Sunday, November 13, 2016

Legends Of Valour




Brace yourself for a 16-bit adventure like no other!

Legends Of Valour is one of the last Atari ST games I bought and it received relatively favourable reviews. I was smitten by its depth and longevity not to mention the first-person aspect and superb packaging!

The journey begins in the city of Mitteldorf in search of our missing cousin, Sven. He previously set out to find his fortune and is now missing - what an idiot. Anyhow, it's been far too long since anybody heard from him and thus, our adventure begins. Firstly, you should design your character's appearance, clothing, and armament.

This means you can choose to be human, dwarf or elf with each offering a different style and objectives. Select hair, eyes, nose and so on to create your demi-god or perhaps your character will end up looking like a freak?


It's not long until somebody nice and welcoming greets the new traveller.


Get lost ...in an amazing world!

Once you're dandy, enter the city and heed the advice from the friendly local who pops up for a chat. I would first advise you to take the time to explore and familiarise yourself with your surroundings because this is such a massive place and you will need necessary amenities, like safe lodgings, income, beer to sup, and grub to nosh.

Mitteldorf is a fortress city, populated with interesting characters, secretive guilds, curious places, and even a labyrinth of dungeons hidden deep underground. Of course, these are waiting to be explored, but be careful because you might not like what you find down there. Your cousin wrote a letter which nicely explains his story, why not take a read? Perhaps it features hidden hints that should help you along your journey. Heck, you never know!

All exploration is through a first-person engine not too dissimilar to a shooter like Wolfenstein with fully texture-mapped graphics - a testament to what our 16-bit computer can knock out. This can be configured in three sizes, small, medium and large. Any ST will be fine but the largest setting requires a 16MHz computer.

Initially, the interface is scary due to the huge number of icons but soon becomes intuitive and easy to use. Wandering the city is feasible using the GUI's icons but it can become a little laborious due to the immense size of the play area so a right-click will activate mouse control to unlock its full potential. Which is tremendous.



However, not everyone is going to be nice and helpful...


Chill, relax, chat with the yocals

Legends Of Valour isn't something you simply play - you live it. Life here is completely open-world, a "sandbox" adventure, where you are free to roam and do almost anything you want. This has always been a fascinating concept for me and, although this is an early example of the genre, it works extremely well.

Exploring Mitteldorf is exciting and bursting with fun characters, monsters, temples, stores, taverns, employment and more. I love the Olde English medieval setting which is portrayed and experienced in real-time, so day and night pass by with their own consequence. All the usual requirements we have in life also exist here: eating, sleeping, health and our personal safety when in dodgy locations - especially late at night. I find refuge in a few ales at The Hanged Man tavern is often the best option, but perhaps that's me? Just don't get too tipsy and end up in lockup!


 

Mitteldorf has lots of interesting places to trade, eat dodgy food and read messages...


Explore and turn over every stone

This game is humungous and not something to play on one boring afternoon. Learning the city of Mitteldorf alone can be overwhelming, so make notes and a basic key to complement the official map. So much can be learned by communicating with your fellow citizens so get chatting with them over a beer or perhaps those strange folk that appear to aimlessly wander the streets. Remember, you're living inside this 'RPG' so experience it!

However, be prepared to defend yourself when set on by anyone from the King's faithful knights in shining armour. Even a little old lady can throw a barrage of humorous insults before giving you a good slap which is rather unexpected, I can say. There's only one thing left to do - slap her back!! (tell me you're not tempted?)

You are limited only by your own imagination and desire to explore. Live this game.



Arghh!! I've been caught being dodgy (yet again) and thrown down before the King's mercy.



The CryptO'pinion?

Legends Of Valour is something special and offers a vibrant and exciting place to live. So many cool characters, taverns to frequent, secret guilds to master, monster-infested dungeons to plunder, and then jobs or missions are always on offer. This game has it all and, as you begin to make progress and delve deeper, you soon realise just how much more potential there is just waiting to be discovered. Heck, I had almost forgotten to search for Sven!

Oh yes, I love wandering Mitteldorf but, nothing is perfect and I feel Legends Of Valour lacks in a couple of areas: the battles could have been executed better and it's disappointing to discover most buildings are (visually) empty. Also, audio is limited to spot effects which is a shame considering the number of disks in the box, I think some ambient samples or more varied chippy fx could have tremendously improved the atmosphere, especially during the night scenes.

Legends Of Valour is an incredible and a massively enthralling adventure. Allow yourself to get lost in this immensely rewarding world because it is fantastic and certainly one of my favourite Atari ST RPG/Adventure games, ever.


This is best ran from a hard drive so use 8BitChip.
Those stuck with the floppy should try
Old Games Finder.

A city map and clue book ... and I had fun in October!!

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

After The War



Muscles and big boots

After The War was released back in 1989 by Dinamic Software and is (partly) a fantastic beat 'em up similar in style to Double Dragon 3. You are Jonathan Rogers, aka Jungle Rogers, and must assassinate Professor McJerin who is today's nutcase. Worryingly set in the near future during a post-apocalyptic Manhattan where you must kill all the bad dudes and escape to somewhere far nicer than this hellhole! Sounds easy, right? Let's see...

The game is split into two parts: the first is a scrolling beat 'em up. The second is a shoot 'em up platformer. Upon playing part one, the first thing that struck me was the graphics which look amazing with huge sprites, great colour, and good scrolling. I adore the backgrounds and found the artwork and design to be apt for the grungy scenario. Sound effects are very cool and made up of low-quality grunts and thumps with silly cries when somebody is killed. It is worth mentioning the awesome title theme which I think is superb!



It's time to kick ass and chew bubble gum... No, wait... Wrong game!


Kick and punch everyone!

Controls are very easy to master and offer: a punch, a flying kick, jumping, and a get-me-outta-here rollback. Strangely, the keyboard is needed to activate another type of kick and a nut-crushing low punch, especially useful for rabid dogs! Sadly, I found flipping between the two sets of controls an awkward killjoy.

Part two is only playable once the first is completed. Our musclebound hero is now equipped with a giant weapon as he heads off into the underground. Gamestyle is a platform shooter where we need to blast everything, even the pesky rats! Controls aren't great and trying to guide the directional aiming is overly complicated. This stage is okay but I found myself stressing over the controls rather than having fun which isn't good.



I hit him that hard, he flew up into the air. Yeah, I'm so big and strong!! GRR!!!


The CryptO'pinion?

After The War is two games in one which may sound great but, it's not. The beat 'em part is superb with decent graphics, sounds and lots of violence - I enjoyed playing this a bunch!! But that's more than can be said about the second part which doesn't work at all. There is too much going on and it's not enjoyable if I'm honest...

Download this game, if only for the beat 'em up stages and you have yourself a winner. Tons of fun in this game!!

* Update September 2017: 8BitChip has a brand new hard drive installable download!
Old Games Finder has all the floppy disk versions you could ever desire!
* Who fancies a couple of cheats?
          -> Fancy the code to part two: 101069 (tested and works)
          -> Infinite energy in part one, press keys: ALT, 1, B (untested)
          -> Infinite energy in part two, press keys: ALT, 1, M (untested)

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Enduro Racer


The Atari ST received a great conversion of Enduro Racer which was programmed by Ian Morrison who also made the amazing Road Blasters. There are five races to compete in against a whole load of other bikers on tracks that are littered with many hazards. The controls are superb and I found cornering really tight and exciting. Watch out for the timer which is happy to tick down until it's game over. So learn and practice the tracks! This is the only way you'll ever beat it and maybe you'll show off those skills by doing a handlebar handstand? It's crazy but it's cool.

Visually, things are a little sparse but that helps to produce a better framerate and boy is this fast!! The music is nothing short of fantastic and typically Dave Whittaker - in other words, brilliant. Overall, Enduro Racer might be showing its age a little when compared to other ST racers but I still think it's worth booting up. Cars are best but this proves that even bikes can look cool when leaping over the jumps and thrashing around tight turns.

This is what excellent racing looks like and I guarantee that you will love every second of it.

Friday, October 28, 2016

Bellum Internecinum


Bellum Internecinum was released in 1989 by M Goss-Custard and is a Galaga-wannabe. Shoot first and ask questions later because these ET's are incredibly trigger happy and take no prisoners. Aliens attack in predictable formations - just itching to be killed - but beware because these move rapidly as the levels progress. They also swoop down to clutter the screen for some frantic action. There is the freedom to move in all directions - which is superb. However, your ship can only take so much damage before parts begin to fall off so watch out.

Bellum Internecinum is a rock-solid shoot 'em up and I've loved every second of it. A fantastic game!!

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Chubby Gristle



Oi Fatso!!

This is a story of a fat, obnoxious parking attendant who loves to eat food - a pillar of the community! Chubby Gristle is always hungry and will roam each room looking for grub to nosh on for Grandslam Entertainment's 1988 platformer. This is a platformer and initially feels like many games I played on my ZX Spectrum. Never a bad thing.

Each screen is designed in a similar fashion to Monty Mole however, Chubby Gristle is incredibly tough and perhaps too difficult for the average gamer? As with all platformers, each screen has ledges, moving platforms, ropes, and the expected angry sprites zipping back n' forth which are often awkward to avoid (without losing a precious life).

Visually, it's perfectly 8-bit with 16-bit enhancements. And I mean that in a good way because it happily blasted me back into the 1980s. The sprites move smoothly and are animated using a style I adore - Peter Harrap would be proud. However, I am disappointed with the audio which plays the same tune over (and over). It's great, but we really needed a varied selection and I oddly, found no way to replace that with the sound effects?

Chubby Gristle could have been a hit but the basic mechanics fail due to a difficulty that is off the scale. There's so much going on and it's all too easy for the fat man to bump into something or fall flat on his face. I feel many extra lives are needed to balance things out. There are some great screens but you won't get to see them without cheating...

This is a game that loves to see you suffer. Whoever playtested this should be shot!!

* Klaz' Hideaway who has the floppy and a hard drive installable game (with lives cheat).
* I've recorded a video of my dispare, dare you view it?
* Cheating is never good but Chubby needs extra lives like no other game on the planet. To enable infinite lives, type "buuurrp" on the title screen. You will hear a burp that confirms success. (untested by me) 

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Microprose Golf



Another good walk spoiled?

Microprose Golf is a bit of a show-off if truth be told. It's like the rich and successful younger brother of that poor old Leaderboard who has been left behind - green with envy! Now, I'm hardly a golfing connoisseur, but the developers have done a blinding job and created an involving game with a vast array of mind-boggling features that takes it into the realm of a serious sim. But, don't panic, that doesn't make it boring!! Oh no, not at all so read on.

Golf fans are going to shriek with happiness as several game types are on offer with each affected by an array of realistic variables that can alter every aspect. Like the things that real golfers have to think about: are the type of ground, your stance, weather conditions, and so on. I'm sure experienced golfers will be drooling over the intricate settings long before they even consider teeing off? Heck, even as a novice, I was mightily impressed and blown away in equal measure.

One of the things I loved was seeing each hole before playing it. Just like in this screenshot...



Take a look at the course to get a brilliant perspective of what lies ahead.


Whack that ball!!

All control is made using the mouse, of course. The game's GUI is very well designed and intuitive which drastically reduces any learning curve so setting up a shot isn't a chore when perfecting control and direction.

In fact, any similarity abruptly ends once you've struck the ball because Microprose has taken 16-bit golfing to a whole new level by introducing their camera-angled viewpoints. They follow the ball along its airborne path and I sat in utter amazement as I watched my first shot in action. It's a gob-smacking moment!! There is also a selection of other cool camera angles and, interestingly, all benefit smoother framerates on faster computers - like my 16MHz Mega STe.

Don't run away jealous with envy! Stop and read some more. Here is a screenshot to make you happy...



Take the shot and let's see how good you really are. Whoosh... SPLOSH!!! :D


Aesthetics

Graphically, this is one game that easily stands head and shoulders above anything else I have seen on any 16-Bit computer. The artwork is great throughout and is also very nicely detailed with bold colours and designs we've come to admire from Microprose. However, it's the 3D aspect that absolutely blows the competition away. Jaw-dropping.

Sounds are also excellent but I do feel a little more ambient effects would have been nice during the times you're setting up a shot? Perhaps an extra floppy for a chirp from the birds, a little breeze or background crowd chatter?

There's always something isn't there? Nevermind, it's now time for another cool screenshot...



This is superb how I can get a feel for how my shot might go with a little practice...


The CryptO'pinion?

Microprose has done what they always did and released an Atari ST game that blows your socks off. At every level, it's beautiful and comes with a perfect blend of strategy and arcade to lose yourself in. Whether you're a casual fan or an addicted golfing expert, I am positive you will love playing what is truly a superb game.

You can grab the floppies but this game is best run from a hard drive/Ultrasatan. Wasabim has recorded a fantastic video and AtariMania has neat scans of the manual.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Terry's Big Adventure



It's-a-me, Terry!

Terry and his Big Adventure was released in 1989 by Gary Walton for Shades. It plays with more than a pinch of Mario (I cannot help but wonder how moneybags Nintendo let them get away with this, but I'm glad they did). His adventure takes us through twelve lands and, just like his Italian cousin, he is also stuck within a 2D world of silliness so get your joystick ready because this means lots of platforms, gaps to jump, magic mushrooms and iddy biddy critters.

Terry isn't a mean guy and he certainly doesn't like squashing any living creature so instead, has brought his own weapon of choice. Now, if you're expecting something like a shotgun or a sword then you might be disappointed because it's actually a yo-yo. Okay, this is unlikely to impress the girls but it's different... and kinda works very well too.

Power-ups are frequently available and you can exchange the yo-yo for pebble throwing by hitting the spacebar. Terry is such a badass, right? Many kills will reward a random letter in a tiny parachute, collect 'em and eventually make the word "terry" to earn a temporary shield. This comes in handy allowing you to plough through the enemy hoard.

Also, it's worth collecting the mushrooms for juicy points with an extra life awarded every 20,000 points. There are bonus levels stocked to the brim with even more mushrooms - just don't get yourself addicted!



The Atari ST cannot scroll, right? Well, that's what the talentless programmers say...


Visuals, Sounds, Controls.

Personally, I thought that the graphics are NES in style. The first thing to notice? The tiny sprites but these suit the console experience perfectly and everything you see is colourful and detailed. Scrolling is silky smooth and it's obvious Gary took pride in his work and achieved beautiful results - using a computer without any hardware scrolling.

The audio is a little disappointing with the option of chip music or sound effects. The tunes are cute and my preferred choice in comparison to the dullness of the sparse sound effects. Don't get me wrong, the effects are okay but few and far between - so much of your gameplay will be in silence. Stick with the music!

Any Mario game needs responsive controls and Terry has it for a precise feel that is great. It's perfectly "console" which I know sounds odd but it's true! This also works hand in hand with the laws of physics which means how and when to use the Yo-Yo. This beastly weapon has a knockback that affects Terry - so watch out for that when near water. Splosh!!



Terry's world is filled with colour and little cute things. But even little cute things can hurt!


The CryptO'pinion?

Terry's Big Adventure is such a great platformer and one that will appeal to those who enjoy Giana Sisters or the Stario games. It might very well be a total ripoff but Terry has enough personality of his own to make this feel interesting and entertaining. The only kicker for me is never knowing about this wonderful platformer back in the day...

Yup, I thoroughly enjoyed playing yo-yos with my new spiky-haired friend. What a fantastic platformer!!

Download for floppy or hard disk.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

"Metroid"



Talent + Atari STe = another new game

Samuel (aka Zamuel_a of Pac-Mania and Giana Sisters fame) is working on a third game for the Atari STe and this time it's based on "Metroid". Bear in mind, this is a work-in-progress but we can walk, jump, fire, and explore the levels using a 16-colour-limit-busting display! The Blitter will handle the sprites with hardware scrolling being utilised too for a silky-smooth display. Heck, even the analogue ports will be used (now, where's my Jag Pad?)

As you can see, it looks fantastic but Samuel is also asking for help: with music, sound effects, sprites, and level design. If you can help, please contact him directly via the Atari-Forum website. I wish him luck.

It looks like Samuel has another winner on his hands and I for one cannot wait to see how this develops over time. It's looking great so far!! Check out a couple more screenshots below and... watch this space...




Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Circus back²STage


Circus back²STage demo for the Atari STe, by BlaBLa, Cocoon & Sector One.

With such an unusual style, Circus back²STage is a fascinating Atari STe demo. It features a bucket load of crazy, colourful effects in overscan with the most wonderful chip music. Some people hate clowns but get over it - this is literally one of the best demos I have ever seen. Okay, it's hard drive installable and downloads are available via Demozoo.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Test Drive



I fancy a road trip!

Accolade's Test Drive was released in 1987 and is one of the games I got it free with my first Atari ST computer so I have fond memories of playing this during my early 16-Bit days. It begins with an intro animation of a dude sitting in his Porsche before winding down the window to display a cheesy grin and then speeding off into the sunset.

There are five cars to choose from and each is viewed on the main menu with lots of technical details (that I've never read). Their artwork is gorgeous and I personally think the Corvette is the best of the bunch for a road trip.

Okay, it's time for some screenshots so let's check out the choice of smooth riders...


I've never really been much of a Porsche fan... More of a girl's sports car, right?


Okay, it's not a Ferrari 308 but that doesn't stop me from thinking I'm Magnum P.I.

I can't say I'm a fan of this and the handling never really excites, more terrifying!

(Insert James Bond theme now). Okay, it might not be that fast but we love British muscle!!


I'm more of a muscle car fan myself but the Chevrolet Corvette is a beauty in every respect.


An oldie classic?

Test Drive is a race against the clock with points awarded for faster times along a seemingly endless mountainside highway. Driven from an in-car perspective behind the wheel, you will notice that each car has a realistically represented dashboard with manual gearbox controls that briefly display with each shift.

At first, I found the controls a little wooden, but I soon got the hang of them after a couple of races. A red dot on the steering wheel helps to pinpoint a more precise indication of your turning and direction which is as helpful as it is crude. But I must admit, it does make up for the lacking analogue controls very nicely and feels pretty natural.

Like cars? Like rocks? Then you are gonna love this next screenshot...


Ahh, the open road of a road trip. Wait, another car? Argh, it's suddenly gridlock!! ;^)


You're not alone!

Beware, you're not actually on a race track: annoying civilians are driving on these once-safe roads and they do seem to love head-on collisions!! There are also cops so it's a good job that your car is fitted with a radar to signal when they are nearby. Then, you have a choice of being good or watching them disappear in your rearview mirror!

Personally, I treat these moments as a green light opportunity to push the pedal to the metal, but that's just me! Now, just remember to refuel at the gas station checkpoint before continuing on with your Bullrun Rally.

I'm a good driver. Honest! Well, especially after a few beers as shown in this next screenshot...



Sometimes road trips can go terribly wrong...


Old school aesthetics

Test Drive has some nice characteristics which I think are hilarious - like the badly drawn grey fella driving his truck. How about the handless steering wheel or the slo-mo effect as your windscreen breaks up after a crash - it's almost worth slamming into an oncoming vehicle just to see it! Yep, I think that the graphics are nice considering the age of this famous racer and I probably like the dashboards the most - with the Corvette being my favourite.

Musically, this is nice with lots of jingles and cute tunes during the menus and screens when filling up with fuel. The sound effects of the car aren't the best; it's all buzzy compared to other oldies like Turbo Cup.

I love how the game looks, even if the cars sound like a bee trapped inside a drum. Screenshot time...



It's time to fill up before hitting that open road.


The CryptO'pinion?

Overall, an enjoyable drive without the crazy rush of a speedster like Vroom or Crazy Cars III. This is more like a charming Sunday drive but I have a soft spot for this cliffside road tripper. Why? Because it's a cracking game and even went on to be quite the historical driving series throughout the 90s. It's great to think that this series began on the Atari ST.

This is a great racing game with tons of great cars driving through the rocky American roads. Love it!!


8BitChip has a hard drive installable version which I highly recommend!
Old Games Finder has floppy disk images.
Update: There is an excellent newly uploaded video by Wasabim.
There have been many Test Drive games and I still loved No.5 on the PlayStation.

Saturday, October 08, 2016

Giana Sisters



Turn your ST into a Nintendo!

The Great Giana Sisters was released in 1987 by Rainbow Arts and is a platformer with (umm) more than a hint of Italian plumbing. Anyhow, the ST version played well but suffered flip-screen scrolling that soon became tiresome on the old eyes. Ultimately, it was a lame port that spoiled what should have been an excellent game.

Don't give me the old excuse that the ST cannot scroll. It can scroll: Viking Child, Ghouls 'n Ghosts, Enchanted Land, Stario, Alien World, Zone Warrior, Onslaught and many, more!! Yes, it bugs me when I see people's daft comments claiming that the ST cannot scroll. Blame the programmer - not the computer! /rant

It looks like I wasn't the only person to hate that poor conversion because Samuel (aka Zamuel_a of Pac-Mania fame) decided to convert it to the Atari STe. He makes use of the hardware scrolling so the entire screen now scrolls rather than flipping - and it's smooth, 50fps smooth. To say that this update is jaw-dropping is an understatement and it most certainly beats the pathetic commercial game. Now, just imagine if the industry would have supported the Atari STe properly...

Anyhow, the game itself is the same but it scrolls and that transforms a good product into something else. Samuel has put the Atari STe to great use which proves the power of this wonderful computer. Finally, we can play Giana Sisters as it was meant to be enjoyed so waste no more time and download this wonderful new version (improved by Peter Putnik)

Watch the video and check out these screenshots before deciding whether or not you should download...


It looks basic but it also looks console-cool too. I like it, very NES... to me.

Happily walking along and then something falls on your head! Let's collect the gems.

I really hate that horrendous big bug so let's jump over the sucker and run!

Friday, October 07, 2016

Anarcho Ride



Carmageddon!!!

Anarcho Ride is a new "racer" for the Atari STe by the ever-zealous Thomas Ilg of Laser Ball fame. Well, this game isn't really a racer at all. Sure, it looks the part but it's more of a smash 'n grab - think Carmageddon where head-on collisions get you the points needed to go further and play extra levels.

This game is fun but I actually found it difficult at first because it's natural to try and avoid the other cars. Don't. When you're behind the wheel, the aim is to smash into every car you can and shoot the ones you might miss using a missile. It's silly and very stupid but it's also pure mechanical violence! Totally insane gaming!!

The graphics are weirdly good with my STe delivering a decent framerate. Everything looks like it's been designed by a kid, a mad kid. But I like the quirky style, even though I think it's odd to see the car "hovering" without a shadow. The audio is ace using the DMA for sound effects alongside stunning chip music too. Beautiful audio!!

If you're looking for a racing game then look elsewhere. This isn't a racer - this is a crash 'em up and we just happen to be in a car! Smashing stuff up is always great fun and Anarcho Ride proves that perfectly.


Download Anarcho Ride (+ expansions)








Wednesday, October 05, 2016

Robert HC Leong

All the way back in early January, I featured a mini-review of Annihilator. This is a familiar-looking oldskool shooter by Robert HC Leong, a much-respected name from the Atari ST homebrew scene I'm sure you'll agree.

He has developed four games - Annihilator, Missile Alert, Pac-Man ST and Space Invaders. Each one was released under the Budgie UK label and they were all hits with ST gamers. Plus I thoroughly enjoyed playing them all too!

To say I was surprised to find out Robert read my review -and- also follows AtariCrypt is an understatement! Talk about a nice surprise! Anyhow, we got chatting and it wasn't long before I threw out a few questions and here we are. :-)

I hope you enjoy this interview? My gratitude to Robert for being a great sport (and for being a fan of AtariCrypt!)



Robert HC Leong
- The Interview -


Hello Robert, please tell us about the guy behind the games

I am from Malaysia and I moved to Ireland in 1980 to further my studies. I bought an Atari 520STFM in 1988 while in Ireland, after graduating. At that time, I had already owned a BBC Micro and was looking for a new computer. I was impressed by the plethora of colours that the ST could produce, and the increase in speed and memory.

I tried to program the ST in Fast BASIC initially, but that was too slow, so it was a natural progression for me to move on to 68000 assembly language using HiSoft Devpac, especially since I was already familiar with 6502 assembly language from my time with the BBC Micro.

Hey, wanna see Robert's Atari ST setup? Of course, you do...


Can you imagine going back in time and being there as he programmed his games!!


What was it like developing ST games?

I have always enjoyed playing shoot-em-up games, so the first game I programmed was Space Invaders in 1989. I tried to keep the game as close to its original playability as possible, including the sprites and even its logo colours. It made the cover of the December 1989 issue of Atari ST User magazine.

I then moved on to do a simplified, 2-player version of Missile Command just for the fun of it – it wasn’t anything spectacular. After that, I challenged myself to do a version of Pacman. Many home computer versions of Pacman at that time had very small sprites. I decided that, for the cuteness factor alone, the sprites needed to be larger, and the way to implement this was to do a vertically-scrolling screen to increase the size of the maze. I tried again to keep to the original version and came quite close. I was not good at producing music so Gary Wheaton, a fellow programmer and musician, was kind enough to provide the music for version 2 and it sold quite well.

Annihilator was my final game for the public shareware label. It was a Galaxians clone, but this time, I drew my own sprites and provided power-ups and end-of-level guardians to spruce up the game as it was the trend in shoot-em-up games at that time. After this, I started programming a horizontally scrolling shoot-em-up but I did not progress much further because of a lack of time; I was spending many weekends and nights on-call while pursuing my medical career. This was the simple reason why I did not have a chance to release any new games for the Atari ST after that.



This is Annihilator and is stuffed with Galaxian action!


Do you have a favourite game?

I had no clear favourites but, looking back, I thoroughly enjoyed programming and play-testing Pacman ST because in my mind it was a step above the other Pacman clones at that time with gameplay approaching that of the original arcade version, and cute to boot!


Did you rake in the cash to buy a sports car!

Budgie UK Licenceware was a public domain label started by Camy Maertens in 1987, where a group of software programmers shared joint royalties on all the games sold. It was a fun concept, gave us some camaraderie, and made us some pocket change, but certainly not enough to buy an inexpensive car, let alone a sports car!

Any chance you will start coding again?

Unfortunately, when I left Ireland for the US, where I am now based, I sold off and gave away all my Atari ST stuff! Hence, it is unlikely that I will ever code anything new for the ST again.



It's Pac-Man and it's a cool version of the original arcade game.


Do you play games?

From time to time, I still reminisce about the good old days of the Atari ST, when I’ll try running an ST game or two on Steem, an excellent emulator on the PC. Of course, I still check Atari ST websites like AtariCrypt and Facebook.


What do you think of the ST world today?

I am frankly amazed, but pleasantly surprised, that the Atari ST scene is so resilient, considering that the machine was discontinued in 1993. For me, the ST had always been an integral and fun bit of my life, so I hope the community lives on!

However, the ST presence appears much greater in Europe, compared to the US, though there is still an active Atari club near me in Davis, California, it tends to cater more to the 8-bit Atari consoles than to the ST. Check out: http://newbreedsoftware.com/atariparty/2016/. (I hope they change! -AtariCrypt)



An excellent alternative spin on Missile Command. It's very, very difficult!!


So what are you doing these days?

I’m now based in the San Francisco bay area where I work as a consultant in the biotechnology industry. I remain interested in IT and programming, especially since Silicon Valley is just a short drive down the road. Facebook, eBay, LinkedIn, Google, Apple, Cisco, and Oracle are all around me. IT executives of all ages are driving Teslas.

When driving around in Mountain View, I give a wide berth to the autonomous vehicles that Google is testing out here. Even Atari had its corporate headquarters here on Borregas Ave, Sunnyvale, but that closed down in 1996 (http://www.atari.io/back-to-borregas-ave/). I have visited the location once or twice to reminisce, and to imagine how it would have been here during Atari’s heydey…

Take a look at my website: (http://fungames.zone/#AtariSTgames)

-It was brilliant talking to Robert and I hope you've enjoyed this little interview :-)



Space Invaders can run in a modern or classic mode and (above) is the classic version.

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Venus The Flytrap



Gremlin predicted this 30+ years ago!

Planet Earth is dying because of mankind's habit of breeding like bacteria and raping all its natural resources to serve our gluttony. Well, some rubbish like that anyhow... But, for this game, the over-use of pesticides has finally killed off all the bugs and left mother nature unbalanced but we have created cybernetic bugs to compensate for our stupidity. Of course, it wasn't long before they went postal so we must eliminate them all before it's too late!

This is a run and kill 'em all platformer spread over fifty levels ranging from the green forests to Death Valley. You're a mechanical bug equipped with a cannon to fight off the foes and this can be upgraded using the power-ups left behind by those crazy insects. These consists of a wide range of improvements like better firepower, silly reversible controls, and even antigrav upside-down walking being possible - and that only serves to give brain ache! Bonus rounds appear each way through a level and flip the game into an exciting shoot 'em up for extra points.

Controls are bang-on perfect with a style that is clean and responsive without ever lagging. The graphics are pretty darn beautiful with smooth scrolling and nicely animated sprites plus it's worth noting all those many extra colours which spruce up what would normally have been a boring background. The music is perfect, something I can listen to all day.

Venus The Flytrap is an extremely enjoyable platformer which has always been on my favourite list. Great game!

* I also recorded a midi version of the game's excellent theme tune.
* An awesome remastered tune by ACC:Xess which completely blows you away!
* Okay, here is a hard drive installable copy of Venus by the mighty D-Bug to download.
* Those that require a floppy disk image should check out Old Games Finder.
* Fancy some level codes? Of course, you do! Simply press the SPACEBAR on the menu screen and then ignore using that handy keyboard because they decided that the joystick would be far better to enter these codes:
     -> The Forbidden Forest...starting level
     -> The Frozen Wastes......MANTIDS
     -> The Dead City..........CICADAS
     -> Wood World.............PSYLLIDS
     -> The Kaverns............PIERIDS
     -> Death Valley...........SATYRID
     -> The Creeping Swamp.....LYCAENID
     -> Tech World.............PYRALID
     -> Translucent Plain......NOCTUID
     -> The Stygian Creek......?

* I believe these cheat codes work fine, however, I have never tried them so YMMV... enjoy:
     -> extra time.............JUPITER
     -> extra ammo.............PLUTO
     -> weapons galore.........MARS
     -> fly like superman......MERCURY
     -> unknown................SATURN

Monday, September 26, 2016

Elvira - Mistress of the Dark



Greatest box art ever made?

"Can somebody help me find my chest?". Yes, I was hooked from the moment I saw this cover and then read that line! This game has the best box art ever I've ever seen. Well, after staring at it for longer than I should have, perhaps I should actually boot it up and play it? Ahem, okay, I have nothing more to add to this fine subject matter!

One of my favourite Atari ST games and probably the best box art in the world...

- DOWNLOADS -

A hard disk version is available from D-Bug. (highly recommended)
Old Games Finder has floppy images for those that love disk-swapping hell.

A little surfing revealed this walk-through.
(untested by me... but now I'm tempted!)

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Car-Vup



Paint by Wheels!

CarVup is a scrolling driving/platformer released in 1990 by Core Designs. We get to play the part of a cheerful car that appears to love painting platforms by simply driving over them. Yes, it's a pretty familiar idea but one which will certainly appeal to the... well... more mature gamer (just like me!) who remembers Painter. #AncientGamer

Each screen has many platforms in need of a new coat of paint and this easy task soon becomes tricky because of the numerous baddies that populate the playing field. Don't think about shooting your way through because there are no weapons (without collecting optional power-ups) so baddies must be avoided. This will be troublesome as your car has no breaks and loves driving constantly in a kamikaze fashion so these mechanics force you to constantly flip direction to find an alternative route whilst frantically searching for that last tile. It's fun, it's frantic, it's pointless - it's Painter!

So, I think it's time for the first screenshot which contains a bunch of handy information...



Follow the instructions and learn the different jumps otherwise its Game Over, buddy boy.


Input & Output

This is a game which would sink like a lead balloon if it had anything less than perfect controls. So I'm grateful they are indeed responsive and well thought out. Best of all, they're responsive and without any annoying lag. Many platforms are difficult to reach so require precise timing, which is made harder when the enemy might be blocking your path. CarVup always requires quick and reactions to avoid losing a life because you never know what might appear.

Each level always looks superb with lots of colours and a lovely cartoony design. Personally, I think Core did a great job throughout with the cute appearance, smooth scrolling and cute sprites. The sound effects are pretty nice and do their expected job well but it's the chiptunes which are all foot-tappingly superb. (press key 'M' to toggle).

Right, it's time for another screenshot and this one is from the game itself you will be happy to know...



Always be on the lookout for dangerous items and strange obstacles or even dodgy enemies!


The CryptO'pinion?

CarVup may not appeal to everyone, especially those old enough to remember how boring Painter was! However, I recommend you give this a try because it's an enjoyable twist on the theme and enjoyable too. I'm an ancient gamer but still found myself enjoying its "just one more go" appeal. Hardly a Grade A release but, definitely worth playing.

And that's about it really, a fun spin on Painter that works very well. Yep, I really enjoyed playing CarVup!


Floppy disks are available via Old Games Finder with a hard disk version by 8BitChip.
The One magazine released a demo version containing extra levels NOT in the commercial release!

If you press the 'Z' key during gameplay then it will stop your car!

Enter these codes into the high-score table :
infinite lives - R.J.TOONE
infinite bumpers - BUMPER
9 lives - PUSSYCAT
faster turn speed - WOOAARRGGHH
level skip - WHOOPSIE
extra points - ARNIECAR
more points - BARMY CAR

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Resolution 101



Bad guys need killing

Resolution 101 was developed by Astral who also made Horror Zombies From The Crypt and Archipelagos. They portray a future that is a crime-ridden hell hole displayed using gorgeous vectors for a grim scenario.

We are an ex-criminal turned good and it's our job to hunt down the bad guys in our anti-gravity squad car. So, just like any Van Damme or Stallone movie, you should expect action and lots of explosions! Use your car radar to help map this urban jungle. Whenever you kill anything, they drop their stash for you to collect - which angers the drug lords that will pop up on your monitor display. It's now that you realise your job is to eliminate everyone!!

Control is best with the mouse: use this to view all around your crazy new world. The left button accelerates and the right fires our weapon. This is an excellent system that works perfectly and is far better than the joystick. The graphics are superb using such a fast and smooth 3D engine. I must say it's great when the drug lord appears on your screen - so comical. The sound effects are great as is the music which I love - you can hit F7 to flip between these.

This is one of the best 3D shoot 'em ups for the Atari ST. It's fantastic with no overly complex (ie, unnecessary) objectives to get in the way of your enjoyment. I really liked zooming through the city, which is always fast for a most satisfying chase.

Quite simply, Resolution 101 is one of the most frantic and enjoyable retro shooters that I have ever played.


Don't miss this fantastic shooter - floppy & hard disk



This baddie looks like something from Dr Who so let's zip around him and zoom away!


That guy looks like my old Computer Studies tutor from college. Spooky!


Each level features great animations of the drug lords taking a hit... Nice developers, really!!

The map of our drug-dealer world!

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Frogger



Turning back the clock to 1981

You know, it feels like I've been beta-testing Frogger forever but, it's finally complete!! Yes, we have the official release of Frogger, by Scott Clifford. Do not expect a cheap knock-off because this is about as accurate as it gets with authentic visuals, sounds and playability. I'm sure every fan of the arcade game will adore this brand-new conversion. Plus it's 2016 and the Atari ST is getting new games released - which is incredible!!

Frogger is such a simple game but let's take a wild stab at the gameplay basics...
Leapin' Frogger! Home may look like it's only a hop, skip, and a jump away, but looks can be deceiving. First, there's a dangerous highway to hop across, full of fast-moving cars & trucks. Then there's a swirling river to leap,  full of frog-eating creatures. How's Frogger going to get home safely? By letting you hop him on his way. Guide Frogger safely through this perilous journey, and you'll jump for joy!

The object of the game is to hop as many frogs to safety as you can - and to score the most points along the way. Each time you bring 5 frogs home, you'll hear a short tune.  Then the game will continue at a more difficult level with your remaining frogs. The traffic will be more difficult to cross. There will be fewer floating objects on the river. Frogger-eating snakes will also appear on the riverbank in progressively more difficult levels. The game ends when no frogs (lives) are left.

Your score is shown at the bottom of the screen throughout the game. Points accumulate as follows:

Jumping Frogger forward = 10 points
Jumping Frogger home = 50 points
Jumping 5 frogs home = 1000 points
Taking a lady frog home = 200 points
Eating a fly = 100 points
Extra points for time left = 10 points (per remaining second)


I always love information screens - plus how authentic is this? Amazing conversion.


2016 and the Atari ST is alive & kicking!

Frogger should work fine with every model of ST computer but it's only been tested on the Atari ST, Atari STe and Mega STe. So please let us know if you have any issues using one of those super-speedy computers that neither Scott nor I could afford. Okay, you can download this amazing arcade game right now from AtariMania. Enjoy gaming like it's 1981!!

It's Frogger. Which is an original classic. Guess what? The Atari ST now has an excellent and authentic version!!

Update: You may be interested to know that Scott is now a member of Effect and has also been interviewed by AtariCrypt!! He has worked on many demo screens that you need to check out, like the amazing Turrican Music Disk. However, he currently has RAIDEN in development specifically for the Atari STe.