Creatures

Cute & Cuddly Gaming

Somewhere in the far reaches of the universe is a planet called Blot. Much like Eden, this is a wonderful place; everything is perfect, and everyone is happy. The inhabitants are creatures called the Blotians. However, for some peculiar reason, these guys got bored with their paradise and wanted something better, so they came up with the daft notion of a new identity on a different planet. They're now called Fuzzy Wuzzies!!

Creatures was released in 1992 by Thalamus and programmed by Philip Watts of WJS Design. Yes, he of Leander and Ork, two decent scrolling games you should definitely check out.

What these sad creatures didn't realise was that evil demons already lived on this new planet. And they are a bad-tempered bunch, too! Needless to say, they should have been happy where they were because everyone had been captured and awaited a cruel and bloody fate. You are Clyde Radcliffe, your breath stinks terribly, but it is your job to rescue all of your simple-minded friends from these fiends! Good luck, you'll need it.

What an insane story, so let's view an authentic screenshot taken with my phone...

Actually, this is quite sadistic!

Clyde is the cutest thing and is equipped with a rapid-firing weapon, which is handy because many of the baddies annoyingly take numerous hits. Power-ups are available. I love the 'wriggler', but there are many others to choose from. However, your superpower is the funniest weapon of all. Press and hold the fire button to breathe bad breath over anything that gets too close. A bad-breathed hero must surely be a first?

A good tip for Creatures is to not rush. The enemies can take more than a few hits which is a little weird and can often feel a little OTT. Try to kill what's already on the screen before moving on and being overrun by evil cute critters. That's a simple and obvious tip, but there ya' go. Take it or leave it!

Controlling Clyde is a cinch thanks to great joystick controls and fantastic level designs. The monsters come in all sorts and manage to bring a smile to this ugly mug of mine, thanks to great attention to detail and cruel personalities. End-of-level scenes are particularly cruel (but funny), but employ a harsh time limit before a fellow Fuzzy Wuzzy meets their bloody death at the hands of a sadistic demon!

Wait! It's not screenshot time. Oh, no, let's jazz this up with a video recording...

Sexy Pixels & Smooth Audio?

I love the lush aesthetics with beautiful colours and artwork - the attention to detail is amazing. Wow, the sprites are as cute as they are evil and never fail to impress. However, everything might look nice, but is spoiled by push-scrolling! Sure, that method works fine for games like Rick Dangerous, but not here.

The audio is excellent with a theme tune that has you bobbing away to its funky beats. The sound effects are making use of the DMA hardware - if you're lucky enough to own an Atari STe? They are ace!!!

Let's break up the silence! The shock of that push scrolling means we have another screenshot...

The CryptO'pinion?

Creatures is enjoyable with well-balanced gameplay and a sadistic sense of humour. However, it was originally designed as a scrolling platformer, and a scrolling platformer needs to SCROLL. It sadly falls short of the mark compared to other versions and appears to be a rushed port. Maybe I'm too fussy? Tell me!

Don’t get me wrong, Creatures is a worthwhile game. It has a humorous theme, good controls and audio. However, it's a shame they didn't make full use of the Atari STe. Or even push the STfm like so many other companies did with their platformers already released. Disappointed in Thalamus.

Help Clyde and grab this for floppy & hard drive.

Annex

DM meets Doom!

Annex is a first-person shooter published by LAPD in 1995, and attempts to blend together the action of Doom with a little Dungeon Master thrown in. Nasty aliens have taken control of the science space station, Annex. Guess what? It's our job to kill every last one of them whilst fixing the life support reactors.

At first, I didn't think this would work using 90° turns, but it works out very nicely. Movement is performed using a combination of the keyboard and mouse: the keyboard walks and activates switches with the used mouse to aim and shoot. As you can imagine, this works well, and whenever a bad guy sees you, they actually speak. This conveniently acts as a nifty "heads-up" alert so you're not taken by surprise.

The graphics are great, but lack variety in both colour and texture, so things tend to look samey after a while. Sadly, there is also no map function to help - the docs suggest making your own. A very good idea.

I like the way it combines action with adventure, but you need a pen and paper to map as you explore. Far from perfect, but fans of the first-person shooter genre should definitely take a look at this. Annex is fantastic!

• AtariMania has a download available from their Atari ST database.
• Zogging Hell has a nice selection of the LAPD library.

Floyd The Droid

One of my earliest purchases

Floyd the Droid was developed in 1986 by Paul Lay for Analog Software. We're a droid who loves to explore, but this trait got him into trouble, so now he's stuck inside a (wait for it) topo-dimensional converter. So you're alone in the void of whatever this existence is and surrounded by weird enemies intent on our death.

This game is simple: shoot everything - robots, spaceships, C64s, etc. We begin each game with 75% health, which increases with enemies killed. Sadly, it also decreases if you bump into them or if you shoot an Atari logo. Kill everything and move on to the next level to do it all over again at a faster rate. Don't panic!

Interestingly, you can hit F1-F6 to start on the following stages: 1, 10, 20, 30. 40 and 50. Loved that!!

The graphics are basic, but it's all about the sprites, which are huge and beautiful in their own weird way. The music is insanely awesome. Insane, because it's so zany and weird, yet I leave it playing - I love it. There is also speech, which is quite superb for such an early ST game and is excellent. A lot of love went into this.

• I believe there was a hi-res version in the making, but was it ever released?
• AtariMania lists Floyd The Droid in their database and also Missing One Droid.
• Atari 8-bit fans may also wanna click here: Floyd the Droid Goes Blastin'.

Overall, it's a little rough around the edges because it's an early title, but this is also a piece of Atari ST history. I enjoy frantically blasting a relentless hoard of invading oddities - it never gets old, and it's so addictive. This is ancient retro gaming at its best, so hit that fire button and try to last as long as you can!!

I managed to find the original of Missing One Droid, and I just had to buy it!!

Frontier: Elite II

The End Of An Era...

After a worrying delay, Gametek released Frontier Elite II in early 1994. It was unlike most other games due to its sheer size within creation. Yep, that's right, a whole universe of near-countless stars to explore, which basically meant long gaming nights were ahead (over the decades and through to the present day!)

The story begins like this... Commander Jameson has sadly left this realm, and you came along just in the nick of time to reap the benefits of his will reading. Being his favourite grandson, he left you 100 credits with strict instructions to stay clear of Vegas. He also left you his pride and joy, an Eagle Long Range Fighter - be careful and don't scratch it. You now have the means and opportunity to explore the heavens! So jump into your ship and begin the journey of a lifetime! And that is no overstatement; I mean it quite literally.

Sounds immense and it was/is so let's check out a couple of screenshots...

There are two basic starting positions, and faster computers can even crank up the graphical details.

The Universe Is Yours!

After watching the awesome intro, various menu options are available to begin your adventure, and I advise selecting Option 1, which places you safely in the Ross 154 System. Or more precisely, at the Sirocco starport on the planet Merlin. You have 100 credits and a rather funky piece of 3D called your spaceship. Starting at Sirocco is a great place to learn the ropes of the GUI, trading, and brushing up on your piloting skills.

Frontier is an open-world (space!) sandbox game that doesn't restrict in any traditional sense. You are free to travel almost anywhere and do almost anything you like. However, even gaming folklore doesn't come for free, and this style of living costs money - use your ship to provide yourself with a living through job contracts and trade. Everyone needs something, and this is where you come in to make your hard-earned cash.

It's always about cash, but don't let it become the love of money. Chill, and check out some screenshots...

First things first, let's check out the cool spaceships and find dodgy jobs on the bulletin boards.

Trouble at t'mill?

Frontier's universe has two major factions, and this is the Trekkie part, for me. We have the Federation, which is based in the Sol system, and then we have the Empire, which is based within the Achenar system. Both offer a haven to live and trade, but aren't the best of friends. Also, outside the safety of their territory, you risk running into pirates who want your precious cargo - and your life!! Who said life was gonna be easy?

These dogfights are difficult to master and possibly the hardest part of the entire game. Gone are the arcade-style controls in favour of realistic Newtonian physics, which affect the control of your spacecraft. So, momentum will need to be compensated for you to slow down, stop, or change direction. Perhaps it's now that I should advise saving your game at regular intervals? Learn physics because the pirates are tough cookies.

Do the pirates spoil it? I'll let you decide while you view a couple more screenshots...

Check out your local solar system and then see what goods are best to trade in...

Trade, Respect, Fight!

Ultimately, Frontier is all about trade and trying to earn yourself the means for a lucrative lifestyle through the adventures of space and exploring the heavens. Use your galactic map to explore a 3D perspective of creation to plan a route, dig for information to find out what's needed, then buy in bulk to earn lots of cash.

Enjoy your journey, but prepare thyself, because nothing beats making your first hyperspace jump!! This automatically ends once you are within the vicinity of your destination, but the distance to travel is still huge, so don't forget to use the Stardreamer buttons to quickly pass the time. Auto-docking is supported, and once you've boarded, you'll get details of goods sold to reap the biggest profits. Before you begin looking for another trade route, remember to refuel your ship; otherwise, you won't be able to make another hyperspace jump!

It's completely up to you how to live, but these two screenshots were entirely my doing...

I love exploring the universe. Hang on, what's that dot? Zoomed in... and saw this beauty!!

But Is It Any Good?

Stick with it and, after earning lots of money, consider checking out the Bulletin Board. It's here you can upgrade your ship or search for jobs like transporting passengers, helping to find a missing person, mining, military work or information. There is even a black market for those without a conscience - trade slaves, weapons, narcotics, or even be assassins. However, this dark lifestyle will definitely take you into dangerous waters, so it will almost certainly attract the attention of the law. Are you ready for that kinda heat, bad boy?

Frontier is one heck of a game and one with immense potential, and I'm hoping this feature will regenerate your interest in playing. Frontier is all about progression and making the right choices to build up your own empire. Don't expect to jump into the pilot's seat and see the entire universe in one sitting because it will take time, money and commitment. Frontier: Elite II is jaw-dropping and quite literally one of the best games ever.

One of the best games, ever. Yes. Thus earning the accolade of an AtariCrypt SMASH!!

Grab yourself a slice of creation and play this immense game, which you can play off floppy or a hard drive. The manual is available on AtariMania, and you can catch a glimpse of the 16-bit universe right now...

Knight Lore

A Falcon game???

AtariCrypt is all about the Atari ST/e computers, but I shall make an exception for its big brother. I recently contacted Janez Valant (Swe from YesCREW), and he mentioned a Falcon release of Knight Lore, which might interest those unfamiliar with it. I was one of them. How did I not know about this game?

I’m a huge fan of Ultimate’s iconic isometric ZX Spectrum game from 1984 (so long ago!!). I vividly recall its release and the sheer awe we felt at the next-generation visuals. Each puzzle was presented as a 3D room, but nothing quite like this. Frankly, it was one of those truly mind-blowing moments in gaming history.

The Falcon version seems to be the complete game with spot-on, perfect gameplay. Heck, it’s probably even better as it lacks the slowdown of the Speccy version. However, the lovely monochrome palette has been replaced with a very colourful one, which is perhaps a bit too much. It feels unnecessary.

A part of me doubted Janez, but here it is running brilliantly on my virtual Falcon (Hatari). I’m sad it doesn’t work on the ST/e. Ignoring the tacky colours, I don’t understand why the ST can’t handle it. Someone must know the answer, but if it’s just because of the extra colours - I’ll be furious!

Playing this iconic game on the Atari Falcon is fantastic. All I need now is a real Falcon...

 Download Knight Lore and relive 1984 ZX Spectrum style!! 

What's wrong with this picture?

Can you spot two wrongs?

Those with a keen eye will notice the larger screen space of my GEM desktop. What about the three resolutions that appear selectable? If you saw these things, then you're an Atari ST rock star. I salute you!

I've been experimenting with a few GEM programs that allow larger resolutions and other cool stuff. Some use interlacing to double the vertical resolution, but that can look odd and hurt my eyes! (use 60Hz!!). Others can create a virtual screen by using the Atari STe's hardware scrolling. Why would you wanna scroll?

Interestingly, some programs feature overscan. This is a technique used to make use of the empty borders, and it sparked my curiosity. Using this extra screen space is great, and without any slowdown. Most GEM programs should work perfectly fine, and I'm left wondering why Atari couldn't have made this standard?

I've made a bundled download of these programs - please let me know if there are others I've missed.

Magic Boy

Prepare to be amazed!

Magic Boy was released in 1993 by Empire and is one of the cutest platformers I have ever seen. Personally, it reminds me of Rainbow Islands because of its ravishing visuals and charming style. It's a stunner!

We play as Hewlett, a young boy with a magic wand who accidentally turned all the animals into cute monsters. Seems plausible, but how do these things keep happening? Not to worry, it's our task to restore everything back to normal, so that means venturing forth through many beautiful worlds to tag & bag the nasties.

Firstly, check out this screenshot. Wear sunglasses and take a deep breath...

Magic Boy must be one of the most colourful games on the Atari ST.

Shoot, jump, bag & grab!

There are four worlds to explore (Sand Land, Wet World, Plastic Place, Future Zone), and each offers eight levels. Things begin relatively easily before lots of crafty tricks and traps are introduced. This difficulty is staggered gradually, which helps to keep things interesting - without being too tough to play properly

This mild learning curve is nothing much on the easier levels. It's easy to pick up and play, so you're instantly leaping your way through. Make sure you collect all the power-ups, which will aid your progress. Just watch out for anything that looks oddly cute. It's not, it's nasty - so shoot and then bag it. Great stuff!!

However, the later levels are challenging, and I really mean formidable!! Those cute critters are actually deceivingly mean and seem to know just when to strike with a perfectly well-timed shot. Also, the level layout adds the usual moving tiles, and others might dissolve or randomly disappear. Infuriatingly difficult, which can be a shame sometimes, as the levels are impossible for me to complete (without a trainer!!).

Wanna see another multi-coloured screenshot? I know you do...

Things are now starting to get serious with cunning-level designs!

Aesthetics

This is literally one of the most stunning 16-bit games I have ever seen. This quality is thanks to John Dale and Leigh Christian, who made everything bright and radiant with many comical characters. Nothing has been sacrificed, which includes your fluent movements and ultra-smooth scrolling. Wonderful stuff!!

Sound effects are excellent and best experienced when using an Atari STe. Yes, I said STe, but that doesn't mean the ST is lacking. Not one bit. Accompanying music is perfect with a high-quality tune that remains in your head all day. Yes, Magic Boy is most definitely one of the sexiest Atari ST games I have ever played.

Why couldn't every game have this much love put into it? Let's view another screenshot...

Future Zone has incredible levels to hop through, as does the quirky Plastic Place.

The CryptO'pinion?

You won't be shocked to hear that this is one seriously addictive platformer. Yup, it's near perfect and a genuine pleasure to play because it's so much fun, and I really cannot think of anything negative to say. Okay, okay, that difficulty in later levels is really tough, but something weirdly reminiscent of games from the era.

The controls, game mechanics, visuals, and audio are stunning and make this game a showcase, but one that is also loads of fun and a thrill to play. Doesn't this prove what the Atari ST/e is capable of when in the hands of talented people? This is one of the best 16-bit platformers ever released.

Grab yourself either the floppy disk and there are loads!

This is a version for hard drive/Ultrasatan by 8BitChip.

The codes for those who wanna zip through to the later levels: on the menu screen, press and hold the keys before pressing fire to choose:

Sand Land......(part 1)  =  S + 1

Sand Land......(part 2)  =  S + 2

Future Zone....(part 1)  =  F + 1

Future Zone....(part 2)  =  F + 2

Plastic Place..(part 1)  =  P + 1

Plastic Place..(part 2)  =  P + 2

Wet World......(part 1)  =  W + 1

Wet World......(part 2)  =  W + 2