Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge #AtariSTe

It's finally here, folks!!

After months of development, the time has come to ditch your PC and dust off the old Atari. Yes, a public release of the Atari STe upgraded Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge will be available to download from tomorrow - April 10th. The only caveat is that your computer requires 1MB RAM and a working floppy disk drive. Surely nothing too drastic to ask?

The original plan was to update Lotus with all the features missing from the original ST release. Jon added sky rasters, revamped roadside details, and boosted the framerate. He later used the Blitter Chip to crunch those car sprites and smoothly scroll the landscape, which delivered even more speed. Jamie Hamshere worked on the DMA audio to ditch the horrendous chip effects. As you can imagine, the end result of all this effort is quite staggering.

I'd like to thank Jon for all his hard work and for sharing with me everything that he was working on over the months. It's been great to follow, a fascinating experience, and tons of fun. I would like to thank Jamie & Masteries for their incredible DMA skills; I'll never forget the first time I played Lotus with sampled sound effects alongside the chip music.

Downloads will be available from tomorrow morning via AtariMania. Well, that's my weekend sorted...

One day, I'll get myself a sports car, and I'll live the game for real. One day...

Did you know?

The new Lotus Esprit actually works on the Atari ST and features sky rasters, faster gameplay, and more. The only caveat is the requirement of 1MB RAM and also a Blitter Chip (check the Options menu in GEM if you're unsure!). All Mega STs meet these requirements, and late-model STFMs have an empty socket... Feeling tempted to upgrade?

Worried that you don't have a working floppy disk at hand? Well, the download is compatible with floppy disk replacements and can also run off a hard drive/ultrasatan using programs like Floppy Image Runner. Check that out!

The 16MHz Mega STe can run Lotus at dizzy speeds - just hold down the SHIFT key at bootup to activate it. Also, if you're missing the peculiar YM sound effects, then press the ALT key at bootup to disable the cool DMA samples.

Finally, if you have extra hardware connected to your Atari STe, like hard drives, then disconnect and power off. Do not leave the hard drive on and attempt to bypass the auto-booting. Power it off and cold boot the computer.

Check it out, I made the high score table. Honest, I swear I did... ahem!!

Preview Release Timeline Updates (for reference)

I've made a few video recordings to flaunt the features of each release. All credit to Jonathan Thomas, Jamie Hamshere & Masteries (DMA audio) for all their hard work with each new release. Don't worry, the fantastic chip music remains an option, and the STe's DMA playback has no negative effect on the framerate. Great work, lads, keep it up!!

For reference, here are the links from each development build I have received:

Apr 10th - It's finally here to download from AtariMania!!
Mar 31st - video #6 Player two has sky gradient, Blitter scrolls the landscape per pixel, more audio refinements and a higher framerate!
Mar 28th - video #5 Portugal track (audio sample for the intro and many improvements made to the volume balance of YM/DMA.
Mar 21st - video #4 Practice track with a massive change to the audio. Lotus can play play DMA sound effect samples alongside the glorious Ben Daglish chip music!!! Volume refinements to come thanks to Jamie...
Mar  7th - video #3 Iceland track (DMA sfx).
Feb 28th - video #2 Mexico track (chip music).
Feb 21st - video #1 Italy track (chip sound effects).
Feb 21st - website feature with information, specs, photos, etc.. :-)
Dec 24th - Jon posted on Atari-Forum about his Lotus plan!

Crazy Cars III

Oh no, another Crazy Cars?

Yep. I was a bit worried because the first game was rather crude, and the second had infuriating mechanics that angered me. So, as you can imagine, I was sceptical about the third. Okay, it's 1992 (I wish), and Titus appears to have redeemed themselves with something that actually looks rather good. What??

Yeah, it looks cool, and with a funny background story proving that you should never refuse a gift. Imagine being offered a Lamborghini Diablo? Ugh, take it and drive away as fast as you can, and that’s what we’re doing. Sure, we spent most of our life savings running it, but we now own a sexy sports car. More importantly, we have enough cash left to compete in America’s Bull Run, the Saturday Night Races.

This massive event spans the lower 48 states, pitting drivers against fierce rivals.  Four divisions are contested, and the competition begins at the bottom of the fourth division with a modest $6000 in the pot (did I say modest lol). Fortunately, this is more than enough to fuel our journey through Miami, Denver, and Memphis. Each victory boosts your purse, unlocking the potential to compete in more costly races elsewhere.

Enough yapping, I think it's time we viewed the opening screens...

Put the pedal to the metal!

Before you rush off and waste cash, it makes sense to practice. The map shows many locations, and each has a varying degree of difficulty thanks to narrow, twisty lanes, obstacles, and other cars. Not to mention the cops who are looking to boost their Christmas party fund. Well, why bother arresting real criminals?

Once you feel you've practised enough, slap yourself and then practice some more - you won't regret it. Eventually, you will be ready and can head over to the Tournament with confidence. Pick yourself a character, I'm always the Mr T lookalike! It's a good idea to play safe, with something you can afford, I advise Memphis. All "yellow" places are initially open to you with details of fees, prizes, and those dreaded cops.

Prize money is awarded for coming 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, but it's possible to boost this with the rival drivers. These guys are always up for a flutter - an opportunity to earn extra money? So long as you don't get too big for your boots and practice more than just once. Yes, you really should practice. Take the hint!

It sounds complex, but it's not so let's take a gander at some more sexy pixels...

Titus 2:13

Crazy Cars III is thankfully nothing like the first two in terms of gameplay and quality. It's a rush slamming down the road, zooming by the other cars, with the thrill of passing a dreaded rival. The controls are excellent, with our joystick used to steer the red beast: push up or hit fire to accelerate, and pull back to brake. You can choose between manual or automatic gearboxes, which means I choose the latter!

This racer is fast and furious (sorry) and feels like Titus sneakily took inspiration from others, like Lotus II. That's okay, there are lots of examples of rip-offs being better than the originals, and it's the gameplay that matters. So play dirty, but always keep an eye out for the cops. Those guys never give up and will try to chase you all the way through to the end. So whaddya gonna do? Flee or be a good citizen? FLEE, of course!!!

Win big and collect the bounty, then take what’s owed to you by rivals. Now it’s time to think about spending your winnings. You could fix your car or enhance it with a better gearbox, turbo boost, tyres, and more. Perhaps you could even unlock a tougher race now that you’re the Million Dollar Man? Repeat this process until you’ve earned enough to enter the Divisional Race and potentially get promoted.

And finally, it's time to view some amazing in-game screenshots. Enjoy these belters...

A shiny red car and a roaring engine?

Yup, now we move on to the aesthetics. They never matter, but are nice to have...

Well, the graphics are ace. Simple as that. This is one of the most glamorous 16-bit racers with a decent framerate and good sprite scaling for everything that whizzes by. The weather effects are a nice addition, but only if you've remembered to change the tyres. The palettes I adore, as they use beautiful colours. Perhaps the most visually-gorgeous racer on the ST?

The audio is good with a neat tune and sound effects. Most effects are YM chippy and could have been better, but there are some cool touches, like when going under a bridge. The best is the whirring sirens of the cop cars, which are excellent. But this highlights the Diablo's mundane engine sounds. That needed to be a sample... Ah, well, can't have it all?

Here are some funny faces and the sweet smell of failure for the last few screenshots...

The CryptO'pinion?

Every game has its flaws, and I felt my Diablo could have cornered better. I also disliked the overly narrow tracks and the inconsiderate locals who caused (my) road rage. This affected my driving skills and my wallet as I had to pay for all the extra repairs. Perhaps there are simply too many cars on the roads, or is it just me?

Enough with the whingeing, ya' old whinge bag! Crazy Cars III is absolutely outstanding, and it’s easily the best in the series, hardly surprising given the fast thrills and mechanical excitement to be had. I love the freedom to customise the car, gamble and race through stunning locations. The rush of being chased by relentless police is exhilarating. Perhaps this racer is even better than Lotus II, which is a tempting thought.

Set aside a few hours for you and the kids. You won't regret this need for speedster, it's blummin' excellent!!

Download the floppies via Atari Legend

Stunt Car Racer

Cunning STunts

Stonish are having a fantastic year with tons of new additions to their database. I downloaded a few of these cracking menu disks (see what I did there?) and ended up playing through the goodies found on Supremacy #7: James Pond, a Steve Bak classic. Action Fighter, hey, this is good. The Mystic Well, one for geeks! But it was Stunt Car Racer that had me hooked. Well, it's a classic 16-bit racer that hasn't aged at all.

Back in the day, I remembered friends telling me about a new 3D racer by Geoff Crammond. It's a cunning mix of Evel Knievel and (a playable version of) Hard Drivin'. Some games age like a fine wine. This is one.

Let's take a peep at all the drivers. A weird bunch, although High Flyer looks cute...

Genius track design with incredibly cunning tricks and a motley crew to race against!

30 years later...

I booted up Stunt Car Racer and attempted a couple of practice laps, like it was 1989 again. To my surprise, I didn't crash or fall off the track!!! So I played another game and even participated in a league challenge, which I won. Now, I began gleaming with pride because this wasn't like me at all. Normally, I suck at all games. Yup, this success went straight to my head, and I started to get very excited - not easy at my age!

So I dared myself on and practised several different types of wicked tracks, with varying degrees of success. I'm being kind there: The Stepping Stones is a killer, which I think everybody should foolishly attempt, Kamikaze style. It's insane!! The Draw Bridge looks easy but has a nifty trick up its sleeve... I'll not spoil that. And The Big Ramp features a ginormous monster gap, which can only be jumped by going over 200mph. Are you fast enough? There might only be 8 tracks, but they are beauties, and this game proves itself a classic.

Wanna see some gameplay screenshots? Are you up for that? Of course, you are...

I love the way you are dropped in!

Now the fun begins against a blocky opponent.

I thought I was catching him up...

Sigh, I skidded into the dirt - only to watch him zoom away!

This is fun fun fun!!

Practice mode is great for learning the ropes and mastering those difficult parts of most tracks, but I found myself jumping straight into the league to compete against a computer-controlled opponent. These guys are well-balanced - the computer ain't no slouch, but nor is it Jimmie Johnson (ie, impossible to beat). Additionally, you can compete against friends and even hook up your ST to another glorious Atari computer. Or... maybe you have an Amiga friend to link up with? Nah, I didn't think so, but it is an option. ;)

Stunt Car Racer is controlled using the joystick: pushing up accelerates, whilst fire enables turbo boost for extra speed. Pulling down breaks (and can reverse), which comes in handy after falling off the tracks. Turning left or right isn't overly sensitive, but precise and natural, so comfortably realistic. Thus, instantly playable! Mastering the buggy's controls isn't tedious like other similar racers. In fact, it's rather rewarding.

Success will come because this game is playable! A trait often overlooked, and here I triumphed...

    
You win some, you lose some... Stick with it, and you'll be their hero (click 'em)

Aesthetics!

Graphically, this lacks the polished pizzazz of Lotus 2 or Crazy Cars 3. Thankfully, that is actually a good thing because the framerate doesn't suffer from unnecessary aesthetics. The graphics may look bland, but this simplicity is what keeps the action smooth. I'd rather have that any day compared to nicer aesthetics.

Sadly, the sounds aren't exactly the best I've heard from my ST: there are numerous effects, but that engine noise could have been better (I found myself turning the volume down). I'd love to see this improved with STe DMA effects just like we have in other games [subtle hint directed at Jamie, Jon, and Peter!!]

So, it looks & sounds weirdly acceptable, but moves like a dream! It's screenshot time...

This is always a cool glimpse at the next track, which I love.

In fact, I'd go as far as saying that these images are some of the best in the entire game ;)

The CryptO'pinion?

Stunt Car Racer is fast and furious with wonky tracks that are thrilling to race on, thanks to the spot-on perfect physics. Whether you choose to master the tricky stunts (in Practice mode) or jump straight into a league battle, I guarantee hours of fun. The stunt aspects are addictive, unlike Hard Drivin'. Mr Crammond delivered a truly wonderful racer, which is both incredibly exciting and bucket-loads of fun!!

This is one of the very best Atari ST racers and is worth nothing less than a glorious rating of 10/10.

I suggest you bob over to Atari Legend

and download this, plus many more ST goodies!!

Test Drive

I fancy a road trip!

Accolade's Test Drive was released in 1987 and is one of the games I got free with my Atari ST, so I have fond memories of it during my early 16-bit days. It begins with an intro of a dude sitting in his Porsche, before winding down the window to display his very-cheesy grin. Then he speeds off into the sunset!!

There are five sports cars, and each is on the main menu with lots of technical details (that I've never read). Their artwork is gorgeous, and I personally think the Corvette is the best of the bunch for a road trip.

It's time for some screenshots, so let's check out the choice of smooth riders on offer...

I've never really been much of a Porsche fan... More of a girl's sports car, right?

Okay, it's not a Ferrari 308, but that doesn't stop me from thinking I'm Magnum P.I.

I can't say I'm a fan of this, and the handling never really excites, more terrifying!

(Insert James Bond theme now). Okay, it might not be that fast, but we love British muscle!!

I'm more of a muscle car fan myself, but the Chevrolet Corvette is a beauty in every respect.

An oldie classic?

Test Drive is a race against the clock with points awarded for faster times along a seemingly endless mountainside highway. Driven from an in-car perspective, you will notice that each car has a realistic dashboard. I love that, and it includes the manual gearbox controls, which briefly display with each shift.

I found the controls a little wooden, but I soon got the hang of them after a couple of races. A red dot on the steering wheel helps pinpoint an indication of your turning and direction. It's helpful, albeit crude. However, I admit, it does make up for the lack of analogue controls nicely. Considering that, it feels natural.

Like cars? Like rocks? Then you are gonna love this next screenshot...

Ahh, the open road of a road trip. Wait, another car? Argh, it's suddenly gridlock!! ;^)

You're not alone!

Beware, you aren't actually on a race track; it's a highway. So, with that in mind, you should watch out for other people. I'm talking about those annoying civilians who are driving on these (once-safe) roads. They seem to love head-on collisions!! There are also cops, so it's a good job that your car is fitted with a radar to help signal when they are nearby. Either slow down or hit the pedal to watch them disappear in your rearview mirror!

I treat these moments as a green light to push the pedal to the metal, but that's just me! Don't forget to refuel at the gas station checkpoint before continuing with your Bullrun Rally. Petrol doesn't last forever!

Honestly, I'm a good driver. Especially after a few beers, as shown in this next screenshot...

Sometimes your road trip can go terribly wrong!

Old school aesthetics

Test Drive runs at a nice framerate and has some funny characteristics, like the grey fella driving his truck. How about the steering wheel without hands? Or the slo-mo effect as your windscreen breaks up after a crash - it's almost worth slamming into an oncoming vehicle just to see that. Also, the dashboards are superb, with the Corvette being my favourite, but all cars feature equally great graphics.

Musically very nice with lots of jingles and tunes during the menus and screens when filling up with fuel. The car's sound effects aren't the best; it's all buzzy compared to other oldies like Turbo Cup. Shame.

I love how the game looks, even if the cars sound like a bee trapped inside a drum. Screenshot time...

It's time to fill up before hitting that open road.

The CryptO'pinion?

Test Drive offers an enjoyable drive without the rush of a speedster like Vroom or Crazy Cars III. It's more like a charming Sunday drive without that thrill of speed. But don't let that put you off, this is a great driving game and one I have a soft spot for. This cliffside road tripper is the beginning of the historical 90s series.

To think that this series began on the Atari ST. Yep, it's a grand racer with loads of great cars for the rocky American roads. I wouldn't say it's the ST's best racer, but I love it to bits!! Fantastic game.

8BitChip has a hard drive version, which I recommend!

Atari Legend has floppy disk images.

Update: There is an excellent new video by Wasabim.

Over the years, there have been many Test Drive games, and I loved playing the fifth on the PlayStation back in the day.

Lotus Turbo Challenge II

Buckle up!

If there was one racer I adored on my old Atari ST, it was Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. The semi-realistic physics helped to make it utterly addictive without ever crossing over into boring old simulator land. It has such amazing graphics, almost an arcade-like quality, with fun gameplay that was both exciting and challenging.

Lotus 2 offers more of the same excitement but is different from the original in several ways. Firstly, we aren't racing a set number of laps around a circuit, as there are checkpoints to reach during a road trip across the lush American continent in our flashy car! Also, don't drool, but the entire screen is now used!

Do you wanna see a cool screenshot with blue skies and an open road? Let's road trip...

Vroom!! The roads are absolutely superb to provide a thrilling challenge!

Fast open roads...

This isn't just a racer but more of a road trip adventure across the States. Also, the environments can change depending on the conditions, as we have the weather to endure, which adds an element of pseudo-realism. Even if the other drivers fail to use their headlights at night (what? Am I being too picky lol)

I also think they captured the feeling of speed incredibly well - it's almost Vroom standards. Strangely, our car appears to be running on fairy dust because there is never a need to refuel your Esprit or Elan. Which is good, who needs that kinda realism? These differences certainly help Lotus II leap away from the original and into a whole new driving experience, whilst still remaining familiar with the original.

It's now time for another screenshot, but this one is of a lawbreaker. What? You heard me...

Come on, it's nighttime, and nobody is using their lights. Where's the police? Ha!

The CryptO'pinion?

Lotus II is incredible and one of the best racers on the Atari ST. It perfectly combines elements of a good race with the feeling of a Bullrun combined. So we get to see the 16-bit world in this speedster.

I cannot stress enough how much I recommend Lotus II. It's just as enjoyable as the magnificent original, so it zooms in high on my Top 10 list of Atari ST drivers. Download it right now - you won't regret it!!

Downloads for floppy or hard disk!!

Turbo Cup

ROOAARRRRR!!!

Turbo Cup was released in 1988 by Loriciel and places us behind the wheel of a Porsche 944. Enjoy the practice run before moving up to the thrilling race events against computer-controlled competitors. The graphics are great, and even though I'm no Porsche fan, it's one of the best-looking 16-Bit racers. Sound effects are equally nice with the roar of that engine, which beats the YM buzz used in other racers of the day.

What I love is the player's point of view because the perspective is quite unique and gives an illusion of a wider view. There are also some neat physics, which prevent the race from being easy, so perhaps you should take the corners a little slower? It's no sim, but it's still a tough cookie and one that will take time to master.

Turbo Cup is a hard racer and will take many attempts before you've mastered the control mechanics. Stick with it, and you've got yourself a great racer that also looks and sounds rip-roaringly superb.

Much overlooked due to its learning curve, but I love this racer to bits!!

• 8BitChip has a hard drive installable version to download.
• Old Games Finder has all the floppy disk images you could ever need.