There are many different boot sector programs to add cool FX to a floppy. This helps prevent virus infections, but we all love the dazzling effects! Some are technically amazing! Bootblock by The Fingerbobs is one of my favourite programs that writes a number of boot sectors, and the one above is Bladerunners!!
Credits: Bootblock was coded by Oberje of Fingerbobs with music by Jochen Hippel.
I love finding awesome programs like this, and it's one of the reasons the ST never fails to impress. I'd bet there are more lurking out there in ST Land. Let me know in the comments what programs you find :-)
I said I wouldn't do it... but... here we are!! Yes, the most annoying game has arrived on the Atari ST and I've played it. Well, tried to as I managed about 30 minutes before I felt like throwing the joystick out my bedroom window. The animation, above, is just a slice of the hell I went through. I hope y'all have a giggle at my pain - it wasn't fun whatsoever lol
Well, I will say one thing about this maddening game, it looks great as it torments you. The graphics are bright and colourful plus it's running in 1VBL which means the scrolling is ultra-smooth. However, I just don't get it so I'm left wondering why the entire world appears to be in love with this flappy little flyer? What are they seeing that I'm not? Or is it me? :o
I never reached a point where I started to appreciate or enjoy this game. I simply hate Flappy Bird so much!!!!
Those who feel brave (or IMHO foolish) can grab the download from the AtariMania website.
The Seven Gates of Jambala was released in 1989 by Grandslam thanks to talented Thalion sceners. I bought this a few years ago and paid handsomely. Not only because it's by Thalion, but it was sealed in pristine condition: opening it was immense when I got close and breathed in that trapped 1980s air. Mmm!!
The game tells the tale of a lone adventurer who enters the forbidden land of Jambala, a realm sealed by seven magical gates that imprison an ancient power. To restore balance, you must pass through each gate, uncovering fragments of lost knowledge and confronting the evil force hidden at the heart of the land.
This platformer boasts some big names from the ST demo scene. These talented guys knew how to get the most from the ST and prove what this computer is capable of. Unfortunately, like Enchanted Land, it looks and sounds better than it plays. While the basic mechanics are solid, something feels 'off'. The shooting feels awkward, and the momentum and slippery floors are strange, especially on tight platforms.
Frankly, I’m quite disappointed with my purchase and haven’t booted up the game since. I fear it was a hasty reaction born of my disappointment (and I'm being polite there!!). Anyhow, please let me know in the comments if I’m being too harsh about this platformer. Perhaps I’ll revisit it for a proper playtest sometime.
Downloads are available by Klaz (floppy and hard drive w/ trainer). You will need that trainer!!
- SCREENSHOTS -
We begin in a village, but beware the threat of drowning in tiny purple puddles!
Where could these doors possibly take us? Let's knock and find out...
Woo!! It's really creepy down here, and there are monsters, too. Watch out!
The tunnels reminded me of No Buddies Land! You can find THAT on this website too :o)
Mud Pies is one of the oldest Atari ST games we have and stars a kid called Arnold. He loved the circus - until it came to his town, so he threw a pie at one of the clowns. Unfortunately, these clowns aren't known for having a sense of humour and chased after him! There's only one thing left to do - throw more pies!!
Each screen represents a tent in the circus with an invading army of clowns - they're like jelly monsters dressed up as Ronald McDonald! They wander, waving their arms and chucking juggling pins. This invasion lasts forever, but the pies won't! Look for an open door to another tent full of mud pies - and more clowns.
Throwing a mud pie at a clown will see them flying off the screen (even more will score extra points). However, try not to get trapped in a corner; otherwise, you might receive a juggling pin knockout blow!
I can imagine this is starting to sound insane. Well, check out the 1985 graphics and try not to laugh...
Just imagine the look on today's kids if you show 'em this 1985 game. Will they "get it"?
Simple, yet brilliant!
Challenge rooms are different from the standard tents because they have no mud pies, but instead, lots of clowns to avoid whilst grabbing the prizes, for 1000 points. Every 20,000 points, a secret door will appear for the chance to enter into a Mudslinging Round where you have 30secs to throw pies at wandering clowns!!
Don't clown about too much! Getting hit isn't good for your health, and dying shows your body being carried away on a stretcher to the first aid tent. That can happen only three times before it's game over. Talented pie chuckers will be delighted that lives are awarded every 10,000 points. A nice bonus.
Keep an eye on the health meter displayed top/left - this is split into three segments, with the middle one enabling you to run fast. However, this speed is reduced if you become too hungry or overly bloated on burgers and fries. The trick is to keep your health in a happy medium throughout for maximum agility.
Come on, let's pause this reading and take a look at another quality screenshot...
Always frantic, always fun, and always so addictive. This game is eternal!!
Aesthetics
Graphically, this isn't stressing the Atari ST in the slightest. But remember that it was developed and released in 1985, before programmers knew how to push our computer. Having said that, it's got a certain Charley Chuck charm to it and, as a gamer since the early 1980s, I love its retro feel. No, I absolutely love it :)
Spot-sound effects are fine, but it is best to leave the music on. Again, this isn't anything near the quality we are used to hearing, but it's still surprisingly enjoyable. No complaints, it's an old game, remember!
Come on, no game's looks and sounds ever matter. Mudpies certainly proves this...
Oh, just take a look at the high-score table!! Can ya' beat me??? ;-)
The CryptO'pinion?
It's impressive that MichTron (Philip McKenzie and Jeffrey Sorenson) knocked this out for a computer that was practically unknown back in 1985. I can't imagine how exciting that was - and daunting too. When Mudpies came along, it must have been a breath of fresh air to all those rich people who could afford an ST!
Think what you will, but Mudpies is a terribly entertaining take on Food Fight with silly gameplay that transports us back to our youth. Abusing clowns is never dull. I can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon than slinging mud pies at them. This is so much FUN, and that's what matters. Please, play this game.
Grab a piece of this old skool action for either floppy or hard drive. Enjoy!!
