Kid GP

It's time for Munsie magic!

This is the third Dave Munsie game to be featured on AtariCrypt but it's one I'd never previously heard of. The idea is to frantically run around each screen avoiding the baddies and collecting all of the diamonds. Originally aimed at the younger audience but I have found it incredibly fun so there's hope for all of us... Or I'm just simple?

Collecting diamonds may sound easy but there are a variety of whacky creatures zipping about the screens. Each one loves getting in your way whilst others are looking to give a good chase. However, bump into one and a life is lost!! So it's a good job we can use a hammer to smack these blighters and send 'em packing. Yeah!

The game rewards your vicious hammer attacks with lots of bonus fruits - before respawning them once again. Magic mushroom power-ups are available for a range of cool effects that may boost or alter your visibility. A bonus timer is counting down and, if you manage to finish with time remaining, then you can build up points by grabbing lots of extra goodies? What this lacks in (ahem) originality is more than made up for in brilliant gameplay!

Come on, I think we need to see a colourful screenshot with cute critters with beady eyes...

Okay, it might look ...umm... rather familiar but the gameplay is rock-solid awesomeness!!

Bubble... Rainbow... What?

Graphically, this is one sexy-looking game with bold colours and the cutest sprites. Those big-eyed blue faces will always make me smile - especially after I've clubbed them! This is exactly how an arcade game should look. Sure, it (ahem) might look familiar for any number of reasons but who cares about originality when it looks this gorgeous?

Interestingly, you can flip between 50/60Hz and also three game speeds, at any time.

The audio is slightly less impressive because there are no background chiptunes. I think that would have been really nice, so is sadly missed by me. Thankfully, the sound effects are fantastic and very zesty for a game of this ilk.

Screenshot time and how about one with some fruit? No? Well, here you go anyhow...

Wow!! Look at all that gorgeous colour and beautiful fruit. Yum Yum get it all eaten up!

The CryptO'pinion?

Kid GP is exhilarating!! Manically running around, collecting lots of diamonds and fruits, whilst avoiding the silly-looking nasties is surprisingly brilliant. The controls are perfect; always responsive and I loved the ability to have two different jumping options - because the hammer only works horizontally. Which is the only (meh) gripe I have.

Dave Munsie may have originally intended this game for kids (my 7yr appreciates that) but there is no denying the positive effect that it has on this big kid. Yes, I loved Kid GP a bunch. What a fantastic and addictive game!!

Stop whatever you're doing!!

Download this wonderful game right now.

Hoog

Prepare thyself!

The Atari ST is a computer with a huge public domain library, be it games, programs, utilities, and much more. In fact, our archive proves just how popular the ST was for both users and those creative folk with the talent to code and create art or music. This is what I love about the Atari ST and is something I've yet to "feel" from a modern computer.

Believe it or not, looking at the screenshots, Hoog is a shareware platformer released in 1994 by MP Lord - yes he of Droid fame. It's incredible to look at and feels quite similar to Creatures but with more of a puzzle theme. There are also elements that reminded me of Sleepwalker and Lemmings but whether or not that's a good thing I'll leave it for you to decide.

Okay, I think that's enough reading for the moment! How about some sexy screenshots to whet your appetite...

Using the balloons, we can float upwards to access places otherwise impossible to reach.


A bundle of stars and a cheeky grin makes this platformer something extra special!

Aww little baby Hoogs!

The objective is very simple - we need to rescue baby Hoogs that are trapped inside cages! Sounds so cruel? Yes, it is and they're trapped, innocently waiting for us to free them. However, these little kiddies are pretty darn stupid and, when released, will blindly wander off through their dangerous new world - and die!! They can get trapped, drown, or fry in burning flames. Yep, there's a lot of strategic thought needed when guiding these little babies home.

Hoog himself can walk, jump and even chuck bombs at his foes. However, he's only a short, stubby fella so cannot do much without the help of his environment, like helium-filled balloons which offer a chance to reach any inaccessible areas. There are various other cool mechanics to aid our hero; look for springs to bounce high into the air, switches that unlock hidden ledges, and special gateways that transport Hoog long distances in the blink of an eye.

This is a game that is very easy to pick up and play. The controls are simple and responsive, without lag or finicky irritations. You're not thrown in at the deep end and gradually taught how to get the best from your environment to save those little babies. It plays great from the start and I was impressed with how each level becomes steadily and progressively harder. I personally get that warm, fuzzy feeling playing this game because a lot of thought went into its creation!

Fancy some more colourful screenshots? I know, I know, of course, you do so here ya' go...

There's that cute, happy face again! How can you not love the graphics :)


Things are hotting up now! Not only the difficulty but those flames will easily cook a baby hoog!

Amateur homebrew aesthetics?

Visually, this has got to be one of, if not the most, impressive "Public Domain" games that I have ever seen. The entire artwork is truly astounding and way beyond anything else that I can think of from the ST's homebrew scene. Each level features landscapes of stunning beauty, and I truly do mean stunning. Miles has made lovely use of colour because everything is so bright and cheerful. It's unbelievable and I recommend sunglasses before you play!

But that's not all, the sprites are also stunning and even have a Bitmap feel to them. Animations are lovely with neat attention to detail - like when Hoog smiles during a jump. He even wiggles his bum in flight. Finally, I cannot end without mentioning the smooth parallax scrolling. This is a commercial game, right? What, no you say?!!

The audio is a treat and proves that chiptunes will last forever compared to most tracker tunes. Sadly, there's only one in-game tune so it will get tiresome after a while. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful tune that your YM2149 is knocking out but I'd have liked a selection. However, I love what we have and I cannot get it out of my head lol.

I can never bore of Hoog screenshots but we have to end sometime. So here are the final two screenshots...

Use the ledges but hang on a minute, I see two cute critters below that appear asleep?


When everything is peachy and fire can't harm him. I'm too cute to burn........... honest!!! <evil grin>

The CryptO'pinion?

Hoog is something rather special but it isn't easy and will take a little practice to figure out what's going on. Not only that but also the best, most efficient way to solve the puzzle of rescuing babies. Well, unless you enjoy watching cute critters drown or burn? Perhaps you do? Who doesn't!! Or is it just me? Anyhow, whatever your preference, this is a great game that's going to keep you occupied for many hours with its humorously challenging and addictive gameplay.

Once again, Miles Lord has released a wonderful game and one that humiliates many commercial companies who rushed through sloppy Amiga ports. This proves what the Atari ST is capable of in the hands of talent; it's a magnificent example of great coding. Hoog is a mind-blowing platformer and one of my favourite ST games. Highly recommended!!

- DOWNLOAD HOOG -

Starburst

Graphics never make the game

Starburst is a shareware game by Chris Skellern that grants us a gratifying opportunity to blow stuff up. In fact, we can blow up everything! This space-shoot 'em up is based on an old Sinclair QL game which is pretty cool when you think about it. The objective is to find six power bases and decimate them before attempting the ultimate goal of killing the super brain.

Oooooh, that sounds amazing, right? Pilot your spaceship through lots of rocky caverns, destroying everything that you come across. And, when I say everything, I really do mean everything so have yourself some fun!! Directional firing is available using the keypad, which I've demonstrated here in this simple animated GIF.

No screenshots? Okay, aesthetically, this game isn't going to blow your mind with its boring 8-Bit visuals. However, that's the era I grew up in so I don't need fancy graphics to enjoy myself. In fact, Starburst reminds me of Harrier Attack - remember that one? The chip music is superb with in-game sampled sound effects that aren't all that bad if I'm honest.

Starburst is dead simple and explosive fun so stop thinking and destroy everything. Yes, everything!!

Clod Hopper

Big feet, big... shoes!

Clod Hopper was released through the Budgie UK label back in 1992 by scener Goth, aka Gary Wheaton. It's a platformer that features a fella called Bill who's in search of his girlfriend. She foolishly wandered off into the nearby plutonium mines which are inhabited by crazy creatures, numerous whacky puzzles and dangerous hazards. Women, uh? Luckily, she left a convenient trail of footprints which we can use to track down our beloved. And save the day, of course!

Bounty Bob fans will love this game: each screen contains platforms that need walking over before we can exit and progress deeper into the mine. Anyhow, this isn't as easy as it sounds thanks to tricky level designs and cunning puzzle elements - and these often need completing in a particular order. Watch out for those slippery slides, dangerous falls, and the nasty inhabitants who seem to love getting underfoot. Thankfully, there are magical items we can collect that will render these creatures defenceless, if only for a short period of time (so think tactical before picking them up)

The third level features working machinery, necessary to operate to help you clear the level. It's a fascinating concept and that works well but I doubt I'll ever see the fourth... Sadly, as with many older games, there is a time limit so don't dawdle for too long as Bill has about five minutes of air supply. I must admit, I hate them but this time limit is decent.

I would have loved to have shown you many more screenshots but Clod Hopper is a tough cookie alright. I managed to get onto the third level - which is a killer. I know how to complete it but there are many slides and ... just ... one ... wrong ... move!! ARGHHHHH this platformer is incredibly tough. But I'm blaming my wonky joystick! Ahem.

On that note, let's see some screenshots of this Bounty Bob platformer...

Level one breaks you in gently to paint those platforms with your feet...

The second level is far trickier and needs to be completed in the correct order.

The devilish third level. I know how to complete it but my skills deny me the pleasure!

Looks and Sounds?

Graphically, I really admire Clod Hopper. The look and design are reminiscent of those early 8-bit days and this style works very well. Plus everything moves as smooth as silk with a console-like feel with awesome animations. The level designs took me right back to when I was a kid and without looking like a cheap or tacky ripoff. A superb 8-bit vibe throughout.

Along with the 8-bit feel and smooth performance, Gary uses overscan for the score/timer display!!

As for the audio, well, brace yourself. Music is absolutely beautiful using an Atari-Console quality that I loved. The effects are great, from the raspy level intro to all the other in-game sounds. A lot of effort went into how this game sounds!

Do you want more screenshots? How about a video recording and screenshots? Here ya' go then...

Check out this intro!

Can you make the hi-score table? Not on your first go, you won't lol

Would you believe it? Gary only lives up the road from me...

The CryptO'pinion?

Wow, have I enjoyed this playing this olde platformer!! Of course, it will appeal to fans of Bounty Bob and indeed any console owner from the early/mid-80s because this quality platformer is reminiscent of the era for gameplay, sounds and visuals. The effort and dedication that's gone into this game shine through, to think it wasn't commercial. Outstanding stuff.

However, there's always something to moan about, and my only gripe is the measly three lives - which aren't enough for such a challenging game. A game this tough needed many more because it's so damn difficult. I managed to reach level three but those slides are insanely tricky - one wrong move and there's no way back up again.

Having said that, this is a brilliant platformer and a freakishly outstanding old-school romp. Oh yeah, I loved it!!

- DOWNLOAD -

Harris Went Skiing

Horace?

Today we rewind the clocks all the way to 1982 for a skiing adventure with an odd 8-bit hero, Horace. Developed in STOS by a couple of brothers calling themselves OllySoft and released (I think) a whole decade after the ZX Spectrum original. However, for his Atari ST appearance, he didn't want to upset Psion so changed his name to Harris to avoid confusion!

Anyone old enough to remember the original will feel right at home with Harris who is once again looking to enjoy a skiing trip. However, it's not started off well... Harris finds himself in a pickle as he didn't bring along any skis so must hire replacements from the resort - who built their shop on the wrong side of a busy highway.

The Frogger part is way too easy in comparison to what I remember! Simply waiting for a large gap in the traffic allows Harris to run all the way across the road - in one go! The skiing part is great and with many obstacles to avoid. Once the skiing is finished, somebody robs your skis so you head back to the hire shop to repeat everything...

OllySoft has done a great job with Harris Went Skiing and playing "Horace" again has certainly brought back lots of warm and fuzzy feelings of nostalgia. The Atari ST game is simple and very silly so is highly recommended if you're bored.

Grab the download of Atari Legend and game like it's 1982!!

Hang on, don't go!! There are even more OllySoft games to play. But looking at these makes me think that the boys had serious issues or a belting sense of humour. I'll go with the latter. Take a peep at their other games...

Who Maimed Roger Rabbit

Imagine Operation Wolf but set in President Trump's backyard which is overrun by weak rabbits! Aka lefties. So grab your gun and let's fix this once and for all. A successful hit turns those rabbits into a bloody mess of gore which I'm sure animal lovers will really appreciate. Overall, it's a simple game but also quite enjoyable, if repetitive.

SubHunt

A pointless two-player game so rubbish alone and possibly rubbish anyhow. Well, I didn't like it whatsoever if I'm honest. However, it does feature a cool hidden easter egg and that's worth the download. Brilliant!!

 

Ayatollah Invaders

An endless supply of angry ayatollah chaps running down your screen - straight into the path of your tank. It's mind-numbingly boring after a few minutes but I gotta admit that those somersault deaths are fantastic.

Motorway Death

Perhaps it's time to lower the bar to the lowest of low extreme levels? Is that even possible? Okay, how about a game of hit and run! Yep, you heard me right. And, on this road, people appear glued down so drive into them and watch blood splatter as their bodies spin off into the air. It's really funny... well... for a few minutes!

SantaFly

It's got to that time of year when I post something Christmassy! Here we have SantaFly by the awesome Reservoir Gods and regular readers will remember its sister game. Yes, SantaFly is every bit as frustratingly addictive but with a peculiar Christmassy theme. It's great fun and I advise you clickety click and download it.

Thank you to everyone who visited AtariCrypt throughout the year and I wish you all a Merry Christmas †

Luke 2:11
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!

Bellum Internecinum

Bellum Internecinum was released in 1989 by M Goss-Custard and is a Galaga-wannabe. Shoot first and ask questions later because these ET's are incredibly trigger happy and take no prisoners. Aliens attack in predictable formations - just itching to be killed - but beware because these move rapidly as the levels progress. They also swoop down to clutter the screen for some frantic action. There is the freedom to move in all directions - which is superb. However, your ship can only take so much damage before parts begin to fall off so watch out.

Bellum Internecinum is a rock-solid shoot 'em up and I've loved every second of it. A fantastic game!!

Pommitus

I recently read a posting by Tatu Salmela, who created Pommitus back in 1996. I contact him, we got talking and I found out he learned to program by reading ST Format and he is still patching and improving Pommitus to this day. Since then, it has been converted from Finnish into English and you can now find a download on AtariMania.

Pommitus is a multiplayer strategy game which involves using calculated tactics to bomb your opponent. At first, I wasn't too keen on the user interface because I often clicked outside the control box, thus mistakingly taking my shot. Thankfully, it soon becomes second nature and is great fun bombing your neighbour to kingdom come! Sounds are minimal but good enough and the mono graphics are sharp and detailed - that's right, you will need a monochrome monitor for the best experience. Being GEM-based, it should work on all Atari computers and even supports those lucky enough to have a maths coprocessor installed!

Oddly, an emulator like Hatari might run Pommitus slower than a real Atari computer but that is easily fixed by flipping the CPU setting to 16 or 32MHz. Nothing ever beats the real hardware...!

I am incredibly impressed with Pommitus and so grateful Tatu shared his works with AtariCrypt. Oh, and also this little tidbit of news - he is developing a new Atari ST game similar to Pommitus which will work in ST Low. It is in the early stages but I am very excited to see yet another Atari ST game in development! Watch this space, folks. :-)

Floyd The Droid

One of my earliest purchases

Floyd The Droid was developed in 1986 by Paul Lay for Analog Software. We're a droid who loves to explore but this trait got him into trouble so now he's stuck inside a (wait for it) topo-dimensional converter. So you're alone in the void of whatever this existence is and surrounded by weird enemies intent on our death.

This game is simple, shoot everything - robots, spaceships, C64's and more. We begin each game with 75% health and it increases with each enemy we kill. Sadly, it also decreases if you bump into them or if you shoot an Atari logo. Kill everything and move onto the next level to do it all over again at a faster rate. Don't panic!

Interestingly, you can hit F1-F6 to start on the following stages: 1, 10, 20, 30. 40 and 50.

The graphics are basic but it's all about the sprites which are huge and beautiful in their own weird way. The music is insanely awesome. Insane, because it's so zany and weird yet I also leave it playing as I love it. There is also speech which is quite superb for such an early ST game, and it's excellent. A lot of love went into this game.

 - I believe there was a hi-res version in the making but was it ever released?
 - AtariMania lists Floyd The Droid in their database and also Missing One Droid.
 - Atari 8-bit fans may also wanna click here: Floyd the Droid Goes Blastin'.

Overall, it's a little rough around the edges because it's an early title but this is also a piece of Atari ST history. Personally, I enjoy frantically blasting a relentless hoard of invading oddities - it never gets old and it's so addictive. This is ancient retro gaming at its best, so hit that fire button and try to last as long as you can!!

I managed to find the original of Missing One Droid and I just had to buy it!!

ST Review Invaders

Quick, get inside your laser cannon!

I've just found an ST Review cover disk (#11) and on it is the imaginatively titled ST Review Invaders, a magazine exclusive by Dave Munsie. Sadly, my first impressions weren't great because some traditional elements are altered far too much for my liking. Such as how the cannon moves over a rocky landscape so I wasn't feeling the love.

However, I slapped myself and then began to mellow! After a few games and found myself enjoying this quirky space shooter and enjoyed the nifty new mechanics which I thought were excellent. Also, I enjoyed the faster gameplay which is superb. I love how the pesky aliens no longer shoot in predictable straight lines and their attack patterns are quite brilliant. Level two sees them bopping along in a humorous fashion with a Mexican wave following later on!!

Overall, the authenticity has still been altered far too much for my liking so it's not Space Invaders anymore. However, it's still a great game in its own right and certainly has that 'just one more go' factor. I really enjoyed playing this game!

Asteroidia

Let's break up some rocks

Dave Munsie is literally a legend within the Atari ST world. It's as simple as that really. Anyhow, he has released several outstanding games and a couple of those were even enhanced for the much-loved Atari STe. Here we have Asteroidia which, as you've probably guessed by now, is a Munsie-take on the old Asteroids arcade genre.

This means it's hardly going to win an award for originality, but don't be put off because I've a sneaky suspicion this might be worth your time downloading and playing this rock blaster. Well, it's a Munsie game so that's a given, right!! Okay, forget about shooting down vector images because we have been transported to a part of space where pixels roam. Not only that, but this is Blitter-space which scrolls at blistering speeds across your screen in all directions.

Asteroids is never gonna look cool but I'll post a screenshot anyhow...

The planet is powered by the Blitter and whizzes by!

Boring old asteroids, right?

The gameplay is, as you would expect, predicably asteroids with us controlling a ship to try and chase down those lumps of rocks. It's initially quite hard and sure takes some getting used to because everything moves so fast. Thankfully, the controls are a cinch to master so it won't be long before you realise how fantastic this alternative conversion actually is.

Visually, this is a nice looker but it's the speed of everything that will impress the most. To see planet Earth swooshing across your monitor certainly makes you realise just how under-utilised the Blitter and Atari STe was by commercial gaming companies. Once again, Mr Munsie puts them to shame. Audio hasn't been forgotten and we get DMA support which plays a sampled tune. However, it's quite repetitive so I switched to chiptune/sound effects!

Here is the options screen with options to use the Blitter and flip between PAL/NTSC...

Gotta tip my hat to Mr Munsie... Blitter, 50Hz, Atari STe / Falcon support. Incredible!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Yes, this is Asteroids but the twist is how it's presented with impressive Blitted graphics zooming about. The controls are superb so the gameplay is rock-smashingly addictive and one of the most entertaining versions of this olde classic. Look, fancy Blitted graphics or not, this is bucketloads of fun and a superb Asteroids conversion. Highly recommended!!

Download Asteroidia from AtariMania
Hey, can you beat my hi-score?

CRAPMAN

Crapman was originally featured within the Synergy megademo and later released as a standalone product in 1993. Most Atarians rate this as one of the best Pac-Man and it's obvious why with spot-on perfect gameplay: those pesky ghosts are clever and a cunning level design help make this extremely challenging.

The graphics are marvellous and the Scavenger music is just perfect - gorgeous and timeless! Crapman may indeed have a silly name but it's a fantastic twist on the original idea and immensely addictive. Right, I cannot stress this enough, stop what you're doing and play this game right now. Quite possibly the best Pacman clone ever?

LINKS

 - Download Crapman game from the Demozoo website.
 - The Synergy Megademo is one of the best Atari ST demos so download it.

 - I also recorded a few more videos from the superb Synergy:

1. Unfinished Demo
2. Megademo Music Disk
3. DBA #6 Intro
4. Megademo - Symbiosys
5. Megademo - Credits Screen

SuperFly

Superfly is a cunning "avoid 'em" scroller controlled with just one button. As the screen automatically begins to scroll, just press the joystick's button to increase your height. This stops you from crashing into oncoming objects along with preventing gravity from crashing you into the ground. This might sound familiar to that Flappy Bird but Superfly is a lot faster, and slicker and was released way back in 2002!!

Without giving away the storyline, you are in control of a submarine and must rescue your kidnapped girlfriend. Please make sure you read the funny write-up included within the download!!

Running at 50fps, Superfly is extremely smooth and the audio is tremendous with gorgeous tunes. I believe the STe's enhanced hardware is detected and successful players can unlock features like a gallery and jukebox. This is an insane game which will have you swearing like a docker! Superfly is wicked, yet with an addictive charisma that compels you to play more. Forget frustrating flappy birds and play Superfly instead.

LINKS

 - Downloads are available for both floppy and hard drive users.
 - Want more? Try the follow-up Santafly!!

Video Games 1

Andrei Ellman, Wacko Software, created a game made from three classics: Pong, Space Invaders and Pac-Man. But this release is different as all three games are playable at the same time. Yep, you heard correctly!

Pong is controlled by holding the fire button and moving up/down.
Pac Man is initially quite confusing so read the docs within the download!
Space Invaders is easy, left/right moves and pushing up/down fires the gun.

The controls are odd and things get weird when all running everything at once! However, there's only so much my tiny brain could cope with and I found that I could play two games at once. I had no chance with three! Visually, it kinda works well but if you're struggling then you can alter each game's appearance using the numeric pad. Also, there's an option to invert colours which makes everything look ugly but it's much better on the eyes.

I think Andrei was one crazy, mixed-up kid who had a good laugh when coding this. Don't take it too seriously and practice with the controls because Video Games 1 is ridiculously entertaining. You will love this maddening game(s)!!!

Tomtar

Tomtar is a freeware shoot 'em up released in 1993 for the Atari STe by UTEN (NewCore, XiA, Toxic Twins & Unit 17). A "tomtar" is basically a gnome and they breed like bacteria so will eventually take over the world unless something is done! We asked the Grim Reaper for help but there are too many for him to handle so we needed divine intervention - in the form of a machine gun!! Yep, we all know where this is going so let's lock and load to help the mythical Reaper destroy all the Tomtars in what I can only describe as the craziest 5 minutes of your life.

In the right corner of the screen is an Orch - kill him to advance to the next level. Use the mouse to shoot but beware because this isn't going to be easy because these little critters can walk, run, bounce and fly their way across the screen. Controls work well with the mouse but I would have preferred the right button to perform another function like throwing a grenade, this would have been superb... The gameplay becomes frantic and more chaotic the further you progress but I must admit that it's a shame the spooky backdrop doesn't change.

A stupid game that offers nothing more than a mad few minutes blasting Tomtars and that, I loved. So if you fancy killing these little blighters yourself then grab it from Demozoo (who also have a cutdown STFM version).

My high scores are:

78,250 (under emulation)

94,740 (using my own Atari STe).

What are yours? Can you beat me?? Didn't think so...

Annihilator

Homebrew games suck, right?

Back in the day, I was always fascinated by what assortments of goodies I could find within the ST's public domain. I was always scouring the various PD Libraries trying to find either the next big thing or something obscure that would take me by surprise. Who remembers Goodmans, FaST Club, Democlub, LAPD, and so many other libraries?

Amazing times and the Atari ST is truly blessed with a gigantic and assorted Shareware/Public Domain library. That includes a fantastic gaming section and here is one such example, Annihilator by Robert HC Leong. This is a classy shoot 'em up that was released back in 1991 through the esteemed Budgie UK label (a company I genuinely do miss).

The oldskool gameplay feels instantly familiar with lots of baddies swarming around the screen. They're called Insectoids, not Galaxians, no matter what you think! The controls are responsive: moving left/right will dodge the attacks whilst whacking the joystick's button will fire your cannon. Killing aliens is never boring but remember to look out for power-ups that replenish your ship's shield and increase firepower. There are even end-of-level bosses, a cool idea.

Robert coded in a level skip cheat. It's easy to activate this, just pause the game using the spacebar.
Now hold down shift and press keys F1-F10 for the required level. Sweet!!

Annihilator is a tremendous blast back to the early 80s and is a brilliant ST shooter. In fact, it's almost as good as I would expect from a commercial company with exciting gameplay and smooth-as-silk visuals and fluent controls. Budgie UK has tons of great games and this is one of the best in their library. Definitely worthy of a Crash Smash rating!!

Waste no more time and get this great game download from the GamerBlitz website.

Overscan Invaders

Overscan Invaders was released in 1994 by Janet Dean under the esteemed Budgie UK licenceware label. Obviously, this is a Space Invaders clone but one with a rather unexpected twist not normally exploited. Yes, I think you've guessed it? It's running in overscan so uses lots of extra pixels and also breaks the 16-colour limit.

This is a great twist on the original Space Invaders which plays as good as I'd have hoped and is really addictive. Ironically, it's the sound effects which I love the most - yes, even more than the overscan! They are superb and so authentic. Just listen in the video recording for all those childhood memories to come flooding back.

Overscan Invaders is definitely one of the better clones and I’m sure any Invader fan will love it. I did.

The Curse Of Bolda

The Curse Of Bolda is a scrolling platformer by Ben Pritchard for FloppyShop's platinum range. Once again, Kevin is the star who's got five levels to explore. They're split into three segments, the first two are free-roaming worlds collecting jewels, shooting monsters and solving puzzles like locked doors and operating platforms. Tools can be collected and (using the function keys) can provide a variety of uses - like a jetpack!! The third stage is an automated arena where Kevin must manoeuver through the hazards until he reaches the scary rock demon, Bolda!

This is a fantastic platformer and you can now download the full registered version :)

Starball

It's all flippers and balls!

I've always liked Pinball but I doubt you'd ever call me an addict of the game. Something about spending cash just to bounce a ball around a jazzy glass box never really grabbed my attention for very long... But, the ST seemed to receive a number of Pinball games and some were possibly better than the real thing? Perhaps that's because I'm tight with money or I just love to see how much the Atari ST/e could impress me!

Starball is different from the competition because it was made by a couple of Lancashire lads who probably had desires to become bedroom millionaires. Now, I doubt that ever happened as many ST gamers had given up following the homebrew scene by 1994, which is a shame because this is blummin' brilliant.

I love Starball, it's not got the polish of a certain commercial offering, which is understandable. But it's still got its own style and oozes its own brand of character with such different tables. The graphics and sounds are gorgeous and everything scrolls down your SC1224 fast. Okay, I'm a little unsure about the physics behind all the glam because sometimes things don't seem to go as expected, but it's shareware so I must give it a break.

If you love Pinball, this is worth downloading and I'm sure you'll love it to bits. Too think £5 was the asking price back then - shockingly good value. What a superb "PD" game and possibly one of the Atari ST's best.

  
I love the dark tones and each table is different from what I expected with many cool fx.

  
Check out these awesome graphics and whoever expected to see those guys in pinball?!!

--- DOWNLOAD ---