Mega Twins

Chiki Chiki Boys

Once upon a monster-infested time, when the peaceful kingdom of Alurea was overrun by a horde of nasties, leaving the royal castle in ruins. With their father, the brave King, tragically slain, his young twin sons were left powerless to stop the chaos. But time passed, the boys grew stronger, and now they’re ready to take back what’s theirs. Armed with courage, oversized swords, and matching outfits, the dynamic duo set off on a quest to reclaim their homeland - and track down a mythical stone said to hold the key to peace.

I’ve wanted to feature this platformer for ages. It’s been sitting in my downloads folder for years, and today I finally booted it up! Who says I’m slow? Mega Twins is an absolute corker of a platformer - instantly fun, with slick joystick controls and colourful, comical visuals. The earlier bosses aren’t too tricky - even I managed to beat them - with a few credits! The latter ones are a real challenge for anyone playing solo (so use your powers wisely). Wait, that’s right, two people can play at once - which is absolutely fantastic!

The visuals are absolutely superb, with a charming cartoon vibe running throughout the levels. The sound effects are excellent, but oddly, I didn’t notice the lack of in-game music until the underwater stage - probably because I stopped hammering the fire button to figure out how to clobber things down there!

I'd rate this platformer a Double Trouble 85% because it's brilliant with perfect controls, loads of levels, and supports two players. However, be warned, some of the later levels are way too hard without a cheat or better reactions than mine! Enjoy my gameplay video of the opening level before clicking on these links...

• There are great floppy downloads available at Atari Legend (I used the Fuzion disks).
• Peter/8BitChip has a superb hard drive-installable version.
• More floppy cracks are over on the Atari FTP Archive.

The first level is so good that I almost wanted it to continue throughout.

TWO players can, erm, play - at the same time. BRILLIANT!!

We've now gone underwater. The controls are very different, but still cool.

Didn't want to kill this cute beast. But I did.

One of those bosses that moves/jumps too fast for our little hero.

Those blue bats are gorgeous. Then again, everything in this game is!

Probably the best of all the bosses before a Nebulous stage, that is superb.

We're on the way down - as it explodes!

Made it to the end. Wait, no... There is one more boss before we're done.

Jim Power in Mutant Planet

The name is Power, Jim Power!

Jim Power in Mutant Planet was released by Loriciel in 1992, where we play as a member of the Special Warfare Unit. These are in charge of the President's personal security, and his daughter was kidnapped by evil beings who infest a Mutant Planet. So it is our mission to kill everything, rescue the girl, and save the day!!

I must admit, I don't recall seeing this advertised back in the day. Did it ever make it across the channel to UK shores? I find it flabbergasting that such a platformer was unheard of back in the day (well, to me). I think the 1992 version of myself would have slobbered an Olympic swimming pool's worth of drool over this?

Ah well, let's crack on and take a gander at a cool screenshot with a skeleton...

Check out that skeleton artwork. This game never fails to impress me!!

I think I love Mr Power!

We begin in a rather funky environment that reminded me a little of Enchanted Land and Flimbo's Quest in both look and style. It's a strange world of wacky colours, creepy vegetation and lots of enemies out looking for blood. At first, I thought this was going to be an easy platformer, but it soon picks up the pace to become quite a challenge. Yes, that's a nice way to say I struggled with the earlier attempts - many times!!

There are a total of 5 levels, with two being shooters and even a few peculiar boss screens:

The platformer parts are the best with a cruel design that feature many pitfalls and near-countless enemies like mutated animals, birds, zombies, spiders and even spitting plants. Each level is absolutely huge with mini-bosses halfway through (dead easy to defeat) and then a mega-boss at the end.

The shoot 'em up levels are weaker by comparison and they involve nothing more than trying to stay alive as you dodge or shoot anything that appears in your line of sight. The scrolling is fast, and the enemies are faster but I feel they took far too many shots to be killed, which meant it felt unbalanced. However, I did enjoy the flappy bird-style part towards the end of level 4 which was a surprise!

He's green... He's angry... The Hulk of Jim Power is here with another cool screenshot...

Press and hold that fire button to unleash your fury and zap everything on-screen!

Gimme a gun and a spare hour

The controls are absolutely incredible and always feel spritely to suit the game style. I love the way you can easily hop from platforms without ever feeling the uncertainty of plummeting to your death because of stodgy mechanics or a sluggish display. Dying allows you to restart from the nearest checkpoint, which is a great idea that also grants a few seconds of invincibility - this comes in handy for running past a difficult scene. Trust me, you will love this feature, which is needed more than you know (at least for me!).

Thankfully, we're equipped with a gun that can also be upgraded along the way by collecting the power-ups. Additionally, we have the limited option of using a smart bomb by pressing down the fire button, but these are best left for the bosses or perhaps later trickier scenes that you're struggling with (I used 'em on the bosses). Anyhow, this smart bomb has a fantastic feature - the ability to carry it. Yes, you can carry what is nothing less than a nuclear weapon and release it at the right moment you choose. A devastating skill.

Along with the power-ups, there are bonuses to collect, which provide extra help. These can be earned by shooting a floating object or a hidden part of the background. The clock gives extra time, a shield is obvious, and 1Ups are always a relief. Never leave a key behind unless you enjoy the fun of backtracking!

Fancy another screenshot? Of course, you do, so here's one that reminds me of Strider...

The first level is varied and full of traps - it really is a dangerous world out there!

Aesthetics

Loriciel mocks the supposed hardware limitations with lots of colour and smooth-scrolling. Each level looks superb, with stunning landscapes and super-duper sprites - some reminded me of Strider. Throughout, the gameplay is fast and smooth, so it puts to shame Psygnosis and their lame excuses. The bosses are ginormous beasts, taking up the entire screen, and sometimes more, so it's impressive how well it performs.

Sadly, I'm miffed that the might Loriciel didn't bother to use the Atari STe enhancements :/

The audio will not dishearten thanks to the amazing talents of Chris Hülsbeck, who provides a thumping title tune and stunning in-game chip music. There is the option to hear sound effects only, but I really wouldn't bother with that afterthought. I personally thought they weren't anything close to the boppin' chip music!

That's the unimportant stuff out of the way, and we've just enough time for one more screenshot...

The second level's colours might look odd in a screenshot, but it's much better when playing!

The CryptO'pinion?

Jim Power is excellent, but it's not perfect. Whilst the first level is fantastic, later levels suffer from some infuriating mechanics which make them impossible - without extra lives. The shoot 'em up stages are rubbish and feel nothing more than a stocking filler. Also, there is no support for the enhanced hardware lurking unused inside the Atari STe, which is a shame because this would have been a great opportunity to shine.

As a platformer, it's a hugely immense bundle of fun. Personally, it blows me away how much effort Loriciel devoted to making this platformer as good as possible - this ain't no lame port. Ultimately, ask yourself this - do you want a platformer that is fast, fun and addictive? Guess what, you've got it right here.

Download for Hard drive or Floppy.

Kid Gloves II

The Kid has hung up his gloves

Kid Gloves II was developed by Dave Semmens (click that for his interview) and is nothing like its prequel. In fact, it's more like a Wonderboy, Giana, Mario and the ilk. I believe it was originally called Little Beau, but Digital Magic went bust, and Millennium stepped in with their own ideas, which is an interesting twist.

The background story, you say? The love of our life has been kidnapped by an evil wizard who has trapped her in his castle. We want her back, of course. So that means travelling through five islands before reaching his castle lair to rescue our beloved. Hardly original, I'm sure you'll agree, but I'll buy into it like the sucker I am.

Kid needs to travel through a number of islands on his way to that castle. Each is split into sections with its environment: ice, water, fire, sand, and wind. That means they're all slightly different with their own hazards, monsters and the usual types of platforms to leap across. It's classic and nothing new, which is fine.

Let's take a look at some screenshots to see what kinda game we have here...

Ice Island is excellent and nicely introduces you to the gameplay styles.

Water Island has been flooded, so bring your swimming costume!

Things are hotting up for the third level with... hmm... warmer visuals!

The fourth level has you walking like an Egyptian...

It's getting windy on the fifth level, but things are looking rather samey!

We made it to the castle, but only with extra lives and a timer freeze. Oh yeah!!

Looks nice, but how's it play?

As you can see, the levels look great. The first stage is ice, so it features snow, melting platforms, and more. Each island follows the same mechanics, so it's pretty much what you'd expect, albeit with the obvious aesthetic differences. However, I found the fifth island tiresome with irritating platforms that were hard and integrated with very long jumps, which meant losing lots of time backtracking!

Getting around most areas is exceptionally easy thanks to responsive controls and helpful arrows guiding you on your merry way. Kid walks using a two-fold method: shorter bursts, from a still, are of a slower pace for jumping across the ledges. Whereas a continuous run is faster and just perfect for leaping over those wider gaps.

The monsters are cute, but they need killing with your trusty dagger (upgradable!). When slain, they drop items like coins, energy fruits and others that can empower special abilities: super-high jumps, monster-squashing boots, balloons, critters and fireballs. Ultimately, we're searching each level for the baddie carrying the exit key. Once at the end, an end-of-level guardian is waiting for you - for an easy battle!

Kid Gloves II features a couple of "hidden" features which you find when exploring the levels. Stumbling upon something that looks like it should be in Vegas is a chance to earn yourself rewards, be it a fruit machine or an arcade game. Use your selection of coins in a slot machine or a horizontally scrolling shoot 'em up.

Perhaps this is the perfect time to show you those extra bits of this wonderful game...

Hey, what's that I see? Perhaps I should stop and take a break from the girlfriend's rescue?

Woohoo, I'm back in Vegas, baby!! Well, there's a chance this machine might yield big rewards.

Ignore his freaky eyeballs because this shoot 'em up is a lot harder than you might first think.

Gimme juicy aesthetics!

Kid Gloves II is a cutie pie, thanks to the talents of Doug Townsley. I love its 8-bit personality, with each gorgeous stage. It's the sprites that stand out the most with awesome attention to detail. The backgrounds are also fantastic, but I was a little puzzled on Wind Island as everything looks samey - so some platforms are difficult to see. Which is a tad annoying, especially compared to the rest of the game.

Not many know this, but Kid Gloves 2 was the platformer I played when returning to the Atari ST a few years ago. I instantly fell in love with its cartoon visuals and how smoothly it played. My happy days had returned!! Oh, the floppy still works and remains one of my most cherished possessions.

Musically, this is fabulous with a selection of chiptunes by Andy Severn and Justin Scharvona. What's interesting is that they each suit the gameplay style perfectly. However, I didn't find a way to switch off the tunes in favour of sound effects. But, if I'm honest, I wouldn't have wanted to - chipmusic will last forever!

So it looks and sounds magical? Yes, so let's celebrate with a screenshot before the final conclusion...

Critters are ace because they're as deadly as they are cute!

The CryptO'pinion?

I've absolutely loved playing this game. However, nothing is perfect, so what didn't I like? Well, each level kinda feels the same, albeit with different visuals, and the bosses are far too easy. However, my biggest beef is the unnecessary timer that spoils my chances of beating the third island. Yes, I admit to cheating on those later levels, and I normally never cheat. Honest. Ahem, anyhow, no game should rush the player.

Kid Gloves 2 is a genuinely fantastic platformer packed with entertaining levels, lots of baddies to kill, great power-ups, and control mechanics that are fast and fluent. This game is timeless, and I think your kids will enjoy it as much as we did back in the day. What say you? Let me know in the comments below.

An enjoyable console-like platformer that I cannot recommend enough. A truly fantastic game.

Download available by D-Bug

Floppies can be found at Atari Legend.

Hong Kong Phooey

A story about a mild-mannered janitor

Once again, I've been plodding through my YouTube channel and found another old video, Hi-Tec's Hong Kong Phooey. This is a scrolling beat 'em up that begins with a cool intro based on the 70s cartoon I watched as a kid - this certainly brought a smile to my face!! After Spot releases the unappreciated janitor from the filing cabinet, we begin our adventure searching for Baron Von Bankjob, who has just escaped from jail.

Watch out for the thugs wandering back and forth who want to stop us from capturing the villainous Baron. Thankfully, we are experts in kung fu, which is very handy. The joystick controls are superb, and we can punch and kick our foe in many different ways: pushing up (whilst walking) performs a killer Van Damme flying manoeuvre. To reach higher platforms requires a bigger jump, and that means also hitting the fire button, which is a little cumbersome. I'm sure that action could have been thought out better.

And that's about that. Explore the screens looking for folk to hit as we hunt down the Baron. Think Rolling Thunder, but a lot better. Okay, for those old enough to remember this fantastic cartoon...

I love the title sequence. It's short and sweet, but I feel like a kid watching it!

The moves are easy to learn but lots of fun. "Yee-ah that, sucka!" (say this in a Mr T voice!!!)

Hanna-Barbera magic?

The graphics are cartoony with an oldskool style that might not appeal to those looking for something with gorgeous 16-bit sex appeal. The scrolling is smooth, but it's at the expense of screen size, which has been reduced by a largely pointless status panel. Gotta love the crude character sprites and their pathetic animations! Worst of all, when we jump, it's more of a float through the air! Totally ludicrous, but who cares?

Musically, there are nice tunes which I love and that are accompanied by sound effects for jumping and so on. Okay, they're just about good enough, so it's the background music I enjoyed the most.

All pretty good but not great. Let's not let that stop a couple more screenshots from appearing...

Learning kung fu certainly didn't help this janitor to jump gracefully.

One gets kicked into the air, and then Flash Gordon turns up!

The CryptO'pinion?

I remembered making this video recording and feeling lukewarm afterwards, basically because I kept losing my barring so I got lost a lot! Perhaps I should have checked out the map first? Anyhow, back then, I wasn't sure if the game captured the heart of the TV show or not. And I must admit, I'm still not exactly sure.

Hong Kong Phooey brings nothing new to the table. However, the Chuck Norris kicks are crudely entertaining, and I enjoyed exploring a technicolour world. If you have a cat called Spot and a cabinet, then I suggest you boot this game up. It's a very good platformer, but there are better examples out there for the Atari ST.

Download the floppy or hard disk version.

Impossamole

Monty Mole made it onto the Atari ST!!

I loved Monty Mole on my ZX Spectrum, so I had high expectations of Impossamole. I was soon shocked to see a number of critical changes had been made and not always for the better. Why do they do that?

There are five huge levels to explore, and you can begin on any of the first four; the fifth is locked until these are completed. Each is very different with its own unique environment, bad guys, and cruel traps. Weirdly, this is now a scrolling platformer rather than the original flick-screen as seen in most games from that era.

However, the most shocking of all is that Monty can now fight back using karate kicks and weapons. It's a nice idea if the kicks were effective, and the weapons were plentiful and fun to use. Guess what, they're not. Monty suddenly turning into a version of Chuck Norris doesn't fit the original theme at all.

At least there's no Arthur Scargill

My first game began as an exciting stroll through memory lane with many familiar sights in a mining environment. However, my fun ended because the basic mechanics failed miserably. Things might appear nice, but each level is impossibly tricky with enemies that know your every move - before you make it.

Monty only has one life, and it's not long until a couple of monsters have zapped your energy and "Game Over" comes all too soon. Sure, Monty can try to fight back with his kicks, but those legs are way too short to be useful. The weapons are a neat idea, but they're too few and far between. Nice idea, badly executed.

My thoughts? As I said earlier, fighting back doesn't work, and it goes against the grain of what makes a Monty Mole game. The weapons are rubbish and his kicks are too short - well - moles have little legs! This whole concept feels like an idea bolted onto the game. It does not work!

Impossible Mole!

It doesn't matter which level I played; the name Impossamole lives up to its reputation as literally impossible. Every level will need to be pre-played to learn the unfair and irritating traps that make no sense. Not to mention the enemies, which are often impossible to kill and can appear from nowhere, too.

That might sound 'fair' for a platformer, but it doesn't work; the weaponry isn't good enough, and the difficulty is constantly off the scale. Terrible, and incessantly far too tough. Whoever beta tested this game and then thought to themselves, "Yes, it's ready", needs to be shot. Okay, I'm 30 years late - but shoot him anyway!

Can you tell I am absolutely gutted that I'm whinging about this? I was really excited too.

Graphics and Sounds?

Visually, this is beautiful, with each level looking incredible. The attention to detail is stunning, with detailed areas and sprites, and everything moves along more smoothly than a hot knife through soft butter. To say it's impressive is an understatement because it's brilliant in every respect. I have zero complaints.

The scrolling... Well done @Andy Green!! Nailed it. No lame Amiga port here, folks.

The title music is a rendition of the Rob Hubbard classic and is chiptune magic. This is something I can leave playing in the background all night long. The same cannot be said for the sparse sound effects!

The CryptO'pinion?

I don't know what to make of Impossamole. Technically, it's well-programmed with great visuals and interesting levels. It appears to have it all. However, it's far too difficult, thus infuriating rather than enjoyable. Fancy doing the opposite of what was needed and releasing a game that's no fun? Ugh, what was Core thinking?

Impossamole could easily have been another Rick Dangerous, but alas, it's the weakest Monty game in the entire series. I'm tempted to add Impossamole to my list!! Arrrgh, I hated it, but I hated hating it.

> If you're curious, then floppies can be downloaded with a hard disk version by D-Bug.

Magic Pockets

Pocket pool

I finally rebought Magic Pockets by the great Bitmap Bros! Those guys sure knew how to program - never once settled for a lame Amiga port. Not ever, which is a prime historical example to shame many other developers. I'm proud to own what is nothing less than a belting piece of hiSTory by the Bitmaps!!

So the story? Ah, yes... the infamous storyline. Well, brace yourself for a cracker! Okay, the Bitmap Kid (BK to his burger friends) has been given a brand new pair of magical trousers from an old man he met in the park one evening. No, not really lol!! Anyhow, he loves these trousers, but finds out that his toys have somehow disappeared into a fantasy world: PocketLand. Of course, this cool Kid is determined to get his toys back. So, he enters via a black hole he conjured!! Boy, if there was ever a whackier storyline than this!

Let's take a gander at a lovely bluey screenshot of the kid in his weird new world...

There are many crazy monsters to kill, but... hang on... what's that TV doing there?

Short arms, deep pockets

PocketLand is split over four enormous levels - and they are HUGE. BK is armed with different powers depending on the world he's currently in. There are many strange enemies and also many bonuses to use - heck, he even has extra abilities like the whirlwind to jump great heights. Sometimes the route through can feel like a wild goose chase, but you're often led onto secret areas that contain lots of goodies. I admire the design because most levels don't feel linear, even though they are, which is a muddled thing to say, right?

The joystick controls are spritely with flexible action and movement. I have always liked their responsive mechanics because it feels less like a computer platformer and more like something a console would knock out. Of course, neither is better than the other. It's just how Magic Pockets feels (to me), and a platformer like this demands decent controls. So I like this game today as much as I did in the 1990s.

Well, it's time for yet another screenshot. Wow, gripping stuff...

The first level nicely introduces various aspects of the game with its trippy mechanics.

Aesthetics

Visually, it has a Godly appearance that the Bitmaps sure enjoyed using. Hardly original, but peppered with lovely colours splashed throughout each and every level. The scrolling is fast and fluent, so it always manages to keep up the gameplay's pace. However, it's the sprites that are something else; so many incredibly cute critters, all of which are nicely animated too. Why can't all games look this beautiful? Outstanding pixel artwork.

The sound effects are fantastic, but I would prefer an option for a background tune. Famously, the title music is by Betty Boo, but I'm kinda meh about that. I guess it's nice to have, and the quality is pretty good.

Get on your bike and get ready for another screenshot of crazy gameplay...

Hey, I've found a bike. Weeee, come on, there aren't many games like this!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I feel like Magic Pockets is brand new again, so I'm very happy with my purchase. At the moment, I haven't gotten very far, if I'm honest. But it's fun trying, and what a gem this platformer is! It's wonderful to play it again after all these years. I feel it hasn't aged badly whatsoever. In fact, it's still just as much fun and as entertaining as it ever was. You could say that I'm feeling like a big kid on Christmas Day.

Magic Pockets is an outstanding platformer and is easy to get into. This article might be a preview, but anything from the Bitmap Brothers is top-notch. I know I'll be enjoying this for many moons to come.

Highly recommended isn't a good enough phrase to use. PLAY THIS GAME!!

Downloaded for floppy and hard disk.

Heartland 2000

Happy Easter, everyone!!

Okay, I needed an egg-related game for Easter, which usually means Dizzy or perhaps even Chuckie Egg 2 (Nah, I'll never play that terrible game again!). So, here is Heartland 2000 (originally released in 1996 by Tony Greenwood), later improved for the Atari STe by TOS-Crew with 50fps scrolling!!

That's right, the original Heartland was a fantastic game, but this improvement is something else! In fact, I also wonder if this is Dizzy's only outing on the Atari STe?

This is a cracking (sorry) platformer, but I admit that I struggled to grasp the sheer size of its map. This is a big game and something you either play properly or not at all - unless you enjoy running around just to see the smooth scrolling whilst listening to the DMA sound burping through the speakers? The older STfm guys get the same visuals, but the audio is now crisp YM-generated. Which I prefer, if I'm being honest.

Regardless of the computer, this is a great upgrade, and I enjoyed the graphics whizzing across my screen like silk that completes the experience. However, I wasn't so sure about the music as I prefer chip.

Let's take a look at the much-needed know-how of the keys you can smack during play...

• Move using the cursor keys: left & right
• space: jump (or use the joystick or JagPad)
• m: map
• r: show processor time left rasters
• s: toggle sample (STE, Falcon), sound chip, effects and no-sound
• Esc: quit the game
• c: to toggle between sizzy and sazzy
• h: toggle 50/60 Hz (ST, STE only), on 8 MHz machines

Okay, it might be the same game, and aesthetics never matter much, but I must admit, they sure are nice to have. TOS-Crew has taken a good game and made it even better with proper scrolling that slides across the monitor like never before. I think this will help you to enjoy Heartland more than ever.

This proves the power of the Atari ST when programmed by people who care. What a wonderful upgrade, and my congratulations to TOS-Crew for going the extra mile to improve an already excellent game!!

• Grab the floppies or a hard disk installable version, and I hope you have a great Easter †

Hey, what's Dizzy doing here in the land of whizzy scrolling!

Woo, this map is confusing at first. And boy, is this game big. Perhaps too big?