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, must I use my brain?

Quadralien is an action-enhanced puzzler released by Logotron and, once again, we find ourselves on board a spaceship 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 stay at home.

I admit that Quadralien wasn't something I was looking forward to. I remember being completely bemused by this puzzler back in 1988 so I dreaded booting it up - 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 hoped my nightmares didn't return to haunt me... At my age, I need all the sleep I can get!!

Let's begin this feature with some nifty screenshots that 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 control two droids that need to clean the Quadralien's mess (there are a total of six droids but only two are usable at once). Each has its own individual characteristics: magnetic structure, the ability to carry waste, battery, and weaponry.

Initially, I found that unnecessary because I felt blind - in terms of planning ahead for an unknown level. 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 unlock the harder levels which is a neat idea for the long run.

My first game was 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 recharge your battery to full power.

There is a lot to this game!! Great value for money but also a free 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, 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 a laser. 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 assume.

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

Hey, you're starting to show an 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, it's amazing! I liked the crisp, clean design using bold colours. It's 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 perfectly (I'm thankful push-scrolling wasn't used).

The sound effects are good but the funky Dave Whittaker music wins 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 fell into that trap because of Quadralien's massive learning curve.

Anyhow, I recently took a week off work with my 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 go. And, you know what? I enjoyed it for the first time in over 30 years and my older brain coped better too. lol

Quadralien offers the usual end-of-world scenario but feels different and with fascinating mechanics. Sure, there's a learning curve, but I suggest trying your best to master that otherwise, you might do what I almost did when initially writing this review! I am glad I waited until after my obviously much-needed holiday!

Don't miss out on what is truly a classic Atari ST game. Dismiss this game at your peril.

--> AtariMania has the floppy download and 8BitChip has a great 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? I wonder if this was the STs first-ever lame port? I'd love to know!

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!!

Do you desire to experience the torture?

Then download the floppies or a hard disk version!!