A brand-new demo that has just been released & ranked 1st for the "oldskool" combo at Riverwash 2015 party. It requires a 4MB Atari STe and will blow you away! Truly amazing, but best viewed using real hardware.
PARCP running on my Mac (the Mac is shown on the left side and the Atari ST on the right)
Get your Atari ST talking!!
After all these years, owning an Atari ST is still a joy - plus I feel like a teenager again!! However, this means I have the problem of how to get games and other programs running on my ST. After all, it's not like I can pop to the shops or swap disks with friends like we did back in the day. If only I had a time machine...
Anyhow, the internet is stuffed with ST disks, but we're left with the problem of getting them from the Mac/PC onto the ST (whether it's using floppies or a hard drive). Heck, it might be the most awesome 16-bit computer on the planet, but it has no Ethernet, USB, or WiFi. Argh, how can we get these files onto the ST?
There are a few options; one of the best is ParCp-USB by Petr Stehlik. This little device plugs into the ST's parallel port and features a Mini USB socket so the Atari can connect to a Mac or PC. The only decision to make is which of your computers you want to act as the "master" or "slave". I run my ST as the master whilst the Mac acts as the slave. Watch the video recording I've made for a better idea of how it works.
Atari computers with only a floppy drive will be too slow and will not work. You need a hard drive or an Ultrasatan. However, you can easily use a RAM disk if you have enough spare.
ParCP-USB is a fantastic product that makes transferring files a doddle. Highly recommended!!
Captain Dynamo was released by Code Masters in 1992 and is something I instantly fell in love with. Derek Leigh-Gilchrist did a great job because it feels new and is enormous fun. This wicked platformer transforms you into a superhero soaring through cleverly designed maps. You dodge the usual obstacles and pitfalls that platforming heroes face. Use the springs to bounce high and collect the goodies.
Graphically, this is excellent with stunning cartoon visuals, designed by Leigh Christian. It not only looks the part but scrolls smoothly with a fluent feel that doesn't lag at all. The chip music is lovely, with fantastic tunes by 4mat. I mean, come on, like WOW!! So let's wear spandex and be Captain Dynamooooooo!!
If you wanna be a superhero, then grab the floppy or a hard disk installable game right away.
Alien World is a shoot 'em up by Gary Antcliffe (Blazing Thunder/Yogi's Great Escape) and was released in 1992 by Hi-Tec Premier Software. Ignoring the dreadful title tune, the game is a cross between the likes of Menace and R-Type, with a dollop of Venus Flytrap thrown in for good measure. Which is always gonna be ace!
The action is relentless and immediately hits you with a ton of pitfalls like red-hot streams of molten lava that shoot up from glowing pools. It isn't long before you feel a little Blood Money creeping in as the scrolling alternates between horizontal & vertical. I liked the parts that don't automatically scroll, allowing you to move at your own leisure. Gravity plays a part in affecting your movement, think Flappy Bird or SantaFly!
Graphically, Alien World is outstanding with ultra-smooth scrolling, best experienced using a real Atari ST. Everything is exquisite, rich colours, detailed sprites, and fluent movement. Sadly, audio is a different story with no in-game tune and weak sound effects. A few decent chiptunes would have been perfect!
Gameplay is what matters, and I’m impressed with this challenging shooter. While it has an immense learning curve, Blood Money fans will enjoy it. Like many 16-bit games of the era, it’s incredibly tough and requires a cheat. However, it’s a game that keeps you coming back for that satisfying "just one more go".
Alien World is great and will keep you entertained for hours. It’s so challenging, but I absolutely love it.
I thought that I would descend deeper into the realms of retro gaming with an oldie that I've not played since I was 14 years old. Starquake by BubbleBus / Mandarin Software. Like most then, I didn't have an expensive Atari ST in 1985 and used a ZX Spectrum. Yup, I've not played Starquake since the mid-80s!
You're a BLOB (BioLogically Operated Being) who has crash-landed on a planet, and it's your job to save it before it implodes! Each screen is basically a platformer in design, filled with cutesy baddies that can zap away your energy or kill you outright. To me, it always felt like Atic Atac, but visually, it reeks of Underwurld.
Let's pause the reading and view a malfunctioning screenshot...
The intro is short but not without good humour, which I love!
Run, Shoot, RUN!!
Starquake is a big game, and it's easy to get yourself completely lost wandering from screen to screen. There are tasks to complete, like collecting objects and computer codes, which is a lot harder than it sounds. Oddly, you cannot collect items when using a hover pad... so be prepared to think!
We have a weapon, but the nasties are relentless with a swarm-like attack that never ends. Curiously, we cannot jump but have the ability to build temporary platforms that help reach those higher places. It's kinda cool and makes climbing fun and different - also dotted about the map are hover-pads used to climb.
Starquake is a shooter/puzzler that never lets up, and yes, it reminds me of Underwurld by Ultimate Play The Game with its schematics, styles and mechanics. The puzzler and exploration elements are as tough as they are interesting, and this is the part of it that makes you think, all whilst frantically shooting at everything.
I've always liked Starquake, and that Atari ST version doesn't disappoint...
As soon as you begin, cute critters appear from nowhere - constantly!
Colour clash and bleeps?
Fans of the original will absolutely adore the updated Atari ST version, which looks the same but tarted up with gorgeous 16-bit colours and lots more detail. Wow, I wish the old Speccy game looked this good back in the mid-80s. I mean, come on, check out those sprites - this must be one of the cutest games ever made!
The audio is superb with fantastic music by none other than Jason C. Brooke. I could listen to it all day! All in-game effects are neat, but I'm going to shock myself here and say that the ZX Spectrum game is better. How can this be? It's true, as I miss those buzzy Spectrum sounds that this ST conversion lacks.
Right, we've got time for just one more screenshot. So, here you go...
Finally, an upgraded 8-bit game that isn't bloated and ruined!!
The CryptO'pinion?
The Atari ST version is harder than the Speccy original. It took some time to get used to that, if I'm being honest. This difficulty zapped some of the fun, especially for a casual gamer. However, Starquake isn't something for the casual gamer as it demands time and commitment to get the most from it.
Yes, it's tough. Yes, it's crazy. So you may need to cheat for infinite lives! Also, you will need a pen and paper to map it and make notes. However, it's definitely a brilliant conversion of the 8-bit classic and also an excellent game in its own right. It offers a massive, long-term challenge, and I love it. Highly recommend!!
If there was one racer I adored on my old Atari ST, it was Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. The semi-realistic physics helped to make it utterly addictive without ever crossing over into boring old simulator land. It has such amazing graphics, almost an arcade-like quality, with fun gameplay that was both exciting and challenging.
Lotus 2 offers more of the same excitement but is different from the original in several ways. Firstly, we aren't racing a set number of laps around a circuit, as there are checkpoints to reach during a road trip across the lush American continent in our flashy car! Also, don't drool, but the entire screen is now used!
Do you wanna see a cool screenshot with blue skies and an open road? Let's road trip...
Vroom!! The roads are absolutely superb to provide a thrilling challenge!
Fast open roads...
This isn't just a racer but more of a road trip adventure across the States. Also, the environments can change depending on the conditions, as we have the weather to endure, which adds an element of pseudo-realism. Even if the other drivers fail to use their headlights at night (what? Am I being too picky lol)
I also think they captured the feeling of speed incredibly well - it's almost Vroom standards. Strangely, our car appears to be running on fairy dust because there is never a need to refuel your Esprit or Elan. Which is good, who needs that kinda realism? These differences certainly help Lotus II leap away from the original and into a whole new driving experience, whilst still remaining familiar with the original.
It's now time for another screenshot, but this one is of a lawbreaker. What? You heard me...
Come on, it's nighttime, and nobody is using their lights. Where's the police? Ha!
The CryptO'pinion?
Lotus II is incredible and one of the best racers on the Atari ST. It perfectly combines elements of a good race with the feeling of a Bullrun combined. So we get to see the 16-bit world in this speedster.
I cannot stress enough how much I recommend Lotus II. It's just as enjoyable as the magnificent original, so it zooms in high on my Top 10 list of Atari ST drivers. Download it right now - you won't regret it!!
Les Adventures de Carlos was released in 1994 by Microids and isn't the best example of an Atari ST platformer. We are in control of a bearded fat man wearing a rather odd costume! This might sound strange, but our best friend appears to be a parrot who shadows and attempts to help us. There is no gun, so he must use our enormous weight to squish the baddies! You can even use some of that blubber to create a miniature earthquake when falling farther. It's hardly original when you think about it, but whatever works, right?
Aesthetically, Carlos looks and sounds good. The visuals feature stunning colours and beautiful sprites. However, the engine features no scrolling, which is odd for a game that requires 4-way scrolling to be playable. What that means is the gameplay stops while the screen is pushed along. This becomes extremely irritating, especially during a diagonal jump, which may require the screen to scroll in two separate directions.
This could have been great, but the end result looks good, but it plays terribly. In fact, I found it quite agonising because of the constant pauses as the screen scrolls in four different directions. A platformer like this demands real scrolling. The Atari ST has a wealth of decent platformers, so we don't need rubbish like this.
This is what a lazy port looks like. Stay well clear of this utterly terrible game!!
I may not recommend Carlos (lol), but masochists can give it a play using these download links floppy & hard drive.
