Backgammon

Thrills & Spills

There are a few Backgammon games available for the Atari ST. Although I'm hardly proficient, it's a board game I enjoy. To rephrase that last line - basically, I’m the world’s worst player, yet I somehow enjoy it!! Anyhow, ARC released this in 1988, and it remains one of the few commercial GEM-based games. A quirky oddity in itself, but that means the Blitter is used by default, which means this release is an enhanced game for the Atari STe. Well, hardly, but it was fun saying that, and you should click the link to check out this growing list.

For those who don't know the game of Backgammon, the manual is excellent and clearly explains the basic rules to follow. This is a two-player board game that blends strategy, skill, and a bit of luck. It’s played on a board featuring 24 narrow triangles, known as points, which are grouped into four quadrants. Each player starts with 15 checkers and uses two dice to move them around the board in a specific path.

Players move their checkers based on the roll of two dice, advancing them in opposite directions around the board. Each die represents a separate move, so a roll of 3 and 5 means you can move one checker 3 spaces and another 5 - or a single checker a total of 8. The aim is to be the first to move all your checkers off the board (known as bearing off) before your opponent does. You can pit wits against the ST or go head-to-head with a friend. Thankfully, there is a demo mode, which is something you should take advantage of.

If you're now tempted to download this game, then all of this typing wasn't for nothing after all. Here are a few tips: It's wise to focus on building a strong defensive position early on. Try stacking two or more checkers on a space to block your opponent from landing there. Avoid leaving single checkers exposed, as they’re easy targets. Just load it up and have a go, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. If you don't, just boot up Turrican!

Whilst something like Backgammon might not immediately be your obvious gaming choice, I say give it a whirl. It's actually very good, and your Atari ST provides a worthy opponent. Also, GEM works very well as an interface for the original board game, which means it will support Blitter, screen accelerators, and even high resolution. Yep, this is a great game for a night in, so I'm giving it a Steve-Is-A-Bore rating of 80%.

• Atari Legend has a couple of floppy disk menus to download.
• The hard disk master, PP/8BitChip, has created a superb version!
• Still not sure? How about a history and guide on how to play?
• You've got the Backgammon bug now, eh? There are loads more listed on Atarimania.

I couldn't leave without a couple of gripping screenshots!

Made a mistake, then use the restore option.

Space Zot

Zot o'clock

There are two things I love, my family and. No, I meant beer and travelling through the cosmos!! Do you remember when I roamed (and completed) the vast floppy disk universe in Cosmos Chronicles? Yeah, I spent many hours chatting to shady strangers in World's End bar, and loved every second of it.

But there is some bad news: the bar’s about to run out of booze. As an alliance pilot, I’ve been called in to rescue the situation by retrieving precious cargo (beer!) from a damaged freighter somewhere in the Caissel asteroid belt. The fate of every thirsty patron depends on my flying skills, so there’s no time to waste!

Space Zot, coded in 2023 using GFA Basic by Shaoth (the chap behind the brilliant roguelike Nano Cave), is one of those games that looks like one thing but turns out to be another. At first glance, you’d think it’s a shooter, but it leans more towards something like R0x - a game of avoidance? There are no blasters or lasers; your mission is to grab as many beers as possible. As you can imagine, this is a goal I can easily get behind.

Of course, space isn’t just full of free booze; it’s also packed with rocks hurtling down your lovely SC1224 display. You’ll need sharp reflexes to weave through the space junk. By the third level, things get hairy - faster rocks, trickier angles, and a screen so cluttered you’re gasping for breathing room. Thankfully, the controls are tight and responsive, which is essential when survival depends entirely on dodging rather than blasting.

I first played Space Zot on another world, and now I’ve been enjoying it back home on my Atari STe (a pretty bold statement that I hope doesn't confuse anyone). This is a cracking little game, and even if I’m a couple of years late, it comes highly recommended by yours truly. Right, it's time for another beer run...

• There is a free download at itch.io, and Atarimania has a copy too.
• As the Blitter is being used, Space Zot goes into the Enhanced Games list :)
• Hmm, you were confused? Then look at this screenshot from my Cosmos Chronicles quest.

You get points for all pick-ups, especially the beers.

Collect the letters for an extra life.

This was my second attempt, and I reached stage 6. Can you beat me?