When Pac-Man isn't actually Pac-Man? But it's only 4Kb in size, so you'd be an idiot to demand more. 4k Pacman was released in 1995 by The Chaos Warriors and programmed by Edge, possibly around 1995 (my estimate). You know, I remember first seeing this "game" and wasn't too impressed, so I guess I was that idiot(!).
Use the cursor keys, not a joystick, to control our little Pac-Man. They are very sensitive, and you (ahem) may find real hardware is better. You get three lives, and hitting the space bar quits to the desktop. From the start, you will see how the ghosts try to get you. The AI is more like H-Mec than Pac-Man because the ghosts don't wander; instead, they blindly mirror your XY position. It's best to try to trap the ghosts rather than having them free to chase, but don't worry too much because it's really tough and (IMHO) quite impossible.
What a curious oddity, a tiny game compressed into the size of something a Vic-20 would run. An incredible achievement, and it might be worthwhile checking out the source. A programmer could easily alter the ghost AI and more. However, that guy isn't me, so I'll shut up and hope someone takes a stab at it.
The game and source are included in the download via Atarimania and Demozoo.
Of course, because 4K Pacman uses the Blitter, it goes straight into this list of Enhanced Games!
You've no idea how impressed I was with my performance here!!
Some puzzle games just feel right the moment you boot the disk, and Square Off is definitely one of those. Released in 1995 by legend Dave Munsie, this is his take on the Tetris formula - though it's much more. Compared to other versions, it isn’t exactly going to dazzle you, but it is bright and colourful. The audio is the same, really: no-frills, but with plenty of great samples (especially on the Atari STe).
Hey, when did games demand fancy aesthetics to be enjoyable?
At its core, the rules are the same as Tetris: rotate and drop pieces to complete lines, but stack too high and it’s game over. Munsie has added some neat ideas to shake things up: Classic Mode is the purist’s choice, while Arcade Mode ramps things up across twenty levels of steadily increasing difficulty. Each stage demands a set number of lines, with backdrops changing every couple of levels to freshen the view. Later rounds even start with junk blocks already placed, though the occasional fire bomb power-up can help clear some much-needed space when things get tight. And for those lucky enough to have friends (unlike me), there’s a fantastic Battle Mode where you can cunningly punish the other player by dumping extra lines on their board.
The mark of a great game is when you suddenly realise you’ve been playing for ages without noticing. That’s exactly what happened as I grinded through Arcade mode. Square Off takes Tetris and adds just enough to make it feel fresh, thrilling, and different. My only gripe? The music option that does absolutely nothing – at least for me here (4MB STe). Regardless, Square Off might just be my favourite Tetris on the ST/e!!
I had problems with various disks (real hardware), but the adapted version by 8BitChip ran fine.
All screenshots were taken from my very first attempt. Not bad for me!
Hey, what's this? It looks explosive...
Kaboom - blocks cleared!! Yes, I think that will come in handy.
New level, and junk blocks are automatically placed on the board.
Oh dear, things are getting a little mad for me here...
This level starts with junk blocks that make it quite impossible (for me!).
Yep, that's me done. Still, 32530 is a good score!
Nope, not this time - it’s HangPenguin! Opus, as I’ve just discovered, is actually from a comic strip by Berkeley Breathed, and he goes by the full name Opus T. Penguin. Any guesses what the "T" stands for? For his one and only outing on the Atari ST, he’s starring in a GEM game of Hangman. This program was created by Bryan Cafferky using Personal Pascal and is a simple take on the classic word-guessing challenge.
As expected, it’s all about picking the right letters to reveal a hidden word. Get one wrong, and Opus inches closer to his doom. There isn't anything groundbreaking, but I enjoyed the humour, especially the silly reactions when you guess correctly (or mess up). His death is particularly amusing for someone with my mind!
Additionally, one of the best features is that you can edit or create your own word lists, so you’re not stuck solving the same puzzles every time. That’s actually a brilliant touch, especially for those who fancy playing with their family on & off over the years. Yup, I hope I’m not the last person left alive to download and play this! So go on - give it a go and see if you can save our feathered friend from his fate.
I was wading through a few PD disks and saw this game. It rang a bell, but I wasn't sure why. I booted it up to read the name "John Hodskinson", so another bell began to ring. I was starting to think I was in Notre Dame, going insane with all that ringing! Then it hit me where I had heard the name before, HangAbout! Yikes, 5+ years have passed since I played that unique cliffhanger (heck, I even mentioned Haywire!)
This is a dead-simple game that deceivingly looks like it's gonna be Defender. It's nothing like it. Sure, the landscape scrolls left/right, but there are no lasers or aliens to zap. Instead, we are here to gather several cute critters left roaming the planet's surface. Okay, it's Defender, but without the frantic action?
We start with a mothership deploying us in a craft that performs like Flappy Bird, struggling against gravity. This ship is fragile, even with its shield, so try to avoid hitting the ground more than five times. Creatures wander passively on the planet's surface, and rescuing them is as simple as making contact. Once on board, return it to the mothership to ensure its safety. As you advance, new hazards and challenging weather conditions are introduced. The level is complete when all the creatures are safely returned to the mothership.
There are eight planets to search while hunting for these creatures, though I doubt I’ll beat this game anytime soon! Unfortunately, there’s a time limit, and you all know how much I detest those. But that’s the extent of my complaints, as the graphics are modest but also amazing, gliding along at a smooth 50fps.
Haywire loots different ideas yet still manages to become something quite unique. I never expected to enjoy this daft/irritating "collect 'em" as much as I did. Am I good at it? Not on your nelly!! But I had a bunch of fun bouncing my way along a sparse planet looking for... well... to me, they look like hamsters!
Have you not played this before? Fancy something different? You've got it!! Highly recommended.
Imagine a fantastic sci-fi future where we are members of an exciting explorational team called X-Plorer. Deep space is scary, and, you guessed
it, something went wrong! But something always goes wrong, right? Yep, we
end up stranded on an alien planet light-years from home. Of course, it's
an unfriendly world of vicious creatures that need killing before we can
escape home. Or is it just a Joust ripoff set in the wilderness?
Killing Impact is based on the Falcon030 original by David Fournier of Rebel Vision, who appears to have only produced this one game. The idea is
simple, and if you've played Joust, you will already know what to expect in terms of
basic gameplay. Unlike the original, Glad takes place over dozens of jungle screens on an
alien planet. Its wilderness is crammed with enormous plant life and crazy critters
that don't like your presence. The objective is straightforward: travel the terrain, killing everything, whilst making your way to the exit.
Sadly, that's not possible for the unlucky ST protagonist because our conversion appears somewhat unfinished with only two levels complete. Not only that but when/if you reach the end, you're left trapped in the final
room. Regardless, we still have a huge game with dozens of screens!
As a version of Joust, the controls ought to be spot-on. I'm grateful they are just that and implement the standard jousting
practice - defeat the enemies by lancing them from a higher
position. There are optional weapons like bombs, but these are impossible to use. In stark contrast to the main controls, they are awful and demand a combination of holding a direction whilst hitting fire - in midair!! That doesn't work.
Being Joust, this doesn't need to be a solo mission, as Killing Impact supports two players. This is quite special and adds tremendous value, especially when one player can lure the enemy into the open for the other to strike. The expected restrictions apply ie, both players remain on the screen at the same time.
That's about it for Glad Killing Impact; flip-flap through every screen, killing anything nasty. Forget the weaponry and concentrate on the
(excellent) jousting to defeat your foe. Ultimately, you will reach a boss, and
these guys are always tough nuts - so beware!! This leaves only one question: what is this "Glad" thing about?
Okay, let's pause the boring reading for a couple of sexy screenshots...
Watch out for the dragonflies, which are deceitfully cunning
creatures.
Oh no, a dragon!! These chase well but aren't quick, so easy prey.
Aesthetics
As you can see from the screenshots, the visuals are exquisite. If I had
one, I'd tip my hat to Frédéric Fournier and Christian Rey for their gorgeous jungle and
underwater artwork. Equally, the sprites are a variety of nasty creatures, superbly detailed and with excellent animation - I
love the jellyfish and dragonflies.
The hardware scrolling/Blitter isn't used so we're disappointly stuck
with single screen push-scrolling. Thankfully, it's implemented well for good effect and
maintains a fluent update on each screen. Sadly, this isn't perfect and can
be irritating whenever you're inconveniently near the screen's edge.
The audio is a different story, with passable spot effects used for
movement, killing, and other oddities like the underwater bubbles. There needed to be more, but perhaps the near-silence is a good thing so you can hear the
jouster's flip-flap? Hey, at least the title screen has a decent (non-DMA) digital tune - is it Quartet?
As conversions go, it looks better than it sounds. Let's view some more screenshots...
Later on, level one takes us underwater and is very nice.
This is just one insanely difficult screen from level two. Ugh,
so tough!!!
The CryptO'pinion?
Bear in mind, I haven't played the original Falcon game, but somehow the ST version feels "rushed" and certainly incomplete.
Don't get me wrong, the basics are ported well with great graphics and jousting controls. Level one is massive, incredibly well-designed, and a bucket load of fun. This is why I decided to map the game!!
However, the second level is incredibly difficult to be anything other than terrible because it's cramped with too many enemies. Additionally, the weaponry is overcomplicated, so something I never bothered with.
Based on the first level, a thoroughly excellent Jouster, I heartily recommend. My rating is 85%
The final room. I defeated the boss, but then nothing happened...
As always, the images you see are simply thumbnails, and you can
download the hi-res originals by
clicking here. Additionally, I've mapped many other Atari ST games, which you can access by clicking here!! I hope my maps persuade you to play all these great games yourself. Hey, let me know in the comments below.
The first part of level one is incredibly playable.
With a couple of new monsters and a change of style. Well, it's
more of the same.
The third part is mostly underwater and is a great way to complete
the level one journey.
This is level two and is impossible - without cheating. It's a
barstool of a level!!
Every so often, I find silly software that makes me smile for no particular reason. It doesn't have to be a game; just look at the Steve or BoinkSave articles. That's what I love about the Atari ST: the history is immense, but can also be surprisingly frivolous. Well, here is a game that made me grin like the Cheshire Cat!
Sam in Monster's Garden was released in 1995 for the Atari STe by Sebald Loic [aka Sam23]. That's right, this game supports the Blitter, extra colours, and DMA. Now that you're expecting big things? Well, these images show that it's similar to Dig Dug, with its screen laid out like a maze with several items to collect.
Remember, this is public domain! Okay? Right, let's check out a couple of screenshots...
He smiles but still looks rather worried. Or drunk? Yes, drunk, because of that walk!!
The yellow monsters are pretty dumb, but often massive in number.
Dig Dugging through the garden
Sam in Monster's Garden is a simple and familiar game. Walk the screen, gathering the various items, and once all are collected, exit to the next level. Dead simple, right? Well, it would be but for the horde of dreaded monsters! After all, we are in their garden, so I guess they're not happy about us being there?
From what I've seen, thanks to my gaming skills, there are two monsters:
The yellow ones aimlessly wander whereas the purple ones come crashing in carving a own path through the garden. Each will materialise after you begin a level, which offers a moment of grace. However, once they start to appear, their numbers are plentiful and they spawn regularly.
There are ways to kill these beasts: the first is to use the garden's apples. Walking under these loosens the soil, and they fall, crushing anything underneath. Another way is to push them Pengo-style. Lastly, we can use a gun that fires one bullet at a time. This bullet bounces around the open areas until it hits a monster.
That's all there is to this bizarre game; quickly collect the items, and begin the task again on the next level. As you progress, the difficulty increases with more enemies adding to the frantic gameplay.
Hardly original, but it's silly, and I'm positive your kids will love it. Let's check out more screenshots...
I was panicking here as I had one last fruit to collect, and these monsters are fast!
As you can see, they appear in droves but are as stupid as they are quick.
Aesthetics
Each level looks much the same: green area with apples and other collectables. Sure, it's (umm) based on Dig Dug, but everything is overly large, thus creating a rather cluttered or claustrophobic feel later on. Apparently, the Blitter is used (for the sprites?), and the extra colours are displayed. Can you see 'em?
Regardless of silly expectations, the sprites are the strongest aspect of the visuals, with the monsters a quirky bunch with decent animation. Sam wobble-walks like Frankenstein's Monster, and his dying animation is superb. Touch a monster, and you'll see its body break up and fall to the ground. Fantastic!!
The audio is good with a boppin' chiptune playing in the background. The music is accompanied by a few DMA sound effects. It's hardly Death Chase for quality, but good to have. Zero complaints by me.
Remember, this isn't a commercial game. Still here? Good, let's see more screenshots...
Broken body and dead. Reaching level 25 was my personal best.
In the following game, I bettered that to reach level 27. Sadly, I never beat this achievement lol
CryptO'pinion
Sam in Monster's Garden is great fun!! The first few levels are ridiculously easy and can be completed before any monsters appear. That grace period is most welcome later on when the action is frantic. However, it's these monsters that make and break the gameplay because there are too many, and the screen becomes cramped. Add in a pinch of suspect collision detection, and they've spoiled what might have been.
I'd rate this around 65% as it could/should have been much better. However, I appreciated having something different to play, and I'm positive your children will enjoy this for all its ridiculous mayhem.
Go on, download it and treat your family to some silly, pointless gaming!
I was talking to a friend who loves Super Mario Bros. However, that's something I've not played because I had the ZX Spectrum before moving up to the glorious Atari ST. He swore at me, saying it was the best platformer ever made, and other nonsense like: I didn't know what I was missing. Thankfully, he has now been sectioned, but his silly opinion got me thinking about Super Stario Land, which is (cough...cough) similar.
I remember playing it a few years ago, but struggled to get very far, so I decided to give it another bash over the weekend. Shockingly, my skills had not improved, and I rebooted my ST after only a few games - to enable the trainer option!! I hoped that would compensate for my poor reactions. In fact, I had the bold intention to record a "longplay" but those darn flying fish put a frustrating end to the idea, which was so disappointing!
Why is it I'm always so bad at every game I enjoy? Let's crack on with a couple of screenshots...
Stario left the house without a weapon? What a fool...
Now he's gotta squish the nasties using his boots!
A platformer without a gun?
Top Byte Software released this in 1995, so it ranks as one of the last commercial games for our beloved Atari ST. For those living on another planet for the last couple of decades, Super Stario Land is a shameless Mario ripoff - it doesn't even try to hide that fact at all. It was programmed by Adrian Keylock, who did an excellent job considering no enhanced hardware was used. Yup, it's as smooth as silk on any Atari ST computer.
Stario can walk, run (hold the fire button), and jump over his blocky 2D landscape. Many of these blocks can be nudged for points and sometimes a weird bonus - I love the one that makes you grow twice the size/strength, and I will never refuse a much-needed 1UP. The levels are populated by lots of critters that can be killed by stomping on their heads, although some require a double jump, whilst others are immune.
Your environment is very much a "Mario" clone using the expected bric-a-brac with tube-like structures, water, moving platforms, etc. Everything was intended to feel this "familiar", but what interested me was the levels themselves, which follow a large design using randomly generated stages. Sadly, this design will often backfire for a weird Deja Vu feeling as you explore the same bit of landscape... more than once.
Hey, let's see more gorgeous screenshots...
Watch out for falling rocks!!
Every critter is so cute and detailed, even the evil flying fish!!
Looks, sounds, Gameplay?
The graphics are designed by none other than Richard Davey, of the legendary LGD and supporter of AtariCrypt. He's certainly taken the time to get that console look right - from the blocks, the landscapes, and incredibly detailed sprites. The baddies are really cute, it's almost a shame to squash 'em. Well, almost lol.
Audio can be flipped between the default sound effects and chip music by simply pressing the F9 key. The effects are quite good, but there's not enough going on, so you're left feeling empty and wanting more pizazz from your old ST. Thankfully, nothing compares to the gorgeous Big Alec tunes. So that's an easy choice!!
The joystick controls are excellent and incredibly responsive without any lag. Having said that, you should get in a few practice games to master the enormous level of inertia. I wish I had a pound for every time I slid off the edge of a moving platform to my doom! After a few goes, it soon becomes second nature.
It's screenshot time, but these are for all those ST nutters in Australia...
Enter 'australia' into the high score table, and you get a rather unexpected bonus game!!
This is freaky and quite impossible to play, but hilarious at the same time.
The CryptO'pinion?
There are always a few niggles, and Super Stario Land isn’t perfect and has a few that can be frustrating. The flying fish are particularly annoying because their unpredictable patterns make it difficult to judge when they’re coming. This creates a sense of pure luck if you manage to get past them. I said IF.
Stario is unofficially Mario in many ways and offers a ton of console fun. But as a platformer in its own right, this is a fantastic game with superb joystick controls and exciting levels. I absolutely love it, and I highly recommend that you play Super Stario Land. It’s nothing short of platforming excellence!
When I first loaded Zaptastic, I assumed it was a cheap Robotron rip-off, but it's actually based on an old Jeff Minter game called Ancipital. Lee Burrows not only coded this conversion but also did all the graphics and sounds. It runs on both models of ST but is intended for the Atari STe, as it uses the Blitter for the sprites and DMA effects. Sadly, I couldn't get it to work on my STFM without getting two nasty bombs popping up!
We're in control of a Dolph Lundgren dude with spiky hair and shades who must frantically clear 64 rooms infested by an array of nasties. He gets around using the screen's four sides and can escape the horde by leaping to the opposite side - but be careful because your shield won't last forever! Firing is constant and in the direction last used, but can be temporarily frozen by holding down the fire button <cough> Llamatron.
Visually, things are amateur, but it works great with lots of silly sprites filling the screen. The audio is insane thanks to the DMA coprocessor pushing out funky samples to keep everything loud and exciting. Overall, this is one incredibly addictive and psychedelic shoot 'em up, and I loved every zany minute of it!!
Zaptastic can be downloaded at ST Format (disk #81)
