Rogül

Ten Dimensions of Doom

Originally released on the Atari 8-bit by Wojtek Bociański, Rogul arrives on the ST/STe courtesy Retro Blitter Team (yes, those of Cannon Fodder fame), with strikingly atmospheric visuals by Hospes. You already know how much I love roguelikes, so the thought of another sent quivers down my giant sword (ooer!!).

This time, we’re not simply descending into a creepy dungeon; we guide a lone warrior through ten demonic dimensions to eventually challenge Amalotolos. He is the tyrant who has plunged the realms into chaos, spreading hunger, violence, and death through his ruthless rule and ever-present minions.

Of course, the goal for each level is to kill monsters, build XP, and level up to get stronger for the worst monsters that lie ahead. Clear enough of any realm, and a Portal Key will eventually drop, opening the way forward. Amalotolos is waiting in the tenth and final realm. Yes, I'm scared already.

Your survival hinges on exploration, lots of killing, clever use of the turn-based system, and whatever is in your backpack. Along the way, you can gamble at mysterious altars for divine favour (or punishment), and spend hard-earned gold at rare trading machines that appear every few realms. Thankfully, there are many items to aid your journey, ranging from health potions to scrolls for teleportation and much more.

The first level gradually introduces you to the type of challenge that lies ahead. However, it’s not long before you face tougher and more aggressive foes with different skills. So use your melee weapons and hit hard - these range from blades to heavy hitters like war axes and great swords. Range attacks are possible, but only when the monsters drop bows or crossbows. Tactical positioning is key to success, as the immediate terrain modifies the combat stats of both you and your enemies. So look where you're standing!

I must admit that after my first playtests, Rogul is beyond impressive. I tip my hat to Wojtek for creating such an impressive game. He's taken the #roguelike format and ramped it up with some truly exciting ideas that I love. Kudos to the Retro Blitter Team, who proved their incredible talent in converting Rogul to both ST models, using each computer's respective audio strengths. Of course, the STe is better because of its DMA hardware, but you won't believe how much until you have played for yourself (follow my Rogul posts on X).

Just a few more weeks until the bugs are squashed and the final touches are added...

Prepare thyself!!

I'd like to express my gratitude to KtZ and Hospes for sending me an early version. The public release is pencilled in for the end of May, so whilst you wait for that, you can play Rogue (that I improved with DMA-streamed audio - check that out), along with the magnificent Nano Cave that blew my socks off. So, until then, here are some cool screenshots...

A gorgeous loading screen as displayed on the STe using its extended palette.

The screen is littered with enemies, and those (grey) Banshees are scary!

Yes, I'm hiding behind a wall. Too scared to come out!

Remember, not everything goes into your inventory as it's used straight away.

You receive a bonus when levelling up or casting a Wisdom Spell.

Wow, I've finally reached the surreal 10th dimension, and I'm scared stiff!!

I did it. Amalotolos is dead!! 💀 💀 💀 

Cannon Fodder [WIP]

Fodder Reborn

When Cannon Fodder hit the shelves in 1993, it wasn’t just another game - it was an instant cult classic. Rightly so, it's a cool mix of action, strategy, and a dollop of dark humour thrown in for good measure. I loved the game, and even had the Atari Jaguar version, which played better than I imagined it would using the pad.

The game has us commanding a tiny squadron of soldiers, leading them through jungles, deserts, and snowfields, looking for enemies to blast to smithereens. We could use machine guns and grenades, blowing up little huts and generally running around like the A-Team, killing everything. So much fun!

I was thrilled when Cannon Fodder eventually arrived on the ST. However, this joy was short-lived as it became evident that we had been saddled with a lazy port without proper horizontal scrolling. For me, this has always been a bitter pill to swallow for over three decades. I’m not interested in excuses; a bad workman always blames his tools. Confusingly, this was the same person who gave us Sensible Soccer. Wow!

Fast forward three+ decades, and we finally have a proper Cannon Fodder with horizontal scrolling thanks to Krzysztof (kTz) Jarzyna of Retro Blitter Team (you need an Atari STe or an ST w/Blitter). No need to rub your eyes in disbelief, as it's true - no more jarring screen flips! Now, the battlefield scrolls as your squad advances. So, Cannon Fodder is fully playable without the need to look over our shoulders at the Amiga fanboys. Not only that, but Hospes will soon improve the intro's graphics and feature background music!!

I'd like to tip my (virtual) hat at Krzysztof as he's obviously worked hard hacking away at the code to find ways to improve it. It's still a WIP, but after all these years, we have a fully playable game. That makes me very happy!! So gear up, as we’re finally entering battle in a version the Atari always deserved!!

Here are loads of links to the new game, along with loads of other cool stuff...

• Retro Blitter Team's Cannon Fodder is available for download (*WIP*).
• This ultra-sexy new version has been added to my list of Enhanced Games. Check it out.
• Fancy something different from war? How about skiing with Whipper Snapper Race?
• I couldn't finish without mentioning this classic Golden Dawn intro!!
• kTz and Hospes are featured on Demozoo.

I made a little video, just to show the horizontal scrolling.

If in doubt, lob a grenade as quickly as possible!!

Finally, after decades, I'm actually playing through Cannon Fodder!

Shall I risk wading across the water or look for a better route?

The desert proves tough with hidden traps, so don't get blown up!

The Dukes of Hazzard comes to the world of Cannon Fodder!!

Very tough now, especially with guys off-screen accurately firing at me!

2026

Dust off your joysticks

We’re all still cold with winter and barely into the new year, yet the Atari ST scene has already tried to warm us up by delivering three brand-new games, with one even taking advantage of the STe. As if that wasn’t enough, Jonathan Thomas has also been teasing us with his next project over on X, and if you don’t know who that is, shame on you - go and play Pole Position or Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge immediately.

So here we are, it’s still only January, and I’m genuinely thrilled by the Fuji passion 2026 is already bringing. Yes, I used AI to create the logo as I cannot draw. Don't dwell on that too much, because there are three cracking games that you should play. Let's take a quick look at each before you click the download links...

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Babaliba, by Carles Oriol

This is a remake of the original ZX Spectrum game published by Dinamic Software back in 1984 (I love their Atari ST games!!). Sadly, I suspect this game never really made its way out of Spain, as it’s one I’ve never encountered before. The Atari ST version retains the look and feel of the 8-bit original, but with bugs squashed, visuals improved, and a map added to help you survive the maze (you'll need it).

We play as Johnny Jones, a fella with a big nose, dropped into a top-down labyrinth that will feel instantly familiar to fans of Sabre Wulf or Feud. Ignoring his rather large nose, the goal is to explore, find treasure, use keys to unlock new sections of the map, and deal with monsters using screen-clearing bombs. All while trying (I think) to rescue a princess along the way. Just don’t hang around after dropping one of those bombs!

You can download the game from his GitHub page and also follow him on X.

This is so authentically Speccy, and wow, Johnny really does have a big nose!

PuckMan, by Laurent Gaillard

The first Atari STe game of 2026 is a fresh spin on the little yellow pill popper. Everything you desire is here: that gorgeous retro theme, frantic ghosts chasing you around the maze, tight responsive controls, and smooth gameplay that feels like the arcade experience. Laurent has even added overscan support, using the top and bottom borders to stretch the display ratio, which makes it feel more like a proper arcade cabinet in this respect. And yes, it’s STe-only as the Blitter and DMA audio are also put to excellent use.

No need to play solo as both 1 and 2-player modes are supported, which my daughter absolutely loved. I feel this plays very much like the original and easily ranks as one of the best "Pac-Mans" I have tried on my Atari. Just don’t forget to hit 'C' to insert coins, and then press keys '1' or '2' to choose the number of players.

You can download Pac... sorry... PuckMan from his itch.io page.

PuckMan is a screen-filling beauty for the Atari STe.

Vlak, by Baky

Finally, we have a 1993 MS-DOS take on the classic Snake formula. Once again, I've not seen this one before, but the core of the game is instantly familiar - it's Snake! Only this time, we are a train, gobbling up objects instead of just fruits. Each pickup adds a wagon, and as your train grows, the challenge comes from avoiding crashes - not just with walls, but with yourself (as I often find out). Once the level is cleared, an exit opens up, letting you move on to the next screen, where things get trickier on a harder screen.

The download is available from Atari Portal.

Hilariously addictive, but very hard after the opening level. Be warned!