Seconds Out

Wanna be a Tyson Fury?

Do you remember a game called Frank Bruno's Boxing on the ZX Spectrum? Well, it looks like the folk over at Tynesoft did when they released Seconds Out in 1988. As in the Speccy game, we're in a boxing ring fighting ugly dudes and the action is viewed ringside from behind our noble challenger. Yup, it's original alright!

We are Marco, a challenger who must compete against five increasingly difficult champions from around the world. His first bout breaks us in gently against Joe Weed who lives up to his name and is pretty easy to knock out. The second is much harder, closely shadowing you and can easily block your punches. The third is rather odd and that's saying something for this peculiar boxing game: it's a lame fella who wears glasses and can headbutt. (I believe there are two more champions: an American and a Russian. Just don't ask me if I can reach that far!!)

First up is Joe Weed, an easy opponent! But Jonesy is harder, although he seems shocked to lose!

Punching people with a joystick?

Controls are initially odd but the one-button ST does well after a few practices. Moving left/right is easy, but slow, and we can guard ourselves using up/down with a little sway thrown in for good measure - if absolutely pointless. With the fire button pressed, we can punch with either arm as we float around that ring looking to sting. Well...

Energy levels are displayed along the top of the screen: decreasing with each hit taken and increasing when dealing out damage/resting. Also, a throbbing boxer's "KO" glove will indicate when your opponent is weak enough for a knock-out. That is the time to hit up/fire to perform the special ability, a swift right hook!!

Each round lasts for 1:30 seconds but oddly feels longer against the tougher guys who cannot easily be knocked out. Between rounds, we are slumped in the corner with our coach who helps to recover lost energy - something I didn't realise until after I made my recording. That'll teach me not to read the manual... Doh!!

Don't be a fool like me!! Waggle that joystick and put that old man to some good use ;o)

Graphics & Sounds

Graphically, this ain't anywhere near what the ST is capable of but it does feature lots of comical aspects - like Mike "Hammerhead" Hagman!! Also, the see-through wireframe idea works well but is spoiled by us having a pixelated head. Animations are okay and the crowd make very few movements so look rather bored.

Audio has been forgotten with no music and the near-static crowd is completely silent for such an event.

That...

Silence...

Is...

Freaky!

Watch out for this dirty Jeff Minter fighter. Even when I'm knocked out, he still tries to headbutt me!!

The CryptO'pinion?

This game has massive drawbacks, like speed. There isn't any. These athletes are the slowest I've ever seen! But never will you feel like you're participating in a big event with a motionless and silent crowd. Also, the gameplay itself is very short and obviously linear in structure, so I'm sure better players could complete it in under an hour... Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee? Hardly, it's like walking barefoot in slutch, with a broken leg!!

That being said, Seconds Out is still quite enjoyable and everyone needs to witness that Glaswegian and his idiotic headbutts! Overall, an average sports game, that needed to be much quicker, flashier and a lot noisier.

Those who fancy sparring with Marco can find the Super Pack floppies on AtariMania.

Road Wars

There's always one

For the most part, my Super Pack run has been a glowing success featuring lots of brilliant Atari ST games. Okay, there's been a couple of bumps along the way, but that's only to be expected and even Atari wasn't able to please everybody all of the time. Although I seriously doubt I'll ever load up Chopper X or Marble Madness again.

Well, up next is Road Wars by Melbourne House which looks a bit like Eliminator. Apparently, a computer controls the safety mechanisms of the highways but it isn't working properly so the roads are no longer safe. Perhaps it was running Windows, who knows? So hop into your Battlesphere droid and rid the roads of menaces!

   
Weirdly, I like that the title screen gets straight to the point with the instructions!

Fast & Furious!

Road Wars is a 3D racer but, instead of a car, we're a mounted gun sliding down a yellow highway. We're also inside something called a Battlesphere which looks like a giant bowling ball and acts as a shield. Two players are supported and solo gamers will be happy to see the computer automatically assume the role of an absent friend.

The highway is walled on both sides with several types of enemies and other problems. Some wall panels are blue and fire electricity across the highway. Shooting either panel will disable that or you could just roll through hiding inside the safety of the Battlesphere. When both panels are gone, you're free to zip onto the next level.

Controls are simple to move left/right and pushing UP activates the Battlesphere's shield to hide inside. Pulling DOWN removes this so you're free to kill stuff using the fire button. The controls work okay but there is a noticeable lag when things get busy. I also found it way too easy to kill my friendly opponent. Clumsy me... Oops!

We're not alone! Beware and look out for the dangers on these futuristic yellow roads...

Red balls. Yup, red balls. These can kill you with one touch unless you're shielded - but even then, it'll completely destroy your sheid leaving you vulnerable. These can also appear in clusters which obviously gives you much more to shoot at. Also, beware of those that turn into missiles!!
Chevrons are an unusal surprise and it worth rolling over one...
Spikes are a pain in the rearend so cloak up quickly and hide inside your protective sheld!
Satellites frequently flyby and some can fire a deadly laser beam.
Barriers are quite fun and something to enjoy ramming through. Well, if cloaked!

   
We begin on Electric Avenue hunting down the evil villain, Eddy Grant. No, not really!! :p

Aesthetics

The graphics are drab. When I say drab, I really do mean drab. The only thing I actually like is the loading screen which features the two developers - because I felt had a demoscene vibe to it. Oh, I also like the rolling moon animation which isn't too shabby. Well... However, what disappoints me the most is its ludicrously sluggish framerate.

The audio is freaking annoying with the one tune that plays constantly. Aggravating!!

   
Taking screenshots is usually a mad rush during the fun of frantic gameplay. Not during Road Wars! Yawn...

The CryptO'pinion?

Road Wars had the potential to be so much more, but its limited design lets it down because there ain't an awful lot to this shooter. I did wonder if we had another Quadralien on our hands but, no matter how long I played, I was bored by the repetitive gameplay, laggy controls, terrible framerate, and the constant music only made matters worse!

Overall, this has to be one of the most disappointing games I've played and I'm struggling to think of something nice to say. Well, for what it's worth, Road Wars comes on the same floppy disk as Chopper X. I rest my case.

Masochists will be happy to know that AtariMania has the download!!

Atari Legend

It's Hollywood time!

I am taking a quick break from my ST gaming to share something special. Well, it's only special for one reason - I shall let you guys decide what that is - Atari Legend has a FANTASTIC YouTube channel run by Maarten Martens. This channel is host to some of the most professionally produced content. Actually, it's on another level compared to other channels.

Anyhow, it shocked me to discover that many Atari ST gamers don't know about his channel. And you should! Maarten has a fantastic sense of humour which is equally matched by his video production skills. Everything always comes together for an excellent presentation. I hope you will enjoy this video as much as I enjoyed taking a small part in it.

Hang on, what did I just say?

Return To Genesis

Dream Team?

Firebird released Return To Genesis the same year I got my Atari ST and it was developed by the incredible "ST Dream Team". Yup, Steve Bak, Pete Lyons and David Whittaker: three masters in their own field. These guys aimed for quality and always pushed our computer without ever resorting to excuses or using a lame Amiga port. #respect

RTG is basically a funky take on Defender where Mechanauts have forced scientists into slavery. We've gotta rescue each of these guys which means jumping into a spaceship to skim the surface of 50 psychedelic worlds. At great speed!!

Wanna see the first bunch of screenshots? Then wait no longer because here they are...

Weeeee..... swooooosh..... ZOOOOM......... dead!

Can you see the Mechanauts? Not easy, is it? Wait, now I see a scientist waiting to be picked up!

I'm getting too old and slow

If you've ever played Defender then you should be right at home with RTG. It only has a tiny learning curve - fire and kill everything. But let's play properly? It's worth slowing down to pick up the scientists rather than killing them: once onboard, hit the HELP key to see what cool power-ups they might provide. These guys are useful and could improve weaponry, shields, invisibility, etc. However, Festus might be less than fun as the master of self-destruction!!

A scanner shows the location of each scientist but this sadly falls short of detailing the level layout. I don't know why, but this doesn't work well for me. Sigh... how many more times must I be rebounded back and forth like a yoyo. Yes, this is one incredibly FAST shoot 'em up that has you on the edge of your seat. Blink and you're dead!!

Screenshot time and here are twelve scary-looking people from the future...

This is an incredible idea that uses who you rescue in a positive way for the next level. It's superb!

Aesthetics

Pete Lyon designed everything you see but I'd be lying if I said this was his best work (I personally think Zynaps won that accolade). Don't get me wrong, RTG looks lovely but it's also pretty gorky and I sometimes found it difficult to distinguish the aliens against those funky backgrounds. The scrolling is smooth to prove, once again, that the Atari ST needed no custom chips when in the hands of talented people who care about the product they're working on.

Audio is such a treat. Dave Whittaker sure knew how to get the best heard from our computer - his work proves "chip" will last forever. Okay, it sounds <cough> familiar but it suits the gameplay perfectly. Heck, our ST talks to us which is a zillion times better than Gold Runner. Dave certainly gets the YM processor rocking like this!

It looks, moves, and sounds superb! This is definitely a dream team production so let's see a couple of screenshots...

Oh, look, a weapons upgrade. I knew it was better to rescue these guys rather than blasting 'em!

Shall we rescue him or not? Erm, I shall.... try....!!

The CryptO'pinion?

RTG is one of those games that appears to have it all. Sure, it looks, scrolls and sounds brilliant yet I'm left feeling unsure. Is it me? Is it the game itself? Well, I'm not sure but I do know that I love a good Defender-inspired shooter.

However, this game is way too difficult thanks to its blistering speeds! After a few pointless games, it's not long until I get tired of hitting lots of objects and suffering humiliating deaths. However, the scientists have great power-ups available. These are a wonderful idea that somewhat compensate for this maddening gameplay.

Return To Genesis is an iconic shoot 'em up for Atari ST gamers! It truly is and represents what the ST is capable of. Sadly, it's way too furious for me and thus another Anarchy. Sorry, but give me Xenon or Menace any day of the week. I wanted so much to love this game but I couldn't. It's brilliant but sadly, not for me. I guess this gamer is too old and slow?

Download for floppy or hard drive.

Quadralien

Oh no, I've gotta use my brain?

Quadralien is an action-enhanced puzzler released by Logotron and, once again, we find ourselves on board a spaceship that's about to go into a nasty radioactive meltdown. This time it's thanks to a pesky race of Quadraliens who must be stopped before everything goes boom. Next time, I think I'll just stay at home.

I must admit that Quadralien wasn't something I was looking forward to playing. I remember being completely bemused by this puzzler back in 1988 so I was dreading booting it up again - and then having to write something interesting!! So, cautiously, I inserted the floppy disk into my Atari ST and braced for an embarrassing moment of gaming torture. I only hoped my nightmares didn't return to haunt me... At my age, I need all the sleep I can get!!

Anyhow, let's begin this feature with a couple of nifty screenshots that will probably make no sense...

Click the red square for detailed information on each of the six droids.

There's lots of information and choices to make. Choose wisely!

Let's get to work...

Each level is viewed and played from above - Gauntlet-style you might say. We are in control of two droids that need to clean up the Quadralien's mess. Actually, there are a total of six droids but only two are usable at once. Each has its own individual characteristics to take into account: magnetic structure, the ability to carry waste, battery, weaponry...

Initially, I found that unnecessary because I felt blind - in terms of planning ahead for an unknown level. Hmm, it didn't seem to work very well... However, I later found a fantastic series of videos by sushicalmagi who nicely explained each droid along with the basics of the gameplay. It's worth watching, especially if you have no instructions manual like me!

Okay, here are two more screenshots. Apologies to all those expecting Gauntlet...

So much radioactive stuff to zap or pick up... use those "I" terminals to see the services it offers.

The screens may look confusing and cluttered but they really aren't.

Confused? You will be!

Six chambers make up a level and their objective differs: in the first room we are tasked to clean the radioactive materials to lower the temperature but the later levels involve puzzles to tax the old brain cells. Quadralien uses a passcode system to lock the harder levels which I thought was a neat idea for the long run.

Okay, my first game was quite a mind-blowing affair because there's so much clutter on-screen, which bewilders me!! My advice is to take it slow and experiment with your droid: familiarise yourself with the room, find water, play with magnetised objects, zap/collect toxic waste - and use the console. Actually, these are excellent and stuffed full of detailed stats, and full toxic decontamination, and can also recharge your battery to full power.

There is a lot to this game, which is great value for money but also a time-eater. Screenshot time...

The console is your friend who can help out in several different ways...

...like a good scrub! Or decontamination as they call it.

By Jove, I think he's got it

After a couple of games in, things began to fall into place and I was enjoying myself. Getting around is easy using the joystick and it's a lot of fun zapping the nasty stuff with your laser. Also, the spacebar is used to collect toxic waste and hitting F4 activates a nifty Geiger counter on all lucky droids. F5 flips between your two chosen droids and F3 allows you to pan your location without moving, which is more useful than you might first assume...

Also, there are some rather odd magnetic mechanics which can be useful, annoying or humorous and that depends on your choice of droid so learn your environment before blindly running around. However, there are other objects to be wary of like magnetic tracks, forcefields and those impetuous Quadraliens!

Okay, you're starting to show interest? Rightly so, this game is something else...

It's good to know your environment and Quadralien is bursting with much to learn.

This ain't no 5-minute game. Study hard. Play clever!

Aesthetics

Graphically, for a puzzler, this is amazing and I liked its crisp, clean design using bold colours. It's quite futuristic in some ways and reminded me how I thought a 16-bit game would look - back when I was a ZX Spectrum guy. Okay, I'd have liked scrolling but the flick-screen works nicely and I'm thankful push-scrolling wasn't used!

The sound effects are great but it's that funky Dave Whittaker music that wins it hands down. Listen...

Yes, please do pause this most excellent reading. Listen, enjoy and then continue to scroll :-)

The CryptO'pinion?

We are now at that point where I write why I loved or hated a game. However, I'm doing something different because of Quadralien's enormous learning curve which I initially failed to master many moons ago. Sometimes we're quick to judge and I feel I fell into that trap because of Quadralien's massive learning curve.

Anyhow, I recently took a week off work with the family to eat, drink and walk the fells of northern England. I returned fresh, raring to go, and booted up my ST to give this puzzler another shot and, you know what? I actually enjoyed it for the first time in over 30 years. In fact, my older brain seemed to cope a lot better too!

Quadralien may offer the usual end-of-world scenario but it also feels very different and with some interesting mechanics. Sure, there's a huge learning curve, but I suggest trying your best to master that otherwise you'll do what I almost did and miss out on nothing less than a class Atari ST game. Dismiss this cracking puzzler at your peril.

AtariMania has the floppy download and 8BitChip obviously has the hard disk version.

Marble Madness

It's all balls!

Of all the games in this wonderful Super Pack collection, it is (ironically) Atari's own Marble Madness which I was looking forward to the least. I've never played the arcade original but I did have a number of clones back in my Sinclair ZX Spectrum days - and I hated every one of them!! So, we're off to a good start lol.

This ST conversion was programmed by Will Harvey, which shocked me. After all, this is the guy who gave us the excellent Zany Golf and The Immortal so my expectations were always going to be high.

To be honest, I find the whole Marble Madness concept pointless and frustrating. I've simply no patience to spend any amount of time on something that was obviously designed to torture people like me. However, I must keep an open mind and attack this game just as I would any other... Maybe I've been wrong all these years?

Yeah, not exactly off to a great start so let's take a break for a couple of screenshots...

The first level looks good but is a cheap imitation with missing decals

Level two introduces us to the enemy - a black ball that loves to play chase... Weird!

So what's it about?

The aim of Marble Madness is to navigate a ball through six isometric mazes that feature lots of tricks like moving platforms, vents and even "monsters" that zap you for valuable time loss. Yes, there's a timer so, the quicker you complete each screen, the more time you accumulate for the next. This idea is pretty cool and forces you to master each level the best you can. Or you could play coop head-to-head which I thought worked well.

The controls are awkward, so you will probably miss that trackerball? Sure, I've no trackball myself but I found the ST's mouse to be nothing less than useless as I wildly zipped about in every direction except the one I wanted. The joystick proved to be the better choice for diagonal movements and holding down fire delivers a burst of speed. This is good for climbing slopes or avoiding baddies - just try not to fall over the edge!

Sadly, the controls aren't without their quirks and sometimes it felt like my blue ball had a mind of its own: many times, I'd move one way only to see it go another! Plus there are bugs, lots of bugs: level two features an invisible wall that your ball can ignore and drop down into oblivion. Level three crashed on me twice!

Not going good, is it? Well, let's take another break for some more screenshots...

Okay, I've dodged two wibbly things... but... Oh no, there's another black ball about to chase!!

Those green blobs are slow and easy to beat. Hang on, what's that vent used for...?

Aesthetics

Graphically, I expected better from the ST. Just look at its title screen if you don't believe me - what were they thinking? The game resembles the arcade levels but feels rushed with many missing decals, bland colours, and weak shadows. It's rubbish compared to other isometric games I've enjoyed on my Atari ST.

The audio is quite poor. The sound effects barely resemble the original, and the music is irritating at best.

Yikes, I really am not enjoying this part of the Super Pack!! Screenshot time...

Level four has some of the most infuriating moments...

...the kind that has you screaming at the poor ST!!!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Okay, I know I have never liked Marble Madness - but - I have kept an open mind. Honestly, I've tried my best but time has not healed my wounds and it failed to deliver the slightest hint of enjoyment. Also, the ST appears to have received an incredibly lame conversion that feels rushed and riddled with silly bugs.

Hmm, a curious tidbit - was this the STs first-ever lame port?

Marble Madness is the weakest game in the Super Pack; it's worse than Chopper X so I think I'll be fine without booting it up again. It feels rushed and without the dedication the ST requires. I hated it with a passion!!

Those wishing to endure torture can download the floppies or a hard disk version.

Eddie Edward's Super Ski

Thick glasses and a funny face!

So far, my Super Pack adventure has been very strong with some huge titles: Arkanoid II Revenge of Doh, Beyond the Ice Palace, Black Lamp and Buggy Boy. All are searchable right here and all are sweet Atari ST classics. However, there's always an exception and that was Chopper X. But we'll say no more about that! Surely, things are gonna get better?

Well, the sixth game in the Atari Super Pack is Eddie Edward's Super Ski which is basically an "Eddie The Eagle-endorsed" version of Microids' Super Ski. Now, everyone (here in sunny England) admired our lovable sporting icon who was our plucky hero that certainly won over the entire nation's heart. Heck, he even got his name on an Atari ST game which is a gold medal moment in itself. Come on, far more impressive than the Calgary Winter Olympics. Oh yeah!

Hey, before we continue I think we should view a couple of wintery screenshots...

Okay, there's no music but the interface is clear and well-designed.

I like the ability to instantly jump into the action and play any of the games!

Oddly, I had a bit of trouble running this game on my own STe so I switched over to Hatari and configured that to emulate a basic STf (TOS 1.02). Also, (thanks to AtariMania) I had a good laugh reading the box cover which says: Fly like "the Eagle" on the Ski Jump!!

But is it any fun to play?

Super Ski is a 3D skiing simulator where we compete in slaloms, downhill racing and a ski jump. Each event is experienced from a third-person perspective to show Eddie in the thick of the action - which basically means we try our best to help keep him on course using our lightning-fast reactions. Which is harder than it sounds...

The races are fast. And I do mean fast! Chose three tracks that increase in their number of twists and turns for a chaotic experience. Controls are superb - move from side to side to steer through as you zoom down the snowy hills (press the fire button to move quicker). To increase your speed, push up, for an insane boost!

Competition mode supports multiple players using the Booking Office (which is a bit weird) to choose how many and their names. Now you can find out who can jump the best and ski the fastest without incurring too many penalties. You might even become a human snowball... Tell me that ain't the funniest thing you ever expected to see!

Okay, it's time to view some more screenshots so brace yourself for action...

If you can handle it, ride low for faster speeds.

I did and even finished without turning myself into a snowball!!

Oh, how I need the practice...

There is a training mode used to practice each of the four events before taking part in the competition. Using this is something I cannot recommend highly enough, because you will certainly need lots of practice:

The slalom games are fast so require quick reactions to safely navigate each of the progressively difficult tracks. The harder you go, the more winding the path and all whilst trying to hit through the gates. Wow, these races are insane - dare you hit UP to go even faster??

Ski Jump is simple and simply awesome. Sure, it's over within the blink of an eye compared to racing, but it's exciting to see Eddie fly like the eagle he was (ahem). I really enjoyed trying to get the speed and angel just right - now all you've gotta do is try and stop. If you can!

Downhill Racing is very similar to the slaloms and, I suppose, sports fans will hate me for saying that? However, I found it harder because I felt snowblinded due to the lack of colour and visual objects! It's fast, it's furious, it's racing so crouch down if you can handle the exhilerating pace.

This has got to be one of the best moments in gaming? I never expected to be Eddie The Snowball!!

Aesthetics

Graphically, I'm impressed by Super Ski which nicely presents an Olympic scene. Everything flows at a frightening pace and possibly too fast for my old eyes that desired less speed and more frames. We even have foolish spectators standing in dangerous places just waiting to be splattered. Actually, it's good that they're there because I'd probably go snowblind in this white world. But I shouldn't complain because this is brilliant for 1988.

Audio is less impressive with the YM2149 trying to make swooshy/sliding noises and penalty alerts. It's fine but could have been far better? Sadly, there are no chiptunes to bop along to, either in the menus or during play.

Looks great but sounds poor? Well, at least these screenshots show the best of the game...

Looks like the fans are enjoying it?

I wonder if I can entertain them as much as the real Eddie... Yup!

The CryptO'pinion?

You know me, sports games aren't really my bag, baby. I enjoy certain motorsports and even a few beat 'em ups, but I admit to being pretty much meh about athletics. Super Ski is fun but I am concerned about its lack of variety and felt we needed "more" to set apart the events - like a bobsleigh or even curling!! Of course, they're not exactly Eddie's chosen events, but this would have added a lot more to the game which feels quite restricted.

However, I will say that this skiing game really impressed me. The controls are perfectly responsive for each frantic event and the feeling of zooming downhill is a thrill - it's almost like a snowy version of Vroom! Also, the training mode is a Godsend to help brush up on your skills before foolishly jumping into a competition. Overall, Super Ski is great, especially when playing against family or friends - and we had a laugh!! And that's good enough for me - highly recommended.

This Eddie version of Super Ski was a tough find... Thankfully, AtariMania has the correct download.

Chopper X

I love SWIV...

Chopper X is a vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up released in 1989 by Paradox that places us in the seat of an Assault Helicopter which is armed with Viper Air To Ground missiles to battle against hoards of bad guys. The blurb says this pushes the ST with its stunning graphics - What absolute twaddle. Don't believe that for a single second!

Anyhow, I should first admit that I'm not exactly the biggest fan of the whole vertical shooter genre. In fact, I can probably count on one hand the games that I have enjoyed over the decades: Flying Shark, SWIV, Wings Of Death, Xenon, Xenon II and Lethal Xcess. Most are searchable here and yes, I'm a freak with six fingers lol. (do you get that? Sigh...)

  
From the start, I knew this was going to be a corker. Yup, right up there with the best of 'em. Ahem!

Never go off looks, right?

Upon starting, the first thing that hits you is how crude it looks. Then you pick up the joystick and realise that the controls are equally as bad because they feel clunky without any swift action manoeuvring your chopper about the screen. Hmm, that just sounds wrong... Anyhow, it simply doesn't feel right to me.

Shooting down enemies should always be fun but I'm not so sure Chopper X has the most accurate collision detection system. Perhaps it's the scrolling which throws me off? But there are times when killing them (and them killing me) seemed somewhat unnaturally fake. Our main weapon doesn't feel good enough, it's like I wanted more from it... Thankfully, there are powerful Cluster Bombs that help out during those sticky situations.

  
The ship does nothing other than help mask the enemy fire!! At last (right pic) we reach the end.

Stick with it!

Each stage is quite short and static in design which is fine because many shooters follow a similar design. However, that means I could soon learn when something was about to appear and these guys are pretty dumb too: they will blindly shoot in a direction which is approximate to your location on the screen. So, if you're quite high up, then their bullets are fired diagonally upwards rather than directly towards your current location. Weird...

It's probably a lot easier to keep your chopper quite low on the screen to avoid the enemy's pathetic attack patterns from above. However, and annoyingly, death not only results in a loss of life but also forces you back to replay the entire level from the beginning rather than the place where you croaked it. Quite infuriating.

  
As you can see, the enemy cannot directly fire at your location but only in the general direction.

Aesthetics

Graphically, this is pretty poor by ST standards with bland sprites, dreary backdrops and horrendously jerky scrolling. It's perhaps one of the worst I've seen and I include those developed with Shoot'Em-Up Construction Kit!

Audio... Well, this is the game's one saving grace with an incredibly funky tune that I really enjoy. However, it doesn't last very long before looping back to the start and, because this plays constantly, it isn't long before it grates on your nerves!! Sound effects are pretty lame, especially when you die or kill something. Lame? Yes, very lame.

Midi is supported and is something I would love to experience - I'm after a Roland MT32. Can ya help??

  
The 2nd level adds a splash of brown but still looks dreadful, I'd lost the will to live by the 3rd.

The CryptO'pinion?

Well, it looks like my fantastic run of Super Pack games has finally come to an end with Chopper X. Yes, I've never been the biggest fan of vertically-scrolling shoot 'em ups but the ST has some corkers in its library - like Xenon 2 or Flying Shark. However, this game is average, to say the least. It's far too easy, dull as dishwater, and I got little enjoyment.

Oddly, this game has its fans and I've no idea why? Are you a fan? Tell me why in the comments below. For me, there are better shoot 'em ups on the ST so stay clear of this choppy chopper. Play SWIV instead I say!!

The floppies can be sourced using Old Games Finder and you can lose precious hard drive space by installing this cool version by 8BitChip. Enjoy the torment!!

Buggy Boy

Silly & Screwy Racing

After the joy of Arkanoid 2, we continue our trip through Atari's Super Pack with Beyond the Ice Palace and Black Lamp. However, both are already featured on AtariCrypt [click the links] so let's move onwards for a favourite of mine, Buggy Boy. What a wonderful arcade conversion and those with a keen memory will remember that I've already covered it?

Well, yes and no... Yes, it's featured but no, it was just a silly post showing Buggy Boy running at dizzy speeds on my 16Mhz Mega STe!! Still, it's worth viewing... Honest! The speed of this computer is exciting stuff :D

Buggy Boy is an arcade classic. Simple as that. It's fun yet doesn't take itself seriously whatsoever. So you can forget the crucial stuff like road surfaces, tyres, suspension, handling, pitstops, or even the paint job. Nope, just choose which of the five tracks you fancy and then jump into your buggy and race through checkpoints - all against the clock.

But let's not forget the belting cartoon-like visuals for a chance to view a couple of screenshots...

Who doesn't love two-wheel stunts? If Michael Knight can do it, so can I.

Abandoned logs help our cute buggy to leap high into the air!

Fun, Fun, Fun!!

Remember what I said, forget realism. Everything you experience will be completely unrealistic thanks to roads cluttered with obstacles and whacky physics. The first track is an offroad loop whereas the others are segmented by checkpoints as you progress. This racer was always meant to be fun so provides silly leaps and two-wheel driving, Knight Rider style!

Points can be earned by collecting flags in the order shown at the top of your screen. Once completed, they begin to flash - so now is a good idea to collect more before that stops. Also, slalom-style gates are scattered throughout for tons of points and some even offer time bonuses. Heck, you might even see a soccer ball... Go on, kick it... (and again, again!!)

Football, in a driving game? Yep, check out the screenshots that follow...

Hit that soccer ball like Pele and see what happens to eagle-eyed drivers.

Why not climb those sloping walls to avoid obstacles like annoying rocks.

Forget sim, this is pure arcade joy!

Some tracks have banked curves like a Scalextric track! Thankfully, these can be used like you're racing at Bristol Motor Speedway. It's superb and an unexpected surprise, that certainly adds to the overall excitement. However, not all is good, look out for rocks, bushes, or barriers that slow you down or take you for a tumble. Driving head-on into a wall will cause you to explode and water has never been good for any vehicle. Each bad event forces the loss of precious time!

The joystick controls are brilliant albeit limited by the hardware itself. Of course, an analog wheel was always going to be missed, but the weirdest aspect is pushing upwards to accelerate rather than using the button. That's because tapping this switches between your two gears... Low & High. It's odd but you'll get used to it after a race or two.

Arcade fun on your Atari ST? Whatever next? I'll tell you, some more screenshots...

There was plenty of room but I still chose to leap over that rock. Why not!

Watch out, tunnel ahead! Enter without hitting slap-bang in the wall if you can?

Aesthetics

Graphically, Buggy Boy hasn't aged badly whatsoever and definitely brought back all my old arcade memories. The sprites are nice, their colours are gorgeously vivid, and the overall appearance is cartoon-like. Okay, the framerate isn't exactly Vroom but it looks cute and performs smooth enough not to hurt my eyes, ala Cisco Heat and OutRun!!

The audio is darn cool and captures the arcade experience with its beautiful chiptunes - all produced by the talented Jason C. Brooke. Sound effects are superb - so zesty and memorable - with jazzy jingles and funny "boings" as we leap.

So, it looks and sounds great? Do you know what that means? Yep, some more screenshots to gawk at...

Bumping into some obstacles slows you down...

...whereas others cause the buggy to realistically tumble. Ahem.

The CryptO'pinion?

It's difficult to find something negative to say about this racer. But, if I were to be picky, then the framerate could be a tad smoother and I miss the extra audio touches like skids or driving through tunnels. But I really am being picky!!

Overall, this is an outstanding conversion of the arcade original. It looks, sounds, and plays absolutely great plus the ability to instantly select your preferred course is a huge bonus. It's authentic and brilliantly entertaining, so it will always keep on dragging you back for more. Buggy Boy is an Atari ST gem and I love it. So will you. Trust me, play it now.

The floppies can be sourced using Old Games Finder but, if you have the necessary hardware, I would advice you to download the cool hack by D-Bug. This not only comes with a fantastic intro but also supports faster Atari computers, like my own Mega STe. Absolutely superb!!!