The DM Editor

The Ultimate ST Game

I realised some time ago that I would never find a copy of Dungeon Master at a reasonable price or in decent condition (and certainly not both). So, I hate to admit this but I gave up searching years ago! However, I have since chanced upon what I consider an oddity. I don't mean the software, but rather the fact that I’ve managed to find something most people would have likely left to gather dust in their attic.

The Dungeon Master Editor was released in 1988 by Edward Penman for Softex. I remember seeing adverts for it in magazines like ST Format, but it was something that passed me by at the time. Only now, looking back, do these things excite, fascinate, and captivate me beyond words! (the wife says I'm a weirdo)

Well, hold onto your hats because I actually own the real thing! This surprises me, as I would have thought it lost to time - in its physical form. I have The Way of the Firestaff, the editor’s manual, and the floppy disk. Not only that, but I also bought the floppy disk and manual for Dungeon Master. Granted, it’s not boxed, so incomplete, but I’m still thrilled. I guess that is a meagre consolation - but a damn fine one at that!

The software can be downloaded at Atari Legend and Atarimania. Also, the Dungeon Master Encyclopaedia website has scans and more information about the Editor. So, a cynic might question why I bought this product. Let's be honest, nothing beats the feeling of holding the originals. So I am one happy bunny!

Okay, I have taken a few photos of my precious warez...

Things That Made Us Go Hmmm....

Almost a Megademo

Every so often, I come across a demo I have not seen before, and today, I’ve got a rather good one - Things That Made Us Go Hmmm by The Watchmen. It starts with the above screen, cycling through a range of psychedelic colours that look absolutely stunning!! The main menu plays an original (ahem) tune and also reminded me of Life’s a Bitch by The Lost Boys. From here, you can access a selection of five demos…

> Now There's A Frood. This one features multiple background layers scrolling in different directions, along with a scroller that you’d struggle to read unless you’re an owl! It’s packed with proper old-school effects, executed brilliantly, and paired with some super-duper music.

> A Toaster Called Zippy. I first came across this a while back and absolutely loved it. I even recorded it because I was so taken with its simple yet stylish 3D presentation and that (Mmmm) compelling chip music. Thanks to a couple of cool chaps, I later found out the music is from the movie Fletch - how did I not spot that straight away?

> There's A Flower Dying In The Vase On My Shoulder. Quite possibly one of the strangest title ever! It starts with a simple screen featuring a massive logo and a sweet chiptune. Then, the full-screen scroller kicks in! It’s been done a million times before, but this is still a fantastic screen.

> The Joy Of Sex. No, not what you’re thinking! But if you’re expecting swirling, sexy 3D visuals, you’re in for a treat. This was easily my favourite demo of the lot - not because of full-screen effects or flashy extras (because there aren’t any), but because the 3D itself is superb. The thick, vibrant lines give it a laser-like effect, making it look absolutely stunning.

> The Fifth Screen. This one is a greetings demo packed with... well, greetings and lots of stars!

One more thing I must also mention is each demo's loading screen which has incredible artwork. Overall, this is a superb demo and I tip my hat to The Watchmen because I've enjoyed it as if it were 1992.

Demozoo has the download and also a dedicated group page for The Watchmen.

Credits

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Chris(tophe) - Code

Ian - Graphics

Mad Max - Music

Zogg - Graphics (additional graphics in 'A Toaster Called Zippy')

Battlezone

3D Tanx

I first played Battlezone at a friend's house on his Atari 2600. As a Speccy guy, I was captivated by its vibrant colours, smooth movements, and gritty sound effects. However, I have to admit (to my disappointment) that the ST conversion has never impressed me. And I hate saying that. The framerate is sluggish, the controls are awkward, and we can't even use the mouse. Making matters worse (for me) everyone else appears to like it. I don't get what they are seeing. Am I missing out on the ST's version of an iconic arcade shooter?

Years later, I watched an excellent video review by Trusteft and he enjoyed it. This came as a shock but it got me thinking - what was he seeing that I wasn’t? I felt I needed to give this ST conversion another try. However, I didn’t merely want to copy the lad, so I booted it up in monochrome instead. Think different, uh?

In light of that shocking decision, let's pause for a couple of screenshots...

I see this broken screen a lot...

Oh no, I know where that is heading!!

Vector wars

Before loading the game, I gave myself a little pep talk - stay open-minded and be prepared to admit I might have been wrong all these years. The game boots up, and I find myself enjoying its iconic title screen. Unfortunately, no matter how many attempts I gave it, my experience was just as terrible as it was years ago. I never reached a point where I felt my initial impressions were proven wrong. The sluggish controls simply don’t work. Since the arcade version uses two sticks, I can’t help but wonder if a combination of keyboard and mouse could have been implemented? Or even a method similar to 3D games like Virus?

The framerate isn’t sufficient for the game’s demands; the Atari ST has demonstrated it can do better in Resolution 101, Starglider, Simulcra, etc. This lack of agility aids the overly difficult action. Hitting tanks is already challenging, but dodging their shots feels nearly impossible! Sure, it’s clear you shouldn’t stand still and need to keep moving, but nothing can compensate for the flaws of this broken game.

This wasn't a review; watch videos by Trusteft and Into The Vertical Blank for in-depth information. I'm only here to be an obnoxious disgruntled gamer. With that in mind, they are both wrong because Battlezone is the suckiest arcade port I've played (ignoring Rolling Thunder). And I'm gutted to write that. I genuinely am.

What a nasty piece of work I am. So let's calm down and check out some more screenshots...

Dammit, my tank is so lame. It's not the driver, honest.

It was now that I reset and booted up Resolution 101.

6502 Power!

Interestingly, Klaz may have the answer for my constant frustration with Battlezone. Apparently, the ST is emulating/translating 6502 code in real-time which absolutely baffles and amazes me equally. Maybe it was quicker to go that route than to invest time and money into making a real 68000 version?

Oddly, I now find myself developing an undeserved respect for this game running like this. The fact that it’s being emulated is impressive, even though it shouldn’t be. Well, you know what I mean. What I wanted was a decent conversion. Hang on, could this be the only commercial Atari ST game that is emulated?

Regardless, I’ll be sticking with the exceptional 2600 conversion. Now then, what a game that is!!

• Klaz's download: http://d-bug.mooo.com/klaz/Games.html#Battlezone
• Trusteft channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TrusteftRetroWeekend/videos
• Into The Vertical Blank: https://intotheverticalblank.com
• Thanks for reading my silly post, and don't forget to comment!
• My respectful greetings to Trusteft and the boys at Into The Vertical Blank :)

Defender II

Defenda

Unlike many of you, my first experience with Defender wasn’t in the arcades but on my ZX Spectrum. That little machine wasn’t exactly a powerhouse, but it was versatile and capable of handling this arcade shooter. I could be wrong, but I'm sure it was Defenda by Interstella Software, released in 1984. I absolutely loved it, though I wouldn’t exactly call myself skilled. Oh, what a shocker - Steve is rubbish at a fast-paced shooter!!

Fast forward a good few years, and along comes ARC with Defender II, developed by none other than Jeff Minter. Oddly enough - and I know this is practically sacrilegious coming from an Atari ST guy - whenever I hear his name, I immediately think of the Jaguar's Tempest 2000. I spent countless hours playing that trippy game in 1994/95. And half the time, I’d just leave it running in the background!! But anyway, back on topic - Minter programmed Defender II for the ST in 1990, and it’s everything you’d hope for, with loads of extra visual flair jazzing up the arcade classic. Not only that but the two original games are included as well.

Yes, Defender and Stargate are included, but my focus is Defender II. Don’t get me wrong, having all three games in one is incredible, but if I’m being brutally honest, they’re pretty similar. That statement might get me slapped by a purist, but hey - whatever! At the end of the day, I fire it up to play Defender II.

Let's have a break for some screenshots that really don't do the action any justice...

As a base comparison, this is the original Defender. It's zany, zappy, and FUN!

Defender II explodes all that zappy'ness into a zillion Llama-crushing pieces.

Defender II

From the golden era of Space Invaders, Asteroids, and Pac-Man came a furious shooter called Defender. The objective is always the same: little men wander the planet’s surface, innocently going about their business - until aliens swoop in from the skies, intent on abducting them for some bizarre, probe-related experimentation. We can’t let that happen! So, we skim the planet’s surface, blasting every last alien into smithereens. It’s a wonderfully simple concept, like so many old games. Straight to the action and I love that.

The controls weren’t quite what I expected, Defender II uses a combination of mouse and keyboard. Moving the mouse adjusts altitude, the left button thrusts, and the right changes direction. So how do you shoot? That’s done with the Shift key, which you can hold down for rapid firing. And because this is Defender, I naturally want a smart bomb to clear the screen when things get tough - just hit Control, and hey presto, BOOM!!

But there’s more gun love just waiting to be discovered - pressing Alt unleashes an electrical weapon called the Smart Laser, which instantly fries anything nearby. It’s powerful but has limited fuel reserves, so I tend to use it early on when the screen is flooded with (far too many) enemies for my meagre reflexes. Thankfully, every 10,000 points earn you a fuel top-up, along with an extra life and another smart bomb.

Jeff Minter didn't hold back and cranked up the mayhem, making Defender II an even more exhilarating arcade experience. And it doesn’t stop there - we have an optional AI Drone, a handy companion that mirrors your actions for much-needed extra firepower. Hitting the Spacebar toggles its functions between this standard mode into a powerful "toothpaste" laser (stronger beam), up-shooter, and bombing mode.

Defender II goes beyond anything I expected from a mere Defender clone. Jeff has transformed it into something else entirely. The AI Drone is a brilliant addition, but for me, the true game-changer is the Smart Laser. With that, your experience - and progress - improves more than you ever thought possible!

It's about now that you should leave to boot up your Atari ST to play. Wait, don't go just yet...

The training mode is superb as it introduces you to everything very nicely.

Completing a wave results in this nifty info screen with bonus rewards.

Aesthetics

It’s hard to imagine a game from the early 80s could be dramatically improved. After all, it’s Defender - a game where a black background takes up 95% of the screen. Well... hold my beer... because ARC’s version is an absolute visual feast, far beyond anything the original ever was. The credit for these sexy pixels goes to Wayne Smithson and Simon Butler, though, at first glance, they might not look like much.

What I mean is, that the magic happens only when triggered by playing the game - firing and obliterating enemies. These actions turn boring old Defender into a psychedelic explosion of party pixels. It’s pure visual chaos - stunning and borderline hypnotic. At first, I found myself watching the dazzling display rather than playing - so I kept dying! When playing properly, the action never lets up, throwing an eye-popping, high-energy spectacle at you from start to finish. Honestly, it’s one of the best-looking games I’ve seen.

The audio is almost as impressive, packed with superb sound effects that belch and burp loudly with every move you make. The laser - easily the most frequently heard sound - has more of a machine-gun vibe, though it takes a backseat whenever explosions and other effects are heard. It’s a shame the DMA hardware wasn’t utilised, but honestly, I have no complaints - Defender II is as loud and obnoxious as it is visually glamorous.

Interestingly, the theme music was created by Martin Walker using Microdeal's Quartet. I love what musicians have managed to produce with that, and I only wish it had been used more often. Superb music.

Right then, I'm yapped on enough so carry on scrolling for the ultimate opinion you're dying to read...

Having 3-in-1 is tremendous Minter value. Play the originals - they're damn excellent!

Of course, it's Defender II I prefer - there's nothing quite like it!

The CryptO'pinion

Disregarding the fantastic value of three games in one, this is an absolutely stupendous product. Defender II is a monumental shooter - a true masterpiece, perhaps even superior to StarRay or Anarchy?

It’s not just the frantic speed or the jazzy visuals that make this version so brilliant; it’s the innovative new weaponry that transforms the basic gameplay without ruining it. The drone is a worthy addition, offering several attack modes (though, in my humble opinion, it’s best left as it is). It’s the smart laser that really tips the balance, elevating the game from being great to truly exceptional. This underrated feature is a must-use, as it compensates for slower reactions and lets you progress deeper into the later missions.

I’m sure you’ve all guessed it by now: I’m giving it a massive 98% and awarding it the AtariCrypt SMASH accolade. Defender II is arguably the best horizontally scrolling shooter for the Atari ST. Wow, that's a bold statement alright so let me know what you guys think in the comments section below.

Right, waste no more time and click these links to play Defender II...

• Atari Legend has a ton of excellent menu disks: https://www.atarilegend.com
• 8BitChip has the hard drive version: https://atari.8bitchip.info...
• Demozoo has a wedge of Quartet music I'm going to enjoy: https://demozoo.org/quartet/
• Here are more jazzy screenshots along with level codes (untested by me - YMMV)

Level 5 - FLOYD Level 9 - FURRY Level 13 - BEAST Level 17 - LEMAC Level 21 - ZIPPO Level 25 - LASER Level 29 - DAFAD

Level 33 - MAGOG Level 37 - FUNKY Level 41 - DONKY Level 49 - KANJI Level 53 - IRATA Level 57 - NEURO Level 61 - STOAT

Any easy SMASH rating so go and grab it off those download links!!

Out Run

Oh no, yuppie racing!!

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of beta-testing an enhanced version of Out Run for Peter Jørgensen. Happy times, and I really miss those days! If you’re wondering who he is, he’s the guy behind YMT Player, Manic Miner, and a new version of Enduro Racer. He also helped me to create two (ahem) fantastic slideshows - ZombieCrypt and Half-Life 2. Anyhow, those were great days, but it wasn’t until recently that I realized I’d never featured Out Run. I wonder why - maybe I was waiting for the “next beta” which never happened?

Who knows, but here we are now! So, everyone knows how disappointing Outrun is, so perhaps that was what spurred Peter to create a better game. I can't recall every detail of the planned specs and enhancements - it’s been six years - but I do remember he was aiming for a smoother framerate, better sprites, and DMA sound effects. Although it isn’t finished, it's already a major improvement over the dreadful original.

Before downloading this beta, grab a copy of the original and play it first. That way, you'll truly appreciate the differences. I hope Peter eventually returns to complete the hard work he’s already put into this.

• Atarimania hosts the latest beta version (ST/STe - requires a Blitter)
• Atari Legend has the original game on several menu disks.
• If you fancy playing more enhanced Atari STe games then tickle this link.
• Peter's profile is available on Demozoo and if you're wondering about his other productions then use the search at the top/right of this page!

The familiar rush through the sunshine in your Ferrari Testarossa.

The second stage is annoying with many roadside obstacles.

My game ended at this point but I liked the look of the dust so had to screenshot it.

I reached the third stage - which is good for me!!

Phantasie - Day 2

Commence The Adventure!

I have begun my adventure in the northwestern part of Gelnor; a lovely woodland area surrounded by natural wildlife and LOTS OF MONSTERS. The first thing to do is have a butchers at the incredibly detailed manual. However, I'm not a big reader and ended up skimming through far too quickly. Yep, I made some mistakes picking party members so I went back to read a little more! When will I ever learn?

There are few buildings within the town of Pelnor. First, we have a bank to safeguard our fortune, which is pooled among the party but can be shared as needed. Next is a mystic who appears to be of little help! An armoury is the town's one and only shop stocking the basic requirements. Pelnor's Inn is fantastic, providing free lodging for all weary travellers seeking rest and also a secure place to organise their party's belongings.

Lastly, there’s the Guild, where we can create and later manage our adventurers, choosing from Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and more. Interestingly, we can select random characters, though they may be harder to level up as they're disliked by Humans! Be warned, the system can generate poor rolls, so you may need to repeat the process to achieve the right balance of resilience, health, and ability. But you knew that!

There are many stats to consider but remember that fighters demand strength and dexterity whereas spellcasters require intelligence and MP. Of course, a good balance of most stats is favourable and you should always note the HP offered. Another interesting detail to consider is age as humans typically don't age well whereas Gnomes and Elves are rather lucky in that department.

Feel like you messed up? Party members not living up to expectations? Were some lost in battle? Well, you can return to the Guild anytime to create new players or rearrange the party. However, think carefully if you've been playing for a while - starting a new character (and playing catchup) can be time-consuming.

I'm more of a melee guy but your party needs to be diverse to survive. So I've plumbed for human/dwarf fighters who handle the grunt of warfare. Also, I have a couple of wizards for my magical needs (absolutely essential). Finally, I have a thief and a priest who are good fighters and provide stealth and healing support.

Alright then, I reckon I’ve got the right team, so I plan to leave town and explore. Maybe start a few fights and hopefully not be beaten too much. I've started a dedicated Quest section listed down the right ~~>

Okay, let's see if this adventure really is worth the grind...

We begin our journey in the northwestern region of Gelnor.
There is a hidden Temple in the woodlands, but I've no idea how to access it.

Ahh, Pelnor is a lovely and safe town of refuge.

Where is everyone and why one guard? And he's not locked the gatehouse!

My attempt to create "Shorty", a dwarven fighter. Terrible stats so I rerolled...
Interestingly, look at the age. That matters in Phantasie, depending on their race.

Shorty goes shopping in the town's, erm, one and only shop.

However, he's a bit skint atm and needs to kill monsters/visit the bank.

The building near the entrance has a wise old mystic.
I guess I need to return here later for more helpful information?

So, I finally dared to step outside the town and was pounced on!
Hey, shall I try the greeting option?

[STOT] ST Offline Tournament

ST Offline Tournament

STOT has been running for several years in a dedicated section of Atari-Forum. I had heard others talk about it but, for some reason, I never got involved - something I now look back on with a mix of confusion and regret. Thankfully, I've finally come to my senses and joined in. And I'm absolutely loving it!

So, what is STOT? Simple - it’s an offline gaming tournament. Well, to be more precise, it’s a tournament for ST Gamers organised by three familiar names from Atari-Forum and beyond: Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS. Games are suggested by the community, and the admins then decide which ones to feature. Each game now runs for a month, and 2025 kicked off with the fantastic racer, FASTER. This month, we’re tackling a puzzler called Chroma Grid, and next month, we're whizzing through space like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

My gaming skills are often terrible - an odd thing to admit, considering I run AtariCrypt! Well, I finished near the bottom of the league for January’s FASTER, an incredible Atari STe racer by Jonathan Thomas. Sheesh, there are some seriously good players out there with way quicker reflexes than mine! Thankfully, Chroma Grid is going a bit better for me, but like all puzzlers, it soon pushes my ageing brain cells to their limit. As for Star Wars in March… I’m kind of dreading it - I haven’t played that since my Speccy days!

So, do you fancy getting involved? It’s easy, just create a (free) account on Atari-Forum to play the current game on your Atari ST or an emulator. Then post a photo or screenshot of your score on the forum. That’s all there is to it. I hope this tempts you to join in, play some Atari ST games, and be part of the ST community.

So, click here to access Atari-Forum's STOT section and get gaming - have fun!!

Finally, I recently chatted with Thorn(þ) and asked him some questions about STOT. He went away and came back with responses from all three - so a huge thanks to Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS for taking the time; I really appreciate it. I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and maybe tempted you to check out the tournament?

I hope so - don’t game alone, be proud of your high scores. Get involved and join in the STOT fun...

How did you guys get the idea for STOT?

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ChrisTOS

If I remember correctly Thorn, SSB and I were talking in #atariscne on IRC and thought how nice it would be to have online gaming either using emulators or real networked Ataris. We got the idea that we could hold a contest similar to the High Score Club in AtariAge. The concept was that we would create themes (eg space shooter/sync scrolling games etc), give them nice names, people would vote for which games to play and we'd play that game. Real hardware or emulator was accepted and we wanted to support new games.

As for the name, it's the ST Offline Tournament. I believe we chose it because it was also a small wordplay on STOS. Plus those Germans do like to be a bit accurate in their descriptions!

SSB

As far as I remember it was an online discussion between Christos, Thorn and myself around 2009. I don't remember the details. The basic idea was: "Hey we like playing ST games. Let's play them for real." We wrote an article for our LowRes online magazine around the time (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/that-is-stot-st-offline-tournament/)

þ

Back in the day, I loved to attend the High Score Clubs on Atari Age for the other Atari platforms. I also founded the "Abbuc Bundesliga" a competition where people meet once a month in a chatroom and play an Atari 8-bit game for 1 hour. On the ST there was nothing like that. So during some chats with SSB and Christos the idea of STOT was born. The format was copied from the HSC, but we chose atari-forum.com instead of AtariAge because it's the home of the ST scene.

We stopped some years ago. Because there was a demand on the forum to restart, SSB did a restart, many thanks to the people who requested it and participated in the first round after the restart (Riverpirate, LynxXX) and many thanks to SSB to do the restart. Even if there are only 2-3 gamers, it's worth continuing cause STOT is an indicator that Atari ST gaming is alive. Talking about games is great, but if you really play them and then send a score, that is the definition of active. I play much more ST since the restart. Being Atarian because you buy Atari merch alone is lame, scoring a post on STOT is cool.

Could any games make a return?

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ChrisTOS

We have revisited games in the past but not too often. I am still sore from losing a great score in Starball due to a crash for example. Of course, Xerus (like always) and Lotek obliterated my attempts.

SSB

I personally play 'Virus' and 'Goldrunner' from time to time so another STOT round with them would be welcome. Important is that games have a useful scoring system and no selection menu to keep it easy to track. And no tutorials or "learn how to play" sessions". We all are middle-aged guys now with real life so playing those should be a distraction you can try for a half hour of free time without preparation.

Þ

We played Metrocross at least 2 times. In the wish list for 2026, we could also include games to play again. However, there are so many games left to play in a competition mode, that it's great to give them a try instead of playing the same games a number of times. I would go for one game per year, the ST Classics of the year.

Favourite memories?

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ChrisTOS

There were a lot. The aforementioned Outline events. Cooper released a game just for STOT, D-bug who patched games for the Falcon and Hard disk so that we could play in STOT. There was quite a bit of competition in those events. Starball, Obsession. PS. I missed Nano Cave too.

SSB

The few where my girlfriend and now wife participated. We both like to play 'Rodland' in two-player mode from time to time.

þ

At the outline live STOT competition, I met Christos in person, that was cool. I met SSB a number of times, for 11 months we both lived in Friedrichshafen at the lake of Constance, we had some cool sessions where we played the actual STOT game and SSB explained to me his secret “mouth pockets” receipt: Ready-made mouth pockets and chicken broth from the supermarket and water! Easy, cheap, delicious.

The Super Sprint competition was very close, I scored 2nd, but only very close. In the end, I got so much adrenaline in the final levels, I needed 15 minutes to calm down.

The highlight was the Switchblade II compo where Simon Phipps the author himself sent us self-painted winner certificates with his signature. Was a great sign of respect for us that people see that we try to keep the Atari gaming alive.

Phobia. I won it, I love it. Many complained it was too hard, but I passed level 1.

All the games where I reached a level I never was before, because I had the motivation to get a high score. Apache Flight was great, but I would have given up with level 1 until Wietze sent in a screenshot of level 2 for example.

Any future plans for STOT?

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ChrisTOS

For plans, I don't know, maybe find time to play some games? We were much younger people when we started STOT and with fewer obligations. My favourite moment is the tournament we held at Outline back in 2009. So a repeat of that would have been great. Maybe at a Sommarhack this time. Also since Hatari now supports Falcon, we could think of including a couple of Falcon games in the mix.

SSB

We should keep going as long as players are willing to participate.

þ

Best homebrew game award? Therefore we need a constant number of entries. 2025 is already looking good. The difference to other awards like the one on Atari Age is, that this award is given to active gamers since only people who entered scores would be allowed to vote.

More cooperation with all the Atari gamers on YouTube like yours, Stickhead, Hundgirrid, etc. You guys find the games, we do a STOT round. During the rounds, we could also do some more videos. We need people who try out a game and have the feeling that it's worth doing a competition.

STOT gaming competitions on-site at Atari meetings. Once we did one at an Outline party, I would like to do one at the ADN, GemTOS, SillyVenture, OFAM, ejagfest, and so on. Looking back on the STOT history I also like to mention Xerus. He showed in many competitions that he was the best Atari ST gamer back in the day. Would be great to see him back.

Nano Cave - this is a good example of the STOT philosophy. It was a wish and was a new game, so was prioritised. I tested it before when I played some games on the ADN (the best Atari party in France). There the first two levels were great fun and I liked the visual concept that you have different original designs from all the other Hack versions of the previous years.

So a STOT round was announced 1-2 months later. There we played the game and had fun, but suddenly we found out, that there were so many bugs, that scoring was nearly impossible. Since Nano Cave is such a great game, we would do immediately another round if there would be a new version. (I love Nano Cave so THAT is something I will look forward to - Steve)