megahertz war

I had to "laugh" when I read this article by Andrew Wright from issue #24 of Atari ST Review magazine. How right he was about the times and I do wonder if he had a crystal ball? (if so, it was probably a GEM program). By the mid-90s, the PC industry had taken over to claim (and keep) the crown for the winner of the computer wars. Sure, we were still around but we knew our days were numbered and, for gaming especially, the ST was as dead as a Dodo.

All due to Atari's poor management and their lack of enthusiasm throughout the previous years by restricting the old ST to the same 8MHz they gave it in 1985. So, our beloved Atari TOS computer began fading away into the darkness and, by the late 90s, every ST was probably hidden away inside thousands of attics... I jest, but the millennium days where sure gloomy. Cheer up because it also happened to those Commie computers too!

ST Review Invaders

Get inside your laser cannon!

I've found an ST Review cover disk (#11), and on it is the imaginatively titled ST Review Invaders, a magazine exclusive by Dave Munsie. This is a game I fondly remember, but my first impressions weren't great as traditional elements are altered far too much for my liking. Such as how the cannon moves over a rocky landscape, and I prefer a game like this to remain legit. So, I recall not being immediately impressed.

After a few games, I found myself enjoying this quirky space shooter and the nifty new mechanics, which I think are excellent. Also, I enjoyed the faster gameplay, which is superb and loads of fun - I love how the pesky aliens no longer shoot in predictable straight lines, and their attack patterns are new and interesting. Level two sees them bopping along in a humorous fashion with a Mexican wave following later on!!

The authenticity is altered far too much for my liking, so it's not Space Invaders anymore. But ignore me, because it's a fantastic shooter in its own right, with that 'just one more go' factor. Love it!!