PHF Rally 2 - Zero Bitplane

Sommarhack Awaits!

Say hello to a game without any pixels. What, a blank screen? No, everything is created with palette swaps, which is something I admit to not fully understanding. But the result is something quite unexpected and, if I'm honest, very cool. The screen is made using colourful blocks representing a winding road through forests, deserts, snow, night, etc. This style and transition remind me of Enduro on the Atari 2600.

PHF Rally II is obviously the (2024) sequel, and coded by Grazey (aka Phil Graham) of Psycho Hacking Force. This is a racer similar in concept to Spy Hunter, as we drive a "never-ending" road to Sommarhack in our Toyota Celica (I swapped that for my Ford Focus!!). Anyhow, the objective is to last as long as you can without crashing into the roadside. It's dead simple, but a ton of fun - and one I was actually quite good at (for once). The controls are easy; simply use the cursor keys to move left/right, and avoid crashing!

Running at 50fps, this is one slick racer zooming down your screen. It's fast-paced and probably too fast if it wasn't for the use of overscan. This means you can see a lot more of the road ahead, which compensates for the terrifying speeds! The result is perfectly balanced, making it both enjoyable and challenging.

You can play this on either computer, but (I thought) it looks best on the STe thanks to the superior palette. The use of overscan alongside this insane idea of zero bitplanes is what makes the ST scene so exciting and innovative, especially with the stunning chip music by gwEm (aka Gareth Morris).

PHF Rally II is superb and rated an engine-breaking 85%. Try to beat my high score if you can!

• Grab the download either from Demozoo or Atarimania.
• You should take a look at Psycho Hacking Force on Demozoo, an incredible archive!
• If you fancy playing the first Rally game, then click right here.
• If you have an Atari STe, then check out our list of other enhanced games.

Level one takes us through lush blocky woodland.

Oh no, winter appears from nowhere!

But we travel so far that we eventually reach the desert!

Who turned out the lights? Oh, is it nighttime already?

This is as far as I got, a rocky canyon (not far from Sommarhack?)

Can you beat me?

Out Run

Oh no, yuppie racing!!

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of beta-testing an enhanced version of Out Run for Peter Jørgensen. Happy times, and I really miss those days! If you’re wondering who he is, he’s the guy behind YMT Player, Manic Miner, and a new version of Enduro Racer. He also helped me to create two (ahem) fantastic slideshows - ZombieCrypt and Half-Life 2. Anyhow, those were great days, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I’d never featured Out Run. I wonder why - maybe I was waiting for the “next beta” which never happened?

Who knows, but here we are now! So, everyone knows how disappointing Outrun is, so perhaps that was what spurred Peter to create a better game. I can't recall every detail of the planned specs and enhancements - it’s been six years - but I do remember he was aiming for a smoother framerate, better sprites, and DMA sound effects. Although it isn’t finished, it's already a major improvement over the dreadful original.

Before downloading this beta, grab a copy of the original and play it first. That way, you'll truly appreciate the differences. I hope Peter eventually returns to complete the hard work he’s already put into this.

• Atarimania hosts the latest beta version (ST/STe - requires a Blitter)
• Atari Legend has the original game on several menu disks.
• If you fancy playing more enhanced Atari STe games then tickle this link.
• Peter's profile is available on Demozoo and if you're wondering about his other productions then use the search at the top/right of this page!

The familiar rush through the sunshine in your Ferrari Testarossa.

The second stage is annoying with many roadside obstacles.

My game ended, but I liked the look of the dust, so I had to screenshot it.

I reached the third stage - which is good for me!!

GIANTS

Atari ST gaming titans?

Giants was released in 1989 by US Gold and is "a mammoth compilation of world beaters" according to the box. Always believe the box, ahem, anyways... Inside a sturdy plastic case are several floppy disks for four big names - which only goes to prove how cool the 1980s were. The four games are:

+ Out Run - I cannot believe this is by the same guy that gave us Enduro Racer!
+ Gauntlet II - an Atari ST classic developed by Golden Axe legend Richard Costello.
+ 1943 - developed by Probe... No, wait! Come back, this one is a good 'un!!
+ Street Fighter - Tiertex gave us Strider so I'm hopeful for another gem. Ahem.

One of those is an arcade beauty on the Atari ST, but what about the other games? Let's see...

- OUTRUN -

Let's begin with Out Run. Oh, dear... I'm not sure what to say about this because we have all moaned about it for many years. Personally, I thought the perspective didn't work on the home computer versions. I know we're in a Ferrari, but there ain't enough pixels for such a low position. However, it's the framerate that hurts the most. This is supposed to be a fast-paced rush through the sunny streets, but it feels more like a jerky slideshow.

Ignoring the dreadful framerate, the visuals aren't too bad and are bright, colourful, and sunny. The music is fantastic, and that's thanks to Jason Brooke. However, it's that framerate that destroys everything this could have been. I wasn't expecting an arcade-perfect conversion, but whoever programmed this should be shot.

Stay clear of this game. There are so many other - far better - racers available for the Atari ST.

Thankfully, there is light at the end of this horendous tunnel, thanks to Manic Miner legend Peter Jørgensen who is in the process of upgrading Out Run for the Atari STe. It uses the Blitter for better framerates along with new sprites, music and more. As a work-in-progress, is already a million times better than the official game...

The road ahead is blocked by four trucks. Yes, four trucks. And I'm almost outta time too!!

- GAUNTLET II -

Unlike the other two Gauntlet games, this one is oddly missing from our archives, so Giants has nicely plugged that gap. Come on, what a fantastic game this is, also something every Atari ST player knows and loves dearly. Whether you are playing solo or with friends, this is a brilliant conversion of the arcade game.

From the moment its cabinet appears - with that foot-tappingly cool music - we are in love. Choose a character from four heroes: a brute like Thor, the cunning Valkyrie, a powerful wizard, or a wise Elf. Each has its style, and all will find it tough to clear the crowded dungeons of evil monsters, ghosts, and other demons.

Use your weapon, kill everything - leave nothing alive. This includes those generators popping out all kinds of monsters from the depths of hell. Look for potions to help against the tougher beasts - like death or a massive hoard. But there is also treasure and food to keep yourself wealthy and healthy.

This game is Dandy, and one of the greatest Atari ST arcade games you will ever play!

One of the best Atari ST arcade conversions there is. Right? Of course, I'm right!!

- 1943 -

1943 follows on from (wait for it) 1942 and is another vertically-scrolling shooter. However, this conversion was initially tough, so I was saddened by how much I hated it. The gameplay feels too fast, so I spent ages ramming into the enemy - and their bullets. It's almost like I had a kamikaze gift for getting myself destroyed.

I also miss the real estate of a portrait display, but that's hardly the ST's fault. Nor is reaching for the spacebar to use a bomb during the difficult moments. However, stick with it and don't be put off because this is a faithful and frantic conversion with tons of enemies and power-ups to collect. Also, I must say that I absolutely love the energy bar, which I thought was superb - and certainly helped prolong my games!

Graphically, we've not been given a perfect clone, but it's no ugly beast. The sprites are nice zooming around your screen, but the backgrounds are pretty lame. However, that is compensated by parallax scrolling - fluffy clouds gliding down the screen like melting butter. The music was YM-composed by Jason Brooke and is brilliant.

Boot this one up for a good hour of frantic joystick-breaking action!

Oh no, the enemy is attacking from multiple directions? Argh, I'm bound to die pretty soon!!

- STREET FIGHTER -

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm no expert in this genre. I know very little until recently dipped my toes in the water a few years back with Double Dragon 3. I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it and found the whole experience rather mind-blowing. What had I been missing all these years? I know, I know...

Things aren't (ahem) as impressive here with Street Fighter. The gameplay is very slow, and the controls don't feel right. It's like I'm blindly bashing the button in the desperate hope of punching or kicking at the right moment. Also, the opponents never truly feel like they have much AI, but when they attack, they're possessed by Chuck Norris!! The balance is off, so I dare anyone to beat your first opponent - without cheating!

Graphically, it looks nice with neat backdrops and huge sprites (more on that another time!). However, the game is dog-slow, and the sprites have bad animation. I'm unsure why everything is so eye-burstingly jerky, as there's little going on. I'm not going to mention the music other than to say how much it grates. Ugh!!

Everything about this conversion feels like a wind-up. Have I been given a beta by accident? Surely this is a joke? Imagine paying the RRP for this. Play something else and don't waste your time booting this up!

Looks quite nice, I think. Though fighting in slo-mo is made even worse by ridiculous difficulty.

- THE CRYPTO'PINION -

It's obvious Gauntlet II was going to be the star of this collection - and it is. But I'm shocked at how much I enjoyed playing 1943, which is a seriously crazy shooter. Okay, I initially hated it, but after many agonising attempts, I finally got the hang of it. I still need a cheat for infinite lives, but I loved it.

That leaves two stinkers. OutRun is a terrible racer with a headache-inducing framerate that makes our Atari ST run slower than an Amstrad CPC. So I'm (more than) relieved we have Peter's Atari STe upgrade in the pipeline. Street Fighter is something else. I'm unsure what to say other than shockingly poor programming.

Overall, I would have been pleased with this compilation back in the day. It's obvious that I would have spent most of my time playing Gauntlet II and occasionally booting up 1943 for a quickie - and probably not lasting very long. The other floppies would have been reformatted and used for the latest Automation disks!!

GIANTS can be downloaded from AtariMania

RVF Honda

Street Hawk!

I felt it was time I included more biking games as they're pretty scarce on this lil' old website. So here is MicroStyle's RVF Honda which is one tough biking simulator many remember. It comes in a familiar box that features a beautiful bike somebody... somewhere... will appreciate. Inside the box, is a brilliant manual but that's enough yapping and I booted up the game and took my new Honda for a ride.

First things first, RVF Honda isn't an arcade racer, more a simulator with semi/realistic mechanics like manual gears and opponents that only Barry Sheene could beat. The graphics are barebones but the performance is furious. Heck, there is an option for a faster 60Hz display - which is something all games should have.

This racer is fun albeit with a massive learning curve due to the way the bike handles. The controls take some time to master and you will crash a lot - having to push the bike is a neat touch when restarting (but that soon wears thin when struggling to master those corners; slamming into yet another tree). Yep, the learning curve is hell on two wheels which I think is successfully demonstrated in my video recording.

Basically, you must devote lots of time to learning the controls. Again, this isn't an arcade racer so play Enduro Racer if that's what you want. Devotion beats the learning curve; your reward is a superb racer.

Okay, let's take a look at the box, contents, and some nifty screenshots...

In keeping with their theme, the front is predictable yet pretty cool.

The back of the box is actually better than the front, which is odd!

The manual is concise and stuff full of information. Make sure you read it...

Hmm, not much for your pennies when you think about it?

Make sure you're in the right gear for the corners otherwise, you hit the tarmac!

That then means pushing your bike to get going again. Love it!!

Take time, learn the controls and grasp the feel of the handling.

Oi you, keep off my grass!! Pah, a need to practise more...

Atari ST friends

My new Atari ST merch!

I received my latest "Atari Games" mug by Peter Jørgensen (Enduro Racer / YMT). No, they're not all the same, just scroll down for the reverse side. These cups are superb and it's so kind of Peter to send them. The mouse mat was a gift from my mate Tom, another ST nutter. Both Peter and Tom made the ZombieCrypt mug - probably because they were blown away by that slideshow I released last year. Hmm, probably not lol.

My greetings Peter/Tom - nothing is better than suppin' coffee from my Atari ST mug!! 😎

Enduro Racer #AtariSTe

Yet another Atari STe game #indev

Enduro Racer is one of my favourite Atari ST racers because it's fast, fun and an uncomplicated thrill. In fact, it's the classic arcade racer and our conversion is pretty good considering the age of this 1987 release!

As you can imagine, I was excited to find out that Peter Jørgensen (Mr Manic Miner himself!) has begun development of an enhanced update specifically for the Atari STe!! He's graciously given me the latest beta and it's looking impressive with many improvements - more are planned. This version is very fast!!

1. The Blitter is utilised to push a brisk framerate!
2. Expect many more colours on-screen at once.
3. Usage of the extended palette.
4. Remaster YMT music of the original ST scores by legend David Whittaker.
5. Arcade samples played using the DMA hardware.

From what I've seen, heard, and played, this is tremendous!! To take one of my favourite Atari ST racers, and improve upon it using the STe hardware, is mind-blowing!! Good luck Peter - I cannot wait!!

Don't go just yet, check out these screenshots and... watch this space... :-)

Enduro Racer

Wheelie good fun

The Atari ST received a great conversion of Enduro Racer, programmed by Ian Morrison, who also made the amazing Road Blasters. There are five races to compete in against a whole load of other bikers on tracks littered with many hazards. The controls are superb, and I found cornering tight and exhilarating. Watch out for the timer, which is happy to tick down, so learn and practice the tracks! This is the only way you'll beat it and maybe show off those skills by doing a handlebar handstand? It's crazy, but it's cool.

Visually, things are a little sparse, but that helps to produce a better framerate. The music is nothing short of fantastic and typically Dave Whittaker - in other words, brilliant. Enduro Racer might be showing its age a little when compared to other ST racers, but I still think it's worth booting up. Cars are best, but this proves that even bikes can look cool when leaping over the jumps and thrashing around tight turns.

This is what excellent racing looks like, and I guarantee that you will love every second of it.

Floppy Disks  |  Hard Drive