RG15 Cover UK.qxd:RG15 Cover UK.qxd 15/9/06 15:56 Page 1 er gamer retro COMMODORE • SEGA • NINTENDO • ATARI • SINCLAIR • ARCADE *
VOLUME TWO ISSUE THREE
Super Mario! The N64 classic slams onto the DS Star Wars X-Wing versus Dark Forces MSX Appeal The machine with a million faces Kick Off Mania Dino Dini’s footy classic
Retro Gamer 15 $12.99 USA $13.99 Can V2 03 Untitled-1 1 1/9/06 12:55:47 RG15 Intro/Contents.qxd:RG15 Intro/Contents.qxd 15/9/06 16:17 Page 3
Retro Gamer, ISSN number 1742 3155, is published monthly (twelve times per year) by Live Publishing at 1320 Route 9, Champlain, N.Y. 12919 for US$123 per year. Periodicals postage paid at Champlain, NY. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Retro Gamer c/o Express Mag, P.O. Box 2769, Plattsburgh, NY 12901-1329.
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>Content v2.03
Japan Happy Play Noise p24 MSX Appeal p28 Our man in Japan takes a look at SNK’s Ashley Day looks at the creation of the first legendary home console formats gaming standard
Delta 4-Eva p48 Mobile Arcade p54 Chris Wild talks to Fergus McNeill, the man David Crookes discovers the joys of mobile behind Delta-4 Software phone gaming
Next Level Gaming p66 Abandonware: Gone but not Forgotten p72 Andrew Fisher looks at the enhanced games Aaron Birch delves into the controversial world available for the Commodore 128 of abandonware, and asks “Is it legal?”
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>Regulars Retro News p06 Two pages of the latest retro news
Back to the Eighties p08 A look back at what was happening in the gaming world 20 years ago this month
The History of Star Wars Videogames p42 Retro Rated p12 Dan Whitehead completes his tour of the Star Retro Gamer reviews the latest commercial Wars gaming universe game releases
Retro Revival p20 A look at The Elder Scrolls RPG series
Desert Island Disks p36 Paul Drury talks to Atari Lynx/Jaguar programmer Eric Ginner
Killer Apps p82 The 16-bit footy classic that was Kick Off...
Games That Weren’t p84 Frank Gasking takes a stroll through the gaming graveyard Control & Conquer p58 John Szczepaniak talks to Star Control creators, Strange Games p86 Paul Reiche III and Fred Ford Crazy product placement in videogames...
Retro Scene p90 The latest news from the retro scene, plus our Screenplay 2005 festival report
High Score p94 This month we talk to David Palmer, holder of the Star Wars Tournament world record
Retro Auction Watch p99 Richard Burton keeps his eye on eBay
Retro Forum p102 Global Gaming p78 Reader feedback and Web forum posts John Szczepaniak scours the globe in search of thriving arcade, console and computer scenes Retro Coverdisc p106 The contents of this month’s cover CD
Endgame p114 Another issue draws to a close
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Gunstars Reloaded The definitive side-scrolling shooter returns
After reviving many classic properties already, Sega looks set to continue the trend with the resurrection of Gunstar Heroes. It’s been revealed that Sega has recently registered the title ‘Gunstar Super Heroes’ as a trademark, making a huge hint that the epic and much admired Treasure blaster is due to make a return to our screens. best possible impact on the the game will appear on, but we The original game first gaming world, with Gunstar strongly suspect it will be a appeared on the Mega Drive in Heroes perfectly demonstrating the handheld release for the GBA or 1993 and was an instant hit. team’s talent for creating mind- even the DS. Rest assured, as Pushing the Mega Drive to its blowing blasters, and arguably it’s soon as we get more information, limits, the game made usually the best game on the Mega Drive. you’ll know about it. smug SNES owners look on in Quite what the new release will green-eyed jealousy as the game have in store isn’t known as Sega performed more technical trickery has yet to comment on the news. and jiggery pokery than people Will it be a sequel to the original? thought possible on the Sega’s Will it be a remake of the original little black box. Frantic action and game, or will it be a totally an army of massive bosses different game with full 3D populated this side-scrolling graphics like the recent Altered shooter, and the two player co-op Beast update (let’s hope not eh?) was just bliss. Treasure made the It’s also not clear which platform Sonic Overshadowed Rival to take up the mantle
Following on from our story last Shadow the Hedgehog, month about Sega’s online Sonic will be a 3D platformer that survey, it does seem, for the time takes place in a very Sonic-esque being at least, that Sonic will be world, complete with the stepping out of the limelight. At a usual roller-coaster courses apparent at the moment, but recent gaming event, Sega and loop-de-loops. But, from the footage we’ve seen, officially announced that the next don’t expect this to be adventure, meaning we’re expecting more gameplay Sonic game will not star the blue Sonic with different clothes, oh that bopping foes along the lines of Sonic spiky one, but will instead place no. Shadow has some new tricks on the head is a Adventure, only with munitions one of his rivals, Shadow the up his sleeve, most noticeably a thing of the past. Quite and a much darker attitude. Hedgehog, at the helm. bloody great gun! Yes, Shadow’s how much this will change The big question still remains The new game, currently titled packing some serious heat on his the core Sonic formula isn’t really though – where’s Sonic?
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REGULAR | RETRO NEWS Jet Set Go! Miner Willy takes to Important happenings in the retro world the tracks Back in Retro Gamer issue 12 we hinted that the next Miner Willy game for mobile phones might just be a Mario Kart style racer. To tell you the truth, we knew full well that this was the case, but our hands were tied until the deal had been done. Well, said deal has been done, and Jet Set Karting will be appearing on mobile phones towards the end of the year. Details are a little thin on the ground at present, but we gather you’ll be able to choose one of Capcom Classics Confirmed several characters from the game besides Willy, and the tracks will all be based Retro collections spark serious head scratching around locations in Willy’s mansion. We should know more in the next couple of After announcing a new classics PlayStation pack simply entitled months. In the meantime, this early compilation in February, Capcom Capcom Generations (in case you’re development screenshot should provide a has finally revealed that it will wondering, the fifth volume was taster as to what you can expect. release two retro bundles – released separately over here as volume 1 will feature 1942, 1943, Street Fighter Collection 2). 1943 Gaiden, while volume 2 will So why is Capcom releasing bring together Ghosts n’ Goblins, these titles again? Well, it’s Ghouls n’ Ghosts and Super anybody’s guess, although it Ghouls n’ Ghosts. Both packs will seems to have something to do appear on the, er, PlayStation 1. with a new strategy guide that will Sounds mildly interesting, come bundled with each collection. except that Capcom has already It’s unlikely that either volume will released these packs for the be released outside Japan, PlayStation and Saturn in 1998. however, but at least this means Back then they were known as we may be blessed with a new, Capcom Generations and there were fully-fledged Capcom collection five volumes in total. Volumes 1 somewhere down the line. and 2 were identical to the recently announced bundles, while volumes 3, 4 and 5 contained other classic Capcom titles including Commando, Gunsmoke and, of course, Street Fighter II. All five volumes were Play Again released separately in Japan, while the first four were bundled together Retro focus shifts to and released in Europe as a single mobile phones
UK software publisher Play It has announced its move into the mobile gaming market recently with its new Play It Mobile Super Final Punch-Out!! label. The label will feature titles specifically designed for phones. Amongst the first wave Veteran heavyweight appears on Fight Night bill of releases will be retro classics James Pond II: Robocod, Strikers 1945 and the ever- popular old skool classics. appearances. popular International Karate (how the Fight Night Round II on the Owners of the controls lend themselves to mobile handsets GameCube is set to give fans a GameCube remains to be seen however). dose of retro pugilistic action version of NBA Street V3 can Meanwhile, Play It’s new Last Ninja thanks to the inclusion of the unlock a special all-star team game for PS2 and Xbox seems to have Super Nintendo hit, Super Punch- featuring none other than Mario, dropped out of sight, with Internet rumours Out!! This gem, which can be Luigi, and Princess Peach! suggesting that the two year project has unlocked within the title, will only Although, we’re not sure exactly been cancelled. Also AWOL is the original be available in the GameCube how ‘street’ Princess Peach will be, Last Ninja trilogy which was due to appear A deal has been struck that version of the game. But, that’s but it’s gotta be worth the asking on consoles towards the end of last year. combines EA’s new Fight Night not all, as EA and Nintendo have price to see her slam dunking it Hopefully we’ll have some more optimistic game with one of Nintendo’s most come up with even more cameo with the best of them. Ninja news in the coming months.
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Retro Gamer turns mstrad revealed its dates for all the machines still of the bunch came from Your brand new remained in limbo – late summer Spectrum with a teaser for Jet Set the clock back computer to the was the best guess. Although not Willy fans. In issue 13 YS revealed exactly 20 years to world this month. publicly shown at the fair, to the Willy mad world that it April 1985 – a A The CPC 664 was Commodore also revealed that it had discovered the existence of a month for new basically a 464 with tweaked hoped to have its next project, secret location. The room, Locomotive Basic and the the Amiga, ready for sale in the entitled April Showers, could only computers, dying addition of a built-in 3in disk UK by the end of the year… be activated by typing in a short software houses drive rather than the standard Continuing with the Commodore program listed in the magazine. and April Showers tape deck. The system would theme, a new magazine from In reality this program was the come complete with a choice of Newfield Publications made its first new room itself but it still colour or monochrome monitor appearance on the newsstand at hoodwinked many readers. This and would set you back £449 for the end of the month. The May new 61st room was the colour version or £339 for edition of Zzap! 64 had a terrific reprogrammed to appear over The the green screen model. The welcome from Commodore Beach and has become a nice machine was generally well gamesters and quickly built an addition to JSW folklore. received by the computing press, army-like following. There will yet it would be discontinued be more on Zzap’s first issue Steer well clear before the year was out and next month. replaced by the 6128, a model Of course, being April it With the Soft Aid charity with twice the memory. wouldn’t be right if at least one compilation riding high in the Meanwhile at the Hanover Fair of the computer magazines didn’t software charts, with in Germany, home of one of the attempt to dupe us with a belting approximately 40,000 copies of it biggest electronics and computer April Fool’s Day prank. The best being sold since its release the shows of the year, Atari and Commodore were showing off their own brand new machines >C5 Clive which were making their debuts The transport of the future, the on the European computer Sinclair C5, hit the news for all market. Atari demonstrated its the wrong reasons after it was highly anticipated Atari 520ST revealed a faulty part had to and Commodore revealed two be replaced in the vehicle. Up versions of its new Commodore to 3,000 C5s were affected. 128 machine. Release Sales figures for the C5 since its release on January particularly when confronted 10th revealed that 5,000 units with an articulated lorry had been sold, mostly by mail belching exhaust fumes in your order direct from the Hoover face. It’s also fair to say that factory in Merthyr Tydfyl. OK, you were unlikely to ever pull so the C5 may have been anything in one except for produced at Hoover – yep, the maybe your hamstring. But if same Hoover that makes there’s a finer plasticized, Atari finally entered vacuum cleaners and washing pedal-driven/electric-powered the 16-bit market with its machines – and it did little in tricycle on the roads, we have eagerly awaited ST computer persuading you it was safe, yet to see it…
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REGULAR | BACK TO THE EIGHTIES
Fool’s Day stunt. It came as a bit of a shock then when it appeared in the shops, priced at £2.50 as >Games watch part of Firebird’s cheapo Silver Range. Not only did it label itself as “Five of the worst games Adventure International released Gremlins in this month. Based on ever”, but it inexplicably sold by the popular film featuring a furry little Mogwai called Gizmo and the shed load. the world’s fastest Stannah Stairlift, the graphic adventure was Was this a case of bluff and released for a multitude of formats and allowed gamers to double bluff with a garnish of microwave and liquidise Gremlins freely without guilt. Hurrah! genius marketing? Or was it just Computer & Video Games magazine featured two great us curious gamers wanting to see offerings for the Commodore 64 in its review pages. Impossible if the whole thing was stuff and Mission (Epyx/US Gold) was the star of the show with an overall nonsense and actually as bad as 10/10 rating. The C&VG staff also reviewed Staff Of Karnath Firebird had made out? Whatever (Ultimate), giving it Star Game status although it only scored 8/10. the reasoning was behind it, Don’t It was a busy month for C64 owners, with a multitude of US Buy This sold extremely well. Gold releases for their system including Bounty Bob Strikes Back, “Don’t buy this!” pleaded Firebird continued to be Congo Bongo and Grog’s Revenge, while simulation freaks were Firebird, but lots of stupid newsworthy with the given the chance blow stuff up in Theatre Europe (PSS). people actually did just that announcement that it was to Crash magazine carried reviews of The Dukes Of Hazzard release Acornsoft’s Elite on the (Elite), sadly without any mention of Daisy Duke’s frayed denim previous month, budget game Commodore 64. After originally shorts. The Speccy bible also looked at Sam Stoat Safebreaker masters Firebird decided it was obtaining the rights to all 8-bit (Gremlin), The Tripods (Red Shift), Raid Over Moscow (US Gold) time to release a compilation of versions of Elite via an auction, and Pud Pud (Ocean). Alien 8 (Ultimate) was also finally reviewed its own. Firebird pursued Acornsoft for use and received a superbly high 95% and a Crash Smash award. Well Although it’s fairly usual to of the Elite trademarks. With that done Robbie Robot! find games compilations padded agreed, Firebird confirmed that out with the occasional dud or the C64 version of Elite would sub-standard game, Firebird appear within a month or two, planned to go all out and be as with the Amstrad CPC and ZX completely and utterly rubbish as Spectrum versions making a it possibly could be. The belated autumnal appearance. infamous Don’t Buy This was a selection of shockingly pitiful The Quick and the dead gaming offerings for the Spectrum. The programmers Also in this month, Quicksilva behind the dross were even kept announced that it would be shifting anonymous such was the its operation to London from its shocking work of these mediocre home in Southampton. It would programming makeweights. The now be sharing premises with its role call of despair featured such parent company, Argus Press blighted offerings as Weasel Willy, Software. Although Argus pointed Race Ace, Fruit Machine, Fido, and out that the move was more for as if the first wasn’t bad enough, convenience than anything else, it Fido 2. seemed like the beginning of the staff had been made redundant, it another big software house as With the release date of the end for Quicksilva, one of the certainly seemed the end was Bug Byte, another old timer, compilation set for April 1st, the longest running and most coming for one of the pioneers of confirmed that it had become majority of people dismissed the successful software houses. With 8-bit gaming. insolvent and would be liquidated. whole thing as one big April the added news that all Quicksilva There was also bad news for And that was April 1985. >Top Five Charts (April 1985)
Commodore 64 Spectrum Amstrad CPC BBC Micro
1 Soft Aid 1 Soft Aid 1 Sorcery 1 Football Manager (Quicksilva) (Quicksilva) (Virgin) (Addictive Games) 2 Chiller 2 Booty 2 Ghostbusters 2 Mr EE (Firebird) (Firebird) (Activision) (Micropower) 3 BMX Racers 3 Raid Over Moscow 3 Fighter Pilot 3 Castle Quest (Mastertronic) (US Gold) (Digital Integration) (Micropower) 4 Booty 4 Bruce Lee 4 Jet Set Willy 4 Challenger (Firebird) (US Gold) (Software Projects) (Mastertronic) 5 Airwolf 5 Daley Thompson’s Decathlon 5 Flight Path 737 5 Scrabble (Elite) (Ocean) (Anirog) (Leisure Genius)
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Gameof the Your mission, should you choose to exceptMonth it, is to play Impossible Mission, one of the finest C64 games of all time…
een the movie reach other areas. You also have Wargames, but to avoid Atombender’s army of unlike cheeky-faced robots, as well as surviving his computer hacker deviously constructed chambers. S Matthew Broderick, While progressing through the don’t fancy starting a game of labyrinthine complex you need to global thermonuclear war? Does search desks, bookcases and the soundtrack to Mission tables to find clues to Impossible make you want to Atombender’s secret code. You don a beige mac, tinted can also use computers to hack sunglasses and communicate in into the base security system, code? If so, your dreams have shutting down patrol robots and just come true – well, some of resetting lifts, and there are even them anyway. puzzles which must be solved to The almost legal-eagle gain useful items. enticing Impossible Mission casts But that’s not all. No spy you not as Ethan Hunt, but as a worth his salt would leave home top secret spy who’s on a mission without a cutting edge toy or to save the world from Professor two, and this is no exception. Elvin Atombender (and with a Your own computer system can name like that, it’s no surprise he be used to collect together the became an crazed mastermind pieces of the final code, and you hell-bent on world domination). can also use it to contact your He’s up to no good, using his HQ and map your route through villainous skills to hack into the base. national security computer Not only is the game systems. Should he gain total completely innovative and control, who knows what the evil surprisingly complex, but it megalomaniac would do next? features some truly impressive So, with a freshly-ironed shirt, character animation. Your spy >You only play twice pressed action slacks and a runs fluidly and somersaults like handy secret agent computer, you a gymnastics pro (well, this is an Having braved the perils of Many consider the sequel to sneak into Atombender’s secret Epyx game). Not only that, but Atombender’s secret base, our be inferior to the original, but base to uncover his plans and the game also changes every super spy returned for one there’s no denying that it was infiltrate his computer system, time you play it – with rooms and more adventure. Impossible still an excellent game in its hopefully stopping his plans objects moving to random Mission II once again featured own right. dead. But, don’t forget about his positions. There’s also some the mad professor, only this automated security systems! excellent speech thrown in for time his complex was divided Okay, so the plot is right out good measure. into towers, and you had eight of a Saturday morning cartoon, Simply put, Impossible Mission hours to stop him from but that’s not important. What’s is a game that was far ahead of destroying the world. important is that Epyx, and its time, and one that simply Once again the game creator Dennis Caswell, crafted a needs to be experienced by every featured stunning animation game that was head and self-respecting gamer. Awesome and complex gameplay. shoulders above almost every stuff, and a bona fide classic. Instead of finding the secret other title out there at the time. code, this time you had to find Impossible Mission is a game parts of a musical tune. IM2 that works on many different Developer: Epyx also featured improved levels, the foundations of which Format: C64 psudeo-3D visuals, and you are action platforming. As the Price: £8.99 could now find weapons with spy, you have to navigate the which you could fight back Players: One secret base, somersaulting over against those pesky robots. foes and gaps, and using lifts to SCORE: 9/10
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p Retro
Welcome to the Retro Gamer reviews section. Read on to discover the team’s opinion on the latest commercial releases... Ratedp p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p p Atari Flashback
Relive Atari’s golden age of gaming with this Mini-Me-sized incarnation of the 7800 ProSystem console
Developer: Atari p Format: N/A p Price: £29.99 p Players: One-Two It had to happen eventually. After sitting back and watching the likes of Radica and Jakks Pacific unleash all manner of classic chance to play Saboteur, an Atari games on new TV plug ‘n’ play game written by the famed gadgets, with others such as Sega programmer Howard Scott and Namco licensing out their Warshaw that was never officially properties and reaping the rewards, released (although it has since Atari has decided to enter the fray been leaked onto the Net). on its own. And what an entrance! For Atari enthusiasts, this surely Here we have the Atari sounds like the best thing ever, Flashback, a miniature sized Atari and we’ve no doubt that fans will 7800, complete with two mini lap up the collection of games on ProLine controllers. Inside the offer. After plugging the unit into console lurks 20 of Atari’s original your TV and powering it up, you games for both the 2600 and can select any of the available 7800 systems (15 titles for the games from the main menu, former and five for the latter, to providing quick and easy access to be exact). As you’d expect, classics 20 old favourites. But, and this is such as Battlezone, Adventure, said with a very heavy heart, it’s Centipede, Breakout and Asteroids here where things start to go are all included. You even get the south, in a very big way.
Adventure Air Sea Battle Asteroids (7800) Battlezone
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REGULAR | RETRO RATED
Solaris Sky Diver Saboteur Planet Smashers (7800) the unnatural way you need to fail to bring back the memories, hold the joysticks. And the and for this alone the Flashback joysticks feel so light you’ll be deserves some praise. Plus, all of scared you’ll break them with any the games included are replicated form of assertive gameplay perfectly, retaining all the charm (thankfully, there are no Track & and appeal of the originals. Saying Field style games, or you’d that, some titles such as Warlords definitely be left with a broken have been redone slightly, with peripheral – ouch!) changes to accommodate the unit’s Sprintmaster Okay, so the controllers aren’t lack of four-player support. Millipede great, but it’s the games that are It’s just a crying shame more important, right? Well, yes, but quality and not quantity went into that’s also a bit of a problem. the Flashback’s development. If so, Although there are many classic we would have had a far better titles on offer here, the selection unit. It may be a better idea for only encompasses Atari’s own back fans who own a PC or modern catalogue. This means that old console to invest in a copy of Atari favourites like Pitfall, River Raid, Anthology, which not only features Frogger, Space Invaders and Pac- a whopping 62 2600 titles, but Warlords Man are not included. This is a big also 18 of Atari’s greatest arcade Haunted House downside to the Flashback, and hits. And as you can pick this Atari really should have taken time collection up for around a tenner, to secure some of the more fondly you’re laughing. Nice try Atari, but remember titles. better luck next time. While on the subject of the Rating: pppppppppp games, it’s sad that only five 7800 games have been included, especially when the whole unit has >Mix ‘n’ match been mocked up to look like As you’ve no doubt read in our Yar’s Revenge miniature 7800. The 2600 really Gravitar review, we’re none too happy has been milked dry over the with the Flachback’s controllers. Down and out years, and there have been other However, as the unit actually TV game releases catering for the boasts the original 9-pin The first thing you’ll notice is the more successful unit, so surely this sockets from the 7800, we sluggishness of the controllers. would have been a fantastic thought a way around the They react very… slowly… to opportunity to focus exclusively on problem would be to use the commands, with even menu the comparatively powerful original 7800’s joysticks. When selections being unresponsive and ProSystem. A collection of all of plugged in, the controllers do slow. Then, when you do get into Atari’s 7800 games would have work, but the inputs are not a game proper, the overall level of fitted the bill perfectly, making this Food Fight (7800) correctly mapped, with the control isn’t great. Now we know a truly unique device that could joystick pausing the game and that Atari’s controllers have never stand on its own two feet. the fire button doing nothing. been anything particularly special, The chance to use your own old but they’re surely better than this! Fond memories sticks would have been a bit of Not only is the control sluggish, a bonus, and we’re sure that but the actual controllers are very But, having said all that, we can’t hardcore tech heads out there poorly made, in both construction really bring ourselves to hate the will be able to rewire the inputs quality and in design. Because of Flashback. Sitting down in front of to support this, but for the rest the small and thin shape, it’s not the TV with almost perfect of us, we’re stuck with the long before your hands will start reproductions of Battlezone, Flashback’s own sticks. Shame. Desert Falcon (7800) to seize up and ache, thanks to Asteroids and Adventure doesn’t
Breakout Canyon Bomber Centipede (7800) Crystal Castles
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p Super Mario 64 DS
Mario’s landmark 3D adventure resurrected as a DS launch title. How could it possibly fail?
Developer: Nintendo p Format: Nintendo DS p Price: £29.99 p Players: One-Four
innovative handheld has not launched with an original Mario game, but on the other hand it is quite exciting to be able to play the game that dimensional playgrounds that changed everything have been the highlight of Mario’s anywhere you like. Mario 3D adventures. The additional 64’s influence on the modern characters meanwhile, add a gaming scene has been so whole new dimension to the strong that it is difficult to judge gameplay. Apart from inflating it as a retro game. The complete himself and floating around, control of Mario’s every hop, leap, but is a little Mario’s moves are much the same Nintendo seems to have been crawl, sprint, back flip, tip-toe, inaccurate because as in the classic N64 version and struggling with Mario recently. climb, swim, fly and slide has so of the touch screen’s the other three characters have Super Mario Sunshine was full of far gone unrivalled by not only lack of a definite their own moves that allow them great ideas, but never really Nintendo themselves but every stopping point. to traverse the old levels in new struck a chord with the fans who modern videogame developer Neither method feels as natural ways. Luigi can jump higher, run longed for the true sequel to since. This leaves Mario 64 or responsive as the N64’s on water and walk through walls; Super Mario 64, whilst the feeling as fresh as it did in 1996 analogue stick and, although they Yoshi can swallow enemies, tentatively-titled Super Mario 128 with only its graphics and sound are adequate enough to get you breathe fire and lob eggs; and has remained out of the public revealing its true age. through the game, there are a Wario can break immovable eye for two hardware generations. As suggested, it’s the control few advanced techniques and objects and turn to metal. In the meantime Nintendo has that made Mario 64 such a tricks that are almost impossible The very beginning of the failed to placate its fervent revolution in the first place so it’s on the handheld set-up: a fact game opens with the player followers by refusing to create a sad to see that it is control that that will frustrate many N64 attempting to defeat the first brand new 2D Mario platformer makes the DS conversion a slight aficionados. boss with Yoshi, whose unique for the Game Boy Advance. You disappointment. The problem is abilities force the player to have to ask the question – is that neither of the DS’s input Mario all-stars discover new ways of defeating Nintendo capable of bettering the methods suits the style of the an enemy that they would oft-cited ‘best game ever made’? nine-year-old platform game. The Control issues aside, the DS otherwise have been familiar Its reliance on Mario 64 to sail stubborn D-pad is so unsuitable improves on Mario 64 in every enough with to trounce easily. them through the DS launch for 3D movement that its use possible way. The new levels This trend continues throughout; schedule suggests that perhaps it should be made a crime whereas range from simple landscapes the fire flower power-up for isn’t. Super Mario 64 DS then, the thumb strap (a flat stylus that (like the tropical island where example will bestow a different provokes contradictory emotions: sits under the thumb) affords Mario must catch a vulture to get ability depending on who collects it’s disappointing that the much more freedom of movement the star) to the complex three it. This essentially means that
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REGULAR | RETRO RATED
>Super Mario 128?
As far back as 1999, Shigeru Miyamoto was talking about a sequel to Super Mario 64, and once said: “For over a year now at my desk, a prototype program of Luigi and Mario has been running on my monitor. We’ve been thinking about the game, and it may be something that could work on a completely new game system”. That sequel never materialised, so it is possible that the new system he refers to is the DS and that many of the ideas he had for a sequel the DS’s potential in an found their way into Super appropriate manner. Sadly the Mario 64 DS. That may not be same cannot be said about the the case though and it is also multiplayer mode. Although it possible that the game admirably allows four players to evolved into the as yet Wi-Fi link together, the whole unreleased Super Mario 128, game is over in a matter of which may or may not be a seconds and takes the form of a Revolution launch title. Our battle mode that doesn’t really breath is bated… suit the Mario 64 style of play. A co-operative mode would have surely been much more different, so it’s fantastic that appropriate and engaging. Nintendo has gotten the sound in The DS’ slight technological Mario 64 DS just right. Every superiority over the N64 has been classic Koji Kondo track is used to sharpen up the original reproduced perfectly and plays graphics and hammer out a few remarkably well through the DS’s of the kinks: the textures for tiny stereo speakers. As soon as example are notably improved the steel drums kick in on the many levels can be played in four The port is bolstered further and suffer from none of the title screen you’ll be instantly different ways, couple this with still by the addition of new mini- blurriness that infamously transported to a time when 3D the thirty extra power stars and games and a multiplayer mode. plagued many N64 games. graphics were exciting, when you have a game whose longevity The former are collected by Although purists may argue that Sega still made games consoles far exceeds that of the original. catching yellow rabbits the visuals should stay the same and when Electronic Arts didn’t The other consequence is that of throughout the main adventure as the original, in this case they own everyone under the sun. added value for those who know and make full use of the DS’s would be wrong; this is what There’s something magic about the original inside and out: no touch screen. Some are pointless Mario 64 would have looked like that and it certainly helps that level is 100% identical to its distractions while the others are all along if the N64 was capable those original tunes were all original counterpart and gives the the type of simple, score-attack of presenting it properly. exceptional tracks to begin with. Mario 64 veteran a sense of games that will see you losing Nintendo has also rather cannily In fact everything about Mario discovery that is absent from hours without realising. Most rendered the brand new levels 64 was exceptional to begin with other re-releases of this kind. importantly, each one shows off and locations in a similar style to and that is the greatest the standard ones; making them achievement of Mario 64 DS: the indistinguishable from the entire game plus extras has been genuine article. If you have never squeezed onto a tiny game card played Mario 64 before (you and can be enjoyed anywhere in nutter) then you really won’t be the entire world. With this re- able to tell which are the old release Nintendo has taken an levels and which are new. already excellent game and, despite the lack of an analogue Link to the past stick, has enhanced the package for both veterans and Music has an uncanny ability to newcomers alike. This is the way provoke nostalgia in people: all retro re-releases should be when you hear a song you done: with respect for the haven’t heard in years and your original artefact and with enough mind back flips to the time when new features to make it it was most popular it can create surprising for those who were a feeling of comfort unlike any there the first time. other. Videogame music is no Rating: pppppppppp
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Ridge >Six pack For the first time in a Ridge Racer game, up to six players can race against each other at the same time. This is all Racer DS thanks to the DS’s wireless multiplayer capabilities, and best of all, only one copy of Namco’s flagship racing series powerslides onto the DS, going the game is required (the head to head with its opposite number on the Sony PSP other players simply download track data from Developer: Namco p Format: Nintendo DS p Price: £29.99 p Players: One-Six the host). In our opinion, these multiplayer races are titles, and Ridge Racer DS is the key to the game’s long- essentially a port of Ridge Racer term appeal. 64, a worthy update to the long- running series that was originally information (the course map, lap the familiarity of each track released in 2000. If you’re times etc.) and features a laughably comes flooding back, and if unfamiliar with RR64, the game large steering wheel. When using you’ve played the earlier arcade basically takes the tracks from the the D-pad, the wheel is there purely or PlayStation games for any original Ridge Racer and its for show, but it’s possible to length or time, you’ll instinctively sequel, Ridge Racer Revolution, actually turn it using either the know how to approach every throws in a brand new track, and stylus or wrist strap. It sounds a bit corner – when to ease off, when presents you with a simple 20- mad and indeed it is – we gave to open up. The track design race Grand Prix mode. As you win both alternative control methods really is spot on, making for It’s something of a surprise that races, new track variations are our best shot but we were soon perhaps the perfect arcade racer. Nintendo should want a title like unlocked and faster cars can be tapping our way around each track And the lack of tedious car- Ridge Racer among its DS launch competed for. In each successive using the D-pad. Call us old tweaking options is a welcome line-up. After all, the series has race, the AI cars become more and fashioned – we really don’t mind. breath of fresh air. been shrewdly used by Sony to more competitive (and later on But we end where we begin, showcase the graphical damn right aggressive), so despite Slide away with Ridge Racer on Sony’s capabilities of all its consoles to the limited number of tracks and consoles. We’ve had the date (including the PSP, but more lack of customisable options, the Control changes aside, everything opportunity to play Ridge Racer on that later). Nintendo has never GP mode is surprisingly pretty much remains the same. on the PSP, and it’s infinitely boasted about the DS’s capacity demanding. You certainly won’t And when you consider that RR64 better that the DS effort. Rather for pushing polygons or crunching race through the game in a day. kept true to the original’s roots, than a straight port, it’s almost numbers. No, the DS is all about Unlike Mario 64 DS, which is this is a fine thing if you’re a fan like a Ridge Racer greatest hits touch and feel and control. So very much an enhanced version of of arcade racers. In fact, it’s that package, with every incarnation what’s a flashy-pants racer like the original game, Namco has long since we’ve played a Ridge of the game included. It really this doing here? merely rolled the old motor out of Racer game that we’d forgotten does leave RRDS standing on the If we were sceptical, we’d the garage with barely a lick of new how much fun is to be had taking starting grid, and makes you suggest it was chosen because paint. The game is essentially the corners at breakneck speeds with wonder why Namco didn’t lavish every console must launch with at same, with changes seemingly your car 90 degrees to the racing the same amount of care and least one racing game in its line- enforced to support the DS’s dual line, tires squealing, viewpoint attention on this version. Let’s up, and Ridge Racer was an easy screen display and touch screen spinning, followed by the sweet hope that this is not the shape option from a porting point of control method. The racing action speed boost you receive for of things to come in the view. After all, the DS seems takes place in the top screen while performing the perfect handheld market. perfectly capable of running N64 the lower screen displays race powerslide. It’s also amazing how Rating: pppppppppp
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REGULAR | RETRO RATED Puyo Pop Fever
The latest game in the long running Puyo Puyo series hits the GameBoy Advance, and it’s feverish!
Developer: Sega p Format: GBA p Price: £24.99 p Players: One-Four
that they are all eliminated one by one in a domino-like effect. When you clear beans from your screen, colourless beans are dropped on your opponent, filling up their area. The first person to >Bean feast have their area completely filled with beans loses. Puyo Puyo wasn’t always Puyo Puyo is simple retro such a well known title and puzzling at its very best, and over was originally released by the years has seen a number of Compile in 1991 for the instalments, including the most MSX2. It was then followed recent Puyo Pop Fever on the by a special version for the If you’re not familiar with the Dreamcast, PS2 and Xbox. Here Famicom Disk System, called series, Puyo Puyo is a Japanese we have the latest GBA version of Puyo Puyo Disk Drive. The puzzler along the same lines as the game, and you know what? characters starring in the Columns and Tetris. Most western It’s great! game were from Madou gamers will have seen that game Puzzle games like this are one Monogatari, an RPG also already without knowing it, under of the GBA’s strengths, and this created by Compile. However, the guise of Dr Robotnik’s Mean conversion of the console title is Puyo Puyo didn’t make it big Bean Machine, which was simply handled very well indeed. until it appeared in the a westernised version of the Graphically everything is here, arcades in 1992. Adding a original Puyo Puyo. with all the characters and even story mode to the The game concept is simple – the 3D-looking beans and This is where the game gets its proceedings, players could drop the various coloured beans psychedelic ‘Fever’ mode effects name, and in all modes, if you now battle through into your play area and try to making an appearance. Obviously, successfully hold off your increasingly difficult foes, form groups of four or more to all of these are scaled down, but opponents’ counter attacks (by and could also challenge eliminate them. Groups can be the reproduction is almost perfect. eliminating beans when there are their mates with the two straight lines, blocks or more The audio is passable, with the colourless ones ready to fall on player mode. elaborate configurations, as main theme tune bouncing along you), you’ll enter Fever Mode. Here Over the years the game beans of the same colour stick in the background, and much of you get a preset chain of beans, has been released in many together when they touch. The the character speech samples are and you simply need to place one forms on systems including real skill here though is the in there. bean in the right place to cause the SNES, Mega Drive, creation of chains, setting up total havoc with your foe’s stack. GameGear, GameBoy, PC, multiple groups of colours, so Fever pitch The game also makes full use PlayStation, Xbox and Mac. of the GBA’s link-up ability, and However, many western ports The key to any puzzle game is in you can play the game with up don’t bear the title Puyo the playability, and thankfully to four players, which as with Puyo, and instead use more Puyo Pop Fever on the GBA has any puzzler, is where the game familiar western names, with more than enough to offer. All of comes into its own. And with such titles as Dr Robotnik’s the game modes are present and you and your mates throwing Mean Bean Machine, Kirby’s correct, including the Story Mode, beans around like there’s no Avalanche and Candy Crisis. Free Game, Endless Mode (just tomorrow, Puyo Pop Fever Puyo Pop Fever was also the keep on going to get a high becomes one of the most last game Sega released for score) and, of course, Fever Mode. enjoyable puzzlers around. the Dreamcast. While the game isn’t going to win any awards for originality or innovation, there’s no denying that it’s an addictive game and the GBA is the perfect platform for such a title. Those long train journeys will just fly by if you fire this up. Rating: pppppppppp
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Mutant Storm >X-Mutant As well as doing the rounds Take your optic nerves for a spin in this hectic disco on PC and Mac, Mutant Storm inferno blaster. Groovy baby! has also found its way onto Microsoft’s Xbox. However, Developer: Pom Pom p Format: PC/Mac p Price: £4.99 p Players: One-Two you’ll not find the game in any shops, as it’s only relies on unadulterated arcade against masses of varied available via the new Xbox action. Perhaps the best way to enemies. Some foes simply Live Arcade service. describe the game would be to wander around the arena, This service, currently only imagine the classic shooter whereas some will actively make available in the US, is a new Smash TV crossed with arcade a beeline for you, determined to idea to bolster the already favourite Robotron, with a little smash you into atoms. Many successful online aspect of the dash of Tempest 2000 thrown in enemies are small and attack in Xbox, and through it you can for good measure. It makes for a waves, while other foes weigh in download full games to your tasty mixture that’s perfect for at much larger sizes, and some console’s hard disk for a small snacking on. are even invincible, functioning price. You can then play these Starting off the game, you as immovable obstacles. As you games just like any other, and choose your ship and colour, combat wave after wave of alien Mutant Storm is just one of and then dive off into 89 nasties, you’ll can acquire more the games available on the increasingly difficult enemy powerful weapons and defensive service. Other games already waves. Each level takes place in measures, and you can also rely available include retro classics a sealed area, and enemies on your limited number of smart like Galaga, Pole Position, Dig beam in from all angles. bombs to get out of those Dug, Ms Pac-Man and Controlling the ship is one of hairy moments. Defender. Last month we reviewed Space Mutant Storm’s greatest qualities. At the moment, there are Tripper, the Uridium-inspired Using a combination of keyboard It’s full of stars… no plans to bring the service blaster from Pom Pom games. and mouse, you move the ship over to the Europe. But with so Ditching the usual attempts to around the game zones at a very Mutant Storm’s visuals are many retro classics available, make bold leaps forward in fast pace. The keyboard moves impressive – in a retro kind of let’s hope that it eventually gaming technology, with Space the ship and the mouse controls way. Every level is like a finds its way to our shores. Tripper Pom Pom focused on the aiming reticule (if you’ve psychedelic explosion, and as you pure gameplay, and the results played the freeware gem Abuse move around the arena, it tips were excellent. you’ll know how this works). and rotates in response, creating Well, now we’ve got another After a few goes the control an eye-numbing display of offering from Pom Pom, re- system becomes second nature, colours and pyrotechnics. released under the Sold Out although a good level of Simplicity is the key factor budget range. Mutant Storm is ambidextrous skill is needed. here. There’s almost nothing to an arcade blaster that once more In each level you’ll come up the gameplay except moving and shooting. For any other game this may very well be a downfall, but for Mutant Storm, this suits skills. If you want a game that things perfectly. Levels start off doesn’t tax the brain, but gives easy enough, but quickly become your trigger finger and reflexes a fast and frantic battles for major workout, then you should survival, and getting all they way definitely grab this. Oh, and it’s through to the 89th level will only a fiver… require some seriously ninja Rating: pppppppppp
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Retro Gamer journeys back to the beginning of the epic Elder Scrolls saga, one of the most popular RPG series ever made
he Elder Scrolls with the actual game world. This Legends of Valour, Arena was dungeons. Thanks to the ghost series will be world was called Tamriel, and eventually turned into an of your former friend, you escape familiar to most of was actually a creation of the enormous free roaming first- to your home province and you, if not by D&D playing Bethesda staff which person RPG, and was one of the embark on a quest to stop the T experience, then at was used in their own weekly first games to truly bring the pen evil tyrant. So begins a mind- least by name. The franchise has pen and paper D&D campaigns. and paper D&D complexity to the numbingly huge adventure. now been going for 10 years, and With the game’s already small screen. In Arena you had to wander the most recent release – Elder fleshed out world in place, it The story revolves around a the entire world of Tamriel and Scrolls III: Morrowind – won a wasn’t long before the team rather unscrupulous man by the find all eight pieces of the Staff of whole slew of awards. The series started to add more and more name of Jagar Tharn. Tharn is the Chaos. During your quest you’d has become synonymous with functions. They wanted to battlemage to the Emperor of explore all types of terrain, ranging huge sprawling worlds, total actually walk around their own Tamriel, Uriel Septim. But, from idyllic forests and meadows, player freedom and epic quests cities and provinces, and to be wanting absolute power, he to wastelands, dungeons and that can take years to fully able to actually enter dungeons. betrays the emperor by using an cities. The control system made explore. All ingredients that the The result was a full-blown RPG, ancient artefact called the Staff the first-person viewpoint work hardcore RPG fanbase lust for, complete with heavy role playing of Chaos. The Emperor is then very well, not relying on complex and ingredients that developer elements. This was going to be imprisoned in another dimension. button presses or combinations. Bethesda Softworks has delivered much more than a simple You and another of the The gameplay was fast and fluid, every time. gladiatorial combat game. Emperor’s allies discover Tharn’s and as the whole world was so Taking inspiration from the plot, and are found out by him. richly detailed, you couldn’t Arena (1994) current greats, such as Ultima Your associate is killed and you help but be sucked into the Underworld and the impressive are locked up in the Imperial massive quest. The whole thing kicked off in 1994 with the first Elder Scrolls release – Arena. However, this debut title would ultimatley turn out to be a radically different game from the original concept. The first plans of Arena were of a medieval style gladiator game, hence the name, and in it you’d control a group of tough as nails fighters who’d travel the world looking for trouble. You’d fight in a series of cities, becoming the champion in each tournament. However, this plan quickly changed after the team came up
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REGULAR | RETRO REVIVAL
that rewarded you based on the Oblivion in which the Battlespire actions you performed. The game (a sort of elite training base) is also broke new ground from a found. The inhabitants of the technical point of view. Whereas base have all been killed, and Arena used a similar engine to now the evil Daedra race Doom, in which the world was in populate the halls. Needless to actuality a 2D creation made to say, your quest is to find out look 3D, Daggerfall used the what has happened, and to save XnGine engine. This was gaming’s the Battlespire from destruction. first ever true 3D engine, and Only when the world is saved enabled Bethesda to produce a can you return to Tamriel. truly three dimensional world. The story of Daggerfall once Redguard (1998) again involves the Emperor, who sends you to Daggerfall in order Daggerfall, this instalment of the Although it was developed at the Daggerfall (1996) to free the soul of King Lysandus, series was planned as an same time as Battlespire, who haunts the city. You also expansion pack for the second Redguard was a totally different Bethesda began to create the have to track down a letter from chapter. But, with Morrowind kettle of fish, and replaced the second chapter, Daggerfall, as the Emperor, which should have offering huge challenges due to deep RPG roots of its soon as work on Arena was been delivered to the daughter of its size, the later game was put predecessors with a much more finished. For the sequel, changes the Blades, a secret sect of on hold and the team commercial approach. would be made… knights who work for the concentrated on Battlespire and The game was titled The Elder The team believed that having Emperor and do his dirty work. Redguard. More work was put Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, and the entire world of Tamriel in the Eventually you end up in a quest into the two games and game didn’t give them the feel to restore a giant golem to life, Battlespire, which was originally they wanted. Although it was and have to deal with several planned as a simple dungeon- huge and free roaming, it all felt factions, performing many quests based combat game, transformed a little generic, and some critics and missions along the way. into a full blown adventure, even claimed that the world was Depending on the decisions complete with speech, a deep too big, and daunted many you make, Daggerfall presents story and RPG elements. It was would-be players. This lead to you with multiple routes through also the only Elder Scrolls game Bethesda’s decision to ditch the game, and six differnt to feature a multiplayer mode, Tamriel as the game world, and endings. So, you could feasibly with gamers being able to fight instead the team decided to play the massive adventure each other, deathmatch-style. focus on the separate provinces. through six times, with each The bizarre story of Daggerfall would be the first experience being totally different. Battlespire cast you as an agent game to feature this, and sent into the chaotic realm of although the province of Battlespire (1997) Morrowind and the city of Mournhold were originally slated Daggerfall had the impact that to be the main locations in the Bethesda so dearly wanted. The game, things were moved around public were now sucked into the and the sequel instead took Elder Scrolls world, and couldn’t place in the provinces of High get enough. So, realising the Rock and Hammerfell, revolving high demand, Bethesda started around the city of Daggerfall. But, work on three projects at the it wasn’t just the locations that same time. Work on Battlespire, changed. Ditching the simplistic Redguard and Morrowind advancement system seen in began, with the first title to Arena (you gained points by arrive being Battlespire, the full simply killing things), Daggerfall title of which was An Elder introduced the Elder Scrolls Scrolls Legend: Battlespire. staple of character advancement Originally called Dungeon of
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was a straightforward action adventure in which you had to fight enemies, converse with allies and solve puzzles. It borrowed ideas from many of the greats of the time, including Tomb Raider, Ultima and even Prince of Persia. The game also functioned as a vehicle that enabled the team to fully push the XnGine engine to see what it was capable of. The game took place in and around the town of Stros M’kai, and pushed the engine to its limits. As well as the radical departure of the game style, this was also the first Elder Scrolls in which you had advanced, they set out to uncover all sorts of plot twists, and amazing levels of detail and didn’t create your own character. return The Elder Scrolls to the will have to brave many dangers. complexity, Bethesda is crafting Instead you controlled the forefront of modern gaming. Using The quest is truly huge, and many an RPG world which will no Redguard hero, Cyrus. the experience gained from players have put in over 100 hours doubt swallow you whole and The story of Redguard sees Redguard, Morrowind was toned of play time, and have still to see never spit you out. As well as the Cyrus searching for his sister. But, down to encompass the island of everything the game has to offer. eye-melting visuals, Oblivion will as soon as he approaches the Vvardenfell, but the entire world feature a new radical AI system town of Stros M’kai, he’s engulfed was constructed by hand. This Oblivion (2005) called Radiant AI. This will in a much larger conflict involving would produce a world far in bestow all NPCs (Non-Playable the Redguard rebellion. Cyrus advance of Arena and Daggerfall This brings us to the present day, Characters) with their own minds ends up at odds with the Empire (where the worlds were created by and the upcoming title in the and thoughts, and people will go and is thrown into a trap-ridden random mathematical code), but Elder Scrolls series – Oblivion. about their own business doing dungeon (which is where the would take a staggering 100 man- Work started on the title in 2002, what they want. So, rather than Prince of Persia references make years to accomplish. To achieve this and Bethesda is keen to once simply milling around a set area, themselves clear). Over the course lofty goal, Bethesda tripled its staff again deliver the most in-depth not doing anything in particular, of the game you have to venture and spent a whole year developing and impressive RPG experience people will go to eat, attend through a wide range of locations, the TES Construction Kit, the ever. Like Morrowind, and all the church, shop, talk and even fight. jumping, swinging and fighting building block program that would other Elder Scrolls before it, Oblivion will also feature a fully your way to victory. create the world of Morrowind. Oblivion will again give the player spoken script, rather then the The final article was an RPG so total freedom to explore the world text-heavy Morrowind approach. Morrowind (2002) epic in proportion that it simply and quests at their own pace. This And there you have it – defied belief. Not only was the time, the action will take place in 10 years of The Elder Scrolls. And After the release of Redguard, it world huge, but it looked amazing, Tamriel’s capital province Cyrodiil, with the quality that Bethesda would be another four years until right down to the smallest detail, the seat of the Emperor. Your has delivered so far, and the fans would see a new instalment and the journey was completely mission will be to find the heir to promise of Oblivion, let’s hope of the Elder Scrolls series, but the free roaming, being littered with the now empty throne, as the that there’s another 10 years wait would be more than worth it. 100s of side quests. Your character previous Emperor was killed by an to come. e Morrowind was the first official had an unparalleled development assassin. With the Emperor gone, sequel since Daggerfall, having the system, and the whole thing was the gates of Oblivion (which is the Elder Scrolls III moniker, and was like having a second life. There Elder Scrolls’ version of Hell) open in development over the course of were also two expansion packs for and all manner of demonic six long years. the game – Tribunal (which creatures and beasts now roam Morrowind was originally titled brought in some of the content the lands, attacking towns and Tribunal, and was set in originally planned, but later villages. You’re the last hope for Summerset Isle. A redesign dropped), and Bloodmoon. the people. changed this however, and the Morrowind also introduced both Oblivion is already looking game was moved to the Dark first- and third-person views, as like a superb sequel. With Elves’ homeland of Morrowind. The well as a dynamic weather system. game would encompass the entire The story of Morrowind is as province of Morrowind, and would deep and as complex as the game detail all five houses of the Dark itself. Starting off as an unknown, Elves. Many other in-depth you arrive on the island of features were also planned, such Vvardenfell, sent on a mission by as the destruction of cites and the Emperor to fulfil an ancient entire armies marching through the prophecy. The prophecy tells of a world, but due to technical once powerful hero of the Dunmer limitations, this was not to be. The (Dark Elves), known as Nerevar. It project was put on hold in 1997. is believed that you are the Eventually, in late 1998, after reincarnation of this hero, and you the completion of Redguard, the must uncover the full truth behind team came back to Morrowind with the prophecy, and must save renewed vigour. Realising how Morrowind from the immortal much 3D graphics and technology Dagoth Ur. Along the way you’ll
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Welcome back! This month, Jonti Davies, our man in Japan, takes a look at SNK’s legendary home console formats, reviews the rock hard Neo-Geo shoot-em-upItadakimasu! that is Viewpoint, and gives you the inside scoop on Starfox 2. >Format focus: Neo-Geo/Neo-Geo CD We get to grips with the hardcore fraternity’s format of choice to find out why SNK is going nowhere quick
he Neo-Geo MVS Geo AES is a cartridge system arcade format is which basically plays identical still in circulation. versions of the MVS carts In Japan, released to arcade operators. T particularly, many The major plus points from original MVS machines remain owning an AES are zero loading in game centers. Likewise, the times, superb joysticks home console versions of SNK’s (possibly the best proper sticks celebrated format are graced outside of the arcades) and a with new releases even today. slab of console hardware that Big in Japan… The Neo-Geo CD (left), and the dual-speed Neo-Geo CDZ With a catalogue of great 2D looks as powerful today as it games and several versions of did back in the early 90s. The obtained for less than £100. while its immediate successor the console hardware available, downside is expense. You can The Neo-Geo CD systems – is a snip at just Y3,000 (£15). it’s time to journey to the heart pick up the console for about and, crucially, its games – are The problem with these of the Neo-Geo labyrinth. £100 here, but while games far more reasonably priced. The systems is a lack of drive The first game console SNK start at around £10, the really original front-loading NGCD speed. Loading times for some released was the AES. The Neo- important titles cannot be goes for around Y6,000 (£30) CD games are longer than a
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REGULAR | JAPAN HAPPY PLAY NOISE
and even in Japan they’re almost impossible to find. Of course, beat-em-ups are the dominant species. The King Of Fighters series is a fans’ favourite, though which version is best will never be resolved. In the dark and legendary world of Samurai Shodown, too, there’s a wealth of choice. Outside of those prevailing genres, there are some hidden gems. The Super Sidekicks series gives Konami’s Super Famicom soccer games a good run for their money (check out Sidekicks 3 for the best action); Neo Turf Masters is a classically designed arcade golf sim; and Windjammers is an early title which proved that volleyball, if given an explosive edge, could be as addictive as Tetris. Speaking of which, an arcade- perfect version of Puzzle Bobble is well worth having around. The Neo-Geo consoles are a great collection of 2D videogame champions. Just avoid the snail-slow original CD hardware and you’ll find that an unusually high proportion of games on the Neo-Geo format are worthy of your time. None more so, in fact, than Viewpoint…>>>> Shoot-em-up stars on the Neo-Geo. Clockwise from top: Metal Slug 2, Blazing Star,Pulstar and Shock Troopers >100% minute between stages. If also a CD/CDZ-compatible you’re not the tolerant type arcade stick built by SNK which, then don’t bother. although smaller and lighter unofficial! By far the best Neo-Geo CD than the AES stick, is option is the CDZ. This nevertheless excellent for the upgraded version of the NGCD types of game available on SNK The original Famicom’s hardware is not only sleeker formats – namely, beat-em-ups enduring popularity has than the two previous attempts, and shoot-em-ups. created a niche market for but it’s also considerably Gametech, a Japanese quicker. Loading times are Neoclassical games company whose products are generally half as long on the manufactured in China. The CDZ as they are on the single- Nazca Corp’s Metal Slug games bizarrely named NeoFami is speed drives of the original are prime examples of 2D Neo- Gametech’s latest creation. For Neo-Geo CD hardware. The Geo action. They display some all intents and purposes, it’s a premium to pay for these excellent hand-drawn graphics, Famicom clone in a horrible benefits isn’t too steep: the and underneath their stylish blocky shell. The system is being bundled with two equally ugly going rate for a CDZ is Y14,000 and impressive visual craft lies controllers and sold across Japan at a low, low price of Y3,900 (£20). (about £70). a simple concept, brilliantly That compares favourably with the Y7,000 or more that a used but Whether you choose an AES, executed: it’s just shoot or be genuine Famicom costs today. NGCD or CDZ, the SNK shot at. Saurus-developed Strangely, the NeoFami has been on the shelves of Japanese controllers are all fantastic. The Shock Troopers and its sequel game stores for some time now. Even in Kyoto, right on Nintendo’s heavyweight joysticks of the 2nd Squad are similarly manic doorstep, there are plenty of shops stocking the iffy hardware. We’re AES perfectly replicate the feel platform shooters, and are both surprised that the Big N hasn’t yet bullied Little Gametech out of of playing MVS titles in the highly recommended. In a more town. Still, Gametech is used to playing audacious games such as arcade. The original CD traditional shoot-em-up guise, this – the last Gametech product we tested was the Terebi De controller is a joypad that uses Pulstar and Blazing Star lead Advance, which preceded Nintendo’s own GB Player hardware and a microswitched thumbpad the way with their formidable essentially did the same job (bringing GBA games to the TV). We’ll similar to that used later on the gameplay and graphics. Both of investigate dodgy goods, which are usually associated with parts of Neo-Geo Pocket. And there’s these titles are rare, however, Asia other than Japan, in a future issue.
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>Daihitto! >Inside Award Nintendo
This month’s ‘big hit’ honours go to the An ex-Nintendo employee tells us about best isometric shoot-em-up you’ll ever a few things. This month: the unreleased play: Viewpoint by Sammy Starfox 2 for the Super Famicom
The Neo-Geo formats are principally home grounds for horizontal Our contact worked at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters in the Super and vertical 2D games, but there are some notable exceptions to Famicom glory days. We asked him about Starfox 2, which he worked the rule. Viewpoint, of 1992 vintage, is the best of the non-2D lot. on until its (near) completion. So, how good would it have been? The game is played from an isometric perspective with solidly “It was kind of like the Starfox that’s coming out for the GameCube, constructed enemies and environments made from vector-based Starfox Assault. You had a lot of free-roaming exploration and had to polygons, which give the impression of a fully 3D production. In a work out what to do, and the levels were really short. There wasn’t just Zaxxon kind of way, there’s a diagonal grid to fly around. In reality, the Arwing: there was a walker and a little hovering thing, and you though, Viewpoint plays not too dissimilarly to a standard 2D shoot- could switch between them. That was a main point, because the maps em-up. The forward momentum that carries your ship through each were a lot smaller than in Starfox and they were square; they required stage can be slowed down by pulling back on the joystick and, you to do stuff in an arena. when it’s necessary, you can speed up by pushing forwards. “There were hundreds of those little stages, and they were selected Because of the isometric nature of the game, enemy wave randomly as you played through a strategy map. You had the enemy patterns are very obvious. Often they are symmetrical, which makes forces coming down, and had to play battles with them on planets.” it possible to clear two simultaneous waves from one central So, why didn’t the game get released? “It worked quite well,” our position. Learning where to pitch your craft is vital and, when done friend continues, “but for Nintendo it wasn’t enough like the original well, immensely satisfying. It’s a battle of wits, not just bullets. The Starfox. The designers really went off on a tangent. The new FX Chip it tactical bent extends to checkpoints and blocked passages, where a used allowed for a lot more textures and things.” lever/switch/handle must be shot repeatedly in order to open the For the curious among you, the final beta version of Starfox 2 has way for progress – accurate shooting opens the door to later areas since been leaked onto the Web and its fully playable using the latest of the given stage. version of the ZSNES emulator (www.zsnes.com). Your craft is armed with a typical charge shot (a la R-Type) and a trio of bombs. Bomb shots, though limited in number, are deadly effective. The best one, a blazing firewall, spans the width of Viewpoint’s play area and spreads across the whole field of play, wiping out everything on the screen. It’s clear from the off that Viewpoint is a high quality production. The visuals are sharp and bold, and the game’s unusual enemies are animated impressively. The soundtrack to this title is also a cause for Neo celebration – it’s a strangely epic blend of downtempo funk, upbeat techno, James Brown samples and, um, Bontempi. Another aspect that sets Viewpoint apart from most of its kin is its difficulty level: this is a very tough game, by anyone’s standards. Unlike last month’s shoot-em-up of choice (Macross: Scrambled Valkyrie), Viewpoint runs on a one-hit-dead policy which exacts punishment for even the tiniest show of poor play. The result is a compelling blast with all the right ingredients. On either AES or CD format, this is one of the finest Neo-Geo shoot ‘em ups to own.
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, Since its launch in 2001, Microsoft s Xbox has been a huge success in the UK and USA, but is still struggling to survive in Japan. 20 years ago the exact opposite was true as Microsoft had a hand in creating the range of MSX home computers, which were very popular in Japan, but struggled in the UK and were completely unavailable in the US. Ashley Day looks back at the creation of the first gaming standard
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FEATURE:HARDWARE | MSX APPEAL
he MSX standard developed their own MSX was invented by machines with individual quirks Kazuhiko Nishi of and features, most of these were Japan’s ASCII Japanese but there were also T Corporation as an MSXs made in other parts of attempt to realise a single format Asia, Europe and South America. across all home computers. Just The wide variety of machines as VHS had become a single meant an almost unlimited choice format for home video, Nishi was available to the MSX buyer proposed that multiple but better still, anyone who manufacturers would be able to collects MSX hardware in the develop and sell their own MSX present could spend the rest of machines as long as they their future trying to obtain a remained compatible with all complete set. The Cannon V-8. Released in Japan in existing software and peripherals. The MSX’s Western and 1983, this is a typical example of an ASCII designed the hardware, Eastern heritage meant that it early MSX model which was originally made from soon became home to a uniquely off-the-shelf components such as wide variety of games. The best the Zilog Z80A processor running British games, such as Head Over at 3.58MHz, General Instruments’ Heels and Chuckie Egg were AY-3-8910 sound chip and the available on tape whilst top Texas Instruments V9918 graphics quality Japanese arcade hits like chip, plus between 8Kb and Bubble Bobble and Gradius were 64Kb of memory. As such the generally released on cartridge. internal architecture was very The machine represented the best similar, if not identical to its of both worlds for UK gamers – contemporaries – the as even though Japanese games Colecovision and the Spectrum. had been converted to the C64 Microsoft programmed the MSX and Spectrum, the MSX versions BASIC language, and it is from had no loading times, looked this that the machine allegedly closer to the arcade originals and gets its name. featured many of the levels that The Sony HB-F1XD. An MSX2 model When the MSX was released were missing from other versions. with a built-in 3.5in, 720Kb floppy disk drive in Europe in 1984, Microsoft Many models of the MSX had claimed that MSX stood for two cartridge slots built into MicroSoft eXtended basic and them. These were originally that the abbreviation signified intended to house permanent the cross-compatibility of the expansions (such as the various machines on the market. Panasonic FMPAC, which was a When Microsoft dropped support plug in sound synthesiser for the machine in 1988 however, cartridge), but as the MSX they quickly denied any matured, developers found other association between themselves uses for the two cartridge slots. and the MSX name. The naming The most innovative of these was of the machine was contradicted Konami’s method of using two further in a Japanese business games at once: if a user inserted magazine in 1997, wherein Nishi two Konami game cartridges into claimed that he wanted to call the MSX at once then something the machine NSX (meaning Nishi special would sometimes happen. The Sanjo Wavy 35J. A later Sony X, with the X being any Plug in both Gradius and Twinbee MSX2+ machine with a host of other manufacturer that for example and you could play additional features supported the machine), but the Gradius with the Twinbee ship name was already being used by and collect bells as power-ups Honda. Nishi, later still, claimed instead of the regular pods. that MSX stood for Machines Similarly, If a player lost all their with Software eXchangeability. health in Yie Ar Kung-Fu 2 then Debate over the meaning of the they would usually just fall over name continues to this day, and die, but if they had the first though it is mostly irrelevant. game plugged in a character would appear at the last second Open range and revive the player with a refreshing cup of tea. What set the MSX apart from other microcomputers of the time Times two was that while the machines were fully compatible with the MSX Two years after the MSX was standard, each one was different launched, ASCII developed the The Panasonic FS-A1ST. One of the enough to suit users’ needs. Over MSX2 standard. Like the MSX very few Turbo R models that were 70 different manufacturers before it, all versions of the sold exclusively in Japan
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>Chan-tastic!
These title screens to Pony Canyon’s Project A and Project A2 show the massive difference in power between the MSX and MSX2. Project A was released on tape for the MSX and features largely monochrome graphics with no shading whatsoever. Project A2 was released on cartridge for the MSX2 and features a dynamic logo with multiple colours and basic shading. The title screen also shows off just how well the MSX2 could handle digitised images and is easily comparable to early Amiga and Atari ST examples.
Of the few dedicated MSX2+ games available, Konami’s F-1 Spirit: 3D Special is easily the best
machine were compatible with of the best games of the 1980s. each-other and also had to be By 1988 most MSX users were backwards compatible with the expecting the MSX3 to be original MSX. All MSX2s had announced, but it was never to between 64Kb and 256Kb of happen. Instead Microsoft RAM, had MSX BASIC 2.0 or 2.1 dropped all support for the built-in, and included a battery- machine and ASCII took full backed clock. Most MSX2s also control. The decision was made had a built-in 3.5in floppy disk to follow the MSX2 with the drive. For gamers this was a big MSX2+, which was only available improvement over the first as in Japan and was only ever made the disk format meant bigger by Sony, Panasonic and Sanyo. and longer games could be The main improvements over the played, whilst the increased MSX2 were the inclusion of a MSX palette of 512 colours built in 9 channel FM synthesiser meant that graphics were a lot known as MSX Music, the ability more detailed. to display still images in roughly The MSX2 was poorly 19,000 colours and the addition supported in the west, so most of three new screen modes. One of the games came from the of these screen modes fixed the Japanese developers, but this problem of jerky scrolling in MSX does not mean there were a lack games and produced an of quality titles to play. impressively smooth-scrolling This was the period when the effect in compatible titles. All best MSX games were released as machines also featured two the likes of Konami, Compile and sliding dials, one changed the Taito continued to churn out speed of the hardware whilst the fantastic games such as Metal other (known as Rensha Turbo) Gear, Vampire Killer, Aleste and was an autofire feature with Rastan Saga. These titles really variable frequencies. A blessing showed off what the MSX2 was to importers was that the MSX2+ capable of and are among some was fully RGB compatible, so
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FEATURE:HARDWARE | MSX APPEAL >Konami Antiques
Collecting and playing original MSX games can be an expensive and time-consuming hobby; cartridges fetch very high prices at auction and if you are lucky enough to find a disk game, you would be even luckier to find one that is still in working condition. For the cash-strapped retro gamer, Konami Antiques MSX Collection is a quick and easy way to play many of the MSX’s early classics without having to spend weeks trading with strangers in other countries. Released in three volumes for the Japanese PlayStation, and one ‘Ultra Pack’ for the Japanese Saturn, the Antiques MSX Collection features 30 of Konami’s MSX cartridge games. The collection undoubtedly has a few titles that you would never want to play, like the sports games that have not aged very well, but there are also a handful of classics on the disc that would sit nicely in anyone’s collection whether they are into the MSX or not. Konami’s classic shooters, Twinbee, Parodius, Salamander and the first three Gradius games are all included, as are Antarctic Adventure and its wonderful sequel Penguin Adventure. These are all excellent games and their age does nothing to betray their flawless playability, even if Gradius is still inhumanly difficult. As an MSX retrospective the collection does suffer because of The future of MSX? A chip-based MSX1 with the capability to play the lack of titles from any other developer and as they are all both original cartridges and legally downloaded software MSX1 titles, the likes of Metal Gear and Vampire Killer are nowhere to be seen. Konami, however, was probably the MSX’s most prolific required no modification to run computing enthusiasts, there developer so the wealth of choice on offer in the collection really on UK television sets. There were very few Turbo R specific makes up for these flaws and the disc is well worth buying for were very few dedicated MSX2+ games made, and none of which both Konami and MSX fans. games released that were worth are worth mentioning. playing, as most developers The Turbo R sold favourably in instead chose to add special Japan but could never realistically features to their MSX2 games if compete with the expanding PC they were played on a 2+. Space market or with the Mega Drive Manbow, for example, featured and Super Famicom. Many super-smooth scrolling and computer programs were released suffered from none of the but the lack of games meant jerkiness that had plagued that people soon lost interest in Gradius and Salamander. the MSX. The machine has lived on Turbo power through its enthusiasts and many homebrew games are available As the gaming world moved into via the Internet. New games can the 90s, computers were be downloaded for free for play becoming less fashionable and on emulators and many sites many of the previous supporters allow their games to be of the MSX had moved on to downloaded in WAV format and Sega and Nintendo’s games audibly copied onto a cassette consoles, whilst the likes of Sony tape so that they can be played and Philips were keen to develop on a real MSX. their own consoles. Several MSX Meanwhile, ASCII and the MSX manufacturers also decided to Association are busy preparing stop supporting the format for the MSX revival. The MSX because the vast number of Association and Bazix (their variations on offer meant that European representative) are they were only earning money for planning on redistributing old a small percentage of the total MSX games for the first time in MSX sales. Despite this, English via www.woomb.net, Panasonic solely supported the whilst ASCII has developed an final version of the MSX. The MSX MSX that will fit on one single Turbo R was little more than a 28 chip. Aside from the late 80s MHz, 16-bit update of the MSX2+ there has never been a better and although it was desirable to time to be an MSX fan.
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>Eight great games Although these are not necessarily the best games for the MSX, they are the most desirable. Many are included because of their exclusivity to the MSX or the way they take advantage of the machine’s unique capabilities. Where applicable, we’ve included a guide to what you’d expect to pay from the privilege of owning them Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake MSX2, cartridge, 1990 While NES gamers had to put up with Snake’s Revenge, featuring a Solid Snake in an incredibly un-stealthy orange jump suit, MSX2 owners were treated to the real deal. Officially produced by Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear 2 featured many improvements over the original, including guards that can move their heads to look in different directions whilst they patrol and can hear Snake knock on walls. The game even features a danger meter based on whether the guards are alerted to your presence or not. This is as close as anyone can get to playing Metal Gear Solid in 2D (and yes that does include Metal Gear Solid on the GameBoy Color). What’s more – the game looks and sounds fantastic for an 8-bit title, all thanks to the power of the MSX2. Since Metal Gear 2 was only released on the MSX in Japan it is a reasonably rare game, with prices ranging from £100-170 depending on the condition. SD Snatcher MSX2, disk, 1990 The SD stands for Super Deformed, a Japanese art style used to make adults look like children. Think tiny bodies and big heads and you’re on the right track. SD Snatcher is a cute RPG remake of Hideo Kojima’s cyber-punk adventure Snatcher. While the story is identical, the gameplay and graphics are completely different. The battle system took the lightgun sections of the original and transferred them to the joypad. Using the cursor, from a first-person view, you could aim at different parts of the enemy, shoot their hands to disarm them or go for head shots for instant kills. The game was released on three disks and came with Konami’s SCC cartridge to enhance the in-game music. Finding a copy of the game with all of these elements intact is now extremely difficult, especially as many SD Snatcher owners may have already sold their much sought after SCC cartridge separately. Expect to pay over £100. Space Manbow MSX2/2+, cartridge, 1990 This is the only shooter that Konami developed for the MSX2 and has never been released on any other format, so the only way you’re going to play this is with an original cartridge and a real MSX2. For an MSX game Space Manbow looks absolutely beautiful. Every sprite is packed with colour and detail, and when the game is played on an MSX2+ the screen scrolls with the sort of smoothness you would expect from the Super Famicom. The original version of Space Manbow came with a manga that introduced the ‘story’ of the game. Finding a copy of Manbow with the manga intact will set you back a good £120. If you just want to play the game though you should be able to find an unboxed copy for around the £40 mark. Incidentally, if you haven’t already bought Gradius V then you should do, not least because Space Manbow inspired many of its scenarios and enemies. Jet Set Willy MSX1, cartridge and BeeCard, 1985 Any fool can brave the cold on a Sunday morning and pick up a copy of Jet Set Willy for about 10 pence, but if you want to be truly elite about retro collecting then tracking down a British classic on an obscure Japanese format might just be for you. Hudson (of Bomberman fame) introduced Matthew Smith’s platform game to the Japanese public by way of both cartridge and BeeCard – a slim ROM-card that needed a special adapter to fit into the MSX. By 1985 the Japanese were already playing Super Mario Bros so they probably laughed at Jet Set Willy and its complete lack of background images or scrolling levels, so you should be able to relieve some Japanese gamers of their ‘unwanted gift’ for about £30 on Yahoo-Japan (http://auctions.yahoo.co.jp).
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FEATURE:HARDWARE | MSX APPEAL R-Type MSX1/2, cartridge, 1988 If you ever wanted to play R-Type on an 8-bit system there were a wealth of different versions available, yet few could match the arcade version for control and visuals. The PC Engine version was very good but famously came on two separate and individually released hu-cards. The MSX version fit onto one 3Mbit ROM cartridge and although it resembled a Spectrum game on the MSX, if played on an MSX2 it looked absolutely superb. This is hardly an essential purchase these days as the PlayStation port (part of the R-Types collection) is near flawless and fairly easy to find, but the MSX version is still an interesting item. At roughly £60 a pop though, R-Type on the MSX is for Irem completists only. Penguin Adventure MSX1, cartridge, 1986 Anyone who’s ever played the insane shoot-em-up Parodius may have wondered just where Konami got its inexplicable obsession with penguins. The penguin is called Pentarou and originally appeared in Antarctic Adventure. Penguin Adventure is the sequel to that game and is arguably the most charming and playable game to be released on the MSX. The player must guide Pentarou across the entire continent of Antarctica in order to find a golden apple that will cure his rather ill girlfriend, Penko Hime (Princess Penguin). Penguin Adventure can actually be found very easily and shouldn’t cost more than £20. Every MSX collector should get this game as it is packed full of everything that makes gaming a worthwhile hobby: challenge and fun. Konami fans may also be interested in this, as it was the first game that Hideo Kojima worked on as Assistant Director. Herzog MSX2, disk, 1988 This is a prequel to the Mega Drive sleeper hit Herzog Zwei. As the game features a fighter plane that transforms into a giant robot and was made by Tecno Soft you would be forgiven for thinking that Herzog is a scrolling shoot-em-up. Well it is, and it isn’t. Herzog is actually a real- time strategy that pre-empted Dune II by a good five years. The idea is to destroy the enemy base before the enemy destroyed you, with units of enemies being deployed and commanded in the typical RTS way. The unique twist of Herzog is that as well as commanding your troops you actually take part in the battles by controlling the aforementioned fighter plane. The plane is unable to damage any of the bases but can be used to break the enemy’s defence or stop units from getting too close to the player’s base. Like Penguin Adventure this is another MSX title that should be in everyone’s collection, despite the £70+ price tag. Dungeons & Dragons MSX Turbo R, CD-ROM, 2004 The Turbo R never had any games worth playing during its lifetime, so it has been left to the homebrew scene to create something that resembles fun. Brazil’s Slotman released Dungeons & Dragons just as this article was being written and although few people have yet to play the game it does look to be worth picking up. The game is actually based on the 1980s cartoon of the same name and features high quality digitised images from the show to form the game’s cutscenes and opening movie. Taking the form of an RPG (of course), the player takes command of one of the main characters and must converse with allies and battle monsters. It looks to be a fairly typical RPG, but is very well presented and will be welcomed by any game- starved Turbo R owner. If you are one of the unlikely few who are planning on attending a Brazilian computer fair this year then be sure to pick up Dungeons & Dragons. If not then eBay is a more realistic option.
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>MSX curios With well over 100 variations of the hardware made available in the last 22 years, the MSX is an ideal computer for retro enthusiasts to collect. Here are just five that are worth keeping an eye out for…
Zemmix Super Victory CPC-61 Sakhr AX-330 This is an MSX2 games console that was developed by Daewoo-Korea. The AX-330 is a very special machine. It was the very first home It had one cartridge slot, just one joystick connector and a connection computer to be made available to Saudi Arabia in 1985 and is also a for a separate keyboard that turns the Zemmix into a fully unique MSX. Originally developed by Yamaha and modified by Al programmable MSX. Although the Zemmix (meaning “It’s fun” in Alamiah (Saudi Arabia’s biggest consumer electronics firm), this MSX1 Korean) is an officially licensed MSX includes 64Kb of RAM and actually has a Sega Mega Drive built onto compatible computer, it does play many the main board! The cartridge slot on the right plays MSX games and hacked games on pirated cartridges. the slot on the left plays Mega Drive games. The AX- 330 also has a calendar, a paint programme and an English/ Arabic text editor built into the system.
Sony HitBit-11 Panasonic FS-A1WX This is an MSX1 with 64Kb of RAM. It is internally identical to Sony’s Easily the gamers’ choice when it comes to the MSX. It has 256Kb of very first MSX except for an in-built Japanese-English word processor. RAM, includes a 3.5in floppy disk drive and an FM-PAC, and is MSX2+ It is highly desirable because of its attractive casing that is designed compatible. If there’s any commercial game you need to play this will to resemble an American high-school blazer. run it. The FS-A1WX is relatively easy to find and should be the first stop for those looking to start an MSX collection. These usually go for about £30 in Japan. They’ll cost a little more than that in the UK – around £50.
One Chip MSX The MSX revival is in full swing now that ASCII has announced the development of what many are calling the MSX3. In reality it is just an MSX1 on a single chip but it does have some very special features. The prototype One Chip MSX contains 32Mb of SD RAM, 1Mb of SRAM, Flash ROM, an SD card slot, two cartridge slots, two MSX joystick ports, two USB ports, a PS/2 port, VGA and SVHS video outputs and a stereo audio-connector. The inclusion of two cartridge slots means that when the final product arrives in March it will be fully compatible with all original games, while the SD card slots allow users to store and play those legally downloaded games that are too hard to find on cartridge or disk. ASCII has also confirmed that the One Chip MSX will be expandable to an MSX2 at a later date.
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Desert Island
Welcome back to our lonely isle. This month Paul Drury whiles away the day with Eric Ginner, high scoring hero and Atari DisksLynx/Jaguar programmer
organised by Walter Day and Twin arcade nearby, a place he’d Galaxies, which at that point I spend so much time that he think was mostly just him,” recalls became friends with the Walter Ginner. “He invited most if employees and indulged in much not all of the players, mainly a free after hours play. He did record holder in each of the games dabble with a little programming in the magazine picture. Most of on an Atari 800, but nothing the major players were there and I came close to a complete game. don’t remember anyone specific “Games were certainly my being left out, though I’m sure number one hobby, but I never there were many more worthy of saw any career in it. Sure, I being there. The picture was taken wanted to make a living playing really early in the morning and it games but it was nothing more was freezing cold, especially for a than a joke at the time, sort of like native Californian like myself. I saying I wanted to win the think it was intended to be like a lottery… it would be great but not t’s probably the whole town event with as much very realistic. I wasn’t inspired to most enduring hoopla as possible, which I guess get into making games, I just image from the explains the cheerleaders. It was wanted to play them at that time.” golden age of quite the event, considering that And play them he did. I arcades. It’s Twin Galaxies was one small Golfland, which boasted over a November 9th, 1982 and a group arcade in a small town. Yeah, it is hundred arcade cabinets and, yes, of the finest videogame players in sort of a fun claim to fame, a miniature golf course for when the world gather together, especially with people who didn’t the cacophony of bleeps and accompanied by the cabinets that know the game scene. A magazine bloops became overwhelming, was have played host to their picture has a lot more impact than like a second home to Eric. extraordinary feats of skill and telling someone you scored a “The first arcade game that endurance. A row of cheerleaders million points on some game hooked me was Asteroids. I liked adds some pizzazz and the whole they’ve never heard of.” the chaotic feel of trying to survive iconic spectacle is captured for in the middle of everything and I inclusion in America’s prestigious Gaming heritage remember it being so cool to get LIFE magazine. One face in the to put my initials in for the high crowd, smiling sheepishly at the Games have always been a big score list. back behind a Ms. Pac-Man part of Eric’s life. Born in 1962 in “It got to the point where I machine, recalls the day the Mountain View, California, the could play as long as I wanted. little town of Ottumwa, Iowa, state which has been his home Lots of people could do that became the unlikely capital of the ever since, it began with Pong in eventually and it became a race gaming world. the front room, before moving on every day to see who could stop “The whole event was to pinball in the Time Zone at 99,990 to get their initials on
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cool 111,000,000 on Robotron after an exhausting 30 hours play. He could have continued, but as that set a new world record at the time, he stopped and explains that there was a kind of etiquette amongst champion players, which meant they usually ended their games voluntarily after beating the current top score. This meant records often changed hands, keeping the scene vibrant as well as allowing players to resume normal sleep patterns. “I’m definitely most associated with Centipede because of winning the national contest in 1981. The contest took place in Chicago and two friends and I won free entries for it, but still had to pay for our trip there and all expenses. This was supposed to be a huge nationwide contest, but turned out to be a huge failure for the company running it. In the days before the contest we practised on the many Centipede machines they had in the The famous LIFE magazine ‘Video Game V.I.P.s’ photograph. That’s Eric convention centre or whatever the on the back row, in the middle, betwixt two bearded fellows place was. They were all modified so each game would end after the high score list. I don’t think I I never used the lurking method mean little spaceship that exactly three minutes and we had played a single game more than a until I found out about it from frequently ended the games of us to pay for each game so we went couple hours until one time at a other players. After that I would mere mortals (I’ve got my own through a lot of quarters. There bowling alley. A friend and I just use it when messing around. theory as to its origin…), the high were some mini contests where I alternated playing to see how long It was easy enough to get 99,990 score culture was beginning to won a little cash, which helped we could go and started building points just playing normally and at take shape amongst expert out. I vaguely remember 50,000 up lots of extra ships. When there that point the game was pretty players. Boards went up in as being a good scoring goal for were so many extra ships saved much done for me since I wasn’t arcades listing the current a three minute game. that they were almost going off into doing the marathon games. records, but these would be “In the contest there were, I the screen, my friend played while Somehow in this area the two restricted to that particular venue. think, about a 100 people. We I ran home to get a camera and spaceships became referred to as Eric and friends would went head to head with the came back and took pictures. I still Beaver (the little ship) and Wally occasionally travel further field to winner advancing. In the finals, I have them around here (the big ship). I don’t remember compare scores in other arcades, ended up playing against one of somewhere I think…” how that started though…” and this local rivalry soon grew to my friends who was only 14 or As Eric digs out the snap, I ask interstate proportions, as seen in 15 at the time. The final game about strategies. Was he a Leaderboard the California versus North was not close at all and I won ‘lurker’? “Nah, my playing method Carolina tournament, held in the prize which was supposed to was just the standard blast As well as sharing strategies and August 1982. Eric represented his be a Ford EXP car. Turns out that everything as quickly as possible. inventing a bizarre name for that home state admirably, clocking a during the contest, the company
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related projects. I worked with became a full employee.” some people doing a videogame It can’t have been easy for TV show where I would interview anyone involved to reproduce people in arcades about games, Atari coin-op classics accurately but that one never went on those ancient platforms, but anywhere, and I was on some Eric is proud of what was TV show that had a contest achieved. “Most of the games on Millipede. were pretty good but yeah, they “I was also part of a were extremely limited by what videogame professional tour that could be accomplished on those was called something like the ‘primitive’ computers. The C64 ‘Videogame Circus’. The idea was games tended to be the best to have a group of videogame since it was the most game- experts travel around to different friendly hardware and the IBM PC cities and fill a big convention version of Robotron was The photograph Eric took of Asteroids, with the extra ships literally hall with games. People pay surprisingly good. The Apple II running off the screen… admission and get free game games all looked and sounded play, beat the expert contests, terrible though.” running it skipped town or went and contributing to an article expert demos and things like Things were going well for bankrupt or something. Basically for Joystik magazine detailing that. The first one was in Boston Eric, but not so for Atari. Only they bailed out and there was his complicated mushroom and was a total failure. The two months after joining as a some doubt whether anyone arranging method. attendance was so bad that the full-time employee, the company would get any prizes. Atari came “After that I wrote an whole thing shut down after a was sold and the Tramiel through and gave me a cheque advanced strategy article for few days and the whole tour brothers took charge. for a bit over $12,000 instead of every issue for around a year or was cancelled.” “It all seemed to happen very the car, so everything worked so on games like Tempest, Dig The dream was starting to quickly and I think it was less out great.” Dug, Crystal Castles and Ms. Pac- fade, but fortunately for Eric, Atari than a week from the time we A tidy sum for a teenager and Man. I loved doing these articles came to the rescue again and knew that it was coming until it suddenly the dream of making a and the pay was extremely good. recognised his gaming skills actually happened. Up until then, living from playing games didn’t The magazine was very cool could be put to good use. things had been going normally seem quite so fanciful. Eric also looking and well done. That was for the most part. It was well cashed in on his Centipede skills the only magazine I worked on High scorer for hire known that Atari had been losing by producing strategy guides but I did a bunch of other game tons of money for quite awhile, “I started out as a tester for Atari but business continued as usual in 1983,” remembers Eric. “A and even things like building a bunch of young arcade experts new headquarters were still being were hired as contractors to test planned. We were kind of “I’m definitely most associated with Centipede because of winning the national contest in 1981. Atari gave me a cheque for $12,000…”
arcade games being converted to separated from the larger parts of several home computers such as the company so it was hard to the VIC-20, C64, IBM PC, Apple know exactly what was going on. II, and TI-99. This was for the “After the sale, they went through Atarisoft label and was totally each area and decided what separate from the Atari coin-op people to keep. In my building, I and VCS people. We did think there were maybe 100 Centipede, Robotron, Defender, people and less than 10 ended Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug up staying, and I was one of and plenty more. We had all the them. There was a lot of chaos real arcade games there and with all those people leaving at would play the computer once, and people trying to take versions and report bugs and stuff with them when they left. major differences between the For most employees it was very arcade and computer versions. sudden and they were told to All the programming was done leave that same day. I remember by outside companies so we a few days of going to work in a didn’t have much contact with giant building with only a handful them other than with project of people left in it and we just managers for each game. It was waited around to find out what like a real job with pay and we were supposed to do next. It everything, but we were was much the same for all areas Eric joined Joystik magazine in January 1983, and contributed playing contractors instead of employees, of the company. Instead of letting guides to the popular arcade games of the day though after several months I people go, they went through and
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produced two games for the Lynx how the Trevor McFur character handheld system in their own got into the game and it turned time, Ms. Pac-man and Shanghai. into Trevor McFur in the Crescent Both games were officially Galaxy. When it got closer to released and impressed the release time, I didn’t really have bosses enough for the pair to go any control of the design, so it on and produced three more titles was mostly just putting finishing – Batman Returns, Chequered Flag touches on the content that was and Rampart, the latter two there so it could be wrapped up supporting the innovative link-up and sold. What’s missing is all the feature of Atari’s ill-fated detailed gameplay elements, challenger to the GameBoy. Eric secret areas and items, advanced puts down its failure to high price, weapons, things like that. It’s lack of third party support and basically the outline of the game I poor marketing. It seems Atari wanted to make but missing a lot learned little from the experience of content. My game design style and repeated the same mistakes was kind of a problem too. I don’t with their next big project, the believe in making a detailed game Jaguar console. design plan long before the game “I’d say people were is finished. I believe that’s mostly somewhere between confident a waste of time as a game will and over-confident when the usually turn out very different Jaguar was getting started. It was from the early design, so I prefer supposed to be a super powerful to do things on the fly. This was 3D game system but turned out not a very popular method to be not that good at 3D though. So the game was very graphics, at least in the much unfinished and generally not beginning. It had the same very good. It definitely qualifies as problems as the Lynx – major the game I’m least proud of and game developers were not somewhat embarrassed about. I making games for it. After it was was disappointed that my launched there were very few opportunity to do an original game kind of fell apart.” Ms. Pac-Man and Shanghai were written to test the water, and both games available and even those games were quickly picked up by Atari weren’t very good. As always it Eric spent a few more months was marketed badly so it never working on Club Drive and then, really had a chance.” after a decade with the company, picked a few people to keep and were generally good and of Eric produced one of the launch he decided to move on. Before we everyone else was gone. A lot of course it was a far more efficient titles for the new console, sticking leave the Jaguar behind, I can’t people with many years at Atari company than the old one. The to his 2D roots when others were resist asking him about Atari’s were let go and there were some eventual failure was because the struggling, mostly unsuccessfully, most famous UK programmer. very large severance packages marketing of the products was with real time 3D rendering. He “Jeff Minter is an Atari given out. I think Atari had poor and way too limited.” recalls with a grimace the difficult legend,” he enthuses. “I met him something like 10,000 employees development process. a few times briefly when he and the total number of people Go your own way “It started with my ideas for a came to the company to show off staying with the new Atari was side scrolling shoot-em-up game, his latest endeavours. The guy under 200. I might be off on the Perhaps sensing that with the new but the trouble started when too was in a league by himself and numbers, but 1,000s of people management team, no one was many people got their hands on could make the Jaguar do things were laid off.” indispensable, Eric took the bold it. One thing Atari wanted to do that even the hardware designers Eric survived the cull and was step of moving up from tester to was have sort of a company didn’t know were possible. pretty certain of the root cause. programmer and with colleague mascot character like Mario or Whenever someone was curious “The company was just way too and friend Jerome Strach, they Sonic the Hedgehog and that’s about what the Jaguar was big and couldn’t support itself. There were lots of manager types, lots of people doing very specific jobs that could have been combined. The company was mostly living on reputation and not progressing to making new and improved products. The Tramiels had kind of a ruthless, hardcore, all-business reputation and that was right on target. I think the goal was to repeat the success of the C64 and make Atari something like IBM or Apple. It was a totally new company really, only the name was the same, and I think it was mostly on the right track. The products Trevor McFur, not one of gaming history’s most memorable characters…
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capable of, someone would pull buddy, Mark Robichek, the out one of his fancy demo Frogger and Moon Patrol world programs that he whipped up in record holder featured in last like an hour and amaze month’s Retro Gamer. The fruits everyone. I think it’s widely of their collaboration are Gubble agreed that Tempest 2000 and and Gubble 2, which Eric Defender 2000 were by far the describes as a mixture of Pac- best Jaguar games. I never Man and Crystal Castles. played them other than some “It was the best job I ever had early demos but even those were by far. I spent most of my free very impressive. He didn’t time on the games because I actually work at Atari when I was enjoyed working on them so there – he was always working much. The most people we had at at his home and would just visit one point was five, so we had to the company once in awhile.” do pretty much everything involved with making a game. I Gubble trouble was making development tools, Demos of both Gubble and its sequel are available for doing phone tech support, game download from www.actualentertainment.com Eric continued to work in the design and testing as well as games industry, joining programming. The difference was wanted to do, but it was hard to five arcade cabinets – Xevious, Bitmasters, a company set up by we were doing a game the way get people to jump from liking Crystal Castles, Cloak and Dagger, two other former Atari employees, we wanted instead of making one the game to paying us lots of Frenzy and Joust – and along with Franz Lanzinger and Dave O’Riva, for someone else. I guess they money for it.” watching baseball and playing and perhaps best remembered for could be considered successful. So, Eric left the games poker with Asteroids programmer, producing Primal Rage. Eric We created and sold two original, industry, worked for Cradle Ed Logg, he can usually be found worked on NCAA Final Four entirely self-funded games and Technologies on custom heavily engrossed in Everquest 2. Basketball, also for the SNES made decent money, but not programming for its processor “I’m happily single and (after learning to program the enough to continue making before retiring at the grand old currently spend most of my time console by knocking out a games. This pretty much age of 40. But though games no playing computer games. For me version of Pong), and Pool convinced me that a small longer provide his employment, it couldn’t be better, but I lead Champion for the PC. He then company is fighting a losing they still occupy a huge part of what most people would consider followed Franz to Actual battle against the major his time. In fact, you could say a boring life.” Entertainment, where was productions that a lot of games his life has been rather circular. No, Eric. It’s called a charmed reunited with his old gaming are now. We did everything we He now shares his house with life. >Eric Ginner’s Desert Island Disks
Robotron 2084 Arcade, Williams, 1982 The sheer amount of stuff on the screen was amazing for the time. It just seemed impossible to survive against all those enemies coming at you but it was so satisfying mowing them down. Loved the dual joystick controls and all the firepower. The greed element of trying to collect the little people wandering around was something I liked in a lot of games. I played it for something like 30 hours straight in a contest once which was the only time I did a marathon session like that. I saved up hundreds of extra lives so it was possible to eat or run to the restroom without losing the game. I remember, though, after many hours, losing so many lives that I got down to only two left but held on and built them back up again.
Defender Arcade, Williams, 1980 It’s similar to Robotron in that it’s just a lot of mayhem and destruction. I remember the first time I saw it thinking how can anyone play that with all those buttons? Of course it just took some getting used to but even harder than using all the controls was finding a machine where all the controls were actually in working condition. I wonder how long they would hold out on the island. It felt like you had a lot more control over your ship than in most games though. Coolest thing about the game? Floating around at the beginning of a wave waiting for all the pods to gather… then boom! – smart bomb at just the right time followed by the massive explosions and frame-rate slowdown.
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Missile Command Arcade, Atari, 1980 This is the first game I remember that had real colours and not just vector graphics. That huge trackball was pretty wild at the time. I remember trying to optimise points by using as few shots as possible and hitting the branching lines with one shot. As it got harder I would spread a wave of clouds across at the start of each wave then use individual shots after that. The hard part was hitting those smart diamonds. They could pull off some crazy moves dancing around clouds and struggling to avoid them. It was so annoying to make the wave of clouds and then see the wave start off with diamonds instead of lasers and the clouds all get wasted. Eventually a good strategy was to just protect one city and survive on the bonus cities every 10,000 points. As an extra bonus, Missile Command makes a great light source. Some of those background colours are blinding.
Tempest Mario Bros. Arcade, Atari, 1980 Arcade, Nintendo, 1983 I liked the feature that allowed I really liked the two player co-operative mode. The single player you to work your way up to high mode was fun also but I don’t know exactly why. It’s a pretty levels and start new games simple game with there. It was a nice change from nothing really special other games in that you could about it. I think it was attempt to beat your high score the challenge of without taking hours to do it. It always seeing a few has possibly some of the most seconds ahead and frustrating ways to die of any avoiding potential game. Those annoying pulsars traps. The two player zapping you from way down mode is twice as good inside the grid. Those crazy and it has the added fuseballs popping up at just the fun of Mario and Luigi wrong time. The invisible grid bumping each other levels were a big surprise and around and jumping would always draw a crowd. off of each other.
Blazing Lazers Solitaire TurboGrafx-16, Hudson Soft, 1989 PC, Microsoft This is my obscure representative for scrolling third-person Yes it’s boring and simple but that’s the point. It’s good to have a shooting games. It was on the TurboGrafx-16 and had all the game around that you can just play for a few minutes and classic shooter accomplish elements such as something. It has wild background unlimited replay graphics, rocking value since every music, lots of game is random. It power-ups, the also has the most gradual build up important quality from a weak little that I think any ship to a super game can have, powerful machine. which is that when This was always the you finish a game style of game I you feel like you wanted to do for my could do better if first original game. you played again.
Everquest PC, Verdant Interactive, 1999 The most amazing combination of really good game design and really terrible game design. I played it for years and the reason was the ability to play with friends. Back in the old days my friends and I would just show up at the arcade after work or school and meet up to play games. Logging into the game was somewhat like that – friends would log in and gather up to do things. It was all about impressing other people with your items and accomplishments. How can a game be successful when it forces players to spend most of their time waiting around doing nothing? Just one of a mile long list of bad things about it and yet it’s probably my favourite game ever. Is there DSL on the island? Because I don’t think I could build a satellite dish out of coconuts and bamboo.
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Last month we followed the ups and downs of Star Wars gaming as it grew out of the 8-bit home computer market and rode the wave of console gaming into the mid-90s. In this final chapter Dan Whitehead picks up the story as the home PC went from being a fancy-pants calculator and started to make its mark as a games machine, right up to the release of the Star Wars prequel movies…
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FEATURE:SOFTWARE | THE HISTORY OF STAR WARS VIDEOGAMES
hile the Star Wars up two such add-ons, B-Wing platform games and Imperial Pursuit, helping to had been making extend the rather limited core waves on the NES game and build a somewhat W and SNES, the rabid fanbase. software division of George Flushed by the speedy Lucas’ empire, LucasArts, had success of this foray into PC been making something of a gaming, a sequel followed in name for itself on the PC with 1994. TIE Fighter flipped the games outside of the realms of whole thing on its head and, for Jedi and droids. the first time, allowed players to The late 80s and early 90s fight on the side of Darth Vader saw such classic adventures as and the Empire. Gameplay was Maniac Mansion, Zak McKraken much the same as X-Wing, the and, of course, the start of the quick turnaround not really Monkey Island franchise. The allowing room for massive other Lucas cashcow, Indiana overhaul of the game engine. Jones, had also been successfully Even so, there were some translated into the old point-and- improvements that addressed click genre, with an adventure problems with the dogfighting in based on The Last Crusade and the previous title. A quick-key also a whole new Indy escapade shortcut allowed you to entitled The Fate of Atlantis, so it automatically match the speed of was only a matter of time before an enemy, so you could the company treated the rapidly concentrate on actually fighting growing audience of PC gamers them rather than chasing them, to some Star Wars action. while a tractor beam weapon could be used to stop craft flying X marks the spot away. As with X-Wing, two expansion packs – Defender of Despite being known for its the Empire and Enemies of the adventure games on the platform, Empire – followed in the same LucasArts’ first PC offering was, year. Between the two games, strategy and even outright puzzle in many ways, a throwback to and the brace of add-on sections. The environments were Atari’s original 1983 arcade missions, Star Wars had hit the more immersive, with fog effects machine, only now boasting PC in fine form. and revolving holograms in the polygon graphics and beefed up background, and the level design from a simple shooter into a A certain point of view was complex. Players could also fully-fledged flight simulation. X- look up and down, opening up Wing was the self-explanatory Of course, 1994 also saw the the gameplay from the forward- title, and it hit the shelves in release of a PC game the effects facing maze chases of Doom. 1993 to much excitement. With of which we’re still feeling in But within LucasArts, Dark the console concentration on 2005 – a charming little tale of Forces represented an even platform leaping and baddie demons and space marines called greater shift in direction – it was blasting, the bygone thrill of Doom. Though the first-person the first game to tell a new Star piloting Star Wars vessels had shooter genre had been around Wars story outside of the official gone unexplored for several in various forms for many years, movie chronology. Previous titles years. With the advance in PC and truly came into its own with had always followed the events graphics, hopping into the Wolfenstein 3D, few would argue of the classic trilogy, stretching The first X-Wing title blasted cockpit of that iconic fighter was that Doom didn’t cement the FPS certain events and taking some onto the PC in 1993, and a tantalising proposition. genre into the dominant force we artistic liberties, but always add-on packs and sequels quickly followed No mere 3D shoot-em-up, X- know today. Naturally, LucasArts within the guidelines of what Wing’s joystick and keyboard was quick to realise the sales George Lucas had put on-screen. combo required plenty of practice potential of this hot new genre, With the inclusion of a new contributed stories to the Star to master, while the ELS system and just how excited Star Wars Imperial threat – the Dark Wars saga once the movies left (Engines, Lasers, Shields) allowed fans would be to blast Troopers – and an all-new story the cinema. Though their gamers to share their ship’s Stormtroopers in glorious first- that slotted in between A New relationship to the official movie power between those three vital person perspective. Hope and The Empire Strikes continuity has always been areas. In retrospect, the game Dark Forces debuted on the back, this was the first time dubious, there’s no denying that was a fairly linear affair and the PC in 1995, and quite apart from gamers had been allowed to it was this steady stream of new flat polygons from the original being a great shooter, it remains explore outside the mainstream Star Wars content that kept the release are pretty ugly. Later re- notable for many reasons. From a Star Wars narrative. fanbase alert and interested releases would spruce up the technical standpoint, Dark Forces during the early-to-mid 90s. looks with some great gourad managed to take the Doom Expanding horizons In 1996, LucasArts decided to shading effects. The PC hard blueprint and make some experiment with the Expanded drive also allowed LucasArts to improvements which helped to The Expanded Universe, as it Universe a little to see if they build on the original game with evolve the FPS genre. For one came to be known, was the name could engineer an event with expansion packs, and within a thing, the blasting action was given to all the comics, novels which to drum up publicity for year X-Wing addicts could pick tempered with a sense of and other spin-offs that the forthcoming Special Edition
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himself siding with the Rebellion than in creating a game that was lightsaber in a first-person game, >Rebel scum and was involved in the battle on worth playing. putting gamers up close and Hoth. Helping in the search for The Shadows of the Empire personal in a series of startling In 1995 the Star Wars Han Solo after the events of ‘multimedia project’ certainly duels. This game saw another template was applied to Empire Strikes Back, he was then attracted a lot of interest, both new character added to the Star another popular game style, asked by Princess Leia to from fans and the media, but Wars canon, Kyle Katarn, the first this time the FMV-driven investigate a conspiracy to Dash Rendar didn’t really make in what would be a long line of space shooting of Wing murder Luke by the sinister much of an impact on the hitherto unmentioned Jedi lurking Commander. Rebel Assault Prince Xizor of the Black Sun franchise in the long term. in the background of the movies. was the game – released on crime syndicate. Of course, all Where the experiment did have The FPS was now a firmly PC, Mega-CD and the doomed this took place in between the an impact was in showing established genre, with Quake 3DO console – and it boasted movies and was never mentioned LucasArts that there was a moving things into the realms of actual footage from the on-screen. market for Star Wars games that full 3D and building on Doom’s movies! Gasp! Of course, this The Shadows of the Empire extrapolated unseen events from tentative online and network play meant the game was CD-ROM game continued the Lucas bias the movies, and from this point only (and thus very posh) towards Nintendo, appearing as on almost every new game and had to stream all the an N64 exclusive – though a PC would ignore the movie Since the release of the original, Dark Forces has gone from gameplay straight from the version was also released. While storylines in favour of playing in strength to strength, with the CD. Despite the digitised titles like X-Wing and Dark Forces the Expanded Universe. excellent fourth game, Jedi movie scenes, the game itself had taken a genre and dressed it Academy, appearing on PC and was cripplingly linear and up in Star Wars clothing, Return of the Xbox last year little more than a shooting Shadows was a patchwork of Dark Forces gallery. A sequel appeared different gamestyles designed to the following year, with more appeal to as many people as The criticism levelled at Shadows varied gameplay and a possible, quite fitting given the of the Empire seemed to find its unique selling point – the marketing driven genesis of mark, as 1997 found LucasArts first new and official Star the concept. returning to familiar, but fruitful, Wars footage to be shot since It opened with, predictably territory with sequels to its two Return of the Jedi. The game enough, the battle on Hoth biggest successes. still wasn’t up to much against the AT-ATs. This snowy Jedi Knight was the follow-up though, as between Dark skirmish was clearly a fan to Dark Forces, and it took the Forces and X-Wing fans could favourite when it came to technical advances in PC already get the same thrills gaming, and its inclusion in technology over the intervening from far better games. Shadows as the first level can be two years and turned in yet seen as a rather cynical attempt another superb shooter with yet to get the fans hooked with an more innovations in the genre. easy hit from the start. The game For the first time, you could use a then shifted to third-person view for sections in which Rendar tracked the bounty hunters IG-88 and Boba Fett on the trail of Han Solo, before leading him into conflict against the villainous Prince Xizor. As Star Wars stories go, it was passable enough – though the events sat awkwardly in the middle of two movies that didn’t mention them at all – but the game itself was of dubious value. By trying to cover so many game genres – flying, exploring, shooting, racing – the game fell short and never really came re-releases of the original movie together as a cohesive whole. trilogy. What they came up with Plagued by clumsy camera was Shadows of the Empire. Not angles, the on-foot sections could only would this be a videogame, be played in third or first person there were Shadows of the perspective, but it was no Dark Empire action figures, a comic Forces. Equally, the flying book, a novel – even a sections weren’t up to the soundtrack CD! standard of X-Wing. The addition The story followed a new Star of pointless features such as an Wars hero, mercenary Dash overhead camera, or a ‘movie’ Rendar, whose story intersected camera that cut to different with those of Han Solo and Luke viewpoints during play suggests Skywalker. Despite being that LucasArts was more technically neutral in the war interested in something that against the Empire, Rendar found could act as a surrogate movie
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FEATURE:SOFTWARE | THE HISTORY OF STAR WARS VIDEOGAMES >The best retro Star Wars games
Star Wars (Arcade) X-Wing vs TIE Fighter (PC) Because it’s the daddy of them But only with the Balance all. Because it’s retro arcade of Power expansion pack. greatness personified. But Deep space dogfighting? mostly because it’s just an On that new-fangled Internet? awesome game. Yes please!
with a dedicated multiplayer system. Jedi Knight was no different, and multiplayer lightsaber action across the Internet was at last a reality. Super Empire Strikes Rogue Squadron (N64) The other big Star Wars Back (SNES) As good as vehicular action release of 1997 also used the The Star Wars platform game gets for console gamers. Plus, Internet to distinguish itself from perfected, with a fine blend of the best version of the the pack – though the result Mode 7 graphics, fast-paced obligatory Hoth battle. Ever. wasn’t quite as popular as Jedi exploration and frantic blasting. Knight’s winning formula. X-Wing vs TIE Fighter was the game, and Dark Forces by combining its two hugely (PC) successful space combat sims Technically, Jedi Knight is with the lure of online superior, but that’s also too dogfighting, LucaAarts should’ve similar to today’s FPS games been onto a winner. Neither X- Finally – the chance to introduce to scratch that retro itch. Wing nor TIE Fighter had your lightsaber to those pesky included any sort of multiplayer Imperial droids options, so there was a ready- matches weren’t handicapped Thankfully, 1998 saw the now- made audience of die hard fans seemed to have been bolted on to give every player a obligatory expansion pack, who had honed their skills as an afterthought. With Internet fighting chance. Balance of Power, and this against computer controlled access still not widespread, this The lack of 3D card support, addressed almost all of the enemies and were champing at made those uninterested in – or and somewhat choppy online play problems that players had the bit to test themselves against incapable of – online play less that required the visuals to be suffered in the original release. their peers. Sadly, the game was than happy. Unfortunately even stripped bare for maximum speed, Despite the sour taste from having not well received by these fans for those who did have the also added to the general air of to make another purchase in order who had waited several years for required kit, the online play was dissatisfaction that surrounded the to get the game they wanted, the the chance to blast their friends. far from great. The difference in launch. Most fans were able to fan community soon accepted that For one, the single player power and ability between make the best of it, and with blowing your friend’s TIE Fighter missions were disappointingly various craft meant that fights lowered expectations the basic to atoms with a proton torpedo short, had no narrative and could be painfully one-sided if melee battles could be fun. was worth the wait.
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we would finally get to see how Rogue Squadron is still the best or care for remaining faithful to Obi Wan muffed everything up of the Star Wars vehicle games the films. Thus Han Solo and and let Anakin Skywalker turn and the franchise is still going Chewie fought to the death, into the galaxy’s most lethal strong today on the GameCube. Darth Vader duelled with a asthmatic. Naturally, the LucasArts But with every silver lining Tusken Raider and fans wept games nozzle was juiced up and there must come a dirty great silent tears of horror at the stiff ready to start pumping out Star cloud, and in this case it came in animation, uninspired fight Wars product into our faces at the grey oblong shape of the mechanics and the unpleasant every possible turn. PlayStation. With the N64 smell of a franchise being Returning to the console struggling to make an milked. It was a smell they market, 1998 saw the release of impression, Star Wars games would soon grow tired of. one of the best Star Wars games began to appear on other and also one of the worst. formats, with Sony’s hip games The beginning of Rogue Squadron for the N64 was machine top of the list. First the end yet another title that took came PlayStation ports of Dark peripheral characters and events Forces and Rebel Assault 2, then The Phantom Menace was now X-Wing vs TIE Fighter lured from the movies and followed came the first exclusive Star hurtling towards Star Wars players with the promise them off into all-new stories. Wars PlayStation entry. And it fandom like a rancor monster of massive online multiplayer battles Based around an elite group of was bad. Really bad. with piles, and feverish Rebellion pilots led by Wedge By now, the Star Wars brand excitement was the order of the Antilles, one of Luke’s X-Wing had been applied to pretty much day. LucasArts produced two A New Beginning pilot buddies (played in the every popular genre possible. more PC titles based on the movies by Ewan McGregor’s Every genre except one. The classic trilogy before clearing the By now, Star Wars fans had uncle, Dennis Lawson), the beat-em-up. The advent of the decks for the prequel onslaught. witnessed the Special Editions Rogue Squadron concept had 32-bit consoles had seen the Star Wars: Supremacy was yet of the original trilogy, thrilled already been established in fighting game go through a another successful genre at the chance to see them again spin-off novels and comics. The seismic shift not unlike the one dressed up in Jedi robes – this on the big screen – and game once again found that rippled through the PC time the resource-harvesting screamed bloody murder at LucasArts going back to the shooter genre with Doom. strategy of Command & Conquer. the changes wrought on their Hoth battle for easy thrills, but Tekken, Virtua Fighter, Toshinden Playing as either Empire or childhood classics. with a focus on arcade aerial – polygon pugilism was all the Rebellion, and set just after the It was also common combat you won’t have heard rage. And so the world was made destruction of the first Death knowledge that a whole new fans complaining too much. to suffer Masters of Teras Kasi. Star, players had to muster their trilogy was in the works, and that Outside of the PC sim titles, Based around a Jedi martial forces to control planets while art invented for the occasion, this driving the enemy back into rushed fighter tossed a grab bag deep space. The first game to of Star Wars characters into one- take a step back from visceral on-one combat with little thought action, Supremacy (released as
The final few Star Wars games of the 1990s. From left to right: the good, the bad and the damn right ugly
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FEATURE:SOFTWARE | THE HISTORY OF STAR WARS VIDEOGAMES >The worst retro Star Wars games
Return of the Jedi Masters of Teras Kasi (Arcade) (PlayStation) A sloppy Zaxxon clone marred A truly grim beat-em-up in by shonky controls and a which Darth Vader minces like horrible camera angle. And a pixie, while Han and Chewie Ewoks. Not even Virtual Billy punch each other. Rock bottom. Dee can save it.
Star Wars Jedi Arena (Atari 2600) Pointless deflection game with destiny soon comes calling and only passing relevance to the you find yourself drawn into the Star Wars saga. A shameful war against the Imperial forces, cash-in from Parker Brothers. culminating in an impressive final set of missions during the attack Super Return of the Jedi (SNES) The Phantom Menace on the second Death Star above Not entirely awful, but the (PlayStation) Endor. With a compelling story, weakest of the SNES series As deflated as the movie, the genuine drama, 50 single player and a cluttered mess of only challenge in this bland missions and a solid multiplayer brainless twitch-gaming and characterless maze game skirmish mode, Alliance provided nonsense. was making pixel-perfect leaps. a fitting end to the beloved X- Wing series. The year 1999 was, as we all know, when Star Wars both exploded and imploded all at once. Episode I hit cinemas, and The X-Wing series ended left legions of fans struggling to on the high, with the mostly excellent Alliance cope with the conflicting highs and lows of finally getting a new Star Wars movie and realising Rebellion outside the UK) once that the magic had dimmed over fire back at them without again found a game that tried to the years. The Star Wars gaming touching a single button, the ape a popular existing franchise, scene was similarly confused. greatest challenge was to your but came up woefully short in Lucas, remembering all too patience – the vast featureless comparison. Poor pacing meant well the delay in getting levels and poorly designed that gamers needed superhuman merchandise on the shelves back jumping sections proving more reflexes to cope with the deluge in 1977, swamped the shelves deadly than any Sith conspiracy. of information windows cluttering with an endless array of Star And this, sadly, is where our the screen, and the ugly Wars tat, much of it aimed at story must end. 1999 brings us graphics didn’t do much to pre-schoolers. This also led to neatly to the start of the new entice strategy fans to stick such strange sights as the Star Wars trilogy and, in a around. LucasArts would attempt educational Star Wars CD-ROM wonderful piece of temporal strategy again in 2000 with package, Pit Droids on the PC kismet, the beginning of the Force Commander, which and Macintosh, and other quirky current generation of gaming swapped spaceships for ground niche offerings, such as the with the launch of the troops, but was, if anything, Zelda-esque Yoda Stories PlayStation 2 in 2000. even worse to play. ‘desktop adventure’ for the PC. That’s almost 20 years of Star The future of Star Wars Far better was X-Wing The official game version of Wars related gaming we’ve sped videogames? Revenge of the Alliance, a welcome return to the long-awaited movie formed a through in just three issues, two Sith is due out in May, on just serious simulator territory and a suitably frustrating companion decades that left fans both about every platform you can swing a lightsaber at game that dared to expand on piece to the film. The Phantom ecstatic and agonising at the way previous games without Menace, released on PC and their beloved galaxy was treated. stumbling along the way. PlayStation, was little more than It’s not changed much, has it? Bolstered by one of the best a top-down maze game which Maybe we’ll be back in 2025, stories to grace a Star Wars followed the plot of the film with older and wiser, for a look back game, you starred as a young a seemingly endless number of at how Revenge of the Sith fared pilot with no allegiance to either battle droids to hack through in the land of games. Until then, Rebellion or Empire. Indeed, your with your lightsaber. As you live long and prosper. main priority was to keep the could simply stand still and No, wait. May the Force be family business afloat. Of course, automatically deflect their blaster with you! That’s the one. e
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Delta 4 was responsible for some of the funniest adventure games ever written, with titles like Bored of the Rings and the Boggit raising smiles long before LucasArts got in on the act. Chris Wild picks up the adventure trail and sets off in search of the man behind Delta 4, Fergus McNeill…
hen you think back interesting than saying that my particularly innocent, at least not to the early 1980s, dad came up with the name to for long. Judith Child was my the so-called end an argument.” long-term collaborator. She acted golden age of as a sounding-board for the W computer games, > VERBOSE numerous daft ideas that evolved, there is one thing that strikes In 1984, inspired by the likes of assisted with the overall home above all else; that anyone The Hobbit and Colossal development, and organised who wanted to (and had the Adventure, Fergus sat down and everything. She also attacked conviction to do it, not to wrote his first adventure, disrespectful journalists, an mention a small amount of talent) Sherwood Forest, in Spectrum approach which probably could release and sell a game. Of BASIC. At 14, when most male contributed to our frequently high those who did, some even teens should be at school review scores. managed to be successful and studying girls, Fergus began “Andrew ‘Spud’ Sprunt was forge a name for themselves, selling his games via mail order our staff photographer and something that rarely happens for through Micro Adventure general drinking companion for individuals nowadays. The man behind the Delta 4 magazine. the regular late-night inspiration- One such person was Fergus myth, Fergus McNeill McNeill and his development “The Quill was a godsend. Developing team, Delta 4. From its humble > LOAD DELTA 4 beginnings, selling home-taped You stand in the middle of an the early works using Spectrum BASIC games with photocopied inlays at Aztec temple. There are no exits. was about as much fun as being computer fairs, to releasing the You can see a bottle of Vodka first licensed product of Terry and some old Marillion gatefold punched in the face” Pratchett’s Discworld series, Delta LPs. A tall man in a jester’s outfit 4 seemed to be on the verge of approaches… Fergus says: “I remember gathering trips to the golf course. global success, a meteoric rise to playing The Hobbit – Thorin Colin Buckett was one of those the top of interaction fiction > EXAMINE DELTA 4 singing about gold, the pale programmers who could get a confirmed with the release of the Fergus says: “Delta 4 came about bulbous eyes, climbing into BBC Model B to do anything, critically acclaimed adventure, The entirely by accident. I’d been barrels, the sense of tension even if he had to take it apart to Big Sleaze, in 1987. This was dabbling in the dark arts of going north from Dale towards make it do it. When he wasn’t followed by the launch of its bedroom game development for the Lonely Mountain – and I taking things apart (which he did serious label, Abstract Concepts, some time, when I was struck wanted to make games like that. most of the time), he helped with along with the dsytopian with the idea of selling my wares Somehow, I never quite managed conversion work and generally adventure Mindfighter, and a via mail order and decided I it, but I did turn out a few thrashed us at Elite. Jason collaboration with fellow needed a name for the whole adventures that raised a smile.” Somerville worked on various adventurers Level 9. But then, undertaking. The name is actually projects and also assisted with something went wrong and Delta a constant cause of > INVENTORY the nightmare of conversions in 4 disappeared like a 1920’s embarrassment for me. I’ve taken Fergus says: “The Delta 4 Posse the early days – a process which explorer lost in an Aztec temple… to telling wild stories about how I (as such things were known in involved manually retyping To find out exactly what was shipwrecked on the Nile the 80s) emerged from a clique of everything from the Spectrum happened, we’ve spoke at length Delta on the 4th of August when friends at school. Under normal version of the Quill into the to the Fergus McNeil, and here, in the name came to me in a dream. circumstances, I should probably Amstrad or C64 version of the a style we’re sure he’d I think there could be some change names to protect the Quill. No wonder we drank a lot! appreciate, is the rise and fall of mileage in this, possibly even a innocent. However, nobody “Honourable mentions must Delta 4. movie, and it’s much more involved in Delta 4 was also go to Jonathan Walker (the
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FEATURE:PROFILE | DELTA 4-EVA
to write our own parody instead. >Class of ‘86 Some people may say our choice of title was somewhat unoriginal 1986 was a fine year for but everything else about it was Delta 4, with the Boggit and all our own work.” The Colour of Magic earning Bored of the Rings was great reviews from the Delta 4’s break through product. specialist press. Looking back As with all the previous games it at the year’s adventure was released mail order. One of games, Crash magazine (#36) the magazines commented that heaped praise on Level 9. by giving the game a good Kind words were also review, Delta 4’s home reserved for Fergus: “The publishing department would be other big name of 1986 was unable to keep up with demand, undoubtedly Fergus McNeill and thus appeared to review it of Delta 4 who mined quite a less favourably. However the different seam. Humour was game buying public were always an area which the undeterred and bought it in their medium of adventuring could thousands regardless, with the develop to its full, and Delta net result being that Delta 4’s 4 were not slow in spotting home publishing department was this simple fact. The Quill, for unable to keep up with demand… once, provided a useful The success brought it to the vehicle to express a budding attention of CRL Managing comic talent. Delta 4 had Director Clement Chambers, who always secured a loyal signed Delta 4 to his affiliate following among adventure label Silversoft and the game freaks, but this year saw the was re-launched. In fact the outfit’s rise to fame and chart game would be launched yet respectability epitomised by again under the CRL label some the tremendous amount of time later. interest in The Boggit, a Fergus says: “There were game which successfully several versions of Bored Of The lampoons the Melbourne Rings but they weren’t hugely House classic.” different. However, we were asked Following its successful debut as a mail order title (left), CRL picked to do an extended edition aimed, up Bored and released the game on its Silversoft label I seem to recall, at that disk- both Robin Hood and Sherlock based Spectrum machine. It was Holmes, and The Boggit, another talented fellow who designed most Lampoon’s Bored of the Rings. to be called B-B-Bored Of The Tolkien takeoff. In 1986, Delta 4 of the cover art for our original Fergus began to read the parody Remix and we got some way into momentarily stopped the spoofs mail-order titles), Andy ‘Zippy’ novel and nearly had the book development. It was never and released The Colour of Magic, Routledge (who co-designed and confiscated for laughing out loud finished but, being an based on the first of Terry developed The Smirking Horror), in class… environmentally friendly sort of Pratchet’s Discworld novels. and Stephanie Stranger (who Fergus says: “We thought it person (well, I’ve nothing against Fergus says: “Ah yes, worked with me on the Bizarre would be great fun to adapt the the environment), I recycled some Discworld. The whole incident Wars design for Level 9).” Bored Of The Rings book and of those ideas years later in came about as a result of my tried to contact the rights holders Kingdom O’ Magic.” selfish tendency to buy people > EXAMINE BORED OF THE RINGS (a bold move for two teenagers presents that appeal to me, While studying at Swanmore still at school). However, after > EXAMINE COLOUR OF MAGIC regardless of their personal Secondary School, Judith slipped numerous phone calls all leading Bored of the Rings was followed tastes. In this case, the recipient Fergus a copy of Harvard to dead ends we rashly decided by Robin of Sherlock, a parody of was my arch-nemesis from O-
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helpful guys, and the fact that editor with water pistols, not to good reviews for Delta 4 games mention covering Chris in silly highlighted what a fantastic tool string at a ZX Microfair. He later The Quill was. Lots of authoring explained that this was the utilities claimed to be suitable for reason he continually referred to developing commercial games, me as ‘a bit of a cult’ in his but The Quill had actually done it Gremlin column, hoping that one for real.” day a typesetting error would The relationship continued for avenge him… several years, with Gilsoft later “Crash were a strange lot developing a whole new though. I got on fine with some adventure system for Abstract of the Newsfield staff writers, Concepts (Delta 4’s serious especially the guys from Amtix, adventure label). Called SWAN but Derek Brewster (adventure (System Without A Name), this reviewer for Crash) just refused to was essentially a super-charged be amused. I had no problem reworking of Gilsoft’s PAW with this – comedy is a subjective (Professional Adventure Writer) thing after all – but I did breathe and was designed to be the a sigh of relief when The Big profile. Many bedroom engine for all future titles. Sleaze finally made him smile.” programmers were inspired by the story of Fergus the 16-year-old > READ PRESS > EXPLAIN BEASTENDERS game developer, and pursued a From very early on, Fergus Shortly after the release of The career in programming, finding recognised that courting the Big Sleaze, Your Sinclair reported their feet with adventures written press was a major contributory that Delta 4 was working on using Gilsoft’s utility. factor to good game sales. Quest ‘Beastenders’, a spoof of the BBC Fergus says: “The Quill was a for the Holy Joystick was a spoof soap. godsend. Developing the early of the software industry and Fergus says: “I had spent a works using Spectrum BASIC was featured many popular gaming long day at a show drinking about as much fun as being magazines of the time. Before intoxicants, and a journalist began punched in the face. The problem long, Delta 4 had a good (if was that you spent all of your somewhat unusual) relationship The Boggit, or ‘Bored Too’ as it time programming locations rather with most of the 8-bit press. was subtitled, marked a welcome return to ‘Muddle Earth’
The first and arguably the best “Crash were a strange lot… Derek of all the games based on Terry Pratchet’s Discworld novels Brewster just refused to be amused”
Level English class, Catherine. I than writing them and, while I Fergus says: “Tony Bridge was browsing in my local could program BASIC pretty well, from Popular Computing Weekly bookshop and my eye fell on the the whole creative process was started it all by giving us our first Josh Kirby artwork for The Colour rather stifled. Gosh, that last bit serious coverage. A chance Of Magic. By very good fortune, sounded a bit pretentious… meeting at a Microfair led to a Catherine enjoyed the book and Suffice to say, The Quill made first ‘proper’ review and after that recommended that I read it, which everything more structured and things just snowballed. Chris I did. speeded up the development Bourne and the guys at Sinclair “Some time later, when I was process enormously.” User were fantastic, despite the in discussions with Piranha about fact that we stormed their offices doing a project with them, > SAY GILSOFT at EMAP Towers and soaked the somebody asked me what license Fergus says: “I can’t be certain I would like to work on if one how the relationship with Gilsoft could be secured. I immediately started, but I think we first met at suggested The Colour of Magic a ZX Microfair. The relationship, and, after a respectable period, which I must stress was always Terry Pratchett was picking me up platonic, developed as a result of from Bristol Templemeads and me asking them for new features whisking me away to meet his all the time.” carnivorous plant collection. We After the first couple of small got on rather well, especially releases (and a relentless barrage when he suggested ‘The Pub That of demands for extra Time Forgot’ for lunch. But that’s functionality), Gilsoft began to another story…” take notice of how Fergus was using its authoring system, and > GET QUILL started to make modifications to Delta 4 was an early adopter of it especially for Delta 4 games. Gilsoft’s adventure writing system Fergus says: “I think it was a The Quill, and became arguably combination of Tim Gilberts and the biggest contributor to its his crew being genuinely nice
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FEATURE:PROFILE | DELTA 4-EVA
asking me questions… you know publisher, the game never really how these rumours can start. gathered any momentum, which is Honestly, it was never a serious a pity as I think Level 9 concept, as I couldn’t bear having technology and Delta 4 comedy to do the research! As a rule I would have been a pretty only parody subject-matter that I righteous combination.” really like.” > DISCUSS ABSTRACT CONCEPTS > FIND LEVEL 9 Fergus says: “I’d always wanted Fergus says: “The adventure to do serious stuff as well as industry was, in those days, small comedy. In fact, I tried to find out and cosy enough for everyone to about working on a Lord Of The know everyone else. I always got Rings game long before I released on reasonably well with Level 9’s Bored, but I wasn’t speaking to Mike and Pete Austin – they were the right people at that point. In technically amazing and, if they any event, there were things I weren’t such nice guys, I’m sure wanted to experiment with and they could have gone on to the Mindfighter storyline (which develop some sort of giant robots my wife Anna had been writing that would have enslaved us all when we first met) seemed an The first and only game to their eternal dominion. ideal setting. I wish I’d had the released on the Abstract Concepts label came complete However, I digress. We’d been opportunity to continue with with a poster and 160-page chatting about doing a game those titles, because we were scene-setting novel together, but we never seemed really finding our feet with that able to agree on an idea until first release. The work we were was The Smirking Horror, a Bizarre Wars (A Star Wars parody) doing on the subsequent titles humorous look at Psycho, A came along. We did a fair bit of was really very exciting.” Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday preliminary design work but, the 13th, The Hitcher, House, and without a firm deal from a > HIT DELTA 4 WITH AXE all those other great 80s horror Fergus says: “A series of films. It was developed using The Big Sleaze was Delta 4’s unfortunate events befell Delta 4. SWAN, and it was really rather first departure from the fantasy After The Big Sleaze, the plan was good fun. Prior to that, I’d genre, yet it proved even more to do some work on the Abstract obviously been designing Bizarre successful that the earlier hits Concepts titles then go back to Wars, but that project never quite the humorous material with got off the ground. another Delta 4 title. However, “For Abstract Concepts, we would have completely eclipsed Abstract Concepts was one of a had two further games planned. later market-leading titles such as number of affiliate labels that The first one, Parisian Knights, Blade Runner. Sadly, the company didn’t survive the restructuring of was a period piece about I was at didn’t share my appetite Activision, our publisher. There continental espionage, set for the project until after it were a few attempts to resurrect between the two world wars. We became clear what a huge license it all but the planets never quite actually showed a demo of this it was and, by that time, the aligned in that auspicious way.” at a show and I remember that it opportunity had gone.” had some really stunning visuals > EXAMINE UNRELEASED GAMES – all sketches and watercolours > EXAMINE KINGDOM O’ MAGIC Fergus says: “There were scanned in – but it was never Following the death of Delta 4, essentially four unreleased completed. Lastly, there was Fergus joined On-Line projects, each taken to a different Goodnight Cruel World, a Entertainment and worked on stage of development. The only futuristic conspiracy story that some of the very first CD-ROM one that was actually completed had a strong Philip K Dick vibe titles for the PC and Amiga CDTV. running through it.” In 1992, he set up the Southampton development studio >MAKE LORD OF THE RINGS for SCi, where he later developed Fergus says: “I thought the Kingdom O’ Magic, a graphic chance of working on a Lord Of adventure that parodied the The Rings game had disappeared pillars of the fantasy genre. There forever after Melbourne House was a definite sense of deja vu released its version. However, hanging in the air… years later, I discovered that the Fergus says: “Kingdom O’ book rights might possibly be Magic was a Delta 4 title in available. I went across to meet everything but name. I love that Tolkien Enterprises in Berkley game so much, and I still can’t and, over the period of some believe we got away with doing months we progressed the what we did in it! As always, negotiations to a pretty advanced there were plenty of things I’d stage. Design work was well have approached differently on underway and we had developed the project, but it did have some technology to die for – a stunning truly sublime moments in it. You graphic adventure system that can’t go wrong with John Sessions
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will start >Delta 4 Softography to
TITLE YEAR PUBLISHER FORMAT Sherwood Forest 1984 Delta 4 Spectrum The Dragonstar Trilogy 1985 Delta 4 Spectrum Galaxias 1985 Delta 4 Software Spectrum Quest for the Holy Joystick 1985 Delta 4 Spectrum Although not a Delta 4 game, Return of the Holy Joystick 1985 Delta 4 Spectrum Kingdom O’ Magic is swathed in Fergus’ trademark humour Bored of the Rings 1985 Delta 4 Spectrum/C64/CPC/BBC Robin of Sherlock 1985 Silversoft Spectrum/CPC doing the voice of your main The Boggit 1986 CRL Spectrum/CPC character, Paul Darrow (Avon The Colour of Magic 1986 Piranha Spectrum/C64/CPC from Blake’s 7) discussing a Murder Off Miami 1987 CRL Spectrum/C64/CPC bizarre farmyard love-triangle, The Big Sleaze 1987 Piranha Spectrum/C64/CPC and an army of orcs who all Mindfighter 1988 Activision Spectrum/C64/CPC/PCW/PC/Amiga/ST sound like James Mason. SCi recently gave me permission to release the recording script which > CONTINUE ADVENTURE SWORD) into a series of lower reduce the number of titles can be downloaded from www. Fergus says: “I really miss the level instructions about moving produced. Hopefully the original, delta4.co.uk if anyone feels traditional adventure genre of to where the sword was, using great ideas will still find their way so inclined.” games, especially if you read the keys in your pocket to through.” ‘interactive fiction’ for ‘adventure’. unlock any locked doors along > READ BOOK Interactive fiction is an art-form the way, and then getting the > REVIVE DELTA 4 Fergus’ website is also the home waiting to happen, it’s just lost its sword. Yes, it avoided all the Fergus says: “I don’t know that of Star Drawers, his new novel way temporarily. As long as tedious error messages – ‘I Delta 4 could make a comeback that’s available for download in people read books, and find that can’t go that way, the door is now. However, I would like to do PDF format. deeper level of empathy and locked’ – but more importantly more interactive fiction, and the Fergus says: “It’s terribly involvement that isn’t possible in it meant that characters could chances are that at least one annoying when you work on-and- film, interactive fiction has be given high-level goals project would involve a parody of off for years writing a novel and immense potential. The challenge which could dynamically guide something. I guess I’ll just need then, just when you knuckle down is to find a way of delivering and their behaviour. to wait and see.” and finish it, two other similar marketing it. I would love to be a To my knowledge, nobody has Following the release of ones come along and wreck your part of making that happen.” taken this much further, which is Kingdom O’ Magic and chances of being published… but rather a pity. Black & White had Carmageddon for SCi, Fergus yes, I’ve now completed Star > DISCUSS AI some fantastic neural-style AI but, joined Smoking Gun Productions Drawers. It’s very much Delta 4 in Fergus says: “I do tend to rant aside from that, character were he now works on the Club style, being a parody of that on about AI and I think it’s fair intelligence doesn’t seem to have Manager football titles. original great sci-fi movie. The to say that it’s all Level 9’s fault. evolved much since the 1980s – Fergus says: “By day I am a transition from interactive to Mike and Pete Austin were staggering when you think how mild-mannered software traditional fiction was challenging showing me an upcoming version other aspects of the medium have developer, working on Club but I’m pleased with the results. of A-Code and what it could do. improved so dramatically.” Manager, but football can be a I’ve also got an amusing short One thing that really caught my cruel mistress, especially when story appearing in The Chap imagination was the idea of > EXAMINE INDUSTRY you follow Partick Thistle and Magazine and, hopefully, these will character AI that could Fergus says: “There’s cause for Southampton. I’m also involved be the first of several such forages dynamically interpret high-level concern in today’s games with several side projects that will into more traditional writing.” instructions (such as GET industry, but equally there’s a lot hopefully develop into something to like across many different exciting over the coming months.” genres. I love action titles like Unreal Tournament 2004 and > DROP ALL EXCEPT strategy stuff like Medieval Total FAVOURITE GAME War. However, the thing that Fergus says: “Decisions, encourages me most about the decisions! If I had to pick just one games industry is the recent game at gunpoint, I’d choose two: Grand Theft Auto titles. I love the The Boggit (which everybody idea of a robust, convincing apart from Crash magazine environment used as a backdrop seemed to find funny) and The to a non-linear game. We need Big Sleaze (my first good review more games like this, but from Crash – perhaps I should unfortunately titles of this quality have adopted a Chandler-esque are few and far between. style sooner!). However, if I “Clearly, there are too many thought you were actually going games on the market at the to shoot me, I’d crack and tell For lots more Delta 4 information (plus the Star Drawers PDF novel), moment, but I think the you that The Boggit was always visit Fergus’ website at www.delta4.co.uk increasing cost of development my favourite.” e
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The first offering from the Tower stable is, unsurprisingly, Sensible Soccer, and within a few months the 16-bit combat classic Cannon Fodder will follow. Both game are being published by Kuji Wireless, and these titles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to producing games for phones. There are many more on >Mobile the way… Talking business
Mobile phone gaming grew from very humble beginnings, with very simple games like Snake often built into early handsets. The industry has moved on in leaps and bounds since then, with more complex and innovative titles appearing. Retro gamers can now Retro gaming is undergoing something of a renaissance, what indulge in a quick blast of Prince Arcade of Persia anywhere they go, with with plug-n-play joysticks being released almost monthly and an all the great gameplay and abundance of downloads available online. But what if you want graphics of the original classic. to play games on the go and don’t want the expense of the There are also great titles from latest handhelds? Well, that mobile phone sitting in your pocket Super Breakout and Worms to Manic Miner and Frogger available could be the answer, as David Crookes discovers for the platform. Best of all, most of these titles are in the old school Spectrum and C64 budget price or many gaming range of around £2.50 to £5. fans, Jon Hare is a This new found love of older videogaming games has sparked a sense of legend. In the 90s appreciation for older licences. F he was the man Simon Dean, head of O2 Games, behind the beautiful game that said: “Retro Games are extremely was Sensible Soccer, and there’s popular. Classics such as Sensible very little he doesn’t know about Soccer offer timeless fun and are programming games with an enjoyed by everyone. They cross instant pick-up-and-play factor. genres from action to puzzle and But now this key industry figure is offer something to suit all tastes. turning his attention away from By combining retro classics with a producing games for computers modern platform, such as the and consoles, and is instead mobile phone, mobile gaming is concentrating his efforts into opening up to a whole new mobile gaming. And, we’re not audience and is reviving the talking Sony’s PSP or Nintendo’s nostalgia for old time favourites. DS here. For Mr Hare’s Tower But although the retro games Studios, which he runs with John available on O2 Active remain Phillips and Mike Montgomery true to their originals, some have from The Bitmap Brothers, is a modern twist. Sensible Soccer recreating some of the best known 3G features player celebrations, retro software for mobile phones. bookings, injuries and the original Sensible Soccer ‘Hero’ music video and crowd sound effects. It brings these great games into the 21st Century and makes them even more appealing to the modern consumer.” Despite this, mobile gaming is currently just a small part of the £7.9 billion PC and console game business, worth about £1 billion across the globe. However, Jon Hare (right, pictured at the recent Retrovision event) has indications suggest it is set for resurrected the classic Sensible huge growth this year. Soccer for mobile phones In terms of the mobile phone
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FEATURE:PROFILE | MOBILE ARCADE
>Palm & Pocket PC
Retro gaming on the go is not exclusive to mobile phones. The PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS may well be on the verge of wrapping up the handheld market, but for those who have a Palm-operated PDA or a Pocket PC to hand, there are a wealth of retro gaming Tetris, Pac-Man and Pitfall – just some of the classic retro games that are proving popular on mobile handsets options available. And, of course, they’re a damn sight industry, gaming is seen as a key supremely playable and inventive The ELSPA Chart for January 2005 more interesting than using driving force to help grow new games. It was the game developer had Tetris, Pac-Man and Pitfall in the PDA for storing telephone revenues. Acording to Nikesh equivalent of The Beatles in the the top 10. The rest of the chart numbers and scheduling Patel, a games analyst at 16-bit era. Like great music, great had some other recognisable meetings. Strategic Analytics, retro games gameplay never goes out of names such as Colin McRae Rally, For a start, Rick are one of the key ingredients for fashion.” Pramesh Chauhan, Connect 4 and Monopoly, proving Dangerous has made an future mobile videogaming business development manager at that not only are people going for appearance on Palm in a success: “Retro games are simple Kuju, continued: “Both Sensible concepts that are instantly great port. Rick was the to play, people know how to play Soccer and Cannon Fodder are apparent, but are also heading for Indiana Jones of computer them and there is familiarity. real classics. In particular, recognisable brands. games well before Lara Croft Early downloadable mobile games Sensible Soccer completely Ben Taylor, who specialises in came on the scene, and this were quite complex and over revolutionised football games content provision for Vodafone, latest incarnation has him elaborate, and many publishers in when it was first released on the said: “Retro games come into once again being chased by the industry have now realised Amiga and Atari ST. We’re their own on mobiles because of boulders and trying to avoid that simplicity is key. Games like convinced it will do the same on brand recognition. When we traps. You can find it at Tetris and Space Invaders seem mobile phones.” launched Vodafone Live two years www.freewarepalm.com/ to do well.” And more good news – further ago, we did so with 30 games, games/rickdangerous.shtml. Patel forecasts that the market games from the Sensible/Bitmap the majority of which were retro for downloadable games will be stable could be on their way. Jon releases like Galaxian, and we did worth around £4 billion worldwide Hare said: “The deal we have that because people knew them. by 2009 and that the UK will be at signed with Kuju gives us the It’s the same with Tomb Raider the forefront. “The UK is an unique opportunity to re-vamp and Worms – two games which important market for mobile phone some of our classic old games for are popular on mobiles because games because, on average, UK a younger audience and let our they are great, and people are users spend higher levels on the creative juices flow. After all these aware of them. It’s certainly the same content then their European years we are still as ambitious case that retro games are hugely counterparts. The UK market is and passionate as ever.” popular. They are great to play on also relatively data savvy, with mobile phones mainly because high levels of text usage.” Perfect fit they’re easy to pick up and difficult to master. Atari games are also well Britsoft Retro games are perfect for represented. Users of both mobile phones and there are two Arcade legends Palm and Pocket PCs can For retro gamers, this means main reasons for this. A lot of old download versions of quite a lot. For a start, heavy games were devised to be Namco and Atari were among the Asteroids, Breakout, British involvement means many instantly playable – and to be just first to wake up to mobile retro Centipede, Missile Command retro UK titles look likely to be as quickly put away. For gaming gaming. Two years ago, Motorola and Pong from converted to mobile phones on a on the go, when a Sensible Soccer and iFone struck a deal to www.handango.com. And, regular basis. And this has session could easily be interrupted provide consumers with a number Namco has ported Pac-Man, already begun with the by an important phone call, such of original Atari games popular in Ms. Pac-Man, Galaxian and aforementioned deal to bring an approach to games is a major the late 70s and early 80s. Atari’s Mappy over to Palm. They’re Sensible Soccer and Cannon plus. And secondly, when you all-time greats including Pong, available from Fodder to Java enabled mobile- look down the list of available Centipede, Breakout and www.palm.namcogames.com. phones. Kevin Holloway, games from some of the leading Asteroids were ported over to Aside from ports and managing director of Kuju mobile content providers, it’s retro mobiles following a year of remakes, you can also Wireless, said: “Sensible Software properties that jump out at you. negotiations during which emulate the machines of days was highly regarded for creating This isn’t mere speculation either. Manchester-based iFone secured gone by. Emulators are available for the Atari 2600 (PocketVCS), NES (PocketNES),Commodore 64 (PocketC64) and Spectrum (Pocketclive). Pocketgamer (www.pocketgamer.org/games /emulators/index.shtml) is a good place to start looking.
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Disengage The mobile gaming market may >The hard cell be booming, but there is currently a problem with compatibility – not all games play Kuju Wireless is one of the leading mobile phone on all phones and the software houses specialising in old skool titles for manufacturers, operators and mobile phones. Retro Gamer spoke with managing game publishers are working hard director Kevin Holloway, fresh from his trip to Cannes to find an industry standard. It’s for the 3GSM World Congress, a mobile trade fair. becoming much more of an issue since experts say there are Retro Gamer: How was 3GSM? KH: For network operators it’s actually more mobile gamers than still a small, but growing, console owners. Kevin Holloway: Great thanks! revenue generator. But there Vodafone’s Ben Taylor said: Sensible Soccer was very well are plenty of portals in Europe “The industry is working on received, even in a hall half whose main line of business is standardising a gaming platform. filled with porn! selling content. It obviously takes the good will Compatibility is a pressing of manufacturers and game RG: Kuju appears to be RG: What have been the most issue, with games like Pac-Man having to be designed for many producers but we’re confident it something of a specialist in popular games for you so far? different devices will happen.” retro gaming for mobiles. Why The introduction of 3G phones is that? KH: They would have to be will move retro gaming to a new Lotus Challenge: City Racing a deal with Infogrames, owners of level this year. Namco’s Ridge KH: Well, retro games are very and Sensible Soccer. I got the Atari name. Racer is being launched by popular especially if the name loads of emails asking for It was felt that 20- to 30- Vodafone later this year. It is still well known, which is release dates when we somethings who remembered the promises to be a faithful why games such as Sensible announced the Sensible Soccer games from the times they were replication of the original arcade Soccer generate so much and Cannon Fodder deal. We on Atari’s original coin-op racer, albeit with only one car to excitement. I am constantly on also get a few emails with machines would be attracted. race against and a reduction in the lookout for brand feedback on the games, but as As the big guns continue to polygons. It paves the way for a opportunities, including retro we don’t sell directly most sit up and take notice, ELSPA phone version of Tekken, games. One advantage I have feedback goes to our channel launched its mobile gaming although for the time being, is that I’ve been in games for partners and gets summarised charts last April. It is based upon Namco has been building on its more than 20 years so I know back to us… the sales figures for Java Pac-Man franchise with offerings a lot of people in the industry. downloads, supplied initially by such as Pac-Man Pinball and Pac- RG: So will you be going the four key mobile operators – Man Bowling. RG: One of the results of that through the back catalogues to O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Ben Taylor concluded: “Games search has been a deal with churn out any old games you Vodafone. It is estimated that are now second only to ring Tower Studios, which includes can get your hands on? they currently command tones for mobile game content. people who became well- approximately 80% of the mobile And we’re seeing the take-up of known for making quality KH: Not at all. Kuju will games download market. the 3G service which promises games for the Amiga, continue to push quality over Michael Rawlinson, deputy better 3D graphics and the including Sensible Soccer and quantity. I think the emphasis director general of ELSPA, capacity for more levels. Retro Cannon Fodder. Are any more on brand recognition will commented: “The mobile games games will benefit from this. Amiga-inspired games due? continue, but I hope the chart is a natural extension of Most of them are rewritten from average quality of games will ELSPA’s existing chart range. We scratch and I think we’ll see 3D KH: I don’t think the Amiga in improve as brand owners learn are pleased to recognise mobile mobile versions of games like particular is being targeted as who the quality publishers gaming as an established and ever- Dizzy in the future.” a source – but hey, there were are. Mobile games have a growing sector of the games Whatever the prediction some great games for it. I much larger and wider industry, and are confident the though, it all adds up to one think the era that the Amiga potential target audience than chart will prove beneficial for both thing: The future’s certainly belongs to in general is a consoles – after all who do the industry and consumers alike.” bright… the future’s retro. e great source of inspiration. you know that doesn’t own a Mind you, that might just be mobile? Community or old age – nostalgia talking… multiplayer gaming will probably prevail as RG: Is mobile gaming a connectivity is an integral part lucrative business? of the technology.
Nokia’s N-Gage may not have set the world on fire, Another name from the past… Kuju’s Lotus Challenge but a bigger and better version 2.0 is on its way is one of its most popular downloads
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FEATURE:PROFILE | MOBILE ARCADE
Sensible Soccer Tower Studios Sensible Soccer was without doubt the most refreshing and playable representation of our national sport when it was released more than Mobile reviews a decade ago. If there was ever a game which proved that gameplay There are 100s of retro game ports available was far more important than graphics then this was it. With its top- for mobile phones. As a taster, here are four down view and instinctive control system, it became an instant that are worthy of both your time and money classic on 16-bit systems. And the good news is that Sensi translates well to mobile phones, retaining the simple controls and great gameplay which made the original an essential app. Prince Of Persia It’s something of a cut-down version however. The mobile game Gameloft gives you the option of playing a one-off friendly, a cup tournament The original game, which was ported to pretty much every gaming or a series of league games, picking one of 50 football teams – far platform under the sun, always looked a dream and played like it too. less than the 16-bit original. And the tiny players so beloved of The only real difference between the original game and the mobile Sensi are even smaller. But both were to be expected. What is more version is the story, which has changed ever so slightly. In the surprising is the fact that the team you pick does not appear to have original, the Sultan had nipped off to fight for his country, only for the a bearing on the side’s performance on the pitch. The computer Grand Vizier to decide to proclaim himself ruler. The Vizier then opponents often have simple-to-spot movement patterns too. decided he wanted to marry the Sultan’s daughter – only you, as the Bad points aside, the beautiful game itself is lovingly reproduced. Prince, actually kinda liked her yourself. For your lusty thoughts you Running at angles is as easy as running up and down and from left get chucked in prison and have one hour to agree to the marriage. to right. Passing is fluid and the difficulty level in scoring is just The best response? To escape and rescue the Princess from her future right. There’s also the ability to pick up where you left off if you husband. The mobile phone version sees the Vizier on a kidnap spree need to use the phone for something else. A worthy purchase. again, only this time targeting the Sultan’s three wives. To stay in the Rating: pppppppppp good books of your ruler, you’ve must rescue them all. But what about the game itself? Well, it’s the usual arcade-action- adventure, with dozens of platforms and ladders and lots of swordplay. The palace is riddled with booby traps to stop you in your quest and the puzzle element will keep you playing this to the end. The action comes thick and fast, and the game loses absolutely nothing on the mobile (except for a slightly fiddly control method). If anything, the graphics are better than the original game. Rating: pppppppppp
Pac-Man Namco The yellow, circular superstar had his first glorious outing in 1980. And in doing so, Pac-Man really brought videogaming to the masses with an identifiable, strong character who went on to star in numerous sequels, spin-offs, remakes, and even a board game. Gamers were completely addicted to the coin-op and it was surely one of the reasons why the Namco arcade stick sold so well recently. It was also one of the first games made available on mobiles and it Breakout rides high in the top 10 to this day. iFone Chances are you’ve already downloaded this game but if not, you We have a bat, a ball and a load won’t be disappointed. Everything you loved about the coin-op is of bricks – combine them and faithfully recreated in small form and you can even snap up the you’ve got one of the simplest and sequels, including Ms. Pac-Man. It’s the perfect game for mobiles – earliest games. Breakout has been simple to control and an absolute joy to play. copied, converted and ripped off a Rating: pppppppppp million or more times, but it’s still frighteningly addictive. The aim of the game needs little explanation – demolish rows of bricks using the bouncing ball, ensuring it stays on screen by moving the paddle left and right. The points rack up by destroying bricks in the shortest time possible, the nerves notch up a gear when a second ball is released, and the sense of relief is apparent when you don’t drop a single ball and are rewarded with an extra life. Graphics are basic as you’d expect, but it’s a pretty faithful conversion and certainly worth a shot. Rating: pppppppppp
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Next Level Gaming:
The C64 was one of the most popular gaming platforms of all time, with 1,000s of games available over its long and distinguished life. But how did its bigger brother fare on the gaming front? Andrew Fisher looks at the games available for the Commodore 128
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FEATURE:SOFTWARE | NEXT LEVEL GAMING
aunched in 1985, the Commodore 128 had a split personality. Inside L were two different processors – a MOS 8502 and a Zilog Z80A. The 8502 gave it the power to be two different machines – the all-new Commodore 128 and the classic Commodore 64. The native C128 mode introduced 128Kb of memory (expandable to a staggering 640Kb), enhanced BASIC 7.0 and 80-column RGB output. C64 mode, meanwhile, was compatible with the vast majority of original C64 software and hardware, and could be games that were 128-only. easily accessed by typing ‘GO64’ As with the Spectrum 128, one (or holding down the Commodore of the first companies to pledge key and pressing the Reset support to the new machine was button). Finally, the Z80A budget label Mastertronic, which processor was fully compatible released enhanced versions of The with CP/M 3.0, opening up Last V8 and Kikstart. Both were access to a huge library of available on disk format for £4.99. business software. The C128 version of The Last But who the hell wanted V8 added an additional level at business software when the C128 the start of the game and ran twice as fast as the C64, had featured different sound samples. double the amount of memory On the extra preliminary level you (including additional Video RAM had to collect fuel rods dotted which could also be used as around the screen, before tackling temporary memory), and featured the main mission and driving extra graphic modes? Surely there back to your base. Additions was potential there for some aside, the awful control method serious gaming action… from the C64 original was not tweaked, meaning that Rob Prepare for launch Hubbard’s great soundtrack remained the only thing worth The C128 launched in the UK at recommending. £269, while another £179 would Shaun Southern’s enhanced buy you the new 1571 disk drive. version of Kikstart was a much This was a double-sided drive, better effort, with new courses giving up to 330Kb on a 5.25in and obstacles. Three practice floppy disk. The drive could read tracks were initially loaded into the Commodore GCR (Group Cycle memory, and three sets of eight Recording) format and the MFM tracks were on the disk – giving a (Modified Frequency Modulation) format used by CP/M. With the right commands it could use ‘burst’ mode, which was designed to load and save data faster. There were plenty of games available for the machine, but this was mainly because it was backwards compatible with the C64. If you picked up many game titles you would see them labelled as being for the Commodore 64/128. In other words, the software ran in C64 mode only. Over 95% of C64 games were compatible with the new machine, but there was only a small number of commercial
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>Elite 128
One of the best-known games of all time has been ported (unofficially) to the C128. Elite 128 by Ullrich von Bassewitz is an unofficial version that actually runs on the C128 in C64 mode, but with smoother graphics. This is thanks to a clever technique called vertical blanking which unlocks the speed of the faster processor. On the C64, you can shut off the screen to gain processor speed. By timing when the raster (which draws the screen) is in the upper or lower border and blanking the screen briefly, the processor speeds up and faster calculations can be done without disturbing the actual display area. On a standard C64, the speed increase is total of 27 different courses, minimal, but on the C128 in C64 mode, the speed is ramped up by compared to the original’s rather meagre eight. The new version also included smoother scrolling, more variety in the course hazards, and a table which recorded your best track times. Overall, the C128 version Although not advertised on the (confusingly titled Kikstart 2, and packaging, Alleykat (top) and not to be confused with the true Morpheus from Graftgold For more information on Elite 128, visit www.gb64.com/ sequel that later appeared on the benefited from the extra power oldsite/gameofweek/elite/Elite128.txt C64) is better than the original of the C128 budget classic. But if you were a about 40%! The author has also added SuperCPU support, and is proud C128 owner, new tracks C128 version, however, featured planning to introduce new gameplay features, including bounty and a few tweaks weren’t going completely reworked graphics hunting side missions and a new ‘hidden’ galaxy to explore. to impress your mocking mates. with more detailed characters and The driving game Test Drive II also uses vertical blanking to What was needed was a C128 more colourful backgrounds. display its filled 3D graphics, so again this receives a speed boost game that was a clear cut above There were even a couple of new when run on the C128. In a similar style, the flight simulation the C64 original. locations – one outside the games Stealth Mission (by Sublogic) and Project Stealth Fighter (by mansion and the other down in Microprose) feature improved graphic speed and smoothness when Shock horror! the dungeon. The zany gameplay run on the C128. Commodore Disk User magazine even published a was pretty much the same patch for Flight Simulator II from Sublogic, which was written In one of the most bizarre however, with you trying to before the C128 was available. The patch allows you to switch licensing deals ever, CRL released rescue your other half while between normal and fast mode, which gives an increase of a game based on Richard avoiding a mutant, motorbike- between 20% and 25% in the frame rate. O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Picture riding Meatloaf, among other Show in 1985. Separate versions bizarre hazards. C128 the playing area was larger A C128 version of Anco’s Thai were released for the C64 and CRL also released C64 and with more variety in the graphics, Boxing was also available, a the C128, with the former C128 versions of Stratton, a and the difficulty level was game best remembered for the seemingly ported straight from massive maze game with some slightly easier. It was still rather players’ faces which gradually the dodgy Spectrum version. The nicely drawn graphics. On the repetitive though. became more bloodied and
Spot the difference. That’s the C64 version of Rocky Horror on the left, and the much better-looking C128 update on the right
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FEATURE:SOFTWARE | NEXT LEVEL GAMING >Homebrewing
Commercial games may have been thin on the ground, but the C128 was home to a lot of homebrew titles, many of them versions of card or board games. The bulletin board systems in America – CompuServe, Genie and QuantumLink (forerunner of AOL) – carried many good games. Tetris128 Chris Batchelor is a shareware version of the classic puzzle game that runs in 80-column mode. You can choose the game speed and number of lines required to get to the next level, as well as the width of the ‘well’ that the pieces fall into. A lack of speed and in-game music let it down. worthy of note is Ultima V: Other titles of interest include Ultimate Risk, a one-player, 80- Warriors of Destiny, released by column version of the board game that has decent artificial Origin in 1988. The enhanced intelligence. Airport128 gives you the chance to be an air traffic C128 game featured atmospheric controller, dealing with bad weather and up to 20 planes trying to music during play, a feature that land or take-off, while Solitaire128 has some nicely drawn cards was sorely lacking from the in 80-column mode and mouse control. standard C64 version. In The UK magazine Commodore Disk User also published addition, thanks to the larger Commodore 128 games. One clever title was War at Sea, a unique RAM, more data could be stored version of Battleships by Paul Traynor. This required two screens – in memory, reducing the one 40-column (or television screen) and one 80-column, to give frequency of disk loading (which the two players their own view of the action. was quicker anyway, thanks to Thai Boxing was available for the speedy 1571 drive working in the C128, but the changes were burst mode). minimal The hardware capabilities of the machine leant themselves bruised as the fight progressed. well to interactive fiction, or text Aside from the addition of adventures as they were known animated spectators, however, the back in the 1980s. Infocom C128 version brought nothing released several titles exclusively new to the battle. for the C128 as part of its Some C64 games were Interactive Fiction Plus range This homebrew version of Tetris made good use of the C128’s actually enhanced when running (adventures designed for 80-column display on a C128, thanks to the faster machines with at least 128Kb of 8502 processor. The classic RAM and an 80-column display.) navigation quicker and easier. You Video RAM from 16Kb to 64Kb, racing/shooting game Alleykat by The titles included A Mind Forever could also map common allowing for higher-resolution Andrew Braybrook had more Voyaging, Trinity, Bureaucracy and commands to the function keys. graphics, but no games took bullets onscreen, and more Beyond Zork. All were text only advantage of this fact. ‘segments’ to the deadly affairs except Beyond Zork, which End of the line There was plenty of serious Katerkillar enemy. One of introduced a colour display and application software available for Andrew’s later games, Morpheus, basic on-screen map. Uniquely, So that was pretty much it on the C128 – including a popular also used the extra processor the compass directions were the C128 gaming front. Not that version of GEOS (a graphical speed to generate more enemies. mapped onto the machine’s it really mattered, as the C128’s operating system based on the Another commercial game numeric keypad, making future as any kind of viable Macintosh interface) – but as a platform was looking shaky. Less games platform it never made a than six months after the real breakthrough. It could be launch, along came the Amiga argued that the C128 was never 1000 and the C128 looked intended as a games machine, seriously under-powered. but the same could be said about Nonetheless, the hardware the C64, which was initially was re-launched twice. First came ushered in as a serious the C128D (the D standing for alternative to the VIC-20. It’s Desktop), with a built-in disk probably wiser to say that when drive, metal case and separate it came to games, the C128 was keyboard. This was followed by stuck in a supply and demand the C128DCR, a cost-reduced rut, with the lack of dedicated model which replaced the metal titles failing to attract the legions case with a cheaper, plastic of C64 owners, which in turn led Infocom released dozens of adventures for the C64, alternative. Both of these PC-style to a lack of future game but a small handful would only run on the C128 models quadrupled the internal development. e
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>Abandonware: Gone but not Forgotten... What happens to old games when they die? Aaron Birch delves into the world of abandonware – a world full of classic gaming history, and a world also full of legal controversy. Is abandonware legal? Or is firing up that downloaded copy of Wing Commander more likely to send to straight to jail without passing go? We find out, once and for all…
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FEATURE:PROFILE | ABANDONWARE
emember that classic isn’t so clear cut. Depending on treasure trove of gaming history. >Elitism shooter you played where you look on the Internet, But, although abandonware as a youngster? Back you’ll find all sorts of differing remained largely unknown for a One of the more famous then it was state of descriptions. The most popular while, meaning that the arguments over freely R the art, and description of abandonware is distribution of the classic titles available classic titles doesn’t although technology has advanced software that has long been was untouched and unnoticed, it actually involve the general rapidly over time, far surpassing forgotten by the original creator, wasn’t long before the ‘warez’ public, but instead the that crusty old title, you’ll never or a game that has been left in scene encroached on developers themselves. The forget how good it was, and you’d retail limbo due to the closure of abandonware, and things ever popular space trading give anything to play it one more a company. Because of this, titles changed. Many so-called sim Elite can be freely time. Sadly though, the game is no are left unsupported and can no abandonware sites began to offer downloaded from the Web, longer for sale, and the owners of longer be tracked down in shops increasingly more dubious but this wasn’t always to the the title are long gone, succumbing or online to buy, such is the bad downloads, and it wasn’t long liking of one of its co-creators. to bankruptcy or a corporate state of play. Over time, many before the unwritten rules of only Ian Bell and David Braben buyout many moons ago. So what’s keen gamers have grown tired of hosting games that were no have been at odds for some the solution? Well, you could search this situation and made the longer supported or sold went out time now regarding royalty charity shops, car boot sales or games in question freely available of the window. Now sites started disputes over the third game eBay for that elusive title. Or you via the wonderful worldwide Web. to offer commercially available in the series, Frontier: First could download it for free from an These games (which are mostly titles, and games that were still Encounters. This sparked a bit abandonware website… classic DOS titles, although many actively supported by the original of a ruckus that kicked off Abandonware is a term that other formats do surface), are IP (Intellectual Property) holder royally in 1999. Lawsuits were many people will find familiar, but then snapped up by online were available illegally. Soon the filled, press releases from it’s also a term that most don’t fully gaming fans through a huge lines between abandonware and both parties were issued and understand, not knowing exactly number of abandonware websites. warez were blurred to such a the whole thing was made what it is, or indeed, if it’s entirely The first abandonware sites degree that it was inevitable the very public indeed. More above board. Is it safe to download appeared online around 1996-7 and authorities would step in – and specifically, while Ian Bell these games? Are you breaking the quickly spawned a massive that’s exactly what happened. deemed that Elite should be law? Will the local constabulary bust collection of online archives, many Many abandonware sites were made freely available for down your door? With so many offering general downloads, and instantly closed down, and many anyone’s use (it can be questions, and no real straight others specialising in specific genres others were forced to change their found on his website http:// answers, we decided to find out or titles. Finally, gamers looking for approach. The whole abandonware www.iancgbell.clara.net/elite), from the people in the know. But old classics could get hold of the area became a legal minefield, Braben disputed this, and first, what exactly is abandonware? once unobtainable gems and play and websites began to rethink originally insisted that it must them again. Applications like their strategy for distributing old not be made available for Lost and found DOSBox and SloMo became games. Many sites stopped nothing. Bell’s website was essential tools for getting retro hosting a large range of titles, and even closed down following The actual term abandonware is games working on new PCs, and all others even began to post links to legal action. The situation obviously coined from abandoned the time, more and more titles official online resellers of games, later eased a little and Bell’s software, but sadly, its meaning appeared online, making for a giving people the chance to buy website was restored. Braben them once more. also released a public statement saying he had no Taking sides problems with the game being made available, The argument still rages on about although he points out that abandonware, and both sides the Elite IP still belongs to strongly enforce their own views. Bell and himself. Those who support abandonware claim that distributing these old games is not illegal or an assault on the original copyright holders, but is instead a much needed service to the gaming public – a service which the IP owner isn’t willing to provide. Due to the low profit margins involved, most companies discontinue support for old titles, leaving fans alone Elite creators, David Braben in the dark, so to speak. If their (left) and Ian Bell original copy dies, they have no chance of a replacement, and as such, can no longer play their commercial retro releases, this is favourite classics. Abandonware even more important to many gives people the chance to grab companies, who are more likely hold of these titles again, and than ever to raid their back there’s really no harm in it. catalogues for titles to re-release On the flipside, many software on newer platforms such as the Several commercial games have been made freely available to the publishers don’t want their GameBoy Advance. Then there’s public by their copyright holders. These include Rockstar’s Grand property distributed freely. And, those plug ‘n’ play consoles of Theft Auto (top), Revolution’s Beneath a Steel Sky and Sierra’s Tribes with the recent resurgence in course, and PC/console retro
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compilations, digital TV games, time and effort in digging up the mobile phone games. The list dirt for a handful of old titles goes on and on. that aren’t making money anyway, >ELSPA interview What the future has in store and some companies have even for abandonware is not entirely granted their own titles later date, although some may clear. Although many companies abandonware status. But one wish to release previous editions do actively launch attacks on thing is certain, abandonware will of games as a marketing ploy, sites offering its property for not go away without a fight, and but only for personal use. Other download, it’s still a fairly rare like warez and MP3 file sharing, than the 50-year limit on occurrence. Most companies it’s going to be around for a long copyright, the age of a game is simply don’t want to spend the time to come. not an issue.
RG: It’s also often perceived that a game can be freely distributed once the owner of the property >Find the source goes out of business or ceases trading. Again, is this true?
Another element that can add confusion to the abandonware debate is JH: In order for any software to Open Source software or source code. Open Source software is basically be freely distributed, the software that has been released and freely distributed for other people permission of the copyright to use and develop. Perhaps the most famous Open Source software is ELSPA (Entertainment and holder must be acquired, Linux, which is a full operating system that has been worked on by Leisure Software Publishers regardless of the age of the masses of people, and has spawned numerous versions. Association) was founded in product or the status of the In abandonware terms, open source is a little different. For example, 1989 and immediately acted as a original IP owner. Often when a id Software released the source code for Doom and Quake, and people voice for the UK computer games company ceases trading, the can freely developer their own games, ports or updates using it. industry. From a starting rights to the intellectual property However, you cannot re-distribute any of the original game files, so you membership of 12 companies, are sold on. The copyright within must develop your own content and assets, or ask the end users to buy ELSPA now represents almost any software is still maintained the original versions. The source code is literally the lines of code that 100 different clients, including all by the IP owner, regardless of go into making the game, and nothing more. of the major software publishers their status, and therefore a in the UK. As well as promoting game can never be free unless its members, and making sure the copyright owner clearly they are well known in the states that this is the case. In industry, ELSPA is a key player in the majority of cases, someone, enforcing anti-piracy laws and somewhere usually owns the resolving copyright disputes. We copyright, whether or not they spoke to John Hillier, a do anything with it. representative of ELSPA and manager of the association’s RG: What is the current penalty ‘Anti-Piracy Unit’, about the for making illegal abandonware thorny issue of abandonware. available for others to download? Retro Gamer: Many different definitions of abandonware are JH: If the software is made often bandied about. What is available for free, then it is ELSPA’s official description? classed as a civil tort in the eyes of the law. This would be a John Hillier: ELSPA defines matter for the individual IP abandonware as software which owners to take action on, rather is still available, but on which than ELSPA as a trade further support and development association. If the illegal has been deliberately software is being sold, then discontinued. ELSPA is involved as the trader is committing a criminal offence RG: Is it true that games can be under the Trade Marks Act 1994 classed as abandonware when and the Copyright, Designs & they reach a certain age? Patents Act 1988, both of which carry a maximum sentence of 10 JH: No, as some companies may years imprisonment and wish to release ‘old’ games at a unlimited fine.
id Software has publicly released the source code for several of its first-person shooters
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FEATURE:PROFILE | ABANDONWARE
RG: Is there any form of penalty by the law. But is there really games offered. investigated accordingly. for people downloading and such a thing? using abandonware for their RG: Does ELSPA actively police RG: The bottom line. Should own use? JH: If the copyright holder has abandonware? people avoid abandonware? given permission for their JH: Again, this is a civil matter. It software to be made freely JH: ELSPA reacts to any JH: Consumers should not would be up to the IP holders to available, then yes. However, infringement of ELSPA members download so called enforce any civil action as they such circumstances must be IP rights. ELSPA treats any sale abandonware unless they can be see fit. backed up by written approval of pirated goods very seriously, absolutely certain that the from all the relevant copyright and if a trader is selling such relevant copyright holders have RG: There are many holders. It is doubtful that the software (regardless of game given their express permission abandonware websites that sites involved would be able to status) he is committing a for such downloads to take claim to be legitimate, abiding substantiate this in respect of all criminal offence, and will be place. >>>>
Here are just a few abandonware sites for you to peruse. Of course, you Abandonware sites download files at your own risk… Home of the Underdogs The Abandonware Ring www.the-underdogs.org www.abandonwarering.com Considered by many to be the single greatest resource for If you’re not sure what game you’re looking for, or want to find abandonware, the long-running Underdogs site has perhaps the some new abandonware sites, then this is where you’ll want to be. largest collection of abandonware titles on the Net. But, there’s much The Abandonware Ring is home to a long list of abandonware more to the site than just games. There are also reviews, manuals, sites. Each site is rated, plus there’s information on how many music rips, developer histories, and even an online store where small titles it has, and what types of game they are (such as RPG, companies can sell their own games. action and so on).
BH Legend Liberated Games www.bhlegend.com http://liberatedgames.org BH Legend is another popular abandonware site that contains Although the legality of many abandonware games may be disputed, a large collection of games for download. It also covers a this site hosts only games that have been officially released to the range of formats, including PC, Amiga, Commodore 64 and public by their IP holders. You’ll find full versions of games for Spectrum. Each game is accompanied by a review and several download, as well as source code releases. There’s also a licence area screenshots, and there’s also pointers on how to run some that contains all of the applicable legal information, and a useful forum titles using emulators. for community members.
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>Abandonware top 10 We’ve had a good old root through the reams of abandonware sites in order to find the most sought-after downloads. So, in no particular order… Elite Alone In the Dark
It had to be in the top 10 Released in 1992, Alone in the Dark began the survival horror ball really, didn’t it? It’s no rolling long before Resident Evil arrived on the scene. As either surprise to see that Emily Hartwood or Edward Carnby, you had to wander around a legions of followers are creepy old mansion, attempting to solve the mystery of Jeremy still downloading this Hartwood’s death. But, this was no normal murder mystery, and it classic space adventure wasn’t long before things went awry, with pant-wetting scares on all formats. Elite is aplenty. The mix of 3D polygonal characters and pre-rendered just pure class, no matter backgrounds – something which way you look at it. The mixture of space combat, trading and that would be very popular exploration was so ahead of its time back in 1984, and it was for a long time – was responsible for many a wasted youth, as people sat down to try and superb, enhancing the whole work out where the best trade routes were, where to find the best oppressive feel of the game, cargo etc. And taking the huge universe into consideration, this was and providing a truly scary no mean feat! The game did spawn sequels, but it’s the original that adventure. A game every people love, and the core gameplay of Elite has had a huge impact self-respecting horror fan on gaming throughout the years. should experience.
Another World
Also called Out of This World by our American cousins, Delphine’s breakaway masterpiece didn’t fail to impress when it arrived in 1991, and continues to do so to this day. As Lester, a rather casual-looking nuclear physicist, you were teleported to a strange alien world following a failed atom smashing experiment. This new world was ravaged by slavery and war, with an evil race ruling over the population. It wasn’t long before you met up with a friendly inhabitant (‘Buddy’) and had to escape your decidedly worrying predicament. To this day, Another World’s visuals are impressive to behold, and the basic characters are beautifully animated. The gameplay is hard as nails, but always varied and fun. Another World also had a sequel called Heart of the Alien, which was available on the Mega- CD and put you in control of Buddy.
Blood Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe
Blood is a first person One of the Bitmap Brothers’ greatest successes, the original shooter of the Doom/Duke Speedball fused together football, basketball, rugby and sci-fi 3D era. But, rather than the madness to produce an ultra fast action sport that was as addictive hellish sacrilegious nature as it was violent. No rules, no holds barred, just plain old of id’s title, or the aggression. Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe took the game even further, Hollywood action heroics of introducing some basic management options, player transfers, a Duke, Blood was all much more detailed arena and properly implemented player skills rednecks and zombies. As and positions. It was still fast, addictive and even more enjoyable Caleb, you had to slaughter your way through an endless army of freaks than ever. And you know and weirdos, using shotguns, flare guns, spray cans, voodoo dolls, what? It still is. So successful dynamite and anything else you could get your hands on (even a rusty is the game, that it’s pitchfork for that true yokel touch). The graphics were okay, although not appeared on modern systems up to the standard of Duke, and the single player campaign was (although not to the greatest dripping with gore and visceral combat. The multiplayer mode is the of receptions), and people on game’s best feature though, and it’s a right old riot if you get some the abandonware trail can’t friends on a network, thanks mainly to the creative weapons on offer. get enough of it.
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FEATURE:PROFILE | ABANDONWARE
Dune II: The Building Lemmings of a Dynasty Despite being released for almost every single Long before the RTS antics of Command and Conquer, Westwood computer known to released this gem based on Frank Herbert’s sci-fi universe, and the mankind, Psygnosis’ strategy game would never be the same again. Dune II was the rodent-laden puzzler is still forerunner of all major RTS titles you’d care to mention. Harvesting a huge favourite amongst ‘spice’ and building bases was the key to the game, with the abandonware fans. Who ultimate aim being to decimate your enemy in a series of glorious would have thought that real-time skirmishes. The fact that it had Dune tagged onto it wasn’t indirectly controlling an actually all that army of suicidal critters important, as the same could be so much fun? With tight time limits and the ever-present game with no major risk of losing your fluffy chums to a 100 foot drop, you had to use a licence would have still series of skills to guide the green-haired herd to the goal, robbing been great. But, the them of their inherent urge to top themselves. What started as an recognisable and easy puzzle title quickly became a hellishly tricky head-pecker that expansive Dune universe kept you coming back for just one more try. And even though the helped make the game main characters were a mere handful of pixels, the animation was even more memorable. excellent, and your little friends really did have a personality.
Space Quest IV
Space Quest is hugely popular to this day, and the series spanned a total of six episodes, each starring the hapless space cadet Roger Wilco – Space Janitor, and would be starship captain. The series involved players in all sorts of weird and wonderful adventures, and episode four appears to be one of your all time favourites. The story sees Roger assaulted in a bar by time travelling hoods in the employ of his old nemesis, Sludge Vohaul. However, Roger escapes to the future (to the time of Space Quest XII to be exact), and begins a time travelling adventure to stop Vohaul once and for all. The Space Quest series was always about the characters, and Roger is a great central role. He’s stupid, cowardly and most of all, witty.
The Secret of Monkey Island Wing Commander
Okay, this is a tricky one. Before the series turned into an elongated cutscene ‘starring’ Mark Although listed and Hamill, Wing Commander was a much more focused and appealing requested on many game, and it’s the original title that appeals most to abandonware abandonware sites, most aficionados. Joining the war against the cat-like Kilrathi, you had do not host the game to prove yourself as a new fighter pilot. This meant flying various itself and only include sorties against the Kilrathi, as well as escorting allies and links to buy it. navigating troublesome asteroid fields. One of the best things Nonetheless, we had to about Wing Commander was the fact that you were rarely alone, include Guybrush and often flew missions with a wingman on your side. Add to that Threepwood’s first run-in the excellent visuals, with the evil pirate LeChuck, an adventure that easily goes down in in-between mission history as one of the greatest games of all time. You’ll find it hard to dialog, and some find a title with such well designed and realised adventure elements, impressive intro and and you certainly won’t find a game with a better sense of humour. launch movies, and The story is excellent, the characters are impeccably designed and it’s no wonder the the whole thing just oozes quality. Monkey Island was not LucasArts’ game was a smash first adventure, but it was surely its best (Guybrush’s later hit when it was adventures included). released in 1990.
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>Regional facts
Name: Russia Population: 143.2 Million (2005 estimation) Official language: Russian Approximate climate: >Global -25.C to +30.C (depending on location) Time zones: 11 time zones from GMT+2 to GMT+12 TV type: SECAM 50Hz Voltage: 220V Currency: Ruble
GamesGaming players, unless they belong to the One of many models of the famous Dendy Famicom elitist importing crowd, seldom look past clone. The variations their own doorstep at the gaming world are nearly endless… beyond. The truth is that the international history of gaming is far more exciting than many realise. Even in countries that have endured eras of political strife, war and economic sanctions, you can find rich gaming histories that are now in danger of being forgotten thanks to greater globalisation. Each month, Retro Gamer will scour the globe in search of thriving arcade, console and home computer ‘submarine battle’ scenes, proving along the way that the style games that used old adage of “necessity being the mother model ships, ball bearings of all invention” is true beyond doubt. and light sensitive targets, as well as more conventional arcade This month, John Szczepaniak visits games. Some of these arcade Russia to interview some comrades and machines were entirely domestic bring you the real story from behind the creations – mostly generic there were special shops that shooting and racing games. sold many imported products iron curtain Others were copies of Western and these traded strictly in games with a Russian twist, such dollars, which of course put or most in the unusual home grown creations, as a Pitfall clone that had the legitimate gaming goods beyond West, Russian and also a thriving black market sprites replaced by Russian folk reach of the average player. gaming begins and of bootlegged items, based on tale characters. Graphically these Unsurprisingly, clone systems ends with foreign products from places as games were of a low quality, and abounded – particularly Famicom F Pajitnov’s classic, far away as Taiwan and the UK. their overall design was years clones. The most popular Tetris. This is perhaps unfair, since Apart from the obvious behind Japanese games. It was ‘Famiclone’ series came from digging a little deeper reveals a problems of documenting such an not until much later (and even Dendy, whose name would world so vast as to dwarf Tetris unimaginably vast grey area – then, only in amusement parks become synonymous with entirely – not because of any little if any recorded information and big cities) that the big arcade gaming. Most cartridges included single game that betters it, but exists on these things, but for boom started, riding on the back multiple games, and many games rather the sheer volume of example, there are hundreds of of games like Street Fighter II. still had the original Japanese Russian games products. clones of the Famicom system Home console gaming also text, because they were simply What makes Russia especially alone – there is the added proliferated. Thanks to the lack Asian hack jobs. interesting is that its gaming problem that the Russian games of official market support and climate was tempered by a scene has changed dramatically the extortionate prices of Cloning Sir Clive combination of the political every few years. legitimate items, bootleg climate of the early 80s, and the Early arcades did exist, but systems and software abounded. Home computers were even more average person’s lack of spending often they were located in remote In Russia, as in most Eastern popular than consoles. Due to power. This resulted in a blend of areas, and featured a mixture of European countries at the time, factors such as high cost and
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FEATURE:PROFILE | GLOBAL GAMING
The universally known Tetris, a Western icon for Russian games
difficulty in manufacturing, were also developed. Today the Russian citizens went through scene is still big, with some The handmade, home build Pentagon 128 in one of its many guises various different and incompatible amazing new software being models of computer before finally made by groups such as ‘n- couldn’t afford a Mega Drive or to sell. Street vendors were settling on the Sinclair Spectrum Discovery Development’ (www.n- SNES, there were arcades with always well stocked with all the as a sort of standard. Electronic discovery.narod.ru). cheaply constructed cabinets newest games, at prices ordinary engineers who had access to containing these machines, people could afford. originals soon set about working Console passion available on a pay-per-minute Russian pirates would often on various clone models. It’s basis. These machines were often translate text-heavy PS games rumoured that the Soviet Union Today the PC scene dominates found in supermarkets too, and into Russian, but since those who produced more Spectrum clones over consoles, with incredibly always attracted a crowd of translated them had little than the rest of the world cheap pirated software available people. The Bare Knuckle series understanding of English and combined. That’s not surprising to buy from street kiosks and was very popular among pay-per- even less of Japanese, the results when you consider the original permanent booths, even in places minute gamers, as was Contra. were very hit and miss. These Spectrum’s cost in relation to the such as metro-stations. To But this was a short-lived localisation attempts rendered average monthly wage. To buy an combat piracy, companies started phenomenon, and after about some games unplayable, with original, most citizens would have trying to sell their games cheaply, two years these machines started notable failures including Final had to save for several years. with companies such as 1C doing to disappear – most likely due to Fantasy Tactics, Civilisation 2 and The most popular of the first professional localisations and conditions improving and people even Arc the Lad on PS2. generation clones was the then releasing different tailored being able to afford the systems Thanks to the difficulty in Pentagon 128, while the Scorpion versions at a low price. themselves. making copies of games, systems 256 and Kay 1024 models had That isn’t to say that Russian The PlayStation brought about like the N64 and Saturn never large followings later on. consoles began and ended with further great changes in the had much success in Russia. Approximately 80% of all Dendy systems. Despite a far Russian gaming scene. While this Meanwhile, handheld gaming was Spectrum clones came with a higher price, Japanese Mega system was very expensive, the never particularly popular, though Betadisk disk interface Drives became very popular games in comparison were in the early days you could (developed by Technology among teens and were seen as a extremely cheap. PS occasionally find various Game & Research Ltd) already built in. status symbol – despite most of games were easy to Watch clones. These ran TR-DOS software and the available games being copy, so again proved far more popular than Japanese. The arrival of the 16-bit market stalls tape-based interfaces. consoles also brought about an and kiosks The Pentagon 128 was interesting new phenomenon in had basically a hand made computer the arcades. For people who plenty that came in many forms. It’s not unusual to find Pentagons in PC tower cases with a standard keyboard and SVGA monitor, while at other times they would be little more than a collection of circuit boards and wires. Spectrum culture across Eastern Europe in general was huge. There were several Spectrum magazines and like elsewhere, there were also multi-format magazines (and later many Russian websites) dedicated to gaming. Some Just some of the many unofficial Spectrum interesting home grown games clones that flooded the Russian market
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A selection of unofficial, locally manufactured Game & Watch titles
Smimova, a Russian gamer, told making everyone who took part us: “I am really amazed at what a feel special. There was a genuine vast loanword vocabulary kids feeling of camaraderie amongst who play games in Russia gamers. actually have. It’s mostly D&D The story of Russian gaming and RPG stuff – quest, mage, also goes to show that ordinary paladin, weapon names, and so citizens in this part of the world on. The Russian language, of were interested in the exact same course, has words for all of those things as ordinary people things, since we also have a elsewhere – the benefits of wealth of heroic myths from computer technology and the feudal times to match the innate joy of gaming. Arthurian canon of the English- We’ve tasted just a small slice speaking world. Just another of the Russian gaming pie here, example of cultural dominance…” but hopefully we’ve sparked your interest in foreign gaming history. Gaming fellowship Join us next month, when Retro Imagine playing Japanese Mega Drive games like Bare Knuckle Gamer treks to another part of and Contra in an arcade where you paid by the minute What makes the history of the globe to uncover further Russian gaming so exciting is not hidden retro truths. e Stuff of legend Russia’s cultural background just the freedom offered by the also influences the language of lack of a regulated market, or Special thanks go to Sergei There were few if any console its games. The Russian word for even the fact that the Russians Servianov (of www.gamersquarter. games developed locally, in stark folktale is ‘skazka’ (meaning simply picked and chose only the com) for his invaluable contrast to the home computers, simply ‘story’), while the word for best bits of international gaming assistance. Thanks also to Fabien on which most native game RPG is ‘Rpgeshka’, a fusion of the and made these their own – for Delpierre and Aleksei Smimova developers concentrated their two. But even though Russians us, it’s the atmosphere and for additional help. If there is a efforts. Home grown games often have their own words for many almost exotic nature of Russia’s country that you would like worked with traditional Russian such things, there is also a vast gaming scene. Getting to examined, or you have an folk lore and were very culture- and borrowed vocabulary, much experience games in the harsh interesting story to tell about any specific, blending in references as the Japanese have taken political and economic climate of other global gaming region, send and jokes that wouldn’t make words from other countries and the 1980s and 90s was us an email to: globalgaming@ much sense to a foreigner, so made them their own. Aleksei something out of the ordinary, retrogamer.net. these titles were never released outside the country. Like many countries around the world, Russia has a rich array of legends and folk tales (many derived from Slavic heritage and tradition) from which to draw inspiration for its games. One good example is Konek- Gorbunok, the tale around which the aforementioned Pitfall clone was built. The story contains many exotic elements including the daughter of the moon and a beached whale called Chewdo- Youdo. There are lots of other fine examples of local legends being used in Russian games. Today, modern Russian-developed PC games such as Cossacks are being released in the West
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>Sensible all-stars
When the relationship between Anco and Dino Dini soured, neither managed anywhere near the peaks of their glory days again. Both the former’s Kick Off 3 and the latter’s Goal! were pale imitations of what had gone before. Instead, the mantle passed to Sensible Software, whose Sensible Soccer was to be the last great overhead-perspective football game. With both this and the immense Sensible World Of Soccer, Sensible made a barefaced illegal approach and snared Kick Off players looking to take their game forward, and lured a whole new legion of fans too. It Football games before the arrival of Kick was no killer app, however, Off followed a loose, yet still restrictive, arriving at a time when the set of rules. The action was viewed from userbase for both the ST and the Amiga was substantial an overhead or isometric perspective, the anyway (although it no doubt pace was generally slow and the ball converted some). Yet had it pretty much always stuck to the player’s arrived a few years earlier, it foot. Kick Off changed all of that. What’s could well have been… more, it also served as a magnet for many to the 16-bit formats of the time
he Commodore games that primarily sold the Amiga and Atari likes of the Spectrum and C64 ST were to the masses, it was notable undoubtedly big that there were no must-have T jumps forward titles on either format in the from the 8-bit formats. Yet early days. progress came at a cost, and Sure, there were some both companies were expecting games that looked jaw- users who had been shelling droppingly wonderful in out £150 maximum for 8-bit comparison to the other machines to stump up closer to formats. Games such as Weird Shadow of the Beast all looked £300-400. And given that it was Dreams, Rocket Ranger and the business in the all- important shop windows. But none of them had the long term, mass market appeal that was going to be needed to shift boxes. Enter stage left Dino Dini, and an until-then unspectacular, yet established, software house, Anco. Dini had put together a football game that played differently to everything else it was up against. He realised that visually you could make compromises, and that it was the gameplay that would sell the game – word of mouth, if you will. The irony of course is that over time, many companies have fallen into the trap of making games that were earmarked as killer apps look “It looks rubbish!”, your mates would mock. But few would still criticise Kick Off after prolonged play devilishly wonderful, yet were
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REGULAR | KILLER APPS >Little kicks
Anco was clearly keen to cash in on the success of Kick Off, and the first fruits of this were the Extra Time add-on pack and the management hybrid Player Manager. The former actually added very little to the game, a formula that Anco followed for Following the success of the original Kick Off, sequels and each add-on pack it ultimately spin-offs flooded forth released for its football games. Player Manager, despite having a relatively crude management game ultimately bereft of decent long- uncommon to see both tacked on, actually worked very term gameplay. Kick Off simply machines being sold at the well. But looking back, it was Kick turned the formula on its head. same time as Anco’s title. Off 2 that the franchise, the The inevitable sequel publisher and Dino Dini himself Super sub arguably added to the impact, are best remembered for. Even mopping up still more users though a dedicated hardcore are When Kick Off arrived, the who hadn’t at that stage still vocal in their dislike for the gaming press understandably migrated to the 16-bit game, the overwhelming majority heaped pretty much every platforms. Even the hybrid of lapped it right up and arguably accolade going onto it. Here Kick Off and a management the sequel itself became a killer was the football game that engine, Player Manager, sold by app as well. didn’t follow the hard and fast the bucket load and made its Sadly, over time Anco ran the rules, that genuinely rewarded contribution. Yet strangely, on Kick Off franchise into the ground, practice, and that – crucially – every other format that the Kick with the low point being the in multi-player mode remains to Off franchise reached, it failed embarrassing Kick Off 96, a game this day one of the most to light the touch paper in that was blatantly unplayable and downright addictive pieces of quite the same way. The 8-bit regarded as one of the worst software ever created. versions fell because, frankly, football titles ever created. Dini The spectacular factor in they were crap. The console didn’t write the official Kick Off 3, Kick Off’s success though was versions – Super Kick Off, instead taking what was intended as the code for the game to the aforementioned word of anyone? – never found their Virgin Interactive, who published it as Goal! Yet the magic was mouth. Anco wasn’t a big foothold either. With Kick Off 2, gone, Goal! failed to bring back the Kick Off glory days, and company, and its advertising the franchise and its effect on Sensible Soccer was left to clean up. budget had limits. But such computer sales peaked, and was the impact of the game whilst you could happily argue courts to get hold of as it that it built its reputation that the Amiga and ST would appreciated its importance in the guerilla-style, and stayed in the have succeeded without Dino possible success of the best-seller charts on a Dini, you could also happily GameBoy. And look at, for permanent basis until its sequel debate the fact that had it not instance, Halo on the Xbox, a came along. been for Kick Off, it would have title that Microsoft pumped Yet it had another effect. all taken that little bit longer. millions into, because it ring- Whilst clearly not single- fenced the title as its killer app handedly responsible for the An underdog story a long time before it made the 16-bit boom, it’s hard to think shelf of your local gaming of a game that added more What makes Kick Off a rare emporium. The closest the 16-bit fuel to the tank than Kick Off. commodity in this series, formats got to anything of that Both the ST and the Amiga incidentally, is that it was an ilk was when Gremlin offered formats were the ones to truly entirely unplanned killer app. Commodore exclusivity on the benefit – the PC version never Last month, for instance, we Zool character, with the intention Dino Dini – “the godfather of the really topped the table in the looked at Tetris, a title that of putting him up against Sonic football game” – is currently same way – and it wasn’t Nintendo battled through the and Mario. working on an as-yet unnamed Kick Off, however, just football game for DC Studios happened. It was a surprise, and “Such was the impact of the game worked so well precisely for that reason. There was no cynicism, deservedly cleaned up in a way that it built its reputation guerilla- no big name tie-ins, no brand you find hard to visualise style, and stayed in the best-seller names littered throughout the happening again in today’s game and barely a few print modern marketplace. That it charts on a permanent basis until its adverts to support its launch. shifted a few machines in the And yet, in a victory for the process was simply a very sequel came along” power of the consumer, it welcome side effect. e
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In the first of a regular series of features, Frank Gasking takes a stroll through the gaming graveyard, digging up titles that were supposedly lost forever. But were these games worth grieving for? Or were you lucky to be spared games that weren t from them? Flood 2 ’ Bullfrog, 1992, ST/Amiga/PC/SNES/Mega drive
at baddies and scaring them to death. Even a bar of soap was to act as an invincibility pick-up, covering Quiffy in soap bubbles to make him unrecognizable to enemies. These were just few of the many crazy ideas planned. Flood 2 started life on the ST, showing off a decent pre-shift With groundbreaking speech scroll and loads of sprites running effects throughout, Flood proved around. However, due to the to be a huge hit on the ST/Amiga “wonderful wisdom of the back in 1990, and so it was marketing”, it was decided that inevitable that a sequel would the ST market was dying, so the follow. This time the main game was moved to the Amiga character, Quiffy, would also make and PC. In the end, development an appearance on 16-bit consoles. of all versions ceased when Paul Developed by ex-Ocean coder and Mark refused to move in- Paul Hughes with graphics by house to continue the project. Mark R Jones, Flood 2 promised Development had been ongoing more of the same, with a for a full six months and yet the multitude of additional features. plug was pulled just days before Paul and Mark wanted to recreate the contract was to be signed. the feel and playability of classic Paul created a few early test games they loved as teenagers. demos which showed lots of The idea was to mix “great promise, and described the game graphics” with “old school” by saying: “It was as playable as playability. Games such as any collect-em-up scrolling Starquake, Dynamite Dan and platform game of the early 90s!” Wizards Lair were just some of ST and Amiga versions were fully their many inspirations. playable; PC almost playable and Designs emerged featuring console versions were only in various pick-ups and intriguing planning stages. ideas such as ‘The Vacuum Fortunately, all of Mark’s Cleaner of Ole Ole Kumquat’, design sketches survived, and can brought on by two cherubs who be found on this month’s would then suck you up and coverdisc. Paul will be digging deposit you on a higher level. out what remains of the demo There was also a ‘pumpkin mask’ very soon, so who knows, maybe that Quiffy would pick up and use you will be able to see this Much of Flood II was designed on paper, as a smart bomb, shouting “Boo!” promising sequel for yourself? including character designs and level layouts
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FEATURE:REGULAR | GAMES THAT WEREN’T Scooby Doo Moto-X Software Creations, 1994, SNES in the Castle As you’ll soon discover, there are many times when games were fully completed, but strangely never Mystery allowed out of the doors. Moto-X was one such casualty that was Elite, 1986, Spectrum/Amstrad/C64 completed and then surprisingly trashed! Often you’d expect this to happen when a game is particularly Dragon’s Lair was a technical poor, but as far as can be seen, there doesn’t seem to be too much marvel in the 80s with its wrong here… impressive (albeit, slightly Moto-X was developed for Nintendo by Software Creations’ Steve unplayable) Laserdisc technology. Ruddy (of Bubble Bobble C64 fame), with a hand from the Pickford Elite jumped on the bandwagon brothers. The development process lasted over a period of eight months with its licence of the popular and was one of the first titles developed by Steve at the new US-based Hanna Barbera cartoon. Software Creations studio. Originally beginning as a text The game is best described as an update of Nintendo’s Excitebike on adventure, Scooby Doo grew to the NES and was actually the second incarnation of the game. An earlier include extra features, version was canned back in 1992/93, which was to be a mix of transforming itself into an 8-bit Excitebike and Powerdrift (an interesting combination). Steve used some laserdisc-style game. The game of the older game’s routines to create a much-improved title, and with was set around Shaggy’s aunt’s the gameplay more focused. castle, with all sorts of ghostly According to Steve, Moto-X (although playable) lacked depth. The goings on. All the popular game was made up of three skill levels, each of which had five characters were present, with their different tracks and a bonus level to get through. The shortage of depth job to try and solve mysterious occurrences at the castle. was down to the distinct lack of variety between the levels. As the Various adverts and previews were shown in magazines, depicting SNES was home to such fine titles as Super Mario Kart and Donkey a very impressive game. It was unlike anything seen before on any Kong Country, Moto-X was distinctively unimpressive. However, things 8-bit. You were invited to direct the action yourself, and not be were improved with some superb heavy metal tunes by audio masters restricted as in other games. Tim and Geoff Follin. The game would feature eight action sequences, separated by So with a fully complete game and full approval by Nintendo, the descriptive scenes where the main characters would interact. Action game was ready to go; but the publishers weren’t so keen. Trimark sequences focused on Scooby and Shaggy searching the castle Interactive suddenly caught cold feet in the console games market, through different viewpoints. The breakaway to descriptive scenes deciding that ‘interactive movie’ games were the future. Its interest drifted would give hints and tips to aid your mystery solving. All sound away from consoles and the game’s release was cancelled as a result. effects were synchronised with the action, creating the perfect illusion Steve still has the game on a prototype cartridge, but cannot release of watching an interactive cartoon. Each new game would present it due to legal ties with Nintendo. However, you can check out some new problems and obstacles, creating a fresh experience each time. exclusive video of the game on this month’s coverdisc (thanks to Steve) It was never going to be easy trying to cram this game into the to see what you are all missing… limited memory. Accurate animations and scenes were created, and the poor programmers had the hefty (and eventually impossible) task of squeezing it all in. Elite’s Steve Wilcox told us: “My brother Richard, Andy Williams and Jon Harrison actually developed a significant amount of Scooby Doo and what they did was breathtaking for the time – it was like a succession of interactive cutscenes, if that’s not a contraction in terms. Sadly, as with many a grand plan, they found that they’d devoted so many resources to the creation of the first few scenes that it would have been a very, very short game. At this point, with pressure on us from Hanna Barbera to deliver the game, Gargoyle Games was brought in on the act and it quickly created the game that was eventually released.” Sadly, Gargoyle’s Scooby Doo was a simple platform affair. All that now exists of the original concept are a few scans that appeared in a Crash magazine preview and a full page teaser advert. Lunar Jetman
In last month’s magazine, Frank lifted the lid on the C64 version of Lunar Jetman, a game that no-one knew existed until it was found in Martin Galway’s disk collection. To see this long lost preview in action, be sure Scooby Doo in the Castle Mystery – “The first ever to view the video footage on computer cartoon!” – was sadly not to be this month’s coverdisc.
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Per Arne Sandvik continues his trek through the weird and wonderful, stopping off this month to consider the product plugs that have crept into games over the years
roduct placement is academics, but when it comes to exponentially growing a funny thing. Not video games, talk has been phenomenon. Titles like Tony >Clumsy Colin ‘ha-ha’ funny, but somewhat limited up until Hawk, True Crime: Streets of LA, One of the first software more a ‘that’s recently. This despite the fact The Sims Online and Splinter Cell publishers to jump under the P mildly intriguing’ that brand plugs in games is an include a plethora of covers with a convenience food funny. On one hand, having logos trademarked products, and it will manufacturer was Mastertronic, and products crammed into the not stop there. whose Action Biker game frame while you’re trying to enjoy But this is no new thing as featured Clumsy Colin, cartoon a film can really be distracting. retro gamers have been exposed star of the KP Skips On the other, real brands give to product endorsements for commercials. However, Action stories an elevated sense of years, with just about every Biker was a generic racing realism as opposed to make- sports game containing game which lazily had the KP believe ones like Mr. Triceps or advertisements for other titles branding added later. Of Before Nine Mints. from the developer or consumer course, the fact that Action Product placement in film and products. Maniac Mansion is Biker would be on sale in television has received a lot of claimed to be the first game to newsagents and garage attention from the media and walk this route, featuring the forecourts alongside KP’s crispy Pepsi Cola brand (it was corn fried snack certainly didn’t originally Coke, but the affect sales of the game… trademark couldn’t be cleared in time). In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, evil foot soldiers tried to squash you into turtle stew with giant Pizza Hut billboards (in the US, the cartridge even came with a coupon for a personalised pan pizza). Gremlin’s Zool, meanwhile, was famously sponsored by Chupa Chups, while the UK versions of James Pond II: Robocod opened with a blatant Penguin commercial. And who could forget the ice cold bottles of Bud you slid down the This game is brought to you by the following bar in the original version of tried and trusted sponsors… Midway’s Tapper?
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bananas. About to collapse after ingredients by clicking around on fighting off hordes of mohawked the screen until you’ve found street punks? Smash an oil drum them all. Perhaps there’s a head open and eat the hamburger that of cabbage in one of the cannons falls out. If it’s good enough for on the pirate ship? Perhaps a mayor Haggar, it’s good enough merry group of leprechauns will for you. pop out of the fridge and dance You’ve probably played some a merry leprechaun dance before of the games that fall into the turning into potatoes? Click ‘advertisement disguised as a around and you’ll find out. platformer’ category. Cool Spot When you’ve collected was released for 16-bit machines everything you need, you travel and is nothing but one big 7UP to a magical island where you’ll commercial. Spot himself is either find a kitchen. Here, your a part of the logo, or a bottle objective is to combine the cap, or both. In addition, there ingredients in the right order (a are at least three McDonald’s process made somewhat games, and in at least one of complicated by the Japanese- them Ronald himself embarks on English language barrier) to a wacky adventure instead of make a delicious meal such as sending a couple of kids to put fish-filled tomatoes with their lives on the line like he mayonnaise, pineapple fruit The European version of Biker Mice from Mars was overloaded with Snickers branding usually does. There were also salad with mayonnaise or titles based on the mascots from vegetable omelette with Wimpy, Domino’s Pizzas, California mayonnaise. The latter dish even Squirrel turd satisfy their hunger.” In one Raisins and Kool-Aid. And these opens a mini-game where you particularly bizarre example, aren’t the only games created can tap into your creative side. Few games have exceeded the doctor Karbunkle menacingly solely to promote a brand. Unwrap your bottle of Ajinomoto European version of Biker Mice displays a syringe filled with mayonnaise and hum along to from Mars when it comes to dubious content in his other fist. Want mayo on that? the following fanfare, and then violently hammering a brand into Exactly what kind of hunger are proceed to decorate your young minds. The somewhat we talking about here, doctor? What’s a bit surprising is that omelette with a smiley face, a decent SNES racer, based on the Curiously, Snickers is most examples in this category twirl, a yolky rendition of da cartoon that tried oh so hard to produced by the same are pretty decent games, if a bit Vinci’s The Last Supper, or be the next Teenage Mutant corporation that provides us with conventional. ‘Conventional’ is whatever you see fit. Ninja Turtles, had Snickers bars Mars bars. One has to wonder however not a word you’d want The mayo madness doesn’t everywhere. In fact, ‘everywhere’ which member of their marketing to use when it comes to stop there, however. Between doesn’t quite cover it. There department decided Snickers was Motokochan No Wonder Kitchen meals you are treated to facts might quite possibly be a the one to be featured in Biker for the SNES. Most product- about the product, such as how higher percentage of Snickers in Mice from Mars. centred games try to at least mayonnaise originated in France this game than there is in a throw a flimsy storyline into the (a story which inexplicably Snickers bar. Super-size me mix. Ronald McDonald is out to involves hats), how Ajinomoto is First of all, there are billboards search for treasure and Cool Spot the leading brand in its area, or and banners promoting the Games featuring products is one has to rescue his friends who how the combination of chocolate wherever you turn your thing. Games forged around a were all kidnapped for no ingredients in mayonnaise can motorcycle, hovercraft or product is another altogether. reason. Not the case in Wonder cure you if you have a viral roadworthy mutant insect, Unsurprisingly, practically every Kitchen. This game is about infection. For reasons unknown, including the outer space track example of this phenomenon eating mayonnaise, period. the vira from Dr. Mario make a and the one in the sewer. revolves around consumable Ajinomoto mayonnaise, that is. cameo in this last presentation. Secondly, Snickers replace the products. After all, food and drink Accept no substitutes. So, is this sort of nitro power-up of the original has been a central element since Well, the game isn’t only advertisement something to be version of the game. Thirdly, Last the dawn of video gaming. Pac- about eating mayonnaise. First, shunned or embraced? Probably Chance, the bike shop run by Not Man was about eating, and save you have to read grocery lists a bit of both. The Dole logos in April O’Neill (she has a blue the occasional coins and crystals, and find the ingredients needed Super Monkey Ball don’t make it jumpsuit instead of a yellow one, fruits have been the central pick- to cook the dishes required to a lesser game, and in many so she’s obviously a completely up elements in games. Too weak finish the game. This is one of ‘real-world’ games like Grand different character) offers Snickers to break bricks? Eat a mushroom. the few games to support the Theft Auto, actual products can bars (at $2,500 a pop) instead of Low on lives? Collect a hundred SNES mouse, so you collect these infuse the world with a genuine armour plating. How chocolate metropolitan feel. There are and peanuts can replace sheets however some areas where most of steel to defend you against of us would like to be spared crazy space rays is hard to from this sort of exposure, but understand, but this game takes the titles where it really counts place in a world only intelligible are relatively safe. After all, the to Douglas Adams, and he’s devil will be investing in double dead. Fourthly, the winner of each insulation before a major fast- race stands up, candy bar in food chain opens shop on hand, and declares that “Even Cool Spot was released to promote 7UP,yet the soda branding was Zebes or in Hyrule. McMoblin winners need something to strangely missing from the European version of the game (right) burger, anyone? e
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Retro All the latest news from the retro scene, brought to you by the Retro Gamer news hounds
Pac-Man enters Scenememory available. From what information, visit the Dragon we’ve seen it’s certainly looking www.armory.com/~spectre/cwi good. For more information about where you can also find out Still in the early development these and other new games for about other Computer Workshop stages, Colin at old formats, hop along to software. www.collywobbles.net is www.cronosoft.co.uk. developing a Pac-Man clone Jaguar homebrew called Wobman for the Dragon 32 Retro anime with the added possibility of it Not to miss out on homebrew also being compatible with the Cameron Kaiser, of Computer development, fans of Atari’s Tandy CoCo II. Workshop, is currently working on pseudo 64-bit beast will soon be The title will be displayed in a new title called Geotrope for able to enjoy a great port of the monochrome as it will use the the Commodore 64. The game classic Snakes. Announced on machine’s high resolution mode, will be a first person adventure www.atariage.com, Lars Hennig is but despite this hiccup, it’s influenced by popular anime working at full pelt to finish this otherwise shaping up very nicely flicks, and will feature many game, called JagWorm, but is also and looks very close to the puzzles mixed in with impressive asking enthusiasts to help with original pill-popping hit. The kind cutscenes and animation. It might the project. If you are interested folk at Cronosoft are considering Iron Sphere is just one of several not look like the bee’s knees at in finding out more about this releasing the game once finished, releases due out shortly from first glance, but the graphics promising title, or you can offer and are also putting the finishing the Cronosoft camp engine is one of the most help in its development, head touches to the CPC game Iron advanced a C64 can handle over to www.starcat- Sphere, which will also appear on development for the CPC from the without any extra expansions or dev.de/jagworm/info.html. the Spectrum. Iron Sphere, by SJM Cronosoft camp is a port of Fun additional power. In addition, there is another Remakes, is a traditional 2D Park. Originally written for the The game will be available as good-looking game for the Jaguar puzzler and will feature some solid 16Kb Speccy, the CPC version is shareware for emulators, with an currently pending completion. visuals and addictive gameplay. expected to include additional additional small cost for the real Based on the popular board Another interesting features thanks to the extra media version. For more game, Reversi is a logical strategy game in which the player is pitted against the computer to take control of the board by capturing a line of the opponent’s colour. When there is no more space left on the board, the player who has the most of their colour left is the winner. For more
It may be monochrome, but the Dragon’s version Considering the Commodore 64 is running at a basic of Pac-Man is shaping up very well indeed 1Mhz, these visuals are very impressive
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REGULAR | RETRO SCENE Commodore on tour
C64 innovators Protovision wowed everyone with the UK launch of both Tanks 3000 and Metal Dust at the Commodore Scene ‘get- together’ 2005, which was held on the 19th and 20th of March. Tanks 3000 drew particular attention, as it allows up to four people to play simultaneously (thanks to Protovision’s own special multiplayer adapter). For those of you who have missed news about this title, it’s played across 10 different battlefields with six power-ups to collect and dangerous mines to avoid. It will be readily available from www.protovision-online.com by the time you read this. The game will be based on As the game was demonstrated, it was suggested to C16 the MSX version of the scrapper, enthusiast Chris Snowden (of www.commodore16.com) that but will feature graphics taken Protovision’s four-player adapter may be compatible with the C16/+4, from the NES incarnation. The and if so, such software could then be created (or even ported) to 32Kb ColecoVision release will this under-rated Commodore platform. Something might well be in come boxed, complete with smart the pipeline, so watch this space! looking manual. Also at the meeting, Jason Kelk launched and demonstrated many To find out more about this of his own games and other productions by Cosine Designs, including exciting release, visit Astro Nell (VIC-20), Reaxion (Plus/4) and Lunar Blitz (VIC-20 and C16). Classic gaming comes to the www.opcodegames.com, or check Reaxion and Astro Nell were particular highlights of the day – Atari Jaguar, thanks to the ever- eBay for the first official sale of especially the latter, which stunned everyone by running in just the growing homebrew scene the game (http://cgi.ebay.com/ unexpanded 3.5Kb memory of the VIC-20. Jason went on to ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item= demonstrate some of his unfinished work from years gone by, and information visit http://home. 8177834595). had the latest version of Pinball Dreams for the C64 to hand t-online.de/home/Matthias.Domin/ (currently being ported by the guys at http://interstyles.nl). All went jaguar_reversi.htm. down well with the attendees, who were all hungry to see more new software for Commodore machines. Yie Ar CV For those keen to see more Commodore developments, there is another Commodore Scene meeting planned for later in the year. This If you’re a ColecoVision fan and is likely to happen between mid-June and early-July. The plan for the are looking for some hardcore next event is to have one day as a dedicated programming workshop kung-fu action, then your boat across all Commodore platforms in addition to the usual game may well and truly be in. Eduardo launches and chat (don’t forget the booze!) If you are interested in Mello of Opcode Games (who attending, please contact [email protected], or see previously published Space www.commodorescene.org.uk. Invaders Collection and Sky Jaguar for the ColecoVision) has announced that the latest title to emerge from his classics stable is none other than Yie Ar Kung Fu, the excellent forerunner to hits such as International Karate and Street Fighter.
Tanks 3000 wowed punters at the recent Relive the classic martial arts fight fest on the ColecoVision Commodore Scene meeting
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>Screenplay
yapping toy dogs and crawling through a cardboard box labyrinth in search of the egg 2005boxes which would add up to my final score. The whole thing played out as an affectionate tribute to Let ‘Spickle’ take you by the videogame cliches and children’s hand and lead you through the TV – being confronted by a streets on Nottingham grinning Tony Hart asking if I had any ‘art’ for his gallery celebrating game culture in all its before he would let me look diverse guises. Now in its fifth down his U-bend is an image year, the Nottingham based that I will take to the grave – event, held over the last weekend but set in an environment of in February at the city’s Broadway dark hallways, stark white Cinema, certainly has much that Paul Drury provides a behind-the-scenes walls and hidden passages is ‘now’. The first European look at the recent Screenplay festival, held behind drapes, which was Machinima screening (films oddly unsettling. created using game engines) in Nottingham over two days in February featured Voldo from Soul Calibur Game on dancing to Nelly’s ‘Hot In Herre’ can hear the pretty leftfield for a videogame, and philosophising Master Chiefs. bear’s muted roar but as a live action experience, it Funny, unique and physically The cinema hosted a big screen echo ominously explores new depths of exhausting, the 45 minute ‘game’ games tournament with the likes along the corridor, surrealism. Ghouls and GHAOS fitted in comfortably with a of Burnout 3 and Halo 2, I so I cast aside the was staged by art collective festival that prides itself on masterfully compered by TV remote control car I’ve been Reactor as part of this year’s vainly using to try and collect Screenplay festival and involved golden egg boxes and stumble the player being greeted as towards the final exit. Naturally, ‘Linksy’ by their guide, ‘Spickle’ my way is blocked by a dancing – a self proclaimed hologram, nine-foot high joystick. There’s a wrapped in silver foil, wearing a horrible panic, as I desperately Robin Hood hat and holding a fumble in my pack for the one large cardboard recreation of thing that can save me – a Professor Yaffle from Bagpuss. copy of Daley Thompson’s After donning a cumbersome Decathlon, a game guaranteed to cardboard and cellophane destroy joysticks of any size. I helmet, I was led through the brandish it triumphantly, like a streets to a disused building and vampire-slaying priest with his deposited in a maze of rooms silver cross. The peripheral wilts and corridors, containing various and I’m free to escape from challenges, from spud gun Reactor Towers… fights, bursting balloons on my All this would have been back whilst surrounded by Stay off the sidewalk – there’s a game of Pavement Pong in progress…
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created by Chris Evans (www.wewilldestroyyou.com), whose previous projects have included both a live action version of Space Invaders and secretly filming players’ facial contortions as they battle on Taito’s classic. Here, willing participants could play the daddy of videogames by controlling the bats with their feet, though the movement detection set-up worked best if you were wearing white socks. As Nottingham is a fashion- conscious city, many resorted to Shoot-em-ups were available to play on a variety of strapping white plastic bags over classic machines their shoes and dancing up and down into the early hours, which Paul Drury in conversation with guest of honour, Mr Matthew Smith presenters Darren and Jamie from caused many passing drunks to Gamezville (who’ll you’ll be stare quizzically at their cans of foyer of the cinema. Three MAME racked with timeless guilt, even disappointed to know were Special Brew. cabs hosting forty games apiece attempted to pay him the 30p charming, approachable and ‘Endless Fire’ was just as kept everyone happy, and thanks royalty they cheated him out of actually really into games). enlightening, as visual artist Tom to the persuasive powers of the by playing a pirated copy. Elsewhere, you could join in Betts traced the evolution of the dashing Jonathan Thompson of Matthew too got all emotional debates on topics as varied as shoot-em-up, cleverly highlighting www.retroarcade.co.uk, a when he was asked to sign ‘Gender and Game Culture’ to how the genre has retained its tabletop machine now has a the Broadway’s ‘Wall of Fame’ ‘The Soundtrack to your Game’, core simplicity, whilst embracing permanent home in the and was immortalised next to where Suddi Raval, a veteran of gameplay innovation and visual Broadway’s bar (hurrah!), but the one of his all-time heroes – game audio, explained in graphic experimentation. Upstairs, an highlights were a Defender cab Norman Wisdom. detail how he creates bullet exhibition of shoot-em-ups, from on freeplay and a Star Wars I’m fully aware of the sound effects by beating slabs of Jetpac and Uridium, through to cockpit, a poignant reminder of moratorium on talk of all things meat with a hammer. The Thunderforce IV and Tempest why 31 million with just six Matthew in these pages, so I’ll squeamish might have preferred 2000, right up to Rez, Ikaruga shields is, like, really good (see keep it brief (the full interview we to listen to presentations from a and Gradius V, reminded all why ‘High Score’ article this issue). conducted has been transcribed designer of innovative MMORPG the genre has been so enduring. No world record on Star Wars by www.redkeyreddoor.com and ‘Second Life’, hear about the ‘Ere Between blasting, you could then, but the arcade did welcome should be archived at Be Dragons’ project which utilises admire the marvellous ‘Capcom Galaxian world champion Gary www.screenplay.org.uk). Trivia your heart rate rather than a Cross-Stitch’, a display of Street Whelan. He didn’t break his own fans may be interested to know joypad, or just marvel at musical Fighter characters rendered in record, though it was still a joy this was the first time he had battling GameBoys at the opening intricate needlework. Retro Gamer to witness his showboating, actually seen the end of JSW – it club night, ‘Attract Mode’. hopes to find out more about this which topped 100,000 on his first was shown on the cinema screen But a festival that recognises remarkable fusing of old and new attempt. And he was being as he spoke – and the fish and gaming is evolving also knows crafts and the artist behind it, mercilessly heckled throughout sword that appear on completion where it came from, and the Faye Lampshire, in a future issue. for blaming the joystick – it’s a of Manic Miner was his attempt retro content was considerable. Gamers could continue to poor workman… to create ‘a little gaming folklore’, Perhaps most visible was the enjoy some old school delights hence the religious imagery. Oh, ‘Pavement Pong’ projection, in the retro arcade housed in the Mr Smith and fans of ‘Hello’ magazine might want to know he is an It wasn’t all about playing mind. impeccable house guest and even The game-making workshops bought my kids some sweets. Ok, were equally inspiring, as kids they had pictures of marijuana queued up to take their first leaves on them, but even so… tentative steps into game design. The Sunday evening I couldn’t help getting dewy- concluded with the hardest eyed, wondering whether a games quiz ever (a ‘Spot the future genius might be in the Ball’ question on Pong is room, only to notice Matthew tough…), DJs Vastik Root and Smith seeing if he could bag a Bury and Disinter spinning place. Maybe that Spectrum game-inspired electronica, and game he’s working on will get excited talk of next year, but as I finished after all. left the cinema, snow was falling Ah, Matthew Smith. on the Pavement Pong projection Throughout the weekend, he was outside, each flake became constantly being thanked by beautifully pixelated, and it was people, grateful for their all about the moment. e childhood games of Jet Set Willy, a few blaming him for Special thanks to Jon Jordan and High score hero Gary Whelan attemptsto top his Galaxian worldre cord failing their O-Levels and some, Chris Evans for the photos.
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1UP HIGH SCORE THE STORIES BEHIND THE SCORES As Star Wars fever builds in the run-up to Episode III, Paul Drury speaks to David Palmer, holder of the all-time high score on Atari’s original Star Wars coin-op
ow let’s be clear about this. A Star Wars score of 31,660,614 is going N to turn heads. After five hours of destroying countless Death Stars, David Palmer achieved this mammoth points haul back on July 31st 1986 as part of a Twin Galaxies Tournament, which had the added frisson of any world records being entered into the Guinness Book. Hugely impressive – and then you realise the score was Star Wars record holder David made under ‘tournament’ settings, Palmer. When he’s not playing which means no bonus shield Star Wars he likes to bullseye after each successful trench womp rats in his T-16 assault – just those six shields you start with. And that’s it. wasn’t possible and must have It’s been described as one of been on an incorrect setting. the top ten arcade performances Often guys who can’t get a score ever, but David remains quietly say it’s impossible, but that’s modest. “Well, it’s certainly only because they can’t get it. generated more talk than any “But things were verified in other, I guess. There’s been a lot the end. Walter contacted me a of controversy, because for a year ago and we sorted it out. while it wasn’t recognised as the It’s funny, because I never top score for Tournament setting thought I’d be getting so much on Twin Galaxies Scoreboard, as recognition 20 years later. Until I some people were telling Walter became aware a year or so ago Day [the ‘Scorelord’ at TG] it of the surge in retro gaming
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common arrangement in videogames where you’re looking down at your player. I’m interested in simulations, and in the sort of skills that are involved in driving or piloting real-world vehicles, whether it’s race cars or tanks or jet fighters or whatever.” Phase 1 – TIE Fighter dogfight Phase 2 – Death Star Phase 3 – Death Star trench run And he does think his Star surface attack Wars skills, despite ruling for two decades, will soon be matched. interest, and the controversy didn’t get the high score. Part of dollars. It wasn’t cheap. I “There is currently a guy who swirling around my Star Wars the reason for this was that I probably spent $300 on Star lives just 100 miles from where I record, I thought everyone had had to drive four hours to get to Wars. And that’s in quarters.” live now – Brandon Erickson of forgotten about the Guinness the nearest participating arcade, There’s certainly no substitute Portland, Oregon – who is trying Book scores, and that I’d never and was tired when I got there for time and money, but David to beat my six shield high score. again hear anything about them.” and had less than one day to did produce a strategy guide for And I definitely think that he has The doubt over the validity of play [NB: the tournament was Star Wars, which sadly never got the ability to do it. He has a high the score seems odd, as it was held over a three-day period]. printed. However, one guide that score of over 20 million on six achieved at an official Fortunately, in the next two did make it to print was for the shields, and the highest score tournament with recognised years, there were local arcades UK’s favourite retro game, as he’s gotten before taking a first witnesses, and David was participating around 30 miles voted for by you… hit is 13 million, which is actually certainly not a stranger to these away from my home – The Game “There was this contest in higher than I ever did. So now events. Room in 1985 and Bally’s the States on a British computer I’m thinking I may have to get “I played Star Wars in the Aladdin’s Castle in 1986, both in game called Elite to see who back in practice in order to tournaments of three years. In the Sacramento, California area. could make it to ‘elite’ status defend my title! I haven’t played the first in 1984, I failed, in that I In the 1985 tournament, I got the first. I won it, so they asked me it in almost 20 years, but figure I high score for Star Wars of 15 to do a strategy guide, which could get back in shape with a million, and the next year I got got published by this few months of play. >What a piece 31 million. Pennsylvanian company called Unfortunately, there’s no local of junk “Did I expect to beat my own Cheatsheet Products. It sold Star Wars machine I can play in record? Well, yeah, but I was about 2,000 copies, mainly here an arcade, so I am considering surprised how far I got. My basic in the States, I think. Hey, I’ll buying one for my home, if I can If David Palmer wants a Star goal was to beat my previous send you a copy…” find a deal that’s affordable.” Wars machine for his home year’s score by a few million, And we at Retro Gamer will We wonder if he did get a then he’s going to have to maybe getting something over 20 share it, we assure him. David’s machine at home, would he ever pay for the privilege. The million. Based on the practice love of Elite fits in logically with attempt to regain the overall Star original sit-down model is scores I was getting, where I his preferred genre of game – Wars world record on factory generally thought to be worth would play till I took one hit, which explains why during the setting – which awards bonus between £1,500 and £2,000, then extrapolate to what I 1985 tournament he also notched shields – held by Robert although we’ve spoken to a thought I could get on six up high scores on Empire Strikes Mruczek, which currently stands collector who sold one for an shields, I was only expecting to Back, Battlezone, Firefox, Red at just over 300 million? amazing £5,500! The stand-up get into the 20 million bracket. Baron and Star Rider. “Well, I can play that model is less desirable, but So I definitely excelled myself “My speciality is first-person indefinitely, but my top score is will still set you back the best that day, although I figure that games – games that put your 155 million, when I just quit. I’m part of £1,000. Of course, now an even higher score is possible. perspective in the driver’s seat or not the best at Marathon games. is obviously not the time to With enough practice, and cockpit, rather than the more After 20 hours, I’m wasted.” e buy anything Star Wars enough rolls of the dice, I related, with prices driven up figure I might have eventually by the current popularity of hit 40 or even 50 million with six the series. Wait until the shields. However, I also think Episode III excitement abates that is probably about the and prices will soon be back limit to what is possible – once down to normal. in a while, taking a hit in the ‘trench’ sequence appears to be unavoidable.” Use the Force?
Whilst Star Wars has no obvious tricks or cheats, and using the ‘Force’ is not really relevant in tournament setting, can he pass on any tips to aspiring players? “Yeah, three – practice, practice, practice. When I was trying to master a videogame, I’d David Palmer tops Twin Galaxies’ Star Wars tournament top 10, spend hundreds and hundreds of although Brandon Erickson is closing in fast
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Imagine this for a second. Boxes and boxes of brand new 8-bit games, shrink-wrapped and ready for sale, still in storage since the mid-80s. Imagine being invited to view these boxes, and to open them up for the first time in 20 years to see what pristine games were packed inside. Imagine it? We were there!
ike a lot of articles Fairfield Hall. More importantly, from a warehouse in Morecambe, Mastertronic and the like – and that appear in Retro Mike revealed that he had an and Mike was the lucky bidder. each box would contain 100s of Gamer, this one additional 150,000 new retro Obviously this was not a huge copies of the same game. So in a began with a games in storage! Best of all, collection of individual games – it Software Projects box there might L speculative email. many of the boxes were still was unsold stock from the be 200 shrink-wrapped copies of When compiling last month’s Retro sealed. Mike himself had no idea booming 8-bit days. Boxes were Jet Set Willy for the Spectrum. In a Auction Watch, Richard Burton what was in these boxes, so when branded with the publishers’ Mastertronic box there might be emailed the seller of an incredibly he invited us to have a root names – Ocean, Software Projects, 500 copies of Kikstart for the large retro lot. Remember the one? through them, we jumped at the Commodore 64, still sealed in 50,000 games in a single auction, this chance. their blister packs. (although the figure was actually You’ll be thinking the same Mike hired a seven tonne truck closer to 70,000)? Well, it turned thing as us by this point. How did to pick up the stock from out that the seller was Mike Mike acquire this mammoth retro Morecambe and bring it back to Fairhurst of www.ukretro.co.uk – stash? Simply really – he bought it his North Wales base. It took two visitors to last summer’s Classic in an eBay auction two years ago. Gaming Expo UK may remember The original seller needed to shift the UK Retro stall in the foyer of over a quarter of a million games
Our first glance inside the container. The stock on the left and right had been UK Retro’s Mike Fairhurst, seen here with just a small sorted, but the boxes at the back hadn’t been touched until we arrived portion of his immense retro gaming stockpile
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wall of boxes packed from the wooden floor to the metal roof. Dust hung heavy in the air and a few cobwebs had to be brushed aside as we entered. The boxes were stacked eight foot high by eight foot wide, and Mike guessed that the back wall of the container was a good 20 foot away. That’s over 1,200 cubic feet of preserved retro goodness! Camera in hand, we took a few snaps of the undisturbed scene before getting stuck in. One by one, the boxes were carried out of the container and carefully opened. The first batch of boxes contained PAL Atari 2600 games – titles like Centipede, Defender and Missile Command. Cartridge games were in the minority though, as the next 100 or so boxes all contained 8-bit tape games. There Boxes of Melbourne House’s was lots of unsold Software Tolkien games, all for the Projects stock – Manic Miner and Amstrad CPC Jet Set Willy on a huge variety of formats – and many Ocean- piles and piles of unsold stock branded boxes, containing games for the format. like Hunchback II for the C64 and While there were many The Great Escape for the Mastertronic games, just about Spectrum. Melbourne House titles every other 8-bit publisher was were popular too, with boxes of represented. There were titles from The Lord of the Rings adventure Atari, Imagine, Elite, Bug-Byte, US game (with the bundled paperback Gold, A&F Software, New A vast collection of Atari 2600 PAL cartridge games. All of the titles book, of course) and War in Generation Software, Virgin were still shrink-wrapped Middle Earth. Software, Firebird and many, many However, the most popular more. There were some 16-bit journeys and still there wasn’t the stock has now gone, but publisher in evidence was titles too, with games for the enough room to pack in all the there’s still 150,000 games looking Mastertronic. Many boxes were Amiga, Atari ST and PC. It really games – he had to leave 5,000 for a good home. And as we blazoned with the memorable was like an Aladdin’s cave, and games in the car park outside the mentioned, it was anyone’s guess Mastertronic logo (and the rather because you often didn’t know warehouse! But then what as to what titles remained… ironic strap line, “The Fastest what was inside each box, difference does 5,000 make when Moving Software”), and they opening the 101st box was just as you’ve got over 250,000, right? Opening the vault contained 1,000s of budget exciting as opening the very first. The stock was packed into a titles, many still in their blister series of lock-up containers and This article’s title may be a little packs and some even with Toys Buried treasure he’s been chipping away at it ever overdramatic, but it really was a R’ Us barcodes attached. since, selling individual games on venture into the unknown. Mike Mastertronic’s decision to support The afternoon whizzed past and his UK Retro site and shifting opened the container door and the MSX in the UK looked like an we eventually had as stop due to larger quantities on eBay. Half of sunlight flooded in, revealing a expensive mistake, as there were poor light. The rear of the
Software Projects’ boxes overflowing with copies of Jet Set Willy 2 for the MSX and Dragon’s Lair for the Spectrum
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While 95% of the stock was for 8-bit machines, there were a few boxes packed with 16-bit titles
container was now visible, but out, but we were unable to find there were many boxes still them again. Maybe another time… stacked up on the right-hand side. Mike’s plan is to search It then dawned on use that we’d through the rest of the stock and only opened perhaps half of the sell it through his website, with boxes. What other treasures were occasional lots appearing on eBay yet to be discovered? Mike UK (his User ID is fairziff). If you’re remembers boxes full of Ultimate looking for original shrink-wrapped software when he originally titles, many of them rare, your loaded the lorry, including one first port of call should be with copies of Cyberrun spilling www.ukretro.co.uk. e
100s of copies of Hunchback II for the C64, and a small Shrinkwrapped games from a various Liverpudlian publishers box of BBC Micro games from A&F Software including Bug-Byte, Software Projects and Imagine Win! Win! Win 100 retro games! Mike kindly provided us with a box packed with games (mainly from Mastertronic), all still sealed in their original blister packs. The titles are for a wide variety of 8-bit formats, and here are just some of the titles that are included:
G Knight Tyme (Spectrum) G Trailblazer (Commodore 64) G Stormbringer (MSX) G BMX Racers (Commodore 16) G Joe Blade II (Amstrad) G The Last V8 (Commodore 64) G Tutti Fruiti (Commodore 16) G Impossible Mission (Spectrum) To be in with a chance of bagging all 100 games (or one of 20 G Countdown to Meltdown (Commodore 64) runners-up prizes of a single title), simply answer this question: G Beach Head (Amstrad) Mastertronic’s £2.99 label was called MAD. What did MAD stand for?
To enter, either fill in the online competition form at www.retrogamer.net, or send your answer on a postcard to: 100 Games Competition, Retro Gamer, Live Publishing, Europa House, Adlington Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4NP, UK. Closing date Friday 27th May 2005. Editor’s decision is final. Competition open to UK residents only.
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Richard Burton takes another sideways glance at some of the online auctions that have twinkled through the myriad of cheap tat like a two carat diamond stuck in a cowpat
f you’re an owner up to the auction description with still doing the do), combined with of the Amiga CD32 a remarkable final winning bid of the a 3D sound system produced console and have just over £278. by synthesiser experts Roland, it an intense OK, so it might be considered provided some of the best in- I hankering for some rare and would most definitely game musical accompaniment and rare gaming fodder then sit tight require a public wealth warning sound effects heard in a game up my friends, as you’ve picked a to be declared on your bank to that point. And if that wasn’t good month to wander around balance should you want to shell enough to get your glow-stick the vast untamed plains of eBay. out for a copy of it. But stepping throbbing there’s also the fact that Not one, but two highly prized out from the shadows arrives a the legendary programming team How much retro can you handle? gaming offerings were available to new challenger to the title of of the Bitmap Brothers was There were up to 70,000 games in the lot, and many of them add to your retro gaming rarest and most expensive Amiga responsible for the coding. A were still shrink-swapped collection this month. CD32 game. Ladies and gaming great and a collectable First up is an auction Gentlemen, please doff your cap rolled into one. mark as, and quite proclaiming to have the rarest for the new undisputed Amiga So, game playing pop-pickers, understandably, an exact stock Amiga CD32 game ever released. CD32 champion of the world… for the privilege of having a take hadn’t taken place. The rare game in question was Xenon 2: Megablast. cracking shooter as well as a Amongst this humungous Super Street Fighter II Turbo, and Widely regarded to be one of nostalgic dance soundtrack to offering were full boxes of Jet Set the auction was listed in the the best shoot-em-ups for the boot, you would have to delve Willy in Software Projects shipping otherwise MSX-strewn backwoods CD32, the one enormous your hand in your copiously cases, piles of Mastertronic and of eBay Netherlands. Produced by advantage (depending on your filled pockets and dog out £340. Hit Squad titles, sealed cases of Capcom and Gametek, and musical tastes) it has over virtually Damn impressive. Melbourne House and Ocean released in 1995, SSFII Turbo is every other game is the real music games, just about anything you considered by collectors to be one soundtrack it has pumping away Retro stash would want to begin a collection of the hardest games to find on throughout the game. Featuring or enough stock to potentially the system, and one of the rarest several 80s dance/house music The largest and most jaw- start-up a retro business. Street Fighter games full stop. The artists such as Bomb The Bass, S- dropping, eye-popping, drool- So what price for such a final price tag certainly matched Express and Betty Boo (no doubt encrusted auction to be seen for a gargantuan lot? Well, with this sort considerable time must be the of auction opportunity appearing one listed by eBay seller Fairziff, once in a blue moon the bidding retro games dealer extraordinaire. was strangely controlled up until Fairziff runs the www.ukretro.co.uk the very last few minutes when it website which sells mostly new kicked off big time. The mad and and unused games for most 8-bit frenetic buyers all jumped in at systems. With an enormous the same time causing a massive amount of back stock, and lock-up price hike of £2,000 in the last space at a premium, he felt it was four minutes alone. When time ran time to start thinning out his out and the dust finally settled collection somewhat… the final bid price came to rest at The resulting lot is the stuff of an extremely nice £3,600. dreams to games players and Granted, that does indeed retro hoarders alike. The auction sound a lot of money to spend on listing estimated that there were a few old games but when you approximately 50,000 games up take into account what could be for sale in this one colossal potentially 70,000 pieces of gaming mountain, although this software, you’re looking at a very was considered to be very reasonable average of just five The rarest game for the CD32. Maybe not, but it still commands a high conservative and the actual figure pence a game. The postage costs price when put under the virtual hammer was likely to be nearer the 70,000 might be a tad pricey however. e
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http:// David Crookes searches the Web for Amstrad CPC resources and bumps into Malc Jennings, webmaster of CPC Zone
after the 8-bit cRetroomputer market died. Why did you set it up?
Malc Jennings: The Amstrad CPC 464 was my first ever home computer and I’ve always have a soft spot for it. I think most of us feel the same way about the first machine we ever owned. But after giving away my 464 to my cousin and then watching him give it to some girl up the street, I always wanted to play those old classics again. The only way of doing that was via emulation. I searched Google for CPC sites and noticed that only three or four of the results had actually CPC Zone is easily one of the been updated recently – the rest best Amstrad sites on the Web. It of them had been sitting there Looking for information on an old CPC game? Malc’s Gamebase looks great, the content is for years without any major provides quick and easy access to 1,000s of titles regularly updated, there’s a lively updates. The retro-kid inside me forum, and it attracts some of came to the surface and I spent the best names associated with the next few weeks designing have to offer something that credits section in the form of a the CPC scene. CPC Zone. would keep bringing visitors high-score table. With masses of information to back. So we initially launched trawl through, its success is RG: What were you hoping the with a reviews section that RG: Did you feel the CPC was hardly surprising. There are in- site would become? covered around 50-60 titles, and being under-represented on the depth, unbiased reviews of having scanned a large amount Web with much of the focus on virtually every game ever released MJ: From day one I was looking of cassette inlays that I had the Spectrum and C64? for the CPC, along with for things that had not previously bought via eBay, we also screenshots, box art, music been available in the CPC uploaded around 80 scans. MJ: There are lots of great downloads, mobile phone community, such as classic websites out there for other wallpapers and masses of cheats. gaming scans, commercial RG: How has CPC Zone evolved machines – World of Spectrum Best of all, game information is materials, advertisements and since its launch? for the Sinclair and Lemon64 for easily accessible via the site’s downloads other than the games the Commodore 64, to name just ‘Gamebase’ section. Simply type themselves. I had a good look MJ: The site has moved away two. People seem to forget the in the name of a game and the around communities designed for from static HTML pages and CGI Amstrad when they talk about database instantly returns results. other systems such as the ZX scripts to a new design written the old classics. I created CPC There are currently over 2,000 Spectrum and Commodore 64. entirely in PHP. This makes Zone in an attempt to bring the games in the database, so you Those sections which had never updating the site much easier Amstrad to people’s attention can be 99% sure that the title been covered or simply than before and has allowed us and say that this piece of kit was you’re looking for is included. overlooked in the CPC community to add the many new sections easily on the same level as other We dragged ourselves away were quickly added to CPC Zone. and features you see on the site hardware. I certainly never from the site to chat to its The site really couldn’t open today. We also have some great expected the site to become as creator, Malc Jennings… with just a handful of pages and members and contributors who big as it is today. a news section. I knew that if have provided content. Everyone Retro Gamer: CPC Zone began this was going to make any who has contributed to the site RG: What are the site’s life in the Summer of 2001, years impact at all then I was going to has his or her name in our strengths?
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MJ: The main strength for me website. It runs from a huge RG: How much time do you allows you to purchase coffee personally would be the CPC database containing just about spend maintaining the site? mugs and t-shirts with the site Gamebase. A version of this is every single Amstrad CPC game logo and game sprites on them. already on the site, but a ever released. Each game then MJ: I spend the occasional hour It’s something that I would massively improved version is has its own specific page or two maintaining CPC Zone. definitely be interested in looking sitting on my server at home containing the game title, year of Having said that, I have spent at, providing the demand from with more than 3,000 entries release, genre, publishers, over 10 hours per day creating our visitors was there. without any duplication. programmers, musicians, new content for the site. The Our cover archives are also graphics team, production team, Gamebase project alone has RG: What can Retro Gamer very special to me, because they number of players, controls, occupied a very large amount readers do to help with the site? now contain over 1,000 unique cover artwork, cheats, reviews, of my free time and been the entries and are being constantly reader ratings, screenshots, cause of many red eyes in the MJ: Mainly visit the site, enjoy it, updated. A lot of that content is promotional material, morning. join our forums and meet other incredibly rare, at least in an documentation, and a ex-CPC owners. If anyone has any online format. Our news section comparison between other RG: Do you get a lot of help? Amstrad games which are not is also incredibly active and is formats with screenshots of the listed in our cover archives then updated on a frequent basis – Spectrum, C64 and CPC versions MJ: I have a voluntary news team please do contact us and scan knowing the emulator developers side by side. that help out with posting the them. I also need to find more and other webmasters on a occasional snippet of news that Amstrad developers or software personal level has certainly RG: Phew! What’s the aim? might otherwise be missed. They houses from that generation to helped us to keep that page as also moderate our forums and boost our interview archive. up to date as possible. MJ: The overall aim is to give issue warnings when people step every single CPC title a page on over the very faint boundaries RG: What site updates are you RG: … and any weaknesses? the Internet and allow people to that we have in place. So that looking to introduce in the discover more about that game helps me relax more. future? MJ: Our review section could they once played back in 1987, seriously do with more content, or that musician that wrote the RG: Does the site make money? MJ: More downloadable items are although we currently host music for Back To The Future, or in the pipeline, including skins around 600 reviews. the artist that created the MJ: No, CPC Zone is non-profit for the Xbox port of the CPC loading screens for Robocop, or and is maintained as a hobby emulator Arnold. However, the RG: Tell us more about the software team that brought more than anything else. Any main update for me in the future Gamebase. that game to you in the first money that we spend, sadly is to launch Gamebase 2. place. This has taken around comes out of my back pocket. MJ: Gamebase is basically the six months of development time I’ve noticed that sites such as CPC Zone is located at CPC gaming version of the IMDB so far. Lemon 64 have a shop that www.amstradcpc.com. Recommended Amstrad CPC sites CPC Game Reviews The Amstrad CPC Games Resource www.cpcgamereviews.com If you’re looking for CPC http://tacgr.emuunlim.com reviews then this site is So you own a game on tape brilliant. It features 100s of or disk but you want to reviews, all of which are well- emulate it on your PC… written and comprehensive. There’s no better place for They come complete with Amstrad CPC game downloads screenshots, and new reviews than this. The site has many are added regularly. All credit 100s of commercial games to to the webmaster, Nicholas Campbell. play and enjoy, plus more recently released homebrew titles.
CPC Scene CPC Oxygen
www.cpcscene.com http://cpcoxygen.digi-alt.net Very much a niche, specialist It’s not the most regular of site which offers downloads CPC online magazines but the of non-commercial stuff. next issue is always something There are demos, music and to look forward to. The games to download with the magazine offers well-written site’s authors encouraging articles and great insights into uploading of new apps too. the Amstrad scene. Worth a Not a site for the casual retro look. The site is also home to gamer, but nevertheless worthwhile for CPC fans. a growing archive of Amstrad Action covers.
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The
RetroHave your say… Send us a letter orForum make yourself heard on the forum
you adjust the top of the front favourite systems. In fact, we reading it from cover to cover cover so that it includes the term may be planning a feature on and playing the coverdisc. Please Acorn as well. I understand that the Acorn Archimedes in the keep up the good work. the BBC Micro, Atom, RISCPC, near future. I also wanted to bring to your Electron and Archimedes will not attention this little gem I found feature as often as other more on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ gaming-dominated systems, but ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&catego the word Acorn on the front ry=62054&item=8176591365&rd= cover would at least reassure me 1&ssPageName=WDVW. While it that the Acorn systems will have looks like a normal NES, the some coverage in the future. It seller claims it is haunted by the makes a big difference, at least previous owner who had passed to this reader. away before he bought it from Alicia, via email a thrift shop! I was totally amazed by this machine and RG: Thanks for the input Alicia, especially the questions asked by Awww, nuts! and we’re sorry if we caused you Most haunted potential buyers. any concern. The main reasons While the seller would only I’ve just seen the cover of Retro for the small change on the cover Hi guys. I have wrote to you ship within the US I would love Gamer issue 14 (the Atari is strictly down to the magazine’s before but I understand you must to know if he is telling the truth. 7800/Street Fighter II one). I like appeal, and has no bearing on get 100s of emails each month I would love to hear your views the magazine and have bought Acorn coverage inside. Quite and you can only print so many. on this. most of the previous 13 issues simply, the Acorn brand isn’t as I’m writing really for two reasons Dominic, via email (and bought two issues of recognised in some regions – firstly, to congratulate you on number three). (Retro Gamer is distributed the new and improved magazine. RG: Jinkies! Thanks for your I have a concern about the worldwide). We have no plans to I have subscribed to your letter Dominic, and the heads up dropping of the word ‘Acorn’ from change the cover, but don’t magazine since issue four, and I on the supernatural Nintendo. the front of the magazine over panic, as this doesn’t mean that love every bit of it, from it being We’ve had a look at the auction the past two issues. Please could we’re going to ignore your dropped through my letterbox to and agree, it does sound http://from.the.retro.forums This month on the forums we asked you what classic games you would like to see remade on the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP. Here’s what you had to say…
ID:
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CONTACT US email: feedback@ retrogamer.net fascinating, although try as we takes for a half-gone disk to be G-Force might, we couldn’t quite make completely shot. PC games are out that face one potential buyer easy to back-up, just fit a I just got a copy of issue 14 and snailmail: found in the photo! Look at it second-hand 5.25in floppy drive. I’ve read an email regarding the Retro Gamer this way though – claim you A C64 parallel-serial cable can Phillips G7000 (Magnavox Live Publishing have a haunted NES for sale and be cheaply made by following Odyssey 2). I’m glad I’m not the Europa House it goes for $225, whereas a simple instructions found on only person who had one. My Adlington Park spirit-free, second-hand NES many hobby websites. mother thought it would be Macclesfield would go for a fraction of that Doubtless BBC Micro or better than the Atari VCS because amount. Someone’s definitely Spectrum data transfer is it had a keyboard. It was my first SK10 4NP laughing, and they’re probably of equally simple. videogame system back in ‘79/80. this world… Michael Braisher, via email An article covering this console things retro, we’d like to change is well overdue, especially since it this, so rest assured, we’ll RG: We echo your plea Michael. was the follow up to the hopefully be covering this great Save Our Software! Magnetic media, although once Magnavox Odyssey, the first ever little system in a future issue. touted as a lifetime data storage cartridge-based videogame Over the past day or so I have solution, much as CDs and DVDs console. Didn’t Magnavox sue Atari used a transfer cable and a copy are today, is far from perfect, and for using cartridges on the VCS? It of Star Commander to back up is in fact, a very fragile and risky was also the first (and only?) my Commodore 64 disks to my way of storing data. Your letter programmable videogame system. PC to safeguard their future. I has prompted us to look into the You could design your own mazes was shocked to discover just how methods of backing-up old in Munchkin (a superior Pac-Man fragile the data had become on media, and we’ll hopefully have a clone) and, with the Computer the decaying media, some of article on the subject soon. Programmer cartridge, actually which are now beyond salvation. write very simple programs. It Luckily, the rare and one-off stuff would be great to see this was transferred without trouble Splash! overlooked system covered in your and copied to CD-ROMs as a magazine very soon. matter of priority. Just a quick email to say that if Andrew Wilkinson, via email My conclusion is this – if you you put your head under the water have old disks at home which in the bath, and then press certain RG: Yep, it looks as though the are rare or beloved then please, parts of your ears you can G7000 has got its fans, and Fist of the please look into the possibilities create Speccy and we’ve had a fair few emails on of PC archiving as soon as you Commodore sounding the subject since last month. NorthStar can. Look on eBay for transfer noises. Great The G7000 is indeed an equipment or be damned! It is magazine, too. obscure system, with many I need some help finding the so easy to say you’ll leave it for Mark, via people totally unaware of its value of an old computer that I next month, but a month is all it email existence. As advocates of all rescued from a skip behind a
ID:
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Williams Arcade Classics and compatible PSX games, which Midway Collection 2 discs which include the many import included all the games I wanted shooters I have collected over to play. A point to note is that the years. Using an IPAC both these PSX discs include interface for the PC would have functions to assign key made it easy to connect to a PC configurations for each game and use MAME to relive those across both one and two player old games, but this was controller ports, as well as a key unsuitable for a PSX. either 5.25in floppy combination to gain access to Then I remembered that I had drives, or 5-20Mb hard the original arcade cabinet bought a Twin Arcade Stick made disks. The units originally operator menus, thus making the by Skream for the PSX many sold for around $4,000! whole experience just like years back. This was a monster- Sadly though, it’s not owning the original arcade sized two-player controller that really worth much cabinets and configuring the was buried somewhere in the nowadays. A quick check on excellent Robotron to use the loft. Once I had dismantled the eBay revealed an Advantage two sticks as in the arcades. Skream stick I found that the recently sold for £31.20. Ah well, It’s also worth mentioning internals could be disassembled it’s still an impressive piece of that the newer release of and reused for my project. factory due computing history. Midway Arcade Treasures for the The Skream stick used pretty to be demolished, PS2 is NOT compatible with poor quality components and as I cannot really find DIY arcade digital controllers and key these would be junked in favour much information on the Net configuration is not included. I of brand new sticks and buttons about it. So, I was wondering if Spurred on by your excellent am not sure that the operator from Ultimarc. However the two you could help me. It is a feature on building your own menu access is intact either. This PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards) NorthStar Advantage from around arcade cabinet, I finally decided is a crying shame as in my inside were just what I needed to 1981, and it is the model that has to attempt my own project. opinion the only way to relive interface the new components to had one of its 5.25in drives Unfortunately I do not have the these original games is via the PSX. replaced with a 5Mb hard disk. space to house a full size arcade arcade ‘digital’ controls. I also My Father and I set about And, it also has ‘Pacific Scientific’ cabinet and did not have wanted to use the controller for cutting out a mock top panel logos on the front of it. sufficient funds to build a decent other digital controller made from stiff cardboard and Chris Freeman, via email cocktail cabinet. I therefore settled on a custom built arcade- RG: We think we’ve tracked down style control panel. the system you have. NorthStar My goal was to build the (originally called Kentucky Fried controls in a similar Computer, oddly enough) configuration to the classic produced the NorthStar system as Williams games of the early 80s an alternative to the IBM PC. A as these were the games I large, clunky, terminal-style enjoyed most whilst growing up. system, it boasted a high After many different designs and resolution display (640x240), a prospective ideas I decided that Z80 CPU running at 3.5Mhz, 64Kb it would be ideal if I could build of RAM (expandable to 256Kb), a hybrid controller compatible 32Kb VRAM, built-in sound and with the Sony PlayStation two drive bays which could hold console as I already owned the
the battery life doesn’t last long and being able to see the map at would be Grand Theft Auto, the PSP, I would have to choose enough for some (it will last the same time as playing. That’s Extreme G, Resident Evil (real either the original PlayStation long enough for me!). gonna be fantastic. time, none of this turn-based version of Tomb Raider (not As for the PSP, nothing really Metal Gear Acid crap), the variety of rubbish sequels) ID:
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that day must be the mint condition copy of Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake for the MSX that I spotted in a cabinet in Super Potato 7. Mine for the bargain basement price of £50! A close Star Letter second would be the Mega Drive Modem, boxed, complete and in perfect shape and only £5! Not Want to grab yourself a quality piece of retro- to mention several very rare gaming merchandise? Each month we’ll select our Mega-CD games including favourite letter – one that makes us smile or think Fahrenheit which was half the – and the winner can select one of our price of the copy I’d seen in the retro-themed t-shirts for free… Tokyo branch. With so many great finds my only problem now to your intrepid reporting I is trying to find somewhere to G.Ladd tidings caught the Bullet Train down put them all! I would just like to thank Retro to Osaka and all the great Gareth Ladd, via email bargains, and it’s stories like Gamer for the excellent Big In treasures I uncovered with your this that make all the hard Japan article. I just returned from help more than covered the RG: That’s quite a collection of slog we put into the magazine holiday in Japan and if it wasn’t massive ticket price (£120 return bargains you’ve landed there! seem worthwhile. for your great feature I would if you’re wondering!). We’re pleased to see that Jonti While it certainly won’t cover have never ventured from the My most treasured item out of Davies’ article has helped you your Japanese travel expenses, neon streets of Tokyo. But thanks all the many rarities I bought track down some Japanese have a Retro Gamer t-shirt on us.
mounted the new buttons and dymo labels are purely functional actual arcade machine. These in arcade heaven. And, if this is sticks to ascertain the necessary and not particularly aesthetically later revisions are going to use your first try at building you own spacing and measurements. Next pleasing but they do at least help authentic control panel overlays controller, then we can’t wait to we built a box from MDF and decipher what button does what. and IPAC interfaces for use with see your upcoming efforts. painted it, connecting the top Finally, the top panel was finished a PC and MAME. They will look panel with a piano hinge to hold with some plastic edging to tidy 10 times better and be a great up the panel when servicing the it all up. deal smaller than the PSX Second hand Zelda wiring or components. The I now have an arcade-style prototype but hey, you’ve got to overlay and labels are the most control panel that enables me to start somewhere, right? Last week I bought Zelda: A Link unsuccessful parts of the build play my favourite games with the Tony Redpath, via email To The Past (SNES) from a little and in hindsight I would have buttons in the correct second hand shop in Chorley. Can done them differently. The chrome orientation, which is something I RG: That’s some sterling work you ask ‘Scot’ and ‘Idiot’ if I can effect contact paper used as an have been after for years. you’ve done there Tony – great delete their saved games and overlay reacted a bit with the Currently I am building new job! Playing classic arcade games start again. Thanks very much. MDF paint and generated some versions of the controller for from the likes of Midway on Rich, via email bubbles that were impossible to friends who are also keen to get authentic controllers is the best remove. However, once under a the original arcade experience way to relive a misspent youth, RG: Er, Scot and Idiot, can Rich Perspex top plate they are just without the expense and and with your custom built arcade please delete your save games so about passable. The silver tape impracticability of owning the controller, we’re sure that you’re he can start again? Cheers.
the multiplayer abilities of the ID:
q 105 q RETRO15 Coverdisc:RETRO15 Coverdisc 15/9/06 15:57 Page 106 RetroCoverdisc This month’s program- packed coverdisc contains over 100 emulators for your PC, making it the biggest and best emulator disc ever! Just about every format is catered for, from the Oric Atmos to the Sinclair ZX80. You’ll never need to search
the Web for an Place the coverdisc into your CD/DVD drive Some of the emulators are provided as step and it should start automatically. If not, select step executable files and these will run or install emulator again! Run from the Start menu and enter straight from the disc. If a setup wizard D:\browser.exe (assuming that D: is the letter appears, simply follow the onscreen prompts 1 of your CD/DVD drive). When the browser 2 and then wait while the files are copied to appears, click OK to accept the declaration. your hard drive.
Many emulators are stored in zipped archives, If you’re looking for a particular emulator, click step so you might need an archive manager like step the Search button and enter a keyword. The WinZip, which is under the Utilities browser browser program will search the disc and tab. Extract all the files from the archive using place all the relevant results under the left 3 the Extract feature and place them in an 4 most browser tab. They can now be accessed empty folder, then run the executable file. directly from here.
Coverdisc helpline Problem solving 01625 855051 If you’re having a problem with a particular program on our coverdisc, please [email protected] view the help file in the program for assistance. You might also consider (Monday-Friday 10am-4pm) visiting the website of the program author for further help. Otherwise, email [email protected]. Helpline for coverdisc problems only If you are having problems with the CD, first check that it is not dirty or scratched. CDs can be cleaned by holding them under the cold water tap and DISCLAIMER
gently rubbing the silver side with a tissue. Dry it carefully with another tissue. Some of the programs on the Retro Gamer disc interact with your PC on a If the disc still doesn’t work, then it may be faulty. Faulty discs should be fundamental level. We strongly advise you back up your personal data before using the disc. Due to the way the Retro Gamer disc is compiled, Retro Gamer, Live returned to Retro Gamer, Live Publishing International Ltd, Europa House, Publishing International Limited and/or any associated company and/or individual cannot take responsibility for damage to your PC or otherwise arising from use of the Adlington Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, SK10 4NP. We will replace all coverdisc. You use the programs on the disc at your own risk. genuinely faulty discs.
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WinVICE WinUAE Spectaculator Steem (Commodore 8-bit emulator) (Amiga emulator) (Spectrum emulator) (Atari ST emulator)
Acorn Emulators Emulator Name File Name File Size System Type Description Archie archie9.zip 131Kb Windows (all) Freeware An excellent Archimedes emulator that sadly hasnít been updated for a while BeebEm BeebEm14.zip 664Kb Windows (all) Freeware The best BBC Micro emulator available. Also emulates the Master 128 B-EM b-em061w.zip 545Kb DOS Freeware A fast, DOS-based BBC Model A/B emulator ElectrEm ElectrEm_b9b_Windows.zip 352Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the Acorn Electron on your Windows system Elkulator elk03w.zip 458Kb Windows (all) Freeware A faithful Acorn emulator that is regularly updated Model B modelb-dx8.zip 1,670Kb Windows (all) Freeware This easy to use emulator will run just about every BBC game available Red Squirrel RedSquirrel0.6.zip 258Kb Windows (all) Freeware A strange name, but an excellent Acorn Archimedes emulator Amstrad Emulators Arnimedes arnie10.ZIP 172Kb Windows (all) Freeware A CPC emulator that’s ideal for users with low-spec machines Arnold arnold27012002.zip 426Kb Windows (all) Freeware Run the entire CPC range with this fully-featured emulator Caprice32 cap32_361.exe 375Kb Windows (all) Freeware An excellent Amstrad emulator that runs all CPC games CoPaCabana CoPaCabana0.5.zip 278Kb Windows (all) Freeware A CPC emulator that’s much better than it may sound! WinApe32 WinAPE_20A5b.zip 1,016Kb Windows (all) Freeware One of our favourite CPC emulators. Compatible with many games Arcade Emulators Calice32 Calice-0.5.4-update.zip 414Kb Windows (all) Freeware A Capcom Play System emulator with support for the Neo-Geo Callus cls042w.zip 199Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the CPS1 machines so you can play many Capcom classics DAPHNE daphne-0.99.6-win32.zip 1,776Kb Win 2000/XP Freeware Emulate laserdisc games on your PC. A suitable laserdisc player is required! Kawaks winkawaks147a.zip 494Kb Windows (all) Freeware A Capcom arcade emulator that is regularly updated MAME mame094b.zip 6,973Kb Windows (all) Freeware The original Windows command line version of MAME. Latest version MAME Plus! mameplus-0.91-bin.exe 7,675Kb Windows (all) Freeware An unofficial version of MAME with several enhanced features MAME32 Mame32v.94_Binary.exe 5,930Kb Windows (all) Freeware The original, and best, arcade emulator. Windows GUI version Raine rainew-0.42.4.zip 1,546Kb Windows (all) Freeware A recommended alternative to MAME. Includes support for 100s of classic games Atari Emulators Atari++ atari++_win_1.40.zip 503Kb Windows (all) Freeware A Windows alternative to the popular Atari800win emulator Atari800win atari800win_2.6c.zip 111Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the Atari 800 and other Atari 8-bit models Handy handy090.zip 595Kb Windows (all) Freeware The one and only Lynx emulator. ROM file required Jagulator jagulator-151-win9x.zip 184Kb Windows (all) Freeware The first available Jaguar emulator Jum52 jum52_Win060.zip 358Kb Windows (all) Freeware The only Windows-based Atari 5200 emulator PaCifiST pcst048.zip 210Kb Windows (all) Freeware An ST emulator which runs fine on older PCs PCAEwin pcaewin.zip 1,578Kb Windows (all) Freeware An emulator for the Atari VCS. Includes full documentation Project Tempest PTv0.5.zip 226Kb Windows (all) Freeware The first Jaguar emulator to play commercial games Steem steem_v3_2.zip 841Kb Windows (all) Freeware This impressive emulator runs all of the standard ST software StellaX stellax-1.1.3a-win32.zip 396Kb Windows (all) Freeware The best 2600 emulator available v7800 v7800r12.zip 303Kb DOS Freeware The only Atari 7800 emulator available. ROM files required Virtual Super System vss82.zip 360Kb DOS Freeware The first 5200 emulator. Only runs in DOS mode WinSTon winston_v5.zip 651Kb Windows (all) Freeware A popular Atari ST emulator for Windows z26 Z26V213X.ZIP 186Kb Windows (all) Freeware The Windows version of a very capable 2600 emulator Commodore Emulators Akiko AkikoFull_Setup.exe 7,070Kb Windows (all) Shareware Use Akiko to emulate the Amiga CDTV and CD32 consoles on your PC Artifex Artifex029.zip 465Kb Windows (all) Freeware One of the newer C16/plus4 emulators. Still some work to be done CCS64 CCS64 V3.0 Beta 1.4.zip 476Kb Windows (all) Freeware A powerful alternative to the popular WinVICE emulator Frodo frodov41.zip 386Kb Windows (all) Freeware A dedicated C64 emulator. Compatible with a huge selection of games Minus4w minus4w.zip 210Kb Windows (all) Freeware A very good C16/plus4 emulator. Easy to use and supports many games Pfau Zeh wpfauzeh02.zip 989Kb Windows (all) Freeware A dedicated Commodore VIC-20 emulator for Windows WinFellow winfellow_alpha_v043.zip 266Kb Windows (all) Freeware A recommended alternative to the WinUAE emulator. WinUAE InstallWinUAE0992.exe 1,200Kb Windows (all) Freeware The latest version of the best Amiga emulator. Amiga Kikstart ROM required WinVICE WinVICE-1.16.zip 3,663Kb Windows (all) Freeware The ultimate 8-bit Commodore emulator YAPE yape061.zip 223Kb Windows (all) Freeware Stands for Yet Another Plus 4 Emulator. Highly recommended MSX Emulators NLMSX NLMSX.zip 1,125Kb Windows (all) Freeware A very easy to use emulator that supports the complete MSX range NOMSX nomsx4f.zip 195Kb Windows (all) Freeware Another faithful emulator from Nocash ParaMSX paraMSX042.zip 943Kb Windows (all) Freeware Excellent MSX emulator that supports all of the different models RedMSX redmsx11.zip 619Kb Windows (all) Freeware A new MSX emulator for Windows with lots of advanced features
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Model B Caprice32 ParaMSX Gens (BBC Micro emulator) (Amstrad CPC emulator) (MSX emulator) (Mega Drive emulator)
Nintendo Emulators 1964 1964_099.exe 1,458Kb Windows (all) Freeware A Nintendo 64 emulator with support for many commercial games Blade64 Blade64_WIP5.zip 285Kb Windows (all) Freeware An N64 emulator with support for lots of software Boycott Advance ba-028.zip 636Kb Windows (all) Freeware A very good GameBoy Advance emulator for your PC fwNES fwnes302.zip 867Kb Windows (all) Freeware Claims to support more mappers than any other NES emulator Jnes jnes_0_5_3.exe 416Kb Windows (all) Freeware A small, simple-to-use NES emulator. Highly recommended Nemu64 nemu08.zip 4,740Kb Windows (all) Freeware One of the best N64 emulators available. This is the final version Nesticle nestc042.zip 192Kb Windows (all) Freeware The first ever NES emulator. There are better alternatives now Project64 pj64_1_4.exe 887Kb Windows (all) Freeware An excellent N64 emulator compatible with many commercial games RockNES rnes310.zip 384Kb Windows (all) Freeware A very good NES emulator with support for many mappers Snes9x snes9x-1.43-win32.zip 773Kb Windows (all) Freeware The best SNES emulator available. Plays every game tested UltraHLE ultrahle_v1_0.zip 172Kb Windows (all) Freeware For sentimental sake only – the world’s first, and most infamous, N64 emulator Virtual-E virtuale.zip 210Kb Windows (all) Freeware One of the few Nintendo Virtual Boy emulators VisualBoy Advance VisualBoyAdvance-1.7.2.zip 598Kb Windows (all) Freeware Without doubt the best GBA emulator available. Don’t ignore it! ZSNES zsnesw142.zip 625Kb Windows (all) Freeware A very impressive SNES emulator. Includes full support for Super FX games Sega Emulators AGES ages030a.zip 300Kb Windows (all) Freeware A Sega Mega Drive emulator with Mega-CD and 32X support Dega dega112.zip 118Kb Windows (all) Freeware A combined Master System/Game Gear emulator for Windows FreezeSMS freezesmsv46.exe 1,038Kb Windows (all) Freeware A multi-format emulator that includes support for several systems Gens wgens211.zip 381Kb Windows (all) Freeware Perhaps the best Mega Drive emulator available Kgen kgen9804.zip 313Kb Windows (all) Freeware An early Mega Drive emulator that faithfully runs many games Meka mekaw068win.zip 606Kb Windows (all) Freeware Considered to be the best Master System/Game Gear emulator around Retrodrive retroDrive4.zip 290Kb Windows (all) Freeware One of the newer Mega Drive emulators. Supports the 32X add-on Sinclair Emulators NOZX81 zx81.zip 121Kb Windows (all) Freeware A fast, accurate ZX80/81 emulator for Windows QLAY qlayw090.zip 188Kb Windows (all) Freeware A fully-featured Sinclair QL emulator for Windows PCs RealSpectrum RealSpectrum.zip 2,709Kb Windows (all) Freeware An excellent Spectrum emulator Spec256 Sp256v12.zip 106Kb Windows (all) Freeware A unique emulator that lets you display Spectrum games in 256 colours! SpecEmu specemu23.zip 182Kb Windows (all) Freeware Another Spectrum emulator with support for several file formats Spectaculator Spectaculator625.exe 2,724Kb Windows (all) Shareware The most advanced Spectrum emulator available SPIN SPIN041.zip 783Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulates all Spectrum models and supports many hardware features Xtender2 XT2B13.zip 246Kb DOS Freeware A simple, DOS-based ZX80/81 emulator Z80 z80-400.zip 1,049Kb Windows (all) Shareware An early but faithful Spectrum emulator ZX32 zx32.exe 1,800Kb Windows (all) Freeware Use this fine emulator to run 100% of Spectrum games Misc Emulators Ace32 ace32.zip 46Kb DOS Freeware Emulate the Jupiter ACE on your Windows PC AqEmu AqEmu.zip 37Kb Windows (all) Freeware The one and only Mattel Aquarius emulator Bleem demo-v1_4.zip 242Kb Windows (all) Demo The infamous Bleem emulator. Requires original PlayStation CD-ROMs CD-ICE CD-ice.zip 168Kb Windows (all) Freeware The only CDi emulator available. Doesn’t play commercial games Cygne cygne21a-win.zip 98Kb Windows (all) Freeware A working Wonderswan emulator, complete with PD game for testing purposes DVE dve20.exe 3,090Kb Windows (all) Freeware Play vector-based games with this unique MB Vectrex emulator ePSXe epsxe160.zip 280Kb Windows (all) Freeware The best free PlayStation emulator. ROM files required Euphoric SETUPEX.EXE 1,174Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the Oric-1, the Atmos and the Telestrat EX68 EX68.zip 585Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the rare Japanese console on your Windows PC FPSE FPSE_009bin.zip 438Kb Windows (all) Freeware A freeware PlayStation emulator. ROM files required FreeDO freedo_1_6_2.zip 1,704Kb Windows (all) Freeware The one and only 3DO emulator Hu6280 jak_189.zip 94Kb Windows (all) Freeware The only free PC Engine emulator available for Windows Koleko koleko_vos.zip 625Kb Windows (all) Freeware A fast, new ColecoVision emulator for your Windows PC Magic Engine me100-english-pr9.zip 1,220Kb Windows (all) Shareware The best PC Engine emulator available, although it costs money to register MESS mess094b.zip 10,683Kb Windows (all) Freeware The latest version of MESS (Multiple Emulator Super System) NeoCD ngcd080b.zip 507Kb Windows (all) Freeware The first Neo-Geo CD emulator available NeoPocott neopocott-038b.zip 137Kb Windows (all) Freeware A NeoGeo Pocket Color emulator for Windows NeoPop NeoPop-0.71-Win32-1.06b.zip 108Kb Windows (all) Freeware A portable, open-source Neo-Geo Pocket Color emulator Nostalgia nostalgia.zip 712Kb Windows (all) Freeware Run Intellivision games on your Windows PC PC-Dragon II pcd202a.zip 206Kb Win 9x/Me Freeware Dragon emulator from the same author as T3 ScummVM scummvm-0.7.0-win32.exe 1,467Kb Windows (all) Freeware Stand-alone version of the open source adventure game emulator T3 t3-100.zip 77Kb Win 9x/Me Freeware A multi-tasking Dragon and Tandy CoCo II emulator. Requires ROM file Virtual ColecoVision vcol211a.zip 157Kb Windows (all) Freeware Emulate the ColecoVision console on your Windows system WinX68 WinX68.zip 152Kb Windows (all) Freeware An very accurate Sharp X6800 emulator. Compatible with many games
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>>>Endgame<<<
Quiffy has made it to the end of the 42nd level. All he has to do is step through the final door
There’s light at the end of the tunnel – literally. Quiffy quickly climbs the drain
Having reached the surface, he’s overcome by a sense of freedom. But what’s that noise?
Spare a thought for poor Quiffy, the Quiffy turns just in time to see a massive car tyre bearing down on his little green body portly amphibious star of Bullfrog’s Flood. Having worked his way through a dingy underground world, he finally emerges through a storm drain. Only for the unthinkable to happen…
The car whizzes by, splattering Quiffy all over the road. Move along now – there’s nothing to see here
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