Showing posts with label PD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PD. Show all posts

Saturday, March 09, 2024

ZOG


Grab your joystick!

During my time away (wow, that made me sound like a criminal) I was enjoying videos by many YouTubers - ugh, I hate that expression. Anyhow, people like Trusty, PJ Neiland and those Vertical Blankers have released several amazing Atari ST videos. Go on, click those links and take a look for yourselves - but remember to come back here afterwards.

Earlier in February, Into The Vertical Blank released a massive video about many different ST shooters. One of which was called Zog by Chris Lloyd who designed it using SEUCK by Palace Software - and this acronym stands for Shoot 'Em Up Construction Kit. Now, one thing I did pick up from their video was his American pronunciation of SEUCK. I can't speak for all ST nutters over here in Blighty, but everyone I knew pronounced it as a human sound effect: Schhhhuck!

Ah... Okay, so it was just a few of us crazy fools over here then? Damn, let's move on quick...



Frantically bashing the fire-button like a madman hoping not to die!


Am I getting old and slow?

Chris released Zog in 1990 and it appears to be his one and only shooter 'em up (at least for the Atari ST). The gameplay is typically simple; a vertical-scrolling shooter with nothing flashy or fancy as you might imagine - but this is homebrew stuff we're talking about. The docs are pretty thin on the ground but perfectly explain the gameplay: shoot everything that moves. Even shoot the stuff that doesn't move. And that sums up this perky little shooter very nicely.

As with any similar game, we are positioned near the bottom of the screen with the nasties coming into view at the top. Shoot, dodge and blast everything you can whilst trying not to die. Points are awarded for successfully killing the enemies but you only get three lives - which isn't nearly enough. Thankfully, an extra ship can be earned every 10,000 points.

If... you... survive... long... enough!!

Our ship(s) manoeuvre very spritely, but that doesn't mean avoiding the bullet hell is easy. Well, certainly not for me thanks to my old man's reactions. Fortunately, Zog supports two-player mode which is absolutely superb!! Another cool thing is the use of autofire. Yep, no need to hysterically bash the button and I loved this little 'cheat' a lot if I'm honest.

Right then, it's got to that point where I stop waffling on and show yet another screenshot...



With two gamers playing at the same time things improve drastically!!


Aesthetics

Visually, this is a pretty neat game considering that it isn't commercial and also reminds me somewhat of Frenetic. I've played a few games developed with SEUCK and none will blow you away. However, it looks pretty good and the scrolling is smooth(ish) albeit with a slightly reduced screen size. Enemy sprites move predictably, making their way across your screen briskly as the landscape scrolls - a positive testament to the ability of this underrated development tool.

Sadly, there is no title music and all in-game sound effects are the traditional zaps and zings you've heard before. These YM effects are good but a decent background chiptune would have been a miles better option.

Steve, stop complaining because this is public domain! Sheesh, that idiot fella? Hey, it's screenshot time...



A message you see a lot. Argh, if only the gameplay was better optimised...


The CryptO'pinion?

Let's be honest, I doubt anyone will bother downloading this game any time soon. There are already many ace ST shooters like Lethal Xcess, Flying Shark, SWIV, Goldrunner, or Xenon. Heck, maybe even Chopper X. Well, maybe! ;)

However, Zog was released as public domain, so, with that in mind, I enjoyed it. Embarrassingly, I have to admit that didn't get very far! This is one tough cookie and I would have loved any kind of optimisation to its insane design. No matter how I try to avoid the stray enemy bullets, I always end up dying quickly. Which is hardly entertaining, is it?

Having said all that, it's a totally different story as a two-player shooter. With a friend, the hoard-blasting gameplay is fantastic. In fact, I'd go as far as saying this shooter feels like it was meant to be played this way.

So, how should I rate Zog? That's right, a slight improvement to the "CryptO'pinion" as I shall now provide a score (let me know whether you think this is a good idea). Firstly, my greetings to the Fulton boys for their enthusiasm by (wickedly) bringing this game to my attention. It's never a dull moment finding something new and I had lots of fun!

I'm gonna rate it a respectable 65% for dual-gaming. Knock off 10% if you're hammering that fire button alone.

What, you disagree with me? Then get it downloaded from Atarimania and let me know what you think in the comments below? Finally, go and check out Atarilegand for a ton of other SEUCK games listed.

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Worm



I got worms!

Every so often, I come upon something so ridiculous it's weirdly enjoyable. Well, today I found an absurd game called Worm which I can imagine was made for kids. Oddly enough, the big kid within me still found it very amusing. Worm was developed by Craig Graham of Data Uncertain Software and is a public domain release (shocker). The title screen says it was released in 1991 but the game files are time-stamped 1989 on my floppy disk so who knows... Maybe a default?

The story is, we're a worm called Ooey Gooey who is on a mission to save the world from an unnatural disaster. Yep, we have been invaded once again by monsters that threaten our very existence. These nasty creatures have they've taken all the worm's eggs so it's our job to rescue those before it's too late (hey, do worms actually lay eggs?).

Wow, I've just googled it and worms do indeed lay eggs!! On that note, I think we better see some screenshots...



The title screen oozes a professional presentation easily on par with the Bitmaps ;)


There is a designer used to create your own levels. Look what I've started making...Hmm!


Let's play

There are 25 whacky levels and each is displayed side-on like many platformers. Using the joystick, Ooey can crawl along the ground, ledges, and other objects looking for eggs. This isn't exactly mind-blowing but there are some located in high areas and worms cannot fly so how can we grab 'em? Well, it's a good job Ooey has a hidden gadget - a helicopter pack! This is actually pretty cool and he uses it to reach those dizzy heights no worm was ever designed to see.

Don't be too quick to rush off and collect the eggs because there are other items for points and helicopter fuel. Also, there are power-ups like extra lives, invulnerability, and ice - used to freeze both enemies and everything else. Once all the eggs are collected, we are automatically whisked onto the next room to repeat the task on a slightly tougher level.
Interestingly, the main menu has a scroller but it's incredibly lame!! However, it does mention about a possible cheat code "Craig Loves Andrea". Perhaps it's for the high score table or maybe a key combo? I didn't have any luck but YMMV. If anyone's still reading this review, then let me know in the comments below.
And that's about all there is to this bizarre game. It's dead simple to play and quite enjoyable in a terrible way...



Leave the title screen alone and you get to view the instructions.


The evil eyeball looks drunk!



The CryptO'pinion?

To be honest, there's not a whole lot to this game and its design feels very amateur with crude aesthetics. Weirdly, I actually found the concept humorous, and enough to warrant writing about it. I really admire what Craig was trying to achieve but sadly, the sprites are far too big and this also comes with a bunch of truly dreadful collision detection too.

Sadly, this spoilt what might have been a silly and childishly enjoyable game. Regardless, it's worth downloading especially if you have kids - who might need punishing for spending all your money and ruining your life. Whaaaat?

You can find this game and lots more over at Exxos' excellent Floppyshop archive (GAM-3341)

Thursday, July 20, 2023

The best of Dave Munsie VOLUME 1 :)



A lucky find!

I'm always on the scrounge for Atari ST goodies, especially floppies - who knows what gold is still out there waiting to be rediscovered? I see many tempting auctions of Atari ST disks but most are silly prices! Or the disks have degraded due to poor storage - I went through a box recently and only two floppies still worked. That wasn't a good week!

Well, sometimes you get lucky and, this week, I feel I've hit the jackpot. Within a slim envelope were 7 disks and one was by PD Library, Goodmans. I loved that company and remember buying tons from them over the years. However, there was a disk in their collection that I had previously never heard of - "Dave Munsie Game Collection Volume 1". Thankfully, the disk still worked 100% so I quickly made an image of it, because I noticed a carbon copy didn't appear to exist.

On it are a staggering nine Munsie games: Bugs, Kid GP, Evader, Kaboom!, Frogger!, ST Invaders, Dark Pearl, Kid Kong, and Bobble! Now that's some hefty gameplay just waiting for you to boot up. So let's check 'em out...

  1. Bugs - Think Centipede/Millipede and you get the idea for this cracker!
  2. Kid GP - Rainbow Islands meets Bubble Bobble for kiddies. Well, I know I loved it :)
  3. Evader - this is kinda like a weird mash of Galaxians, Phoenix and Space Invaders. Great fun.
  4. Kaboom! - I remember playing this on a mate's 2600 as a kid. Infuriatingly frantic action!
  5. Frogger! - It's good, but possibly the weakest of the bunch, especially compared to Black's version.
  6. Invaders - Once again, Dave messes with the original to produce something new and exciting.
  7. Dark Pearl - I've never liked these games if I'm honest. However, this is well-programmed, I'll say that.
  8. Kid Kong - Another game I'm not too keen on but it's fun - for the Kong fans!
  9. Bobble - It's Tetris, kinda interesting for those who enjoy that. I guess?

Okay, this long-lost floppy disk is now safely stored within the archives of Atarimania so go and grab yourself a copy. It's impressive just how many great games are on this disk plus they're all by Mr Munsie (sounds creepy doesn't it). He certainly knew his stuff and this floppy disk proves just how much fun he must have had making games.

There are more Munsie games for the Atari ST that you should play with several already on AtariCrypt - Asteroidia, Frantick, and Berzerk. Righto, before rushing off to download this disk here are photos and screenshots to gawk over...



This is the disk! The photo makes the disk look nicer than it is - thanks to Instagram for that lol.


Did the world ever get to see Volume II?


I wasn't too impressed with this Centipede clone at first but it's excellent!


Plain, blocky but with tons of colour and cute sprites. It's still a ripoff but a great one at that!


Framerate could be better but this is a superb shoot 'em up of mixed genres.


Oh yeah!! This takes me back to playing the old Atari 2600 game. Simple yet fantastic fun!


2016 saw the definitive Frogger but this older version from 1993 is a great release!


Another game of Dave's that I wasn't umm totally sure about but is yet another exciting blaster!


Ugh, it's not you, it's me (that line, eh). You guys might like it but it's not a game I personally enjoy.


Donkey Kong fans are gonna love this one but is it better than Crash Time Plumber? :o


One for fans of the Tetris genre. Not for me, I'm sorry to say!

Thursday, February 02, 2023

Deluxe Nostram


Into the Wonderful

This takes me back and I remember playing the original Nostram thanks to a magazine cover disk. It was a good platformer but some screens were too fiddly as I recall so I didn't get very far. Well, it was a freebie so I shouldn't complain too much! Deluxe Nostram is the sequel and kinda the same game albeit more polished and with better controls.

Released in 1993 by Powerfist, it was programmed in STOS by Daniel Walton with graphics by Ian Wilkinson. The game map is ginormous with an incredible amount of rooms to pillage and that potential, as an adventurer, is something I value. The documentation has a line that I thought was brilliant: "THE GREATEST ADVENTURE YOU WILL EVER EXPERIENCE". Well, that's surely a bold statement and one that only made me excited for great things. (Yeah, I'm easily pleased)

Wait, this sounds too good to be true? Who knows, maybe, but let's crack on and check out two screenshots...



Oi, you with the helmet head, this is the starting screen where your adventure begins.

Ah, a doorway and it looks wide open too. Don't be fooled, a key is still oddly required...


Don't fall asleep

Today's muscular hero is an adventurer in a castle tower of considerable rooms and bizarre monsters. Our objective is to collect five crystals scattered throughout the castle in order to escape and regain the Wings Of Flight. During the journey, there are obstacles, trinkets to collect and locked doors granting access to mysteriously hidden places.

Any platformer demands effortless, instinctive controls that are responsive and precise. Deluxe Nostram nails this especially as the jump mechanic was improved for the latest release so our warrior is very agile. However, numerous screens are void of monsters or dangerous obstacles which means little reason to exercise these controls. Which is very odd!

So that makes this a rather strange game as I expected content similar to any generic platformer. Nope, Deluxe Nostram presents more of an exploration adventure with a few basic puzzles along the way. But it's mostly just us wandering about looking for keys and crystals if I'm brutally honest. Weird right? Are you still interested?

Nevertheless, it's this explorational element that appeals to me as it's possible to visit most of the screens without resorting to a cheat - because there's little to endanger you. It's silly, but I admit to enjoying going through the entire game rather than worrying about defeating impossibly tough screens. Although, I doubt many reading this will feel the same way?

What, you're still here? That's good! Okay, let's take a look at more purple and orange screenshots...



A weird purple monster walking against the purple background. Hmm...

One of the more bizarre enemies you will come across. I'd say kill it before thinking of moving on...


Aesthetics

Graphically, this is <cough> very familiar thanks to a look and design all too godlike, albeit less sophisticated. I do appreciate the overall display because it's clean and concise so works well. However, there isn't enough variation so everything begins to look quite samey and a little boring after a while. I was also weary of seeing the same colour scheme!

The audio is less than favourable because there is no music and the effects are limited to hitting monsters or collecting stuff. Basically, it's silent and that's a massive shame as a chiptune would have been most welcome.

Fancy a gander at even more gaudy purple and orange screenshots? No? Well, I'm in charge, so tough luck...


One of the most stupid screens as it's impossible to pass the two blades without losing energy!

See that crystal over there? You need that but how will you get it? Make a map!


The CryptO'pinion?

Deluxe Nostram isn't the best platformer I've played but, it's far from the worst. The castle is huge and well-design but sadly, there are too many rooms with little to do. Ie, no moving platforms, slides, acid pools or even roaming monsters! As a platformer, it fails to engage the player and I fear that fact might dishearten a lot of potential players.

To be honest, that factor was actually a nice change, as it enabled me to travel through the castle and that's probably why I enjoyed mapping it? Deluxe Nostram is for those who enjoy exploration so I doubt it will appeal to any generic platformer fan? This is a weird one, I will definitely be interested to know what you guys think in the comments below.

The floppy can be downloaded but PP has adapted a better version that you can grab by clicking here.


The Maps!

Here are the thumbnails for each of the four levels. As you can see, they are all complete but I wasn't able to exit and finish the game as the door (top/left of map 3) loops back (in error) to map 4. And that is the same as the door on the second floor, so I can only assume it's a bug seeing both doors lead to the same place. Yes, I am gutted by this!!


On map 1, the door on the first level takes you to the dungeon level (which is map 2).
On map 1, the door on the fifth level takes you to map 3 (bottom/left door there).
On map 1, the door on the third level is used as an entrance only.
On map 3, the door on the first level takes you to the entrance door mentioned above.
On map 3, the door on the second level takes you to map 4.
On map 3, the door on the fourth level also takes you to map 4 (perhaps a bug?)



[Map 1] This is where we begin our adventure...


[Map 2] The Dungeon, a tiny level that (erm) looks nothing like a dungeon!


[Map 3] Possibly the best level of them all, albeit still with few monsters to contend with!


[Map 4] Presents another place to explore. See what I did there? You would if you had played it... ;)

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Hector vs The Mutant Vampire Tomatoes From Hell


Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes?

Hector vs The Mutant Vampire Tomatoes From Hell was released in 1993 by Pete Whitby of Jetpac fame (remember that superb conversion?). Of course, this is a platformer based loosely on the Space Panic genre and first begins with a fascinating demoscene-like presentation I loved. Heck, it even has a scroller to read - what a great start.

Each screen has a selection of evil tomatoes roaming about like they own the place! There are four types each with different characteristics and abilities but the only way to kill them is to dig holes with our trusty spade and hope they fall in. Then we rush over and smash in their faces with a spade. Gruesome fun made dead simple and I love it.

The monsters have various levels of AI which means there are the thickos who are all too willing to fall into a gaping hole along with the smarter ones who can jump and brandish weapons. What, you thought these privileges were yours alone? Oh, and don't expect them to remain helplessly trapped inside a dug hole - hurry!

Actually, there's little need to hurry because there's no time limit. That's right, no time limit. Fabulous!!


The first level nicely introduces you to the game so experiment with leaping, digging and killing.


Joystick Controls

Hector can walk, jump, and climb ladders and I must say how slick and responsive the joystick controls are. To dig, hold down the fire button and push upwards, whereas pulling down fills it in. A hole doesn't need to be completed in order to temporally capture a tomato, which is a superb ability, especially on later levels.

Hector is free and easy, he can change direction in mid-jump anytime and can cling and fall off ladders at will. That's a lot better than it sounds. This tomato-basher can even sneak up on any tomato to instantly begin the joy of clubbing. Try it!! Oh, and don't forget to jump! Have I said just how amazing the controls are?

Splattered tomatoes produce a range of bonuses - points, bigger leaps, extra lives, and more. You want guns? Yes, we have guns that can shoot, freeze and even throw out sliding landmines (an unexpected and welcome mechanic). Always grab any bonus because I felt they are an integral part of the gameplay design and success!

The joystick controls are extraordinary, both in function and in the fluidity of action. Wonderful just wonderful!!


Okay, I've got a weapon and I'm not afraid to use it.


Aesthetics

Each level feels 8-bit and is a little boring at times. Okay, it ain't no Rainbow Islands or Magic Pockets but that's okay because I like the style which is perfect for the Panic theme. The sprites are the best thing with cute expressions and are nicely animated - just wait until you see the Berzerker, so freaky. I love how he looks.

Music is wonderful and there's a great reason for that - thank you Jochen Hippel for his absolutely magical musical talent - amazing!! The sound effects are produced from a variety of FM samples so, I imagine Pete didn't have an Atari STe, which is a tremendous shame. Hang on, did I just hear a Rick Dangerous sound effect? Oh yes, excellent!!


Argh! Don't forget where you dug those holes otherwise you're left hanging and vulnerable.


The CryptO'pinion?

Hector provides a brilliant spin on the Panic genre with perfect controls for fluent movements that have us leaping and clubbing the freaky fruits with ease. However, I'm baffled why he climbs the ladders so slowly as this doesn't gel with the rest of his movements. And that's my one and only beef with this incredible PD game.

For me, the game design, controls and AI are marvellous. All these help to make the game so playable and therefore very, very addictive. Quite simply this is one of the best platformers I've played in ages. Amazing game.

Okay, the all-important download, a great video by Wasabim, and some more awesome screenshots...


The main menu is ace with a belting chiptune, scroller and helpful information.

The only level I didn't like the look of because it's a bit too green 'n mushy!

Those tomatoes are annoying so squash them for a great pizza topping!

I love the armour this guy is wearing but who's that sneaking about near the top? Freaky!!

I scored 9301 on my second attempt. Not a bad score if I'm honest. Can you beat me?

Friday, October 16, 2020

Evasion II


Ignore the looks - play it!

Evasion 2 was developed by Chris Skellern for Budgie UK and is a maze game where we run around collecting pills whilst being chased by the nasties. Yes, I know this sounds all too familiar but the structure of the gameplay's mechanics is different and very much a frantic rush. Each level offers a chance to collect power-ups - to freeze the baddies, drop smart bombs and gain extra lives. Heck, you can even drop mines in their path which is a brilliant touch I thought.

There might only be 8 levels but completing them grants the chance to do it again - but with insanely zippy baddies!! This is a perfect example of how cool retro gaming is. Evasion is maddening and I really enjoyed the frenzied challenge.

No, it's not a lame pac-man clone. You will love the adrenaline rush it provides. Highly recommended!!

Grab the download off AtariMania and why not also play Starburst (another corker by Chris Skellern).


Ignore how it looks. Yes, it isn't 1982 but since when did aesthetics matter? #GameplayMatters


Beware, these humble-looking tiny blighters are actually infuriatingly intelligent and fast!


Arghhh!!! I came so close to finally completing the game - and without cheating! :o)

Friday, June 05, 2020

Minefield



- You sunk my battleship!! -

Everyone loves the Battleships board game? Well, I know I do! So here is Minefield by Donald Campbell which is kinda based on the idea only this time we're driving tanks across a minefield made from 64 square tiles. Our opponent is your beloved Atari ST who is trying to do the same and the one with the most through wins!

There are three difficulty levels with the first being "Dead Easy" which makes your Atari ST appear rather dumb. Especially as it fails to learn from its mistakes... The second level is "Quite Easy" and a marginally better opponent. Finally, we have "Intelligent" which is the most fun and even uses its cannon to locate mines. Sounds like fun, right?



As you can see, I shot the square ahead to reveal a mine. Wow, that was a close call. Phew :)


- Play The Game -

We begin each game by placing five mines secretly on your opponent's board (the ST will do the same on yours). Each player takes turns to safely guide a tank from one edge of their board to the other. We start each game by selecting any square from along the bottom row. Our tank can only move upwards or diagonally upwards and once a square tile has been used, it's removed from play. This will restrict your options later on...

Remember those five hidden mines? Well, to help locate these, use your cannon and fire at any square tile. The explosion will either result in a face or a skull: a smiley face means the tile is clean and free to use. However, if you see a skull then stay clear otherwise it's instant death - and for the duration of the game. Both players repeatably take turns until no tanks remain and the one with the most safely home is the winner. Easy peasy!


Sometimes this game shoots itself in the foot thanks to its earlier (bad) decisions...


- Graphics & Sounds -

Visually, this game will blow your socks off!! I'm talking 200+ colours, 50fps hardware scrolling and all in overscan... Okay, okay, there's nothing like that whatsoever but a game like this needs nothing more than to be functional. The board is basic but clear, the smilies are cute and the skulls look cheap but I really don't care. Nor should you.

I wasn't expecting much in the audio dept and that's exactly what I got. The old YM chip struggles as I fear Donald wasn't much of a sound guy? There are a few basic effects but it's all pretty lame and the tanks sound like a wasp is trapped in a spider's web. Not good. However, just like amateur graphics, it doesn't matter.



...and, ahem, as you can see we humans aren't too clever also. Sigh!


- The CryptO'pinion -

Sadly, I'm not convinced about the three difficulty levels, especially when watching the computer make some terrible mistakes. So it's a shame there's no option for two [human] players which would have been nice. Also, the 8x8 grid layout is a little too restricting and can leave both players with zero options towards the end - even though a couple of tanks might still remain. Okay, it's time I stopped being an idiot and remembered this isn't a commercial release.

Technically rubbish, yet here I am about to rave on about why you should download Minefield. I can't give you much of a reason, other than I've played dozens of games and loved every single second!! Yes, it's crude. Yes, it looks terrible. Yes, it sounds even worse. Yet, it's one of the most enjoyable board games I have played. Great fun and I loved it.

Tuesday, May 05, 2020

The Galactic Miner



We dig for diamonds, we dig for gold...

Galactic Miner was developed by William Anderson of (wait for it) Willie Wonka And The Software Factory. How ludicrously funny is that? Anyhow, this started life on the TI-99 4/A and is basically a Digger developed using STOS. However, it doesn't appear compatible with many models of the Atari ST/f/e but more on that problem later.

Dig Dug fans are gonna love this but we begin with a terrain map that details the quality of possible mining locations: white areas have the best pickings, brown is good whilst green is poor. However, travelling costs money, and we don't have much, to begin with, so it's best to keep things local. Once a decent spot is chosen, a fantastic animation displays us driving along in a truck before stopping to erect a mining shack. It's from here we can lower ourselves down into the mine.

Chose the location of our shack wisely. Here is a screenshot of the mining map...



We're the red block and this is the map used to pick ourselves fertile lands. In theory!



Shack Attack!

Our shack wouldn't be complete without a credit-munching Vendomatic! This machine is used to restock dynamite that is used to clear a path through the mines. Droids are bought to help protect us from sneaky thieves and Clones aid with extra lives. The final option is another shack, which will be used at the next dig site. Sounds expensive, right?

But wait, that's not all the magical shack offers! There's a copy machine - which is used to exchange mined ore for credits. Eagle eyes will notice a save game feature - which you should use regularly! The doorway represents an exit onto other sites but the computer isn't something I've used - because I've never earned enough credit... Hmm, everything costs money! Finally, use the hatch to return to the mine but don't forget to turn out the light on your way out!!

Let's take a peep inside our shack, it's pretty cool actually...



Not your typical mining operation but everything you need is available from inside your shack.



Too scary for Miner Willy!

Okay, we've built ourselves a shack and have a fist full of dynamite so let's get inside the mine and begin the hunt for goodies. Instantly, the gameplay feels familiar but with a few basic differences. Freely moving through the dirt is only possible when something collectable is within your grasp. Use dynamite when thicker dirt or small rocks are blocking the way to the goodies. Dynamite has no effect on the larger rocks which are too strong, so look for another way.

Beware of ugly creatures lurking within the depths! There are scary monsters that will roar onto your screen at random intervals and in random areas. Thankfully, these can leave behind a present to pick up. Also, it's a good idea to protect your shack from thieves by purchasing a Droid - it's expensive but has good security. There's nothing worse than being underground whilst someone's on the surface robbing you blind (great to watch though!)

Check out these fantastic screenshots which detail my busy route looking for cool stuff...



What's wrong with the world today? I'm working and that no-mark turns up to rob me blind!

The attention to detail is pretty cool and I love my truck. I want one!!


As you can see, each mine is always different as are the quality of your dig with gold, gems, etc...



Grab as much loot as you can and run!

Each screen is randomly generated so always different including item locations, monsters and cave-ins - which can change things drastically. It's also possible to run low on dynamite but there is the option to return back to the shack to cash in and restock? Deciding if/when to do that is entirely up to you, based on how much of the good stuff remains. Also, bear in mind that it costs us money to detonate a stick of dynamite. There is more to this game than I first thought!

So, it's decision time, should you restock and return to the same mine to collect what's left or move on to new pastures? It's all up to you based on your finances and what remains to be collected but, if you do go back, then I seriously advise buying a Droid. Yup, there is actually a lot more to this game than just digging. Good luck, you'll need it!

It's time for more screenshots so keep on scrolling ST Nutters...


I've pretty much cleaned out the mine!


Wait, a monster... at least he didn't bite me!


I forgot to clone myself... How often have I said that? And then this screen mocks you!



Aesthetics?

Graphically, this feels oldskool and very amateur. But it's also very appealing thanks to lovely landscapes, good use of colour, well-drawn decals and funny sprites. However, it's the cartoon animations that steal the show and it's a blast watching your Ford Ranger (I'm daydreaming, okay!) drive along the landscape before we stop to masterfully build a shack. Heck, even the truck's suspension rises as its cargo is removed!! So much effort obviously went into this and I love it!!

The title screen has a neat chiptune and there are a few jingles here and there to enjoy. In-game sound effects are all made from crunchy samples which I really enjoyed. Okay, I'm gutted the STe hardware wasn't utilised (1992!!) as the samples sound rather STFM'y but I love how they're used. Watch out for those roaring monsters!

Sadly, I couldn't get Galactic Miner to work on my Atari STe (TOS 1.62). It booted up fine but then appeared to hang on the title screen. Sadly, things didn't improve with Hatari on my Mac - using my usual default ST/STe configurations (TOS 1.02/1.04 and TOS 1.62).

I had better success using an ST (in Hatari) but the miner lost his position on the screen - and that got worse with each movement!! So, I went back to the basics and emulated the original ST with TOS 1.00 and everything worked. Looks like this game only works with TOS 1.0 but YMMV?


I love the neat touches, like being able to collect a dead clone's loot.

I never did get why the old shack needed to be blown up?


...but then I'm eaten alive. What a great day!



The CryptO'pinion?

Ignoring the need to emulate with TOS 1.00, Galactic Miner has a couple of other issues I didn't care for. I don't feel it's well-balanced concerning the cash/credit system because everything is far too expensive in comparison to the rewards earned via mining. Also, we get charged for detonating dynamite and then charged again for supplies!

Ignoring my sneaky plea of an extra credit cheat (any hackers reading this??) Galactic Miner is one of the silliest yet most addictive games I've played in ages. Enjoy digging in the mud like a kid from the 70s. You're gonna love this.