Master CAD is a program by MichTron that I've had gathering dust on my shelf for ages. I nabbed it off eBay but have never booted it up. Hmm, I should rectify that to see what professional software was like in 1987.
After brushing away a thick layer of dust, I opened the box and lifted out a weighty manual. "Time for a good read", I thought. Well, no, it wasn't anything close to good. Yep, it wasn't long until I almost fell into a coma! Wow, such dull reading and confusing - so I decided to stop and power on the ST. Installation was a stumbling block: it insists on being stored on Drive C, which is doable but means cluttering up my boot partition. The next problem was a lack of examples to work from (and yes, that means stealing).
With little guidance, I continued the best I could. Don't laugh, but I had foolish plans to map of Doom's E1M1. I've no idea why, I just did. However, it was clear that MichTron wrote this manual for the established designer. Not somebody like me. I soon got to that stage where I wanted to pull out all my hair!!
After many hours, my map looked nothing more than a cluttered mess. In fact, it looked like something a child would have done, embarrassing! This program tortured me every step of the way. It wasn't fun, and I had nothing to show for the time wasted. Another day of my life gone, and I wondered why I did this. Madness!
Do you want to see how badly Master CAD affected me?
Hewson never disappoints, and in 1989, they released a platformer with a difference. Stormlord is a puzzler with stunning aesthetics and challenging gameplay. It's set within a world of myths and legends - you are the Stormlord, a muscle-bound Viking responsible for rescuing fairies from the clutches of a wicked queen.
Occasionally, you find yourself blowing romantic kisses at the scantily clad fairies! In return, they grace you with their fallen tears. This sounds too girly, right? Well, prepare thyself because you couldn't be more wrong.
Graphics never really matter, but it doesn't hurt to have gorgeous visuals! Here is the first screenshot...
Completing the first level produces lots of fair love - and kisses!
Girls, puzzles and boobs!
Beginning in a spooky forest, this eerie platformer is host to creepy monsters like man-eating plants, wibbly worms, bees, egg-hatching demons, etc. You're equipped with a magical weapon that can also double as a huge sword if you hold the fire button. Interestingly, springboards are scarcely scattered about the levels for travel. These act like a crude wormhole, flinging you into distant places - saves walking and it's fun!!
Stormlord rips ideas from games like Dizzy with its puzzles. Some require you to collect objects: like a key for a door, honey for angry bees, or an umbrella for the pouring rain. However, the most difficult aspect of this entire game is figuring out the order to complete these puzzles. So that means lots of trial and error!
I'll help you with my walk-through of level one, as also shown in the video recording...
From the start, head left passed the boobs and collect the key.
Walk right and hop onto the jump pad.
Use this to whiz by leftwards so you can free your first fairy.
Once free, use the pad to jump back.
Now collect the honeypot and walk right.
Don't use that jump pad!
Continue on passed the pad and walk right.
Swap honey for the key and the bees move away from the fairy.
Rescue her.
Walk left a little and grab the umbrella.
Now use the jump pad which is now to your right.
Once you've whizzed across the sky, walk right.
Free the fairy.
Walk all the way back and use the jump pad.
Grab the key to your left.
Turn around and walk right and free the fairy.
All done. So now it's time to accept lots of fairy kisses!
The second level has some aggressive monsters, but the object remains the same.
Sexy Hewson aesthetics
The graphics are by Mark K. Jones and awesome!! Everything looks tremendous, from the gorgeous landscapes to the intricate detail of the scenery, and the scrolling is silky smooth. It has to be said that the sprites are equally stunning, with some rather sexy pixels too, and throughout, the animation is simply lovely.
The music is monumental. In fact, it's a showcase for what the Atari ST can knock out when in the hands of talented musicians. Sound effects are excellent, but you need to choose which you prefer - before the game begins - which is a shame. Yeah, I know, perfect audio, yet I still find something to moan about.
Another stunning Hewson release, so let's see a screenshot of the second level...
However, it's a lot harder learning the design thanks to the nasties. They're nasty!
The CryptO'pinion?
Stormlord is superb, but nothing is perfect. The time limit wasn't necessary, and the restriction of carrying one item is understandable but annoying when there's much travelling to do. However, this bizarre adventure offers a gruelling quest with a massive replay factor! It's as addictive as it is challenging and rewarding.
They did it again; another Hewson mega-hit. Sexy, stylish, and delightful. Highly recommended!!
Since getting my UltraSatan, I've been stuffing the SD card with lots of Atari ST files (okay, games!!). Now, I don't wish to compromise my collection of ST goodies, so I check for errors and viruses regularly.
There's only one real Atari ST virus-killing program worth its salt, and that's Ultimate Virus Killer by legend Richard Karsmakers. Thanks to Chris aka Exxos, we have the complete and last edition freely available to download, but is it still worth it after all these years? Surely the dreaded ghost virus is now extinct?
Sadly, I feel this program is still needed because most ST software is now archived online, which means there's a chance for various nasties. It's like they're frozen in time just waiting to thaw and inflict their curse all over again. So let's kill 'em all using this amazing program, which I highly recommend, even today!!
We are an Allied spy, William "B.J." Blazkowicz, who has been captured while attempting to uncover the Nazi regime’s dark experiments during World War II. Imprisoned within the heavily guarded Castle Wolfenstein, B.J. must fight his way through prison cells, secret labs, and fortified strongholds, battling soldiers, guard dogs, and twisted scientific creations. No, you're not dreaming. Rub your eyes in disbelief all you want because we have Wolfenstein 3D running on the Atari ST (enhanced for the STe using the DMA for samples).
The classic ID game has been converted to the Atari ST/e by Reimund Dratwa (The Sirius Cybernetics Corporation), and, in case you're wondering, the gameplay is authentic with ultra-responsive controls. It feels like the same game we remember playing with levels, enemies, and sounds just like in the PC game.
Wolfenstein features 32 colours, authentic texture mapping, and a high-detail mode (activated by hitting the asterisk key on the numerical keypad, but that's only for the Mega STe, Falcon, etc). Sampled sound effects and chipmusic by Mathieu Stempell, and thus truly outstanding, as you would expect.
Sadly, this is incomplete with some missing levels, but what the complete parts are polished and every bit as good as you'd hope. Reimund stayed up most nights coding until 5am and I'm positive he scraped together every last droplet of Atari ST power. I can only imagine what witchcraft was used for its development!
The Atari ST has Wolfenstein 3D. Take a moment to think about this. Wow, get it downloaded right away!
Yerzmyey has released a new album called aTTraction, which was produced using Atari computers. This includes an Atari TT with Hex Tracker, a Falcon with Digital Home Studio, and he decided to make a couple of bonus tracks in Cubase using an Atari ST. The final shocker is the extra track created using Chaos Music Composer and NeoTracker on the Atari 600XL. Don't miss this from da' scene - download it now.
Take a gander at his website because he's created even more. As I type, I'm listening to "Wake Up" from the "Chiptunes" album; another fantaSTic album. I've said it before - chip music will last forever!
This is the tracklist from aTTraction. You will enjoy them all...
Lots of games have cool intros, but Domark's Race Drivin' must rank as one of the best. It may only last a minute or so, but it's a zany mix of Wacky Races and a dollop of Carmageddon thrown in for good measure. A superb intro for what is one of the toughest racers - can you drive in a straight line? Well, I know I can't!!
8BitChip has the hard disk game, and Atari Legend has the floppy disk Sigma #1.
The other day, I saw a tweet about the Atari ST demoscene from an idiot who is clearly an Amoeba fanboy. Rather than getting drawn in, it inspired me to write this quick piece, as we know the ST has a belting scene that is alive & kicking! (see recent masterpieces like We Were @ + Strange roboTS). Powerful STuff!!
Additionally, there is a web page by Georges Kesseler of ULM. It details his ST history, which I thought was pure gold. I wonder if it was originally part of an older website? An intriguing read of great ST devs.
Page 6 is a name filled with Atari history, and there’s even a website dedicated to their magazine. Not only that, but their PD Library software is available to download. I remember buying disks from Page 6 when I became an Atari ST addict, but their magazine had been going long before then, continuing until 1998.
True enthusiasts (that I miss).
"Page 6 is remembered fondly by many Atari owners as a unique and invaluable resource, supporting enthusiasts in the heyday of Atari home computing"- I'd say that sums up Page 6 rather nicely!
Superfly is a cunning "avoid 'em" scroller controlled with just one button. As the screen automatically begins to scroll, just press the joystick's button to increase your height. This stops you from crashing into oncoming objects, along with preventing gravity from crashing you into the ground. This might sound familiar to that Flappy Bird, but Superfly is a lot faster, and slicker, and was released way back in 2002!!
Without giving away the storyline, you are in control of a submarine and must rescue your kidnapped girlfriend. Please make sure you read the funny write-up within the download!!
Running at 50fps, Superfly is extremely smooth, and the audio is tremendous with gorgeous tunes. I believe the STe's enhanced hardware is detected, and successful players can unlock features like a gallery and jukebox. This is an insane game which will have you swearing like a docker! Superfly is wicked, yet with an addictive charisma that compels you to play more. Forget frustrating Flappy Birds and play Superfly instead.
LINKS
- Downloads are available for both floppy and hard drive users.
- Want more? Try the follow-up Santafly!!
Do you require a fully-featured web browser for your Atari computer? NetSurf is an excellent choice and something I've enjoyed using for well over a year. You will need a decent spec running MiNT OS (see my virtual Falcon). To download NetSurf (click here) and for the bleeding-edge builds (click here).
Well, maybe! But here is Leaderboard Golf, which was released in 1986 by Access Software and is undoubtedly one of the least technically impressive games to grace the Atari ST. Let's not be too hasty, as this was released all the way back when the ST was just a baby, and the 8-bit computer's reign was at its peak.
When loaded, the main menu is rather crude but functional, and is used to commence a new game. Each game, the course is rendered and played via a third-person perspective - we can see ourselves ready to take each shot. You shall note the golfing jargon on the right and basic information like weather, clubs, distance, and a shot meter. These details should help to get that little ball inside the hole as quickly as possible.
The picture I'm painting isn't exactly gleaming, right? I know, I know, but let's view a screenshot...
Select each club carefully and watch out for those high winds!
Slow down and think about it...
With each shot, there is a unique distance to the hole, so a different club is always required. Long stretches require a 'wood' and (from what I can gather) they're rated W1-W9, and a 1W will achieve the greatest distances, whereas the 9W might produce a more acute shot with less power. The 'irons' feel similar to me (a golfing noob), but you might choose a 9I for a more acute shot when in a troubled rough spot.
Finally, the 'PW' is the pitching wedge and is used for those final moments when accuracy is needed to get that little ball into the hole. What a golfing connoisseur, I am. You shall also note a pole in the ground that is casting a shadow of varying angles and lengths. Use that to help determine the current conditions.
Leaderboard has no save game feature but there are many scorecards inside the box. One of mine (see the picture below) has its pages filled in by the previous owner. I love finding stuff like this!!! I think its great and a piece of ST history is preserved...
I wonder who David is and how much he enjoyed the game?
It's all about whacking a ball really hard?
Leaderboard is a simple but still challenging. It's all about choosing the best club for the shot at hand, of course. Correctly hitting the ball is a balance of lining it up and mastering the power and snap meter. That determines how far you wish your ball to travel and whether it should go straight or curved to the left/right.
The weather will affect the direction and conditions your golfer must face. Plus, he has many of the usual pitfalls to contend with, like the rough, trees, puddles of water, and nasty bunkers. It might be an idea for novice golfers to disable those weather conditions while you learn the game's controls and basic mechanics.
Okay, golfing dudes, let's take another gander at another amazingly realistic screenshot...
Get that power and snap meter just right for the current shot and weather conditions
Next-Gen visuals!
Visually, I'm sure many will find Leaderboard far too unrealistic and extremely minimalistic compared to certain other ST games. However, Leaderboard has a nostalgia that I love; the way it draws each scene so methodically is superb, bringing back happy memories during a time when it would have impressed everyone.
The sound effects are on par (see what I did there?) with the visuals. They're more than enough for this quiet stroll through the countryside. Spot-fx are used for hitting the ball, selecting the clubs, and hearing the ball drop into the hole. My favourite is the mushy sound as it falls into the water. Lame yet genuinely brilliant!
I tried hard to get a nice screenshot - so appreciate it and take the time to view it properly...
Oh dear, there are lots of pitfalls to avoid on this hole. Can you do it?
The CryptO'pinion?
I think golfing connoisseurs might foolishly turn up their noses at such an old game in favour of something better. I would say stop and think about that. This is one of the most charming and entertaining moments you can experience with an old computer. It's easy to pick up & play, and very addictive. This is one of the best games (from the earlier years) that you can play on the Atari ST. Truly, this looks poor but is superb.
This is nothing less than a fantastic game. What an odd thing to say when I don't even like golf! lol
Take a swing and download for either floppy or hard disk (HDD is the best)
Road Blasters is an arcade conversion by US Gold that attempts to recreate the speed and thrills of the original. Imagine a Bullrun Rally event through 50 overcrowded highways. You must win each to progress on to the next. Yep, nothing new, but I'm sure you already know that this is going to be tons of fun, right?
What makes this game different from many racers is a combination of driving and shooting. This means your gleaming red sports car has a mounted machine gun. The easiest targets are the yellow cars, which are a quick kill, but the motorbikes are a pest because of their tiny size. Occasionally, several jeeps will swarm around you like something from a Mad Max movie. React viciously; take no prisoners. Oh, yeah!!
It's time to break up the reading with a screenshot. And I want one with a green blob...
Bubble City sounds like a cool place - I must drive there!
Carmageddon!
Watch out for hazards like oil spills, roadside turrets, bullet-proof purple cars and those darn proximity mines. Fortunately, you do seem to have friends, a futuristic aircraft frequently flies by with power-ups: speed boost, extra weapons, shields, etc... However, it takes lots of practice to precisely collect these goodies!
At your disposal is a limitless supply of replacement cars, but they are all fuel-greedy, so if you run dry, then it's game over. Luckily, fuel pods are available to collect by driving through them for a top-up. Your car is equipped with a reserve fuel tank, which should only be relied upon as a last resort, but the good news is that it's replenished at the end of each race. Well, depending on your performance. So keep practising!
Oh, it sounds very exciting, doesn't it? Well, I think it's time for another screenshot...
Fast cars and guns. What more could you ever desire?
Input & Output!
The controls are sharp with responsive steering that retains the arcade feel. Well, as much as possible, using the joystick. No complaints as I found the car handled excellently and instantly took to it.
Visually, this is an older generation of racer on the Atari ST, more like a Crazy Cars 2, if that makes sense. So I never expected arcade-quality visuals, but it retains a good feeling of the original, whilst not being the best you'll get from your lovely computer. It's colourful but needed more decor, but for an older racer, I like it. The sound effects are good and better than those of Lotus Turbo. I enjoyed the excellent music. Nuff said.
Almost there, so it's time for the last screenshot...
Now is the time to drive like Knight Ride to collect those goodies from above!
The CryptO'pinion?
Technically, it's far from being the best racer, but I love this speedster. And we're armed, so that's basically one hell of a bonus (since when has adding a gun not been a good idea!). A much-underrated game that deserves more attention because it's fast, thrilling, and the car is weaponised. A perfect combination!
Racing with guns - what more could you want? Yup, it's an absolutely fantastic game.
Back in the 90s, Christoph Zwerschke developed a Sinclair ZX81 emulator for the Atari ST. Believe it or not, but I've never actually owned or even used this old Sinclair computer before! From what I know, this computer is mute and cannot make a sound! Plus, the graphics are actually made up of monochrome blocks rather than colourful pixels. Yikes!
This might all sound rather lame, but there is a certain charm to the itsy-bitsy computer with less processing power than your average kettle. So I powered on this quirky computer and even took a stab at programming... Well...
10 PRINT "ATARICRYPT ROCKS YOUR ST WORLD" 20 GOTO 10 RUN L
The good news is that even the stock Atari ST should be able to run any of its games perfectly fine - from either a floppy or (better still) a hard drive device. However, if you feel that the ZX81 is running in overdrive, then hit the UNDO key and adjust the speed limiter. I needed to do this for Pac-Man, which was otherwise insanely too fast!
Yep, I might never have owned a ZX81, but I was shocked to discover many games that are surprisingly very playable. Albeit without sound or pixels... For starters, 3D Monster Maze by Malcolm Evans is a great example and is highly regarded as one of the best reasons why people may adore this old paperweight. Truly, this game is way ahead of its time and perhaps even the first survival horror game using a first-person perspective? (check out Retro Resolution for a review!).
The CryptO'pinion?
This is a fantastic emulator and one that feels complete and robust. It provides an opportunity to play games from an era when fancy graphics and 3D sounds didn't exist. A time when only gameplay mattered (tell that to today's millennials). Give it a whirl and boot up this fantastic emulator to flip your Atari ST into a Sinclair ZX81.
Party like it's 1981 and have tons of fun. Win, Win!! :^) Scroll down for more ZX81 games that I really liked...
I gotta say, Mazogs is something else!! (Have you played Bugziacs?)
I was also equally impressed by the simplicity of Galaxians.
I've just received a factory-sealed treat, a copy of Alcatraz by Infogrames. I thought about leaving it as is, but within milliseconds, I had ripped it open!! Mint condition, and I love the contents of this hidden gem.
Hostages fans will appreciate it, but surely that goes without saying? The head honcho of a drug cartel has taken shelter in Alcatraz prison, and he happens to be surrounded by henchmen. You've probably guessed that it's your job to sneak in, kill the bad guys, destroy everything, and escape in the nick of time.
In light of that stunning revelation, I think we should take a look at a screenshot...
The first stage displays the coop action and reveals that strength comes from stealth.
Take it easy, take it slow
This isn't a gung-ho game; Alcatraz demands stealth and covert tactics. The starting level appears in the style of an arcade beat 'em up, but it's the opposite. Tread lightly, as firing your loud weapon isn't always the answer! Use the darkness to your advantage by nipping into the background scenery, avoiding any unwelcome attention. It's fantastic being able to hide and watch the enemy oblivious to you lurking in the shadows!!
That won't always work, so you may need to resort to some gunplay now and then. However, it's worth considering your weapon choice: why not silently throw a knife instead of using your BAM-BAM gun? And it's this way of thinking that makes Alcatraz very exciting. It's like you're there being sneaky and covert.
This screenshot is for those who often go out at night and hide in the darkness...
Take cover in the shadows and wait for the best moment to step out and take 'em by surprise!
But is it any good?
Initially, I wasn't sure about this game, if I'm dreadfully honest. The controls can feel a bit fluffy, but stick with it, and you will master them within a few goes. What is immediately superb is the support for two players in coop who play the mission simultaneously, which is fantastic for such demanding missions.
Venturing deeper inside Alcatraz, the game changes to a first-person shooter, similar to a Dungeon Master clone, with a machine gun!! There is a handy map function, which I liked because it helped detail the locations of enemies, rooms, etc. I really loved this part of the game but, I died. Talk about tough love.
Talk about a brilliant surprise! Let's take a gander at a screenshot...
Okay, now we're talking. This Doom part of the game was blummin' excellent!!
The CryptO'pinion?
Alcatraz is nothing like I expected, but what a game that easily eats away at your spare hours. Also, I like what they attempted to construct with the realism element; it works in many ways. What a great game of perseverance, stealth, and tactics, which is best played in co/op with a friend. Brilliant game.
I've stumbled upon a nifty resource for lots of Atari ST goodies waiting to be downloaded. It's the leftover remains of what used to be a popular German BBS called Traveller-Box, by Alexander Bochmann. His hard drives have been recovered, and their BBS contents have been uploaded for the Atari community to use again.
Look, stop reading this lil' article and go and check it out for yourself... Enjoy!!
Zany Golf was developed by Will Harvey of The Immortal and is one of those games I spent much of my college years playing - instead of studying! What a simple yet addictive game, which is obviously based on crazy golf. It's excellent solo and better with friends, but best of all, you don't need to go outside!
Play through several wacky courses to get that ball into the hole, and yes, that's my technical explanation! Controls are actioned with the mouse and feel similar to a snooker/pool game: click/hold on the golf ball for a directional line to appear. Use this to guide the speed/direction of your shot. Interestingly, a level of interaction is added - that might be controlling fans, playing pinball, making a burger jump, etc.
It's quirky, it's silly, and it's a little lame... but... Zany Golf is freakingly fantastic, so play it!!
