Zone Warrior

Wanna be a Timecop?

I love platform shooters; this was developed in 1991 by Imagitec Design for Electronic Arts. The story is simple, pesky aliens are causing grief for us Earthlings. They have pinched a time machine and are using it to alter history and wreak havoc by taking hostages from different periods. This is an attempt to halt their influence... The invention of the wheel. England's King Arthur united the Britons. Japan's technical wizardry!

Yep, we cannot allow it and the fight is on! So, brace yourself because we are travelling into these time zones to rescue everybody. Thus saving the timeline and protecting our future. Whilst there, we may as well kill each and every bad dude that gets in our way. Yup, it's time to save the day again so let's lock and load!!

Before we begin, check out this screenshot and tell me what other run & gunner it reminds you of...

Pick-ups are pretty cool but something like the Map parts is essential for this huge platformer!!

Are you ready for a challenge?

Zone Warrior is a MASSIVE horizontally scrolling platformer that reminded me of Psygnosis' Baal in looks with (more than) a hint of Turrican-style action. Each zone is a labyrinth of rooms interconnected by a series of complicated doorways. A total of five time zones need to be saved from the dreaded aliens...

• Prehistoric - I really enjoyed this zone because it introduces you nicely into the gameplay style plus there are lots of power-ups and strong map designs compared to most other levels. I also thought the graphics were the best here with great use of the palette.

• Egyptian - This is is little disappointing for me because it's basically more of the same design but with a different graphics. However, I found it to be a lot harder and rather frustrating instead of anything close to an enjoyable challenge...

• Medieval - Saving the medieval Britons from their alien fate is a brilliant level and definitely on par with the Prehistoric Zone. I must admit, the music here is so gorgeous!

• Japanese - I would rate this as the best level of all because it is really challenging, with some great mechanics. Unlike the finicky Egyptian Zone, I found it tough but without the frustration. And the chipmusic is out of this world!!

• Holocaust - Sadly I didn't care for this zone... Very frustrating and ultimately annoying!

Travelling most zones is a neat experience with constant action to keep your trigger finger happy. During the onslaught, look for hostages and a key for the final battle (before you can progress to the next zone).

Each of these periods has its own nasties to contend with and some cannot be killed, so avoid the Venus flytraps and sharp spikes. However, most have legs or teeth, so have your trusty Turrican-inspired weapon ready. This is a rapid-firing gun that performs well and can even be upgraded with a wider spread. Also, the spacebar cycles through extra weapons you may have picked up like bombs and mines. Experiment but use wisely.

Okay, let's check out another screenshot of Tur...Erm, no, I meant Zone Warrior...

I really enjoyed the prehistoric levels with dinos and cool methods used to avoid them!

Aesthetics?

The visuals are a mixed bag; on the one hand, they look amazing with lush colours and nice details. The sprites are well-drawn and meticulous, especially the stripy dinos from the Prehistoric Zone. The scrolling is great and responsive to our hero's fast/leaping movements, essential to a running-gunner-shooter like this. However, the variety of the backdrops could have been better, especially as things get samey after a while.

Overall, the Medieval and Japanese zones looked the best, I thought. Sexy visuals!

The audio is a blast with great effects throughout. However, it's the music I really loved because everything is composed by Barry Leitch who created a wealth of fantastic chiptunes. Show-stompingly brilliant audio!!

Variety is the spice of life <sarcasm incoming> so if you like yellows, you will love this screenshot...

The graphics and music may change but the gameplay is pretty darn familiar for each level...

The CryptO'pinion?

The trouble with Zone Warrior is that it's too easy to lose your bearings. The levels are huge and wandering from "room to room" can be overwhelming. This is also due to the indistinct visuals so each area begins to feel repetitive. Thankfully, our zone warrior can collect pieces of a map to help prevent him from getting lost but I thought it was poorly implemented. Yes, I lost my bearings... a lot... and that spoilt my fun.

With a little more variation in the graphics, to help distinguish between the locations, this would have knocked the spots of other platform shooters. This is a great game with interesting mechanics and incredibly responsive joystick controls. It might whiff of Turrican but I have really enjoyed being a Zone Warrior!!

Yep, Zone Warrior is a fantastic shooter and comes highly recommended by yours truly. Play this!!

 Update: we now have a hard drive installable game thanks to Peter @8BitChip.

 Stonish has the floppy disk download thanks to the Fuzion #80 disk :-)

  

Criminals In Disguise #22

I love anything with swirling dots & sine scrolling, so this intro by Criminals In Disguise is right up my street. The fx are very nice, with beautiful hum-tastic chip music that I can leave playing all day. My video recording is fine, but (you know what I'm going to say) it's best experienced using a real computer for visual perfection and better sound, especially on the Atari STe, so connect it to your speakers and crank up the volume.

This disk contains Jetpac, an awesome conversion of the Speccy original you should play!

• Grab the disk at Atari Legend https://www.atarilegend.com/menusets/menudisk-701
• Check out Demozoo for their credits/etc https://demozoo.org/groups/34625/

Sinister Developments

Cheap & nasty shareware

Sinister Developments was one of the best shareware groups and released five fantastic arcade games. Each was their own take on the original and it was obvious that a lot of love went into their creations. Fantastic graphics, audio and ultra-smooth gameplay which felt authentic yet somehow regenerated and fresh.

Only recently I stumbled upon the Sinister Developments website. I was surprised they still had their old Atari ST software featured with download links. Seeing such Fuji wonders listed on a website was both a shock and a pleasure - a website that also looked like it hadn't been updated in many generations!! Sadly, the download links didn't work. So, I decided to send them an email and kept my fingers crossed for a response. After all, I did not expect to receive any kind of reply from such an ancient website...

Surprisingly, I got a reply straight away from Gordon Gibson! He fixed the broken links and kindly supplied full (registered) versions of each title. Yep, all for free without any strings attached (is it my birthday?). For reference, the incredible Atarimania now has each game featured within its archives.

You've probably watched the brilliant Space Invaders video (above)? Well, check out Galaxians...

The Sinister Archive!

• Centipede - Gordon said they wanted a mix between Centipede and Millipede which worked out well. I found a few bugs but nothing to stop the fun as this is a frantically zany and frenzied version of the classic. A superb conversion. (To bypass the shareware message just press "ESC" key on the language screen).

• Painter - I personally thought this was the weakest of the bunch but it's still enjoyable and very difficult with killer AI (literally). There is also funky stereo music on the Atari STe - yeah!!

• Asteroids - This begins with a familiar intro supporting stereo playback for the Atari STe. Inintially, I found it difficult but, after a few tips from the man himself, I got to grips with it. I still suck at it, but at least I'm "better"!! (To bypass the shareware message just press "F10" key on the language screen).

• Space Invaders - This is my favourite of the bunch. It's a beauty and feels perfectly authentic it screams brilliance. Yet again, the Atari STe features DMA music with stereo sound effects too. (To bypass the shareware message just type in "PEPSI MAX" on the language screen).

• Galaxians - I've always been rubbish at this gamr but it's such a great conversion. I think that Sinister have created one of pure gold and it had me feeling that I'm back in the 1980s. (To bypass the shareware message just press "INSERT" key on the language screen).

The CryptO'pinion?

Sinister Developments' history proves their talent as each game is a brilliant arcade conversion. Just as impressive is the use of various Atari STe enhancements, which is always cool. Oh, did I mention that all these games are now free? :) Come on, that is incredibly generous. Do you feel the Atari love in the air?

Five outstanding arcade games I know every Atari ST/e player is gonna love. Which is your favourite??

Please note - to safeguard this precious archive of Atari ST gaming history, I have stored them in my Dropbox. So, what are you waiting for? Get these Atari ST/e games downloaded right now? I'm sure you're gonna love 'em all!!

Archer Maclean Pool

Fancy a game of pool & a few beers?

Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker is terrific and technically superb but, it wasn't long before I was falling asleep. Sorry, but that's snooker for you... but shortly afterwards I realised I had never played Archer Maclean's Pool.

Pool is different. It's an exciting, fast-paced pub game and nothing like the dullness of snoozeville snooker. American and English variations of this game are playable with the added option to play through tournaments or to set up trick shots. If you've played Whirlwind then you'll instantly take to this but I doubt any newcomers will struggle with the interface, which is instinctive and easy to grasp. In fact, some might say this is the same snooker game and a rip-off?

Wanna see a screenshot? Well, you can't!! So how about an animation instead? Good, here ya' go...

What a whiz I am at this game! Go on, watch me clear up lol

Pool is illegal without beer! #fact

Well, ignore them and play this using the mouse to alter your viewing angle but don't forget to chalk the cue before setting up the shot with the right amount of power, spin and direction. There is a wide range of computer opponents from the amateur to the godlike, so it's best to practice before taking on the pros. They. Are. Tough!

Graphics are... well... it's a table with balls on it, so there isn't much to drool over, but the framerates are very smooth and prove just what 8MHz can deliver. The 3D engine works well with fantastic first-person-like views when lining up a shot. Let's not forget the game's comical side with taunting balls, evil-eyed fans or the flies on the table!! Sound effects are nice and rather varied with clinks, plops and oddly humorous cue-chalking moments.

What I love about this game is the superb design which feels natural and realistic. After your first shot, you realise how incredibly superior the hidden mathematical calculations are that make the physics appear so believable. There are near-limitless possibilities for each shot you make, which is quite incredible.

Pool might be a serious game but that hasn't stopped the balls from taking the Micky out of you...

You know from the very start this is gonna be good. Then the balls get very rude... Ahem!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Sure, this is a game best experienced with friends in a pub with heavy double-vision but, let's be honest, we're all getting old plus the wife won't be best pleased. So, let's stick to this virtual take on the game which comes in as a close second.

I cannot imagine anyone having anything to complain about because this is superb and one of the best Atari ST games out there. It's fast, entertaining and completely faultless. Absolutely love this virtual pub game so much!!

So, to sum up this beast of a "sports game" I would say this: It's blummin' brilliant and you will love it a bunch!

Waste no more time and get this downloaded for floppy disk from Stonish.
Those with a hard drive device should consider this version by 8BitChip!!

Phobia

Busy box art!

ImageWorks released Phobia back in 1989 with a gorgeous retro-themed cover. The artwork is stunning with lots of colour, action and a cruel glare from evil eyes. I think this box perfectly reflects the gameplay! Phobia has all the hallmarks of a potentially outstanding shooter but it's impossible to get far without a trainer because of its choppy framerate. It's probably a poor port as it pales compared to other ST shooters like R-Type, Alien World, Menace, etc/etc

Well, I bought Phobia for only 99 pence and it was sealed too. The box and contents are in superb condition but I wonder why nobody ever bought it? <yes, sarcasm!>. Maybe I'll be brave and record a video? Maybe...

 - ST Format #1 reviews Phobia but wasn't too impressed with the difficulty - lol wimps!!

 - D-Bug has a download with a trainer and hard drive support.

 - Stonish has floppy disks and I liked Timelords #29 Menu CD (1MB).

 - Here is a fantastic video recording by Stefan Lindberg.
 - My tweet after playing Phobia for a few minutes... ARGGHHHHHH!!!

I should have known this was going to be hard with such a hideous screen.

Annnd this next screenshot is of me and my ship being blown up! Again.

Automation #496

Press 1 for...

Nope, there's none of that with Automation #496 because this intro is based on Rick Dangerous. Well, there's no actual interaction and little to do other than walk and climb ladders. But it's a cool alternative compared to the usual menus we would have seen. Just control Ricky D. with the joystick, and enter a doorway to select a game to play!!

Credits

E.G.B. - Code

Count Zero - Music

https://demozoo.org/productions/65222/

Roger

Another Atari STe game, anyone?

Spot... Erm, sorry, Roger is a fast-paced 25-level platformer released by Tobe of MJJ. It offers a frantic run through various Sonic-like levels collecting jewels for a demanding girlfriend, Georgette. This "platformer" has many jewels - without any ladders and few ledges. So how will Roger complete this task?

Bubbles, of course! All he needs to do is jump on one and, when it bursts, the force thrusts him upwards. If there's another bubble, then the cycle continues and he uses that momentum to reach each other jewels. Roger has limited health, so it's advisable to avoid the sharp spikes that burst on contact to drain valuable energy. Thankfully, power pills can be collected to compensate for that but they are few and far between.

Okay, let's take a break from the reading as I've a sexy picture to share...

This is what it's all about and Georgette is pretty much a babe with her luscious red lips!

Quick Reactions R Needed!

Use the joystick to walk left or right and the fire button helps Roger leap with joy via the bubbles. Once you begin bubble-jumping, it's a matter of altering your trajectory towards the next bubble - whilst collecting the nearby jewels, as you zoom through the air. Burst bubbles reappear after a second or two, and that aspect cunningly allows you to revisit the areas you might have previously missed during this insane journey.

Want a tip? Gotta learn the level layout as you are hopping about like a crazy fool!

Are you getting a little worried about how deranged this game sounds? It's not nearly as stupid as you think because the mechanics of bubble-hopping work brilliantly. In some ways, I got a Sonic vibe from it but, unlike that hedgehog, Roger is zooming around your screen in all directions with one primary goal.

It's a maddening thrill being Roger and you'll love it, so let's see another screenshot...

Check out that stride - gotta love those lanky legs!

What about the aesthetics?

The graphics are a mixed bag; Roger's sprite is superb with side-splitting animation - I could watch those lanky legs for hours!! The framerates are frighteningly fast with smooth scrolling thanks to the Blitter. Sadly, the in-game decor is quite a disappointment with drab backgrounds that only change every 5 levels.

Sound effects are crisp and perfectly suited to the style: I like the explosion sound for the spikes and magnificent chip music plays throughout. Well, I say magnificent but that's because I cannot think of a better word - I could listen to them all day!! This certainly proves that chip music will last forever and rightly so.

Right then, let's see one final screenshot before the gripping climax...

Finally, a different background after the first few levels and it's much nicer too.

The CryptO'pinion?

Roger is quite a unique experience and feels like an airborne Boulder Dash meets Sonic. It's weird and something I would never have expected to enjoy. It's easy to pick up and play and I guarantee you won't be able to put down your joystick. Hopping from bubble to bubble is stupidly frantic and I loved every second of it.

Roger's gameplay is legendary. Enormously addictive with an extreme adrenalin rush!! Play this.

Roger can be found on Demozoo and Pouet for floppy disk and hard drive installation.

Tobé's archive is detailed on Demozoo, although he did stray a little ;-)