United States Navy SEALs

Grab your big-boy pants for this game!

This is a game with few friends: Navy Seals is deceiving and, first impressions, are of an arcade-style platformer. However, this Ocean gem is anything but a typical run and gun 'em. It's more ruthless and requires stealth, strategy, and tactics. Extreme perseverance is the order of the day because this game requires a committed player willing to spend many hours mastering the levels. No spare time? Then don't bother!

Taking down scumbag terrorists is all part of the job when you're a member of the US Navy SEALS. The mission requires us to sneak into the lion's den, kill everyone, and plant explosives to destroy their stockpile of missiles. Each map is a layout of platforms within a maze of trigger-happy bad guys.

Use covert tactics - so play slowly and carefully to learn the enemy's location. Many practice games will be required to plan the best route from start to end, this is vital and the only way to successfully complete the mission. This is not easy so will not appeal to a casual gamer - who will run away crying!

Let's take a look at the first screenshot with gorgeous details and colour palette...

I love the layout of the first level. This is an absolutely fantastic retro gaming design!

Aesthetics

Navy Seals is a babe with gorgeous graphics that ooze a style I admire. I love the beautiful character animation as you run, leap, climb and sneak about. Each level compliments the environment and feels like something from a movie, a cheesy 80s B-movie! Heck, even the screen showing me dead is great. Yep, I said that.

Sound effects do their job well and the music is an excellent chiptune to bop along to. Liking it a lot!!

Hey, it's time for a screenshot. How about one you will see a lot? Here you go...

Don't expect to beat this game on your first attempt. Or second. Or third. It's rather hard!

The CryptO'pinion?

This is such a difficult game but I found myself enjoying the challenge. Each level requires the player to learn all aspects thoroughly, so don't expect a cakewalk. There are two drawbacks to Navy Seals: the time limit which is harsh. And I don't understand why Ocean didn't include a way to unlock each level with passwords?

Navy Seals won't appeal to the casual gamer as it requires much playtime with strategic planning to figure out an efficient route through - before the dreaded timer expires. Can you do it? I hope so because Navy Seals is a rewarding game albeit brutal. In fact, brutal might be too namby-pamby a description for this?

Gamers were tougher in the 80s and 90s. Navy Seals proves that!

Hard drive installable versions are available from both D-Bug and 8bitchip.

Floppy disk games can be found using Old Games Finder.

Cheating time:

             > Type in WOZZIE into the high score table to activate the cheat mode.

             > Begin a new game. Press W for weapons or RETURN to advance a level.

Some tips:

             > Dawdle when learning the maps - slow and steady wins the race.

             > Play draft games and make notes of the most efficient route!!

             > Practice! Practice! Practice! Practice! :-)

WANTED

I am John Wayne!

Wanted was released by Infogrames in 1988 and is a Gunsmoke rip-off with hints of Commando or Ikari Warriors. Ignoring the start, and its dreadful music, we begin as a budding John Wayne wannabe, strolling through the dusty Wild West. The town is inhabited by outlaws and we have a gun. Every guy's dream!

Unlike Ikari Warriors, the screen will automatically scroll as the action comes thick and fast. Whack on the fire button and shoot your way through Dodge City but watch for the enemy and their bullets! These are the slowest bullets on the planet but are extremely precise - I somehow always managed to walk into them. Arghh!! Thankfully, power-ups are available after shooting barrels where you'll find weapons, shields, etc.

Wanted is a good vertically scrolling shoot 'em up and fans of Gunsmoke will love it. Be warned, it's difficult (and there are better games on the Atari ST) but there is something curiously likeable about it. I enjoyed it, so download the hard disk version from 8BitChip with floppies available via Old Games Finder. 

Fwiw, I've been to places like Tombstone and Dodge so I'm all ..... Yeehaw!!!!

Cannon Fodder [Atari STe update]

Ugh, another lame Amiga port...

Cannon Fodder should have been far better for the Atari ST. Alas, it was a rushed lame-ass port. However, cry no more tears for Peter Putnik has upgraded the game to support audio playback of 25KHz digital music - yes, during gameplay. This is making use of the DMA audio hardware lurking inside the Atari STe and (because it's a coprocessor) there is no CPU usage. Thus zero impact on the game's performance whatsoever.

Storage requirements are too much for a floppy! An Ultrasatan or other hard drive device is needed to store your music - this can be anything - instructions are included on how to use convert something from your music library. It's dead easy to do using Audacity. Click on my video, above...

What an incredible upgrade! It's something else with real music blasting from your Atari STe speakers. I'm only gutted this lame-ass Cannon Fodder has an amazing upgrade. Why? Because it's a pile of rubbish with flick-screen horizontal scrolling. This gets you killed too easily and destroys your enjoyment.

I hope Peter uses this technology again - for other Atari ST games - the possibilities are endless!!!