Chicago 90

An isometric DRIVER?

Let's start by saying that I'm sure every kid played cops and robbers growing up? Well, now that we're grown-ups (aka BIG kids) we can do the same again using our favourite retro computer. This is thanks to Microïds and their 1989 hit, Chicago 90 which allows us to drive around the streets as either the good or bad guys. Easy choice, I say? Yep...

As a cop, it's our job to do the chasing but I didn't really click with that role. However, I always prefer to be a bad guy which is much better. After all, what's better than a car full of swag as you rush to flee the city limits? Gotta earn that freedom! At first, the controls feel a little flaky, but you will soon be rip-roaring around Chicago in no time.

That's enough reading for the moment, let's take a look at the first screenshot...

You could always be a good guy instead of running from the law? Yeah... that's what I thought!!

Read the flipping manual

Sadly, collision detection is often suspect and the car oddly bounces during a bump when going too fast. The cops are a little simple with naive AI that isn't exactly Einstein-level but good enough to give you a thrilling chase. If caught, you're presented with a rather dodgy-looking image of the scene... I shall say no more about this but you need to see it.

Initially, the in-game user interface is rather complex, and especially confusing if you choose to be the police. Why I've no idea! Anyhow, down the left are many icons - most of which I have no idea about! Along the bottom of the screen are two windows - the first is an overhead city map which displays the location of the fuzz. The other is a first-person view (from inside your car) and should help avoid crashing into law-abiding citizens. Well, in theory!

Bouncy, crashy, messy, funny... I don't care really because it's fun! So let's see another screenshot...

Success!! We've finally found the way out of this urban jungle. Now, HIT IT!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Chicago 90's downfall is its weak Police role which I personally found cumbersome and rather boring. So, that left me with the gangster role which is fantastic and tons of fun! Driving through the city, avoiding cars and running from the cops, is surely an early glimpse into an early GTA experience? It's pretty much fantastic and I've loved every second.

With a little thought for gameplay objectives, this could easily have been a fantastic venture into a life of crime. As it happens, we're just stuck in the Chicago maze frantically looking for an escape. However, racing away from the cops is always going to be a thrill and I enjoyed this a lot - so I ended up buying it. Dear nutters, this is an excellent game!

Visit Chicago - Driver & GTA style!

8bitchip has a hard drive installable version

Old Games Finder has all the floppy disks!

Atari Greenlog now has a cool gameplay video.

Dungeon Master

I needed a picture of the Dungeon Master maps so I created this image to help stop me from getting lost. (right-click the image to open in a new tab - the file is huge!!). Also, I have zipped up an Atari ST folder which contains lots of files plus help and information concerning spells, etc... Clickety click to download it :-)

Also, it's worth taking a peep at issue six of ST Action (I loved that magazine!!) because they featured a fantastic five-page Dungeon Master guide. This can be viewed over on AtariMania.

Chronicles Of Omega

A game for both Atari STs?

Chronicles Of Omega was released by ARC/Atari in 1990 and is probably the first commercial game to feature support for the enhanced Atari STe by making use of the hardware scrolling and DMA Audio. But that doesn't mean the STfm has been forgotten because this displays gorgeous rasters for the sky which aren't possible on the STe when using hardware scrolling. So each machine has something rather cool up its sleeve!

The lands of Omega were peaceful until the day came when a demon captured all of the children from the village. Play as either Alwin or Irma and battle your way through five evil-infested lands, killing everything in your wake, and defeating Demon Champions (aka bosses). Ultimately, be the hero and save the day!

Here's a handy map of Omega which I must admit looks like a lovely place to visit...

This map plots Alwin and Irma's journey through the lands of Omega.

Shoot, Shop and Kill

This is a cute platformer with interesting levels that aren't overly large and filled with many ghouls. Walking from left to right, you'll encounter different monsters along your journey and they're all stuffed with cash. Kill as many as you can and collect their loot which can be used to purchase power-ups in the Good Witch's shop.

There's always someone willing to cash in on any noble crusade. Well, she pops up during each level to tempt you with her wares. Prices aren't cheap so you should try and kill as many monsters as possible instead of running scared. Annoyingly, all purchased power-ups are lost after losing a life, which sucks! End-of-level guardians are rather lame and easily defeated even though they can materialise right where you're standing!

First impressions? This is one of those moments when I can see the potential which wasn't taken advantage of in some respects. There are so many awesome ideas (and some ripped) but this is essentially a decent platformer. With a little fine-tuning, Arc could have had something special on their hands.

The Atari ST has more background colours and gorgeous chip music!

Aesthetics?

So let's look at the graphics and audio which are different depending on which ST you use...

Visually, Chronicles Of Omega is a treat with lovely characters and lush landscapes. Both are rich in colour and the Atari STe gets to use its hardware scrolling for a smooth 50fps. The older ST hasn't been forgotten and what it lacks in framerate is compensated by extra background colours. However, the Atari STe wins by far.

For the audio, both computers take advantage of their strengths: the Atari STe uses DMA samples for the music and sound effects. The older ST uses its YM2149 for stunning chipmusic which I must say is a million times better than what the STe pumps out. This is too easy, the older Atari ST wins the audio battle hands down.

My opinion? I'd dump the ST in a flash with its fancy rasters for the STe's ultra-smooth hardware scrolling. However, the ST wins the audio battle because Steve Barrett excelled with the quality of his chiptunes over the blurry STe sounds. We all know the Atari STe is capable of better and ARC should have given STe gamers the option to chose between chip or DMA. That would have been perfect.

The Atari STe lacks the background colours but runs at a silky-smooth 50fps.

The CryptO'pinion?

I must admit to being disappointed by this enigma. It plays the same on both models of Atari ST but is spoilt by the magic wand's mechanics. This is due to its inability to fire more than twice at any given moment: which means walk...shoot...walk...shoot. If you forget then you're left defenceless in tight situations.

I pushed myself through the fluffy-control pain barrier and (shockingly) found myself enjoying this quirky game. In fact, I managed to reach the final level and I was genuinely having fun albeit with the awkward firing. Kudos to ARC for making use of the Atari STe which certainly makes me wonder why later platformers didn't.

Whatever you're thinking, this isn't a terrible game. Not in the slightest; definitely worth playing. Okay, there are better platformers for the Atari ST but give it a shot? Let me know what you think in the comments.

Downloads are available for hard drive & floppy.

Enchanted Land

The cuddly Carebears have made a game!

We are Kurgan, a magician who dresses like a weird-looking Santa! He must retrieve the lost magic from the lands of Damiran and battles all kinds of cutesy creatures over five levels in order to restore things back to how they were. However, this is one of the hardest platformers I have ever played and it's how the game ultimately fails but, let's continue on.

We all love a challenge but this is ridiculous - the mechanics are so unforgiving which makes everything a chore without any enjoyment. Just wait until you meet those jumping critters or the spiders, which are often annoyingly placed just off-screen, thus will suddenly appear when you get close and zap away your precious energy. Did they playtest it?

Level one looks incredible but is also incredibly tough. However, I guess it does a neat job of introducing you to the game’s wicked mechanics. TBH, I struggled to complete it and I only got to see the technical delights of the second stage by using a cheat. Sadly, this level is hampered by more unfair mechanics and therefore needs to be played over and over, if only we had more lives. Argh, I found myself unable to play for long which infuriated me for a variety of different reasons!!

I always considered Enchanted Lands to be a showcase product. Developed by the legendary Carebears who showed the world just what our 16-Bit computer is capable of producing when in the hands of people who don't make excuses. The game is almost a demo designed specifically to show off the Atari ST but, they forgot the gameplay!

Wanna see a screenshot? No? I understand. How about an animated GIF to enjoy the lush visuals...

Well, the immense talent that went into the game's development is astounding!

Aesthetics

Visually, this platformer is a Christmas cracker and I wish every game I boot up looked this gorgeous!! I mean, it really is like a playable demo with hundreds of beautiful colours on screen at once. The landscapes are stunning and are complemented with equally gorgeous sprites (who will cause all the headaches that a gamer dreads).

TCB certainly can program to a level most software companies can only dream of. And did I mention everything scrolls along at an eye-popping 50fps scrolling? Beautifully programmed with jaw-dropping visuals. Yep!

The Audio is every bit as impressive as the graphics. Musically, it is breathtaking with tunes (and sound effects) that are perfectly suited. My ears can find no faults with everything Mad Max produced. Magnificent tunes.

Let's hop from cloud to cloud looking for more deadly places to die!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Enchanted Land looks and sounds so perfect but it's immensely tough and desperately demands using a trainer. Even then, you will spend aeons trying to master the game's cunning temperament. I personally think the difficulty level could sink the Titanic and it's that difficulty overkill that spoils what could have been an outstanding platformer.

These guys certainly knew their stuff. Technically, a masterpiece but it's supposed to be a game and not a demo. And a game without much enjoyment, or an enjoyable challenge, isn't something I desire. I guess this is our Shadow Of The Beast in the sense it's nothing more than an ST showcase. Look and listen but don't expect much to actually play... sigh.

There are better platformers to play for the Atari ST and I'm gutted to write that. Truly, I'm absolutely gutted.

8BitChip has a hard disk installable version.
The floppies can be found via Old Games Finder.

Okay, it's time to cheat your way through this cruel platformer:

On the title screen, type in, "TCB RULES FOREVER" and the screen flashes.

Now you can press keys 1 - 5 to pick a different level.

Also, pressing F2 - F10 for lots of different effects. Enjoy!

Sokoban

Never judge a book...

I love hearing about new games that are in development for our beautiful Atari ST and today I found out about a brand new Sokoban puzzler. It's written by Peter Lane and is a GEM-based program so it will work on every model of Atari computer and features 50 levels, a scale-adjustable display and the options for tons of extra levels. Absolutely brilliant. I've really enjoyed taxing my old brain cells with this cracking puzzler. Highly recommended for puzzler fans!!

Bod

It is with great sadness I inform you of the death of Stephen Jones, aka Bod. More recently he was the gentleman behind the Atari STe game R-Type Deluxe, an eagerly anticipated upgrade to an already ace game and was highly regarded as the biggest STe project for years. He demonstrated to the entire retro gaming world just what this machine was capable of - when in the hands of someone with talent and commitment. Something we as Atari STe owners appreciate more than most.

I remember talking to him last year and he kindly supplied screenshots of his progress I was excited to feature them on my little-known website. Kindness I shall never forget. Also, his commitment to the Atari ST scene is fully featured on Demozoo where you can view his Fuji portfolio. It's extremely impressive, to say the least. A great loss.

Prayers and my condolences to his family and friends at this time †

Z-Out

Enjoying a quickie

I had a free hour today so decided to entertain myself with Rainbow Arts' Z-Out. Essentially this is a bog-standard horizontally scrolling shooter with nice graphics and (familiar) sound effects. The controls work well but it feels like a poor clone of Menace or R-Type but there is a nifty two-player feature which we really enjoyed.

However, I found it extremely difficult at times, plus it didn't really bring anything new to the table compared to shooters already out. Don't get me wrong, this is a good game, and I am really enjoying it, but the Atari ST has a wealth of better shoot 'em ups. Am I right? Well, I think so but let me know what you think in the comments below.

8BitChip has adapted this for hard drive installation w/ a level skip feature.
Floppy disks can be downloaded using Old Games Finder.
Here are some nifty cheats :
          > pressing J + K together gives infinite energy.
          > pressing J and a number between 1 - 6 (on the main keyboard) to skip levels.
          > pressing K and a number between 1 - 3 (on the keypad) to jump stages.

Substation

You'll need a 25MHz PC for this one...

I remember the days when the ST was getting on a bit and, ahem, the Falcon didn't quite cut it. Not only that, but all my mates had left behind their Atari STs and Amigas for overly expensive PCs. They were bulky and incredibly ugly but, I remember how (secretly) gutted I felt when I saw Wolfenstein and almost died of shock when I saw Doom.

Anyhow, even then, we still had our moments of glory. The Atari ST had a decent selection of first-person shooters by the mid-90s and, in 1995 a company called Unique Development Sweden decided that our old 16-bit computer wasn't dead yet. They graced us with Substation which was about to change everything we thought possible.

The story goes that Mitushi Industries has developed a type of new energy that can be extracted from under the seas. All seemed well until communication was lost with their underwater substation base. Oh no... So, they contracted the help of a Multi-Environment Marine from the American government. In case you are wondering - yes, this is you!

That's the basic storyline, that wasn't really needed, but let's take a gander at the first screenshot...

The mission update screens are superb with tons of information.

When a 1989 computer blows you away!

Upon starting your first game, it's a good idea to ditch the knife - hit key "2" which switches to a rather sufficient pistol. Collect all the goodies you see lying on the floor and open the door; outside, is access to more goodies but there's also a couple of ghouls lurking! Will you risk a fight or run away scared down that seemingly empty corridor?

Movement is actioned with the keyboard: arrow keys are used to walk/turn around with Insert and Clr Home keys for convenient sidestepping - this works brilliantly using a real computer!! Control key fires any weapon, the Spacebar opens doors, and punching the TAB key drops a bomb. Don't forget the map, found at the bottom of the screen, this automatically tracks your movements and the keypad can be used to examine the explored areas.

The baddies are intelligent and won't stupidly head straight for you. Nope! Expect some to use evasive tactics - they might shoot a few rounds and then run away to take cover! So use that pistol to protect yourself, remembering to sidestep oncoming attacks. Other weapons can be found and the chain gun is absolutely amazing - Arnold Schwarzenegger would be proud. In fact, each weapon is superb - I only wish it was quicker to find them all.

Tell me you aren't excited to play this baby for yourself? Wait, come back I've not finished...

I know what you're thinking and no, there isn't anything wrong with the colour!

Aesthetics

Graphically, I'm both impressed and (hmm) slightly unimpressed. Firstly, let me say that Substation has a freakish amount of atmosphere - this game is scary with something nasty lurking within the murky corridors. Anxiety levels are high thanks to its superb design using amazing visual effects - like light-sourced sprites. The frame rate needed to be smooth for a game like this to be playable and the basic 8MHz Atari STe zooms along at 25fps - which is outstanding!!

Sadly, the walls lack texture mapping because UDS opted for Gouraud shading to maintain the smooth framerate. This is understandable but disappointing because games like Destruction Imminent and Wolfenstein 3D prove the ST is actually capable. I feel UDS missed an opportunity to enable optional textures on faster computers.

The audio is spot-on perfect. And I do mean perfect. Substation utilises the enhanced hardware so we hear distance and directional effects. This will help to identify where the baddies are creeping surprisingly well. Equally impressive are the tunes played at 25Khz - excellent quality. You're gonna love it so crank up the volume!

Imagine if this game was released when the STe was young? Nevermind, let's see another screenshot...

LOL, I love this screenshot that I managed to take just as he exploded!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Technically speaking this is one of the most impressive games for ye olde Atari STe. Think about it, an 8MHz computer capable of running a first-person engine that maintains a brisk 25fps. Not only that but it features distance and directional stereo sounds, 30 on-screen colours, light source sprites, and intelligent enemy AI. Heck, you can even play against other people over a network and those with faster Atari computers will support smoother framerates.

Substation is magnificent. A fantastic shooter with great weapons, challenging AI, and superb maps. It's not easy; each mission is as tough as they are enjoyable. However, if you're expecting Substation to be "our" Doom then you will be disappointed - it's more like a Wolfenstein. This isn't a criticism. Just understand that fact.

Oh yeah, this is a seriously awesome first-person shooter so pick up your guns and have yourself some fun!!

This little zappy fellow is tough to hit and annoyingly badass!

- ESSENTIAL SUBSTATION LINKS -

Download on floppy or best of all for your hard drive.

ST Format featured a basic preview level on cover disk #72.
They also held a competition and the winning game is on cover disk #75.
Fancy a trainer? ST Format cover disk #76 has all the answers!
[ all ST Format coverdisks can be downloaded off Exxos ]

Substation tips and maps can be found in ST Format issues #74 / #75 / #76 / #77.

We all love cheat codes and to get all weapons just type "PUNK"
"NIRVANA" gets you extra health and "PFLOYD" unlocks doors.
"SKRAPAN" credits extra bombs and "FALUKORV" allows extra time.

PowerDOS

TOS? No, DOS.

I was recently reading through Atari ST Review #32 and I came upon an interesting tidbit for a public domain tool called PowerDOS. I had never heard of this but it sounded interesting and potentially very useful.

The slowest part of any computer is the hard drive and, whilst this might not matter as much for Ultrasatan, there is still a benefit to be had: PowerDOS is for GEMDOS what NVDI/QuickST/Warp9 are for the VDI components of TOS. That means all those inefficient bits 'n bobs that go together to make up the disk operating system are replaced by "newer" routines that improve system performance (TOS) and add a few features within a multitasking environment.

Installation is as simple as copying the program into your AUTO folder and rebooting. I'm using TOS 2.06 and had the obvious problem with NVDI but everything else appears to work fine. The speed improvements are most welcome for example, try loading up CAB or JAM (with all their plugins enabled).

I love tinkering with my Atari ST and utilities like PowerDOS are amazing. The incompatibility with NVDI is worrying but I wonder if a middle-ground can be forged by using QuickST or Warp9? Whaddya think? Give it a try and see how you get on, let me know in the comments below. Download is available from Atari-Forum (with credit to Mark_G & bj)

OIDS!

Oids, the final frontier...

There are certain games that need no introduction; they are classics that changed the course of history in some way. Think of Knight Lore (Speccy), Dungeon Master (ST), Doom (PC) and you get the idea. Oids is another that needs no introduction but, this one is possibly restricted to the Atari ST world, and all those who looked on in green envy, of course! Well, let's continue on anyhow just in case you are braindead and have never heard of this game before...

Little iddy biddy Oids are our robotic friends but they are currently being mistreated, in a terrible way, by their evil creators, the Biocretes. Innocent oids are now being held prisoner on various remote planets located in the deepest parts of space without any noticeable atmosphere - yet strangely trees still managed to grow! ;-)

Oids was created by Dan Hewitt and was unleashed onto the world in 1987 by FTL. For years, it remained an Atari ST exclusive title until 2002 when the Apple Mac got a conversion. (the older PPC Macs and not the newer Intel or ARM Macs). Anyhow, this is a bid deal for the ST because it's exclusive and something that holds dear memories.

We all know this game but, there might be newcomers who have never seen Oids so it's screenshot time...

Hurry up and rescue little stickmen from that prison!

In space, no one can hear you scream!

In a similar fashion to any Gravitar-styled game, you need to navigate a spaceship through caverns searching for our metallic friends. Use your weapons to destroy the buildings holding them captive and find a place to land so they can climb on board. Now, sit back and watch as the superbly-animated stickmen make their way toward your ship. Simple and elegant. Once everyone is found, your mothership appears high in the sky to whisk everyone to safety.

Controls are so simple to turn, thrust, fire and so on. It might sound a little strange to rotate and turn your ship in the right direction before thrusting. But it works perfectly well and in tune with the physics and gravity of each planet. It feels real, without being fiddly or difficult thus ruining your enjoyment. They are precise and perfect.

Those Biocretes aren't going to sit back and watch you take the captives. They're evil and have armed each planet with hazards and artillery defences: rocket launchers, gun turrets, repulsers, gravity bases, etc. Everything can be destroyed, but don't expect a mothership or ground base to be easy. Sometimes it's best to fly away like a cowardly chicken!

Let's pause the yapping and see a lifeless planet with trees. Or is it just nighttime? You decide...

Hang on, so trees can grow just fine on rocks without an atmosphere?

Sound & Vision?

Visually, this game might first appear simple and without much to it. Well, you would be correct in some ways. However, stop right there buddy boy, because this game is bang-on awesome. The outline of each planet's landscape is represented by a rough terrain design which looks ragged and suits the barren theme. Buildings, turrets and all other objects are detailed very nicely. However, it's the excellent animation of those stickmen that makes my grin very wide!!

The audio is lacking in the chiptune dept - there isn't any! But we do get to hear the boing...boing... of the ball in a cool 3D intro. In-game effects are for the ship's thrusters and guns - I love the superb firing sounds and other explosion effects are nice too. There isn't anything more required, and music would kill the dead-of-space atmosphere.

It was 1987, a time when the ST was still a baby. Yet, Dan/FTL released (another) timeless classic...

Roaming around planets is fun but later levels are very, very hard to master. Learn to pilot!

The CryptO'pinion?

Every ST nutter loves this game because, well, how can I put it? Oids is absolutely magnificent!! The idea isn't original but the execution is spot-on thanks to superb mechanics, realistic physics, and interesting levels. Also, not only was this an Atari ST exclusive but it's enjoyable and extremely challenging thanks to great gameplay. A wonderful game.

Although there are several similar alternatives (all of which are excellent - like Thrust) this remains the best of the bunch. Oids is one of the most outstanding games released - you might say it's supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!! ;)

UPDATE: 8BitChip has updated Oids with better framerates!!

8BitChip has a download that can be installed on HDD.

Klaz Hideaway has a great download for floppy and HDD.

Read the Oids manual (Apple Mac but relevant)

megahertz war

I had to "laugh" when I read this article by Andrew Wright from issue #24 of Atari ST Review magazine. How right he was about the times and I do wonder if he had a crystal ball? (if so, it was probably a GEM program). By the mid-90s, the PC industry had taken over to claim (and keep) the crown for the winner of the computer wars. Sure, we were still around but we knew our days were numbered and, for gaming especially, the ST was as dead as a Dodo.

All due to Atari's poor management and their lack of enthusiasm throughout the previous years by restricting the old ST to the same 8MHz they gave it in 1985. So, our beloved Atari TOS computer began fading away into the darkness and, by the late 90s, every ST was probably hidden away inside thousands of attics... I jest, but the millennium days where sure gloomy. Cheer up because it also happened to those Commie computers too!

ST Review Invaders

Quick, get inside your laser cannon!

I've just found an ST Review cover disk (#11) and on it is the imaginatively titled ST Review Invaders, a magazine exclusive by Dave Munsie. Sadly, my first impressions weren't great because some traditional elements are altered far too much for my liking. Such as how the cannon moves over a rocky landscape so I wasn't feeling the love.

However, I slapped myself and then began to mellow! After a few games and found myself enjoying this quirky space shooter and the nifty new mechanics which I thought were excellent. Also, I enjoyed the faster gameplay which is superb. I love how the pesky aliens no longer shoot in predictable straight lines and their attack patterns are quite brilliant. Level two sees them bopping along in a humorous fashion with a Mexican wave following later on!!

Overall, the authenticity has been altered far too much for my liking so it's not Space Invaders anymore. However, it's still a great game in its own right and certainly has that 'just one more go' factor. I really enjoyed playing this game!

Atari ST menu disks

Astonishing!

Menu Disks... Hmm, I love them for the opportunity they gave to us poor folk that couldn't afford to buy many games but I hate them for prematurely killing the Atari ST gaming scene. Whether they did or didn't is an argument that's been going on for years so it's up to you what to think. The one thing you cannot deny is how great they are with their superb visuals, music and text. Like it or not, they are an essential part of Atari ST history.

Some disks are incredible and often by a kid in his bedroom who puts commercial companies to shame with jaw-dropping effects. I have many favourites myself, like Dream Weavers, and I adore: Automation, Fusion, Elite, Replicants, FOF, Cynix, D-Bug, FOFT, Zulu, Mad Vision, POV, Bad Brew Crew and more. Ahh, the list is almost endless!

Sadly, not many of us kept these floppies - or they have stopped working over recent years. These menus are getting harder to find and some have disappeared from existence, which is terrible. Thankfully, a website has taken up the challenge to preserve this part of Atari ST's history. It's called Stonish (now Atari Legend) and is run by Bruno Mathieu.

I asked Bruno why Stonish and what he hopes to achieve:

"Stonish.net tries to collect all menu disks made on Atari ST. They are mainly games menus, but it will feature tools, demos and mod menus in the next months. The site provides more than 1600 disks at the moment (more to come). All disks have been tested and some of them have been repaired.

The goal is, of course, to provide a safe database for all disks, but not only. Some crews didn't spread very well their disks. A lot of compilations have been lost since the 80's. So we need to fill the gap: any help is welcome ;) This is the first of the website, which will probably evolve in the next months."

Many disks have now been rescued but there is still lots missing so please, if you find anything lurking in your attic then consider helping. Stonish is a great website, doing great work, I wish them much success!

STay Atari.

Moon Patrol

Luna road-tripping

Oh no, the moon is under attack from a legion of nasty aliens and it's our job to stop them! We've managed to find ourselves a cute Space 1999 buggy which appears to mostly drive itself. It even follows handy checkpoints to stop you from getting lost so dust off your spacesuit in anticipation of the Atari ST version of this amazing arcade classic.

With your foot always on the gas, you can only control the level of acceleration as you travel the terrain trying to avoid potholes and any obstacles. Moving the joystick left/right changes that acceleration and pushing up allows you to leap over the potholes. However, be careful because that requires precise timing because the wheels aren't too great at going over potholes. So the slightest missed jump causes the buggy to violently explode like something from a cartoon!!

It sounds silly, and it is, but isn't that what makes a lot of older games intriguing? Let's crack on...

Don't let the graphics put you off from playing what is nothing less than a beast!!

Simple mechanics yet still tough!

There are two difficulty modes, beginners and champions. As you can imagine, if you're new to Moon Patrol and wanna break yourself in gently, then choose beginners. This gradually introduces the game's twisted mechanics and alien monsters at a steady rate. Use this mode to learn joystick controls and the general feel of the game. It's cool.

However, the latter difficulty is much better and certainly offers a far more interesting alternative with many extra features, obstacles and enemies, etc. Here, the landscape is terribly hostile and made worse by even more invading aliens who frequently appear from all corners of your screen. It's manic but wait, don't run away there are weapons!!

Yep, banging on that fire button will simultaneously shoot two weapons: one at the top, is a machine gun firing upwards plus there is a front-mounted rocket launcher for the approaching enemies. So keep one eye on the road ahead and another on those pesky aliens. It's a lot harder than you might think so keep on firing and hope for the best!

Okay, it's screenshot time but why not use a different monitor? Check this out...

Hang on, there are mountains in the background with snow. Hmm, very odd... ;-)

Aesthetics

Graphics appear dated because they are. And that's exactly what you would expect from an 80s game. The decor is authentic with silky smooth scrolling supporting a three-layer parallax effect plus the buggy's animation is superb as it rumbles over the bumpy terrain. Don't forget, Moon Patrol also works in ST High (640x400) and looks gorgeous.

A funky chiptune bops away in the background which is oddly, very much excellent. It's foot-tappingly excellent in fact and I love it. This is accompanied by vintage bleeps for the sound effects to suit this classic game perfectly.

I love it when a game transports me back in time rather than trying to improve (ruin) it...

The checkpoint idea is great for a number of reasons plus it's fun breaking a record.

The CryptO'pinion?

Moon Patrol is an excellent conversion that offers a groovy step back in time to 1982. This is instantaneous fun and I love how its troublesome landscape combines the pothole hopping whilst frantically trying to shoot down the aliens. It's tough but very addictive so keep your eyes on the road otherwise - KABOOM! Instant moon junk!!

A faithful conversion of an arcade classic with rock-solid playability. Trust me, this is #retrogaming gold!!

Old Games Finder has access to all the floppy disks

8BitChip has a version for hard drive installation!

Strategy Wiki lists the many versions of Moon Patrol

Here is their walkthrough which I thought was pretty funny.

Atari 1040 STf

When eBay proved fruitful

I've bought an Atari ST off eBay which also included an SM125 monitor. However, both are in terrible condition! Very dirty with many battle scars and also what looks like scorch marks near the power unit area. Anyhow, I took the chance and ended up winning the bid for a shocking 99 pence. Yep, less than one pound and that included the monitor as well :-)

Once home, I began the cleaning - which took a long time!! This poor old computer must have suffered fire damage at some point in its life judging by the scorch marks inside. It also appears to have suffered other damage at some time as I saw several repair company stickers inside. Funnily, I needed to hoover around the floppy drive area because of a soot-like sludge that looked like tar. Plus also a thick bunch of spider webs covering all the cables. Quite the toxic state!

Well, after all the hard work, I'm so happy to have this marvellous ST up and running! Plus the SM125 is a fantastic monitor that still looks great. To think of its previous condition with the keyboard grime, burn marks, and all that weird thick sludge is gross. For once, eBay has produced a bargain and I'm glad to have rescued this beautiful old computer.

SysInfo reports it to be a 1040 STF with TOS 1.00 and 1MB RAM ...and all for 99 pence. Woop Woop!

Filthy but even worse inside thanks to a thick sludge and many cobwebs!!

I wish I would have taken a better photograph but the old ST scrubbed up beautifully :-)

A Prehistoric Tale

The Lost Boys!!

If there were ever giants that graced the Atari ST demoscene, it's these fellas. In 1990, they ventured into the commercial gaming industry with A Prehistoric Tale, published by the mighty Thalion. So how does it play and can a demo group make a good game? We all now remember TCB's Enchanted Land. Talent doesn't always equal great gameplay :/

Those who remember Chuckie Egg or Panic will feel at home with this game. We have been teleported back in time when dinosaurs roamed with a constant threat of being eaten alive. But this is the time for sexy cavewomen who all happen to look like Raquel Welch. We are tasked to collect dino eggs so all mammals don't become extinct.

Take these to the teleport for safekeeping but, there is a time limit and you can only carry only three eggs at once (unless you use an egg basket). To make matters worse, the teleporter changes location after each use, lots of spiders and other prehistoric critters constantly appear, and you should watch out for the swarms of Pterodactyls!

The graphics are reminiscent of the 8-bit days with a lovely 16-bit quality. It's almost like we're playing a demo by The Lost Boys because of the palette used - and I love it. The audio excels, all thanks to Jochen Hippel and I'm sure you'll be tapping your foot along to his gorgeous chiptune beats. To say the audio is fantastic would be an understatement.

A Prehistoric Tale is straightforward but hiding underneath a humble exterior is a worrisome experience that keeps you on your toes. Even the most gifted player will struggle at first, practice and you will love it. Superb game.

Downloads are available on a floppy disk and 8BitChip has a hard drive version.

Is that a teleporter or has he simply eaten all his Ready Brek!

The pixel art animation when dropping off a ledge is hilarious!!

The Lost Boys archived collection on Demozoo

Storm 94

Alien Breed?

Storm 94 is a shoot 'em up developed in STOS by Marcus Platt / Fugitive Freelancers in 1994 for the Atari STe. It's based on the familiar alien theme with a style reminiscent of Alien Blast and Alien Thing and was originally released by LAPD.

Like other similarly inspired games, we are exploring a spaceship whilst suffering a constant onslaught from the ravenous alien baddies. These are (of course!) relentless, so shoot first and never bother asking silly questions! Ammo, health and security keys are littered throughout the levels but if you find yourself needing extra then these can all be purchased from the computer terminals. Our job is to find key cards to operate the airlock and allow us to escape.

My only quibble is the time limit which is way too short and if you notice the screen turning red, you're near death!! For me, this game didn't need a timer whatsoever and ...umm... spoils itself somewhat. I hope somebody like PP gets a hold of this game and adapts/removes this timer then I might be able to see more of it lol. Sorry, not sorry.

I liked Storm '94 because of the action mixed with strategic elements. It's quite amazing to think this was programmed in STOS but that timer spoils it somewhat. Anyhow, a furiously fun game which I have thoroughly enjoyed!!

ATARI STM (...continued)

I thought it was about time that I followed up on my previous article concerning my new Atari STM. Well, I have opened it up for a good clean and it powered on perfectly. Sys Info reports: 1mb Ram / TOS 1.2 / GEM 0.13 / AES 1.20 and I have successfully connected up my external floppy disk drive and played many games. Yes, I'm a happy bunny :)

Also, this is such a cool-looking computer and one with a super-compatible gaming specification. I now need to buy myself a pair of midi cables for Midi Maze against my 6-year-old daughter. Yes, I sense so many easy victories ahead!!

NES

Hang on, isn't this an Atari website?

Nesulator is a collection of programs by Ed Cleveland that emulate five famous Nintendo/NES games: Donkey Kong Jr, Castlevania, Dig Dug, Mario and The Legend Of Zelda. Each program is the same emulator but dedicated to that particular game. This package was released at STNICCC 2000 but sadly never completed - a massive shame. However, as is, they show the outstanding potential that this project offered - with Dig Dug performing the best I thought.

Thankfully, we can still get to play with these betas and have some fun - remembering that they are unfinished!! You will need an upgraded Atari ST or something like the Falcon because each game demands lots of horsepower to run at an acceptable speed. A fantastic piece of software (on all but 8MHz STs) but I sure wish Ed would have finished his work...

I now wish I could go back in time to tell myself NOT to sell my TT or Falcon. Yep, sad isn't it?

- Screenshots and a download from Demozoo -

Midi Maze

FPS - long before Doom!

Midi Maze hit the shelves in 1987 thanks to the talents of Xanth FX and was an early taste of multiplayer first-person gaming. It takes place inside a labyrinth of weird smilies who roam looking for blood. So ignore their happy faces because they're anything but nice - and need killing!! You could say, the last sphere "standing" wins? Okay, maybe not...

The controls are rather straightforward and very easy to master. You can use either the joystick or mouse - but I personally think the joystick works the best. Those without midi cables can play in Solo mode which allows up to 15 computer-controlled bots with three levels of AI. Those with MIDI cables and other Atari STs can invite friends over with the potential to link 2-16 computers. Think about that, it is quite staggering for an '80s deathmatch. This was 1987, folks!!

The graphics are good but the walls are "paper-thin" and also without any texture or ambient lighting but do remember just how old this game is. Frame rates are fast and exceptionally smooth and I was impressed to see the baddies have a shadow, thus adding to the 3D perspective. Sound effects aren't going to win any awards but they do their job.

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good first-person shooter and Midi Maze certainly packs a punch albeit killing cute smiley faces! Single-player is welcome and works well but Midi Maze comes into its own when linked with other Atari computers. Midi Maze is one of the best games I have featured and is easily a true Atari ST gaming legend!!

* Check out this Midi Maze fanzine (It's in German but Google Translate will help!

* Here is a PDF document of the original game manual

* Atarimania has all three games listed in their Atari ST database.

* Floppy disk images are available from Old Games Finder.

It's-a-me, Mario!

Oh no! Mario is now available for the Atari ST. Phew, thankfully, I'm lying!! This is actually a cool intro screen that was created to be a main menu for some demo that never got completed. Good old Demozoo informs that it's by Channel 38 and features neat music and a large "play area" making good use of those borders. Oh yeah, so nice!!

My apologies for my video recording which is pretty poor. A real ST/e performs silky smooth.

Asteroidia

Breaking rocks

Dave Munsie is literally a legend within the Atari ST world. It's as simple as that. This guy released several outstanding games like Berzerk, Frantick, and Kid GP. Hey, a couple of his games were even enhanced for the much-loved Atari STe.

Asteroidia, as you've probably guessed by now, is a Munsie-take on the old Asteroids arcade genre. This means it's hardly going to win an award for originality, but don't be put off because I've a sneaky suspicion this might be worth your time downloading and playing this rock blaster. Well, it's a Munsie game so that's a given, right?

Okay, forget about a static/no-scrolling ST screen and those old vector graphics. Dave is transporting us to a part of space where moving pixels rule thanks to the hardware of the Atari STe. Pixels that are powered by the Blitter chip so scroll along at blistering speeds. Not only that but you can expect DMA audio too. Your monitor won't know what hits it!

To be honest, it's hard to imagine Asteroids looking impressive but, I'll post a screenshot anyhow...

The planet is powered by the Blitter and whizzes by!

Boring old asteroids, right?

As you would expect, the gameplay is predicably asteroids with us controlling a ship to try and chase down those lumps of rocks. It's initially quite hard and surely takes some getting used to because everything moves so fast. Thankfully, the controls are a cinch to master so it won't be long before you realise how fantastic this alternative conversion is.

Visually, this is a nice looker but it's the speed of everything that will impress the most. To see planet Earth swooshing across your monitor certainly makes you realise just how under-utilised the Blitter and Atari STe was by the bulk of the commercial gaming companies. Once again, Mr Munsie puts them to shame. Audio hasn't been forgotten and we get DMA support which plays a short sampled tune. However, it's quite repetitive so I switched to chiptune/sound effects!

Here is the options screen with options to use the Blitter and flip between PAL/NTSC...

Gotta tip my hat to Mr Munsie... Blitter, 50Hz, Atari STe / Falcon support. Incredible!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Sure, this is Asteroids but, the twist is how it performs with impressive Blitted graphics zooming about the screen. It's like watching a demo and it proves how much potential the Atari STe had yet wasn't utilised. The joystick controls are superb so your gameplay is rock-smashingly addictive. This is one of the most entertaining versions of this original.

Blitted graphics or not, this is bucketloads of fun and a superb Asteroids conversion. Highly recommended!!

 Download Asteroidia from AtariMania 
 Hey, can you beat my hi-score below?