Crash Time Plumber

New game alert!

Crash Time Plumber is a conversion of the Gamopat original which was released at Silly Venture demo party. The Atari game was developed by none other than Sebastien Lucas of Cerebral Vortex and it will work on any Atari computer with a Blitter Chip: check the Options screen in GEM but all late models of STfm, Mega ST, Atari STe, and Falcon should be a-ok. Many STfm computers have an empty socket just waiting to be used:

* Many newer STFMs have an empty Blitter Chip socket so head over to the EXXOS webSTore.

At first, I wasn't sure how this was gonna go as we've been burnt by so-called 8-bit conversions before. However, this booted up great with a neat intro and looks the business! Based on Donkey Kong with a dollop of Popeye, it's set in 1983 as the gaming industry crashed (which I was completely unaware of being a Spectrum kid then!)

Anyhow, an Italian plumber has teamed up with an angry-looking monkey and kidnapped ten gaming heroes: Pac-Man, Pitfall Harry, Q-Bert, Frogger, and others. They are all preparing for a hideous death at the hands of these criminals from the East so go and rescue them all to foil Mario's plan and stop this invasion.

Sounds cool, right? It is and so is the intro too which begins in Alamogordo (I've been here!)...

The intro is sweet and tells a good story. Also, I've been to Alamogordo, NM. #tidbit

Hang on, this looks familiar?

Taking place on the Donkey Kong construction site, we run along girders collecting love hearts given away by a damsel in distress. She floats by in her hot air balloon and, when enough are collected, we begin a steroid-jumping rescue to the top of the screen and save a trapped hero. Once he's free, we can move on to the next level.

This isn't easy because, not only is Mario rolling barrels downhill, but King Kong is hanging about throwing deadly killer bananas at us with annoying accuracy! Some levels have weather conditions affecting your movement and there's even a harsh 120-second time limit. This makes things quite difficult after a few levels!

The game ends once each and every gaming hero has been rescued. Easier said than done...

Watch out for angry monkeys throwing their killer bananas or you're DEAD!!

One smooth looker!

The graphics are fantastic! A gorgeous 80s retro theme with cute sprites and the Blitter delivers a smooth 50fps display. Heck, the Atari STe even adds enhanced colour fading and Falcon owners get to witness a huge Zeppelin flying by - which I cannot help but wonder why that's missing on the STe? Ignoring that moan, this game is ace!!

The audio is also superb with lovely sound effects and a simple chiptune that is also totally suited to the ye olde style. A lot of effort has gone into both the visuals and sounds and I dare that jingle not to stay in your head all day!

Everything is just dandy and perfect in with a retro and comical design...

Beautiful girl blowing kisses? Come back, my love!

The CryptO'pinion?

Don't be fooled by the humble 8-bit appearance. From the start, you're tricked into thinking this is going to be easy but the combination of fantastic controls and tough mechanics will catch you out. I'm sick of being smacked in the face by a killer banana... but I keep on being dragged back for more of this torment... Am I insane, no this game is!!

Crash Time Plumber is extremely hard but it manages to drag you back for more - kicking and screaming.

Download for FLOPPY / HARD DISK

Online ST Picture Viewer

Often I need to quickly view an Atari ST piccy on my Mac, and there are plenty of options, but here is a fascinating web-tool by Cyprian. This allows you to instantly view those old images within a web browser. It supports classic formats like Degas, Neochrome, Spectrum 512, and even works with drag and drop. An outstanding tool.

Blasteroids

Boring old asteroids again?

Yep, once again, the galaxy is overrun with rocks that need smashing to smithereens. Well, it is Asteroids! Rocks everywhere of all shapes and sizes plus some rather strange ones too: Popcorn rocks which bloat before eventually freezing. Red rocks that leave behind crystals to conveniently recharge your shield. So are you ready for more rock blasting?

I hope so because this game is frantic and we're not alone! Along with rocks, aliens frequently rear their ugly heads! These should be killed quickly to reveal a range of nifty power-ups - such as a double shot or the impressive Ripstar.

Okay, let's end the pointless chitter-chatter with some screenshots...

Who ya gonna be? Quite the selection for different gamers.

But how tough are ya? Come on, be brave and don't wimp out on me now!!

It's all rocks and aliens!

Blasteroids is split into segments with those split into smaller sectors. These must be completed before reaching a gruesome End Of Level Boss - the monstrous Mukor!! Your ship is equipped with upgradeable weapons, a powerful shield, and the ability to transform itself. Once all the rocks are pounded into dust, a transporter appears to whisk you off to the next sector. Come on, don't be disappointed - how else could they glam up Asteroids without bloating and ruining it?

Once all sectors are cleared you will finally get to lock horns with Mukor, a festering evil entity who fires miniature spaceships using his tentacles - so shoot each of these suckers first. That's my big tip and then you can watch him scarper like the fatty bloated coward he is. I actually enjoyed our battles which are fun without being impossibly tough!

This game is superb fun and features cool graphics with a style I admire. Wanna see some screenshots...

Attacks from all angles and tremendous BAM BAM BAM fun!!

Asteroids, but with flashy backgrounds and colourful pixels? You are a cynic!!

Joyslick action?

Controls are excellent and responsive: rotate the ship using left or right, push up to thrust, and keep slamming on that fire button to shoot anything rocky. Predictable stuff but gravity and momentum play their parts to affect performance. Don't worry, your shield will help compensate for your poor piloting skills!! Not that I have any...ahem...

Pulling back on the joystick will transform your ship between three different models: the Speeder is agile, Fighter has great weaponry, and Warrior is a burly beast. Friends can jump in on the action - at any time - with impressive cooperative two-player support. Just like in the arcades - a superb feature you shouldn't overlook (I cannot stress that enough!!)

Fantastic stuff, right? Well, it's time to stop reading and view some rather cool screenshots...

The gravitational effect between sectors is superb...

...and then it's more rock-blasting again!

Aesthetics

Graphics are gorgeous - for what used to be a visually stark experience. I love the nicely animated rocks rolling through space. The enemy ships are superb and all other sprites are large, detailed and well-animated. Oddly, the backgrounds are 4-colours but you would never notice that due to their apt design and gorgeous artistic flair, which I admire.

Sadly, the audio disappoints with lame bleep-bleep sound effects instead of samples, which the ST would have easily handled for a game like this. Music is also a touchy subject as it soon becomes extremely repetitive. Thankfully, that can be switched off, but that only highlights those inadequate sound effects... catch-22. So, yes, I am disappointed.

Looks fantastic yet sounds poor. Can't have it all, eh? Let's view some more screenshots...

Shoot!! Kill!! Destroy everything!! <insert evil laugh>

BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! So-much-fun!!

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a great conversion albeit with a few niggles that spoil an otherwise great rock-smashing experience. Asteroid purists probably won't like it with all the extra changes and improvements but, keep an open mind, because this game is tons of fun. Ignoring the sound effects, they have improved the genre as best they could, without adding bloatware to ruin it.

If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose between this and Stardust, I fear the latter would win. However, it wouldn't win by much, because Blasteroids is exceptional and utterly addictive. Make the time - play this!!

Download for hard drive or floppy disk

Oh yeah, baby!!! I own this beauty :-)

Atari logos

Having zero artistic flair means I need to cheat whenever I fancy changing the website logo. Thankfully, I've found a couple of free websites that offer fancy text-generating tools so I figured it would be nice to share today's experimentations. Take a look at Picture To People & FlamingText to design your own.

I've included a few various logos which can be downloaded from my Dropbox account. These actually double as great wallpapers and are best when centred, not stretched or tiled. I hope this bundle will give you some ideas to create something cool? I'm always looking for an ST-inspired website logo - can anyone help??

Legends Of Valour

Swashbuckle in first person!

Legends Of Valour is one of the last Atari ST games that I bought. It received relatively favourable reviews as I remember with its first-person engine getting lots of praise for a 16-bit computer. Personally, I loved it and was smitten by its storyline, depth and longevity not to mention playing in what felt like a cross between Wolfenstein and Dungeon Master!

Our journey begins in the city of Mitteldorf as we are in search of our missing cousin, Sven. He previously set out to find his fortune and is now missing - what an idiot. Anyhow, it's been far too long since anybody heard from him and thus, our adventure begins. Yes, that storyline is a little lame but it leads you into a world fresh and full of strife.

Firstly, you should design your character's appearance that includes clothing and armament. This means you can choose to be human, dwarf or elf and each type offers a different gameplay style and alternative outcomes. Select hair, eyes, nose and so on to create your demi-god or perhaps your character will end up looking like a freak?

Before we begin, ignore my poor capture above as this game is smooth. Right then, let's see a screenshot...

It isn't long until somebody nice and welcoming pops up to greet us, as a new traveller.

Get lost ...in an amazing world!

Once you're dandy, enter the city and heed the advice from the friendly local who pops up for a chat. I would first advise you to take the time to explore and familiarise yourself with your surroundings because this is such a massive place and you will need necessary amenities, like safe lodgings, income, beer to sup, and grub to nosh. It's pen & paper time!

Mitteldorf is a fortress city, populated with interesting characters, secretive guilds, curious places, and even a labyrinth of dungeons hidden deep underground. Of course, these are waiting to be explored, but be careful because you might not like what you find down there. Your cousin wrote a letter which nicely explains his story, why not take a read? Perhaps that might feature hidden clues that could help you out along this quest. Heck, you never know?

All exploration is through a first-person engine not too dissimilar to a shooter like Wolfenstein with fully texture-mapped graphics - a testament to what our 16-bit computer can knock out. This can be configured in three sizes, small, medium and large. Any ST will perform well but the largest setting requires a 16MHz computer or an upgrade.

Initially, the interface is scary due to the huge number of icons but soon becomes intuitive and easy to use. Wandering the city is feasible using the GUI's icons but it can become a little laborious due to the immense size of the play area so a right-click will activate mouse control to unlock its full potential. Which is a tremendous way to explore.

Only some people you meet are nice and helpful. Many are nasty, like this guy in the next screenshot...

Wow, there is no need to take that attitude with me. A festering sore? lol excellent!

Chill, relax, chat with the yocals

Legends Of Valour isn't something you simply play for a few short moments - you live it. Life here is completely open-world, a "sandbox" adventure if you like? Yes, you are free to roam and do almost anything you want, day or night. This genre has always been a fascinating concept for me and, although it's an early example, it works extremely well.

Exploring Mitteldorf is exciting and bursting with fun characters, monsters, temples, stores, taverns, employment and more. I love the Olde English medieval setting which is portrayed and experienced in real-time, so day and night pass by with their own consequence. All the requirements we have in life exist here: eating, sleeping, health and personal safety when in dodgy locations - especially late at night. I find refuge (and a few ales) at The Hanged Man tavern is a good idea, but perhaps that's me? Just don't get too tipsy and end up in lockup. Ohhh, yes this is a game offering massive potential!

Mitteldorf is bursting with places to eat, shop, trade and read messages...

  

Mitteldorf has many interesting places to explore so don't rush and miss a thing.

Explore and turn over every stone

This game is humungous and not something to play on one boring afternoon for an hour. Learning the city of Mitteldorf alone can be overwhelming, so make notes and a basic key to complement the official map. So much can be understood by communicating with your fellow citizens - so get chatting with them over a beer. Don't forget those strange folk who appear to aimlessly wander the streets. Remember, you're living inside this 'RPG' so experience its weird world.

However, be prepared to defend yourself when set on by anyone from the King's faithful knights in shining armour. Even a little old lady can throw a barrage of humorous insults before giving you a good slap which is rather unexpected, I can say. There's only one thing left to do - slap her back!! (tell me you're not tempted?). That's right, why not hit an old lady? Yes, you are limited only by your own imagination and fiendish desires. Explore and live the game.

That is great advice for such a wondrous place. Also, it's a good time to pause for a couple of screenshots...

Arghh!! I've been caught again. I guess I look too dodgy?

 This means I've been thrown down before the King's mercy. Sigh...

The CryptO'pinion?

Legends Of Valour is something special and offers a vibrant and exciting place to live a life of intrigue. So many cool characters, taverns to frequent, secret guilds to master, monster-infested dungeons to plunder, and then jobs or missions are always on offer. This game has it all and, as you begin to make progress, and delve deeper, you soon realise just how much more potential there is just waiting to be discovered. Heck, I had almost forgotten to search for Sven!

Oh yes, I love wandering Mitteldorf but, nothing is perfect and I feel Legends Of Valour lacks in a couple of areas: the battles could have been executed better and it's disappointing to discover most buildings are (visually) empty. Also, audio is limited to spot effects which is a shame considering the number of disks in the box - a few ambient samples or more varied chippy fx could have tremendously improved the atmosphere, especially during the night scenes.

Legends Of Valour is incredible and massively enthralling. Allow yourself to get lost in this advantageous world because there is so much to see and do. This is certainly one of my favourite Atari ST RPG/Adventure games, ever. Play it.

Grab the hard drive version by 8BitChip.

Poor old floppy folk should use Old Games Finder.

A city map and clue book ... and I had "fun" in October!!

After The War

Muscles and big boots

After The War was released back in 1989 by Dinamic Software and is (partly) a fantastic beat 'em up similar in style to Double Dragon 3. You are Jonathan Rogers, aka Jungle Rogers, and must assassinate Professor McJerin who is today's nutcase. Worryingly set in the near future during a post-apocalyptic Manhattan where you must kill all the bad dudes and escape to somewhere better than this hellhole! Sounds easy, right?

The game is split into two parts: the first is a scrolling beat 'em up. The second is a shoot 'em up platformer. Upon playing part one, the first thing that struck me was the graphics which are amazing! Huge sprites, great colour, and good scrolling. I adore the backgrounds and found the artwork to be apt for the grungy scenario. Sound effects are very cool and made up of low-quality grunts and thumps with silly cries when somebody is killed. It is worth mentioning the awesome title theme which I think is superb!

Check out this screenshot from the first part of the game...

It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum... No, wait... Wrong game!

Kick and punch everyone!

Controls are easy to master and offer: a punch, a flying kick, jumping, and a get-me-outta-here rollback. Strangely, the keyboard is needed to activate another type of kick and a nut-crushing low punch, especially useful for rabid dogs! Sadly, I found flipping between the two sets of controls an awkward killjoy.

Part two is only playable once the first is completed. Our musclebound hero is now equipped with a giant weapon as he heads off into the underground. Gamestyle is a platform shooter where we need to blast everything, even the pesky rats! The controls aren't great and the directional aiming is overly complicated. This stage is okay but I found myself stressing over the controls rather than having fun which isn't good. No, it's quite poor!

I didn't like part two enough to include a screenshot so let's see the beat'em up...

I hit him that hard, he flew up into the air. Yeah, I'm so big and strong!! GRR!!!

The CryptO'pinion?

After The War is two games in one which may sound great but, it's not. The beat 'em part is superb with decent graphics, sounds and lots of violence - I enjoyed playing it a bunch!! But that's more than can be said about the second part which doesn't work as there is too much going on. It's not enjoyable if I'm honest.

Download this game, if only for the beat 'em up stages and you have yourself a winner. Tons of fun!!

* Update September 2017: 8BitChip has a new hard drive installable download!

* Old Games Finder has all the floppy disk versions!

* Who fancies a couple of cheats?

          -> Fancy the code to part two: 101069 (tested and works)

          -> Infinite energy in part one, press keys: ALT, 1, B (untested)

          -> Infinite energy in part two, press keys: ALT, 1, M (untested)

Enduro Racer

The Atari ST received a great conversion of Enduro Racer which was programmed by Ian Morrison who also made the amazing Road Blasters. There are five races to compete in against a whole load of other bikers on tracks that are littered with many hazards. The controls are superb and I found cornering really tight and exciting. Watch out for the timer which is happy to tick down until it's game over. So learn and practice the tracks! This is the only way you'll ever beat it and maybe you'll show off those skills by doing a handlebar handstand? It's crazy but it's cool.

Visually, things are a little sparse but that helps to produce a better framerate and boy is this fast!! The music is nothing short of fantastic and typically Dave Whittaker - in other words, brilliant. Overall, Enduro Racer might be showing its age a little when compared to other ST racers but I still think it's worth booting up. Cars are best but this proves that even bikes can look cool when leaping over the jumps and thrashing around tight turns.

This is what excellent racing looks like and I guarantee that you will love every second of it.

Floppy Disks  |  Hard Drive

Bellum Internecinum

Bellum Internecinum was released in 1989 by M Goss-Custard and is a Galaga-wannabe. Shoot first and ask questions later because these ET's are incredibly trigger happy and take no prisoners. Aliens attack in predictable formations - just itching to be killed - but beware because these move rapidly as the levels progress. They also swoop down to clutter the screen for some frantic action. There is the freedom to move in all directions - which is superb. However, your ship can only take so much damage before parts begin to fall off so watch out.

Bellum Internecinum is a rock-solid shoot 'em up and I've loved every second of it. A fantastic game!!

Chubby Gristle

Oi Fatso!!

This is a story of a fat, obnoxious parking attendant who loves to eat food - a pillar of the community! Chubby Gristle is always hungry and will roam each room looking for grub to nosh on for Grandslam Entertainment's 1988 platformer. This is a platformer and initially feels like many games I played on my ZX Spectrum. Never a bad thing.

Each screen is designed in a similar fashion to Monty Mole however, Chubby Gristle is incredibly tough and perhaps too difficult for the average gamer? As with all platformers, each screen has ledges, moving platforms, ropes, and the expected angry sprites zipping back n' forth which are often awkward to avoid (without losing a precious life).

Visually, it's perfectly 8-bit with 16-bit enhancements. And I mean that in a good way because it happily blasted me back into the 1980s. The sprites move smoothly and are animated using a style I adore - Peter Harrap would be proud. However, I am disappointed with the audio which plays the same tune over (and over). It's great, but we really needed a varied selection and I oddly, found no way to replace that with the sound effects?

Chubby Gristle could have been a hit but the basic mechanics fail due to a difficulty that is off the scale. There's so much going on and it's all too easy for the fat man to bump into something or fall flat on his face. I feel many extra lives are needed to balance things out. There are some great screens but you won't get to see them without cheating...

This is a game that loves to see you suffer. Whoever playtested this should be shot!!

* Klaz' Hideaway who has the floppy and a hard drive installable game (with lives cheat).
* I've recorded a video of my dispare, dare you view it?

* Cheating is never good but Chubby needs extra lives like no other game on the planet. To enable infinite lives, type "buuurrp" on the title screen. You will hear a burp that confirms success. (untested by me) 

Microprose Golf

Another good walk spoiled?

Microprose Golf is a bit of a show-off if truth be told. It's like the rich and successful younger brother of that poor old Leaderboard who has been left behind - green with envy! Now, I'm hardly a golfing connoisseur, but the developers have done a blinding job and created an involving game with a vast array of mind-boggling features that take it into the realm of a serious sim. But, don't panic, that doesn't make it boring!! Oh no, not at all so read on.

Golf fans will shriek with happiness as several game types are on offer - each affected by an array of realistic variables that can alter every aspect. Yes, just like the variables that real golfers have to think about: the type of ground, your stance, weather conditions, and so on. I'm sure experienced golfers will be drooling over the intricate settings long before they even consider teeing off? Heck, even as a novice, I was mightily impressed and blown away in equal measure.

One of the things I loved was seeing each hole before playing it. Just like in this screenshot...

Take a look at the course to get a brilliant perspective of what lies ahead.

Whack that ball!!

All control is made using the mouse, of course. The game's GUI is very well designed and intuitive which drastically reduces any learning curve so setting up a shot isn't a chore when perfecting control and direction.

In fact, any similarity abruptly ends once you've struck the ball because Microprose has taken 16-bit golfing to a whole new level by introducing their camera-angled viewpoints. They followed the ball along its airborne path and I sat in utter amazement as I watched my first shot in action. It's a gob-smacking moment!! There is also a selection of other cool camera angles and, interestingly, all benefit smoother framerates on faster computers - like my 16MHz Mega STe.

Don't run away jealous with envy! Stop and read some more. Here is a screenshot to make you happy...

Take the shot and let's see how good you really are. Whoosh... SPLOSH!!! :D

Aesthetics

Graphically, this is one game that easily stands head and shoulders above anything else I have seen on any 16-bit computer. The artwork is great throughout and is also very nicely detailed with bold colours and designs we've come to admire from Microprose. However, it's the 3D aspect that absolutely blows the competition away. Jaw-dropping.

Sounds are also excellent but I do feel a little more ambient effects would have been nice during the times you're setting up a shot? It would have been nice to hear a chirp from the birds, a little breeze, or background crowd chatter?

There's always something isn't there? Never mind, it's now time for another cool screenshot...

This is superb how I can get a feel for how my shot might go with a little practice...

The CryptO'pinion?

Microprose has done what they always did and released an Atari ST game that blows your socks off. At every level, it's beautiful and comes with a perfect blend of strategy and arcade to lose yourself in. Whether you're a casual fan or an addicted golfing expert, I am positive you will love playing what is truly a superb game.

You can grab the floppies but this game is best run from a hard drive/Ultrasatan. Wasabim has recorded a fantastic video and AtariMania has neat scans of the manual.

Terry's Big Adventure

It's-a-me, Terry!

Sounds familiar... Anyhow, Terry's Big Adventure was released in 1989 by Gary Walton for Shades. It plays with more than a pinch of Mario (I cannot help but wonder how moneybags Nintendo let them get away with it, but I'm glad they did). His adventure takes us through twelve lands and, like his Italian cousin, he is also stuck within a 2D world of silliness. So get your joystick ready because this means lots of platforms, gaps to jump, magic mushrooms, and iddy biddy critters.

Terry isn't a mean guy and he certainly doesn't like squashing any living creature so instead, has brought his own weapon of choice. Now, if you're expecting something like a shotgun or a sword then you might be disappointed because it's actually a yo-yo. Okay, this is unlikely to impress the girls but it's different... and kinda works very well too.

Power-ups are frequently available and you can exchange the yo-yo for pebble throwing by hitting the spacebar. Terry is such a badass, right? Many kills will reward a random letter in a tiny parachute, collect 'em and eventually make the word "terry" to earn a temporary shield. This comes in handy allowing you to plough through the enemy hoard.

Tip, it's worth collecting the mushrooms for juicy points with an extra life awarded every 20,000 points. There are bonus levels stocked to the brim with even more mushrooms - just don't get yourself addicted!

Fancy a screenshot? No? Hmm, about an animation instead? Better check this out then...

The Atari ST cannot scroll, right? Well, that's what the talentless programmers say...

Visuals, Sounds, Controls.

Personally, I thought that the graphics are NES in style. The first thing to notice? The tiny sprites, but these suit the console experience perfectly and everything you see is colourful and detailed. Scrolling is silky smooth and it's obvious Gary took pride in his work and achieved beautiful results - using a computer without any hardware scrolling.

The audio is a little disappointing with the option of chip music or sound effects. The tunes are cute and my preferred choice in comparison to the dullness of the sparse sound effects. Don't get me wrong, the effects are okay but few and far between - so much of your gameplay will be in silence. Stick with the music!

Any Mario game needs responsive controls and Terry has it for a precise feel that is great. It's perfectly "console" which I know sounds odd but it's true! This also works hand in hand with the laws of physics which means how and when to use the Yo-Yo. This beastly weapon has a knockback that affects Terry - so watch out for that when near water. Splosh!!

Terry's world is filled with colour and little cute things. But even little cute things can hurt!

The CryptO'pinion?

Terry's Big Adventure is a great platformer and one that will appeal to those who enjoy Giana Sisters or the Stario games. It might very well be a total ripoff but Terry has enough personality of his own to make this feel interesting and entertaining. The only kicker (for me) is never knowing about this wonderful platformer back in the day.

Yup, I thoroughly enjoyed playing yo-yos with my new spiky-haired friend. What a fantastic platformer!!

Download for floppy or hard disk.

"Metroid"

Talent + Atari STe = another new game

Samuel (aka Zamuel_a of Pac-Mania and Giana Sisters fame) is working on a third game for the Atari STe and this time it's based on "Metroid". Bear in mind, this is a work-in-progress but we can walk, jump, fire, and explore the levels using a 16-colour-limit-busting display! The Blitter will handle the sprites with hardware scrolling being utilised too for a silky-smooth display. Heck, even the analogue ports will be used (now, where's my Jag Pad?)

As you can see, it looks fantastic but Samuel is also asking for help: with music, sound effects, sprites, and level design. If you can help, please contact him directly via the Atari-Forum website. I wish him luck.

It looks like Samuel has another winner on his hands and I for one cannot wait to see how this develops over time. It's looking great so far!! Check out a couple more screenshots below and... watch this space...

Circus back²STage

Circus back²STage demo for the Atari STe, by BlaBLa, Cocoon & Sector One.

With such an unusual style, Circus back²STage is a fascinating Atari STe demo. It features a bucket load of crazy, colourful effects in overscan with the most wonderful chip music. Some people hate clowns but get over it - this is literally one of the best demos I have ever seen. Okay, it's hard drive installable and downloads are available via Demozoo.

Test Drive

I fancy a road trip!

Accolade's Test Drive was released in 1987 and is one of the games I got free with my first Atari ST computer. So I have fond memories of playing this game during my early 16-bit days. It begins with an intro animation of a dude sitting in his Porsche before winding down the window to display a cheesy grin and then speeding into the sunset. So cool.

There are five sports cars to choose from and each is viewed on the main menu with lots of technical details (that I've never read). Their artwork is gorgeous and I personally think the Corvette is the best of the bunch for a road trip.

It's time for some screenshots so let's check out the choice of smooth riders on offer...

I've never really been much of a Porsche fan... More of a girl's sports car, right?

Okay, it's not a Ferrari 308 but that doesn't stop me from thinking I'm Magnum P.I.

I can't say I'm a fan of this and the handling never really excites, more terrifying!

(Insert James Bond theme now). Okay, it might not be that fast but we love British muscle!!

I'm more of a muscle car fan myself but the Chevrolet Corvette is a beauty in every respect.

An oldie classic?

Test Drive is a race against the clock with points awarded for faster times along a seemingly endless mountainside highway. Driven from an in-car perspective, behind the wheel, you will notice that each car has a realistically represented dashboard. I love that and it includes the manual gearbox controls, that briefly display with each shift.

At first, I found the controls a little wooden, but I soon got the hang of them after a couple of races. A red dot on the steering wheel helps pinpoint a more precise indication of your turning and direction. It's really helpful albeit crude. However, I must admit, it does make up for the lack of analogue controls nicely. Considering that, it feels pretty natural.

Like cars? Like rocks? Then you are gonna love this next screenshot...

Ahh, the open road of a road trip. Wait, another car? Argh, it's suddenly gridlock!! ;^)

You're not alone!

Beware, you aren't actually on a race track, it's a highway. So annoying civilians are driving on these once-safe roads who seem to love head-on collisions!! There are also cops so it's a good job that your car is fitted with a radar to help signal when they are nearby. Then, you have a choice of being good or watching them disappear in your rearview mirror!

Personally, I treat these moments as a green light opportunity to push the pedal to the metal, but that's just me! Don't forget to refuel at the gas station checkpoint before continuing with your Bullrun Rally. Petrol doesn't last forever!

Honestly, I'm a good driver. Especially after a few beers as shown in this next screenshot...

Sometimes your road trip can go terribly wrong!

Old school aesthetics

Test Drive has some nice characteristics - that are hilarious - like the grey fella driving his truck. How about the handless steering wheel or the slo-mo effect as your windscreen breaks up after a crash - it's almost worth slamming into an oncoming vehicle just to see it! Yep, I think that the graphics are nice considering the age of this famous racer. I like the dashboards the most with the Corvette being my favourite. However, all cars feature equally superb graphics.

Musically, this is nice with lots of jingles and cute tunes during the menus and screens when filling up with fuel. The sound effects of the car aren't the best; it's all buzzy compared to other oldies like Turbo Cup. Bit of a shame.

I love how the game looks, even if the cars sound like a bee trapped inside a drum. Screenshot time...

It's time to fill up before hitting that open road.

The CryptO'pinion?

Test Drive offers an enjoyable drive without the rush of a speedster like Vroom or Crazy Cars III. It's more like a charming Sunday drive without that thrill of speed. But don't let that put you off, this is a great driving game and one I have a soft spot for. This cliffside road tripper is the beginning of the historical 90s series. To think that it began on the Atari ST.

A grand racer with loads of great cars for the rocky American roads. Far from perfect but I love it to bits!!

8BitChip has a hard drive installable version which I recommend!

Old Games Finder has floppy disk images.

Update: There is an excellent new video by Wasabim.

There are many Test Drive games and I love No.5 on the PlayStation.

Giana Sisters

Turn your ST into a Nintendo!

The Great Giana Sisters was released in 1987 by Rainbow Arts and is a platformer with (umm) more than a hint of Italian plumbing. Anyhow, the commercial ST game played well but suffered flip-screen scrolling that soon became tiresome on the old eyes. Ultimately, it was a lame port and spoiled what should have been an excellent release.

Don't give me the old excuse that the ST cannot scroll. It can scroll: Viking Child, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Enchanted Land, Stario, Alien World, Zone Warrior, Onslaught and many, more!! Yes, it bugs me when I see people's daft comments claiming that the ST cannot scroll. Blame the programmer - not the computer! /rant

It looks like I wasn't the only person to hate our poor conversion because Samuel (aka Zamuel_a of Pac-Mania fame) decided to convert it to the Atari STe. He makes use of the hardware scrolling so the entire screen scrolls rather than flipping - and it's smooth, 50fps smooth. To say that this update is jaw-dropping is an understatement and it most certainly beats the pathetic commercial game. Now, just imagine if the industry would have supported the Atari STe properly...

Anyhow, the game itself is the same but it now scrolls and that fact totally transforms the experience. Samuel has put the Atari STe to great use which proves the power of this wonderful computer. Finally, we can play Giana Sisters as it was meant to be enjoyed! Waste no more time and download this wonderful new version (improved by Peter Putnik)

Watch the video and check out these screenshots before deciding whether or not you should download...

It looks basic but it also looks console-cool too. I like it, very NES... to me.

Happily walking along and then something falls on your head! Let's collect the gems.

I really hate that horrendous big bug so let's jump over the sucker and run!