What's wrong with this picture?

Can you spot two wrongs?

Those with a keen eye will notice the larger screen space of my GEM desktop. What about the three resolutions that appear selectable? If you saw these things, then you're an Atari ST rock star. I salute you!

I've been experimenting with a few GEM programs that allow larger resolutions and other cool stuff. Some use interlacing to double the vertical resolution, but that can look odd and hurt my eyes! (use 60Hz!!). Others can create a virtual screen by using the Atari STe's hardware scrolling. Why would you wanna scroll?

Interestingly, some programs feature overscan. This is a technique used to make use of the empty borders, and it sparked my curiosity. Using this extra screen space is great, and without any slowdown. Most GEM programs should work perfectly fine, and I'm left wondering why Atari couldn't have made this standard?

I've made a bundled download of these programs - please let me know if there are others I've missed.

Magic Boy

Prepare to be amazed!

Magic Boy was released in 1993 by Empire and is one of the cutest platformers I have ever seen. Personally, it reminds me of Rainbow Islands because of its ravishing visuals and charming style. It's a stunner!

We play as Hewlett, a young boy with a magic wand who accidentally turned all the animals into cute monsters. Seems plausible, but how do these things keep happening? Not to worry, it's our task to restore everything back to normal, so that means venturing forth through many beautiful worlds to tag & bag the nasties.

Firstly, check out this screenshot. Wear sunglasses and take a deep breath...

Magic Boy must be one of the most colourful games on the Atari ST.

Shoot, jump, bag & grab!

There are four worlds to explore (Sand Land, Wet World, Plastic Place, Future Zone), and each offers eight levels. Things begin relatively easily before lots of crafty tricks and traps are introduced. This difficulty is staggered gradually, which helps to keep things interesting - without being too tough to play properly

This mild learning curve is nothing much on the easier levels. It's easy to pick up and play, so you're instantly leaping your way through. Make sure you collect all the power-ups, which will aid your progress. Just watch out for anything that looks oddly cute. It's not, it's nasty - so shoot and then bag it. Great stuff!!

However, the later levels are challenging, and I really mean formidable!! Those cute critters are actually deceivingly mean and seem to know just when to strike with a perfectly well-timed shot. Also, the level layout adds the usual moving tiles, and others might dissolve or randomly disappear. Infuriatingly difficult, which can be a shame sometimes, as the levels are impossible for me to complete (without a trainer!!).

Wanna see another multi-coloured screenshot? I know you do...

Things are now starting to get serious with cunning-level designs!

Aesthetics

This is literally one of the most stunning 16-bit games I have ever seen. This quality is thanks to John Dale and Leigh Christian, who made everything bright and radiant with many comical characters. Nothing has been sacrificed, which includes your fluent movements and ultra-smooth scrolling. Wonderful stuff!!

Sound effects are excellent and best experienced when using an Atari STe. Yes, I said STe, but that doesn't mean the ST is lacking. Not one bit. Accompanying music is perfect with a high-quality tune that remains in your head all day. Yes, Magic Boy is most definitely one of the sexiest Atari ST games I have ever played.

Why couldn't every game have this much love put into it? Let's view another screenshot...

Future Zone has incredible levels to hop through, as does the quirky Plastic Place.

The CryptO'pinion?

You won't be shocked to hear that this is one seriously addictive platformer. Yup, it's near perfect and a genuine pleasure to play because it's so much fun, and I really cannot think of anything negative to say. Okay, okay, that difficulty in later levels is really tough, but something weirdly reminiscent of games from the era.

The controls, game mechanics, visuals, and audio are stunning and make this game a showcase, but one that is also loads of fun and a thrill to play. Doesn't this prove what the Atari ST/e is capable of when in the hands of talented people? This is one of the best 16-bit platformers ever released.

Grab yourself either the floppy disk and there are loads!

This is a version for hard drive/Ultrasatan by 8BitChip.

The codes for those who wanna zip through to the later levels: on the menu screen, press and hold the keys before pressing fire to choose:

Sand Land......(part 1)  =  S + 1

Sand Land......(part 2)  =  S + 2

Future Zone....(part 1)  =  F + 1

Future Zone....(part 2)  =  F + 2

Plastic Place..(part 1)  =  P + 1

Plastic Place..(part 2)  =  P + 2

Wet World......(part 1)  =  W + 1

Wet World......(part 2)  =  W + 2

AtariCrypt box art?

Over the last few months, I've been taking pictures of my own ST games to feature within our box art section here on AtariCrypt. Yesterday, I got quite a shock when a good friend of mine (thank you, Jose Ant) created this fake box using my old avatar (a photo I originally took in Tombstone, Arizona).

You know, the ST world sure has some awesome people, and I absolutely love this image!!

Days Of Thunder

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity!!

Yes, I'm a big NASCAR fan, and I've finally got around to playing Mindscape's Days Of Thunder, which (I think) is the only stock car racer for the Atari ST. I was curious to see how the sport would look in 16-bit, and it started well with a fantastic title with music by David Whittaker. However, it was soon all downhill from then.

The visuals are shocking on the eyes, but it's the framerate that is total diarrhoea. The sound effects are actually worse, and I truly do mean that. I could forgive the visuals and sound for good gameplay, but sadly, this game lacked that, too. Could this be the worst Atari ST game ever? Well, put it this way, I could not stand to play more than a couple laps before rebooting in anger and utter disappointment.

I wondered how my 16MHz Mega STe might perform, so I contacted Peter Putnik and he created a hard drive version. But even the extra MHz couldn't save it, but thanks for trying mate!

Floppy Disks | Hard Drive Version

Elf

Oi, big ears!

Elf was released in 1991 by Ocean Software and is a platformer with simple adventure mechanics for lots of cumulative puzzles. It's not too dissimilar to something Codemasters would crack out. Not only that, but each of the levels appears impressive with lush visuals that appeal to my fickle nature!

We are Cornelius, a cool-looking dude whose girlfriend, Elisa, has been kidnapped by the evil Necriliousr. Armed with his magic ring (stop it!!), you must travel eight incredible landscapes, avoiding strange and wacky creatures, and solving puzzles to rescue the love of your life. That's Elisa and not your Atari ST computer.

Well, hmm... I dunno about that lol. Let's take a peep at a screenshot taken with my phone...

Upgrades are great - I'm flying!!

Finders Keepers?

Playing Elf is never boring, thanks to the world we have to explore and everything in it. That includes the puzzles that must be figured out logically and in order. Oddly, I'm reminded of the old ZX Spectrum games by David Jones. You know, trading items with NPC characters who require the silliest of items before providing something you require. It's brilliant, but only experience and perseverance will grant success.

However, that's not easy thanks to a barrage of critters constantly invading the screen, think Black Lamp. They are often relentless and try to stop you from solving the puzzles. So, look for anything that might help along the way? Heck, items and even animals, to collate as "pets" that will be used as currency to purchase an assortment of power-ups - including firepower, extra lives, the ability to fly and much more.

Elf is a fascinating and long-winded game that won't be easy to finish. The quest is massive but will entertain you every step of the way with humour and cool ideas, like when you are chased up a ladder (impressive AI). Finally, and in true Atic Atac style, a tombstone is erected when dead. It's rumoured to be haunted!

This game is huge and brilliant in almost all respects, so let's view a clearer screenshot this time...

Beautifully drawn graphics with tons of extra colours thrown in. Look at that sky!

Aesthetics

The graphics are tremendous, with outstanding attention to detail for the scenery and characters. The baddies are some of the most detailed sprites I've seen, so killing them almost makes me feel bad (almost). They have cute expressions with integrated novelties, like rocks that watch your every move. Lovely extra touches throughout. I feel confident saying this, but the visuals are some of the best I've ever seen.

The audio is great with amazing sound effects. However, it's the music I love the most by Matthew Cannon (remember Navy Seals?). Awesome tunes throughout, thus proving once again that chip music is immortal!! In fact, I'd describe them as bewitching, so I prefer playing this game with the music on.

This final screenshot is something I see a lot of...

The screen you hate, and in stark contrast to the jolly feel of the game.

The CryptO'pinion?

Here we go, nothing is perfect... yadda yadda! Well, that's true, and it applies to Elf. I felt the number of lives was too restrictive, considering the task at hand. I also found it a little annoying when some critters would walk onto the screen just as I was about to walk off, thus zapping valuable energy. Arghh, irritating!!

However, Elf is a brilliant platform/adventure/puzzler. It will sap the hours whilst you shoot the cuties, trade, and try to figure out how to bribe your way through the game. This is something that you need to experience and is very rewarding. Elf is excellent, and I cannot recommend it enough. Make time for this game!!

8BitChip has a version for hard disks

Floppy disks can be found via Old Games Finder.

Here is a walkthrough, but don't spoil this awesome game!!

--> MY HANDY TIPS <--

Tweet Tweet, that cute little bird is hungry. Easy!

Red Indians love feathers...

Toilet paper? Ahem, surely too easy to solve?

That big guy? Well, he just loves roast chicken.

If you must, type in CHOROPOO during gameplay for 99 Pets.

1632 ATARI podcaST

It's always nice to see someone doing something creative for the ST scene, and here is Atari 8-bit legend, Wade, with a new podcaST. This is for the Atari ST and by a guy who didn't originally care for it. Interesting? Maybe, so let's check this out and his rediscovery of the best 16-bit computer! <clickety click>

Big Nose The Caveman

Big hooter

We are Big Nose, a fella from prehistoric times, and, once a year, he and his family strangely celebrate Thanksgiving, which means one thing: a yummy Pterodactyl roast dinner. Fortunately, one of these birds was just spotted flying by - now isn't that lucky? So this Jurassic journey takes you through dangerous dinosaur-infested lands looking for that tasty bird to kill, cook, and eat with your fellow big-nosed family.

Code Masters released this humble platformer in 1993, programmed by Neil Hill. The game involves clubbing anything that looks dangerous, lots of platform jumping, and fighting off end-of-level bosses. The controls are excellent and responsive, and the cartoon-like graphics with amazing sprites are a joy. However, the bland backdrops are a letdown and desperately need some rasters! Sound effects are sparse except for jumps and hits, but thankfully, the title music is fantastic (a shame it doesn’t play during the game).

Big Nose, a budget platformer, feels a bit cheap in some places, especially considering the Atari ST’s capabilities. However, the superb and addictive gameplay is what truly matters. Okay, you’ll likely complete it in a couple of hours, but it's budget and well-designed, demonstrating its playability. So why not kill some time and give it a go? Big Nose The Caveman is a bucketload of fun, and I think you will all enjoy it a bunch!!

Go on and grab the download of Big Nose the Caveman for floppy or hard drive.

Argh, a dinosaur!! What shall I do...?

Take that, you dino freak!!

Those snakes are pesky things, but easy to kill.

The spiders are so cute and have a cunning edge to them, too.

This is access to a secret place that allows you to skip through level one. Weird...

This is another secret place that grants you a brisk walk through the next level. Ugh, no thanks!

Chicago 90

DRIVER

Let's start by saying that I'm sure every kid played cops and robbers growing up. Now that we're grown-ups (aka BIG kids), we can do the same using our favourite retro computer. This is thanks to Microïds and their 1989 hit, Chicago 90, which allows us to drive the streets as either the good or bad guys. Easy choice, I say?

As a cop, it's our job to do the chasing, but that role didn't really click with me. It's more fun being the bad guys whenever you get the chance, and it's a good job too because being the bad guy in Chicago 90 is fantastic!! After all, what's better than a car full of swag as you rush to flee the city limits? Gotta earn that freedom!

That's enough reading for the moment, let's take a look at the first screenshot...

You could be a good guy instead of running from the law? Yeah, that's what I thought!!

Read the flipping manual

Initially, the in-game user interface is rather complex and confusing, especially as a copper. It's a cumbersome design - down the left are many icons, most of which I have no idea what they mean. Also, at the bottom of the screen are two windows; the first is an overhead city map displaying the location of the fuzz. The other is a first-person view that should help avoid crashing into law-abiding citizens. Well, in theory!

So, ignoring the complexity of being a copper, let's be a baddie! This is a game of escape. Ie, can you escape the city and break free of their jurisdiction? The cops chasing are a little daft, with naive AI that isn't exactly Einstein-level, but good enough for a chase. If caught, you're presented with a rather dodgy-looking image representing the scene. I shall say no more about this, but you need to see it for yourself.

At first, the controls feel a little flaky, but after a few practice games, you will be ripping around Chicago in no time. Sadly, collision detection is often suspect, and hitting the landscape causes the car to oddly bounce during that bump. That's not a big deal, really, and certainly adds a dollop of silliness to the chase, without stopping you dead in your tracks. This is brilliant, so the game's momentum isn't halted, nor the fun!

Bouncy, crashy, messy, funny... I don't care! So let's see another screenshot...

Success!! We've finally found the way out of this urban jungle. Now, HIT IT!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Chicago 90's downfall is its weak Police role, which is cumbersome and rather boring. So, that left me with the gangster role, which thankfully, is tons of fun! Driving through the city, running from the cops, is surely an early glimpse into an early GTA experience? It's pretty much fantastic, and I've loved every second.

With a little thought for gameplay objectives and a better UI, this could have been a fantastic venture into a life of crime prevention. As it happens, the cops suck, so we're stuck playing the bad guys, and the only objective is to escape the Chicago maze. Regardless, racing from the cops is always going to be a thrill.

All things considered, I really enjoyed this, so I ended up buying it. A superb game!

Visit Chicago - Driver & GTA style!

8bitchip has a hard drive installable version

Atari Legend has the floppy disks!

Atari Greenlog now has a cool gameplay video.

Dungeon Master

I needed a picture of the Dungeon Master maps, so I created this image to help me to stop getting lost. (right-click the image to open in a new tab - the file is huge!!). Also, I have zipped up an Atari ST folder which contains lots of files plus help and information concerning spells, etc... Clickety click to download it :-)

Also, it's worth taking a peep at issue six of ST Action (I loved that magazine!!) because they featured a fantastic five-page Dungeon Master guide. This can be viewed over on AtariMania.

The Chronicles Of Omega

A game for both Atari STs

Chronicles of Omega was released by ARC/Atari in 1990 and is probably the first commercial game to support the enhanced Atari STe, by making use of the hardware scrolling and DMA Audio. But that doesn't mean the STfm has been forgotten because this displays gorgeous rasters for the sky, which aren't possible on the STe when using hardware scrolling. So each machine has something rather cool up its sleeve!

The lands of Omega were peaceful until the day came when a demon captured all of the children from the village. Play as either Alwin or Irma and battle your way through five evil-infested lands, killing everything in your wake, and defeating Demon Champions (aka bosses). Ultimately, be the hero and save the day!

Here's a handy map of Omega, which I must admit looks like a lovely place to visit...

This map plots Alwin and Irma's journey through the lands of Omega.

Shoot, Shop and Kill

This is a cute platformer with interesting levels that aren't overly large and filled with many ghouls. Walking from left to right, you'll encounter different monsters along your journey, and they're all stuffed with cash. Kill as many as you can and collect their loot, which can be used to purchase power-ups in the Good Witch's shop.

There's always someone willing to cash in on any noble crusade. Well, she pops up during each level to tempt you with her wares. Prices aren't cheap, so you should try to kill as many monsters as possible instead of running scared. Annoyingly, all purchased power-ups are lost after losing a life, which sucks! End-of-level guardians are rather lame and easily defeated, even though they can materialise right where you're standing!

First impressions? This is one of those moments when I can see the potential which wasn't taken advantage of in some respects. There are so many awesome ideas (and some ripped) but this is essentially a decent platformer. With a little fine-tuning, Arc could have had something special on their hands.

The Atari ST has more background colours and gorgeous chip music!

Aesthetics?

So let's look at the graphics and audio, which are different depending on which ST you use...

Visually, Chronicles of Omega is a treat with lovely characters and lush landscapes. Both are rich in colour, and the Atari STe gets to use its hardware scrolling for a smooth 50fps. The older ST hasn't been forgotten, and what it lacks in framerate is compensated for by extra background colours. However, the Atari STe wins by far.

For the audio, both computers take advantage of their strengths: the Atari STe uses DMA samples for the music and sound effects. The older ST uses its YM2149 for stunning chipmusic, which I must say is a million times better than what the STe pumps out. This is too easy; the older Atari ST wins the audio battle hands down.

My opinion? I'd dump the ST in a flash with its fancy rasters for the STe's ultra-smooth hardware scrolling. However, the ST wins the audio battle because Steve Barrett excelled with the quality of his chiptunes over the blurry DMA music. We all know the Atari STe is capable of better, and ARC should have given STe gamers the option to chose between chip or DMA. That would have been perfect.

The Atari STe lacks the background colours but runs at a silky-smooth 50fps.

The CryptO'pinion?

I must admit to being disappointed by this enigma. It plays the same on both models of Atari ST, but is spoiled by the magic wand's mechanics. This is due to its inability to fire more than twice at any given moment, which means walk...shoot...walk...shoot. If you forget, then you're left defenceless in tight situations.

I pushed myself through the fluffy-control pain barrier and (shockingly) found myself enjoying this quirky game. In fact, I managed to reach the final level, and I was genuinely having fun, albeit with the awkward firing. Kudos to ARC for making use of the Atari STe, which certainly makes me wonder why later platformers didn't.

Whatever you're thinking, this isn't a terrible game. Not in the slightest; definitely worth playing!! Okay, there are better platformers for the Atari ST, but give it a shot, and let me know what you think in the comments.

Downloads are available for hard drive & floppy.

Enchanted Land

Not a review, but a moan!

We are Kurgan, a magician who dresses like a weird Santa! He must retrieve the lost magic from the lands of Damiran and battle cutesy creatures in five levels to restore things to how they were. However, this is one of the hardest platformers I have ever played, and it's how the game ultimately fails, but let's continue.

Level one is incredible, but incredibly tough. It effectively introduces you to the game’s wicked mechanics. Frankly, I struggled to complete it and only managed to see the technical delights of the second stage using a cheat. Unfortunately, each level suffers from unfair mechanics and requires repeated play. If only we had more lives! I found myself unable to play for long, which infuriated me for various reasons.

Enchanted Lands is a showcase product, developed by the legendary Carebears.  It demonstrates the capabilities of our 16-bit computer when handled by those who don’t make excuses. Essentially, it’s a demo designed specifically for the Atari ST, but unfortunately, it lacks actual gameplay (it's our Amiga SOTB).

We all relish a challenge, but this is ridiculous. The mechanics are so unforgiving, turning everything into a chore devoid of enjoyment. Just wait until you encounter those jumping critters or the spiders. Often annoyingly placed just off-screen, they suddenly appear when you get close, draining your precious energy.

Let's see an animated GIF of the lush visuals...

Well, the immense talent that went into the game's development is astounding!

Aesthetics

Visually, this platformer is a Christmas cracker, and I wish every game looked this gorgeous!! It really is like a playable demo running at 50fps with hundreds of beautiful colours. The landscapes are stunning and are complemented by equally gorgeous sprites (they’ll cause all the headaches a gamer dreads).

The audio is every bit as impressive as the graphics. Musically, it’s breathtaking with a range of outstanding chiptunes and lovely sound effects. Mad Max’s music is flawless. Magnificent tunes.

Look, this is our Shadow Of The Beast, so let's see another screenshot...

Let's hop from cloud to cloud, looking for more deadly places to die!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Enchanted Land looks & sounds perfect, but it's incredibly difficult and requires a trainer. Even then, mastering its tricky nature will take ages. I think the difficulty level could sink the Titanic, and that ruins what could have been an exceptional platformer. Technically, it’s a masterpiece, but it’s meant to be a game, not a demo.

I’d definitely consider this our Shadow Of The Beast and something to show friends: look and listen, but don’t expect to actually play it. Harsh, I know, but there are better platformers for the Atari ST.

8BitChip has a hard disk version.
The floppy is over at Atari Legend.

Okay, it's time to cheat your way through this cruel platformer:

On the title screen, type in, "TCB RULES FOREVER"
The screen will flash...

Now you can press keys 1 - 5 to pick a different level.

Also, pressing F2 - F10 for lots of different effects. Enjoy!

See that spider; beware of him. That's all I'll say.

Don't you dare fall into that well.

As you jump, that little critter jumps too, so watch out for that!

That's it, I'm done. And dead lol

Sokoban

Never judge a book...

I love hearing about new games in development for our handsome Atari ST, and today I found out about a brand new Sokoban puzzler. It's written by Peter Lane and is a GEM-based program, so it will work on every model of computer. It features 50 levels, a scale-adjustable display, and options for tons of extra levels.

I've enjoyed taxing my old brain cells with this puzzler. Highly recommended for fans!!

• Download via Atarimania https://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-sokoban_30652.html
• Demozoo has the credits & links https://demozoo.org/productions/158370/

Bod

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the death of Stephen Jones, aka Bod. More recently, he was the gentleman behind the Atari STe game R-Type Deluxe, an eagerly anticipated upgrade to an already ace game, and was highly regarded as the biggest STe project for years. He demonstrated to the entire retro gaming world just what this machine was capable of - when in the hands of someone with talent and commitment.

I talked with him quite a lot; he kindly supplied screenshots of his progress. I was excited to feature them on my little-known website. Kindness, I shall never forget. Also, his commitment to the Atari ST scene is fully featured on Demozoo where you can view his Fuji portfolio. It's extremely impressive, to say the least.

A great loss.

Prayers and my condolences to his family and friends at this time †

Z-Out

Enjoying a quickie

I had a free hour today, so I entertained myself with Rainbow Arts' Z-Out. Essentially, this is a bog-standard horizontally scrolling shooter with nice graphics and (familiar) sound effects. The controls work well, but it feels like a clone of Menace or R-Type. There is anifty two-player feature which we enjoyed!!

However, I found it extremely difficult at times, plus it didn't really bring anything new to the table compared to shooters already out. Don't get me wrong, this is a very good game, but there are better shoot 'em ups. Am I right? Well, I think so, but let me know what you think in the comments below. Go on, do it.

Downloads and cheats for anyone wanting to experience more of this shooter...

• 8BitChip has adapted this for hard drive installation with a level skip feature.
• Floppy disks can be downloaded at Atari Legend.
• Here are some nifty cheats:

       > pressing J + K together gives infinite energy.
       > pressing J and a number between 1 - 6 (on the main keyboard) to skip levels.
       > pressing K and a number between 1 - 3 (on the keypad) to jump stages.

Substation

You'll need a 25MHz PC for this one...

I remember the days when the ST was getting on a bit and, ahem, the Falcon didn't quite cut it. Not only that, but all my mates had left behind their Atari STs and Amigas for overly expensive PCs. They were bulky and incredibly ugly, but I remember how (secretly) gutted I felt when I saw Wolfenstein and almost died of shock when I saw Doom.

Anyhow, even then, we still had our moments of glory. The Atari ST had a decent selection of first-person shooters by the mid-90s, and in 1995, a company called Unique Development Sweden decided that our old 16-bit computer wasn't dead yet. They graced us with Substation, which was about to change everything we thought possible.

The story goes that Mitushi Industries has developed a type of new energy that can be extracted from under the seas. All seemed well until communication was lost with their underwater substation base. Oh no... So, they contracted the help of a Multi-Environment Marine from the American government. In case you are wondering - yes, this is you!

That's the basic storyline, that wasn't really needed, but let's take a gander at the first screenshot...

The mission update screens are superb with tons of information.

When a 1989 computer blows you away!

Upon starting your first game, it's a good idea to ditch the knife - hit key "2" which switches to a rather sufficient pistol. Collect all the goodies you see lying on the floor and open the door; outside is access to more goodies, but there's also a couple of ghouls lurking! Will you risk a fight or run away scared down that seemingly empty corridor?

Movement is actioned with the keyboard: arrow keys are used to walk/turn around with Insert and Clr Home keys for convenient sidestepping - this works brilliantly using a real computer!! Control key fires any weapon, the Spacebar opens doors, and punching the TAB key drops a bomb. Don't forget the map, found at the bottom of the screen, which automatically tracks your movements, and the keypad can be used to examine the explored areas.

The baddies are intelligent and won't stupidly head straight for you. Nope! Expect some to use evasive tactics - they might shoot a few rounds and then run away to take cover! So use that pistol to protect yourself, remembering to sidestep oncoming attacks. Other weapons can be found, and the chain gun is absolutely amazing - Arnold Schwarzenegger would be proud. In fact, each weapon is superb - I only wish it were quicker to find them all.

Tell me you aren't excited to play this baby for yourself? Wait, come back, I've not finished...

I know what you're thinking, and no, there isn't anything wrong with the colour!

Aesthetics

Graphically, I'm both impressed and (hmm) slightly unimpressed. Firstly, let me say that Substation has a freakish amount of atmosphere - this game is scary with something nasty lurking within the murky corridors. Anxiety levels are high thanks to its superb design using amazing visual effects - like light-sourced sprites. The frame rate needed to be smooth for a game like this to be playable, and the basic 8MHz Atari STe zooms along at 25fps - which is outstanding!!

Sadly, the walls lack texture mapping because UDS opted for Gouraud shading to maintain the smooth framerate. This is understandable but disappointing because games like Destruction Imminent and Wolfenstein 3D prove the ST is actually capable. I feel UDS missed an opportunity to enable optional textures on faster computers.

The audio is spot-on perfect. And I do mean perfect. Substation utilises the enhanced hardware, so we hear distance and directional effects. This will help to identify where the baddies are creeping surprisingly well. Equally impressive are the tunes played at 25Khz - excellent quality. You're gonna love it, so crank up the volume!

Imagine if this game had been released when the STe was younger? Ah, let's see a screenshot...

LOL, I love this screenshot that I managed to take just as he exploded!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Technically speaking, this is one of the most impressive games for ye olde Atari STe. Think about it, an 8MHz computer capable of running a first-person engine that maintains a brisk 25fps. Not only that, but it features distance and directional stereo sounds, 30 on-screen colours, light source sprites, and intelligent enemy AI. Heck, you can even play against other people over a network, and those with faster Atari computers will support smoother framerates.

Substation is magnificent. A fantastic shooter with great weapons, challenging AI, and superb maps. It's not easy; each mission is as tough as it is enjoyable. However, if you're expecting Substation to be "our" Doom, then you will be disappointed - it's more like a Wolfenstein. This isn't a criticism. Just understand that fact.

Oh yeah, this is a seriously awesome first-person shooter, so pick up your guns and have yourself some fun!!

This little zappy fellow is tough to hit and annoyingly badass!

- ESSENTIAL SUBSTATION LINKS -

Download on floppy or, best of all, for your hard drive.

ST Format featured a basic preview level on cover disk #72.
They also held a competition, and the winning game is on cover disk #75.
Fancy a trainer? ST Format cover disk #76 has all the answers!
[ ST Format coverdisks can be downloaded from Exxos ]

Substation tips and maps can be found in ST Format issues #74 / #75 / #76 / #77.

We all love cheat codes, and to get all weapons, just type "PUNK"
"NIRVANA" gets you extra health, and "PFLOYD" unlocks doors.
"SKRAPAN" credits extra bombs, and "FALUKORV" allows extra time.

PowerDOS

TOS? No, DOS.

I was reading through Atari ST Review #32, and I came upon an interesting tidbit for a public domain tool called PowerDOS. I had never heard of this, but it sounded interesting and potentially very useful.

The slowest part of any computer is the hard drive, and whilst this might not matter as much for Ultrasatan, there is still a benefit to be had with the Atari ST computers. Basically, PowerDOS is for GEMDOS what NVDI/QuickST/Warp9 are for the VDI components of TOS. That means all those inefficient bits 'n bobs that go together to make up the disk operating system are replaced by "newer" routines that improve system performance (TOS) and add a few features within a multitasking environment.

Installation is as simple as copying the program into your AUTO folder and rebooting. My ST has TOS 2.06 and had the problem with NVDI but everything else appears fine. The speed improvements are most welcome for example, try loading up CAB or JAM (with all their plugins enabled).

I love tinkering with my Atari ST, and utilities like PowerDOS are amazing. The incompatibility with NVDI is worrying, but I wonder if a middle-ground can be forged by using QuickST (this is good enough for most) and Warp9? Whaddya think? Give it a try and see how you get on. Let me know in the comments below.

The download is available from Atari-Forum (with credit to Mark_G & bj)