect items and kill enemies. This is a great way to understand the basics and grasp its user interface. Oh, and the training needs to be fully completed before moving on to the real missions.
Once it is, you can attempt each of the missions in many different environments - earlier levels are quite tame compared to the torturous ones later on. Every cavern has antagonists (as the manual loves to say) who are enemies like Cannons, Laser Guns and Gravity Generators. Some can be destroyed whereas others can be temporally disabled.
Our spaceship is a large circular craft with adequate but sluggish manoeuvrability. Physics plays a part, so there is gravity to consider and you can only accelerate in the current facing direction. All caverns are pretty vast but feel claustrophobic due to the bulky ship size - with its lacklustre abilities so feels leaden compared to Thrust or Oids.
All missions follow the path of needing to complete requirements like shooting Container Pods for their contents. Destroying them and killing as many enemies as possible rewards lots of extra points. Sadly, all this is within the time constraints of limited fuel and armour. Once you're finished, exit coordinates detail where to go in order to escape.
Simple stuff, so let's take a peep at a couple of early screenshots...
The training missions are a fantastic way to learn the ropes.
In this simulator, we only need to shoot (and then collect) what's in that box. Easy!
Power-ups & other stuff
Rotor could have been a very simple game of shooting/collecting stuff and leaving. But it's not. Arcana obviously thought this would have been far too boring so jazzed it up with pointless clutter. Let's begin with its user interface...
On the left-hand side, is a map detailing your position, the dots above that are your remaining lives. The coordinates of zeros will change once the mission is complete to show the exit location to rendezvous (the other coordinates are your current location). The three icons between these are 1) the time left until a bomb explodes. 2) The time left until a disabled laser resumes. 3) The required number of crystals to gain exit coordinates.
At the bottom of the screen is the radar and this shows helpful information like the state of your armour, cargo, and remaining fuel. However, it also displays potential enhancements that can be gained by collecting pearls. For example, the second icon is for the ship's rotational speed. The third icon improves upon its lethargic thrust.
Hang on, what was that about Container Pods and Pearls? Container pods offer a variety of goodies like fuel, upgrades, explosives (potential traps) and sun crystals (to exit the level). Pearls can affect the performance of Rotor significantly: collect two and the ship rotates faster. Pick up a third and you have the choice of upgrading thrusters.
However, I cannot help but wonder why these needed to be earned rather than come as standard? It feels unnecessary to upgrade the ship during a mission instead of concentrating on the task at hand. Why complicate things?
Anyhow, let's take another look at some more screenshots from my victorious venture...
I would advise blasting those gun turrets before attempting to sneak by.
Things are getting hectic in lego land which is very difficult to manoeuvre through.
Tips and level codes!
* Don't even think about skipping the training missions. Trust me!
* Bombs automatically activate after first shooting the pod. You have two options, leave the screen safely and survive or collect the extra cargo and take it home.
* Beware of how much cargo you're carrying. Extra weight means a slower ship using more fuel.
* Watch the walls, take your time and let the scrolling catch up with you. * If something is able to shoot at you then it's best to shoot that first and clear the way. * I hate to say this, but don't worry about ship upgrades as this wastes time (and fuel).
* I said don't skip the training but, if you really can't wait, here are the level codes:
Level 1 = GAG,
Level 2 = LIP,
Level 3 = SLY,
Level 4 = MEW,
Level 5 = AWE,
Level 6 = TNT.
As tough as it is groovy-looking. Must admit, I do love the weird palette!
Argh, this level looks so passive but is insane! I died straight after taking this screenshot.
Input & Output
Controls are as familiar as you expect: fire button to (erm) fire, upwards to thrust and left/right rotates your craft. I doubt there would ever be any reason to change this asteroid-ripping formula because it's tried, tested and works great. However, my problem is the craft's manoeuvrability which is far too sluggish by default, and that's a bit rubbish.
Graphically, Rotor is really nice with a futuristic/Tron-like feeling for the training simulator. Later levels look funky with colour and a neat design that feels 8-bit in some respects. The screen scrolls in all four directions quite smoothly but it will struggle to keep up with your ship if go too fast. Hmm, at least that forces you to be more careful I guess?
Sounds are acceptable albeit not the best you've heard from your ST. There are various effects for the engine, shooting, enemies, etc. All hold back the deafening silence of space and make Rotor pretty much what you expect.
Later levels are far too hard (for me) because there's too much going on for your sluggish ship.
Another later level which has far too much going on for my reactions to cope with!
The CryptO'pinion?
I've enjoyed Rotor but not nearly as much as I should have. Don't get me wrong, Rotor has some good points like the training missions and groovy graphics. However, it then complicates what should be a fun shooter for no decent reason at all. The worst is the absolute necessity to upgrade your ship rather than it being optional. That doesn't make any sense.
There's a lot to moan about I guess? Well, believe it or not, I have enjoyed Rotor because it's nice to play something new. But let's not kid ourselves, it's bordering on mediocre when compared to Thrust and Oids. Close but no cigar!
PP has adapted Rotor to be run from a hard drive and Old Games Finder has the floppy disks.
Okay, I thought it was about time I featured another Menu Disk and here we have the 48th release by Bad Brew Crew. The menu itself is quite good with their logo, scroller and some rather nice digi-music to enjoy before deciding which game to play. There are two options Skull & Crossbones and California Games for the Extreme fans!
Onto the games, and I think I remembered liking Skull & Crossbones because I have always enjoyed hack 'n slashers and this one features pirates! Surely a win? Anyhow, I doubt I would have ever booted up California games back in the day because joystick-waggle and/or athletics isn't exactly something that interests me.
So, I guess this menu disk is a perfect choice to experience something new and familiar? Let's play...
- Skull & Crossbones -
Hoist The Jolly Roger!
I need a parrot on my shoulder and speak every sentence with an "ARRR!" for we are about to hit the high seas for an exciting swashbuckling adventure with nasty pirates, treasure and fair maidens in need of rescuing ARRR!! ARRR matey, a wizard has stolen our booty ARRR and we need to get it back ARRR!! This shouldn't be hard as pirates are usually crippled with a wooden leg and missing an eye ARRR so let's kill all the scurvy scum ARRR!!
Okay, I think we should now drop the ARRR... Skull & Crossbones is based on the arcade game that had us frantically fighting pirates with nothing more than our trusty sword. We are One Eye and have suffered a humiliating theft of our booty by a nasty wizard. Wizards and pirates? What an odd combination, but let's crack on and play!
Hang on, we cannot even think to begin this without seeing a screenshot! So, here ya' go...
Maybe it's just me but I thought Hulk Hogan had seen better days!
Time to be Errol Flynn!
Skull & Crossbones is basically a 2D platformer for one or two players. Yup, two people can take part at once which is potentially superb. The adventure begins on our ship which has been boarded by a couple of pirate goons that need slicing and dicing. Only after, are we able to jump aboard the wizard's ship but that crafty magician blasted us back onto our ship - just in time to watch your booty stash disappear before your very eyes.
Each level is basically the same with different graphics but it's fun repeatedly killing a barrage of sea-faring enemies: pirates, soldiers, ninjas, and even a few silly monsters. Getting around each level is quite cumbersome for what's basically a 2D fighter and feels trickier than it should at times. You are able to move in all four directions with attacking and blocking moves. Just bang on the fire button whilst moving in a particular direction:
Attacking
Pressing the fire button and moving left/right plunges your sword in their chest. Pressing the fire button and moving up + left/right pokes them up their noses!
Blocking
Pressing the fire button and pushing up performs an upwards block. Pressing the fire button and pushing down performs a downwards block.
Also
Pressing and holding down the fire button turns Red Eye around. I even managed to stab backwards once or twice in my blind panic! Apparently there are a couple of special moves which I never managed to suss out.
A few hopeful, unresponsive jabs and poof!! Yep, a pirate goes up in smoke.
Argh, I'm dead. Again!
Now that you're clued up in the art of battle, you should practice because this is a tough game to master. Each enemy often attacks in turn, which prevents the screen from getting cluttered or confusing. Killed enemies drop a little treasure to reclaim. However, the bigger guys are really hard to defeat like the executioner and an annoying pirate hiding inside a barrel. I found both of these irritatingly difficult and managed to lose many lives!
Keep your eyes on the health meter; the more hits you sustain the more blood pumps out from your bleeding wounds (which is actually pretty cool). What's not cool is the game's terrible difficulty thanks to its cumbersome and sluggish controls. Attacking is quite basic but gets rather repetitive after a while plus I didn't care for the defence moves which offer little benefit. However, I guess there's only so much a one-buttoned joystick can do?
The concept is enjoyable and follows the arcade rather well. Killing pirates is fun but I felt that the difficulty was too high from the second stage. Those soldiers are tough nuts and seem to attack with great speed which feels unfair. Enabling a trainer helped, and I managed to reach the third stage which was a painstaking journey.
16-Bit games seem to be made for tough people? Perhaps I'm too soft? Hmm, let's see another screenshot...
Eventually, I'm back up on deck and there's a girl who needs rescuing. Yep, I'm in!
Graphics and Sounds
To look at, Skull And Crossbones is cartoony with lots of colourful locations and detailed sprites. Sadly, it bombs when actually playing thanks to jerky scrolling and dreadful animation. The scrolling often works against the player from the start - jumping onboard the wizard's ship leaves you open to attack by pirates still offscreen!
Sound effects are basic but the music is quite literally brilliant with excellent chiptunes by Matt Furniss.
We're now plundering a castle and this big fella is nigh on impossible to kill. I'm losing interest...
The CryptO'pinion?
Skull & Crossbones looks the part and could have been a great release with a little more effort. Sadly, the stodgy controls ruin what might have been; not only is it incredibly sluggish but One Eye is often awkward to manoeuvre. I had some fun but the difficulty, later on, is way off and ruined any chance of progress.
The best thing about Skull & Crossbones is the two-player option, which is a brilliant addition and certainly helped compensate for its shortcomings. Unfortunately, I'm getting a distinct whiff of a lame port which is incredibly disappointing. Golden Axe, Guardian Angel and Double Dragon III are all far better choices.
- California Games -
BMX? Nah, I'll stick with my Grifter!
I remember the advert with the girl's legs for this sporty Epyx released back in 1989. Sadly, I never played the game as I'm not really a fan of such things, so I must admit I'm quite sceptical about booting it up today.
Athletic events aren't something that I particularly like and I remembered breaking my Quickshot II joystick playing Daley Tompson's Decathalon back in the mid-80s. How pointless! But, upon booting up California Games, I was presented with an array of alternative games which was a pleasant surprise for this couch potato!
In light of that revelation, I think we should take a gander at the first screenshot...
Practice! Otherwise, you'll fall flat on your face only to be hit by the rolling skateboard!
Run, Jump and Throw Something... Yawn?
No, none of that boring stuff here, California Games has taken a different approach with a handful of unexpected events. All are completely different from each other, which is something I liked the sound of. I mean, frisbee throwing? I never saw that one coming but I gotta admit I like the style of these Californians!
One to eight players can take part in six extreme events like surfing, skateboarding and BMX biking. Executing each event properly earns you the most points and it's all about the highest scores in this tournament.
Half Pipe Skateboarding
Here we push up when the skater is going up the ramp and push down when, well, I think you get it? Moving left/right or pressing the fire button just at the right time will perform stunts like a hand plant or kick turn. It's all rather childish and probably one of the least stimulating games imaginable yet, I quite liked it!
Foot Bag
This is one of the most peculiar sporting games I would never have imagined to be real. Imagine a soccer player keeping the ball in the air - but with a little bag. And that's about it. What a lame event but the ST does a grand job of trying to make it fun. It's all rather silly and quite difficult timing your movements just at the right moment. Oddly entertaining and I enjoyed it, but try not to his the seagulls (lol brilliant!!)
Surfing
Now we're talking. This is about the only sport I associate with California and it doesn't disappoint. The learning curve is possibly the highest of all the games but, don't give up because riding these waves is exhilarating. Who would have thought that balancing on a board in shark-infested waters would be enjoyable? Plus we don't need to worry about trying to slip into a wetsuit on a beach of perfect bodies.
Roller Skating
I expected this game to suck, but it didn't. As an event, it's pretty weak and possibly the easiest but that didn't stop me from enjoying it. Pushing up/down gains speed and then you need to avoid or hop over hazards like pavement cracks! Yeah... Okay, this is nothing special but I possibly played it the most?
BMX Racing
Now we're talking, blokes with bikes in the dirt! A game with easy controls to master and a course that's fun and great to play. Sometimes it gets a little too tight, which is unfair, so that's when my man ends up eating the dirt. The physics are pretty terrible but I kept on coming back for more and I'm sure you will too!
Flying Disk
Somehow this kiddy game is now a serious event? Anyhow, along with Surfing, this is a tough one to master thanks to the controls - it took ages to stop dropping the frisbee on my feet!! Not to mention the art of successfully throwing it far enough. Hmm, feels like Frisbee version of Leaderboard to me!
This event sets a great example for the kids as she kicks and screams like a baby. Brilliant!!
Joystick Waggling Fun?
Thankfully, you won't break your joystick with this game as each event requires a specific control with precise timings to perform certain actions or stunts. However, you should ignore any temptation to jump straight in to win a trophy. It won't happen. Practice first and learn what to do with each event, it's harder than you realise.
However, because each event is so different, so are the controls. There is little consistency, each has its own style and technique to master. I admit to being a bit of a geek(!) so I made notes to remind me what to do and when. This worked, but I admit the irregularity makes for a massive learning curve greater than I imagined.
I'm not sure about over-complicating anything. Especially the controls! So let's have another screenshot to view...
Now we're talking! Great controls and dodgy physics make this so much fun.
Graphics and Sounds
Graphically, it's okay with summer backdrops and interesting locations but I got the impression it was limited by its 8-Bit roots. Summer Olympiad is much nicer but the BMX and Frisbee stages are good with decent scrolling. I enjoyed the attention to detail that makes each background entertaining - seagulls flying dangerously close, people boating, sharks and creepy critters lurking underneath the skateboarding pipe. Lovely little touches!
The in-game sound effects are often a weird mix of chip and samples which works fine albeit without blowing you away. Music is by the late, great Ben Daglish and is something that proves chiptunes will live forever.
It's okay fella, nobody looks good in shorts but what's with those ape arms?
The CryptO'pinion?
The concept of "extreme" sports for the Atari ST has proved itself to be a cracking idea and is something I feel Epyx executed well. The sheer variety of mixed events is a splendid change from the usual sorts. Getting grabs with each game's controls is the biggest challenge but, stick with it and make yourself some basic notes!
California Games will appeal to everyone, whether you enjoy sports games or not. Trust me, I'm a couch potato so I know. Ultimately, it will shine brightest when the family are gathered around your Atari ST compared to plodding through solo. What an excellent game and also a nice surprise to boot up something different.
- The CryptO'pinion? -
The Bad Brew Crew never released a dodgy disk as they always have quality intros and BBC #48 is no exception. As for content, this is a decent floppy disk which I've thoroughly enjoyed from the moment I heard the intro's music. Although there are only two games on the disk, each is huge and offers a fantastic opportunity for multiplayer fun.
Of course, Skull & Crossbones was pretty much a dreadful Amiga port but it's actually a million times better with a friend. California Games is superb even though a part of me still cannot believe it's based on real events! Anyhow, I think Epyx produced an excellent game which I highly recommended, especially with friends & family.
And now y' all gotta scroll all the way back up to the top for the download links... :^)
I was looking back through the AtariCrypt archives and came across Alien World, a sensational shoot 'em up. Oddly, unknown to many gamers out there. It was developed by Gary Antcliffe for Hi-Tec Software in 1992 and is a bit like Blood Money or Zynaps. You know the kind - kill everything whilst trying not to die a humiliating death!
Anyhow, he's also the man behind Blazing Thunder, Bomb Fusion, Future Bike Simulator, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo, T-Bird and Yogi's Great Escape. Quite a bunch... So, I began to wonder what his other games might be like.
You've guessed it! Yes, here is a quick compilation of Gary's games for the Atari ST. Take a look...
- Alien World -
Firstly, there's no need to rewrite any more of my junk! Just take a walk down AtariCrypt's memory lane and then download what is nothing less than an exciting, if brutal shoot 'em up with super-sonic visuals to boot. Yep, it's tough and takes no prisoners but a skilful and persistent player will be rewarded with a fantastic game.
Grab the floppy disk download from Stonish and the HDD from 8BitChip.
- Blazing Thunder -
Remember in Ikari Warriors when you could kill soldiers from within the relative safety of your little tank? Have you ever wondered what it might be like to permanently be inside a near-invincible tank throughout the entire game? Well, wonder no more because this arcade-inspired (aka blatant rip-off) offers exactly that.
Stop! Don't touch the keyboard because there is an incredibly cheesy intro which is hard not to love. The graphics, and sound effects, are both excellent with our hero looking like a Rambo wannabee with the mad 80s permed hair! Following this is the title screen which is worth leaving displayed just to enjoy the thumping music.
As we begin this vertically-scrolling military shooter, everything is pretty much what you'd expect with soldiers blindly offering themselves as free cannon fodder whilst others lurk in trenches, trees or operate guns. What it obviously lacks in originality is more than made up in the fun department right from the start:
Level one takes place in a jungle, of course before advancing onwards to wetter places for the next stage. These two levels are possibly the best reasons to boot up the game. We head into the desert for the third stage which is where I found my tank starting to show its cumbersome colours. Having to navigate back 'n forth through the terrain was a pain, especially when ginormous tanks are blocking the way! The boss is impossible to beat without a cheat! Watch out for the firey landscapes of level 4 with tougher enemies and awkward landscapes. Things are now impossible and I cannot imagine anyone playing this without a cheat! Level 5 is a breath of fresh air, feeling somewhat like the first two levels and I got serious vibes of Fernandez Must Die. Just watch out for the trains and grenade launchers! The boss is impossibly difficult and even if you do defeat it, the robot guardian appears to kick your butt. Completing the game rewards you with a lame well-done message. Sigh...
I love rumbling through the jungle in my massive and beastly tank but what were they thinking about when creating such an enormous sprite. It's huge!! Thankfully, the controls are sweet with fast movement and level design which makes it easy to manoeuvre. Running down the soldiers is the first thing to do! Why not? I'm in control of 100 tons of steel so I'm bound to enjoy squashing the enemy into the tank's tread. Watch out for mines that will sap your energy (yep, your tank has energy!) and stay clear of hidden bombs marked with a B... for BOOM!!
Thankfully, there are power-ups that aid health and improve weaponry. Hitting Spacebar operates your own collection of bombs - this is insane and dead funny when soldiers are caught in the explosion. They turn into black-singed corpses!! In fact, the bombs are most useful against the bigger baddies and end-of-level bosses.
Graphically, this is an average looker with a poor framerate that doesn't come close to Dogs of War or War Zone. I liked the palette and the sprites are the best thing to look at. However, there is little or no animation - your tank! If you're wondering about the audio, don't. Spot effects which are well, you know...
Blazing Thunder is a good shoot 'em up but gets repetitive after the first level and is very difficult. However, fighting from the "safety" of a tank does offer an alternative spice to the genre and running over soldiers is always fun. Okay, I'm never going to delete Ikari Warriors for this but I did enjoy it. Not great but not bad either.
Like many Atari ST guys, I upgraded from an 8-bit computer which means lots of fond memories and I've always got a soft spot for anything reminiscent of that era. A good example would be the Dizzy games, Starquake, Highway Encounter, Head Over Heels and most certainly the recent and incredible Bugziacs.
Okay, here goes... in Bomb Fusion, Terrorists have sneakily planted explosives inside a nuclear station and we've come to save the day - arriving in a Sinclair C5. So it's our job to systematically defused each bomb before the radiation levels reach dangerous levels. I'm getting whiffs of Bomb Jack but there is also the additional task to collect and store any leaked fuel pods. Well, I guess that adds a little more depth to the game?
Getting around each level is easy thanks to the number of platforms used to access each remote bomb. Sometimes these are way out of reach which means using pressure pads or falling off the screen. Yep, falling off the bottom of your screen allows you to reappear at the top which is a nifty idea. Also, there is a weird ball randomly bouncing around for some reason - touching that isn't good for your health.
Graphics never make the game but, let's be honest, it's always nice to see your Atari ST looking hot!! Sadly, I can only imagine the shock on anyone's face when they first played this - did we get a direct Z80 port or something? Also, the music is irritating and possibly the worst I have ever heard from the Atari ST. Be quick and hit F10 to flip to sound effects before your ears bleed. Yes, they are still lame but a zillion times better than the music!
Once you've got over the shock of your Atari ST pretending to be a ZX Spectrum, this is quite good. Scurrying off the screen, frantically trying to defuse the next bomb is a rush. However, it doesn't really go anywhere beyond that and later levels are very difficult. Ten minutes of fun but definitely the weakest game here.
Grab the floppy disk from Stonish and the HDD from 8BitChip.
- Future Bike Simulator -
Apparently, motorbikes were banned in 1995 only to be replaced by 300mph anti-gravity Future Bikes! The highways have been converted into The Strip, which is a new track designed for speed without annoying roadworks or Sunday drivers. Each section is littered with mines, bombs and other riders who can be shot and then robbed of their loot. Use this cash to upgrade your bike with missiles, shields and other goodies.
The controls are great but, sometimes, a track would feel a little too cluttered, especially in the city. Ride, blast and kill anything that gets in your way and survive as long as you possibly can. What more could you want?
Visually, I might have been impressed around 1988 but this came later so I'm shocked it's not better - although I thought the sprites scaled nice. Interestingly, there is an option to increase the framerate by hitting the F key which is fast and excellent. You can flip back using the N key but then everything oddly feels rather sluggish. Sadly, the audio is very disappointing with mediocre sound effects but at least the title screen music is superb!
I found that the 25Hz mode was best experienced using real hardware. By far!
This is a neat game but I failed to see anything resembling a simulator so I'm renaming it to Future Bike Racer. The tracks are long and crammed with many bad guys to blast into smithereens but there's nothing mind-blowing here. However, I did find enjoy the simplicity of doing nothing more than riding my bike and killing folk!
Grab the floppy disk from Stonish and the HDD from 8BitChip.
- Scooby-Doo & Scrappy-Doo -
I'm a bit of a fanboy for platformers and this Scooby snack helps to prove why I love the genre. It's bright, colourful, and detailed with excellent controls. However, it's based on Scrappy-Doo, that annoying pup who ruined what was once a fantastic cartoon. Anyhow, Shaggy and Scooby have been kidnapped by the evil Baron Von Drak which means we are (groan) Scrappy-Doo who must attempt the rescue. We begin on a ship, heading to a desert island with later levels taking us through caves and forests before a battle with the Baron himself.
Each stage is superbly designed and fun to explore with the chance to enter hidden secret levels for tons of bonuses. The enemies are varied and run around like crazy fools with some hopping to and from the different ledges, which was most unexpected. There are several items to collect for health or power-ups and Scrappy can throw a mean couple of punches, even if his reach isn't that great. Collecting Scooby snacks will eventually reward you with an extra life and you will need that for the desert stage and onwards when things get a lot trickier.
Visually, this is an excellent treat alright!! Scrolling is smooth, sprites are cartoon perfect and the levels are utterly gorgeous with a great design using bundles of colour. Audio is probably the best of all the games mentioned here thanks to funky chiptunes. You can switch to sound effects but I wouldn't bother if I were you.
Overall, this is a tie with Alien World for the best of Gary's games. They're very different of course but I cannot decide between the two. Good old Scrappy has delivered a killer punch with something that looks, sounds and plays brilliantly. I personally think this is one of the best platformers for the Atari ST. Yep, I said that.
Grab the floppy disk from Stonish and the HDD from 8BitChip.
- T Bird -
It's time to put on your Buck Rogers big-boy pants for a blaster similar to Space Harrier or Galactic Conqueror. It's easier than the Sega conversion, so nowhere near as difficult as I originally feared thanks to its casual mechanics and fantastic controls. Graphically, there is a serious lack of colour and flair so things look incredibly bland. I don't get it, it's not like they sacrificed any glam for that (ahem) extra speed... Audio fairs a little better with chip music playing in the background and there is the option to hear sound effects instead. Don't bother.
T-Bird isn't a bad shooter but the above-mentioned games are miles better so I'm sensing that this was a port with little dedicated ST love. That is a massive shame because the ST rocks with 3D games like this. Ignore what I said about Bomb Fusion because this is definitely the weakest of the bunch and I'm gutted about that.
Grab the floppy disk from Stonish and the HDD from 8BitChip.
- Yogi's Great Escape -
Jellystone Park is going to close and all the animals are to be transported to the zoo so Yogi decides to escape before it shuts down. I imagine the local council sold the land to a housing property developer... Anyhow, I had high hopes for this platformer after seeing the screenshots full of colour and gorgeous cartoon sprites.
The main objective is to dash through to the end of each level avoiding any nasties along the way. There are picnic baskets and items to collect but your main objective is to escape before the timer expires. Each level follows the same basic principle and there are lots of enemies, moving platforms, rolling platforms, long jumps and other stuff to ruin his day. Most of them feel fiddly and unfair, especially those irritating rolling platforms!!
The controls are responsive but Yogi's movements feel somewhat wooden and unrealistic. Plus he's too big for the environment which makes some jumps rather awkward. In fact, it doesn't feel like he can jump - it's more like floating? Very similar to something like Ghost Battle, rather than what you would actually hope for.
Visually, I love its cartoon appeal. Lots of care must have gone into going that extra mile - smooth scrolling, tons of colours and gorgeous sprites. Okay, the animation is lacking but this is one gorgeous looker! The audio is terrible with no in-game music only meagre spot-effects! Plus I didn't care for the fuzzy title music whatsoever.
Overall, Yogi felt flawed with weird mechanics and limited content which is a shame because it looks the business and certainly had potential. There's just something that puts me off and doing little more than rushing through each level. Sadly, it looks like Yogi isn't smarter than the average bear, after all and you're better off with Potsworth & Co, Rolling Ronny, Stario, Magic Boy, Magic Pockets, Terry's Big Adventure, etc/etc/etc...
Grab the floppy disk from Stonish and the HDD from D-Bug.
- The CryptO'pinion -
Well, that was a peculiar and mixed bunch of arcade-inspired games. It's obvious there is a couple of direct ports here, which is a shame but understandable, I guess. It's also obvious that Gary's skill in getting the best out of the Atari ST improved considerably over the years and he certainly ended on two huge highs with Alien World and Scooby-Doo & Scrappy-Doo. In fact, these two are Christmas crackers and blew me away in terms of quality programming and gameplay.
I often wonder what it must have been like for people developers back in the day working against the constraints they were under. Anyhow, I personally enjoyed doing this compilation and found it incredibly interesting. So who knows what I'll do next? Hey, have you played any of these games? What did you think? I'm interested to hear your thoughts...
