Pooz

Zoop

Pooz, originally released in 2005 by Paradize, was based on the Atari Jaguar game. It supported the Atari STe and featured spanky colours and incredible DMA audio. Yes, the name is reversed, but the rules are simple: we’re a funny face in the centre of the screen and coloured tablets march relentlessly in from the edges. Fire at them, match their colours, and clear the relevant tablets before they reach the centre. Sounds easy? It’s not. The pace quickens rapidly, and I inevitably panic as Pooz emphasises speed and my anxious reactions!

If you’re not into fast-reaction puzzlers, you may find it repetitive after a while, as it's a maddening rush of "fire, match, repeat". I may not have played the Jaguar game, but I know ours is incredibly fun, addictive, and proves once again that Atari can still poo(z) all over the competition in a surprising and zesty manner.

• Pooz is on Mars Disk #9 over at Atari Legend.
• Atarimania also has the official download.
• Of course, this little Zoop'er is now added to our enhanced games list.

My first game and I hadn't a Scooby-Doo what was going on!

Then I noticed my smiley face was somehow changing its colour.

Hey, it was my first game!! I assume 1080 is pretty poor? Can you beat it?

Super Pac-Man

Waka Waka Waka!

The ST already boasts a wealth of Pac-Man games, and here’s another released in 1997 by Ed Cleveland (the creator of Donkey Island, a fantastic adventure game, albeit unfinished). Super Pac-Man is Ed’s take on the pill-popping classic and supports the JagPad along with DMA samples on the Atari STe.

The concept remains the same: chomp on the pills to complete a level. However, this time there are a few notable changes. Certain sections of the maze are locked and require keys to access. The ghosts are noticeably smarter, providing a tense and satisfying chase - particularly the aggressive red ones. Alongside the traditional blue power pills, green pills supersize Pac-Man and freeze the ghosts in their tracks. Hey, here's a thought: why not try collecting both pills? That will make it easier to swallow all four ghosts at once... ;^)

Super Pac-Man features enough changes to make it feel new and different. I like how the slower movement of Pac-Man is balanced against the livelier ghosts, keeping the challenge fair without becoming frustrating. Best of all, the ghosts’ behaviour seems deliberate rather than random, so getting caught feels intentional rather than accidental. Yes, it’s just another Pac-Man, but it’s different, challenging, and super fun.

• You can grab the download from Atarimania.
• Supporting the DMA means it's entered onto the list of enhanced games!
• If one game isn't enough, there is a "Pac-Man" section here on AtariCrypt.
• This post is dedicated to my beautiful wife, whom I first met 24 years ago today!!