Certain games, I am never going to bother reviewing here on AtariCrypt because everyone already knows them. For example, Eclipse's amazingly sadistic shooter, which is the 1991 sequel to Wings of Death. So, instead, I've created a gameplay video to showcase the levels (I tried to last as long as possible without dying!). Okay, I know that there are already squillions of video recordings out there, but I feel I must add my own. Plus, this gives me the perfect opportunity to add Lethal Xcess to this ever-growing list of enhanced games.
If, like me, you are struggling to successfully play this zappy shooter, then check out my previous page for Wings of Death (linked below). Many of its gameplay tips apply here, and it's not always a case of rushing to collect every power-up dropped by these ferocious enemies! Switching weapon types will only get you into trouble - so I stick to the same weapon and upgrade it rather than switching to something else.
Grab a coffee, sit back, and watch my talented gameplay video before clicking on these links...
Floppy disks are best sourced from Atari Legend, and I used Fuzion #128.
Both PP and D-Bug have hard drive installable versions.
I've had Grav on my bucket list for far too long. Like many, it's something that I fondly remember and wanted to share with those who may have missed it. Grav is similar to Oids, Thrust, and Rotor. It wasn't commercial, but rather shareware, released by Martin Brownlow in 1991. Now that is impressive!
The story goes like this: something evil is going about conquering galaxies and now has its eyes on ours. This predictably sinister creature has now arrived at Earth, so rather than wait for our demise, we are tasked with a preemptive strike at two of its secret bases. Each is split into four separate missions, and we can choose which to do first. Every mission has a briefing; always read that before attempting the challenge. Completing all the levels wins the game and sends whatever this evil entity is back to its own galaxy.
I love original storylines with evil creatures wanting us dead! Let's take a screenshot break...
The start screen - read the briefing and use its craft options wisely.
Wait, STOP!! Don't shoot that generator because we only have half a tank of fuel.
Phew! I wasn't an idiot after all... That blue glow means I'm refueling.
Gimme that joystick!
Before diving into the main game, I recommend starting with the three training missions. As you begin, you'll notice key information at the bottom of the screen: your score, unused bombs, fuel level, shield strength, and remaining lives. These training levels are designed to help you get familiar with the controls, understand the typical cavern layout, and learn about the dangerous enemies you'll face. The controls are similar to other shooters: Left and Right rotate your craft, Up activates thrust, and Down is something you need later. Tap the fire button to shoot, or hit the Spacebar to launch a powerful bomb - perfect for tougher foes.
Each cavern has a myriad of hostile objects that the enemy has planted in various locations. Turrets are everywhere and fire constantly, while other hazards like Repulsors push your ship away. (Yes, there are Attractors too, pulling you in). Later levels introduce new and improved turrets that fire more rapidly. Another enemy launches homing bombs that seek you out - so shoot them first. The base cannot be destroyed until its bay doors are open. Additionally, don’t go around blowing up everything without thinking. Remember that fuel gauge at the bottom of the screen? You’ll need it. Generators - oddly enough - refuel your ship when you land near them. So maybe don’t shoot those straight away, not until you've robbed them of their worth!
Always begin your game by reading the mission briefing; it instructs you exactly what is required to beat each level. What I didn't expect was the "Review Craft" option, which allows you to use a limited supply of "resource points" to upgrade your craft. This is similar to Rotor but much better and feels part of the game rather than a bolt-on. It's here you get the opportunity to make several adjustments to the controls...
Impact Shields - to protect from enemy fire (1 point)
Turn Rate - alter the rotational speed (0 points, so use it)
Shot Power - costs the most and is possibly overrated at the start (5 points)
Vane Strength - for better landings (2 points)
Thrust - for a speedier ship, but practice first! (0 points)
I'm sure you are ready for a screenshot break before the gripping conclusion? Here you are then...
Beginning the first stage, and it's tough from the get-go!
Turrets are firing from both sides, so don't dawdle!
I made it up, and instantly, a hidden turret appeared. I was quick (for once) and shot it!
CryptO'pinion
Let's be honest, for a shareware game, GRAV rocks. It's absolutely superb and almost up there with its commercial siblings, which is quite incredible when you think about it. I adored being able to alter the ship's mechanics (I preferred to reduce the turn whilst increasing the thrust and improving the shields). However, nothing can completely compensate for my gaming skills, but Grav sure tries its hardest. Ha!
It's not all roses, as I found the cavern designs harder than I first imagined. Boy, are there some tight spaces to try and navigate? Not to mention if near a Repulsor, that made it nigh on impossible for me to pass. Also, I hated having to restart from the beginning after dying. My last moan is about the audio - I find it odd that the ship makes no thrusting sound. Everything else makes a sound, yet the engine is eerily silent.
Like the other games previously mentioned, Grav is another "Gravitar" game to gleefully add to our catalogue. It's great to play with smooth scrolling and sampled sound effects. Plus, I loved the little touches - like being able to intercept enemy fire, making use of training missions, and reconfiguring your craft. The only thing is, it's very tough. Are you a good enough pilot to take on this challenge? I hope so because this is a damn fine shooter. Although I shall never have the skills to complete it, I rate Grav an alien-splattering 80%.
Here is an arcade game that gets slammed for its jerky framerate and bizarre 90-degree turns! Rightly so, eh? Well, hold on... Similarly to Power Drift, we have a racer that uses the Blitter chip within the Atari STe for a much-needed power boost. It also utilises the extended palette and features incredible DMA digidrums to bop along to. Yet, none of this is mentioned on the game's box to promote it. Why would a company do that? I bet sales would have doubled if a typical STe owner thought their hardware was being used.
Before I begin, let's do a copy/paste from the Power Drift feature, because the same applies here, "...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)."
I’ve run Cisco Heat on real hardware (STf & STe). It's the same on both, but the STe sounds great and delivers a better framerate, especially noticeable when dodging cars, and everything feels smoother by comparison. Don’t get me wrong - this is still a conversion that’s far too impractical for a 16-bit machine. There are too many cars, obstacles, and hideously hilly roads that help to work against the already struggling framerate.
It’s surprising to learn that the Atari STe code was quietly added byDouglas Little. Makes you wonder if ICE Software wanted to avoid embarrassing the almighty Amiga! Overall, the Atari STe fares better than a Blitterless ST. Dammit, I actually enjoyed playing Cisco Heat on the STe – something I never thought I’d say!
Ratings are as follows: for the ST, I’d say 60% – it’s playable, but your eyes feel like they’ll pop out thanks to the choppy framerate. On the STe, I’m giving it a law-breaking 75% because I could actually enjoy it for more than a few minutes. And my eyes stayed in my skull, and I even “mastered” those horrendous corners.
Far too ambitious for a 16-bit, but give it a try and let me know what you think...
Sometimes I stumble upon a game that is just weird, and System 4 is exactly that. It looks like QBert and plays more like Painter: we control a robot that hops around the screen, changing tiles so they all match in colour. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of bizarre enemies constantly getting in your way - Robot Hunter, Mad Devil, Paint Fool, and even one called Girl Friend (yes, really!). These scurry about, messing up your tiles, and it's best not to bump into them too much. They try their best to undo your hard work, so be quick.
Interestingly, this was designed and programmed in 1991 by Hugues De Jonghe [aka Lord Blitter] and R. Puchner. Which got me thinking... Sure enough, System 4 uses the Blitter for its sprites and screen draws. This was enough to warrant this quick gameplay video to add System IV to our Enhanced Games page!
Please note that the game appears to be corrupt when loading on the Atari STe; simply wait and press F1 to begin. System IV also runs on the STf, but is slower unless equipped with a Blitter Chip (which is odd, given how undemanding the game is). Best of all is hitting F2/3 on the main menu to access an extra player with the option for multiplayer, which is superb! Though be warned, it does make the screen even busier with so much going on.
This is a good game and worth booting up to see how far you can get, especially with a friend. You know, I love unexpected finds like this, and System IV has you running around like a headless chicken, but it's also kind of amusing. I've no idea why, but I really enjoyed playing it a bunch. No, honestly, I did!!
Before you download (Automation #505), here are some cool screenshots. Can you beat me?
To celebrate the Easter holidays, I thought I should do something a little eggy (no, not that!). Yep, I've gone and mapped another game for my ever-increasing collection that I hope you check out. Magicland Dizzy can be found mapped elsewhere on the internet, but I wanted to make an official Atari ST version!
Originally released by Code Masters in 1991, it was developed by Derek Leigh-Gilchrist with graphics by Leigh Christian and music by Matthew Simmonds. Now, being a bit of an odd bod, I've never taken much time to properly play the ST's Dizzy games. So, I figured I should choose Magicland Dizzy because I started playing it a few years ago, but never finished. Not even close! So, here we are, and it's also fully mapped.
So what’s the story then? Well, Magicland’s fallen under the spell of a nasty evil wizard who’s gone and captured several of our deliciously nutritious friends - who are at serious risk of being fried, poached, and scrambled (well, they would be if I had anything to do with it lol!). But wait - the wizard clearly didn’t count on Dizzy’s puzzle-solving talents, because our little egg-on-legs hero plans to save the day!
This sounds like a cracking game. Well, let's see a helpful screenshot before we carry on...
The game has a fantastic intro showing off the basics of exploration and puzzle solving.
Eggciting gameplay?
As you would expect, explore Magicland and tackle loads of ridiculous puzzles - some are straightforward, while others are irritatingly vague. Cracking these will help us rescue each of our friends and, in turn, take down the wizard himself. Let’s just hope Dizzy’s up to the task - especially with me in charge of the joystick.
Talking of joysticks, the controls are spot-on perfect as you wander around each screen looking for anything helpful. However, the only places this isn't so are the ones that had me leaping over water. One slight blunder and Dizzy is plunged into an immediate death (with a precious life lost). These parts are so finicky and annoying compared to all other rooms, which are perfectly designed. Yes, I ended up using a trainer!
Guiding our Easter egg through a charming fantasy world filled with quirky characters and oddball items is pretty brilliant. Well, to start with. You will soon find yourself scratching your head over most items; some are pretty obvious, as the game breaks you in gently, like using a key to unlock the castle door. Others are harder, like helping the witch and finding the dagger to free Denzil. Factor in having only three lives and (replenishable) energy drainage by touching anything nasty, and it soon becomes a tough challenge.
Sadly, many puzzles don’t make much logical sense (at least not to me!). Some problems are bizarre, and that situation worsens the further you venture. Magicland Dizzy goes beyond trial-and-error problem-solving and into the lands of guesswork and pure luck. Honestly, I would have never cracked the game without online help. That's something I'm not happy about, but impossible without. Especially when wanting to make a map!
I'm egghausted now! We need a little screenshot break...
I had to capture this screenshot simply because of its name!
The CryptO'pinion
I enjoyed Magicland Dizzy, but I struggle a lot - maybe I don’t get the logic behind each problem? Possibly, as I had a similar experience with Slightly Magic. Though to be fair, that game felt more straightforward, with puzzles that actually followed some level of common sense. At the end of the day, Spikey in Transylvania still stands out as the best of the bunch (at least from the ones here on AtariCrypt). It managed to strike the right balance, offering puzzles that were not only clever but also genuinely fun and satisfying to solve.
Okay, I might be giving a negative opinion here? Well, I'm not saying Magicland Dizzy is a bad game. It's not. It's got loads of cool screens with silly puzzles that expert Dizzy fans will appreciate. The graphics are beautifully cartoon-like, and the audio features stunning chip music. However, what puts me off rating Magicland Dizzy as high as Spikey In Transylvania is the puzzles, which is the game when you think about it. I found many made little sense, and I would never have sussed 'em out without resorting to help.
Magicland Dizzy reminds me of my 8-bit days playing Stormbringer, which brought back many happy memories. Sadly, I had more fun playing the previously mentioned games than this one. Don't get me wrong; it's a good game, but there are better Dizzy-esque games. So I rate this an overcooked, hard-boiled 60%.
Not the result I was hoping for, but it's hardly a rotten egg. I hope you download and use the map. This game deserves your playtesting, so let me know what you guys think. Have a blessed Easter †
Spikey is a Viking who crashlands near a village called Transylvania after suffering horrendous weather conditions in the North Sea. He has no weapon or shield but has kept hold of his helmet - just to maintain that Viking look. Weirdly, his shipmates have been rounded up and locked away in a dungeon - so it's our job to free them. Thankfully, the cell keys have been scattered about in different places. All we have to do is find them and free our comrades. Easy.
Is it just me or does Spikey look an awful lot like Hägar the Horrible? Anyhow, Spikey in Transylvania comes from the same Code Masters stable as the Dizzy series so it's hardly surprising that it looks familiar for both gameplay and visuals. Released in 1991 and programmed by Dave Clarke who sadly, didn't seem to do a whole lot more for the ST.
Hey, wanna see some screenshots of the earlier puzzles? Of course, you do! So gander at this lot...
Farmer Piles!!! It's like something from a Carry On movie. Brilliant!
The pixel art in this room is amazing. Love the cauldron, the wizard, and the king's painting!
So what's the plan?
Our adventure begins in a village of a few houses, including a pub and a very hungry farmer. After escaping from one of the houses, our task is to gain entrance to the castle where our friends are held captive. Surely an impossibility, as it's guarded by a really mean soldier (hmm, why not try bribing him with cash). If you've played any of the Dizzy games before then you will already know what to expect as you help Spikey scour many rooms for carelessly discarded prison keys.
Things begin simple and, if I'm honest, remain simple throughout. For example, the first puzzle is escaping from a house - the front door has no handle and there is a doorknob on the floor. This is the level of difficulty for most of the puzzles and I enjoyed that a bunch because they never came with baffling/vague clues - or a solution that made no sense.
Yep, that's the level of the difficulty which isn't bewildering but very entertaining. It's time for more screenshots...
I wanted to take this screenshot as the dog approached to take a bone. But he was quicker than me!
Bored, eh? I think he needs a Walkman to listen to. Showing my age now, right?
Explore, examine, scrutinize!
Once inside the castle, it's a myriad of mazes but nothing too overwhelming. And I liked that a lot. Getting around is very easy and makes exploration perfect. Once again, there are puzzles to solve but nothing mind-blowing. For example - a drink for a thirsty guard, ghosts will flee from the Cross, and you should wear Wellington boots in the mud. The only puzzle I failed to instantly solve was with the cannon - which was dead simple and something I didn't even consider!
Walking around the village and castle areas is never too troubling but there are still some dangers to look out for. Spikey only has four lives and each has a finite amount of energy that depletes when coming into contact with angry soldiers, rats, ghosts, dripping acid and so on. Sadly, health replenishment is scarce (very scarce actually) with only the odd pieces of chicken or bread left lying about. Stay clear of rotten foods that will only make Spikey feel a lot worse.
Unlike the adventures Dizzy endured, Spikey can walk left/right but cannot jump. Instead, he moves diagonally in/out of the screen which is pretty cool. Sadly, it's not perfect as you can occasionally get stuck on objects or walls. The inventory is a cinch, just hold fire and move up/down to pick up/drop and left/right to select what object you wish to use. Dropping most objects near another character will solve that puzzle as they will automatically collect it and reward you.
This isn't a huge game but it's big enough for a pub, which is never a bad thing. Check out these beer swiggers...
The local Wetherspoons! My kinda place. But then everyone stops and stares at me! Creepy.
Hmm, weren't there some gloves carelessly left lying about?
Aesthetics
The graphics are by Jonathan Smyth who also did Cj in the USA and Cj's Elephants Antics. As you would expect, they are gorgeous and would look perfect in any cartoon with a colourful design. The backdrops are good but it's the characters that feature stunning details - I loved the beedy-eyed rats who watch Spikey. Sadly, there is little animation which, I'm not too bothered about, but it would have been nice to see a roaring fireplace rather than a static flame.
The audio fairs differently with a choice of chip music or sound effects that can only be selected on the title screen. The music is by Ashley Hogg (who worked on Cj in the USA and Cj's Elephants Antics) and is superb. Sadly, there is only that one tune which loops around constantly during play. If you opt for sound effects instead then you shall hear Spikey's footsteps along with a ding when interacting with objects. And that's that. Bit disappointing tbh.
Here is one of the cells holding a shipmate so hurry up and find all the other keys! Then everyone can party...
This is one of many cells holding our mates. Simple task - find the keys!
This is the end screen - just to prove I did it!! Sorry for the spoiler :p
The CryptO'pinion?
I have thoroughly enjoyed playing Spikey in Transylvania! However, it's not a big adventure and there isn't enough food available to replenish his energy. Also, the puzzles are quite easy (even for me) and I completed the entire thing in just a couple of hours! I cannot imagine fans of Dizzy, Elf, Spellbound or Stormlord will be impressed by that?
However, ignoring these quibbles, this is extremely enjoyable and very addictive. So I loved the progress I made right from the start. The puzzles are logical without any irritatingly pointless solutions which meant I continued on and loved every second. So how can I say anything terrible about a game that gave me so much pleasure? I cannot.
Before you view my map (click it), grab this cool puzzler for either a floppy disk or a hard drive and enjoy...
Don't be a muppet and click the thumbnail image to download the hi-res map of the game.
