Zynaps

This game was FREE with my first Atari ST

Zynaps is a Nemesis-Esque shoot 'em up that spookily reminds me of another Hewson title, Slayer. We pilot the Scorpion Mk1 Fighter through the heavens in search of a secret alien base. Along the way, are hoards of alien scumbag - some in ships, or a variety of ground-based defences, and even motherships. I know what you're thinking - it's original, right?

Update: you know, to this day I have never played Slayer. How odd is that!

Hewson released Zynaps in 1988 and it was developed by Howard Ball of Microwish Software who was responsible for Ikari Warriors, Victory Road, Slayer and 5th Gear. I've always felt this was a game coded by someone that knew the Atari ST hardware very well but Howard only ever made this shooter and nothing more. At least it's quality!

Hey, why aren't you watching the video above? Ah well, perhaps just a couple of screenshots instead then...

The first level is cool but it's not long before a guardian appears!

That thing bounces around the screen like an old-school demo!

Shoot! Kill! Shoot some more!!

Our Scorpion spaceship is pretty snazzy and comes with different levels of propulsion along with various weapon upgrades. However, we do start off quite limited with sluggish movements and firing - so shoot that first wave of bad guys to collect their loot for speed-up. Then look to improve lasers or even bombs and missiles. It's simple - pimp your ship!

Activating these power-ups is a little strange. When a group of baddies snuffs it, they leave behind a pod. Collecting that changes the power-up being displayed in the status bar. So when something appears that you like the look of - hold down the fire button during the next pick-up to be granted permission to use it. To be fair, this is a bit weird and rather naff - especially during the heat of battle. Surely this could have been designed much better?

The enemies attack in predictable formations, which kinda reminded me of Wizball oddly enough. At first, firing accuracy is difficult so hitting the bad guys feels a lot harder than it should be. This learning curve I found to be massive - it took a great number of attempts before I started to destroy an entire wave and then begin collecting the pods!

Sigh, that's annoying, isn't it? Well, let's cheer ourselves up and see some more screenshots...

Woo! What's happened to the landscape backgrounds on the next level?

Getting past those asteroids is tough but now it's a boss fight and he's a bit weird...

Practice makes perfect!

Most levels take you through beautiful environments whereas others might take you into an asteroid field. No matter where you are, watch out because the slightest collision loses a life which is easily done too. This is made worse by ultra-cramped areas thanks to the bulk of that scenery (and the status bar). Fly like Buck Rogers... or die.

Eventually, you will reach an end-of-level boss and most are really tough so it's doubtful you will see many victories on your first go! The first boss hops around the screen like a sprite from an old skool-styled demo. Rarely did I see the end of the second level (without using a trainer) but, YMMV. Just don't give up, you wimp and keep playing!!

Wimps only ever see the first level so practice and you might see more! Screenshot time...

Things get freaking on level 3 but it's a good kind of freaky :-)

Well, except for the boss(es). Very lame!

Graphics

Zynaps is a gorgeous shoot 'em up, it really is. Sure, I know games like Xenon 2, Magic Boy, Gods, Deathbringer, and others blow it out of the water but, this old shooter (from 1988) holds its own thanks to the efforts of Pete Lyon!! The title screen is wonderful - pure art - and many of the levels feature a Menacing array of beautiful environments.

But that's not all, the sprites move fast and very smoothly following those incredibly difficult flight patterns. But what about the scrolling? Programmers without talent tell us the ST cannot scroll. Well, don't worry because it's nigh-on perfect and very smooth so feels just dandy during gameplay. Yep, this is another quality Hewson product.

For me, Hewson where a company that was always consistent without resorted to lame ports...

Things get a little Menacing for the fourth level - which looks stunning - if deadly. I never beat it...

Sounds

Zynaps theme tune is outstanding thanks to the talent of one of my favourite musicians, Dave Rogers: a man responsible for many of my ZX Spectrum memories, not to mention ST beauties like Ranarama and Cybernoid.

Okay, the sound effects might pale in comparison to the music but they're still excellent and offer an arcade-like style which I really admire. I love that sharp "zing-zing" when you shoot, the crunchy death effect, and how you are mocked when it's game over. Like the visuals, I think that a lot of love went into the audio which is brilliant.

Yep, the audio proves what the Atari ST can sound like. Wanna hear it...

The Crypto'pinion

Zynaps is one of those games which appears to have it all but, many give up after a few goes because of its learning curve. The action is relentless so you're always on the edge of your seat wondering what's coming next. The method of using power-ups might be flawed but these are essential to enhance the Scorpion with better firepower and manoeuvrability.

Hewson rarely disappoints and Zynaps is yet another corker from their incredible library. Sure, I've had a moan about a few things but nothing is perfect so I can forgive - because of the Can-I-have-one-more-go. Very addictive!! What an extraordinary shoot 'em up and it's a great feeling to end my Super Pack series on a massive high. You need to play this game.

Grab the floppies if you dare but I recommend these excellent HD versions by Klaz and PP.

Atari STe games [part two]

Let's make use of the enhanced hardware!

I'm sure you were all expecting this, right? :@) Yup, I've put together a second video recording that features even more Atari STe games from the Crypt archives. Once again, just a few seconds of each game is shown accompanied by the same groovy background tune by Tomchi. Greetings to all my fellow STe Nutters out there!

Okay, let's check out those games...

 + Uridium - Peter has performed his usual magic and transformed this old clunky shooter into a beauty.
 + Operation Garfield - I dare you not to laugh at this silly shoot 'em up!
 + Zool - Good on the ST and even better on the STe. Different to Sonic and fun for a few hours.

  

 + Giana Sisters - This is what the original should have been like all along! One of the best-enhanced games.
 + Chronicles of Omega - More colours on the STf but smooth as silk on the STe and with DMA audio.
 + Substation - Doom for the ST? Well, no it's very different but it's still a BRILLIANT fps game.

  

 + Stardust - Now we're talking, play this Asteroids and tell me it's not mind-blowing. Superb shooter!!
 + Heartland 2000 - An Easter Egg with legs but look how smoooooth it runs!!
 + Zero-5 - The STe goes all Star Wars on us and it's utterly brilliant too. What a cracking game this is.

  

 + Pac Mania - The original was good but this blows it out of the water!!
 + R-Type Deluxe - Good old Bod did us proud right until the end. I miss him and thank him for the pics.
 + Team - I ain't a soccer fan but check out this in overscan. Wow!!

  

 + Sliders - Looks weird, scrolls like silk, but can you play it? One odd game this. Very odd...
 + Obsession - Best pinball game on any ST? Very possibly because this is a jaw-dropper Christmas cracker!

  

Quartz

Be Trigger-happy!

I've spent much of my recent time trolling through loads of disks using the nifty Floppy Image Runner and eventually came across this beauty. Quartz was released in 1988 by Firebird and is a tripped-out 8-way shooter that has us playing inside a cloud of sub-atomic particles. Each stage is a variety of short mini-stages quite similar to Asteroids but there are also incredible horizontal and vertical shooters along with some impressive 3D effects.

Our job is to shoot the colourful hadrons, transforming them into quarks - which we blast into tiny neutrinos. Collecting these eventually offers a selection of power-ups ranging from ship repairs to a variety of awesome weapons. The end-of-level boss is perfect for the physicists lurking within and needs to be shot several times until it spins into oblivion. Lives are limited but you're offered the chance to continue on - if you're willing to give up a weapon - which is actually a strange idea but one that forces you to play better rather than simply whining for extra lives!

I'm gobsmacked with just how brilliant this is with its frantic action, rich graphics and chirpy audio not to mention its beautiful parallax scrolling. My 8-year-old daughter gave this a playtest and she found the controls daunting but soon got the hang of it and said it was crazy but lots of fun. And I think that sums up Quartz very nicely!!

Fancy taking this groovy spaceship for a spin?

Then grab the floppy or hard disk game right now!

Sinister Developments

Cheap & nasty shareware!

Sinister Developments were one of the best shareware groups in the 90s and released five fantastic arcade games. Each was their own take on the classic original and it was obvious that a lot of love went into their creation. Fantastic graphics, audio and ultra-smooth gameplay which felt authentic yet somehow regenerated and fresh.

Only recently I stumbled upon the Sinister Developments website and was surprised they still had their Atari ST software featured. That was both a shock and a pleasure to see such Fuji wonders listed on a website (that also looked like it hadn't been updated in a generation). Sadly, the download links didn't work so I decided to send them an email and kept my fingers crossed. After all, I did not expect to receive any reply from such an old website...

Surprisingly, I got a reply straight away from Gordon Gibson who not only fixed the broken links but he also kindly supplied the full (registered) version of each title. Yep, all for free without any strings attached (is it my birthday?). Yeah, how cool are Atari ST folk? For reference, the incredible Atari Mania has each game featured within its archives.

Okay, you've probably watched the Space Invaders video and been blown away! 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 and each game is a brilliant arcade conversion in its own right. What's even more 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 that Atari-love in the air?

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

To safeguard this precious archive of Atari ST gaming history, I have also 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!! :-)

Atari ST games

        

How many Atari ST games can you fit onto a single floppy disk? No, it's not a bad joke because Peter Putnik already has the answer: a whopping twenty-three Atari ST games!! These are all heavily compressed on one bog-standard double-density floppy disk and include classics like Arkanoid, Asteroids, Virus, Tempest, Head Over Heels, Pengy, Jet Set Willy, Crystal Castles, Xevious, Sentinel, Moon Patrol, Joust, and more - WOW!!

What, you don't believe me? Then I think you should clickety-click right now and grab the download - enjoy!

r0x

Asteroids?

Set within deep space, you are Commander Perez who humorously finds himself alone in uncharted space during a meteor storm. R0x was designed and released in 2009 by NoExtra / RGCD and is an Atari STe game that requires quick reactions to pilot your spacecraft through a continuously hectic (and colourful) asteroid field.

Before you load it up - make sure you read the storyline within the 'Readme' file included in the download. What a brilliant read and it had me laughing at loud. It's truely superb!!

Hang on, this isn't Asteroids!

Okay, this isn't the arcade shooter that I first imagined. Instead, it's an avoid 'em that requires skill and careful timing to skim past hundreds of rocks that are about to zoom down your screen. It may sound simple but the rocks are flying furiously at great speeds and range from iddy-biddy stones to huge planet killers. There is a distance counter in the top/right of the screen and this indicates how long you need to survive before the level ends.

The longer you last, the faster the rocks move - many zooming diagonally - and all intent on squashing you into pieces. Your ship is equipped with a limited number of smart bombs to zap the local area when things get too hair-raising. This also offers a brief moment to rest from the rocky onslaught but it's not long before they're back!

This is different. I like different!

A range of bonuses are available for daring pilots to collect - bonus letters that spell out "EXTRA" for another life but watch out for the fakes, especially the blue one which inverts your controls! You shall also see Treasure Rocks, these look different to the rest and offer up points should you bump into them. There are even teeny cosmonauts floating helplessly in space just itching to be rescued - which is a lot harder than you will ever imagine!

Skilled pilots can scrape their ship alongside any rock for a massive hike in bonus points but the risk of being obliterated makes this a dangerous job. Interestingly, co-op is supported for those lucky enough to have friends or, like me, a gullible 7-year opponent who is eager to be my next victim!! This game mode also involves dodging more of those space rocks but with the added incentive to rescue 20 astronauts for the win.

For such a humble game the graphics are fantastic with beautiful colours and smooth movements by C-Rem, Heavy Stylus, and Templeton. Audio is the bee's knees with utterly fantastic chiptunes to drool over by Crazy_Q, TomChi, and DMA-SC. I will fight anybody that dares to disagree with me!!

The CryptO'pinion?

Shoot 'em up fans might initially be disappointed that R0X isn't ... well ... a shoot 'em up! Sure, it's a straightforward game at heart that is easy to pick up and play but very tough to master. Each level becomes progressively very challenging and I guarantee it's nowhere near as easy as you first imagined. The addition of mechanics like rock-scraping only adds to the appeal and longevity. R0x is unexpectedly different and tremendously addictive!

The latest version is available from RGCD along with everything else you need to know. Also, a secret menu is unlocked when your high score betters 800,000. Easy, right? Send in your screenshots!

Blasteroids

Boring old asteroids again?

Yep, once again, the galaxy is overrun with rocks that need smashing to smithereens. Asteroids, and other rocks, come in all shapes and sizes so along with the standard variety there are also others: Popcorn rocks which bloat before eventually freezing. Red rocks that leave behind crystals to conveniently recharge your shield.

However, we're not alone! Beware of aliens who frequently rear their ugly heads and should be killed quickly to reveal a range of nifty power-ups - such as a double shot or the impressive Ripstar. Hmm, this is sounding pretty cool.

A part of me is thinking "Ugh, asteroids again". But I'll keep an open mind. Let the fun begin...

Who ya gonna be? Quite the selection for different gamers.

But how tough are ya? Come on, be brave and don't wimp out on me now!!

It's all rocks and aliens!

Blasteroids is split into segments and each is split into smaller sectors which must be completed before reaching a gruesome End Of Level Boss - the monstrous Mukor!! Your ship is equipped with upgradeable weapons, a powerful shield, and the ability to transform itself. Once all the rocks are pounded into dust, a transporter appears to whisk you off to the next sector - to do it all over again. Come on, don't be disappointed - it is Asteroids after all and what else are you doing?

Once all sectors are cleared you will finally get to lock horns with Mukor, a festering evil entity who fires miniature spaceships using his tentacles - so shoot each of those suckers first. That's my big tip and then you can watch him scarper like the fatty bloated coward he is. I actually enjoyed our battles which are fun without being impossibly tough!

This game is great fun and features cool graphics with a style I really liked. Wanna see some more...

Attacks from all angles and tremendous BAM BAM BAM fun!!

Asteroids, with flashy backgrounds and colourful pixels? You cynic!!

Joyslick action?

Controls are excellent and responsive: rotate the ship using left or right, push up to thrust, and keep slamming on that fire button to shoot anything rocky. Predictable stuff but gravity and momentum play their parts to affect performance which is funky. Don't worry, your shield will help to compensate for any poor piloting skills!! Not that I have any...ahem...

Pulling back on the joystick will transform your ship between three different models: the Speeder is agile, Fighter has the best weaponry, and Warrior is a burly beast. Friends can jump in on the action - at any time - with impressive cooperative two-player support. Just like in the arcades - what a superb feature you should not overlook.

Well, it's time to stop reading and view some rather cool screenshots...

The gravitational effect between sectors is superb...

...and then it's more rock-blasting again!

Aesthetics

Graphics are gorgeous - for what used to be a visually stark experience - I love the nicely animated rocks rolling through space. The enemy ships are superb and all other sprites are large, detailed and smooth. Oddly, the backgrounds are 4-colours but you would never notice due to their design and artistic flair, which I really admire.

Sadly, the audio disappoints with lame bleep-bleep sound effects instead of samples, which would have been ideal and easily handled for a game like this. Music is also a touchy subject and soon becomes extremely repetitive. Thankfully, it can be switched off but that only highlights those inadequate sound effects... catch-22... and I'm disappointed.

Okay, let's see some final screenshots before you scarper to download this excellent game...

Shoot!! Kill!! Destroy everything!! <insert evil laugh>

BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! BAM!! So-much-fun!!

The CryptO'pinion?

This is a really good conversion albeit with a few niggles that spoil an otherwise great rock-smashing experience. Asteroid purists probably won't like it with all the extra changes and improvements but, keep an open mind, because this game is tons of fun. I think they've improved the genre best they could without adding bloatware to ruin it.

Okay, if someone put a gun to my head and made me choose between this and Stardust, I fear the latter would win. However, that win wouldn't be by much, because Blasteroids is excellent and utterly addictive. Genuinely love it!

Download for hard drive or floppy disk

Oh yeah, baby!!! I own this beauty :-)

Asteroidia

Let's break up some rocks

Dave Munsie is literally a legend within the Atari ST world. It's as simple as that really. Anyhow, he has released several outstanding games and a couple of those were even enhanced for the much-loved Atari STe. Here we have Asteroidia which, 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 shooting down vector images because we have been transported to a part of space where pixels roam. Not only that, but this is Blitter-space which scrolls at blistering speeds across your screen in all directions.

Asteroids is never gonna look cool but I'll post a screenshot anyhow...

The planet is powered by the Blitter and whizzes by!

Boring old asteroids, right?

The gameplay is, as you would expect, predicably asteroids with us controlling a ship to try and chase down those lumps of rocks. It's initially quite hard and sure 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 actually 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 commercial gaming companies. Once again, Mr Munsie puts them to shame. Audio hasn't been forgotten and we get DMA support which plays a 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?

Yes, this is Asteroids but the twist is how it's presented with impressive Blitted graphics zooming about. The controls are superb so the gameplay is rock-smashingly addictive and one of the most entertaining versions of this olde classic. Look, fancy 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?