The Mercenary Site

Update: Paul Woakes sadly passed away on July 15th 2017. RIP †

The Mercenary Site

I love finding websites that are active and buzzing with great content - especially for games that were available for the Atari ST. The Mercenary Site is run by a great guy called 'Symoon' and it's dedicated to the entire Mercenary series. He's a bit of an obsessive addict and it shows when you browse his immense website!

Personally, I'm all about the second game - Damocles. What a cracking Atari ST game thanks to an excellent open-world environment that isn't hampered by linear restrictions. Yep, you're free to do whatever you choose and however you choose to do it. And that's something that holds dear - because I'm a sucker for messing about :)

Before you rush off to his website, we chatted and I asked him a few questions about it...

My site is horribly old but, to me, the content is more important than its look - and spare time is a rare thing these days ;) .... (we then began to talk about Hunter!) ... I also have fond memories of Hunter, except that the energy was dropping way too fast! I cheated to stop that and finished all the missions a long time ago. Really good fun using helicopters or hovercrafts!

There isn't much to say about me - I can't call myself an active Atari ST owner. But my brother bought an Atari ST and we mainly played games with it. I remain attached to it, but not as much as I am to my very first computer (the Oric!). You'll find a few occasional posts from me on some Atari forums under the nickname Symoon, but nothing worth talking about really ;)

I began the website around 1996, learning HTML to make a solution page for Mercenary III while I was doing the compulsory military service in France. I had struggled so much to get my copy of Mercenary III (I guess it hasn't been imported at all in France then) that I played it and found a way to complete it with all the solutions. There was almost no information about Mercenary III on the Internet at the time, and I had discovered the great Mark Sachs' guide to Damocles which inspired me. So it all began as "the Mercenary III solution page", designed in the same way...

Then the site grew little by little, as I added content very quickly thanks to many, many contributors. I recently read old emails and was puzzled at how many people wrote to me about it, and how interesting many of the messages were. I got in touch with many people from Novagen (first was Mo Warden), all very kind, and even met some of them. I'm so sad that Bruce Jordan, who lead the Novagen company with Paul Woakes, passed away 9 years go.

Firstly, because he really was a friendly man! Of course, on more Mercenary-driven motivations, because he was a great source of information. The MDDClone, that appeared around 2002, also was a source of real motivation. Its author hadn't been here, I might not have kept updating the site so long - and certainly not with so much detailed content.

What I loved about the games? I can't tell you really, I'd say the freedom feeling, and the first-person 3D which put YOU in the world (it wasn't that common at this time). The fact that a whole world was created for the player to simply walk around and the mix between adventure and some kind of flight simulation too. Also, it's humour. As a French young man though, I didn't always notice or understand the fun there was in Benson's words!

I was visiting each and every location hoping to find something significant at any corner. I found (and still find) it amazing that a whole universe was there on a disk. Thanks again, I hope you spend many pleasant hours in the Gamma system soon!

Black Lamp

Fancy a medieval adventure?

Let's cut to the chase: you’re a clown. Yes, a clown. Well, you are plucky Jack The Jester who happens to also be in love with the Princess, Griselda. Sadly, she will never look at you with the same love-struck passion (probably because of that silly costume you are wearing!). Fortunately, for you, the kingdom of Allegorid was attacked by dragons!!

Since when was that fortunate? Well, they stole all the magical lamps which helped to protect everyone in the kingdom from evil. This also includes the most acclaimed lamp, a cherished and powerful Black Lamp. Of course, it does! So, let's get going and rescue our dolly bird princess Griselda. Fail and death awaits you... great storyline, uh?

Okay, enough reading because it's time to see the first screenshot...

The thing I adore about Black Lamp's visuals is the detail - from backgrounds to sprites!

How about a medieval nightmare!

Black Lamp is your typical flip-screen platformer with ledges to hop on, ladders to climb, items to collect, monsters to kill, and hundreds of rooms to visit as you undertake the honourable lamp quest. Interestingly, once our plucky jester ventures outside, that changes into a scrolling platformer as we walk the castle walls, woodlands, and streets. Various bonuses are offered for points and also special abilities like increased firepower and invincibility.

The monsters all reign supreme and this is perhaps the game’s greatest and possibly most annoying characteristic? Not only are their numbers countless but their assaults are relentless as they never cease!! Wherever you go, they appear like magic - that is a little odd because they don't need to open doors and can walk through walls. So this means there is literally no safe place that can offer a quiet moment of refuge which is brilliantly insane but can also be OTT.

Basically, this ain't no boring yawnfest and will entertain throughout. Let's checkout another screenshot...

Beautiful locations and lots of monsters to kill. Just look at that ogre!

A beautiful looker?

Throughout your adventure, the graphics are constantly awesome and feel like a cartoon chronicle of England's medieval age. The monsters are the most alluring you could hope for - so charming! My favourites are the Imps and Trolls which are bewitching to watch with beautiful animation. It's hard to imagine better than this on a 16-bit platform.

The audio is perfect. Not only is there an incredible theme tune but, all in-game sound effects are zappy and exciting. Do I need to mention the in-game music? Like, wow!! Greensleeves, the olde English folk song. Wow, the audio is superb!!

And with that revelation out the way, let's see the final screenshot before the gripping concussion...

Black Lamp was one of the first games I saw after leaving the Spectrum. Can you imagine my joy!

The CryptO'pinion?

Black Lamp is a brilliant game but it's not perfect. But what is? My beef is with Jolly Jack's controls that can be slow to react due to his (superbly) animated movements. Imagine that you are walking right, and need to turn left to kill oncoming monsters. Well, this action cannot immediately happen because his walking animation must finish first.

Having said that, Black Lamp is up there with many other ST legends. It's a classic and nothing short of a fun-filled, hectic adventure which also looks and sounds amazing. Sure, the aesthetics don't matter, but it's good to have them isn't it? I think everyone should play this platformer and experience just what the Kingdom of Allegorid offers - it's challenging, addictive and very rewarding. You won't regret booting up Black Lamp whatsoever, I guarantee it.

One of my favourite Atari ST games.

Available on both floppy and hard drive.

HUNTER

Behold, the best 16-bit game?

Hunter was developed by Paul Holmes for Activision in 1991 and many consider it one of the first open-world/sandbox 3D productions. Now, that's a pretty big claim when you think about it? It's also relevant to today's younger gamer who might assume there was nothing before the likes of GTA or Battlefield. As if. Bah, kids today...

So the game takes place within a huge three-dimensional world that's filled with danger. However, this is also a game of vehicles and gadgets. Yes, we are essentially a James Bond with various mission objectives (should you decide to play the game properly). All are far-reaching with the key to success being strategic exploration plus interaction and communication with everything. Oh, and common sense won't go amiss before heading out into the wild:

For example, I wouldn't drive off in a jeep without carrying a spare jerrycan! It might be a good idea to find a medkit? It's dangerous out there... Of course, it's a good idea to stock up on extra ammo. And use the maps!

Never will you play a game that offers so many different types of vehicles to drive, pilot, ride, etc...

I knew this was gonna be good and it wasn't long before I was Howling Mad Murdock!!

I start well, but it's going dark and I'm on foot. Then I got rundown!

No rules only fun!

Incredible is the word for Hunter's many options - I love riding a wonky bike or going for a stroll to enjoy the fresh air and watch birds fly. The hippie in you might wanna go for a swim with the fish? Or chase cute rabbits? But why would you do any of this when you can drive an army jeep, steer a speedboat or pilot a helicopter? Heck, you can even hop into a tank and blow stuff up, like somebody's house!! Yes, let's be a psychopath and terrorise the world lol.

I often boot up Hunter 'just' to drive around its fascinating landscapes - what's better than exploring the world and maybe even blowing stuff up? Life can be boring, so create mayhem and have yourself some fun? Actually, it's this freedom that is the best aspect of Hunter - because we are completely free to roam. Go anywhere you choose and do anything.

Hunter is limited only by your imagination. Be heroic. Be ambitious. Be an explorer. Whatever you like!

There's nothing quite like this game - jump into a jeep and be a Mud Muppet for a day?

Armoured cars are every bit as good as they sound. Love these so much!

Polygons and squeaks?

Visually, Hunter's world is fantastic thanks to a concise design by Paul and Christian Roux who have the Atari ST exhibiting fast and fluent visuals. The 3D objects look cool with a vast array of vehicles and buildings. I love the fine detail, which never disappoints, everything from the chequered landscapes to your bike looks and moves great.

Faster computers will benefit a bunch; like my 16Mhz Mega STe that performs brilliantly.

Sonically, we have sampled music on the title screen. Everyone knows I prefer Chip, but I quite enjoyed this tune. In-game sound effects are good with some funky booming effects. Along with hilariously silly ones - like those seagulls!

A lot of love went into Hunter and it shows with stunning aesthetics. So let's see more screenshots...

Forget the objective, I'm going sailing on the open oceans. It's up to you what you wanna do!!

Hangers are always worth checking out. Always.

The CryptO'pinion?

In some respects, this is years ahead of its time, with comparisons having been made to GTA and Battlefield 1942. It's remarkable exploring this strange place - heading out into the unknown never fails to please so who knows what you might find out there? Tread carefully and leave no stone unturned in this thrilling and dangerous world.

However, even when played properly (yeah I should do that more!) this is an immersive and engrossing experience with taxing missions that require a tactical and explorational approach. The emphasis is always on your freedom and this priority extends into how you choose to complete a mission - there are no linear paths to blindly follow. That, I find utterly exciting and enthralling, to say the least. Yes, they're difficult but never boring and always enjoyable.

An extraordinary adventure and I guarantee it's one of the best 16-bit games you can play. Hunter is epic.

Download FLOPPY and HDD.

 

- Interesting Map Coordinates -

Security pass = 90, 153

Master key = 164, 169

Old man = 181, 197

Second man = 99, 61

Third man (In rock) = 195, 119

Professor = 49, 115

Prisoner = 135, 239

Injured man = 10, 36

Antibiotics and saw = 151, 121

Monk (in tree stump) = 85, 174

Scroll = 91, 173

Disk = 100, 225

Computer = 244, 199

General's bunker = 135, 239

Officer's red uniform = 190, 65

VROOM

I don't think I've ever taken this (outstanding) racer very seriously. Never have I booted it up to play through as a champion challenger. I admit that I boot up this game whenever I'm bored and in need of a thrill... Madness, I know!!

Today I was bored.

Vroom is just the ticket for speed and thrills.

Enjoy the video :-)

Cannon Fodder

 

I've just stumbled upon a nifty program for Cannon Fodder. It's an intro that offers various cheats like infinite ammo and level select and was created by "Dr D" from The Casualty Dept. I've copied it over to my Atari ST and it works like a charm! Now, I'm not really bothered about the infinite ammo/men but being able to start on any level is superb so opens up this game. Highly recommended for those playing the floppy disk version - enjoy!! :-)

[ Clickety-Click and Download ]

App appreciation day

A time to celebrate!

There are some programs that don't get the credit or respect that they deserve. The ones that we use regularly, that never let us down, and get the job done perfectly. Yet, once their task is complete, they are TOSsed to one side without so much of a thank you. How cruel we are. Do you know a downtrodden app? Then shame on you!

Sadly, I am guilty of this sin. For me, it's called FastCopy (Pro) by Martin Backchat. This is an iconic copier/formatter for the Atari ST. In fact, you will be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't/doesn't use this funky program? I think every ST owner has a copy of this on their computer? Rightly so, because it has several distinct features that I like:

   1) A brilliant backup tool.
   2) Essential formatting options.
   3) Actually, very smart formatting. Woo!!
   4) Nifty virus prevention.
   5) Can run either as a PRG or an ACC.

I personally format all my disks using Fastcopy Pro. It never lets me down (touches his wooden head). and I've used it since the 80s. How cool is that! So, dear FastCopy, I promise to start being nice to you appreciating your commitment to my ST floppies. Greetings to Mr Backschat for making such an awesome Atari ST program.

I hope this silly post made you smile :)

 Atari-Forum Wiki  |  Essential Software List

Rick Dangerous

Indiana Jones platforming

Rick Dangerous is a brilliant platformer. Simple as that really! Anyhow, I almost fell over myself when I found this superb website which is dedicated to this incredible game. Go on, take a look at it - have a guess which is the best version of Ricky Dangerous!! :-) Before you go, here is my video recording of this excellent game to watch!

Addicted To Fun - Rainbow Collection

Addicted To Fun!

This is a compilation released by Ocean Software called Addicted To Fun: Rainbow Collection which features three classic Taito games: New Zealand Story, Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands. Now, I have already featured two of these games here at AtariCrypt but sadly I've never really "clicked" with Bubble Bobble. In fact, I kinda hated it if I'm honest!

New Zealand Story was literally one of the first 16-Bit games I saw when I was still a ZX Spectrum guy. Sadly, I got to see it on a mate's Amiga and months passed by before I manage to "source" the Atari ST game. It's brilliant too, although the difficulty increases a lot after the first couple of levels. You might need a trainer with extra lives?

Rainbow Islands needs no introduction because it's a fantastic arcade conversion with glorious graphics, sounds and gameplay. In fact, it's one of the best conversions I've seen and one I was proud to own. Yes, I bought it!

  

New Zealand Story & Rainbow Islands.

Okay, so what about Bubble Bobble?

Umm, I figured I should try the other disk inside the lovely Ocean plastic bag. Remember, I've never been a fan but I decided to give it my best shot. Well, the first thing I noticed is the music - it never stops! And I didn't see anything in the manual that says how to turn it off but it actually becomes enjoyably bewitching.

The levels are all on the one screen and first appear humble in their design, but somehow I get the feeling this is exactly how it's meant to be for maximum progressive effect. There are a few monster cuties and killing them is easy - hit fire to blow a bubble and turn them into fruits! Don't dare bump in the baddies or you'll lose a life but there are lots of power-ups and I got another shock on level 5 when water poured in and washed me away!

Overall, and, in all honesty, I still prefer Rainbow Islands over Bubble Bobble but this is an excellent and faithful conversion. I loved it because it's simple yet insanely addictive and has bucketloads of fun. So, I now wonder why I didn't enjoy playing this back in the day? Madness!! I admit that I was stupid because it is a brilliant Atari ST game.

Bubble Bobble

- DOWNLOADS AND LINKS -

8BitChip has Bubble Bobble ready to be installed onto your hard drive!

But if you need a floppy disk image then look no further than Old Games Finder.

Fancy a couple of juicy tips. Of course, you do!

          -> Stand beside a wall, close enough to blow a bubble that instantly pops, for extra points!

          -> When you lose your last life, hold down the fire button and you can continue playing.

StrategyWiki that has a helpful guide which explains the basics for us Bub/Bob noobs.

Here is a cool web page and it's easy to see that the Atari ST has the best version.

exxos

Exxos (aka Chris Swinson) is pretty much a hardware genius who repairs and improves our favourite computers with different upgrades. He never seems to stop and will certainly be the guy I'll trust to upgrade my Atari ST (when I can afford it!).

It's not only hardware repairs/upgrades - he has also rescued old websites like Atari Music, UVK and also hosts ST Format coverdisks along with the entire FloppyShop archive. Chris is a genuine guy with technical knowledge of the internal workings of Atari computers.

I have zero hardware skills myself so admire people that do. So I thought it was time that we all got to know more about this soldering-iron geek. Okay, this is a big interview so go and grab yourself a coffee, sit back, relax, and read. I hope you enjoy this as much as I have?

My thanks to Chris for taking the time to write (waffle on!) and produce one heck of an interview!

Mr Exxos, please tell us about yourself.

Hello Steve :) Well my real name is, as most know, Chris Swinson aka exxos. I should point out that I am not the company EXXOS who some confuse me for :) My handle is all lower case as not to confuse ;) I used to work in electronics repair for about 10 years. This was the leisure industry, So all kinds of fruit & arcade machines to jukeboxes I have repaired over that time.

My main area was Audio systems, From CD players to higher power amplifiers to electromechanical jukeboxes. I also ran the company BBS system, which was a dial-up network for depot's to download software updates. That system sucked, so I re-wrote the software in VB6.

Which Atari computers are you using?

The odd thing is, I don't actually use any working Atari at least currently anyway. I just don't have the time :( My trusty STFM had a video fault a year ago, so its been in bits. That was really 1MB RAM and my 1.44 floppy upgrade. It was a really old machine. Though once I get some time I plan on updating it and bringing it back to life. That machine was at my girlfriends were we mostly played games.

What is your own Atari hiSTory?

I got a 2600 way back, it was my first "computer". I loved that thing. I still have it with 4 or 5 games I think. I remember playing pole position to the point that it wasn't so much what score I could get, but how many times I could loop back around to 0000000. After while I wanted something better. I was probably around 14 at the time. I saved like crazy to buy an STFM. I found it was on offer at a local computer shop, so managed to buy it. Thanks to my father for putting the last few quids!

Later I brought my Falcon 030 and that was pretty much it, I think. A long time after buying my STFM, I got distracted into wanting to do hardware for it. My first design was a 1.44 floppy kit. Basically, it resulted in me killing that machine. Though as ST's were flooding onto eBay I could buy machines for less than 10quid and fiddle that way. That's pretty much what I still do all these years later :)

Are you a gamer?

I used to be years ago. Not so much lately as all my time is taken up with work or hardware development. I loved games like, Super Cars 2, Termodroid, Squareoff, Starquake, Xenon, Vroom, Chuck Rock, Castle Master. That game took me 25 years to finish, my girlfriend helped a bit ;) Back in the day, games were expensive and cash was limited, so mostly I was doing swaps with menus like automation. Though I had very few games back then and a lot were on cover disks.

Your website is huge!

STOS is the main section on my site, I try to keep everything STOS related all in one place. The games, I could do more pages, but with larger indexes and others hosting them, then I don't think it's worth taking up the drive space with re-hosting the same stuff. My site is around 35GB!

I wrote the Floppyshop site as a searchable index where people could search and download PD. Almost everyone will have a copy of the collection, but just having a copy isn't using the stuff. I felt a lot of PD was simply "lost" so The Floppyshop page was born. Recently, I hosted the UVK2000 site and took over atarimusic.net which was a mess and I barely got it running on my server. Its a wonder it ever worked at all, I spent much time debugging that site, getting it in some form of working order.

Why the STOS fascination?

The main reason I wanted a computer was to write my own games. I remember looking through Argos, seeing a few pages of Atari ST's in various "packs". I went for the discovery pack as it had STOS "the game creator" so its the one I went for. Oddly there were only 1 Am*ga for sale, which looked a bit "dull" software-wise so I never went into Am*gas. So you could say if Argos never had the discovery pack with STOS included, then I may not have stayed with Atari's.

I did do some programs. Though they got rejected by the PD houses, basically because there was too many typos or spelling errors in stuff. They were programs like "Data Card" which was an address book program. The only stuff which saw light was MEGA Diskzine where I did 4 issues, with help from a few others. When STOSSER vanished, I wanted to do my own zine and keep the programming aspect in STOS, but also add Tesla coil type stuff, sci-fi or anything odd strange or cool. So, MEGA was born. I barely got issue 4 out and contributions were next to zero. I was doing most of the work myself and about that time I had started full-time work, So I simply didn't have time to do the coding or write articles. I have an epic amount of STOS projects I started but never finished.

Do you have a favourite upgrade?

I think my favourite must be the 1.44 floppy kit. It marks the first kit I designed and got working and it's even still produced today. While most of my work is in the boosters, I of course like the V2 for example. But once something is designed and finished, I somehow start to hate the thing. It's old, I could do better, I want to add more features. So Its design pretty much goes out the window and I am always thinking 2 or 3 steps ahead into the future.

As many know, I am still working on the CPU boosters. I recently went into production with the V1 STE booster which runs at 32MHz. I've basically hit the limit speed wise of the 68000. So I have drifted over to the 020 and 030 CPU now. Ultimately I want something along the lines of a 50MHz 030 CPU, with 32bit access to ROM & Fast-RAM.

England's own Jookie/Lotharek?

I don't really know why I do this stuff lol. I guess I love to design stuff and seeing it working on a computer just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. I think it's an addiction. Like when I produce the first 16MHz booster, I though yayyyy I've done it, now onto 32MHz... It never ends. Just seeing those benchmark results pushing up higher and higher just wants me to push them up evermore.

I'd like to get the super speed hard drive working properly that I have been working with PPera for a while. Also the STE booster going into production along with the new PSU's. The V2 booster sales funded the ST PSU project, The ST PSU funded the Falcon PSU etc. So you can see how it all works. If it wasn't for those guys buying my items, then likely I would have given up and closed shop a long time ago. So big thanks to those customers as they really help fund more productions which at the end of the day, helps more people and gives me motivation to continue.

Your girlfriend deserves a medal!!

How many Atari ST's are dismembered?

Well, I don't live with my girlfriend, it's why I am not around on weekends. I've taken over her space with all the Atari stock, she doesn't mind one bit. She has the stock which is for sale, and she packs the orders and posts them for me. No surprise I just don't have enough time to pack orders and make trips to the post office. So everyone in Atari land should be thankful she posts the stuff for me.

I'm not sure how many ST's I have. Probably about 10 STE's, maybe 30 STFM's and then about 30 various motherboards. In general, it seems to cost about £35 for each machine as a general figure. So around £2,500 probably in machines alone. If you priced up all the upgrades as well, that would be tough. Things like the V2 booster, they are about £65 each, If I have 20 of them its £1,300 worth of stock. Similar to the 4MB MMU RAM upgrade kit, they are about £65 as well. I think I totalled that stock to over £2,000 a while ago. So if you factor in I have on sale around 40 different items, some are not expensive parts though, then you could probably take a guess of what the stock is worth In total. I would guess somewhere around £15,000 of current stock.

Where did Atari go wrong?

Oh gosh. I think this has been a huge debate for a long time. Lack of expansion seems to be popular. Though the ST did have the cartridge port which could do a fair few things. Atari knew expansion was needed as they produced the MEGA with an expansion port. While the ST wasn't born with PCI slots to easily update it (PCI wasn't invented for some years later aka sarcasm) I think Atari limited the ST's design too much. Everything is just so tangled up that if Atari had some forethought and built the ST with the idea that one-day people might want a faster CPU, then maybe there would have been a lot more hardware add-ons produced by 3rd parties such as Fast-technologies etc.

I think Atari fell into a type of "trap" which is something I try to avoid myself actually. Why do an ST 030 booster when we can have a whole new machine? Why stop at that, let's spend more time on updating the video hardware. Why stop at that? Let's add a DSP to help those audio guys out, let people play tracker tunes on it without taking up CPU time. Let's updated this, and that and take several years doing so until we get an awesome machine that we want. The fundamental problem is, waiting too long to produce hardware, and producing hardware on an "as perfect as possible" basis.

Overall, the Atari couldn't easily be upgraded which was the first nail in the coffin. Then, when Atari did start with the 030 CPU, the second nail was that they never produced it as an add-on kit. I think the geeks of the day would have loved to hack in a 030 into their ST's. Nobody has a crystal ball as to what will sell and what doesn't. Atari made the best choice they could probably make back then. They gave us the ST line of computers and they are still around even today. If you asked an STE user do they want a “super STE” with an 030 CPU and no other upgrades or a Falcon with lots of enhancements, but this would take 10 years longer, then you can probably bet people would want the “super STE” as they could always upgrade to a Falcon at a later time anyway.

What do you think of the current scene?

I think The Atari world hit a bit of a slump until fairly recently. There has always been a community, though it's not like the peek of the computer boom in the 80s kinda thing. There are more hardware guys about today like jookie developing hard drives for us. I think that has helped as people can download games images and play thousands of games.

I think websites like AtariCrypt are good to have. Review games on there, there is like a billion games to which who knows what they are or if they are any good. So games being reviewed with videos and images I think really will help people out in the long run. For me, I have seen some interesting games which at some point I would like to have a go at. (Wow!! I never expected to read that. Thanks - Steve)

I think as people buy their First Atari ST if the first couple games they play are just random, and the chances are they will be, let's just say bad games. Just not enjoyable to play. It's likely going to put that person off and they may not bother with the Atari ST again. Though if there are sites reviewing games, good ones which are fun to play, then chances are those new Atari people will keep coming back for more and more games. But it's not just games, there are music people out there using MIDI stuff. I'm not sure if people would bother to do word-procession or print letters out these days, so I think Games and Midi are what people would most likely to use their machines for.

Does the Atari ST have a future?

I started a thread on just that on a forum not long ago. My concern is: as the ST's are failing, due to bad PSU's etc, in 10 years time there is not going to be any working Atari ST's. If they are maintained, then the machines life is greatly extended. I think it's important to keep these machines running, which is why I build things like new PSU's as its one of the most common things to fail.

The Atari community needs new blood, new young blood that is to keep going. Gamers shouldn't need fancy high resolution 3D graphics to have fun. The Atari ST has a huge games list and I think there is far more variety than on today's PCs. Most games just seem to be running around shooting things but on the ST we have Pushover, Chuck Rock, Xenon and so many more which are still fun to play even after 30 years. I think the younger generation needs to see that they don't need a powerhouse to have fun gaming. Somehow think the Atari games will live on for a long time yet :)

- THE LINKS -

I'm sure you all want to check out his website right now!

Itching to see what he sells and is currently developing? I bet you are, then clickety-click right here.

Take a look at his FloppyShop website which is simply an AMAZING resource!!

Don't forget to keep your Atari ST clean and free of those horrid virus' with the latest UVK!

Here is a TV appearance which nicely follows up on the amazing interview with Chris Swinson!

MEGA ST thanks to Chris for this interview and we have many more to read right here. :-)

Son Shu-Shi

Can you help?

Son Shu Shi was released back in 1991 by Expose and is a platformer that reminds me of Elf or Enchanted Lands. However, the downloads available on the internet are NOT complete and contain bad data which eventually rears its ugly head later in the game. We are hoping someone has the original disks so we can make a copy and keep it safe forever!! Son Shu Shi is a wonderful platformer and we need the original disks - can you help? :-)

Visit the 8BitChip website to read more and download what we currently have available.

I've scrapped my plans to write a review as Atari Legend have cool plans. Watch this space...

Update: check this out and thank you to The Replicants!!! (click here) :D

Satan Stole My Atari

Here we have a brand-new demo that has just been released & ranked 1st for the "oldskool" combo at Riverwash 2015 party. It requires a juicy 4MB Atari STe and will blow you away! Truly amazing and best viewed using real hardware.

Satan Stole My Atari by Lamers

At0m - Graphics

MKM - Code

VLX - Music

Download from Demozoo or Pouet.Net

Wanna see more Atari STe demos? Well, there are loads on our YouTube channel.

PARCP

PARCP running on my Mac (the Mac is shown on the left side and the Atari ST on the right)

Get your Atari ST talking!!

After all these years, owning an Atari ST is still such an amazing joy - plus I feel like a teenager again!! However, this now means I have the problem of how to get games and other programs running on my ST. After all, it's not like I can pop to the shops or swap disks with friends like we did back in the day. If only I had a time machine...

Anyhow, the internet is stuffed with ST disks but we're still left with the problem of getting these from my Mac (or PC) over onto the ST (whether it's using floppies or a hard drive). Heck, it might be the most awesome 16-bit computer on the planet but it sadly has no ethernet, USB, or WiFi. Argh, how can we get files over to use on my ST?

Well, there are a few options but one of the best is ParCp-USB by Petr Stehlik. This little device plugs into the ST's parallel port and features a Mini USB socket so we can connect any Atari computer to either a Mac or PC with little effort and hassle. The only decision to make is which of your computers you want to act as either a master or slave (I run my ST as the master whilst the Mac acts as the slave). Just watch the video recording I've made for a better idea of how this works...

ParCP-USB is a fantastic product that makes the job of transferring files a doddle and is highly recommended.

Atari computers with only a floppy drive will be too slow. You need a hard drive or something like the Ultrasatan. However, you can easily use a Ram Disk if you have upgraded.

Captain Dynamo

I'm a superhero!

Captain Dynamo was released by Code Masters in 1992 and is something I instantly fell in love with. This is actually a wicked platformer that transforms you into a superhero, flying up through the most craftily-designed maps. Derek Leigh-Gilchrist did a great job because it feels new and is enormous fun. Let's wear spandex and be Captain Dynamooooooo!!

Graphically, this is excellent with gorgeous cartoon visuals designed by Leigh Christian. But it not only looks the part but scrolls smoothly too for a fluent feel. The music is lovely with fantastic chiptunes by 4mat. I mean, wow!

If you wanna be a superhero then grab either the floppy or a hard disk installable version right away.

Alien World

STs cannot scroll

Alien World is a shoot 'em up written by Gary Antcliffe (Blazing Thunder/Yogi's Great Escape) and was released in 1992 by Hi-Tec Premier Software. Ignoring the dreadful title tune, the game itself is a cross between the likes of Menace and R-Type, with a dollop of Venus Flytrap thrown in for good measure. Which is always gonna be ace!

The action is relentless and immediately hits you with a ton of pitfalls like red-hot streams of molten lava that shoot up from pools of glowing red death. It isn't long before you feel a little Blood Money creeping in as the scrolling alternates between horizontal & vertical. However, I liked the parts that don't automatically scroll - allowing you to move at your own leisure. Gravity always plays a part in affecting your movement, think Flappy Bird or SantaFly!

Graphically, Alien World is truly outstanding with ultra-smooth scrolling - best experienced using a real Atari ST. Everything is exquisite - rich colours, detailed sprites and fluent movement. Sadly, audio is a different story with no in-game tune and weak sound effects. A few decent chiptunes would have been perfect for a game like this.

Gameplay is what matters and I'm impressed with this tough shooter. Sure, it has a learning curve that is nothing short of immense but Blood Money fans are going to love it. Then again, like so many 16-bit games of the era, it's really really tough and demands a cheat. However, a challenging game that drags you back for that "just one more go".

Alien World is freakishly fun and should entertain for hours. Very hard but I love it. Play it!!

Download the Floppy or HDD version now.

Right from the off you'll need to get used to gravity which is instantly annoying.

The aliens are badass and relentless. This makes Blood Money look so easy!!

The second level is superb with lots of power-ups and different baddies.

I love the Menace-like futuristic feel and it proves the ST can scroll - when in the hands of talent.

What you thought this was only horizontally scrolling? It's now things get insanely harder!!!

Starquake

Stepping back in time...

Today, I thought that I would descend deeper into the realms of retro gaming with an oldie that I've not played since I was 14 years old, Starquake by BubbleBus / Mandarin Software. Like most people, I did not own an expensive Atari ST in 1985 and was instead using a ZX Spectrum. Yup, I've not played Starquake since the mid-80s!

You're a BLOB (BioLogically Operated Being) who has crash-landed on a planet and it's your job to save it before it implodes! Each screen is basically a platformer in design and filled with cutesy (yet annoying) baddies that can zap away your energy or kill you outright. To me, it always felt like Atic Atac but, visually, reeks of Underwurld.

Let's pause the reading and view a malfunctioning screenshot...

The intro is short but not without good humour which I love!

Run, Shoot, RUN!!

Starquake is such a big game and one which will instantly appeal whilst you get yourself completely lost wandering from screen to screen. There are tasks to complete, like collecting objects and computer codes, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Oddly, you cannot collect items when using a hover pad... so be prepared to think!

Thankfully we have a weapon but the nasties are relentless with a swarm-like attack that never ends. Curiously, we cannot jump but have the ability to build temporary platforms that help reach those higher places. It's kinda cool and makes climbing fun and different - also dotted about the map are hover-pads which you can make use of.

Starquake is a quirky little shooter/puzzler that never lets up and yes, it reminds me of Underwurld by Ultimate Play The Game with similar schematics, styles and mechanics. However, the puzzler and exploration elements are as tough as they are interesting and this is the part of it that makes you think - all whilst frantically shooting everything in sight.

I've always liked Starquake and that Atari ST version doesn't disappoint. Hey, let's view a screenshot...

As soon as you begin, cute critters appear from nowhere - constantly!

Colour clash and bleeps?

Visually, fans of the 8-bit original will absolutely adore the updated Atari ST version which looks the same but tarted up with gorgeous 16-bit colours and lots more detail. Wow, I wish the old Speccy game looked this good back in the mid-80s. I mean, come on, check out those sprites - this must be one of the cutest games ever made!

The audio is superb with fantastic music by none other than Jason C. Brooke. I could listen to this all day long! All in-game effects are pretty neat but I'm going to shock myself here and say that the ZX Spectrum game is actually better. How can this be? It's true as I miss those zappy, buzzy Spectrum sounds that this ST conversion lacks.

Right, we've got time for just one more screenshot. So, here you go...

Finally, an upgraded 8-bit game that isn't bloated and ruined!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I found the Atari ST version to be harder than the Speccy original. That alone took some time to get used to and felt completely unnecessary if I'm being honest as it zapped some of the fun, especially for a casual gamer. However, Starquake isn't something for the casual gamer as it demands time and commitment to get the most from it.

Yes, it's tough. Yes, it's crazy. And yes, it's probably a little too difficult so you may need to cheat for infinite lives! You'll need a pen and paper to map it and make notes. However, it's definitely a brilliant conversion of the 8-bit classic and also an excellent game in its own right and offers a massive, long-term challenge. Highly recommend!!

Download Starquake via Old Games Finder.
Here is a map of the Speccy game!

Lotus Turbo Challenge II

Buckle up for a great ride!

If there was one racer I adored on my old Atari ST, it was Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. The semi-realistic physics helped to make it utterly addictive without ever crossing over into boring old simulator land. It has such amazing graphics, almost an arcade-like quality, with fun gameplay that was both exciting and challenging.

Lotus 2 offers more of the same excitement but is quite different from the original in a number of ways. Firstly, we aren't racing a set number of laps around a typical circuit as there are checkpoints to reach during a road trip across the lush American continent in our flashy car! Also, don't drool, but the entire screen is now used!

Hey, you wanna see a cool screenshot with blue skies and an open road. Hmm, this is pure road trip...

Vroom!! The roads are absolutely superb to provide a thrilling challenge!

Fast open roads...

This isn't just a racer but more a road trip. Yes, it's almost like an adventure across the States with various locations. Also, the environments can change depending on the conditions as we have the weather to endure which adds an element of pseudo-realism. Even if the other drivers fail to use their headlights at night (what? Am I being too picky lol)

I also think they captured the feeling of speed incredibly well - it's almost Vroom standards with extreme velocities. Strangely, our car appears to be running on fairy dust because there is never a need to refuel your Esprit or Elan. Which is good, who needs that kinda realism? These differences certainly help Lotus II leap away from the original and into a whole new driving experience whilst still remaining familiar with the original. Fast and Furious you might say. Love it!!

Okay, it's now time for another screenshot but this one is of a law breaker. What? You heard me...

Come on, it's nighttime and nobody is using their lights. Where's the police?

The CryptO'pinion?

Lotus II is incredible and one of the best racers on the Atari ST. For me, it perfectly combines elements of a good race with the feeling of a Bullrun and road trip combined - so we get to see the world in this speedster.

Overall, this is not only one of the best 16-bit racers ever released but is also definitely one of my personal favourites too. I simply cannot stress enough how much I recommend Lotus II. It's just as enjoyable as the magnificent original so zooms in high on my Top 10 list of Atari ST drivers. Download it right now - you won't regret it!!

Downloads for floppy or hard disk!!

Carlos

Not Batman, it's FATMAN!

Les Adventures de Carlos was released in 1994 by Microids and isn't the best example of an Atari ST platformer. We are in control of a bearded fat man wearing a rather odd costume! This might sound strange, but our best friend appears to be a parrot who shadows and attempts to help us. We have no gun so must use our enormous weight to squish the baddies! You can even use some of that blubber to create a miniature earthquake when falling farther. It's hardly original when you think about it but, whatever works, right?

Aesthetically, Carlos looks and sounds good. The visuals feature stunning colours and beautiful sprites. However, the engine features no scrolling which is odd for a game that requires 4-way scrolling. What that means is the gameplay stops while the screen is pushed along. This becomes extremely irritating, especially during a diagonal jump which may require the screen to scroll in two separate directions.

This could have been great, but the end result looks good but plays terribly. In fact, I found it quite agonising because of the constant pauses as the game scrolls in different directions. A game like this needs real scrolling. The Atari ST has a wealth of decent platformers, so we don't need rubbish like this. Stay clear of this!!

I do not recommend Carlos but masochists can grab it on floppy & hard drive.

Level codes: Level 2=BONGO / Level 3=GALET / Level 4=PATAU / Level 5=SIRTA

Alpha Waves

Boing... Boing... Boing...

Alpha Waves is a unique game released by Infogrames in 1990 and is nothing like I first imagined (back then). In fact, I still remember the first time I booted it up and then picked up my jaw from the floor. Not because I was seeing wondrous graphics or anything I might have hoped for - but simply because I was experiencing something brand new.

Yes, this is a new genre of 16-bit gaming that had us piloting an odd spaceship (it looks like a wedge of cheese). We are trapped within a multi-roomed cube and each of these inner rooms is littered with platforms. These function to progressively bounce us higher into the air, which is our means of transportation. I guess they forgot to include an engine?

Anyhow, this mechanic allows us to bounce independently, as if on a trampoline. But only when using the platforms, otherwise gravity takes over fully and we sink to the floor like a lead balloon. The wedge of cheese has no upward thrust, only forwards. So skim from platform to platform - to ultimately reach the dizzy heights. And the exit door.

It's a cool concept that is well-executed and very easy to pick up and play so let's view a screenshot...

That's me there and you can see my shadow. Use that for guidance.

But is it any good?

Two gameplay modes are available: "Action" has a time restriction whereas "Emotion" gives you all the time in the world and is useful for newcomers or those simply wanting a more leisurely experience. Controls are best with the joystick and navigation can be improved by pushing up or down to change your world viewing angle.

Interestingly, a shadow is cast by your craft - this helps to pinpoint your position in each position perfectly. Some rooms contain obscure baddies which can annoyingly get in the way and knock you about - watch out for the "snake" creature!! Alpha Waves will never disappoint no matter which gameplay style you prefer and is great for explorers.

As you can tell, it's tough to explain but much easier to pick up play! So let's see another screenshot...

What is that weird thing? An enemy ship or someone coming over to help?

Aesthetics

Graphically this may appear simple or even crude judging by the screenshots. But playing the game reveals how great everything moves in what I can only describe as an abstract world of 3D-filled vectors with zero distance clipping.

Faster computers will knock it out of the park but the 8MHz Atari ST performs fast and fluently. Heck, it even runs in high resolution so you can see all the polygons at 640x400 without any slowdown (but I personally preferred the whacky colours in low resolution which also looks a lot better to IMHO).

In-game sound effects are samples and very nice too but, there is little else to hear. If I'm honest, you spend most of your time listening to your ship bouncing on platformers. I love the door sound effect, very Interphase I thought.

Okay, so it looks weird but also brilliant at the same time. Great! So let's check out a screenshot...

The CryptO'pinion?

I personally rank this as one of the best Atari ST games I have ever played. Bold statement but this is an amazing experience and a perfect example of the gems lurking within our archives just waiting to be discovered. It may not appeal to everyone but Alpha Waves certainly helped invent a genre that nobody ever expected. It plays great with many unique challenges that require much skill and perseverance. A flabbergasting moment in gaming history and one I absolutely adore.

Who would ever have thought bouncing a piece of cheese through cubic rooms would be so much fun?

> Downloads are available for both floppy and super-zippy hard drives!