ImageWorks released Phobia in 1989 with a gorgeous retro-themed cover. I bought Phobia for only 99 pence, and it was sealed too. The box and contents are in superb condition. The artwork is stunning with lots of colour, action, and a cruel glare from evil eyes. I think this box perfectly reflects the gameplay!
Phobia has all the hallmarks of a potentially outstanding shooter, but it's impossible to get far without a trainer because of its choppy framerate. It's probably a poor port as it pales compared to other ST shooters like R-Type, Alien World, Menace, etc. Maybe I'll be brave and record a gameplay video? Maybe...
ST Format #1 reviews Phobia but wasn't too impressed with the difficulty - lol wimps!!
D-Bug has a download with a trainer and hard drive support.
Stonish has floppy disks, and I liked Timelords #29 Menu CD (1MB).
Here is a fantastic video recording by Stefan Lindberg.
My tweet after playing Phobia for a few minutes... ARGGHHHHHH!!!
I should have known this was going to be hard with such a hideous screen.
Annnd this next screenshot is of me and my ship being blown up! Again.
Nope, there's none of that with Automation #496 because this intro is based on Rick Dangerous. Well, there's no actual interaction, but we can walk and climb ladders. But it's a cool alternative compared to the usual menus we would have seen. Just control Ricky D. with the joystick, and enter a doorway to select a game to play!!
Spot... Erm, sorry, Roger is a fast-paced 25-level platformer released by Tobe of MJJ. It offers a frantic run through various Sonic-like levels, collecting jewels for a demanding girlfriend, Georgette. This "platformer" has many jewels - without any ladders and few ledges. So how will Roger complete this task?
Bubbles, of course! All he needs to do is jump on one and, when it bursts, the force thrusts him upwards. If there's another bubble, then the cycle continues, and he uses that momentum to reach other jewels. Roger has limited health, so it's advisable to avoid the sharp spikes that burst on contact, as they drain his energy. Power pills can be collected to compensate for that, but they are few and far between.
Okay, let's take a break from the reading as I have a sexy picture to share...
This is what it's all about, and Georgette is a babe with her luscious red lips!
Quick Reactions R Needed!
Use the joystick to walk left/right, and the fire button helps Roger leap with joy via the bubbles. Once you begin bubble-jumping, it's a matter of adjusting your trajectory towards the next bubble whilst collecting the nearby jewels as you zoom through the air. Burst bubbles reappear after a second or two, and that aspect cunningly allows you to revisit the areas you might have previously missed during this insane journey.
Want a tip? Gotta learn the level layout as you are hopping about like a crazy fool!
Are you getting a little worried about how deranged this game sounds? It's not nearly as stupid as you think because the mechanics of bubble-hopping work brilliantly. In some ways, I got a Sonic vibe from it, but, unlike that hedgehog, Roger is zooming around your screen in all directions with one primary goal.
It's a maddening thrill being Roger, and you'll love it, so let's see another screenshot...
Check out that stride - gotta love those lanky legs!
What about the aesthetics?
The graphics are a mixed bag; Roger's sprite is superb with side-splitting animation - I could watch those lanky legs for hours!! The framerates are frighteningly fast with smooth scrolling thanks to the Blitter. Sadly, the in-game decor is quite a disappointment, with drab backgrounds that only change every 5 levels.
Sound effects are crisp and perfectly suited to the style: I like the explosion sound for the spikes, and the music is magnificent throughout. Well, I say magnificent, but that's because I cannot think of a better word - I could listen to them all day!! This certainly proves that chip music will last forever and rightly so.
Right then, let's see one final screenshot before the gripping climax...
Finally, a different background after the first few levels, and it's much nicer too.
The CryptO'pinion?
Roger is quite a unique experience and feels like an airborne Boulder Dash meets Sonic. It's weird and something I would never have expected to like. It's easy to pick up and play, and I guarantee you won't be able to put down your joystick. Hopping from bubble to bubble is stupidly frantic, and I loved every second of it.
Roger's gameplay is legendary. Enormously addictive with an extreme adrenaline rush!! Play this.
Roger can be found on Demozoo for floppy/hard drive installation.
Tobé's archive is detailed on Demozoo, although he strayed a little ;-)
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.
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!!
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!!
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).
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 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. Our remake isn't meant to beat the original, but Pete has done enough to capture the authenticity and implement new ideas that 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 desperately gathering fuel pods? It's simple and timeless. I loved playing it and enjoyed the new features. The boring sound effects aside, this is an utterly excellent game. Highly recommend!!
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 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!!
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.
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 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...
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!!
