[This video shows the wonderful Atari ST game, because I don't know how to record directly off my phone!]
An ST classic goes mobile
Let me start by saying that I never play "mobile" games as I don't see the point of using a tiny screen and virtual controls! However, I was waiting for my wife in the car - totally bored stupid (it didn't take very long). Then I remembered Eckhard Kruse's Ballerburg had been remade by a company called DonkeyCat. To say I'm blown away is an understatement because this classic mono game looks and feels very authentic.
The gameplay is just the same, with wind, angle, and speed to decipher. Choose your kingdom and blast cannons over the mountains. I admit, I prefer the Atari ST original, but this mobile game is jolly good fun. Waste no more time, get on your chosen App Store and download this mobile artillery action (both iOS and Android).
Considering this isn't on an Atari ST, I had buckets of fun with this game. Highly recommended.
Atari Legend is playing Santa with a fantastic run-up to Christmas by releasing something special every day throughout December. It wasn't until the 7th when they released an HDD-patched download of Ultima 5 that I became intrigued by their offer. Wow, that doesn't sound right, 1-6 where ace. Doh!
The land of Britannia has lost its king, Lord British, and is now ruled by a tyrant called Blackthorn. As the Avatar, your mission is to return to Britannia. You must uncover Lord British’s fate, rally allies, restore the true meaning of virtues and overthrow Blackthorn’s regime to restore balance to the kingdom.
Yeah, it sounds corny, with the good vs evil problem. But this game looks very interesting, and I love the look of the overhead visuals. I’m curious about the character I should create to explore this strange world.
Okay, guys, it's screenshot time! Let's take a look...
Looks like I'm in a pretty cosy place and very glam too.
Okay, let's get out and explore the lush countryside.
Oh no, a two-headed Ettin has found me when walking over the hills...
I'm too weak and need better weapons - I should have run away!
First Impressions
Creating a character is an unusual affair, and something I didn't expect, but this process eventually got Stevie configured and into the thick of it. Boy, are there a large number of keys to learn for each and every additional action, which basically means your interaction within the world at large. In fact, the world is huge, and the battles are challenging, so exploring Britannia is going to be fun (or agony?). I can take it!!
I am genuinely enjoying my first walks through the grasslands and forests, until I found a small bridge with a Troll. Luckily, I made it across without him noticing me, but I then ran into red demons who decided that they wanted a piece. You know, those pieces that I need to stay alive... Yep, my first battle didn't go down well if I'm honest - DEAD! But wait, I've been resurrected for another bash! Let's hope I can do better.
This is one seriously immersive RPG. I'm talking months of my life, gone...
Vicious snakes decide to spit venom at our plucky adventurers.
Now I feel Ultima V is finally starting to show its true colours.
What a game, and I must say that I adore the graphical style and detail. Amazing!
Hey, look, I've just found a map! Time for a drink before leaving...
Have my plans changed?
Yes, they certainly have. I’ve decided to spend Christmas in the world of Ultima V, complete with whiskey, turkey butties, and mince pies! I’m really looking forward to learning more about the game and have enjoyed a few interesting attempts (ahem failures). I love the style of Ultima V; the graphics are fantastic, and the adventure is incredibly captivating. I’m afraid I haven’t fully mastered the combat system yet, but I’ll get there.
I’m excited to take this game seriously and see how my next adventure unfolds. Watch this space, folks. Now, if you're totally a noob to Ultima V, then I'd love to hear of your progress. Enjoy the Christmas gift!
MandelST is a fractal generator developed in GFA Basic by Manos Kantzos (thanks to GeoAnas for the heads-up). I love messing about with funky fractals, and this program is a cinch to use, which is ace!
Mandelbrot/Julia productions can be generated within moments, but faster computers will benefit from that extra grunt. Of course, emulators are an excellent idea, unless you prefer leaving your ST on for long periods? Images can be exported as Degas PI1 or TIFF. Also, basic animations are possible, and these take us deep into an infinite mathematical world like nothing I've seen before. A stunning idea with great potential.
I've enjoyed creating peculiar and wonderful images and animations, which I'm quite proud of. Also, it's fantastic to see something new being developed for the Atari ST, so I'm hoping Manos continues on and improves his work in the future. This is a great program, so have yourself some geeky fun zooming in on infinite!!
Do you remember the excitement when Lupo Alberto was released back in 2015? Well, today I've taken another look because I was contacted by Luca Stradiotto, who supplied a cheat code that enabled me to get further into this *difficult* game. Otherwise, I'd have never stood a chance, not with my skills lol
Lupo Alberto looks and sounds great, but that push scrolling sure lets it down, especially when killed by something off-screen! But it's still great, and the two-player co-op is a fantastic feature to change characters. Overall, it's a shame that this was never released because I have enjoyed playing it a bunch!
It's silly (and a bit buggy), but it's worth downloading!!
