Mystical

The French have their own unique style of humour!

Infogrames has once again delivered something truly unique and special. In Mystical, players embark on a magical adventure, battling bizarre creatures. As a novice magician under the tutelage of the Grand Wizard, he's eager to learn but quick to make silly mistakes like losing precious scrolls and phials. Now, he must travel to parallel worlds to retrieve them. Prepare for the most unexpected journey of your life!

Our quest will take us into strange places to battle against wacky characters: Buzzards, shepherds, faithless Monks, reptiles, sea creatures, farmers, little girls, Vikings, walking trees, and more. Most will throw something at you or chase you. Sounds mad, right? It certainly is, and I'm sure everyone will love its silliness.

I cannot continue without showing screenshots of just how unique this game is...

I must say, the palettes used are pastel-perfect, and with lovely artistic tones too.

The characters you meet are... different! What a weird game this is.

Magically weird

The big man has granted permission to use his magic. This means the ability to cast spells that provide unique ways to dispose of our foes. For example, the ring of fire scorches anyone who dares to get too close, whereas the blue ring deflects enemy attacks. Another will open up the ground to swallow our victims, which is superb. Possibly the best of all is shouting "Boo" to shoo off anything nasty. Seriously!!

As you collect them, a spell activates immediately, but if you are quick, slap that Spacebar to stockpile it for later use - in combination with the Return key. Yes, it's a cumbersome design, but it works well if ever you're struggling. Each level ends when you reach the pentagram for a battle with an end-of-level boss - the first throws babies at you! Once defeated, a large sphere appears and whisks you off to the next level.

I'm sure you're thinking this is weird. And you're right, it is!! But it's brilliantly weird...

Collect the funky power-ups and use all magic spells to the best of your ability!

I'm tripping out here, but three blue dudes appear and cause me trouble.

Aesthetics!

The visuals are gorgeous with smooth scrolling across beautiful landscapes. All use an impressive and pleasing palette, I might add. However, it's the tremendous quantity and quality of the characters that steal the limelight. Never have I seen such gorgeous sprites with humour and detailed animation.

I must take off my hat and commend Olivier Roge and Jocelyn Valais for such amazing work. Take a look at these screenshots and tell me you're not impressed by the sprites and even the artwork as a whole? Possibly one of the best examples of 16-bit pixel art I've seen in a game.

The audio is a mixed bag. The sound effects are ace, using samples for each character and other things like the spells. All great, and I adore the "Bla Bla Bla", which reminded me of the speech in Donkey Island. Sadly, the title music is awful, and I can’t understand why they used low-quality samples over a chiptune.

Fancy another screenshot? What about silly faces to start off...

Hey, what's that? I've got a doppelganger to help me out.

Who are those people in the cages? Enemies, so don't help them!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Mystical is a generic shoot 'em up, albeit with cool power-ups and humour. (I never knew the French had a sense of humour? heh). Unfortunately, it’s repetitive, and the end-of-level bosses are frustrating. Regardless, it’s clear that a lot of time and effort went into Mystical’s production. I thoroughly enjoyed playing it, and I’m sure most gamers will appreciate its distinctive style and personality. A rather silly game you're gonna love!

Grab a magic wand and help our magician out?

Download for floppy or a hard drive.

Hard 'n' Heavy

Looks familiar...

Hard 'n' Heavy follows on from Giana Sisters in true fashion with more Mario-esque levels to run and jump through. The official commercial release was poor with awful flip-screen scrolling that ultimately ruined what might have been a great conversion. Sure, flip might work well with some platformers, for example, Jet Set Willy, which would have been horrendous with scrolling. Just imagine... but Hard 'n' Heavy needs scrolling!!

That's where the bad lesson ends and the good news begins as Peter Putnik has developed a version that features smooth-as-silk scrolling thanks to the use of the Blitter lurking inside every Atari STe. And also most other earlier models (incl. later STFM models which had a Blitter or at least a hungry socket).

Hard 'n' Heavy obviously looks and feels similar to Giana Sisters, so if you didn't like that game, then you may as well start looking elsewhere right now. Interestingly, the physics exaggerate the Giana experience to feel more like we're floating, and this took me a few goes to master. It's pretty surreal. Okay, there are 25 levels of shooting the baddies, destroying blocks to find all the bonuses, and even access to hidden levels - if you can. Also available is an incredible two-player feature, with various game types.

This is superb, and I'm sure a Giana Sisters fan will love what is more of the same with a few extra bells and whistles. Peter has done well to transform that pathetic commercial game into something it should have been all along. Make sure you play it on a real computer to experience the silky-smooth movement.

I prefer Giana Sisters, but this Hard & Heavy upgrade is downright marvellous. Highly recommended!!

- Download Hard 'n' Heavy -

Magic Pockets

Pocket pool

I finally rebought Magic Pockets by the great Bitmap Bros! Those guys sure knew how to program - never once settled for a lame Amiga port. Not ever, which is a prime historical example to shame many other developers. I'm proud to own what is nothing less than a belting piece of hiSTory by the Bitmaps!!

So the story? Ah, yes... the infamous storyline. Well, brace yourself for a cracker! Okay, the Bitmap Kid (BK to his burger friends) has been given a brand new pair of magical trousers from an old man he met in the park one evening. No, not really lol!! Anyhow, he loves these trousers, but finds out that his toys have somehow disappeared into a fantasy world: PocketLand. Of course, this cool Kid is determined to get his toys back. So, he enters via a black hole he conjured!! Boy, if there was ever a whackier storyline than this!

Let's take a gander at a lovely bluey screenshot of the kid in his weird new world...

There are many crazy monsters to kill, but... hang on... what's that TV doing there?

Short arms, deep pockets

PocketLand is split over four enormous levels - and they are HUGE. BK is armed with different powers depending on the world he's currently in. There are many strange enemies and also many bonuses to use - heck, he even has extra abilities like the whirlwind to jump great heights. Sometimes the route through can feel like a wild goose chase, but you're often led onto secret areas that contain lots of goodies. I admire the design because most levels don't feel linear, even though they are, which is a muddled thing to say, right?

The joystick controls are spritely with flexible action and movement. I have always liked their responsive mechanics because it feels less like a computer platformer and more like something a console would knock out. Of course, neither is better than the other. It's just how Magic Pockets feels (to me), and a platformer like this demands decent controls. So I like this game today as much as I did in the 1990s.

Well, it's time for yet another screenshot. Wow, gripping stuff...

The first level nicely introduces various aspects of the game with its trippy mechanics.

Aesthetics

Visually, it has a Godly appearance that the Bitmaps sure enjoyed using. Hardly original, but peppered with lovely colours splashed throughout each and every level. The scrolling is fast and fluent, so it always manages to keep up the gameplay's pace. However, it's the sprites that are something else; so many incredibly cute critters, all of which are nicely animated too. Why can't all games look this beautiful? Outstanding pixel artwork.

The sound effects are fantastic, but I would prefer an option for a background tune. Famously, the title music is by Betty Boo, but I'm kinda meh about that. I guess it's nice to have, and the quality is pretty good.

Get on your bike and get ready for another screenshot of crazy gameplay...

Hey, I've found a bike. Weeee, come on, there aren't many games like this!!

The CryptO'pinion?

I feel like Magic Pockets is brand new again, so I'm very happy with my purchase. At the moment, I haven't gotten very far, if I'm honest. But it's fun trying, and what a gem this platformer is! It's wonderful to play it again after all these years. I feel it hasn't aged badly whatsoever. In fact, it's still just as much fun and as entertaining as it ever was. You could say that I'm feeling like a big kid on Christmas Day.

Magic Pockets is an outstanding platformer and is easy to get into. This article might be a preview, but anything from the Bitmap Brothers is top-notch. I know I'll be enjoying this for many moons to come.

Highly recommended isn't a good enough phrase to use. PLAY THIS GAME!!

Downloaded for floppy and hard disk.

Things Not To Do

Good advice

Electronic Images released the most hilarious Atari ST demo I've seen. I tried to record a video, but my emulator messed up the graphics, and the sine scroller (which is beautiful) was jerking like it had a nervous twitch. So I gave up and burned the image to a floppy disk. Nothing beats the real hardware.

Download this utterly stupid demo from AtariMania, then turn up the volume and enjoy the show.

Credits

---

4mat - Music
Count Zero - Music
Griff - Code, Text
J.C.B - Graphics (Animation)

Master - Graphics

Menace [upgraded]

When something isn't quite right...

Menace is one of the few Psygnosis games that I respect. It's a good shooter. Okay, it should have been better with a little effort, but that's an Amiga company for you. Anyhow, it's still a decent game, and I enjoy it. But what's with the YELLOW ship compared to that other version? For years, I've hated its bland colour and wondered what they were thinking. And if it was possible to change it for something better?

So I contacted Atari ST wizard Peter Putnik about my dilemma. He's always up for a challenge and open to ideas. It wasn't long until he came back with a solution that worked well. As you can see in both the video and screenshots, our spaceship now has a new paint job!! The caveat is a change to the (badly placed) status pane due to the 16-colour palette. Of course, the game remains the same, but we now pilot a white ship!

You know, folks, this is what makes the Atari ST scene a marvellous place. Think about it, I wasn't happy with a commercial game from 30+ years ago. I asked a guy living in another country for his thoughts. What does he do? He fixes it without hesitation. Incredible. What an amazing community we have.

My sincere thanks to Peter for being gracious with my request. This version of Menace is the only one I will play on the Atari ST. Here's the download to the newly designed AtariCrypt White Star (geddit?).

Please watch the video trailer above and gander at these lovely screenshots...

I made this silly image. Can you tell? lol

Here it is, our brand new white ship!

Just look at it. Much better now, albeit at the expense of the status bar.

Skimming along through space in my spanky new ship!!

It might not be the best shooter, but the graphics are cool.

It has its haters, but this is better than most of the drivel Psygnosis produced for us.

Reanimators #6

Do The Math

Reanimators #6 features cool fx with a superb chiptune (hmm, it sounds familiar). You know me, I love sine scrollers, and this one is a belter and displayed using the full range of lovely rainbow colours. On the disk is Thunderstrike, an incredible 3D shoot 'em up with great graphics - like an early Cybermorph ;-)

Credits

https://demozoo.org/productions/92358/

wave upon wave

Musax!!

There are many amazing artists, and I've always had a soft spot for the guys that make up the incredible YM Rockerz. So here is the wonderful compilation called "wave upon wave", which they released 17 years ago! It features tracks by their awesome musicians: 505, D-Force, Dma-Sc, Tao, Lotek Style, and Milhouse.

It's impossible to pick a favourite, but I love Shifter by Tao, which you can listen to by clicking on the GEM green arrow. Check out the YM Rockerz website ... I think I'm going to listen to "Seven" again tonight!

Wave Upon Wave by YM Rockerz [demozoo download]

Credits

505 - Music

D-Force - Music

Dma-Sc - Music, Text

Exocet - Graphics

MC Laser - Graphics (ASCII), Music, Text

Milhouse - Music, Text

Tao - Code, Music

Midnight Sun

ST GLAM!!

I've just been going through the latest uploads on Demozoo, and there have been many incredible releases of demos, artwork, and music from both the Outline and Sommarhack parties. I'm constantly blown away by what the DHS boys can produce: the video is of Midnight Sun for the Atari STe (running overscan).

Credits for Midnight Sun by Dead Hackers Society

Crazy Q - Music

Evil - Code

Excellence In Art - Other (Sample sequence)

Proteque - Graphics

https://demozoo.org/productions/174400/

Now check out these screenshots for an idea of what the Atari ST #demoscne is capable of knocking out. Remember, YouTube is good, but nothing beats the experience of using a real Atari ST/e computer.

#JustSaying :p

P-47

Skim the landscape & shoot everything

P-47 was released in 1988 by Firebird and is based on the Jaleco arcade game. There are several levels through a variety of landscapes, so put on your Biggles outfit because you're about to reach for the skies.

Any shoot 'em up needs decent scrolling, awesome controls, and enemies to kill. P-47 has this by the bucketload. It's immediately obvious that the teamwork that went into development has certainly paid off. Choose either a 50/60Hz display with smooth parallax scrolling, great graphics throughout, and fast sprites that honour the original. Funky chipmusic plays alongside the pizazz sound effects, both of which are great.

The action is hectic as the planes whizz into view and tanks blast artillery - they're just asking for a MOAB!! Other levels have us flying through sunset clouds, pyramids, and over the seas (I love the missiles, which emerge from underwater). Oddly, the bosses are easy to defeat by positioning in a safe place and repeatedly dropping a payload of bombs. Each level varies, but the concept remains: fly, avoid, panic, and kill everything.

Where P-47 fails is the frustratingly great difficulty - the screen will always be cluttered with many baddies, and a collision is inevitable. Stick with it; collect the power-ups, learn the enemy's attack pattern, and keep on firing. Sure, this is imperfect, but it's also one I really enjoy and a darn challenging shoot 'em up.

• Atari Legend has the floppies, and I recommend New Order #20 Menu CD.
• Hard drive installable versions are available by both 8BitChip and D-Bug.
• Enter "ZEBEDEE" into the high score:
• Press F1 for a level skip
• press F2 for infinite lives. Have fun!!

Bold / Wiliness III

 

 

BeST laid plans...

I recently discovered an unreleased shooter called Bold by Laurent Kermel.  Rather than my usual approach, I delved into the documentation and found his website listed, which is still working. It has an Atari ST section detailing unfinished ST games. Take a look at these pictures (above) of Slug Dragoon Twins Tenesis and Empire. These are truly impressive ST games, I’m sure you’ll agree, but sadly lost to time.

I messaged Laurent to express my gratitude for Bold and Wiliness 3 (Dungeon Master). Laurent is a genuinely kind person, and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. Maybe he'll complete his works, one day?

Here's the link to the Atari ST section of his current website, along with his superb YouTube video.

- B O L D -

Lazy programmers say the ST can't scroll

Bold is a fantastic shoot ‘em up for the Atari ST/e, drawing inspiration from several games. It’s a cross between Zynaps and R-Type, offering fast and frantic action as enemies zoom across the screen like they’re on steroids. Yes, quick reactions are essential!! I love the graphics, but it’s a shame that a large portion of the screen remains unused (an intended status panel?). Bold isn’t controlled with a joystick but the mouse, which took a few games to fully grasp. However, I soon realised it’s absolutely perfect for sharp manoeuvrability.

Any ST model is compatible, but Bold performs better (and smoother) with a Blitter chip. While all Atari STe computers meet that requirement, other users might need to purchase one to fill the empty socket inside their STFM. Unfortunately, those old pre-1987 STs might not even have an empty socket. YMMV.

Despite its unfinished state, Bold is incredible with precise mouse control. It’s a thrilling shooter!

• The Bold web page has the download and a nifty walkthrough of each level.
• I made a video, but I hate YouTube, so advise you not to watch - instead PLAY the game :-)
• A cheat code is mentioned in the interview with Laurent within Alive Magazine #09.
• Chris Swinson, aka Exxos, sells Blitter chips, but I've now exhausted my hardware knowledge...

- W I L I N E S S  III -

Grab a flask and sword, we're going in!!

Laurent developed a Dungeon Master clone called Wiliness 3, which is shockingly professional and could have been a rival to the FTL classic. The RPG experience is amazing with a familiar user interface as we crawl through another creepy dungeon. Of course, it's unfinished, but 6 levels are playable, plus I liked the control system and those eerie sound effects. Wiliness had the potential to be something quite extraordinary.

This is something I need to spend a weekend on sometime. A brilliant dungeon crawler!

• The Wiliness web page has the download and a BUCKET load of helpful information!
• Check out Walls Of Illusion and the newly updated Dungeon Master for the Atari STe.

 

Bootblock

First impressions

There are many different boot sector programs to add cool FX to a floppy. This helps prevent virus infections, but we all love the dazzling effects! Some are technically amazing! Bootblock by The Fingerbobs is one of my favourite programs that writes a number of boot sectors, and the one above is Bladerunners!!

Credits: Bootblock was coded by Oberje of Fingerbobs with music by Jochen Hippel.

I love finding awesome programs like this, and it's one of the reasons the ST never fails to impress. I'd bet there are more lurking out there in ST Land. Let me know in the comments what programs you find :-)

Flappy Bird

I said I wouldn't do it, but here we are!!

Yes, the most annoying game has finally arrived on the Atari ST, and I’ve tried to play it. I managed about 30 minutes before I was ready to chuck the joystick out my bedroom window. The animation above just gives a taste of the misery I endured. I hope you find my suffering amusing - it was absolutely dreadful!

Well, I’ll say this about this maddening game: it looks fantastic as it torments you. The graphics are bright and colourful, and it runs in 1VBL for ultra-smooth scrolling. However, I just don’t get it. Why is the whole world so enamoured with this flappy little flyer? What am I missing? I think that the world gone mad.

I never enjoyed or appreciated this game; I simply hate Flappy Bird so much!

• Fools can grab the download from the AtariMania website.

The Seven Gates Of Jambala

THALION!!

The Seven Gates of Jambala was released in 1989 by Grandslam thanks to talented Thalion sceners. I bought this a few years ago and paid handsomely. Not only because it's by Thalion, but it was sealed in pristine condition: opening it was immense when I got close and breathed in that trapped 1980s air. Mmm!!

The game tells the tale of a lone adventurer who enters the forbidden land of Jambala, a realm sealed by seven magical gates that imprison an ancient power. To restore balance, you must pass through each gate, uncovering fragments of lost knowledge and confronting the evil force hidden at the heart of the land.

This platformer boasts some big names from the ST demo scene. These talented guys knew how to get the most from the ST and prove what this computer is capable of. Unfortunately, like Enchanted Land, it looks and sounds better than it plays. While the basic mechanics are solid, something feels 'off'. The shooting feels awkward, and the momentum and slippery floors are strange, especially on tight platforms.

Frankly, I’m quite disappointed with my purchase and haven’t booted up the game since. I fear it was a hasty reaction born of my disappointment (and I'm being polite there!!). Anyhow, please let me know in the comments if I’m being too harsh about this platformer. Perhaps I’ll revisit it for a proper playtest sometime.

Downloads are available by Klaz (floppy and hard drive w/ trainer). You will need that trainer!!

- SCREENSHOTS -

We begin in a village, but beware the threat of drowning in tiny purple puddles!



Where could these doors possibly take us? Let's knock and find out...

Woo!! It's really creepy down here, and there are monsters, too. Watch out!



The tunnels reminded me of No Buddies Land! You can find THAT on this website too :o)

Mudpies

Time for a Food Fight!

Mud Pies is one of the oldest Atari ST games we have and stars a kid called Arnold. He loved the circus - until it came to his town, so he threw a pie at one of the clowns. Unfortunately, these clowns aren't known for having a sense of humour and chased after him! There's only one thing left to do - throw more pies!!

Each screen represents a tent in the circus with an invading army of clowns - they're like jelly monsters dressed up as Ronald McDonald! They wander, waving their arms and chucking juggling pins. This invasion lasts forever, but the pies won't! Look for an open door to another tent full of mud pies - and more clowns.

Throwing a mud pie at a clown will see them flying off the screen (even more will score extra points). However, try not to get trapped in a corner; otherwise, you might receive a juggling pin knockout blow!

I can imagine this is starting to sound insane. Well, check out the 1985 graphics and try not to laugh...

Just imagine the look on today's kids if you show 'em this 1985 game. Will they "get it"?

Simple, yet brilliant!

Challenge rooms are different from the standard tents because they have no mud pies, but instead, lots of clowns to avoid whilst grabbing the prizes, for 1000 points. Every 20,000 points, a secret door will appear for the chance to enter into a Mudslinging Round where you have 30secs to throw pies at wandering clowns!!

Don't clown about too much! Getting hit isn't good for your health, and dying shows your body being carried away on a stretcher to the first aid tent. That can happen only three times before it's game over. Talented pie chuckers will be delighted that lives are awarded every 10,000 points. A nice bonus.

Keep an eye on the health meter displayed top/left - this is split into three segments, with the middle one enabling you to run fast. However, this speed is reduced if you become too hungry or overly bloated on burgers and fries. The trick is to keep your health in a happy medium throughout for maximum agility.

Come on, let's pause this reading and take a look at another quality screenshot...

Always frantic, always fun, and always so addictive. This game is eternal!!

Aesthetics

Graphically, this isn't stressing the Atari ST in the slightest. But remember that it was developed and released in 1985, before programmers knew how to push our computer. Having said that, it's got a certain Charley Chuck charm to it and, as a gamer since the early 1980s, I love its retro feel. No, I absolutely love it :)

Spot-sound effects are fine, but it is best to leave the music on. Again, this isn't anything near the quality we are used to hearing, but it's still surprisingly enjoyable. No complaints, it's an old game, remember!

Come on, no game's looks and sounds ever matter. Mudpies certainly proves this...

Oh, just take a look at the high-score table!! Can ya' beat me??? ;-)

The CryptO'pinion?

It's impressive that MichTron (Philip McKenzie and Jeffrey Sorenson) knocked this out for a computer that was practically unknown back in 1985. I can't imagine how exciting that was - and daunting too. When Mudpies came along, it must have been a breath of fresh air to all those rich people who could afford an ST!

Think what you will, but Mudpies is a terribly entertaining take on Food Fight with silly gameplay that transports us back to our youth. Abusing clowns is never dull. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than slinging mud pies at them. This is so much FUN, and that's what matters. Please, play this game.

Grab a piece of this old skool action for either floppy or hard drive. Enjoy!!

Flying Shark

Flying sharks?

I remember the time I booted up this game, thanks to a cover disk by ST/Amiga Format. I was at college and seeing stunning graphics, without colour clash, was still new to me. This is actually a rather faithful representation of the coin-op, with superb controls and accompanied by the most memorable chip music. The play area might not slide from side to side (as in the arcades), but that isn't required, thanks to our wider resolution ratio when you think about it. Firebird released a classic shoot 'em up here.

Everything you require for a thrilling experience. Stop reading, and play this!!

- SCREENSHOTS & LINKS -

Klaz's Hideaway has the HDD and floppy version w/trainer!

Atarilegend has Flying Shark on Zuul #37 floppy disk.

ST/Amiga Format cover disk #7 can be downloaded from ST Format.

The game is beginning. Hold onto your hat and get ready!!

Take that, you tank scum!!

Blasting the boats, I notice enemy planes coming from the east.

They are no match for me and my lightning reactions. Ahem...