Quartz

Be Trigger-happy!

I've spent much time trolling through loads of disks using the nifty Floppy Image Runner and eventually came across this beauty. Quartz was released in 1988 by Firebird and is a tripped-out 8-way shooter that has us playing inside a cloud of sub-atomic particles. Each stage is a variety of short mini-stages similar to Asteroids but there are also incredible horizontal and vertical shooters along with some impressive 3D effects.

Our job is to shoot the colourful hadrons, transforming them into quarks - which we blast into tiny neutrinos. Collecting these eventually offers a selection of power-ups ranging from ship repairs to awesome weapons. The end-of-level boss is perfect for the physicists lurking within and needs to be shot several times until it spins into oblivion. Lives are limited but you're offered the chance to continue on - if you're willing to give up a weapon - which is a strange idea but one that forces you to play better rather than whining for extra lives!

I'm gobsmacked with how brilliant this is with its frantic action, rich graphics and chirpy audio not to mention its beautiful parallax scrolling. My 8-year-old daughter gave this a playtest and she found the controls daunting but soon got the hang of it and said it was crazy but lots of fun. And I think that sums up Quartz nicely!!

Fancy taking this groovy spaceship for a spin?

Then grab the floppy or hard disk game right now!

DBA Magazine #06

A new era

Synergy's famous DBA Magazine intro helped to create one of those moments in time when everything changed. I've watched it hundreds(!) of times over the years, and it never gets dull. It's magnificent with lovely visuals and groundbreaking SIDtastic audio by Joris Maarten de Man. One of my favourite intros ever made.

This jaw-dropping experience can be downloaded from Demozoo, but come on, use a real Atari ST!

Credits

BAT - Code, Other (FX Design)

Rapido - Code

Scavenger - Music, Other (FX Design)

Zanac - Graphics

Switchblade

Ricky D. has a new bandana

Switchblade was released in 1989 by Gremlin Graphics and programmed by Simon Phipps. Yes, he of the Atari ST classic Rick Dangerous. Okay, we are a little dude called Hiro, who wears a bandana and can kick hard. He must explore the UnderCity to locate sixteen broken fragments of the Fireblade to reap revenge on today's evil entity - Havoc! This beast has been on a savage rampage after being dormant for 10,000 years.

So it's time for us to save the day... again! What a shocker :)

I'm usually worried when a big name makes something that is along similar lines to what they're famous for. After all, it's another platformer, so will we get another carbon copy of Rick Dangerous, or will it be different?

Hmm, I worry too much, right? Well, let's begin with a couple of cool screenshots...

Wow, that is in-your-face aggression, alright!

Hmm, looks easy. Just gotta drop down a couple of levels. Hang on, what's that?

Get ready for a great adventure

We begin on the planet's surface before taking the leap (fall) into the orientally-inspired UnderCity. This labyrinth is composed of numerous individual rooms, and exploring each one is fascinating. Tread with caution because you never know what baddies might materialise from out of thin air. Your route is completely "free-roaming", which is excellent (rather than moving from room to room in a specific order i.e. Manic Miner).

Look out for dodgy blocks that crack with a single kick: these can unveil health and weapon power-ups or may even lead you on into hidden rooms with more goodies. Boss characters appear regularly; the first is easy to kill, whereas later ones can be tough and beaten only with patience and lots of well-timed jumping.

The controls are superb with the usual movements like running, jumping, and climbing ladders, but there are also three kinds of attack. Tapping firing allows you to punch like a weak Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you should notice a white combat meter along the bottom/right. This helps with two kicks: holding the fire button for a mere second (so the meter isn't at full strength) will perform a high kick Jean Claude Van Damme would be proud of. Holding it down indefinitely performs a powerful Chuck Norris sweeping kick.

Master these moves before you begin exploring. Okay, let's view more screenshots...

Wake up, there's something creeping up on you, mister!



Tighten that bandana, Rambo. Now, go and kick his monster ass!

NESthetics!

I doubt Hiro will blow your socks off with its clean and well-designed 8-bit Nintendo style. Underneath these unassuming graphics is a rather functional design with mysterious rooms. The characters are excellent with nice details that I adored. Also, the game self-maps in a similar fashion to Ranarama or even Rogue.

Switchblade has killer audio from none other than Ben Daglish. Or you could decide to hear sampled sound effects? I love both and couldn't decide which I preferred in the end (a good predicament to be in?)

In most respects, Switchblade looks and sounds different, yet superb. Love it. Screenshot time...

Yes, there's a Ricky D. vibe plus a dollop of Saboteur and NES thrown in for good measure.

The level guardians are either daft or just plain awkward to hit - I wish they would keep still!!

CryptO'pinion?

Switchblade is amazing. In fact, I could end this gripping review right there, because it is just that.

Okay, this game has got a superb blend of adventure and action. Plus, the lack of a linear structure is perfect for an explorer like me who is eager to see what's around the next corner. Thus, it keeps you enthralled throughout. The controls are incredible, and I've thoroughly enjoyed every second playing this platformer.

This is one of the few games I've completed, and I will come back to it again (and again). As with Rick Dangerous, this is one of the best platformers available for the Atari ST. Don't miss it!!

Grab the floppy or hard disk installable games.

Tip: You might find these maps useful.