BLAT

Block Blasting!

I enjoy the occasional brain teaser, and Blat is a twist on the Columns genre, which was released for the Atari STe by The Infamous Cabbage, aka Chris Vance. I'm sorry, STF dudes, but this game is only playable on an STe because of the cool samples played via the DMA hardware. Interestingly, this brain-blaster was released on June 17th, 1992, so it's 25 years old today. So let's sing, "Happy Birthday, BLAT."

Falling columns of coloured blocks need reordering during their descent. If we can successfully match them up, it's KABOOM!! This explosion earns us points and helps clear the board space for the oncoming blocks, so the more we match, the greater the points. Diagonal rows are the most rewarding, and you will receive a smart bomb when matching five or more. It's advisable to keep these until the later (faster) levels!

There are 15 levels, but it won't be long until you're grateful for keeping a stockpile of smart bombs because this isn't an easy game - it soon picks up the pace for an extremely harsh difficulty. Thankfully, there are items to help, like the clocks which can slow the pace right down - two is good, but three is much better. There are also sticks of dynamite, lightning bolts, and even indestructible blocks. Many of these can be paired, so try positioning a light fuse next to the dynamite for a massive explosion that conveniently destroys many blocks.

This is a polished product with gorgeous sound effects and is so addictive. Actually, I'm surprised it's PD and not shareware. I've thoroughly enjoyed playing BLAT even if I couldn't get anywhere near level 15, and it's doubtful I ever will. Highly recommended, especially for those wanting a real explosive challenge!!

• Atari Legend has Serenade #1 floppy disk (with Teserea, another game you'll love).
• AtariMania has Blat listed in their database with the readme conveniently available.
• BLAT uses the Blitter and DMA, which means it's on the Enhanced List!
• I've added BLAT to our Match/Stack group, where you'll find more games.

Amiga!!

Hell froze over!

Sorry guys, I am leaving the Atari ST because I prefer a slower computer and have decided to switch. Okay, don't sweat it, I'm joking!! The image above shows a clip from the infamous "Amiga Emulator" by Philip Nelson. This is nothing more than a bit of fun and found on the Stonish website - I recommend Quartet #30.

Right then, enough of this silliness, let's boot up an ST to enjoy a great 16-bit experience!!

Whipper Snapper's Race

Hang on, this ain't Cannon Fodder!

What do you get if you merge "Horace Goes Skiing" with Cannon Fodder? Easy, it's called Whipper Snapper's Race by Petr Sumbera of New Design using Omikron Basic. The game stars Max - a dude who goes skiing down many vertically scrolling levels in places that look (umm) spookily familiar...

Navigate left/right to pass each obstacle as you ski—but don't bump into anything else; you'll fall flat on your bum! Pushing up will reduce your speed, pulling down will increase it, and firing will perform a leap into the air. Passwords are used to access the "missions" without starting over from the beginning!!

Graphically, I could never complain because it is Cannon Fodder with superb attention to detail. Of course, it's all ripped and unoriginal, but I do not care! The funky stereo music is by Tomas Kucera, and I'm sure you will leave it playing for ages. In-game sound effects are ace, but I won't spoil the surprise for you!

• Sing with me? Skiing in Cannon Fodder... Never been so much fun....... (sorry!)

Okay, this is an easy one to rate. I'm sure you've guessed already what I think? Well, thanks to the great controls, this is effortless to pick up and play, but that doesn't mean it's easy. Later missions are challenging yet always fun. Whipper Snapper's Race is a very silly skiing game and shockingly addictive!!

I cannot recommend this ludicrous game highly enough. Play it now.

I've made a floppy for those stuck in 3.5" hell :^)

Download the hard drive-installable game @Demozoo!

Petr's website is still up and running after all these years!!

Virtual Escape

Jaw-Dropper

After about 6 years, Equinox eventually released Virtual Escape in 1999, and it's one of my favourite demos. The tunes are utterly sexy, with some of the most incredible visuals to blow your socks off!! Those swirling dots are gobsmackingly beautiful, and I love the super-duper fast 3D. It's hard to believe this is on a stock 520 Atari ST. An incredible production that oozes class and is definitely one of the best demos out there.

Don't emulate - experience this using a real Atari ST and crank up the volume!

Credits and Downloads

Furax - Music

Jedi - Music

Keops - Code, Graphics (design)

Mad Max - Music (endpart)

Nova - Graphics

Starlion - Code

You can download Virtual Escape right now off Demozoo.

Democyclopedia mentions each effect, along with the awesome Skyline (see above). 

 

Jetpac

16Kb is all you will need

I'm sure everyone knows that Jet Pac was originally released in 1983 for the ZX Spectrum by uber-gaming legends, Ultimate Play The Game. It's one of the most iconic 8-bit games from the era and still plays brilliantly today. Our remake/conversion was developed by Pete J. Whitby in 1992 for Budgie UK. Heck, he also designed all the graphics and sound effects, very impressive. Talent like this never ceases to impress me.

Interesting tidbit? I owned Jetpac on both cassette and cartridge (ZX Spectrum). I also had a huge Speccy collection that dated back to 1981 plus others like an Interface II (I'm such a geek). Sadly, I sold the lot when we got our first house/mortgage. :( ....I need a time machine!!!!!

Right, what's the story? Well, our Jet Man is a lucky fella working as a space pilot for Acme Interstellar Transport Company. They're sending him to fifty planets to assemble (and playtest) their technological creations. Sadly, his luck ran out as each planet was bombarded by hostiles ranging from fiery comets to fluffy aliens.

I thought I'd never see Jet Pac on the ST, yet here is a screenshot to make us all very happy...

There are so many different baddies to blast and many new ones too...

Planets, aliens, and lasers!!

Playability is impressively legit from the start. The controls are tight, responsive, and instantly familiar - albeit a tad quicker than I remember. Jet Man's movements are exactly as you would expect, but he oddly cannot wrap around the screen. However, he compensates for that lost ability with a new one - shield power-ups.

That's right, the fuel pods aren't the only thing dropping in from the skies. Collect one of the bubbles, and you're protected from harm. It doesn't last long, but that grace period is good enough during the heat of battle.

Those space nasties use differing attack patterns that help keep the arcade action very engaging. Many are new, and some require several shots, whereas others are invulnerable. Also, watch out for deadly platforms that can zap Jet Man into an early grave. Heck, there is even an end level - this is something missing from the original. If only I had better gaming skills to witness that for myself? Yeah, I know. Not gonna happen!

Let's view another screenshot, and this time I've beaten the horde and escaped in my rocket...

Jet Man is one lucky dude who gets to play with all the cool new rockets!

Aesthetics

Visually, there wasn't much to the original, but it wasn't needed, and the same applies here. The Atari ST remake follows the same format, albeit with smooth-moving sprites and extra colours. The only thing I didn't like was the new background, which I felt wasn't needed. I wonder if there can be a way to remove it?

The audio is good but not great. You can play with either the sound effects or chip music by Mad Max. Personally, I would recommend you leave that exceptional music playing because the sound effects are bland. Actually, it's humorously disappointing to hear the Atari ST out-bleeped by the inferior ZX Spectrum sound effects.

Okay, it's time for one last screenshot, and this one represents the action nicely...

Zip Zap (geddit?) the aliens the best you can!! And refuel that rocket!

The CryptO'pinion

Jetpac is Jetpac, and this game will always be magnificent no matter the year. Admittedly, our remake wasn't going to beat the original, but I feel Pete has done enough to capture the authenticity, whilst also successfully implementing new ideas that work well and set it apart from being a mere clone.

What's not to love about frantically rushing about the screen, zapping a relentless alien horde whilst gathering fuel pods? I loved playing it and enjoyed the new features. The boring sound effects aside, this is an utterly excellent game that I highly recommend. Let me know in the comments below what you think.

• Waste no time and get it downloaded for floppies and hard drive.
• Play the original game on your Atari ST using an emulator:
• Artemis is a unique (albeit colourless) emulator that works only on 8MHz Atari ST/e computers. Recommended for those wanting to experience something different.
• Speccy is another emulator with full support for colour and supports faster Atari computers. What a class emulator this is!!

Oids [upgraded]

It's Oids, but better!

Oids is a shooter set deep in outer space and has us rescuing metallic men from captivity. Like Dungeon Master, every ST guy has played this at some point in their life. It's a classic, and nothing similar comes close. I've probably spent hundreds of hours on it over the decades, so check out our review from last year.

However, I must admit that I was shocked to discover that it runs at 10/12fps (PAL/NTSC). I'm sure today's kids will probably laugh at such a low framerate! Oddly, it doesn't feel that low, but that didn't stop Peter Putnik from developing an upgraded version running at 25/30fps, and he improved the controls too.

This is an outstanding upgrade that enhances the original - without spoiling it. Check out the upgrade for yourself, as it's added a whole new dimension to our iconic space thruster. And I love it to bits!!

C64

Commodore 64?!!

I'd bet money that this was the last thing you expected to see here on an Atari website. Well, I've had a C64 emulator on my drive for a while and figured it was about time to do something about it. So I started my day by trawling through Old Games Finder looking for games I remembered seeing in C&VG magazine in the early/mid-80s. I wanted to play Pitfall, Manic Miner, and Staff of Karnath, but sadly, I had zero success.

However, some worked (with a caveat of displaying text instead of pixels), and some crashed the emulator. Yes, I should have read the docs first - lol. Basically, almost all games aren't supported if they use fancy scrolling, sprites, joystick control, etc. What work are applications, educational titles, etc... Including magazine Type-Ins and many text adventures (impressive, but hardly worth my hassle over the last few hours)

BTW, AtariCrypt has a section dedicated to emulation, which you can access by clicking here. Anyhow, would you like to see a screenshot of my programming skills taking advantage of the virtual hardware?

I thought so! Check this out, and it's a good idea to make some notes to learn from me...

B.A.S.I.C.

Ah, the extent of my coding knowledge! Perhaps it's best to leave that be and check out these commands instead? Now, I'm no Commie 64 expert, but these might help play C64 Jetpac...

LOAD "$",10             (this loads the disk's directory into Ram)
LIST                    (this lists that directory to screen)
LOAD "filename.prg",10  (you've guessed it, this loads a program)
RUN                     (go on, take a stab at what this might do!)

Please note:

• The "10" is the device ID for my Atari ST's hard drive.
• If you are running the emulator from floppy disk then you should instead use "8".
• Copy the Commodore ".PRG" programs into the same directory as the Atari file: "C64.TOS".
• C64 emulation was tested on my 8MHz Atari STe and Hatari (same spec) for the animation.

The CryptO'pinion?

I'm not sure who to credit for this emulator but he/she did a great job and the docs indicate many practical intentions. This has been fun and the Commodore 64 is a decent machine (shush don't tell anyone). However, there is no real support for anything more than tinkering. Playing games was never gonna happen. Having said that, this has been a bunch of fun to play with the C64 operating system and some programs.

Sadly, I'm not sure how much longer I can stand the pain of having C64 software stored on my Atari ST's hard drive!! So, I think I should delete this evil software and get back to using the ST properly ;)

If you fancy a dollop of Commodore fun, the best download (that I've found) is on disk LAN-0066 via Floppyshop and it includes the documentation. Additionally, Old Games Finder can link to zillions of C64 stuff in the .PRG format. What a shame I never got to play more games...

Go on, give this a playtest and let me know how you get on in the comments below.

Onslaught

Medieval Box Art?

It’s time for another nostalgic trip down memory lane, and I actually remember lifting this off the shop shelves. Initially, I was drawn to the captivating medieval artwork, particularly the lush colours that contrasted sharply with the brutal warriors poised to slaughter their enemies. This artwork perfectly encapsulated the savage gameplay that awaited. A happy memory. If you’re feeling brave, open the box and dare to play...

Onslaught, programmed by Chris Hinsley of Custodian fame, is a horizontally scrolling hack-and-slash platformer. It’s an exciting game where we unleash massive explosions upon everything in sight, beautifully illuminating the colourful backdrops and grungy medieval scenery. The music perfectly complements the theme, accompanied by hearty sound samples for grunts, booms and metallic weapon clangs. It sounds as good as it looks!

Regardless of the gorgeous aesthetics, this is a challenging platformer that demands practice, so persevere - or die. It's not easy, but Onslaught is exceptional with its vibrant colours, loud effects and challenging gameplay packed with brutal carnage. It’s one of my favourite Atari ST games, though I do use a (gulp) trainer. Here are the best download links, and a few screenshots to tantalize your taste buds...

• Download the floppies from Atari Legend.
• A hard drive version is available over at 8BitChip.

Monster Business

The demoscene does it again?

Monster Business is a fun-themed platformer released in 1991 by Eclipse and produced by incredibly talented people you may recognise from the ST scene. As storylines go, this one is a Christmas cracker!!

Crazed "mad meanies" have been loosed from their forest habitat and are pinching items from Bob's construction site. You are Leroy, the Beast Buster, who must help Bob blow up these cheeky invaders. This might sound like diarrhoea, but we should still help Bob - we are the only beast buster in Tin Town. Yep.

Fancy looking at the first screenshot? Here ya' go then...

Each level is big and uses smooth vertical scrolling to hunt down the freaky monsters!

Olde gameplay and it works!

Each level follows a familiar Bounty Bob design of platforms, slippy slopes, and chasing monsters. Be careful; they kill with one touch, so I'm grateful that we carry an air pump weapon to inflate them for a bloated and cruel death. This is nothing short of hilarious; once they begin floating away, you can nudge them into oblivion, leaving behind their goodies. If you're lucky, they might drag along others for multiple killings.

The joystick controls are spritely, and I like how there are two jump heights - this depends on how long you push upwards. Repeatedly pressing the fire button activates the weapon to bloat the monsters, so I appreciated my autofire function. Two players are supported, but not for co-op, which would have been superb.

Okay, let's view the next screenshot, and this one has a fat chicken...

Blown the sucker up for a cruel, yet hilarious end to his life!

A pleasure for your eyes and ears!

Throughout, the graphics and backgrounds are nice, using good colours and great decor. The scrolling is ultra-smooth, but it's the sprites that shine the most: I dare anybody not to laugh when seeing a ginormous duck waddle across the screen. I loved their expressions & bloated deaths. This is hilarious pixel art.

The audio is immensely impressive with a superlative range of lovely chiptunes by Laurens Tummers, aka Lotus! The sound effects are also great, but even so, are completely overshadowed by the music!!

Yeah, it's gorgeous, alright, so let's see the final screenshot...

Taken from behind, check out his expression. This game is brilliant!!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Bloating animals is shockingly entertaining, and I guarantee you will enjoy hunting your prey. However, it's repetitive, which might reduce long-term enjoyment. I also thought the time limit was harsh. Monster Business is best with friends, and I promise that everyone will be giggling like school kids. A superb game!!

Monster Business can be downloaded for floppy & hard drive.

Pure Energy #42

Renewable Energy

I love this Menu Disk released by Pure Energy early in 1993. It has a gorgeous plasma whilst playing excellent chip music by Crawdaddy. The text might have a simplistic feel, but did you notice anything a little different? Look closer... Do you see now?? Pretty awesome, right? If you don't, leave a comment asking ;)

Anyhow, the disk also features Centipede, which is an incredible game.

Credits

B.F.G - Text

Crawdaddy - Music

Mick - Code

Sebastien Larnac

I thought it was about time for another interview on AtariCrypt, and who better than my mate Sebastien Larnac! He's better known as ST Survivor (STS), a name you will have seen credited in many wonderful Atari ST demos. Also, he's created other screens, such as images for programs like gwEm's STj and MaxYMiser.

Compared to many, he became an ST nutter late in the day. But it wasn't long before he was testing the waters of the demoscene with doodles and writing for diskmags. He's a modest dude, yet his hiSTory is more impressive than he realises!!

So, I had a bright idea to interview the dude behind those funky glasses to see what makes him tick. Some details I found quite surprising, but overall this is an extremely talented young gent, even if he is French (what?). Seriously, folks, take a gander at Demozoo to see his outstanding 16-colour art collection.

ST Survivor - The Interview

What’s your STory?

I received my Atari STe as a Christmas gift in 1990 and spent a couple of years copying games. Until one day one of my floppies was filled with something called a “demo”. What the heck was that? I instantly loved the idea behind it and got in touch with the creators (I phoned one of them!). I already doodled on paper, so why not on a computer? I joined NLC at a time when some people were leaving the demoscene (damn me, for being late!).

I worked on a GFA megademo (Back In France) with my friend Thyrex, who ran the French diskmag ToXic. I had the opportunity to make more pictures for various demo crews and took the position of the main editor of UnderCover Magascene. I also founded aLiVe! with CiH/Maggie Team and that’s it. I left the Atari Scene around 2003 because I was pi**ed off with life and finally got back to my second family somewhere around 2013.


Your favourite work?

It may sound silly but definitely, my best memory and true pride remain for our GFA megademo with Thyrex/NLC. It was started in 1994 as a multi-crew project, then, of course, everyone left and the two of us remained, wondering what we would do. Oddly it did not kill our motivation! Sure it took us another four years, and the final result was far from perfect, yet it is a demo made with a lot of passion and friendship.

Moving onto more recent artwork, I am very proud of the work we did on POOZ along with Cooper, Exocet and DmaSc. I personally think the game looks and plays like a true commercial game!

  
From scary to funky, Sebastien's style is always amazing.

Inspirations?

I am not inspired, graphics-wise, by anyone but me and this must be the reason why I know/feel that most people don’t like my art. Well, sorry folks, art is a matter of taste :) I truly admire people like Evil/DHS who have brought us so many great demos. I don’t admire but have a lot of respect for the friends I have worked with because -most of the time- it was a great opportunity to share ideas and artistic passion. I am still impressed by people like Niko, Mic, Prowler or Slayer, you know the kind of dark-inspired graphics ;)

For a very long time, I have been a fan of Niko with his tortured and highly detailed style. Now I see that most of his pictures were mostly copies of existing paintings, not that it takes away any of his pixel art qualities. Yet today I would rather admire people like Mic/Dune and Exocet who not only have a very specific style but can also work either with very limited palettes or with wider ones. Exocet is also very well known for painting on a lot of platforms, thumbs up! They are true artists who manage to bring art whatever the challenge they need to face.


Favourite demo?

I've had my Atari STe since 1990 so I have never been either fond of or familiar with what the early years produced. Sorry guys, but I’m not in love with demos from the 1980s. In the nineties, demos started showing technique AND style and I have some favourites from this era, as well as some others from more recent years.

If I had to choose only one it would be… Wait, only one you say? Tough choice but I think I would go for Froggies Over The Fence. Not because of some national pride but because it’s a huge megademo showing different styles - “classic” demo parts, an animated story, a Tetris-like game featuring the Jess tunes (I’m a huge fan!), an awesome high colour slideshow and a very long end scroller. Of course, there are tons of other demos I love.

  
As a guy without any artistic skills, I cannot imagine how you would create images like these!

Favourite demo group?

To me, a good group is formed by a bunch of friends who enjoy working together. Dead Hackers Society prove this with their many impressive demos and I am always amazed to see new effects from them, things we thought could not be done. Yet it is not my favourite demo crew, I don’t think I have one, to be honest.

I like the guys of Cream though, they seem to embody the true essence of a crew: each individual does something important, none is ahead, it’s a thing that could not be done without every member. It may sound silly, but this is how I feel this group works (and their latest demo Stresstest proves this perfectly).


Any funny demoparty tales?

Yeah, sure! The very first demoparty I attended was Place To Be again in 1994. I had no driver's licence so my father offered to drive me (+900kms) to the place! I was thrilled, like a kid on Christmas morning, being amongst the last of the great French demosceners. Guys like Dune, Holocaust, Niko/OXG, EXA…

I spent three sleepless days running all around the hall room and then went to get some rest on the compo night… only to eventually wake up the following morning! Yes, I had completely missed the compo! In the end, it was a mixture of joy and disappointment but undoubtedly a great memory :)

  
What personality and mindset must someone require to create such fascinating art!

Pick your favourite Atari ST year!

Again, I would choose 1994 because it was –in my humble opinion- a turning point in the Atari ST history: famous ST crews left for PC or even fewer for the Falcon, while I was only just starting my “scene” life. The ST demoscene died in 1994 and was reborn, even stronger, a few years later. The death of a generation and the birth of another one!


Are you STill doodling?

These days it’s a bit tricky to find time and motivation to work on things and I don’t even doodle that much on paper anymore. I have never been too fond of Art Studies so I missed the basics... I went back to pixelling in 2013 but I haven’t really been too productive and the few things I did, well, I don’t think anyone will remember them? I don’t own an Atari ST anymore (gosh, it tore my guts out to give it away!) yet even though I’m using Peecee, it’s only to run Steem and CrackArt. The only way I know is: 16 colours, STf palette, nothing more, nothing less.

  
From a tripped out colour-scheme to something that is bold and striking. Love 'em!!

Will you remaster any artwork?

I have never thought about reworking my Atari pics on the peecee. Firstly, because I like to paint on such limited retro hardware and within the STf limitations (I don't need STe palette). Secondly, because peecee is no fun, I don't ever want to mix Atari with peecee. Thirdly, I don't have the knowledge nor the will to do so. Basically, the answer is "no Steve" :-)


The future of the Atari ST?

Over the last 3 decades, I have claimed the demoscene to be dead more than once! Obviously, we probably cannot expect fresh blood from the younger generation and we are all growing older and have busy lives. However, there is still room for newcomers and I hope that people find some motivation to do something over the years. Big Atari events, be it Sillyventure or STNICCC (2032?) or God knows what else is needed. We are quiet but we are still here and for a long time!

You are invited to visit my blog: democyclopedia.wordpress.com or visit me on Twitter @stsurvivor.

Spellfire The Sorcerer

We're a wizard, again!

Spellfire is a scrolling platformer developed by Dave Semmens for Code Masters and released in 1992. It is set in a time long ago: a time of myth and legend when knights patrolled the woodlands and magicians were the cool guys. We're a wizard called Willy (stop it!!) and our beef is with an emperor who is holding captive (wait for it) Fifi The Fairy. She's trapped in his tower, so our valiant quest is to rescue her.

Fifi can only be rescued from the dark fortress by collecting ten magic eyes scattered across the levels. It's the usual quest through lands filled with monsters and demonic guardians. Will you help Wizard Willy?

Come on, I know you will, so let's check out the first screenshot from the game...

The graphics are great, but sometimes it feels cluttered.

It all sounds incredibly original, right?

He begins his journey in a forest that leads to the castle where she is imprisoned. This is a great start, which introduces us nicely to the gameplay mechanics: our hero can walk, leap, climb trees, shoot fire bolts, and even mash up magic spells using a rather large cauldron. Health status is displayed at the top of the screen and will decrease if you happen to touch enemies or a dangerous object. Gold coins can be collected (after a kill), and these are used as currency inside a cauldron that can mix magical power-ups, ammo, or health.

Collecting the magic eyes allows us to battle the first guarding boss - a wasp-like critter who isn't exactly intelligent and therefore an easy kill. This grants us access to the castle via the creepy dungeons, but the guardian is a bit of a bonehead (you will see why). This castle takes us deeper into our quest, but continues with the same theme, with lots more tricks and traps to fool you. I really am enjoying this journey!

This ain't no rushed port, the quest is massive, so let's celebrate with another screenshot...

The first boss is a giant wasp who is a bit dumb and easy to kill. I like that!

Aesthetics

Spellfire has stunning visuals, and I love the contrast between lush nature and medieval environments. Sadly, it can feel "busy", and I dreamt of a background without so much clutter. However, the game is colourful, using a gradient sky. I liked the erupting volcanoes and awesome skeletons when raised from the dead. Everything you see is complemented by smooth scrolling that never lags and keeps up with the pace.

The audio is impressive and can be set to chip music or effects. Whatever you decide, you will love it.

Isn't it great when something looks & sounds as good as it plays! Screenshot time...

Watch out for tricks that will catch you off guard.

The CryptO'pinion?

I've enjoyed Spellfire the Sorcererl it reminded me of a cross between Stormlord and Chronicles of Omega. It's easy to get into, so instantly entertaining with good levels, excellent monsters, and power-ups that work nicely. However, I did feel that the screens were a little too (visually) cluttered, albeit very, very pretty.

I'm grateful this isn't a lazy Amiga port and plays every bit as well as it looks. Code Masters released what I can only describe as a hidden gem. Challenging, but stick with it, and you have a superb platformer!

Grab the HDD version @ 8BitChip.

And the floppies @ Atari Legend.