A Box Of Surprises!

Santa's been!

Possibly the best thing about running with this crazy website is the amazing friends I've made along the way. One of the first is a fella from Norway who has supported me since day one, and his latest donation blew me away: a box of Atari ST games that were about to be thrown away! Can you believe that!!

Sadly, some of the jewel cases are badly broken. I doubt even an eBay seller could get away with exaggerating this condition lol. I don't care because I love anything for the Atari ST (shocker). The rest are preserved, with the floppies working, so this collection will be kept safe as long as I'm breathing.

Finally, there is a special gem - Mean 18 by Accolade. This is in brilliant condition, so it's definitely the star of the show and something I will cherish. Before scrolling down, click on these four pictures...

Skidz

How does a little community service sound? Well, in Skidz, we're picking up litter whilst riding a skateboard or bike. Avoid all the usual silly dangers along the way whilst also collecting top-ups for energy and time... Ugh, I hate time limits in most games. Anyhow, the levels are fantastic, with plenty of opportunities to leap ramps and more. The scrolling is smooth, and the graphics are consistently superb on each stage.

Skidz reminded me somewhat of Back To The Future II, and isn't really the kind of game I normally play, if I'm honest. However, I enjoyed it quite a lot, plus I appreciate the effort that went into its creation - it ain't no lame conversion. So, a good start for the box, and possibly something I'll return to someday?

Wanna take this for a ride, then click here for the floppy disks.

Check out those shorts, this is one seriously cool Marty McFly!

Liberator

Here's one that should be familiar to all who follow the prattle I post here on AtariCrypt. I won't repeat myself, so take a look at the review to see what I thought of it a couple of years ago. How time flies!

Go on, I know that you're curious, so click the link above and download it.

Okay, I bet you're wondering what on earth is going on!

Rock'n Roll

This isn't something I've ever played, and I didn't know what to expect. It feels like a weird cross between an overhead Marble Madness and Gauntlet. Except we are a ball that's stuck in a maze, and we need to escape. I'm annoyed already by this game, but I guess I should plod on...

The intro is ace, and not unlike a demo we all know and love. The game takes time to grasp because of its movement feel and the need for precise controls. Oddly, I never found the mouse a good option. Getting around the maze is easy after a while, and I found keys while swerving into hazards and secret rooms.

The graphics are magnificent with smooth scrolling, albeit at the expense of a smaller play area. Barry Leitch wrote the music, and it's excellent, although it grates after a while because it needs to alternate.

This isn't something I would have bought back. The concept will appeal to Marble Madness fans; otherwise, you might find it galling. Learn to master the controls, and you may have a game that's unexpectedly fun.

Grab the floppy disks and take this weird little game for a spin (sorry).

A ripped idea, but I don't care because it's brilliant. Awesome graphics.

Skyfighter

The Atari ST has a great number of decent vertically scrolling shooters, so I'm a bit perplexed that I have never played Skyfighter before. The gameplay and style reminded me of Plutos or Xevious, but it's all a bit drab with slow scrolling and too few enemies to shoot down. Well, that's hardly a good start, is it?

Control is best using the mouse as it's far easier to move around the screen and shoot with either the cannon or bombs. Dropping bombs on fuel pods will top up your ship's reserve, but that can be a tricky task in itself. This concept of refuelling worked well in RiverRaid, but less so here because you must stop concentrating on the bad guys to make a careful detonation. Very fiddly, so expect to get shot down in later levels.

After completing the level, you shall be quizzed. Yep, the computer will ask you a basic question about the stage that's just been played. It's a nice idea, but rather pointless, although very rewarding. To think your commander will send you out to war understocked with weaponry if you get the question wrong. Quite funny...

The graphics and sounds are boring, and I'm sure any 8-bit computer could have done better. To me, Sky Fighter feels rushed in every respect, but I had fun for 10 minutes. However, I would rather play Flying Shark.

Don't listen to me, grab the floppy disks and take this for a test flight yourself.

It's cheap and very tacky, but there's some fun to be had here.

Bombuzal

Here's another one I have already featured, but this time it wasn't so much a review as something that I wanted to share within our Pix Art section. Why? Because it's got amazing graphics, and I wanted to celebrate that wondrous fact. Bombuzal is a beautiful looker and a great puzzler too, so check it out right here.

Don't miss out on this wonderful puzzler. Click the link above and download it right now!

Is it just me, or does he look like he's sleepwalking with his eyes open?

Forgotten Worlds

This is one of those arcade conversions that should never have been. Don't get me wrong, I think Tim Round (of Dragon Breed and R-Type 2 fame) did a great job with this. Except for the botched controls.

Even if you had never played the arcade original, it's obvious that the home computer game doesn't feel right. Shooting straight whilst moving up and down is fine, but what about shooting in other directions? Well, you need to hold down the fire button to get our guy to rotate that attack. It's too weird and very clumsy.

I'm gutted because everything about this conversation is class. I love the presentation from the arcade, and both the graphics and sounds are excellent. However, I simply cannot control the darn thing for love nor money. Why didn't they compromise with the controls, like in Ikari Warriors? You know what I mean...

A beautiful game ruined by the controls. What a shame!

Grab the floppy disks or a brilliant version for hard drive installation by D-Bug.

Okay, let's just stay on the left and move up & down. Yeah, that'll work...

Impact

If you enjoy Breakout, then Impact is gonna make you grin like a Cheshire Cat because it's brilliant. Audiogenic isn't exactly a big name on the Atari ST, but John Dale and Martin Day came up trumps.

A good Breakout needs to be fast and smooth with responsive controls and lots of power-ups to keep you interested. This has got the lot, and it's so aesthetically pleasing considering it's just bricks and balls. A fantastic Break-Out and most certainly one of the best there is for any computer. I guarantee you will love it.

Waste no more time and grab the floppy disks or, better still, a hard-drive version by D-Bug.

Smooth 50 fps action throughout, and it sounds wonderful, too.

Battle Chess

This is one of those games I first saw on a friend's Amiga. Since I don't understand chess, I never bothered to play the ST version. Although I do enjoy watching the computer move all the pieces. The artwork is gorgeous, as are the animations, but I think I like the busy bee mouse pointer the most!!

The kind of game that makes you wish you were lazy and learned to play chess. Or is it just me?

Download the floppy disks and get battling!

Unlike me, the computer seems to know what it's doing... Look at the busy bee!

Joust

Come on now, tell me you don't adore this classic game? And the Atari ST game is practically arcade-perfect. This has already been featured and was part of a special posting comparing it to other console conversions. I should do more like that... Check it out. (pssst, you might like Winglord, best on Atari STe)

The D-Bug lads have done it again with a superb hard disk version, and the floppies are here.

Ostriches fly, drop eggs, and joust with each other. That sounds normal to me!

Targhan

This is a belting hack 'n slasher in a time of barbarians and bloodied swords. I've always loved Targhan, and it's one of those games I periodically boot up for a quick couple of plays. It's simple, it's fun, and it sure doesn't take itself seriously. Walk along, see a bad guy? Kill him with your mighty sword. Oh yeah!

We can run, leap like a girl, dodge attacks, climb ladders/ropes and explore in a near-open world. It's that freedom I love, plus the constant enthusiasm for gratifying violence. The controls are responsive and a cinch to learn using the joystick. Attack moves can be performed only when holding down the fire button:

The graphics are great, with huge sprites and decent animation, along with background aesthetics like flying birds. Sadly, the limitations of the 16-colour palette mean everything is tinted a glaring red. That's a shame, as most ST games feature palette-splitting routines to increase the number of on-screen colours. For example, to separate the play area from the status bar, so each part of the screen uses its own palette.

The audio is cool with a fuzzy sampled tune bleating away on the title screen. Things get much better in-game thanks to the superb sound effects. Lots of Barbarian-inspired grunts, screams, chinks, footsteps, and more. Some are rather strange, though - killing a bat produces a peculiar explosion sound.

I personally feel this is one of the better hack-and-slashers for the Atari ST. It's just great fun!!

Download the floppies to hack and slash your way to victory!

Okay, this fella is the first badass you meet. Are you ready?

European Soccer Challenge

The Atari ST seems to excel with these footy games, just look at Sensi Soccer, Kick-Off, Goal, and Speedball. Well, here the pitch is viewed overhead, but it feels cramped and cluttered with too many players fumbling for the ball. The action is sedate and feels like they're trying to run through a field of thick glue. I thought the game was much faster. Its speed reminded me of the ZX Spectrum game, Match Of The Day!

I'm not a soccer fan, so what do I know? Well, I partially enjoyed playing Team a while back because it had a large playing area and was fast. But this is one of the worst things I've ever played, albeit with great sound effects. They think it's all over. Well, for European Soccer Challenge, it most definitely is.

Don't bother, but if you fancy a kickabout, then grab the floppy disks from here.

Try as I might, I couldn't kick the ball into their net...

Blasteroids

This is another I have already featured here on AtariCrypt, and I must say, I had a blast with it. Pun intended! Okay, it's not quite as good as Stardust, but it's incredible and a bucket-load of fun. Check it out.

Shoot, move, don't stay still. Kill everything!! Oh yeah, I love it!!

Out Run

This is a racer that's no stranger to most Atari ST owners out there who naively wasted their cash. The driving angle is too low and is complemented by the worst framerate any game has ever delivered. Tidbit: Scientists have proven that if you play Out Run for more than 30 seconds, your eyeballs burst. Fact.

Why anyone would boot this up, I've no idea. The Atari ST has far better alternatives: Crazy Cars 3, Lotus Esprit 1 or 2, Vroom, etc... Or go slapdash in a fantasy land with Buggy Boy. Or challenge yourself in Stunt Car Racer. Heck, we even have a brand new remake of Pole Position and Lotus for the Atari STe.

Thankfully, there is a rumour of an upgraded version in the pipeline for the Atari ST. It's a work in progress by Peter Jørgensen, of Manic Miner fame. I have played a few betas, and it's much faster, smoother, and better-looking than the drivel Probe/US Gold produced. I hope he manages to finish it one day.

Download the floppy disk or this hard drive installable version from D-Bug.

Get yourself ready for headache-inducing framerates!

Mean 18

Along with Leader Board, this is one of the oldest golf games, and the screenshots certainly help to prove that. But wait, don't be put off by these naff DOS-like visuals because this is actually a cracker.

Over three courses, there are two difficulty levels: experts choose their own clubs with trickier controls, so it's probably more fun as a "novice". The 'action' is viewed from a third-person perspective, and the balls are whacked using a 3-click method: once to begin, again to select the power, and the final click to hit the thing in a straight line. That sounds a lot more complicated than it actually is, I promise!

Compared to Microprose Golf, it might not have much appeal at first glance, but it's a cracking golf game, so ignore the frightful graphics and take it for a spin. Ugly as hell, but I love this game a bunch. Plus, the condition of the slimline sleeve/box and its contents is superb. As cool as it is ancient!

It won't ever be as cool as my original, but you can grab the floppies from here and play it.

Another glorious shot. Hmm, will I ever break even with a PAR?

The CryptO'pinion?

Wow, this was a mixed box of goodies. Not all games will appeal to everyone, and Outrun was always going to be a disappointment. But at least the floppy disk still works, so perhaps I should use that as a blank? Thankfully, Targhan, Joust, Blasteroids, Battle Chess, Impact, Bombuzal, and Mean 18 are corkers!!

Those with keen eyes would have noticed some loose floppies: Captain Blood and Pro Tennis Tour. The first is an astronomical (sorry) game that I should properly feature someday. The other is tennis, a repugnant excuse for a sport. Plus, it's the only floppy disk that doesn't work, so I'll get Fast Copy on that!

Thank you to Loggins for this wonderful gift; it's been an absolute pleasure to experience these games. My greetings to everyone who helps support AtariCrypt (see the "Ko-Fi" link at the top of this page) :-)

Stay Atari and all the beST for 2022.

Old Towers

Yet another brand-new game!!

On Christmas Eve, out of the blue came a new game by Andy Noble for the Atari ST. It's a conversion of a RetroSouls Sega Megadrive game that takes place inside a massive tower filled with nasties, puzzles, and many yellow dots to collect. Personally, I was reminded of Nebulus and Yopaz IceStar.

Old Towers is a simple concept that works incredibly well. We are in control of a cute little guy(s) who runs around a vertical tower collecting yellow pills like our friend from that maze. He can run in all four directions, but once he begins to move, momentum continues in that direction until he comes into contact with a wall or object. Once all the yellow items are collected, he can head towards the exit tile and onto the next level.

Sounds cool, right? So let's check out some screenshots of this funky little game...

Look at him move! So fast he leaves a blur of light that Superman would be proud of.

Starting at level 6, a new concept of solo/multi-control is introduced for the player!

Zip-Zap Crazy Fast!

As you begin, you get a feel for how the game thinks and what its challenges are. The earlier levels break you into the style of control, how to solve puzzles, and the thought processes you need to beat it. The difficulty soon increases, but I'm pleasantly surprised that there is no timer, as that would only pressurise the player into making mistakes. This lack of a timer is excellent and enhances the experience enormously.

It's a hazardous tower! Monsters roam, spikes are always going to hurt, and some rocks will spit out a dart in the style of Rick Dangerous. These aren't crowding the levels and only help to make the game challenging rather than impossible. However, I cannot speak for the later levels - blame my lack of skills for that!

Thankfully, there are helpful parts of the tower to assist us: some blocks only appear after passing through their placeholder. Arrowed areas allow you to pass through, but only in the direction they point. Angled panels will throw you around the tower without any control. Useful, but how will you stop?

Take a look at my video recording to see how well this plays. Tell me it isn't fun zooming through the levels at a speed that puts Sonic to shame? Also, my video shows how I finally sussed out level 10, but then I made a stupid blunder and died right before completing it... Enjoy!! 

No screenshots can do the gameplay any justice, but just to be awkward, here are some anyways...

Notice the square placeholder on the right? Zip over that to turn it into a rock. Very handy!

Level 8 is when my old brain began to stress! How can I reach the yellow square to exit?

Input & Output

Directional controls are sharp and responsive for quick action when zapping around the screen like a fool. Hitting the fire button flips to the other character - if he's knocking around. It's great having a helper inside the tower. Also, if the joystick doesn't work for you, then there is an option to redefine your own keys.

Hitting ESC not only gives the option to quit but can restart after you realise you have gotten yourself stuck in a corner! Hold down the fire-button activates the option to scroll the screen without you moving. This helps view what's ahead without accidentally bumping into something deadly.

Graphically, this is hot. It looks great with a cracking design and funky colour palette. The animations are nice with smooth scrolling that keeps up with the pace of the gameplay. Old Towers gave me an odd C64 feel, which I liked, but with a ton more colour. I don't get that either, but it's how I feel. I love the visuals!!

Sonix are neat with nice effects, and YM tunes are blurping away by Oleg Nitkitin. During the game, we have a rendition of the Popcorn tune, which I find irritating, but it kinda grows on you. The title's music is brilliant and plays whilst rotating through a number of the intro screens - this is beautiful chip music.

So it looks and sounds brilliant, which means I'm gonna dump some more screenshots right here...

An arrow hits my head on the 9th level. It's a killer, so don't rush!! Just listen to those sound effects...

It may have taken me a couple of attempts, but here is proof I finally made it to level 10 :)

The CryptO'pinion?

What an amazing treat it is to play something new, especially as it was completely unexpected. Okay, I'm not the biggest fan of puzzle games; my skills in the video certainly prove this, but what the video doesn't show is just how much enjoyment I had. Old Towers is polished and thoroughly entertaining whilst challenging the player to use their mind and reactions equally. I think I'll be playing this a lot over the holidays...

I would like to thank Andy for going to the effort of converting this to the often-forgotten Atari 520ST. Check out his website, which includes a download. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy this fantastic puzzler.

I managed to reach the 8th stage on my first play. In fact, I would have done better, but for all the eating and drinking I needed to do. Ahem, honest... burrrrrp!! Merry Christmas, everyone :) 

Galdregon's Domain (part one)

Update The next part is now published, which you can read about here

Hello ST world, it's been a while!

Let me begin by thanking my ST buddies, from across the world, who sent messages over the last few months. And cheers to those who bought me a beer!! It's been rough, but I'm glad to begin my journey back into the glorious lands of Atari ST. Actually, my computer is sad and in need of a clean, the poor thing.

Dragging me back - kicking and screaming for luscious ST pleasure - is something that I bought years ago. It's been on my shelf whispering subliminal messages like, "Psst, check me out!", "Hey, you, come over here and play", "Stevie, I'm here and ready for action", "Boot me up, baby". Anyhow, you get the picture!

Galdregon's Domain is that temptress! It appears as something of a Dungeon Master, which is never a bad thing. It's the product of Pandora, coded by Steve Briggs, whom I've not heard of, so perhaps this was his one and only ST venture? The graphics are stunning. Gorgeous and scenic with beautifully-drawn monsters and characters by Robin Chapman, Martin Severn and Martin Godbeer. Mike Brown provided (very) awesome samples for the sound effects, including creepy doors and frightening screams emanating from distant places.

Basically, a lot of love went into the aesthetics of this adventure game!!

Weirdly, the box art is rather - ahem - suspect, but I've covered that before and it's always worth a laugh at Pandora's take on Conan. Inside the box, are three disks, (Hmm, why would I want to use these when the Automation boys have a belting one-disk version!), a rather flimsy manual, and a few sheets of A4 paper.

Hang on, did I say A4 paper? Yep, to my fascination, the original owner has fully mapped the opening stage along with some of the forest and other areas. I wonder who he was? Did he stay up each night, carefully crawling and mapping the dungeon with each and every step? Did he complete the game? Are you sitting there right now and thinking to yourself, "Hey, I did that!". If so, please get in touch using the comments below.

I bet that you're dying to see these maps? All you need to do is scroll down a little...

This part is an overall view of the area. Let's go to that pub!!

Drilling deeper into specific areas now. I can scan these if anyone is interested.

So what's the plan?

I love getting enthralled in a new world where I can enjoy adventure, lore, and exploration. There's nothing better than discovering new and hidden places, solving quests and fighting hideous monsters with a giant sword. Heck, I might even make a few friends in the local tavern along the way? Who knows, this little-known game by Pandora might actually be something special after all? I can but dream, right?

So, I shall take a stab at conquering Galdregon's Domain. It appears to have everything that I'm longing for: a mix of RPG, adventure, and action. It should also quench my cravings for my return to the Atari ST. Yes, I know I could have booted up Dungeon Master, Shadowlands, The Temple of Apshai Trilogy, The Curse of Rabenstein, etc... But I crave something new (to me) that is unexplored and riddled with monsters!

Let's take a gander through a few screenshots taken from my first play...

Okay, here's the starting screen, and the King is asking for our help.
His loyal subjects appear for a chinwag. I wonder what pearls of wisdom they possess?
The user interface is good to use for interaction and easy movements.
The only thing that's a little weird is the use of a scroller for chat and messages...

Anyhow, I went for a wander and came upon this little filly! I think she's hungry.

I've no time to eat, so onwards I go and meet up with a guard. He seems nice!

I'm lost, but it isn't long until two dolly birds help me out. I think they're twins!!

At last, the exit!! But the doorway is locked... how can I open it? Hmm...

Outside, I'm free to wander the lands. The weather is lovely, and the king has a grand castle.

Oh great, the first place I found, and it's haunted!! But wait, this ghost needs our help for a quest.

First impressions?

Galdregon's Domain looks promising. Its world is incredibly diverse and takes place over a ginormous region. Plus, the freedom to openly explore is daunting and compelling to an old adventurer like me.

So far, I've been attacked by soldiers, bitten by wolves, sent on a fruitless mission by a ghost, and chased out of a temple by a gang of cultists without mercy. Of course, I didn't last long, but it was only my first attempt(s). Perhaps I should look to clothe myself in armour and yield better weapons before returning

Yes, folks, exciting times are afoot, and I will enjoy slaying monsters and pillaging their rotting corpses with glee. I wonder what other creatures and dark secrets are waiting to be discovered? I'm sure this will be exciting and suitably unpredictable. So, have you played it before? What did you think of it? I'll be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences. Watch this space for the second part of this review coming "soon".

Merry Christmas, everyone and all the best for 2022. STay Atari.

Xenomorph

Dungeon Master in Space?

Xenomorph by Pandora is an RPG I wanted to map and share with the world. Sadly, that will never happen with my skills at the keyboard. It's a brilliant RPG and something that everyone should take a stab at because it's far more than simply "Dungeon Master in space". It's an exciting and unique adventure in its own right - plus the visuals are literally outstanding and probably the best of any 3D RPG available for the Atari ST.

Many moons ago, I found a map of this game on the internet, which I hope you will find as helpful as I currently am (all credit for the mapping goes to Thiima). I've zipped it up along with the manual and hints (ripped from the net). I wanted to share what I had found, so get that downloaded and play this superb game.

Here are thumbnails from the PDF within the download. Tempted to play? I hope so...

SuPer eXcellent graphics demo

I done a thing

I've been enjoying another doodle on my Atari ST (wanna see more of my work, click here). This time, I've been experimenting with SPX, a technology created by Electronic Images in the early '90s. This magically stitches several Spectrum 512 pics into a ginormous image displayed in scrollable overscan.

I've always loved the SPX format and remember buying several PD disks. Most pictures were of titillating girls or fantasy-themed images (no complaints from me). The potential of huge Spectrum 512 images with overscan was quite mind-blowing at the time. (ignore my capture, the scrolling is smooth).

SuPer eXcellent Graphics Demo can be downloaded from my Dropbox. Be warned, it's big. Too big for a real floppy (I got carried away and made lots of SPX images). So installation is intended for HDD/Ultrasatan. However, I have made a huge ".ST" image that should work as an alternative for emulation.

Perhaps you feel inspired to make your own SPX images? I would love to see whatever you create - let me know in the comments. Scroll down for more information, and I hope you enjoy my graphics demo.

Go, create!

Now, reading these instructions might appear long-winded. Far too much hassle if you're as lazy as I am? Well, don't worry because it's actually easy to make your own SPX images. Dead easy, so have a bash:

• Those without any artistic skills, ahem, should download images off the internet!! Look for something large, possibly with a clean background and try to select something that uses a portrait ratio. There's loads out there, google is your friend.
• Crop that large image into 320x199 segments. (a line is lost due to a limitation of Spectrum 512). This cropping can be done on the ST or a PC/Mac (I used 'Preview' on my Mac).
• Once you have your image split into several segments, it's best to convert them into GIFs. Again, this can be done on the ST but is probably much quicker on the Mac/PC if I'm honest. Yowzers!
• Now copy all your new GIF files over to the Atari ST.
• Each GIF will need converting into Spectrum 512 format (.SPC), and the best program for that is 'GIF to Atari Spectrum 512 Picture Converter' by Steve Belczyk. A brilliant program!
• Each SPC file can now easily be imported into SPX Creator for both previewing and creating. All your SPX pictures can be displayed using the dedicated viewer, 'SPX_V18D.PRG'

An example...

Check out this portrait image of Jason Voorhees that I split into three segments on my Mac (above!). As you can see, I carved it into the relevant sections, which are converted to GIFs and imported into SPX Creator.

A standard ST might take a few minutes to save this fantastic image, but it's well worth it.

Credits

Idea and creation were mine - Steve, Crypt Keeper, Strider, AtariCrypt, whatever you call me ;o)  

The real credits

Spectrum 512 - Boris Tsikanovsky.
SPX Creator/Viewer - Electronic Images (Gizmo + The Phantom).
Original images - Everything was freely sourced from the internet with appropriate credit.
AtariMania & Demozoo - two super Atari resources that I used for my dabble. 

Programs used

Preview - a freebie Mac program to resize and clip each image into 320x199 segments.
GIF2SPC - a wonderful Atari ST program by Steve Belczyk.
SPX Creator - the program that stitches together each of the GIF pictures into SPX images. 

Links

SuPer eXcellent Graphics Demo is the latest AtariCrypt production. Yes, there's more O_o
Electronic Images released loads of disks, so check 'em out on Demozoo.
There are many SPX Slideshows, although I remember more. I should research...