In the eye of the beholder

Pleasing pixels

Upgrading to the Atari ST was a monumental moment. I remember seeing games like Dungeon Master, Xenon, The Pawn, and International Karate. I couldn't believe the detail and range of colours - without colour clash! Of course, that feeling happened again when I bought The Union Demo. The joy my eyes and ears experienced with extra colours, glossy fonts, plasmas, parallax scrolling, etc. What a moment that began a new era!!

So where is this yabber taking us? I was sitting here wondering what my favourite ST/e image is. Over the years, I've seen great pictures from people using programs like NEOchrome, Degas, Spectrum 512, and Photochrome. Not to mention the creations of the demoscene, embedded within intros, cracktro, demos, etc.

You can see my choice (at the top) taken from Drone, an Atari STe demo by DHS. It was originally created by Ultradialectics and is horrifically exquisite. Drone is a remarkable demo with an ominous style and presentation yet it remains funky-fantastic! Yes, that's my silly way of describing their hard work!

So what is your favourite pixel art and why? I'm not talking about the technical aspect as it can be anything - monochrome, 16-colour, or feature thousands of colours in overscan! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, the caveat is that the Atari ST/STe must be able to display your choice (not TT/Falcon).

Links

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Original artwork by Ultradialectics [ Deviant Art ] [ Demozoo ]

28-colour STe version [ Dead Hackers Society ]

Drone demo for Atari STe w/ credits and download [ Demozoo ]

Dead Hackers Society [ Demozoo ]

The Union Demo [ Demozoo ]

You know the rule - best experienced using a real Atari STe.

Addendum

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An overwhelming response... sigh... So here are examples of gaming #pixelart that I admire.

Rambo III.

Starting with an obvious one! The resemblance to the artwork is astounding. Love it!!

Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters.

Jaw-dropping pixel artistry was used for its intro. A truly stunning screen.

Black Lamp.

Perhaps a cheat as it's basically a collection of sprites! A legendary screen!!

Fire And Brimstone.

Of course, this isn't a title screen but just look at that outstanding pixel art!!!!

Laser Ball.

Technically not the best but the exotic toon results are superb.

After The War.

Wow, a surprisingly good beat 'em up and this screen is mind-blowing!!

Spikey in Transylvania.

Not a title screen, but a scene from the game I absolutely love. Gorgeous expressions!

Dungeon.

So bad, it's actually good. I love the dripping flesh. Amazing!!

A Prehistoric Tale.

I wanted to keep this to just games but the demoscene had to sneak in! ;) #SUPERB

The beST Game Ever

There can be only one

I hate questions like, "What's your favourite game". An impossible question to answer because it doesn't take into consideration the genre or even my mood at that moment. Plus my answer changes daily! However, people still ask me which is understandable but also quite infuriating. Or am I in a grumpy mood?!!

Possibly!! Yet I'm actually wondering what is my favourite Atari ST game! We have a ginormous library so how can I answer? Here goes: I'm ignoring ratings. I'm ignoring genre. I'm ignoring my mood. I'm ignoring everything to make this the most pointless article ever. Wait, it's wrong to pick Dungeon Master, right?

NO!! I cannot choose that because it's the game everyone automatically plumps for. Rightly so, but...

Anyhow, what about Defender of the Crown? What about Stardust? What about Rogue? Then there is Prince Of Persia, Gauntlet II, Joust, Magic Boy, Borodino, Zero-5, Stunt Car Racer, Speedball, Populous, Golden Axe, Time Bandit, The Secret Of Monkey Island, Death Chase, The Pawn, Rick Dangerous, Hostages, Kult, Resolution 101, Stormlord, Midwinter, Hunter, Legends Of Valour, Carrier Command, Mr Do! Run Run, Captain Blood, North & South, Starglider, Oids, Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters, Turrican, and Out Run.

The list goes on and on and on... (I was joking about Out Run!)

So, with my back against the wall and a loaded gun held against my empty head, the dreaded question is asked. It demands an answer. I'm starting to sweat. What game might come out trumps? Well, after great thought (honest) I've made my decision - knowing full well this is a pointless venture that makes no sense.

Nobody will read this rubbish website so I'm perfectly safe from ridicule.

I've done it and picked the best Atari ST game.

Do you wanna know what it is? Really, are you that bored? Right, scroll on...

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The CryptO'pinion?

I have picked Domark's Shadowlands as the best Atari ST game. Not only was it ahead of its time but created, designed and produced to near perfection. It offers the player a fascinating, atmospheric, and captivating world to explore. What, you completely disagree with me? Well, there's a shocker!! Am I really that wrong?

I don't care :p but click the above link to read my review? Hang on, can I change my mind? lol

Yes, this was silly and a pointless waste of our time. Regardless, if you had a gun held to your head and forced to make that dreaded decision - what Atari ST game would you choose? It can be absolutely anything at all except Dungeon Master. I'm eager to hear your thoughts so let me know in the comments below. STay Atari.

Downloads for: Floppy Disks | Hard Drive

The title screen is superb and nicely animated too, which this screenshot fails to show!

The opening level outside is quite lame but don't enter the dungeon without looking around first...

Once inside, the game perfectly introduces you to the lighting, puzzles, and monsters.

The first baddie is this fella but, don't worry because he's really easy to kill.

Another baddie and some pick-ups too. Hang on, is that a key I see?

Replaying this game again, from scratch, is proving to be fantastic. What an adventure!!

Make sure you read the manual. There are more than enough helpful hints to get you started.

Shadowlands

Stay Awhile and Listen

Shadowlands is a 1992 RPG by Domark and developed by Barry Costas who created another personal favourite of mine Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters. I've wanted this game for years, and I finally have it proudly displayed on my ST shelf!! Will it live up to my expectations after all these years?

The story is based on an ancient legend of a warrior prince who was slaughtered on the battlefield. Somehow, our dead dude has magically awoken to find himself alive and kicking with the nifty ability to mind-control. So he has selected four loyal subjects to venture back into the Shadowlands and wreak his vengeance!

I don't know about you, but I'm excited and need to see some screenshots!! Onwards we go...

Earlier messages may appear rather obvious but reading them can be rewarding later on...

Don't be so quick to begin your adventure - take the time to look around this open area!

The graveyard proves a little clumsy for our warriors to navigate but the dungeons are fine.

It's that time... Dungeon Crawl time!

As you would expect, the gameplay is in real-time with characters, puzzles, and beasts to kill. We begin with the option to use the default characters or manually generate their attributes, which I suggest you do. The first level begins outside in a woodland graveyard with useful pickings before taking the plunge into the depths.

Our adventure begins once inside the creepy dungeons but the first thing that hits you is the lighting. This is incredible using a technique called Photoscape that adds a gradual gradient to the light around a character carrying a lit torch. This makes the dungeon spooky with its disturbing atmosphere. The audio isn't too shabby with fantastic title screen music and sampled sound effects throughout the game.

Let's crack on and see a few of the puzzles with some of that cool lighting...

I love how subtle many hints are! They nicely use silly wording to give you a hint.

Sometimes it's far too subtle but at least it tries to help you and I love that!

Now it's time to spend a quid... All brilliant puzzles help make this game so interesting!

Bring friends... and a torch!

Playing Shadowlands is an instant, and fascinating, experience. In fact, I couldn't wait to leave the graveyard to venture into the depths to see what nasties lurked. As you can see, we're in charge of four characters and each can lead and be controlled independently using their avatars along the bottom of the screen.

The first thing that hits you is the skills and lacking progression. Each character can offer similar talents and fight as well as each other. This takes away some of the RPG aspects as Shadowlands is more of an exploration puzzler in the dungeons. Treat each character as a solid member of your party rather than unique.

It's not always necessary to remain as a group. Sometimes, it's best to go alone when scouting in search of items. However, idle warriors should still be vigilant for critters that like to nibble!

Your four loyal subjects will need replenishment so eat, drink, and rest whenever possible but be wise and use your stock sparingly. Flasks can always be topped up from fountains but nothing stops you from having a sip or two while there. Torches are most helpful as it's so dingy plundering through the grim levels but, once again, use these sparingly and extinguish any idle ones in your inventory to make them last longer.

All dungeons should be this scary!! Hey, let's check out some more screenshots...

Look out, something hideous is creeping up on you!!!

The warrior is now a bag of bones... Perhaps he should have read the notice below?

Well, come on, it does say in plain English what not to do. He asked for it! lol

Run, think, shoot, live!

Soon into your first game, you realise how awesome the user interface is for controlling your A-Team. The inventory screen can be accessed at any time with a single right-click and is a cinch to use with extra functions like swapping items or grouping the adventurers into structured squads rather than a clumsy mob.

Each level has a superb design without losing your bearings. It's a good idea to read everything you come upon because not every puzzle is obvious; it might be a masked trap that conjures something nasty. Always beware!! Also, look out for switches, wall slots, or even rickety floor panels. Other puzzles are a fun play on words such as "weight and see" (a great way to get rid of any useless items).

Weapons vary and can be just about anything you can carry, and there are many impressive items just waiting to clobber your foe. Look around right at the start for something helpful... However, it's always good practice not to feel like you need to fight everyone all the time - sometimes it's best to simply walk away.

Enough of my boring jibber jabber, let's see more screenshots...

Okay, I've got the key to the teleporter. Where is that?

Here it is. Okay, you first! No way!! (this is how my mind would work if I was there!)

The Magician finds three suspicious holes - will he choose the correct one or will he perish?

The CryptO'pinion?

Shadowlands is epic and I'm enjoying ransacking the dungeons. However, it has a few niggles. I failed to get the save game function to work no matter what I tried (not much of a problem today when using the emulator's snapshot feature or the hard drive version). Also, guiding our loyal subjects can sometimes be awkward as they struggle to walk around the graveyard and through the odd open doorway. Yes, they're a sandwich short of a picnic and often need a gentle push to help them out. Let's end this pickyness.

I've featured a few adventure/RPGs over the years and I thought nothing would live up to Dungeon Master! Shadowlands is more of a lite RPG without aspects like races/skillsets or levelling/progression. Regardless, this leaves you to concentrate on the terrifying environment, how to beat the puzzles and stay alive.

This is truly one of the most rewarding dungeon crawlers I have ever played.

Install to hard drive with the snapshot-save feature!!
Are you stuck? AtariMania has some game tips.

Goin' Down With The Captain

Wait... Come back!!

Goin' Down With The Captain was developed in GFA Basic by Terry King of Ninth Wave Software and must be one of the silliest titles since the robot monsters invaded. Or is it just me? Anyhow, imagine yourself as the unlucky cabinboy onboard a sinking ship who is running around for the lifebuoys. Can you help save him?

Collecting the lifebuoys is easy, but you must venture deep into the waters to find some scattered about the ship. Fetch them back to their hangers up on the top deck but you are only able to carry a maximum of two at a time. Later levels will require multiple trips into Poseidon's realm. This is a frantic race against the clock!

Sounds interesting, right? Okay, let's take a look at a screenshot...

Leaky pipes, rising water and now a crab has spotted sent us to heaven, ala Monty Mole!

This ain't no killing gameshow!

The flooding is constantly rising due to leaky pipes spurting out water. These can be patched with a sticky plaster and some decks have pump levers to reduce water levels. Flooded decks can be accessed - if you hold your breath and use air bubbles to replenish oxygen. Any treasures you find are yours to keep but beware of snippy crabs roaming the lower decks who love nipping at your toes. There's much going on but never feels OTT.

The joystick controls are incredible with responsive movements and no learning curve. Oh, and using the levers is an entertaining moment that brought back memories of Decathlon albeit waggling up & down!!

It's fun and very hectic - trust me! Hey, I think it's time for another screenshot...

Some levels are a little more puzzling with lifebuoys hidden behind locked doors...

Cheap & cheerful

The graphics aren't exactly Bitmap Bros standard but they do their job albeit with the occasional slowdown. Scrolling is great and I have massive admiration for the palette - especially when underwater.

The audio is in stereo on the Atari STe but I'd much rather have the crisp YM chip over poor-quality samples. Yep, the music and sound effects are made from low-quality samples which I didn't care for. Hence, this is another reason why chiptunes are timeless compared to many MODs. Flame me all you like but it's true.

Am I trying to start a fight? Bring it on Commies! No, let's chill with another screenshot...

Remember, not every door needs to be unlocked - so use your keys wisely before you drown!

The CryptO'pinion?

This is an oddball with more than a hint of a certain other action platformer. I enjoyed the gameplay style, it's fantastic with many interesting ideas. In fact, it's downright silly at times but you won't mind one bit. Ignore the weak visuals and fuzzy audio because the gameplay is top-notch and that's what matters.

Going Down With The Captain is challenging, addictive, and one of the best PD games I've played.

Goin' Down With The Captain download @AtariMania

Wreckers

It's time once again to save... the ship!

Wreckers is an isometric adventure released in 1991 by Audiogenic. It's the only game I own by them and was developed by Denton Designs. Those old enough to live through the 80s using 8-bit computers will remember them for games like Gift From The Gods. Ignoring Bandersnatch/Brataccas... ugh... from me, it's The Great Escape which I feel is one of the best 8-bit games ever. Yep, I said that.

Anyhow, enough trivia! For Wreckers, we're onboard the interestingly named space station, Beacon 04523N, in the loneliest part of deep space. With a crew of three, held in cryogenic stasis, automated robots look after the day-to-day care and maintenance of the station. However, the computer has decided to wake you when it detects the threat of Plasmodians, a lifeform that wants to frantically consume the ship and everything in it.

Okay, let's take a little break for an animated GIF of this wonderful game...

Let's play

In some respects, I'm reminded of the brilliant Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters but there is far more to this game than simply running around shooting green blobs of plasma, albeit great fun! From the very start, you discover that the alien attack is happening and, once they make physical contact with the outer hull, it's only a matter of time before they begin creating havoc with the computer's systems.

The station has its defence capabilities in the form of a space hoover that sucks up the aliens before they get on board. The droids can be controlled to help, and another option is to suit up and head outside to play Jetman with a can of bug spray. Beacon 04523N is hardly Babylon 5 but at least these options are available. Oh, do remember to use the Zippway Shuttles and elevators to travel the Beacon. Don't dawdle because the main computer has decided one hour is enough to eradicate the threat before self-destruct is activated!!

Control is handled via keyboard and joystick but the latter might disappoint because I actually found myself holding it sideways. This usually works but some might find it weird! Also, the user interface will take time to get to grips with, I found it quite unusual and sometimes a little clumsy in the heat of the moment.

Let's now take another break for a screenshot of three dodgy fellas...

My Opinion

Graphically, I love the 80s feel and, whilst it doesn't look very 1991, it uses a retro charm I appreciate. Scrolling is adequate but I sure love the station's attention to detail, along with the colourful sprites. The title music is just awesome and the box loves to gloat about who made it, Warren Cann of Ultravox!

Wreckers will certainly keep you on your toes; it requires an urgent attitude with the ability to juggle tasks and think ahead while suffering a constant onslaught. Running around zapping aliens is one aspect of the game but, because there is so much going on, it's sometimes extremely hard to keep up with the situation. Don't get me wrong, Wreckers is a very good game but one that requires a lot of time, patience, and commitment.

Have you got the requirements? If so, brace yourself for an incredible adventure!!

* Floppies can be found via Old Games Finder with a hard disk version by 8BitChip.

* Hall Of Light has a superb map of the space station which sure comes in handy!!

Super Space Invaders

Space Invaders!!

How could anyone contemplate enhancing Space Invaders? How about supersizing it with power-ups and other cool ideas!! This is exactly what Domark did with the imaginatively titled Super Space Invaders, an authentic take with an array of next-gen invaders to quench our two-dimensional alien-zapping thirst.

> From the start, we're treated to a superb intro you should watch. I can't stress that enough!

When a game begins, select your path through a variety of grouped stages, similar to Blasteroids. As an attack wave begins, it's quite slow and gradually speeds up with each kill. These new invaders will attack using a variety of tactics - some will bloat after being shot, thus requiring extra effort. Don't expect the same attack formations, this time they use various styles with some breaking away - Galaxian style!

Let's peep at a screenshot of an unlucky guy struggling at his daily job. Some have it tough...

The intro is legendary. I absolutely loved it and it's definitely something you don't skip!!

Can't knock the classic formula

An easily targeted mothership frequently passes by and, if destroyed, drops a power-up in true Arkanoid fashion. These power-ups are key to success and an enhanced gameplay experience. There are many, I love the laser which slices through the alien hoard like a hot knife through butter. I must admit, to taking a liking to that rapid-fire power-up! Perhaps I should state this fact again? The power-ups are key to a better game.

Okay, if Space Invaders had a flaw, it's repetition. Super Space Invaders attempts to break that by introducing bonus rounds, different stages, and boss levels. One bonus is the flying saucers screen which shows them hovering in the rural countryside trying to abduct cattle! The groovy end-of-level bosses are in urgent need of a good hiding!! I am especially impressed by the boss after level three which is beautifully animated.

Here is a screenshot that might look a bit awkward but playing is miles better...

Some aliens balloon when hit which is funny but also means more shooting!!

Aesthetics

The graphics are excellent with nicely detailed invaders and I especially liked the huge insects. Framerates are great but the game will appear sluggish without using power-ups. I really enjoy the colour schemes throughout, it has a surreal feeling. Finally, the End-Of-Level bosses are a fantastic example of cool pixel art.

Musically, very interesting as I am weirdly reminded of Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters. The effects are good but I was disappointed not to hear the famous cannon sounds from the arcade!

Okay, let's see a cutscene and this one has helpless cows wanting a quiet life...

Oh no, now those pesky aliens are after cattle. I need burgers so shoot them down now!

The CryptO'pinion?

I've had a blast (sorry) playing this game. It's still Space Invaders but with many extras that bloat and bastardise the original format. Purists might turn up their noses in disgust at this abomination. Nonetheless, it's a terrific game in its own right and the power-ups are key to getting the most from this alternative rendition. They really are and transform what would otherwise be a predictable clone into a freakishly entertaining affair.

I feel this is an addictive and entertaining take on the original idea. Great fun and highly recommended!

Can you protect humanity from Space Invaders?
Help is stored ready on hard disk or floppy.

Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters

B-movie gaming

Evil Reptilons are hell-bent on destroying us humans and taken hold of Planet X. They've enslaved much of the population, forcing them to build a robot army for an invasion. Jake and Duke are two heroes with a simple plan: destroy as many robots as possible, trash the computers, rescue cute girls, and save the day.

Robot Monsters is played in a fashion similar to other 3D isometric games you might have seen going back to the days of Knight Lore. Imagine a pinch Buck Rogers with a dollop of Gauntlet and you get the idea. The goal is to rescue the humans, without forgetting those held in stasis pods! Along the way are traps designed for us soft fleshy humans: sharp spikes, rotating chunks of metal, and electric floor panels.

All this is going on whilst Planet X constantly spawns enemy robots. Yes, the alien hoard is relentless so you better be quick on the trigger otherwise you will be overrun. It's insane, but it works. And it works better than other games that employ the same mechanic because it's manageable and playable.

This game is like living a B-Movie so let's see some screenshots from the intro...

Grab a raygun and fight

We're not going to sit back and take this invasion lightly? Armed with a powerful weapon that is great for quick kills. However, refrain from overuse otherwise, it is less effective. Thankfully, it can be charged by collecting the green blobs that a dead robot might leave behind after dying. There are also bombs - hit the shift key and they detonate. That kills anything nasty within your vicinity - even the captives so, be careful.

There are bonus stages along a canal route after a few levels and feature many extra bonuses. These aren't essential to your overall progress. Also, I wasn't too eager about them because I wanted to get playing the main game. The big Reptilon boss will first seem an impossible opponent but there is a cunning way to avoid it by using a few bombs and a little joystick waggling!! Just ask me if you need any help.

I know, I know, you wanna see some more screenshots from the intro. Well, you're in luck...

Next-Gen aesthetics!

Back in the day, I remember being blown away by the comical artwork, which still looks great. In-game, I adore the isometric 3D viewpoint which is perfect, and the entire environment has superb attention to detail. The Alien Hoard is varied and excellent - my favourite being the biscuit-looking guys lol. They're not biscuits of course, but they are cute! And that's this game to a tea, it's different and loves to be different. It works perfectly.

The audio is a blast, with zappy effects complementing the gorgeous background music. I like how it integrates during gameplay. Sure, I wish we had an extra channel but the music beats away while you hear relevant sound effects. It works a treat and sounds amazing. I loved the music so click the arrow and listen for yourself.

Go on, I said click this arrow just below and enjoy the YM Bliss...

AtariCrypt · Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters

Don't run away. Come back, there are girls to be rescued and robots to kill!

The CryptO'pinion?

I have really enjoyed playing this great game again after all these years. This is one of those shooters stuffed to the brim with originality and frantic metallic mayhem. Running around killing everything is totally demented and done with a comical personality using great characters. This is a superb isometric shooter.

It's as much fun to play today as it was in 1990. Such an iconic 16-bit shooter and I love it to bits!!

- DOWNLOAD for hard disk and floppy -