Monday, January 29, 2018

Whirligig



Spinning in space

Whirligig was developed by Maelstrom Games of Midwinter fame for Firebird and I've recorded a short video which I thought might be fun to share. Why? Simply because I cannot play Whirligig for love nor money - zipping about in space without ever being able to properly control my direction is agonising. If I happened to kill one of the baddies, it was pure luck because I usually end up killing myself instead!! This is a good game but could so easily have been great with a bit of thought...

Technically, Whirligig is incredibly impressive and I know I could have dug my heels in and mastered the controls. However, I couldn't be bothered which is my mood today. Enjoy my video recording and I promise to try harder next time :o)

* Floppy disks can be nabbed off Exxos [Automation #10] and via Stonish [Klapauzius #1].
AtariMania has links to reviews and the manual. In hindsight perhaps I should have read that? lol

Sunday, January 28, 2018

Alien Blast



A quickie news flash!!

Our Atari world is buzzing with news of Matthieu Isorez giving away his copy of Alien Blast!! Previous public releases crashed on level 3 due to data corruption and we've been needing the original disks/files since. Finally, we have them and can play the later levels - which is exactly how I plan to spend the rest of my Sunday!!!

More to come when I have the time. Thanks to Marko Latvanen @AtariMania for the heads-up :)

Saturday, January 27, 2018

KLAX



Another ST game gets updated

Jamie Hamshere (aka junosix of Droid fame) has released an upgrade of Klax for the Atari STe. This new release uses the arcade game's sampled sound effects which beats the original's chirpy chip by miles.

The game is basically a 3D Tetris which Domark released in 1990. Once again, we're stacking piles of coloured tiles but this time they are travelling towards us and need to be dropped into a bin, making sure they stack vertically, horizontally or diagonally. It sounds simple but this is a brutal game that demands lightning-fast reactions.

What a fabulous upgrade to replace the drab effects with super-duper arcade sounds using the audio coprocessor. I'm sure Tetris and brainteaser addicts will love Klax even more now that it sounds this good!! Nice one Jamie.

AtariMania hosts both the STfm original and this spanky new Atari STe update to download.
Need help? I know I did... just hit the '4' key to play to the final level. Good luck! ;-)

Thursday, January 25, 2018

Alien Thing



In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream

Alien Thing was released late in the ST's life by 999 Software for Top Byte and if you've ever played Alien Syndrome, Gauntlet or Storm then you'll know exactly what to expect from this overhead shoot 'em up set in space. It's the same old story: heading for Earth is a distant spaceship filled to the brim with a vicious alien hoard who are hungry for our blood. It's time to tool up, sneak on board, and begin mercilessly killing anything that looks like it bites.

Their spaceship is split into 11 levels with each requiring a mission to be completed. The first starts off simple (kill everything!!) with later missions being far more complex and if you happen to fail then you are immediately sent straight back to the beginning. This ship is huge, yet with a clear definition in design, so you won't lose your bearings.

Almost every corridor has some kind of doorway which can be opened, one way or another. Key cards are a good idea and these can usually be found hidden inside the blue cabinets - along with other bonuses like a 1UP and ammo. However, use these cards wisely because not every door needs to be immediately opened...



Argh, those green pools of acid! Let's get rid of 'em right away!


I love those splatter effects, quite messy but in a good way.


They mostly come out at night, mostly

Joystick controls are excellent and responsive so it's easy navigating this ship, even if I oddly move quicker than the aliens! These beasts are everywhere - so stay frosty - because they can withstand several hits before turning into a splattered mess. Their eggs must be quickly blown up before a new alien is born and pops out to eat you!

Dead aliens leave behind pools of poisonous slime that need to be destroyed before you can pass. Each of your weapons has a varying level of effectiveness and the flamethrower is awesome so try searching the orange cabinets for yours. However, I'm not fresh on the laser which needs a recharge too frequently for my liking.
  • I feel Alien Thing to be well-balanced but hardcore gamers might consider the revamped "Expert Edition". However, I found those changes made it ridiculously difficult thus frustrating.
  • The Director's Cut is the sequel due to be released in 1997. It featured a change in the visual perspective, complex missions, new enemies, and lots of DMA-enhanced sound effects. A three-level demo is available but I'm unsure whether it was officially completed. Can anyone help? Thanks.



Alien Thing (above) and the updated Expert Edition (lower)

This is a simple example of the differences, ie: map changes, items, pools of gunk, etc.


Close your eyes, baby

Actually, no! Open them and enjoy the nicely drawn graphics which are clean and well-designed. I liked the contrast of vivid colours used against the spaceship's metallic structure and the near-luminous green aliens really do stand out. This works so well, even if the aliens walk like squashed spiders! Sadly, the scrolling isn't too great and should have been smoother - it's disappointing that the Atari ST'e hardware wasn't used to full effect.

Sound effects are varied for just about every action with many of them ripped, I like the Star Trek doors opening. Okay, they might be crude but that doesn't mean they're not superb because they are actually genuinely entertaining. Also, I love it when an alien dies - almost as much as our own pitiful death cry. On an STFM the quality is good but quite fuzzy whereas they've made use of the DMA of the STe for greater clarity. Which works great.



Explore everywhere and leave lots of dead bodies in your wake!


Tooled up and patrolling the corridors... Surely, this is a gamer's perfect dream?


I guess we’re not leaving soon?

Nothing is perfect and Alien Thing provided me with a few things to whine about - like when a corridor is blocked by a pool of slime that's impossible to destroy because it's too close to a wall. Also, one touch of slime means instant death! Plus it's silly having just one sound effect when a shot hits the wall, regardless of the weapon. Let's end the moan now, please!

Okay, that moaning aside, Alien Thing is a decent take on the Aliens scenario with a nifty balance of arcade-style action, exploration, and strategic thinking. All this is thanks to a good design with lots of challenging missions. Plus it looks great too with a ship design that I appreciated and the sound effects on the whole are excellent.

I absolutely love Alien Thing. So stop your grinnin' and drop your linen because this is a seriously addictive shooter!!


Separate downloads are scattered about all over the internet for each of the Alien Thing games. So I've bundled together all the best versions which you can freely download off my Dropbox. For those struggling, there is a genius password system (just press the "/?" key on the menu) and use these codes: PARTY,  WORK,  LARD,  WHEEE,  HELLO,  HARD,  GOSH,  NIGHT,  PEN,  RULER

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Grusel


Thanks to the insanity of Eckhard Kruse, I've been hooked on graveyards, weird skeletons and ghosts for over 30 years. Yes, it sure looks silly, but this is an ST classic and something I just had to share. Grusel can be download from Eckhard's own website but don't forget Ballerburg, an outstanding turn-based strategic shooter!

This little demo is nothing less than a timeless classic.

Sunday, January 21, 2018

HangAbout!



Cliffhanger!

HangAbout was released in 1995 by John Hodskinson and is one of the quirkiest games I shall feature here, I'm sure of it. Ignore what you're seeing above and read on... Three (randomly generated) mountains need to be climbed by a little stickman with the first being relatively easy. The second is harder and the third is a killer!

Each mountainside has ridges to which our adventurer can cling. He uses these to find a route to the top. However, if you fall too far then expect nothing more than a pixelated mess of death. It's quite brilliant albeit not what you wanna see! Our stickman can make use of his arm to reach those parts that are a pinch out of reach. Sometimes, the route appears blocked by a gap too large so a "megajump" can be used - but only once! Use it wisely.

Overall, HangAbout! is one of those games that first appears rubbish and with rubbish graphics. But it actually turns out to be incredible and extremely addictive. In fact, it's gobsmackingly brilliant and all for less than 10Kb. Amazing!!

Download PD Games Compilation Disk #2 which features another by John called Haywire.

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Turrican II - The Music



Check this out!!

Turrican II The Music by Black (aka Scott Clifford). A music disk for both ST computers shows just how great this game's tunes really are. Also, included is a selection of stereo remixes for the Atari STe so what more could you want? I've recorded this video and it plays about a minute from ten random tracks - but you should nab the download via Demozoo to hear all the tunes yourself. Of course, it's best experienced using a real Atari STe - so crank up the volume!!

Credits and the download...

Black - Code
Jochen Hippel - Music
Sven Meier - Graphics

Friday, January 19, 2018

Burger Dream


Burger Dream is Reisoft's spin on 'Clowns & Balloons' with a Ronald McDonald lookalike who is collecting flying burgers. Imagine Breakout with a dollop of Space Invaders - but replace the aliens with juicy hamburgers!

Ronald is left to feel the wind in his wig because we are in control of a couple of goons who move a trampoline contraption that allows him to bounce high in the air and collect burgers. These are scrolling across the screen to make it extra difficult. However, try not to drop Ronny otherwise he ends up in a crumpled heap.

The mouse is used for left/right movement and is perfectly implemented for smooth and precise control. However, the graphics aren't exactly 16-bit in quality, more like something I would have drawn! Only the blind will appreciate these pixels? Burger Dream is hideous and repetitive but I admit it was also surprisingly enjoyable.

Download a Big Mac right now!

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

NIBE


NIBE is a Nibbler/Snake game by Marc Bourlon that features an ever-greedy snake who wants to chomp his way through lots of apples. However, this gluttony makes him grow longer with each bite so it becomes harder to protect him from bumping into walls or even his own tail. It's our job to help him eat his way through lots of screens - and many are pretty cruel in their design. You can even change the game's speed (if you dare!!)

The graphics are humble and suit the retro theme plus I love its title screen - which is actually a good intro. Sadly, there are no sound effects so Mad Max music plays throughout - never a bad thing!! Overall, Nibe is pretty straightforward and also extremely challenging thanks to a sinister design. Stick with it because the basic mechanics are spot-on and Nibe will certainly test your reactions, patience and concentration so prepare thyself to be tormented!!


Floppy disk downloads appear to be quite rare...
And if you enjoyed Nibe then try N.o.B.I. - Racing!!



This is a level that looks so easy but it's completely the opposite! So tricky so be warned.


Oh yeah, I definitely think this is going to be easy. Ask me if I ever completed it...

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Breakout



It's time for more nostalgia

Breakout is an excellent GEM desktop accessory that lets us play the game of brick-busting at any time. I had this installed on my boot drive back in the day and remember marvelling at the multitasking capabilities of my lovely Atari ST computer!! It seemed like black magic, even if ACCs faked that illusion in TOS/GEM!
Of course, it works best in a multitasking OS - just use MagiC, MiNT or Geneva!
The game itself is basic, but great fun and works in all resolutions too. However, I doubt anyone will choose this over the magnificent Bolo which is the best version on the Atari ST. Still, finding this little ACC has made my day once again 30 years later. So, thank you to whoever developed this - please, get in touch and say hello.

Okay, it's time to hit that download button... Erm, link I meant to say. Enjoy this piece of hiSTory!!

Saturday, January 13, 2018

Holocaust


Holocaust is an (unreleased) vertically-scrolling shoot 'em up developed by Dattrax Software and later given away in ST Format. It's incredibly fast and features lots of enemies to kill, bonuses and bosses to annihilate! Heck, it has a couple of cool intros and even talks out loud which is something any Currah MicroSpeech fan will adore.

The gameplay is initially very frantic and makes Wings Of Death look easy! It's disappointing that we're given only one life (without bonuses) which is lame and I would have expected at least three to tame this rabid beast!! The graphics might not look ace but they move at a brisk 50fps which is ultra-cool. Music is gorgeous!

Brace yourself for a breathtaking shoot 'em up. Only the strong need to apply for this one... sheesh!!

Friday, January 12, 2018

Sector One Music Disk



Your ears are gonna love this one...

Sector One is a music disk by Denis Huguet (ST Ghost) that pushes the DMA audio hardware to the limits with many cool stereo tunes - some feature 8/16 channels. Yup, it's quite mindblowing and certainly proves the power lurking underneath the STe's grey plastic case. We also have options to choose the various playback frequencies and also control the volume, treble, bass and more. Yep, this is a technical masterpiece and I love the Just Buggin' tune!!

Brighten up your evening with my recording or download this beauty for yourself!

Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Special Forces



Yeah, it's box art day!

Look what the postman has delivered: Special Forces!! This is the sequel to Airborn Ranger and released in 1992 by gaming gods MicroProse. I've wanted to own this for a very long time so I'm extremely excited and eagerly looking forward to getting my teeth into it over the coming nights - I'll try not to ruin the box. Ha, I'm funny!

Special Forces is an incredible game and something that I hope to cover in more detail someday. Until then, you can enjoy the photograph of my own copy - but please, ignore the sexy girl and play this game for yourself. Downloads are available for floppy disk - I recommend FOF #109A/#109B. Play via hard disk if you can!

Wanna see more Atari ST games from my own collection? Of course, you do!! [link]

Update: I've made a members-only YouTube recording of the unboxing which includes lots of yapping by yours truly. It's a thank you for our generous supporters of AtariCrypt. This was fun to make but I need a camera stand!! Here's some photos and I hope you enjoy it?

Sunday, January 07, 2018

Frankenstein



Fronkensteen!

I wonder how many got that? Anyhow, let's kick off the new year with awesome box art from my collection. I bought Frankenstein for only a couple of quid and instantly fell in love with the comical artwork that reminds me of (you guessed it) Young Frankenstein. Plus I don't own anything else by Zeppelin so it's a sweet addition to my collection.


This platformer was released in 1992 and is, of course, horror-themed and feels like it's taken ideas from a selection of games, like Warlock and Horror Zombies. We're a slave to the bad-tempered doctor who needs several chilling items that should help him regenerate life into a dead corpse. A good twist on the expected storyline I'm sure you'll agree?

The cover is obviously excellent, let's now take a look at the back of the back and the box contents...


Nice style around the back too, I thought.

Here's the floppy disk. Exciting stuff, right?

And finally, the manual. It's more of a pamphlet that opens out. Not bad I guess for a budget game...


Egor - Half man... Half creature... All idiot!

Yes, we are Egor. A fella who, not only has a hump the size of Texas but is also the doctor's unappreciated lackey. He suffers his demand to find several gruesome items and to complete this he needs several oddities ranging from a pillow to a hanged man's body which is left abandoned in the woods. Absolutely brilliant stuff and very B-movie too - love it!!

This is a game all about following orders. Your orders come from the doctor who needs different parts for his ... experiment. You're nothing more than a number, so follow his orders and seek out everything he needs. Easy, right?

The play area is huge and you begin in the mad doctor's castle but we are free to explore wherever we choose. That includes the dungeons or going outside into a spooky forest and into the local village with its creepy morgue. There are many creatures along the way like spiders, skulls, wolfmen, ghosts, rats and even animated body parts.

Here is a little animation I made a while back that should give an idea of how the game plays...


Climb trees, dodge bats, spiders, zombies and more. A fantastic night out!


Things that go bump in the night

Egor isn't exactly the bravest guy and hates creepy things, so there is a fright-o-meter that displays his current state of mind. This ranges from "okay" to "panic" and will degrade each time he touches something nasty. Once he's a blithering wreck, Egor will drop whatever he's carrying to rush back to the Doctor. He loses a life by getting a 5-ton weight dropped on him whilst suffering verbal abuse. And then he gets punched in the face!

Yes, it's a harsh life being the servant of the insane Doctor Frankenstein. However, it's rumoured that a young serving wench is the one kind soul who may help to reduce his anxiety issues... hmm saying nothing...

No platformer is worth its salt unless the control mechanics are smooth, precise and responsive. It always saddens me when a potentially great platformer has been ruined by controls that don't feel quite right - just look at Chuckie Egg II right here on AtariCrypt as a cruel example of how to spoil an 8-Bit classic! Thankfully, Egor's walking speed is just right and he also jumps with such effortless ease. Spot-on perfect joystick controls, I say.


Just look at that iron maiden and the broken arm hanging in the chains. Superb!


Big tips

This is a simple game at heart, it really is just a case of finding items scattered about many rooms. So, why not have a dry run and explore the entire map first, rather than jumping straight in? I would also recommend making notes of all item locations too. So, as you stumble upon something that can be carried, make a note of the location.

For those with even more spare time on their hands, I would recommend the above BUT also go a step further. Because of a nasty time limit (I hate timers!!) why not collect as many items as possible that are located only in the most distant places? Bring them over to the doctor's castle and leave as many as you can here. This will save a lot of time.

However, all this depends on you having lots of spare time. If not, maybe play something else? ;)

Fancy a cheat? Hmm, it will ruin the game but if you're sick and tired of getting scared then enter this code as an high-score “J4Z”. Now start a new game and you will never get scared again! (sadly, the timer remains unaffected)


Watch yourself out there, you're no hero so keep an eye on the fright-o-meter.


Aesthetics

Graphically, this is a mixed bag for me. Don't get me wrong, each screen has an extraordinary cartoon-like style, especially in the 'Spooky Forest' with scary trees, ghosts, bats, and funny zombie-like men. I am constantly amazed by the attention to detail and throughout we have excellent animations for all. Hey, I love that pitchfork guy!

The game uses a push-scrolling technique which is a little too slow and I feel flick-screen would have been a much better option. It's the only quibble I have because push feels unnecessarily too sluggish.

Sound effects are good but limited to collecting items, bumping into monsters and strange lightning weather. This lightning will get more frequent as you progress through the game collecting items. Towards the end, it's really sinister!


Well, here is my hi-score for a game using no cheats. No sir. Honest... (Can you beat it?)


The CryptO'pinion?

This is a cracking platformer with progressively challenging gameplay as you go on the hunt each time. I adore its spooky theme and each screen is incredibly detailed without ever becoming impossibly hard to conquer. I can spend hours exploring its huge map which constantly reminds me of my 8-Bit days playing games like Chiller, Chuckie Egg 2, etc.

A positively simple platformer that doesn't technically push the Atari ST nor needed to. The gameplay is on top form and great fun which is what matters. Give it the time it deserves as this is one of the best platformers and I love it!!

If this gives you the hump then grab it on floppy or hard disk!

Monday, December 25, 2017

Merry Christmas


It's that time again when I find something Christmassy from within the Atari ST archives. However, this time I didn't want a game so opted for a demo. I think I've found a belter: Xmas '88 which was released by Kenrick Productions. I hope you like this? I find it endearing with cute animations and a few appropriate chiptunes to get you in the festive mood.

Merry Christmas everyone and I wish you all the very beST †

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Death Chase - The Remix



This is a STOS game. Wait, come back!!

That's right, Death Chase was programmed in STOS which is something that can produce some neat results but (more often than not) tends to leave me feeling cold with jerky scrolling and terrible gameplay. Anyhow, here is something that I first thought might have been a remake of Mervyn Estcourt's awesome ZX Spectrum racer. Alas, it isn't.

Actually, it's a vicious top-down shooter developed in 1996 by Daniel Fielding for the Atari STe and seems to take much inspiration from a variety of different action/shooters. Heck, it even supports both solo and an incredible cooperative two-player mode. Yep, this is starting to sound awesome already, whether you're playing solo or not.

We are a little guy roaming Rogue-like rooms and initially armed with a pistol. Our job is to explore several screens and all of which are inhabited by killer cyborgs armed to the teeth. Death Chase is loud, exciting and bursting with big explosions and many baddies. It's intense!! Come on, we have guns and lots of bad guys to kill. Oh yeah, bring it on :)

Wanna see a screenshot from my (one-player) game? No? Well, here you go anyways...



Each room holds so many possibilities for a whole new level of violence. It never gets dull!!!


Guns and loud violence?

Our armoury is huge with a possible 18 weapons ranging from pistols and shotguns to rocket launchers and lasers. Star Wars fans will enjoy using the lightsaber? Weapons, ammo and health are found in most rooms, so inspect lockers or look on tabletops. However, beware of potential traps like mines or even TNT crates.

The deaths are hilarious when you zap, slice or blow up the enemy and there will usually be a bucket load of blood splattering through the room! Heck, even your own death can be a fun experience when a shotgun-equipped Eliminator blasts you across the screen. This leads me to the brilliant continue option so you can try again - without restarting from the beginning. However, you lose the cool weapons and start with the pistol.

This is a loud and fascinating game stuffed with violence and I love it! Screenshot time...



Death Chase is insanely good fun and bucket loads of it too. Either solo or with a friend.


Two types of killer cyborgs

Security Guards - these are common and wear a blue uniform but have no intention to serve and protect. Their armour is weak but they can use a range of devastating weapons and will often attack as a pack.

Eliminators - these are the toughest and stand out like sore thumbs in yellow body armour. They can carry a range of advanced hardware, like a mini-gun or a rocket launcher. Also, they don't care who gets in their way - even unlucky Security Guards can be torn to shreds during a pursuit. Interestingly, these guys aren't restricted to the room and love chasing through the screens. So beware because running away like a chicken has little benefit.

What, only two enemies? Ignore that and enjoy what is a thrilling shoot 'em up...



Only one guy stood between me and that ammo. So I fried him alive. Mwahaha!!


Controls, Gfx, Audio

Similar to Rogue, movements are performed within a grid layout. I would not recommend using the joystick as it's far too sensitive. Initially disappointed by that, I tried the keyboard as suggested in the docs. This works better than I ever imagined: the A and D keys are used to turn anti/clockwise. W walks us forward with the Spacebar used to select from an array of weapons (read the docs). Finally, banging on the Right Shift key is the best of all and provides an enormous amount of gratifying blood-soaked violence (love that double-barrel shotgun). Fascinatingly violent!!

The graphics remind me of how today's developers seem to think "retrogaming" looked in the day. Okay, it ain't no Enchanted Land but I'm impressed by the perfectly blocky pixel art which is a style perfectly apt to the theme.

The audio is equal to the visuals with a bunch of incredible Mad Max chiptunes that play alongside crystal-clear DMA samples. So not only are there amazing chiptunes to hear but there is a range of excellent sound samples for every effect. These were all recorded using Microdeal's Stereo Master from movies like The Evil Dead. Killer stuff!!

Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Keyboard. Got that? Okay, screenshot time...



Death Chase is almost like a nightmarish and blood-soaked version of Rogue. Love it!!


This is why we play Atari!!

Every so often, a game comes along that not only takes you by surprise but completely blows you away with its excellence. Something that first appeared quite simple, gimmicky, or perhaps even senseless. Heck, it doesn't do itself any favours concerning the terrible joystick controls. But then you play it and its style is captivating and complemented by exciting bloody visuals and fantastic sound effects. And you find yourself having another go. And another...

I cannot stress how much of a thrill it is to experience such a psychotic shooter. It looks, sounds and plays brilliantly - and with an option for a two-player co-op. The ability to continue on, after dying, is a superb feature that guarantees hours of fun. I love this barbaric game and Death Chase is one of the best I have ever played. Well done Daniel Fielding.

Yes, I said that. Not only is this a brilliant Atari STe game but it's one of the best games I have ever played. Ever.

Stop everything - download now!!

Monday, December 04, 2017

Creepy



Atic Atac?

Atlantis Software released Creepy in 1991, it may sound like yet another predictable good vs evil affair but just wait until you play it! Some might say it's inspired but really it's nothing more than a shameless Atic Atac rip-off. Whaaaat?

Creepy is a little fella but very brave and his old brother appeared in a certain 1983 game. Well, he is about to enter a castle which is owned by The Lord Of Darkness. Why I hear you cry? Is he mad? No, it's to find four pieces of the Necromancy Scroll that will defeat this nasty man and restore peace to a land ravaged by all kinds of evil monsters.

What, you don't believe Atic Atac appeared on the Atari ST. Hmm, you better take a look at this then...




Dark rooms and lots of monsters!

The Lord's castle is huge with rooms spawning a whacky bunch of evil monsters. Some are easy to kill but others are a lot harder, like the She-Warriors who ride on dragons. She might be tough but, when you defeat her, Puff is left behind so hop on for a ride. Watch out for other nasties like the odd-looking Frankenstein and a ginormous spider!

We are equipped with arrows but these are slow so it's best to upgrade to something better in the shop. Yes, this castle has a shop with stuff like health and fireballs - I really liked the fireball weapon and restoring health is always a wise purchase. Locked doors can be opened with the correct key and tiny yellow keys will unlock treasure chests that adorn many rooms. Gamblers will love these as you never know what's inside - something useful or something sinister?

Monsters won't aimlessly wander around because this time they sure love to play chase - at the expense of your energy level (displayed as a crunchy apple rather than a roast turkey). Also, a life loss no longer leaves behind a Cross where we breathed our last breath. And I still haven't made up my mind about which has the best effect when falling between floors...

Ignoreing the graphics, Creepy is not a carbon-copy clone of Ultimate's game. It plays quicker with other subtle differences within a castle that is dingier than the colourful Spectrum game. It took me a while to feel comfortable with the speed but it wasn't long until I was zipping through the rooms like a crazy medieval dude.




The CryptO'pinion?

Okay, those old enough to have gasped in awe at Ultimate's 1983 classic will probably turn up their nose at this blatant imitation. However, I am incredibly impressed by the fast and furious oldskool gameplay.

Of course, Atic Atac wins hands down but I think Creepy also has much to offer. It's nothing less than a nostalgic 48K impersonator but it's also a great game in its own right because it's playable, very addictive and I enjoyed it a bunch - so is highly recommended. Don't turn up your nose and give it a playtest right now - it's a great game.

DOWNLOADS

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Deathbringer



It's Hercules!

Deathbringer is a horizontally scrolling hack and slasher that reminds me of a bunch of different Atari ST games like Barbarian II, Golden Axe and, dare I say it, Shadow Of The Beast. You are Karn, a warrior who must kill an evil wizard using a sword possessed by a blood-hungry spirit called Abaddon. Our world is viewed side-on and can be travelled in either direction through a variety of landscapes but the gameplay remains much the same which means wielding your huge sword whenever you see anything nasty. I'm liking the sound of this slasher already!!

Karn can run and jump using three attack moves: fire + left/right for a jab that is handy against skeletons but useless for others. Push up for an overhead swing - great for flying enemies. Pull down for an underhanded swing that works well for the goblins and other peculiar nasties like rocks. Yep, rocks.

Killing is the name of the game to keep Abaddon happily stuffed with souls - represented in the status bar by the sword's blood. The more baddies you kill, the happier our resident demon is, try not to starve him otherwise he might just get his fix elsewhere. There are many monsters that want to stop you from completing your noble quest: baby dragons, trolls, skeletons, bats, giants, and even birds who drop stinky eggs. A boss screen follows each level but they are rather easy!

I think it's time for some extraordinary screenshots. Breathe. Now, check this out...




Psygnosis eat your heart out!

Deathbringer has fantastic graphics - truly fantastic - and regular visitors will remember I featured the game within our Pixel Art section because of its intro/boss stages and other outstanding artwork. The in-game multilayer parallax scrolling is legendary and proves the power of the Atari ST in the hands of a decent programmer.

Aesthetically, this game makes the lame ST port of Shadow Of The Beast look like Pong!!

The audio is on par with the stunning visuals and a great title tune along with lots of funny in-game sampled sound effects - I love the horrific screaming in the intro!! However, I can't help but be disappointed Empire didn't make use of the Atari STe. Even so, we have sampled effects and smooth parallax scrolling. Eat that Psygnosis!

See what the Atari ST is capable of when in the hands of talent. Well, let's just check out another screenshot...




The CryptO'pinion?

Deathbringer appears to have it all but I've not yet mentioned how this Conan wannabe actually plays. Surely running and hacking at slimeball enemies is guaranteed fun? Well, it should be but this is where disappointment rears its ugly head thanks to the unresponsive controls and that's the last thing you need during the heat of battle!

For example, press fire/up for an overhead swing which actions a split-second later. Other niggles exist like when Karn and a baddie are standing too close - so are unable to hit each other!

Deathbringer's strong points are its beautiful graphics, great sound effects and an incredible array of interesting monsters. Well, I don't think I have ever seen a goblin on a sleigh before! Sadly, I'm left wondering if anyone at Empire actually bothered to play this game before releasing it. Probably not, which is oddly peculiar. With a little tweak here and there...

Ultimately, a very good game but the laggy controls ruin what might have been a tremendous experience.




Stonish has the floppies (Special FX (#53a / #53b)
But I would install it on a hard drive if you can!

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Berzerk



Let's go way back...

I strangely felt the need to compensate for my recent gaming horror (watch me embarrassingly struggling with Platform Capers). So, Dave Munsie has rushed to the rescue with his adaption of the 8-Bit classic, Berzerk. However, I admit I had my fingers crossed when first loading - hoping it didn't suck compared to the great 2600/5200 games!!

Once again, we are the wobbly stickman intruder running through randomly generated screens killing robots. Interestingly, these robot guys are a mixed bunch - some dumb enough to fry themselves on the electrified walls, whilst others are amazingly accurate shooters. Try to kill them all and collect the bonus reward otherwise, you're called a chicken!! Otto is as fearless as ever and only too eager to rear his smiley mug and chase you across the screen.

Some (those under 40) might scoff at the boring and blocky graphics. Yes, I appreciate that they aren't spruced up to ST standards but that would have ruined the authenticity completely. Also, I love the speech synthesis which is spot-on perfect and makes me grin like the Cheshire Cat. "Chicken, fight like a robot" -this is brilliant and I love it all!!

Berzerk is fantastic. This is one of the best 8-Bit conversions I have ever played. Overall, an easy 10/10 from me!!

- Download the floppies from Stonish -



Shoot those angry robots before they shoot you!


Then again, some will kill themselves cos they're stoopid!

Monday, November 13, 2017

Platform Capers



My ST turned into a 2600!

Platform Capers was released in 1992 by Kay Downes for Budgie UK and has obvious 8-Bit roots which is something I'm instantly attracted to. Aesthetically, I feel it's a cross between Clod Hopper, Jumping Jack and Donkey Kong with adorable authentic graphics and sound effects. These transport me back to the early 80s when I was a kid sitting in my cold room in front of an old portable tv waiting for my Speccy to finish loading from tape.

The objective is simple, collect the keys on each of the levels before exiting through the doorway. However, there is a myriad of frustratingly cunning enemies we need to avoid. Touch one and a life is lost and we go tumbling down the screen like a fat plumber. It's brilliant and classically old school gameplay. However, it's very hard...

I believe there are 7 levels but I dare anyone to complete this game without resorting to a cheat!! At best, I have reach level 4. However, I more often than not, will struggle to complete level 3, if I'm honest. On bad days, I can struggle to beat level 2 and usually end up throwing the joystick down in temper!

Superbly programmed but the design is far too difficult. I love & hate Platform Capers in equal measure.

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Deskpic


I was bored and converted a picture I found on the net to 16-colours using Imagecopy 4. I figured it would make a great background so booted up Deskpic - which is on ST Format cover disk #60. Awesome sauce!

That's my rock and roll lifestyle, baby. Yep. Anyhow, STay Atari.

Sunday, November 05, 2017

The Lost World



Yet another unreleased game!

The Lost World was developed in 1989 by John Leather who, sadly, didn't manage to find a publisher. The game itself is complete, except for the audio and he "only" managed to create half of the planned 100 levels. What a slacker, eh? I've always loved platformers of this ilk and it's obvious that John was inspired by various 8-Bit games with superb level names and a character that even walks quite similar to Master Willy, which I liked.

Since then, Grazey added an unreleased Mad Max chiptune that plays in the background. This ended the deafening silence and suits the gameplay too. So, I just had to tick this off my bucket list and take it for a spin...



Just look at the intricate layout and design. You ain't gonna complete this on your first go!!


Let's begin!

The Lost World is very challenging and I admit to struggling at first. The first screen is tough and it took me more than a few attempts before I beat it. Thankfully, this game is generous with many bonuses littered throughout along with stickmen for extra lives. Pressing the spacebar displays a dialogue of potential spells and potions for effects like invulnerability. Also, I love how each screen has a different name, like Pie Processing Plant!!

The controls are superb with simple movements that feel natural for a 2D platformer. You'll appreciate that because the level design is very cunning with lots of hazards, be it a sharp object, sinking ledges or tricky jumps. Evil critters roam the screens and they aren't limited to simply moving back 'n forth. Did I mention this was a tough platformer? Well, level two is actually a little easier but the third cranked up that difficulty once again. Sadly, I didn't beat 'The Locksmith' so I fear it's doubtful I'll be disappointed John didn't fulfil the plan to create more screens!

Perhaps I should try the level editor? Yep, if dozens of levels aren't enough for you, then why not try creating some for yourself using the in-game editor? That's quite exciting and the potential is huge!



Whatever you do, don't forget the keys... What's the little man doing there?


Willy's mansion never looked this good!

The graphics are a true 16-Bit spin on an 8-Bit genre and look lovely. Every screen is stuffed to the brim with incredible decor using intricate attention to detail. I love the colour schemes and the sprites move smoothly.

Audio never made it into the original and made your Atari ST as loud as a ZX81. Thankfully, Grazey (Psycho Hacking Force) changed that so we now get to enjoy a fantastic Mad Max chiptune. It's brilliant, of course, but I admit to missing sound effects for the jumping and collisions. I know, I'm being picky but I do miss those effects.



That purple flying monster is a pain in the £@$!! and killed me more than once!


The CryptO'pinion?

For a homebrew game, this is huge and I don't simply mean the number of levels. The creativity that went into its development is exquisite and there is always something new that catches you out and drags you back for more. However, it is really hard so be warned!! But please, don't be a wimp, learn the mechanics and beat its cruel learning curve.

When you do, you are rewarded with a tremendously addictive platformer. Step back in time and enjoy this great game!


D-Bug has both of the downloads and
AtariMania has level editor help!

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

The Ultimate Arena



Wax on, wax off...

The Ultimate Arena was released in 1995 by STeam and must surely rank as one of the last commercial releases. It's a beat'em up and the first thing to do is choose our character: Sandy or Terry. Now we can proceed to the first match against a series of dodgy villains, each of whom has their own skillset and special abilities. Some might say it is Atari Mortal Kombat and, why not because we fight in various arenas against several lunatics whilst watched by a bloodthirsty crowd.

Each arena offers a different environment and I chuckled to myself when I first noticed the electrified fence - just one touch and you're crispy burnt toast!! Each warrior has their own trippy personality with a varying degree of speed, talent and special abilities. Watch out for a T800 which I thought was really well done and there is also an Indiana Jones wannabe who is an incredibly tough opponent. Interestingly, your energy bar isn't fully replenished at the start of the following round, thus increasing longevity for determined gamers to figure out all the moves. This is a fun beat'em up!

Now let's check out a couple of screenshots of a Terminator and some silly fighting...



Whether you're Samantha Fox or a Terminator - this game is kick ass!! Love it!!


Showing off some cool moves there? Or is he just defying gravity? You decide.


Don’t forget to breathe, very important!

There is no beat 'em up would be worth its salt without fast and responsive controls to kick seven bells outta your opponent. The Ultimate Arena has what it takes and I found it easy to learn the various moves along with their special abilities. The two-player mode is great and allows us to play as the other characters (all except the final guy). A turbo mode is optional but I found that pointless so I cannot say I was impressed too much. Blood can also be turned on/off (what... why?)

Like Domark's Pit Fighter, each character is digitised and they try their best to look macho whilst kicking seven bells outta you. It's quite remarkable the amount of detail squeezed into each pixel with smooth animations and the backgrounds are always interesting: like the Terminator watching you on a screen and the crowd with their silly movements. However, I'm not so sure about the colour palette which is too brownish. Okay, I was tempted to let that slide but then I remembered other Atari ST games make better use of colour, ala Black Lamp. Yeah, umm, it is rather too brown!

Let's kick, punch and electrify through a couple more screenshots...



Kick people to death while they're already being electrocuted. It's all allowed!!


Or just pounce from a great height until they are splattered. All good fun!


The CryptO'pinion?

As I've said in the past, I'm no expert when it comes to beat 'em up games. However, I am genuinely shocked at how much fun I've had with this Mortal Kombat wannabe. I half expected it to suck, especially being released long after the gaming side of the ST had died. Surprisingly, even though the STe has no hardware to move the sprites, it's shockingly entertaining so has possibly replaced Double Dragon 3 as my favourite from this genre?

Also, I love how it doesn't take itself too seriously and the fact I can try my luck against a Terminator is kinda cool. It's obvious that a lot of hard work and love went into its production - and all during the twilight years which is extra impressive. Beating the hell out of digitised guys is a great way to spend a couple of hours!! Play this.

The floppies can be found via Old Games Finder. (but stay away of the early beta version as it's rubbish!)

Sunday, October 29, 2017

The Golden Dawn Mod Disk #14



MCIBTYC!!

The Golden Dawn released many PD and Mod Disks for the Atari ST during their time. However, this disk is something quite different featuring a humorous hack of Cannon Fodder. Click play to watch little ST soldiers graffiti the Amiga HQ which obviously escalates into war. Of course, this can only end in bloodshed :-)

What a superb idea and one which nicely represents the tensions between ST and Amiga users back in the day. Well, mainly Amiga users because we ST guys were too busy enjoying our machine! After the intro, this disk is stuffed with cool tunes and supports various playback options, including the stereo playback on the Atari STe.

Thanks to STompy for this piece of gold and get it downloaded right now!