Happy Commodore Day!!

Wait, come back...

I bet you didn't expect to see that logo here? lol. Well, I have decided to create a light-hearted Amiga presentation to celebrate a great 16-bit computer. No, I'm not trying to be sarcastic! So, why the sudden burst of Amiga appreciation? Well, ever since I posted about STDOOM and DOOM8088ST, I have received a flood of childish and downright nasty comments on both this site and my YouTube channel. Rather than rise to their bait and retaliate, I figured I would record a silly yet respectful video to say thanks for the fantastic banter over the years, not to mention the zillions of Tracker tunes (as a chiptune guy, I hated typing that).

I've hunted down some cool Amiga-themed demos, images, and music. Nothing bitter, just a playful tribute with a few cheeky extras thrown in for a laugh. Surprisingly, there’s actually a fair bit of Amiga-themed content for the ST/STe, which is kinda cool. So I picked out a few that I liked, but Demozoo has loads more.

The productions I’ve picked are shown briefly in my video, so I’ve included all the links below to enjoy each one properly. I loved the AN Cool demo - just wish it was longer, especially as a ZZ Top fan! Commando is actually a VT-52 text file, and I recorded it in full, as it scrolls a bit too fast, so it’s probably easier to watch on YouTube. If, like me, an animated text file fascinates you, check out Josh Renaud's excellent website.

Okay, as for the minority of keyboard warriors, leaving nasty comments - seriously, why are you here? I mean, we don’t spend our time lurking on Amiga websites just to troll. We're too busy enjoying our ST to be looking over our shoulders. To the rest, the normies, let the banter continue for many more decades!!

Regardless of your allegiance, I hope that you enjoy watching my video recording. STay Atari :x

• All credit to these cool dudes for the productions used in my recording...
• The Amiga Demo by The Exceptions https://demozoo.org/productions/76582/
• Amiga Joke Demo by AN Cool https://www.atarimania.com/amiga-joke-demo.html
• The Amiga Sound Demo by The Slayer https://demozoo.org/productions/94010/
• Amiga Music Disk 3 by The Disaster Crew https://demozoo.org/productions/76279/
• Amiga 1200 Demo by Tranceaction https://www.atarimania.com/amiga-1200-demo.html
• Amiga Modules #5 by Mug U.K https://demozoo.org/productions/134809/
• Amiga Demo 2 by Oxygene https://www.atarimania.com/amiga-demo-ii.html
• Golden Dawn's Mod Disk #14 https://demozoo.org/productions/120194/
• Commando Raid by Tim https://www.atarimania.com/commando-raid.html
• Say Amiga One More Time Bitch by Samurai https://demozoo.org/graphics/180900/

System IV - Mister Tenqus Adventure

Bizarre finds...

Sometimes I stumble upon a game that is just weird, and System 4 is exactly that. It looks like QBert and plays more like Painter: we control a robot that hops around the screen, changing tiles so they all match in colour. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of bizarre enemies constantly getting in your way - Robot Hunter, Mad Devil, Paint Fool, and even one called Girl Friend (yes, really!). These scurry about, messing up your tiles, and it's best not to bump into them too much. They try their best to undo your hard work, so be quick.

Interestingly, this was designed and programmed in 1991 by Hugues De Jonghe [aka Lord Blitter] and R. Puchner. Which got me thinking... Sure enough, System 4 uses the Blitter for its sprites and screen draws. This was enough to warrant this quick gameplay video to add System IV to our Enhanced Games page!

Please note that the game appears to be corrupt when loading on the Atari STe; simply wait and press F1 to begin. System IV also runs on the STf, but is slower unless equipped with a Blitter Chip (which is odd, given how undemanding the game is). Best of all is hitting F2/3 on the main menu to access an extra player with the option for multiplayer, which is superb! Though be warned, it does make the screen even busier with so much going on.

This is a good game and worth booting up to see how far you can get, especially with a friend. You know, I love unexpected finds like this, and System IV has you running around like a headless chicken, but it's also kind of amusing. I've no idea why, but I really enjoyed playing it a bunch. No, honestly, I did!!

Before you download (Automation #505), here are some cool screenshots. Can you beat me?

Defender

The arcade comes home

The Atari ST boasts a small but brilliant selection of Defender-styled games, including great alternatives like Anarchy and StarRay. Of course, there’s also the classic Defender II by ARC, a favourite of mine with its flash & pizzazz. However, I don’t recall ever playing a proper official port of Williams’ Defender.

Earlier this year, I came across a new thread on Atari-Forum by sark02 for an arcade-perfect version of Defender. He began reverse-engineering the gameplay functions by translating the 6809 assembly and modifying it to work on the ST/e. The original's resolution is similar at 320x256, but instead of losing pixels, he implemented overscan to remove the lower border. Not only that, but he also utilises the DMA audio hardware for 25 kHz playback, while still supporting the STf. Quite remarkable, right? We need to duplicate this guy ASAP!!

This ancient arcade masterpiece deserves a break from my boring text with a lovely screenshot...

Shoot them all; take no prisoners!! (And note the taller image)

What is it?

Nobody is wondering what kind of game Defender is. Of course, if you've been hiding under a rock, then it's a speedy, intense shooter unlike anything else at the time. This horizontally scrolling space-blaster has us killing aliens and rescuing humans from abduction. It is fast-paced with flashy explosions and tough as nails. But it has that special "one more go" factor that keeps dragging you back. Defender is an arcade classic.

The first thing you should do is wait for the authentic but pointless boot intro to finish, then hit the F4 key to access a wide range of options. By default, the keyboard is active; however, you can change this to use the joystick or pad instead. Other options include auto-saving high scores, switching fonts between Defender and Atari, and the credits. Save your options, and we're good to go and blast the alien scumbags!

Now, pick up the joystick, blast aliens, have fun, and blast some more aliens. What more could you ask for? Well, best of all, the game feels completely genuine with the same movement and silky smooth aesthetics. Look out for Landers, Mutants, Bombers, and others as you try to protect those plucky humans.

Have you grasped just how cool this arcade game is? No?? Well, here's another screenshot, then...

Do you have any idea how tough it is to get a screenshot without getting killed?

CryptO'pinion

I can't rate this any differently than I would the arcade. It's the same game, which I find mega-mind-boggling, if I'm honest. In the documentation, sark02 writes, “If it feels like Defender, then that’s because of them. If it doesn’t, then that’s because of me.” By "them", he means the original programmers at Williams, which I fully understand. But come on, credit where it’s due - in my humble opinion, he has done an extraordinary job of morphing everything together to create an exceptional Atari ST/e shooter.

I can’t emphasise enough how great this is on the ST (even better on the STe!). This is a jaw-dropping conversion of Defender, built around the original arcade code and beefed up with overscan visuals, buttery-smooth controls, crisp DMA sounds. The effort sark02 put into it shines through. Where has he been for the last few decades, and what's next? Talk about bringing back those golden childhood memories!!

An authentic classic shooter that I'm pleased to rate a swarmer-busting 95%.

• Download it right away https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-defender_43677.html
• sark02's original announcement https://www.atari-forum.com/viewtopic.php?p=477907#p477907

Don't forget to hit the F4 key for an array of options.

The keyboard doesn't work for me, I need the joystick!

Fonts? How boring!!

Not really! Which one do you prefer?

Well done sark02. This was an easy game to rate, an AtariCrypt SMASH!!

“The ST Can’t Scroll”

Really?

One of the things we have all heard time and time again, both now and even back in the day, is that the Atari ST cannot scroll. But I’ve never really understood where that came from. Because when I unwrapped my ST on Christmas morning back in 1988, I was straight into games like Xenon, Beyond the Ice Palace, Black Lamp, Return to Genesis, Thundercats, Wizball, and Zynaps. All of them scrolled - and they scrolled well. That was just the start as the months passed, I got to play R-Type, Robocop, Baal, Pac-Land, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Custodian, The New Zealand Story, Jug, Blood Money, StarRay. And that list goes on (and on, and on...).

Sure, there were some proper stinkers - lazy ports that got the quick ‘n’ dirty Amiga-to-ST treatment, with zero care and even less optimisation. Especially in the 1990s, and when that happened, some developers shrugged and blamed the hardware. “The ST can’t scroll,” they’d say. More likely: the programmer didn’t have the time or the talent to do the job properly (ouch!). I'm still waiting for someone to Blitterise Cannon Fodder!

However, it's deeper than a handful of poorly converted games. So, where did this myth come from? Well, the standard ST was never going to churn out loads of games running at 50fps because it doesn’t have hardware scrolling, after all. But does that automatically mean anything running slower is rubbish? Not at all, but somehow, that excuse stuck - and even now, decades later, people still repeat it like it’s a fact.

Since I’m clearly not bored of moderating the abusive comments after posting about STDOOM & DOOM8088ST, I figured it was time to put this tired old myth to bed. I’ve made a 'gameplay' video showing several ST games that scroll fine – and yes, I could’ve included many more, but I think the point’s been made.

When the ST is in the hands of someone who knows what they’re doing and actually gives a TOS, it delivers. So you might say, a bad workman blames his tools... Just STay Atari, and enjoy my recording! :-)

Phantasie - Day 5

Into the Dungeons!

It's been a long time since I last wrote about Phantasie. No, I haven’t given up and run away scared! Things have just been a bit hectic lately at Crypt Towers, what with us now having DOOM (grin). But I’m back, sword in hand, and ready for possibly the most important part of any adventure game - the dungeon.

Since the last post, my progress has exploded, and I’ve explored huge chunks of the western island. The game feels like it properly opens up after all that early grinding in and around Pelnor. We're now rocking decent gear and are highly trained. That said, it's more of the same with a battle around every corner, and the difficulty keeps creeping up. But thanks to all that early farming (as the kids say), I find my party handles it.

Let’s rewind a bit and talk about that first dungeon close to Pelnor. Unlike many crawlers, these aren't procedurally generated; the physical layout stays the same, but your experience is different. For me, the dungeons are where Phantasie excels. Outside is fun, but it’s "just" the road between towns, loot, and trouble. The dungeons are enticing, as you must examine everything and question each move. There are several dungeons packed with puzzles, traps, weapons, and of course, runes. Their appearance reminds me a little of Rogue, a view of overhead corridors and rooms that slowly reveal themselves as you explore.

Encounters work in two ways: some are random, and others appear tied to specific tiles. Step on the wrong one and it's battle time - even when returning to that tile, which makes it tricky to avoid (yet another) conflict in a doorway or corridor!! That said, Phantasie gives you a range of options, so try greeting your would-be attackers. It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a shot - especially since it doesn’t cost you a turn.

One of the best features is the mapping system. Because the dungeons don’t change, you can rely on each map for reference as you poke around. Yes, the game offers to record your exploration! It’s surprisingly helpful and saves a lot of faffing about, especially when you need to return. Each dungeon contains a special rune reward, but you’ll need to survive traps, puzzles, and the usual monster mayhem to get it.

This is the fifth post, wrapping up my run through the basics of Phantasie. I shall hack & slash a bit more before my final conclusion. Until then, grab a sword, light a torch, and get inside that dungeon!!

This post is dedicated to my mate Tom for his support since day one. Talking of days, if you missed the earlier posts then I have the links here: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, and Day Four.

The green marker at the top is always the dungeon's entrance (and exit)
As you walk, the dungeon is revealed; watch out for traps and encounters.
The yellow markers are doors, and the green blobs can be interacted with.

The red/yellow marker is me, and I'm in the Storage Room.
The southwestern part of this dungeon is a minefield that took many attempts!!
Scroll down for the correct route...

I had to look twice when I entered this room!
I see a locked door and something curious in the east of the room.
This is actually a deceptively difficult dungeon with many battles.

Yes, there are people in the dungeons, and they're not all angry beasts.

The quests are interesting, but the user interface begins to show its age.
Phantasie needed a better way to check on quests, items, and more.

When you're out adventuring, you may return to town to catch your breath.

The game saves mapping progress for when you get back. Fantastic!!

2 left

2 down

1 right

2 down

3 left

2 down

5 right

1 up

3 right

AstroPanic '94

Unexpected little gem

AstroPanic '94 is a shooter by Dan Ackerman and appears to be a remake of the 1986 original by Charles Brannon. It was released in 1994(!), with updates and bonus sounds a year later. The premise is dead simple - shoot the aliens in what feels like a silly mash-up of Space Invaders and Missile Command.

We control a tank that moves left and right along the ground, blasting upwards at a bunch of alien ships. They’re a bit daft, flying around in oddball patterns, so you’ll need to dodge them while banging on the mouse button (you can use the keyboard, but the mouse is miles better). As is real hardware, Hatari would often freeze up and was painfully slow just to load the game - my Mega STe (4MB/TOS 2.06) ran it flawlessly.

AstroPanic '94 is a no-frills shooter, but loads of fun. Perfect for a quick blast and highly recommended!

• Atarimania has all the floppies https://www.atarimania.com/astropanic94
• Dan's other programs are listed on AtariUpToDate https://atariuptodate.de/en/dan-ackerman/
• Including Santa Run, which I love https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2024/12/merry-christmas.html
• Don't forget to play Charles Brannon's AstroPanic! https://www.atarimania.com/astropanic.html

Zero-5

Poor gameplay and my death

Some games sit on the hard drive, gathering digital dust as the years slip by unnoticed. Zero-5 is one of those, I’m embarrassed to admit. Going all the way back to 2016, I posted a short review along with an interview with the game’s creator, Andrew Gisby. 2016! Almost a decade ago. How did that happen?

Anyway, as most of you know, I’ve got a Mega STe sitting proudly on my desk, so I figured it was time to stop everything and fire up this classic shooter. Zero-5 is an Atari STe game (yes, yes... and the Falcon too) that takes full advantage of the enhanced hardware. I would say it’s more of an arcade shooter than a space sim, as it's packed with frantic 3D blasting - with some missions taking us down onto planet surfaces.

My video is a collection of short clips - no long, boring, unedited footage that nobody’s going to sit through anyhow (read the video's description for the clickable links). Let's hope I don't leave it nearly a decade before I play this cracking game again. Enjoy the video and make sure you download the game...

• Review & Interview with Andrew https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/operation-zero5.html
• Floppy disk downloads Atari Legend and Atarimania
• Hard drive download https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/zero5.html
• Cool Atari Legend video https://youtu.be/cgqw8cEgfBs?si=4z7SPWIUbdZqz2o7

DOOM8088ST

We're going to hell...

AtariCrypt seems to be turning into a bit of a Doom website these days. That's not a problem for me, as Frenkel kindly shared the latest beta of DOOM8088ST. You may remember the previous version? A lot has changed since then; we now have luxuries like sound effects, colour, and a choice of three new colour modes.

• Low Detail (30x128 x 16 colours) will definitely be for the stock ST computers running at 8MHz. The framerate is excellent, and Doom is playable. That fact alone is shocking when you think about it for an 8 MHz computer. Who needs to source an old 386 PC on eBay to play this game? Not me ;^)
• Medium Detail (60x128 x 16 colours) is suited to those with an upgraded ST and Mega STe. It looks a LOT better and still manages to maintain a brisk framerate (as in video recording).
• High Detail (120x128 x 16 colours) is suited to those with an upgraded ST. It looks brilliant if you have the hardware. Do you have the power?!!
• Alt Medium Detail (60x128 x 2 colours) but using a black and white detail mode.

Check out the video above, it's best viewed on YouTube, and I've recorded it in three parts, which are linked in the description. Please note that this is a WIP. The current release of DOOM8088 is an exciting and promising project that you can follow and hopefully assist with here https://github.com/FrenkelS/Doom8088ST

Eltonegame

Astonishing finds

The cracker scene has always intrigued me – it’s an exciting and brazen part of our history. It feels like I'm peeking into the rebellious side of the ST, and I’ve been hooked since discovering my first disk, which, I think, was a crack by Ford Perfect for FTL's Oids. I had never seen anything like it before. An outstanding game with a colourful intro that features music, graphics, and scrollers. What was this strange new world?

Thankfully, that world never ended, and we still have access to loads of disks from that era. And, ever since Stonish joined forces with Atari Legend, we’ve had access to an enormous collection of menus to freely download. Sure, it’s not a complete archive - and maybe it never will be - but it’s still impressive with everything you could possibly recall from the ST's glory years. (Hey, have you anything to contribute?)

While browsing, one disk caught my eye - Eltonegame, a name I’d never heard before. The intro mentions a library for ST and PC games, but I only found the address on Google Maps(!). Also, the scroller credits Didier, but beyond all this, there was nothing more I could find about it. For me, it’s a new discovery, and that’s what makes the ST so brilliant - it never stops surprising me! Naturally, I had to download this disk.

Ironically, it’s not a menu disk in the usual sense but kicks off with a couple of cool intro screens before dumping us in GEM. The contents are interesting, with three games and a splendid graphics utility...

• First up is Blaster, a shooter released in 1988 by A.W. Brook. It’s basically a low-framerate Defender ripoff. Sure, it lacks the slick, zippy action of StarRay, Defender II, or Anarchy, but that’s a bonus for me - because I can actually keep up with it! #OldManReactions
• Cyber Snake, released in 1992 by David Scantlebury, is a brilliant take on the classic Snake! What sets it apart from being a mere clone is the addition of a scrolling playfield to snack on. It's the same old format, but also feels quite different or new. I thoroughly enjoyed this game!
• Llamasoft’s Revenge of the Mutant Camels hardly needs an introduction - it’s utterly bonkers and an absolute blast. I can’t help but wonder why it’s not already featured on AtariCrypt. Hey, cut me some slack, I’m just one guy, LOL!! This version is only a demo, but enough time has passed for us to freely download the full game (ST/STe/TT/Falcon). Credit @Atarimania.
• Let's not forget the unassuming utility program called B-Gif. It’s excellent and something I would have used a lot back in the day. This nifty tool can "quickly" convert GIF images into Degas or Spectrum 512 formats, complete with dithering and resizing options. It even comes with two sample GIFs included, though, ahem, I can’t share them here – and I’m sure you can guess why!

This disk is a gem and a great discovery (for me!). I wonder if there’s more from Didier/Eltonegame out there, though probably not. Still, it’s fun messing around with what feels like a brand-new disk. Geek!!

Be sure to check this out and more menus at Atari Legend: https://www.atarilegend.com/menusets

Before the main intro, this screen appears and plays some sampled music.

Yep, no actual menu, but there's nothing wrong with good 'ol GEM!

I really enjoyed this wannabe Defender. It's a bit clunky, but great fun!

I cannot say I'm a huge "Snake" fan, but the scrolling helped make it feel different.

This is one crazy shooter - it’s absolutely magnificent!!

Useful options for a program that does a superb job of converting images.

Obsession

Pinball Dreams

Our gaming community never ceases to amaze me, and I've made many friends over the years. One guy in particular I've known since the days of swappies in the early 90s. Recently, he sent me a gift that made my day. Paul's always been generous and, like me, a fanatic about the Atari ST/e and ZX Spectrum!

Well, his parcel arrived, and inside was something very special indeed. Yes, I now have a blummin excellent copy of Obsession!! I still cannot believe it because I've had this game in the same league as Dungeon Master or Legends of Valour. In other words, one of those titles you dream of owning again, but it will never happen (a bit like the Atari Falcon030!!). At least not without forking out silly money we just don't have.

Anyhow, Unique Development Sweden only released two games for the Atari STe, and blimey, what a pair of Christmas crackers. Substation ended their short career with us, but at least they went out in style - a brilliant first-person shooter with great atmosphere and frantic action. Of course, the other is Obsession, a game I mentioned back in (wait for it) 2015. How the years pass... This is a marvellous game that looks and sounds as good as can be. Well, without leaving the house for your "local" amusement arcade!

Nobody needs me to review Obsession. It's a classic released in the dusk of the 16-bit era. The gameplay is hectic and challenging, and accompanied by superb graphics in overscan. Not only that, but the sound effects are incredible and played alongside funky tracker music. Where were UDS back in 1989?

I will say this: most games are best played using real hardware, but I found this more noticeable with Obsession simply because of the keyboard layout. It's designed for the ST keyboard using the bottom row to assist as you whack the flipper keys. Emulation with a Mac/PC keyboard doesn't work nearly as well (YMMV).

I will never be able to thank Paul enough for his kindness and generosity. So ignore the fact that I’m terrible at Obsession and boot it up for yourself. Those later years produced some killer titles, and this proves it; Obsession is one of the best “arcade games” on the ST, imho. Oops, I meant Atari STe 🥳

• Download via Atarimania https://www.atarimania.com/unique-development-sweden.html
• Grab a hard drive-ready version https://atari.8bitchip.info/SCRSH/obsess.html
• Demo versions can be found on AtariUpToDate and Atari Legend.
• Do you want more enhanced games https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/enhanced-games.html