Phantasie - Day 2

Commence The Adventure!

I have begun my adventure in the northwestern part of Gelnor; a lovely woodland area surrounded by natural wildlife and LOTS OF MONSTERS. The first thing to do is have a butchers at the incredibly detailed manual. However, I'm not a big reader and ended up skimming through far too quickly. Yep, I made some mistakes picking party members so I went back to read a little more! When will I ever learn?

There are few buildings within the town of Pelnor. First, we have a bank to safeguard our fortune, which is pooled among the party but can be shared as needed. Next is a mystic who appears to be of little help! An armoury is the town's one and only shop stocking the basic requirements. Pelnor's Inn is fantastic, providing free lodging for all weary travellers seeking rest and also a secure place to organise their party's belongings.

Lastly, there’s the Guild, where we can create and later manage our adventurers, choosing from Humans, Elves, Dwarves, and more. Interestingly, we can select random characters, though they may be harder to level up as they're disliked by Humans! Be warned, the system can generate poor rolls, so you may need to repeat the process to achieve the right balance of resilience, health, and ability. But you knew that!

There are many stats to consider but remember that fighters demand strength and dexterity whereas spellcasters require intelligence and MP. Of course, a good balance of most stats is favourable and you should always note the HP offered. Another interesting detail to consider is age as humans typically don't age well whereas Gnomes and Elves are rather lucky in that department.

Feel like you messed up? Party members not living up to expectations? Were some lost in battle? Well, you can return to the Guild anytime to create new players or rearrange the party. However, think carefully if you've been playing for a while - starting a new character (and playing catchup) can be time-consuming.

I'm more of a melee guy but your party needs to be diverse to survive. So I've plumbed for human/dwarf fighters who handle the grunt of warfare. Also, I have a couple of wizards for my magical needs (absolutely essential). Finally, I have a thief and a priest who are good fighters and provide stealth and healing support.

Alright then, I reckon I’ve got the right team, so I plan to leave town and explore. Maybe start a few fights and hopefully not be beaten too much. I've started a dedicated Quest section listed down the right ~~>

Okay, let's see if this adventure really is worth the grind...

We begin our journey in the northwestern region of Gelnor.
There is a hidden Temple in the woodlands, but I've no idea how to access it.

Ahh, Pelnor is a lovely and safe town of refuge.

Where is everyone and why one guard? And he's not locked the gatehouse!

My attempt to create "Shorty", a dwarven fighter. Terrible stats so I rerolled...
Interestingly, look at the age. That matters in Phantasie, depending on their race.

Shorty goes shopping in the town's, erm, one and only shop.

However, he's a bit skint atm and needs to kill monsters/visit the bank.

The building near the entrance has a wise old mystic.
I guess I need to return here later for more helpful information?

So, I finally dared to step outside the town and was pounced on!
Hey, shall I try the greeting option?

[STOT] ST Offline Tournament

ST Offline Tournament

STOT has been running for several years in a dedicated section of Atari-Forum. I had heard others talk about it but, for some reason, I never got involved - something I now look back on with a mix of confusion and regret. Thankfully, I've finally come to my senses and joined in. And I'm absolutely loving it!

So, what is STOT? Simple - it’s an offline gaming tournament. Well, to be more precise, it’s a tournament for ST Gamers organised by three familiar names from Atari-Forum and beyond: Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS. Games are suggested by the community, and the admins then decide which ones to feature. Each game now runs for a month, and 2025 kicked off with the fantastic racer, FASTER. This month, we’re tackling a puzzler called Chroma Grid, and next month, we're whizzing through space like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.

My gaming skills are often terrible - an odd thing to admit, considering I run AtariCrypt! Well, I finished near the bottom of the league for January’s FASTER, an incredible Atari STe racer by Jonathan Thomas. Sheesh, there are some seriously good players out there with way quicker reflexes than mine! Thankfully, Chroma Grid is going a bit better for me, but like all puzzlers, it soon pushes my ageing brain cells to their limit. As for Star Wars in March… I’m kind of dreading it - I haven’t played that since my Speccy days!

So, do you fancy getting involved? It’s easy, just create a (free) account on Atari-Forum to play the current game on your Atari ST or an emulator. Then post a photo or screenshot of your score on the forum. That’s all there is to it. I hope this tempts you to join in, play some Atari ST games, and be part of the ST community.

So, click here to access Atari-Forum's STOT section and get gaming - have fun!!

Finally, I recently chatted with Thorn(þ) and asked him some questions about STOT. He went away and came back with responses from all three - so a huge thanks to Thorn, SSB, and chrisTOS for taking the time; I really appreciate it. I hope you’ve enjoyed this, and maybe tempted you to check out the tournament?

I hope so - don’t game alone, be proud of your high scores. Get involved and join in the STOT fun...

How did you guys get the idea for STOT?

---

ChrisTOS

If I remember correctly Thorn, SSB and I were talking in #atariscne on IRC and thought how nice it would be to have online gaming either using emulators or real networked Ataris. We got the idea that we could hold a contest similar to the High Score Club in AtariAge. The concept was that we would create themes (eg space shooter/sync scrolling games etc), give them nice names, people would vote for which games to play and we'd play that game. Real hardware or emulator was accepted and we wanted to support new games.

As for the name, it's the ST Offline Tournament. I believe we chose it because it was also a small wordplay on STOS. Plus those Germans do like to be a bit accurate in their descriptions!

SSB

As far as I remember it was an online discussion between Christos, Thorn and myself around 2009. I don't remember the details. The basic idea was: "Hey we like playing ST games. Let's play them for real." We wrote an article for our LowRes online magazine around the time (https://lowresmag.wordpress.com/2009/08/30/that-is-stot-st-offline-tournament/)

þ

Back in the day, I loved to attend the High Score Clubs on Atari Age for the other Atari platforms. I also founded the "Abbuc Bundesliga" a competition where people meet once a month in a chatroom and play an Atari 8-bit game for 1 hour. On the ST there was nothing like that. So during some chats with SSB and Christos the idea of STOT was born. The format was copied from the HSC, but we chose atari-forum.com instead of AtariAge because it's the home of the ST scene.

We stopped some years ago. Because there was a demand on the forum to restart, SSB did a restart, many thanks to the people who requested it and participated in the first round after the restart (Riverpirate, LynxXX) and many thanks to SSB to do the restart. Even if there are only 2-3 gamers, it's worth continuing cause STOT is an indicator that Atari ST gaming is alive. Talking about games is great, but if you really play them and then send a score, that is the definition of active. I play much more ST since the restart. Being Atarian because you buy Atari merch alone is lame, scoring a post on STOT is cool.

Could any games make a return?

---

ChrisTOS

We have revisited games in the past but not too often. I am still sore from losing a great score in Starball due to a crash for example. Of course, Xerus (like always) and Lotek obliterated my attempts.

SSB

I personally play 'Virus' and 'Goldrunner' from time to time so another STOT round with them would be welcome. Important is that games have a useful scoring system and no selection menu to keep it easy to track. And no tutorials or "learn how to play" sessions". We all are middle-aged guys now with real life so playing those should be a distraction you can try for a half hour of free time without preparation.

Þ

We played Metrocross at least 2 times. In the wish list for 2026, we could also include games to play again. However, there are so many games left to play in a competition mode, that it's great to give them a try instead of playing the same games a number of times. I would go for one game per year, the ST Classics of the year.

Favourite memories?

---

ChrisTOS

There were a lot. The aforementioned Outline events. Cooper released a game just for STOT, D-bug who patched games for the Falcon and Hard disk so that we could play in STOT. There was quite a bit of competition in those events. Starball, Obsession. PS. I missed Nano Cave too.

SSB

The few where my girlfriend and now wife participated. We both like to play 'Rodland' in two-player mode from time to time.

þ

At the outline live STOT competition, I met Christos in person, that was cool. I met SSB a number of times, for 11 months we both lived in Friedrichshafen at the lake of Constance, we had some cool sessions where we played the actual STOT game and SSB explained to me his secret “mouth pockets” receipt: Ready-made mouth pockets and chicken broth from the supermarket and water! Easy, cheap, delicious.

The Super Sprint competition was very close, I scored 2nd, but only very close. In the end, I got so much adrenaline in the final levels, I needed 15 minutes to calm down.

The highlight was the Switchblade II compo where Simon Phipps the author himself sent us self-painted winner certificates with his signature. Was a great sign of respect for us that people see that we try to keep the Atari gaming alive.

Phobia. I won it, I love it. Many complained it was too hard, but I passed level 1.

All the games where I reached a level I never was before, because I had the motivation to get a high score. Apache Flight was great, but I would have given up with level 1 until Wietze sent in a screenshot of level 2 for example.

Any future plans for STOT?

---

ChrisTOS

For plans, I don't know, maybe find time to play some games? We were much younger people when we started STOT and with fewer obligations. My favourite moment is the tournament we held at Outline back in 2009. So a repeat of that would have been great. Maybe at a Sommarhack this time. Also since Hatari now supports Falcon, we could think of including a couple of Falcon games in the mix.

SSB

We should keep going as long as players are willing to participate.

þ

Best homebrew game award? Therefore we need a constant number of entries. 2025 is already looking good. The difference to other awards like the one on Atari Age is, that this award is given to active gamers since only people who entered scores would be allowed to vote.

More cooperation with all the Atari gamers on YouTube like yours, Stickhead, Hundgirrid, etc. You guys find the games, we do a STOT round. During the rounds, we could also do some more videos. We need people who try out a game and have the feeling that it's worth doing a competition.

STOT gaming competitions on-site at Atari meetings. Once we did one at an Outline party, I would like to do one at the ADN, GemTOS, SillyVenture, OFAM, ejagfest, and so on. Looking back on the STOT history I also like to mention Xerus. He showed in many competitions that he was the best Atari ST gamer back in the day. Would be great to see him back.

Nano Cave - this is a good example of the STOT philosophy. It was a wish and was a new game, so was prioritised. I tested it before when I played some games on the ADN (the best Atari party in France). There the first two levels were great fun and I liked the visual concept that you have different original designs from all the other Hack versions of the previous years.

So a STOT round was announced 1-2 months later. There we played the game and had fun, but suddenly we found out, that there were so many bugs, that scoring was nearly impossible. Since Nano Cave is such a great game, we would do immediately another round if there would be a new version. (I love Nano Cave so THAT is something I will look forward to - Steve)

Puffy’s Saga

Cheesy Gauntlet

What do you get if you mix Gauntlet with Pac-Man? If you guessed Puffy’s Saga, well done - you’ve clearly read the title! Released in 1989 by UBI Soft and developed by Claude Sablatou, this adventure sees Puffy and Puffyn trapped in a 20-level dungeon on an alien world. Naturally, it’s packed with monsters lurking around every corner, ready to attack or (hopefully) be avoided. The goal is simple - collect all the power dots and escape.

Each level is designed much like Gauntlet, with a similar look and feel. There are plenty of traps to avoid (if you can), and the monsters are a bizarre bunch - jellyfish, living puddles of water, and relentless eyeballs that will chase when you get too close - and they can’t be killed! The joystick controls are responsive, especially for Puffyn, who moves with a bit more agility (Puffy is stronger with better weapon fire).

You can play as either character but this isn’t a multiplayer fest like you might first assume, but rather solo. However, there’s a small co-op element in the form of character switching, though this relies on a collectable item called a Magic Gom. Picking one up lets you swap characters, gain better firepower, move faster, and so on. If you’re lucky enough to find more, you can even skip a level or slow down the monsters.

Playing Puffy’s Saga is a fun, familiar experience because it feels like Gauntlet. However, it is more like a chaotic game of chase in a maze (I like how that sounds). There are tons of monsters eager to hunt you down, and every touch drains your energy. That is displayed on the status panel and gradually depletes over time. So you will need to constantly hunt for food to keep going, which detracts from the fun of exploration.

Ultimately, Puffy and Puffyn are essentially playing Pac-Man - grabbing dots, dodging enemies, and rushing to the next level in a bewildering panic. The challenge is with the monsters' sheer number (and strength) because there are way too many to cope with. As a result, your energy drains far too quickly, which was my biggest gripe - it's not balanced and feels restrictive. Because of this, I never made it past a handful of levels.

Okay, let's take a small break and check out a couple of screenshots...

Being chased, losing valuable energy... at least I have a near-pointless map!

Looking remarkably like Gauntlet for the second level I thought.

Monsters, Power-Ups, and Other Stuff!

The main menu is essentially a help sheet, so take a good look before blindly starting. It showcases the monsters - some, like the eyeballs, are invincible and best avoided (if you can), while others can be defeated or lured away. You’ll also spot a list of power-ups, though I only managed to find extra speed and firepower!

Interestingly, the function keys unlock a variety of “hidden” features:

• F1 will pause the game.
• F2 flips between 50/60Hz.
• F3/F4 will slow/increase the speed of the game.
• F5 utilises that empty part of the screen with a map (requires two Magic Goms).
• F6 provides a training mode that whisks you off to level 7.

These power-ups require one magic gom to work:

• The HELP key will switch between the two characters.
• F key will give you bad breath as a temporary firepower.
• S key provides a speed bonus.
• Pressing H adds 100 points to your health.

These two functions require two magic goms:

• The UNDO key zips you off to the next level.
• And the M key slows the monsters down.

Hang on, what's a Magic Gom? It’s a blue ball - grab them whenever you can. That said, keep an eye out for food as well, as it restores health. It only adds 100 points, which isn’t much, but hey, it’s better than nothing!

Right, I'm hitting the F1 key to pause the chat for a couple of screenshots...

Pods, keys, beef, and magic are what you need. Stay clear of the "monsters"!

On this level, I was struggling (as always) with my health and needed food. Use the map!

Aesthetics

The visuals are a bit odd and left me with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the design might be a bit familiar (cough - cough - totally ripped idea), but everything still looks great. I really liked the use of colour and the cartoon-like designs of the sprites and items are superb. The scrolling is fairly smooth, though it can slow down a little when a bunch of enemies are chasing after you. The real bummer is that older STs (without a Blitter Chip) suffer from awful push-scrolling, which is horrendous for a "must-scroll" game like this.

Surprisingly, this game supports the Blitter! Yep, the Mega ST and all Atari STe computers will produce real scrolling instead of that push muck!! In all honesty, I was shocked by this discovery as it fees like a hidden backdoor attempt of supporting the Atari STe? Almost a secret!

Perhaps this is the first game to support the Atari STe? Although it appears to have been released before the computer itself. Or rather the first game to support the Mega ST as that had a Blitter from 1987. But it would require TOS 1.04 because the game isn't compatible with TOS 1.02.

My head is about to explode!! Anyhow, kudos to Claude for going that extra mile!!

The audio is delightful, with samples for every action - eat something, and you hear “YUM!”. When low on energy, you’re warned about death. It’s all cute and in a French style we love. However, and I hate to say this but, after a while, it can get a bit grating. I would’ve loved the option for YM effects instead. That said, I’ve got to tip my virtual hat to Claude for going the extra mile with so many silly sound samples.

Could this be one of the first Blitter games? Let's see some screenshots while we ponder over that...

As with Gauntlet, keys unlock the barriers blocking our path.

I just started the level and immediately I'm surrounded by those damn jellyfish!

The CryptO'pinion

Puffy’s Saga was always going to be seen as a cheap Gauntlet knockoff, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been a decent game. Unfortunately, it falls short due to its cumbersome design. You're always in a panic worrying about dying due to the lack of health and food pick-ups. Plus, the hoards of monsters become nearly impossible to defeat when all swarm together. Factor in the complexity of the power-ups, Magic Goms, and the absence of a default map, and it all becomes far too much to handle, making it more frustrating than enjoyable.

Wow, this isn't looking good, is it? Despite my whinging, the core gameplay isn’t bad - running through Gauntlet levels and killing monsters is fun. I liked the speed of Puffyn and the power of Puffy, this spices things up nicely. Plus, like many French games, the aesthetics are lovely - stunning visuals and silly samples.

Puffy's Saga needed more energy and greater rewards from food pickups. Not to mention better use of items/power-ups and dumping that bad idea of Magic Goms!! All this would’ve eased the difficulty, making it balanced and more enjoyable. As it is, I struggled to get too far without running out of energy!

I reckon I need to rate this based on the hardware. On older STs without a Blitter, the push-scrolling is painful, so I’d have to give it a rather brutal 35%. But on something like the Mega ST or Atari STe, it runs much smoother and plays way better. The proper scrolling makes it a lot more enjoyable - so I'd say it deserves a surprisingly decent 60%. At the end of the day, though, Blitter or not - just play Gauntlet II instead.

• Atari Legend has the best floppy disk by The Midland Boyz.
• 8BitChip has an installable hard drive game that now supports the Blitter.
• It's not often I record videos these days but, check out the ST scrolling...

Phantasie - Day 1

I've arrived on the Isle of Gelnor

Some of you might remember the fun I had sharing my progress in Cosmos Chronicles, Sword of Kadash, Galdregon's Domain, Uninvited, and others. No? Oh... Well, I enjoy RPG and Adventure games and was in the mood for something new to experience. Lately, I’ve spent plenty of time crawling through LARN, Rogue, Nano Cave, etc. All brilliant, but none offer that sense of a larger "journey" or long-term quest.

I was craving something fresh to really sink my teeth into. Then I remembered a video by Into The Vertical Blank about Phantasie, which I’ve never played. You’ve got to love Jeff’s enthusiasm! He made it seem like a grind worth taking on, and that was all the encouragement I needed to start on my own adventure!

So, let's embark on this new adventure, a journey I've missed out on for the past four decades...

I find myself on an island called Gelnor, which is riddled with danger at every turn. I can see an entrance to a distant dungeon amongst the lush woodlands as I enter the town of Pelnor. Seeking answers, I step into the local inn, where a hushed conversation unveils a grim truth. I learn that a sorcerer called Nikademus who uses Black Knights to wreak havoc across the island.

Should I rise to the challenge and seek to defeat Nikademus, freeing this island from his reign of terror? Of course, I will. Yet it’s only a matter of time before I come face to face with the Black Knights. So I need allies - strong and fearless - because no one has ever triumphed against them. To the Guild, then. Let’s see who has the courage to stand with me on this journey!

Hmm, I feel I should warn you that this won’t be over quickly, and I’m bound to make plenty of rookie mistakes. But rest assured, I'm enthusiastic and always welcome to receive any feedback along the way. So, over the coming months, I'll post regular updates on how I'm getting on. Unless, of course, I give up! O_o

Yes, folks, here I am, starting something new and daring enough to share it with the world.

Let’s hope I don’t end up looking like a complete knob.

• Into The Vertical Blank website https://intotheverticalblank.com
• Worth The Grind video https://youtu.be/xFsqb6I4v54...
• 8BitChip has an excellent hard drive installable version https://atari.8bitchip.info/phantasie.html
• Old Games Finder has access to all the different Phantasie floppies http://www.oldgamesfinder.com/phantasie
• Atari Legend has the manual on a lovely Sewer Doc Disc https://www.atarilegend.com/phantasie
• Look to your right for all the previously mentioned ST games ~~~>

Sleuth (mapped)

Inspector Clouseau

Many moons ago when the Crypt was young I stumbled upon a Berzerk game called Sleuth. It's by Larry Scholz and originally came on an ST Review cover disk. It sucked compared to the Dave Munsie conversion but I still liked it. In fact, I liked it enough to warrant spending many hours over Christmas mapping it.

However, without a trainer, I had to save my progress each time I entered a new room. It was a tedious process, and I desperately needed a better solution. That’s when Mug UK came to the rescue, kindly creating a hack for extra lives. Remarkably, the change only required 4 bytes. Not that I'd understand the jargon:

"I disassembled it using EasyRider4. Then converted the huge source file using Stew's Convert program to make it smaller.

Using Notepad++, I search for all occurrences of '5' being moved into a value. I then worked out which address the lives were (at a guess) being stored in, then looked elsewhere in the code for that same address.

Found a SUBQ.W #1, address and removed it using 2 x NOPS (4E71 twice, hence 4 bytes). Tested it and it worked the first time 🙂 "

This was a game-changer. It's remarkable how such a small change made a big difference - I could suddenly map Sleuth a hundred times faster so it wasn't long before the entire game was fully mapped - complete with all the extra details: key locations, locked doors, and bonus lives. I might be the only person left on Earth to play this quirky Berzerker, but I hope my map sparks curiosity and inspires someone else to try it.

And you should download it because Mug UK went the extra mile - Sleuth now boots up with a trainer option screen before the game begins. So I’ve created a floppy disk image (which you can optionally copy to your Ultrasatan or hard drive). Of course, it’s free to download and exclusively available first here on AtariCrypt. Now, the big question: what should I name this new disk? Arghh, surely not SleuthCrypt you cry? O_o

All credit goes to Mike Mee ~~> aka Mug UK <~~ for his fantastic hacking skills. My sincere gratitude as I doubt I would have made it past the first locked door without the extra lives (not without spending several months of my life). Okay, I imagine somebody out there is eager to play the Crypt version of Sleuth?

I sure hope so; keeping my fingers crossed. Here are all the links...

• SleuthCrypt: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/d1djl0biy8twqm030e4b4/SleuthCrypt...
• The map: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/on5on2sewc895oekjlyr3/Sleuth-map...
• Atari Legend: https://www.atarilegend.com/games/sleuth-majicsoft
• Mug UK: https://demozoo.org/sceners/2542/
• Mike's website: https://mug-uk.co.uk
• More ST game maps: https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/game-maps.html
• Even more ST productions by me: https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/MySTstuff/

I would never have seen the final room without a trainer. Flashy place, uh?

Can you beat me? Will anyone ever play this game again?

It was only after completing the game I noticed it was on "Novice".
I replayed on "Expert", the controls seem quicker but everything else is the same?

Yep, I have fully mapped the game and the download link is above!

Haywire

Not what you think

I was wadding through a few PD disks and saw this game. It rang a bell but I wasn't sure and booted it up to read the name "John Hodskinson". Another bell began to ring - I was starting to think I was in Notre Dame going insane with all that ringing! Then it hit me where I had heard the name before, HangAbout! Yikes, 5+ years have passed since I played that uniquely satisfying cliffhanger. I even mentioned Haywire!

This is a dead simple game that deceivingly looks like it's gonna be Defender. It's nothing like it. Sure, the landscape scrolls left/right but there are no lasers or aliens to zap. Instead, we are here to gather several cute critters left roaming the planet's surface. Okay, it's Defender but without the frantic action?

We start with a mothership deploying us in a craft that performs like Flappy Bird, struggling against gravity. This ship is fragile, even with its shield, so try to avoid hitting the ground more than five times. Creatures wander passively on the planet's surface, and rescuing them is as simple as making contact. Once on board, return it to the mothership to ensure its safety. As you advance, new hazards and challenging weather conditions are introduced. The level is complete when all the creatures are safely returned to the mothership.

There are eight planets to search while hunting for these quirky creatures, though I doubt I’ll beat this game anytime soon! Unfortunately, there’s a time limit and you all know how much I detest those. But that’s the extent of my complaints, as the graphics are modest but also amazing, gliding along at a smooth 50fps.

Haywire loots different ideas yet still manages to become something quite unique. I never expected to enjoy this daft/irritating "collect 'em" as much as I did. Am I good at it? Not on your nelly!! But I had a bunch of fun bouncing my way along a sparse planet looking for... well... to me, they look like hamsters!

Have you not played this before? Fancy something different? You've got it!! Highly recommended.

+ Demozoo has Sanity's disk stuffed full of goodies https://demozoo.org/productions/...

+ Atarimania has the ST Format cover disk https://www.atarimania.com/lists/Hayw...

+ Did you miss out playing HangAbout! https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/hangabout.html

Hmm, level one sounds okay to me. Let's hit this hard and win!!

It took me a while to grab this screenshot - without crashing!

I got one!!! Now get that hamster back to the mothership quick!

Annnnd I hit the ground which turned my ship into a pixellated mess. Joy!

I love that John is a Lancashire lad like me!

SHOTGUN

Click Click BOOM!!

One of the latest games for the Atari STe is from Thomas Ilg, a bloke known for his passion and dedication over the past few years. It all began with the marvellous Laserball and has since blossomed with a string of crazy-stupid-silly games!! The latest comes from the same Froggy stable and is a Commodore 64 port of a rather unassuming shooter. Imagine yourself in an arena with a sole objective - massacre everyone!

This game is for 1-4 players, whether human or computer, and uses various control methods - keyboard, joystick, JagPad, and even the option to use the parallel port via the ST4PLAYER adapter. Shotgun offers a selection of gameplay styles, including battle/deathmatch and a treasure hunt (which I absolutely loved). There are also Marathon/Tournament modes and more to take Shotgun beyond its humble 8-bit roots.

Let's reload our shotguns and take a quick break for some sexy screenshots...

Forgetting the treasure chests, I try to shoot my daughter. Dad of the year, eh?
( Atari STe graphics )

There aren't many games I can win these days so I'll take anything I can get!
( Commodore 64 graphics )

Let's Play

Each player competes in a walled arena, similar in design to a Bomberman maze. Players begin in their specific corner of the screen and must rush to find a shotgun. Once armed, the goal is to blast your opponents into smithereens. If you die (and you will) you are respawned, unarmed, at your starting position. And that's pretty much the gist of Shotgun - running around a maze trying to take out your friends & family.

Actually, there’s more to it than meets the eye. This simple format has been expanded in several ways to add more playable and aesthetic content. You aren't restricted to Battles and Deathmatches as you can also run a Marathon of events and compete in Tournaments. There is also a Treasure Hunt which I personally adore. This takes the basic design one stage further by adding shootable chests filled with goodies.

However, for me, it's best when the co-op part is activated in normal games. That feature brings everything together very nicely. Why? Well, it's good to have backup rather than struggling alone. Especially with my reactions! (AI can still be used in the tournaments - see below)

Thomas has created a variety of unique options to alter the play length and includes the Extended C64-smashing features. The computer can take over idle players with impressive AI. They may frantically dash about like headless chickens but their reactions are sharp - I dare you to outmatch a trigger-happy ST!!

The audio is incredible with outstanding music and sound effects; you can swap between them from the menu. The graphics constantly run at 50fps which is jaw-droppingly smooth. Even better (is that possible?), the visuals can be swapped - like we saw in Frogs - for an assortment of styles. I shouldn't say this, but the C64 graphics are my favourite. Sure, they might look clunky with less detail but they suit the vibe perfectly.

Yep, Shotgun has an impressive array of configurability; I love how I can customise the look and feel so easily. Being able to change how an ST game looks is quite unique when you think about it. I dare you to dislike C64 graphics when playing the Treasure Hunt on Arena G (a gorgeous map). Whatever you modify, gather the family around your Atari and enjoy the chaotic panic of killing them. That's great family entertainment!

Okay, enough yapping. Let's take a peep at some more screenshots...

Marathon is the right title because it's certainly a marathon quest.
This game can cause conflict - my daughter stormed off in a huff during this!

No, this wasn't a real Tournament as I just wanted a playtest. Like I've that many friends!
Although it would be nice to play with Daisy Duke... sigh...

Big Tips

• The AI opponents are annoyingly quick so why not disable that to practice?
• Afterwards, enable the AI and practice in Battle/Deathmatch modes.
• Just a thought... if the AI is active, you could (ahem) be a big, fat cheating camper waiting for an enemy to cross your path. Surely not?
• The AI is good for shoots but less so when navigating a tighter maze. Something to think about?
• Each shotgun only carries 3 bullets, so don't get caught unarmed!
• Getting your ass handed to you on a plate - try co-op.
• Don't double-shoot the chests in Treasure Hunt.
• Type in "xmas" on the main menu for a Christmas mode with our Shotgun guys in Santa outfits.
• Don't forget to use the different display modes. I'm a sucker for the C64 and Stony graphics.
• Gamers can use all of the different ST/STe controllers but those with more friends than me should consider buying the ST4PLAYER adapter. Links below.
• No friends for the Tournament? Create a name using this format to assist "AI <name>".
• Great on the ST but even better for the Atari STe 🎧
• Best played with a friend(s). Or friends you hate and wish to lose quickly!

Words of wisdom? Well, maybe not. Let's take another break for some more screenshots...

Co-op is great and the threat of friendly fire made it feverishly exciting!!

( using the Stony theme )

Probably the hardest map of all to play any game as it's so open.
( using the "Bunker" theme )

The CryptO'pinion

When I first played, I immediately liked Battle/Deathmatch but I could tell there wasn't much longevity, especially solo. However, I thought the Treasure Hunt mode was better by a long shot (no pun). This introduces random treasure chests for points rather than merely playing a form of deathmatch. Better still, are the Marathon and Tournament events because they can use random game modes that spice it up further.

For me, the best is the slick integration of co-op into all but Tournament and Marathon. Having someone to fight alongside is an outstanding feature that won me over big time (this works with the AI if playing alone).

I hope you guys download Shotgun because it's a blast(!). I enjoyed frantically scurrying in a frenzy looking for a weapon and someone to kill. It's an exciting adrenaline rush far beyond my meagre words.

Waste no more time and get this game!

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+ Game download for only $4 https://anarcholab.itch.io/shotgun-st

+ Can I tempt you with the boxed game? https://www.hd-videofilm.com/shotgun/boxed

+ Full credits and a demo download https://www.atarimania.com/shotgun.html

Even more Atari ST games by Thomas

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+ Laserball https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2015/06/laserball.html

+ Anarcho Ride https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2016/10/anarcho-ride.html

+ Frogs https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2019/12/frogs-v12-update.html

+ Randomazer https://ataricrypt.blogspot.com/2020/04/randomazer.html

Completing a Tournament/Marathon rewards with extra maps.

Bonus map #1

Note the doorways that can be opened, a simple but nice feature.
Bonus map #2

Of the three bonus maps, this one is my favourite.
Bonus map #3

These are photos of goodies Thomas generously sent me.
This one is going on my Atari ST wall asap!!

Unfortunately, this isn’t the boxed game I had originally hoped for.

This is like a flyer and will also be going on my ST wall.

Thank you Thomas for the ST4PLAYER adapter!!!
Whether they like it or not, my family will enjoy being beaten by me. (gameplay wise lol)