006 * ❙❋❙P✄❍❇N❋❙ RETRO6 CoverUK05/07/20043:12PMPage1 ISSUE SIX ISSUE ❉PNNP❊P❙❋ • ❚❋❍❇ • ❖❏❖❋❖❊P • ❇❇❙❏ • ❊❇❏❊✄❊P❇L✄PG✄G❙❋❋✄❙❇❊❏❉❇M✄❊❋❚❏❍❖ ❇❇❙❏✄P❙❚I❏◗ ❈❏M❊✄P❙✄P❖✄❉P❏❖✏P◗ ❉PMP❚❚❇M✄❇❊❋❖❙❋❚ ❚❏❖❉M❇❏❙ ❙❋PM❏P❖❡❚✄P❖✄❇❙❙❏❖❋❙✄❇❖❊✄ ❇❇❙❏❡❚✄❖PM❇❖✄❈❚I❖❋MM✎✄ ❉PN◗M❋❋✄❚❋◗✏❈✏❚❋◗✄❍❏❊❋ L❖❋❋M✄❈❋GP❙❋✄I❋✄ ❏❖❋❙❏❋❋❊✢ • MPPL❏❖❍✄❈❇❉L✄❇✄M❋❋M✄ ❇❉P❙❖ • 8 ✏❈❏✄❙❇❖❍❋ ✠✄NP❙❋ ❙❋❙P✄❍❇N❋❙* ❏❚❚❋✄❚❏ £5.99 UK • $13.95 Aus • $27.70 NZ 9 Untitled-1 1 1/9/06 12:55:47 RETRO6 Intro/Hello 07/07/2004 11:11 PM Page 3
hello
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p34 Coin-Op Conversions p21 On The Prowl Robert Mellor looks at the home versions of Shaun Bebbington reports from this year’s Sega’s biggest arcade hits JagFest UK event
p60 Construct Your Own Coin-Op p54 The Next Level Ever wanted your own arcade machine? Dave Richard Hewison charts the history of the Cusick shows you how to build one yourself popular British adventure house
p97 Join The Revolution p80 Olympic Gold We talk to Tony Warriner about Revolution’s Simon Brew takes a timely look at event-based small but significant catalogue of games sports games and other joystick wagglers
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p46 Jet Set Revivial Following last month’s Mega-tree feature, Richard Hallas looks at the many JSW clones
p26 World of Atari p77 The Final Word John Southern revisits Atari’s ground-breaking Jonti Davies looks between the covers of range of 8-bit home computers Famitsu, Japan’s revered videogaming magazine
>Regulars p06 Retro News New things, the old way p10 Retro Forum Talk to the Editor cos yer mates ain’t listenin’ p16 Retro Reviews Hall of fame, hall of shame and everything in between p41 Desert Island Disks
p103 Another eight games that a gaming celebrity would take onto Happy Daze our fictional desert island. This month: David Doak We chat to Simon Keating about Skools Out, p110 Retro Mart his PC update of the classic Skool Daze Roll up, Roll up, there’s ancient things for sale Endgame p114 Now there’s an incentive for spending a week playing a game...
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The latest reports from the backward- looking world of retro
Feel The G-Force Gradius flicks V-signs at other shoot-em-ups
The fifth game in the long-running Gradius series is about to blast its way onto the PlayStation 2. Published by Konami and developed by Treasure (talk about pedigree), Gradius V is shaping up to be one of the most spectacular space-based shooters ever. We were lucky enough to play the game recently and can report that it’s shaping up to be nothing short of stunning. Unlike the recent R-Type Final, which overcomplicated matters with dozens of ships and hundreds of weapons, Gradius V is unashamedly old skool. The power-up system has been expanded, but it’ll be familiar to fans of the series, and the waves of alien craft are just as devious and as deadly as before. And of course, there are the huge end-of-level bosses. Obviously, the power of the PS2 hasn’t gone to waste – just look at some of the backdrops – but Gradius V places the emphasis firmly on 2D shoot-em-up action. The original Gradius game first graced arcades in 1985 (it was released in Europe as Nemesis). This was followed by four sequels, several spin-offs (including the two-player Salamander and the spoof Parodius) and numerous imitations. Gradius V is the first game of the series that won’t debut in the arcade, but its appearance on the PS2 should ensure it finds a wide audience. The game is due for release at the end of September, so there’s plenty of time to sharpen up your shooting skills before it arrives.
The latest Gradius game features seven levels of frenzied shoot-em-up action
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It’s All Kicking Off Again Dino Dini returns with new football title
After years on the sidelines, Kick confirmed. Off creator Dino Dini is set to Our only concern is work on a brand-new football that football games have title. The ever-modest Dino has evolved beyond all teamed up with sports game recognition since Dino developer DC-Studios and the scored big with Kick Off game will appear on PCs, home and Player Manager. But consoles and handhelds. We he’s confident that the spoke to Dino in issue 4 and he new title will force its admitted that he was working on way into the first team. a new footie game, but this is the “The current generation first time his involvement has of football games has no been officially focus on the player,” says Dino. “The game itself is the spectacle. This is a problem. It is the player’s experience that is the key to creating a game that is accessible, playable and has long-term appeal to players. If you can create an experience that satisfies the player each and every time they play the game, then you have created a classic.” The game is as yet untitled, and no release date has been announced, but we expect to hear more information as the new Dino Dini and the football games that made him a household name football season takes hold.
Welcome To Commodore World! Latest Commodore products revealed
The official Web portal for all Commodore-related items has finally been launched, rather hastily it would seem. Visit www.commodoreworld.com and you’ll find information about the latest official Commodore products available from Tulip Computers in association with other companies, including Ironstone Partners, which will be handling the gaming side, and Yeahronimo NV, which will provide legal movie and music downloads. More information about the C64 Direct-to-TV has also been announced. It will include 30 preinstalled games, be PAL and NTSC compatible, and will have a resolution of up to 320x240. Rumours about the device having an internal developer’s port have been quashed, as Tulip state that the device won’t initially support multiplayer functionality or game downloading. This has sparked rumours that future generations of the product will support these features, which would make sense since the Commodore World Web portal already offers legal game downloading – at cost, mind. The C64 Direct-to-TV Something's stirring at Commodore World. And will be available in October, in time for the beginning of you thought the brand was dead and buried! the Christmas-shopping season.
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Pac On The Go Pac-Man helps Namco clean up
At nearly 25 years of age, the encouraged Namco to consider ever-hungry Pac-Man is proving a releasing a number of Pac-Man popular download on Java- variants, including Ms Pac-Man, enabled mobile phones. The onto mobile platforms. These classic game was the number one games will accompany existing download back in April, and has titles such as Galaxian, Mr Driller,
Galaga and Dig-Dug. John McKenzie, sales and commercial director at Namco Mobile, explains why the concept behind Pac-Man still proves to be popular: “The technology that underpins mobile games is still relatively in its infancy and therefore most suitable for hosting less complex retro classics. With an infinite number of ways to complete the game and a timeless theme that appeals to players of all ages and sexes, Pac-Man is a concept that will run and run.”
Retro Auction Watch There's a mixed bag of retro-gaming wonderment in the online auction world this month, ranging from a legendary Sinclair computer relic to a piece of silver plastic sheeting. Richard Burton takes a closer look
Nintendo Game & Watches always pull in high prices, particularly the Vectrex console and came early and variant releases, such as the Panorama Screen editions. The complete with a matching Mickey Mouse game falls into both of those categories and is reportedly logo printed on the front. If one of the hardest to find, especially boxed. It’s no surprise then, that a ever an item was made for boxed and complete example recently appeared on eBay UK and fetched the completist collector, an impressive £690 – or at least it would’ve done had the reserve price this has to be it. Rare? been met. Possibly. Retro gaming? But what’s that you say? You only collect Game & Watches by the Definitely. US$300? Erm… caseload? Well that’s a stroke of Alternatively, you luck because over on eBay might like to consider USA, one seller was splashing out a mammoth auctioning three brand-new £470 on an elusive cases straight from the Sinclair ZX80. Normally Ouch! This boxed ZX80 went factory. Each case contained this would set you back around for nearly £500 10 unopened Game & £150-200, so why the huge price Watches. One of the titles, mark-up? Apparently this one went for triple the going rate because it Donkey Kong Hockey, went came complete with the original polystyrene inserts, as well as the for the very respectable end manual and power supply. No doubt the seller of another ZX80, which price of US$500. had the overly ambitious starting price of £750, had seen the other Fancy getting your ZX80 sell and wanted to grab some of the action for themselves. Rather hands on a retro dust predictably, the auction ended without the slightest sniff of a bid. cover? This strange little So there’s your retro-collecting tip for the future – never, ever, throw Not just rare but !!SuperRare!! curio, made from silver your packaging inserts away. One day they may be worth more than And very possibly MINT IN A BOX!! vinyl, was created for the your actual system. Probably.
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Plug ‘N’ Play The TV Game offensive continues unabated
Another month, another batch of Besides standard Tetris, you get complete product TV game consoles vie for the four variations: Battle, Garbage, range, please visit contents of your wallet. Radica Timed and Hotline. We don’t have www.radicauk.com. UK is to release two new devices any further information on these based around Space Invaders and variations at the moment, but Jakks is Tetris. The Space Invaders we’d hazard a guess that they back handheld isn’t as dull as it may involve falling blocks and Russian at first sound, because unlike the music. It’s just a guess mind… In related news, Jakks recent console-based Space The two devices join Radica’s Pacific has announced that Invaders Anniversary, it doesn’t Arcade Legend’s line, which also it’ll be cramming the just feature multiple variations of includes the mini Megadrive that infamous arcade beat-em-up the classic original. Instead, you we revealed last month. Since Mortal Kombat into a plug-in get Space Invaders and four other then we’ve learnt that the five joystick. Although initially Taito arcade games: Phoenix, built-in Megadrive games are aimed at the American Colony 7, Qix and Lunar Rescue. Sonic the Hedgehog, Golden Axe, market, we’re hoping to The Space Invaders console Altered Beast, Flicky, Kid see this in the UK soon looks great too, with four arcade- Chameleon and Dr Robotnik’s enough. The company style buttons. The same can’t be Mean Bean Machine. Not a bad also plans to launch said about the Tetris TV game, selection by any means. The Spider-Man and Batman TV which is perhaps the oddest- Megadrive handheld will set you games. It’s certainly worth looking thing we’ve seen in a back £29.99, while the other two keeping an eye on Jakks’ long time. It’s kind of unique are going for £24.99, and all activities, so head over to its Just some of the TV games though, in that there are two three should be on sale now. For homepage at due out from Radica UK this year controllers for double the fun. further details on Radica and its www.jakkstvgames.com.
Retro Round-up
Lynx goes Loopz hands of Christopher Dewhurst. It stars the ever- Carl Forhan of Songbird Productions has announced that Loopz will lovable Egg Head, who has finally be making an appearance on the Atari Lynx. Songbird had three previous Productions recently acquired the rights adventures in the binary to this game after several years of world. At the moment, only negotiations with Audiogenic Software a playable preview has and Hand Made Software. Loopz is a been made available to us, puzzle game fashioned around the but as soon as the game is Pipe Mania concept, although the ready, you’ll find a full object is to create loops of pipes. review in Retro Gamer. We’re keeping an eye on this project, Head over to and if you want to do the same, www.cronosoft.co.uk for the latest news. bookmark www.songbird- productions.com. Whilst you’re there, Long live the ZX81 you might also be interested in the other games that Songbird has for The prolific ZX81 programmer André Buchan has come up with yet more sale for the Atari Lynx and Jaguar. software for your 16Kb ZX81/Timex 1000. His two latest titles, found at www.zx-team.de/andre, are ZX-A-Mine and ZXNake2, and are Metal Warrior trilogy Minesweeper and Tron light-cycle clones respectively. Once again, André has managed to work well within the limitations of the machine, and After the success of the limited edition Metal Warrior 4 Special Edition both titles are worthy of a look, especially if you have the ZX-Tape pack, CovertBitOps and Simon Quernhorst are bringing you the first utility, which will allow you to load them onto a real ZX81. three games in a limited edition numbered pack, which will include a pair of dog tags and an audio CD compilation taken from the games. Only 30 of the packs are available, on a strict first come, first served basis, and cost 40 euros each. For further information about Metal Warrior and Simon’s Atari 2600 games, head over to www.quernhorst.de/atari. Egg Head on the Beeb
Jonathan Caudwell’s popular Spectrum title Egg Head in Space is making its way onto the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron thanks to the skilled
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The Send us … some mail RETRO...>
Automan although it took us a few hours! You’re right, it’s a little odd, and FORUMHi Martyn. Just dropping you a we agree that Airwolf is rock line to say that I’m loving the hard. We much prefer the music magazine so far. Thanks for to actually playing the game. bringing back so many memories! I really enjoyed the article in issue five on 80s’ TV spin-off A thirty- games (Airwolf really was a rock something hard game!). However, I notice you mentioned the TV series writes Automan. I seem to recall the series fondly, although I struggle Hi Martyn. Well, the usual to remember the premise of the formalities first. I must show, and also have a distant congratulate you and everyone memory of owning the computer involved on such an excellent and game on my trusty C64. interesting magazine. You’re doing a fine job of documenting the explosion of the retro computer and videogame scene that has been quietly bubbling away for a number of years. Retro Gamer is one of the only magazines that I eagerly look forward to getting my hands on each issue, and I can truly say I read from cover to cover. I admit that I haven’t felt like this since the good old days when Zzap! 64 was in its prime. If memory serves it was a rather Sad, but true! Why am I writing? bizarre platform affair with some Not sure really, I guess I wanted ropey driving elements thrown in. to document my feelings on the Since reading the article, I have retro scene, ponder the future of scoured my collection but can’t gaming, and possibly make a few find the game. I can only suggestions. conclude that I have either Why is the retro scene so CONTACT US dreamt it all up or at some point huge? Is it the nostalgia? Is many moons ago, lent it to a because the thirty-somethings friend who promptly lost it/sold are reluctant not to let go of their email: it/swapped it/fed it to their dog youth? Or is it because we crave [email protected] (delete as appropriate). the simpler ‘pick up and put down’ I was wondering if you would type of game that we had in the be able to shed a little light on days of the REAL Atari, snailmail: this for me? Many thanks and Commodore, Amstrad et al? Retro Gamer keep up the good work – you’re Whatever it is, I’m glad my kids Live Publishing doing a fantastic job! have the opportunity to experience Europa House Andy Hill, via email gaming the way I did, and can Adlington Park look at and be swept up in the Macclesfield RG: Well Andy, take a look at the rapid progression of this industry SK10 4NP screen shot. We’ve managed to over such a short period of time. track down the Automan game, Perhaps they’ll just think their
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feel that the retro scene is taking writers from magazines of old, off because the computers and well, there is definitely a feature the great interview with the Oliver games were so great in the first in there somewhere. Next month, Twins. It was interesting to read place. Of course, there was also a meanwhile, we’ve got an their perception of the lot of rubbish back then, but interview with ex-Zzap! writer programming scene back then. could anyone honestly say that Gary Liddon. What talented guys they were too. there isn’t today? As for collecting Finally, what are the chances of old computer hardware, well, we catching up with the likes of Gary know exactly how you feel, and it Retro body art Penn or Julian Rignall for their brings a smile to our faces when dad’s crazy and living in the past. views on the magazine scene we find some ‘old junk’ at a I meant to email after the first Looking around my ‘study’ (I during the 80s? The rivalry of jumble sale, which turns out to issue. I was so happy to use that term loosely), there are Zzap! and Commodore User was be something of great value. accidentally stumble across a numerous consoles and 8-bit similar to that of Crash and Some of the rare (and not so magazine that looked like computers in various states of Sinclair User at the time, and rare) hardware and software that it had been written just for working condition strewn from provided many schoolyard has turned up in the office since me. I managed to miss issues one wall to the other, cartridges arguments over which magazine Retro Gamers’ launch has been two and three, but I found four at for various systems stacked in was better. Kind of like the ‘my great to see, and excellent if only just the right time – the week piles, and other vaguely related C64 is better than your Spectrum for research purposes, although before I bought it I’d been computer and videogame is better than your Amstrad’ nostalgia does play a big part in listening to a lot of C64 tunes paraphernalia tossed in. Is it a debates that raged during those it all. and original SID tunes. It’s good hobby or an addiction? In my times too! Regarding the worn look, to finally have a copy of SidPlay2 case I think it’s both. It makes me Keep up the great work and we’re sorry but there are no plans and SidAmp as I couldn’t find smile, it gives me pleasure, and cheers for now. to bring it back. It was very them myself. my wife now understands that Corey Mark, via email convincing though, and our I’m upset that the fake wear look I get in my eye when I spy a design team is chuffed to bits and tear on the front cover of great find at a market or garage RG: Thanks for the compliments. with your complimentary views issue one has gone – I loved sale. These are feelings you really To take your points in order, we on its work. As for tracking down that! At least ‘OLD!’ in the corner can’t describe or put into words, is still there. I was wondering if but I’m sure that others out there there’s any chance of reprinting know where I’m coming from. Dragon data was also the first Commodore some old game/machine ads as Now a few comments – they’re Dear Martyn. Congratulations on 64 game that I ever played posters? I would love to collect short but sweet. The retro beaten- yet another splendid issue. back in 1988, and came some retro posters and I don’t up look for the magazine: I give When I look through the with the Hollywood collection care if they weren’t actually from two hands up for bringing it back. contents of each magazine, I box set. 1984 or whenever. You print a lot It had character, confused the can’t help but relive my youth Thank you for your time and in the magazine but I don’t want news agency staff (making them and go back and play my I look forward to next month’s to ruin my copies. apologise that the magazine was favourite old games. My first magazine. Keep up the great Also, how about a feature on in such poor condition), and hell, computer was a Dragon 32 that work. people who have classic game who hasn’t got an old cartridge my Nan bought me for Michael Holland, via email symbol tattoos? Not just yet box in a similar condition?! Issue Christmas back in the early 80s. because I haven’t got any myself three is too shiny and looks like It came with Pong and Space RG: A feature on Dragon Data is – I have some ideas floating those ‘other’ games magazines. Invaders. I still have the system already on the cards, as many around though… Now to the coverdiscs or, more and the games, but other readers have fond Thanks for a great magazine – accurately, the sleeves. They are unfortunately, the joysticks have memories of the Dragon. We glad it’s going monthly. great! Full marks for the design long since departed this world. should get round to it before Ryan, via email and subtle reflection back to In the near future, would it the year is out. cases from another era. The Sega possible to see a history of RG: Another fan of the ‘worn’ version is excellent and I am the Dragon featuring some cover. It looks like that idea split looking forward to having a closer of the games that came people for and against pretty look at the Commodore version with it? much 50/50. Printing old adverts when it arrives. How about one The SID article was as posters – well it’s an idea, if done in the flavour of the tacky great, but one we can source some good-quality but cool Amstrad Amsoft label? game was original posters to work with. One Who could forget the classic missing from other idea we are toying with is cassette sleeves for Harrier the list: the having some original artwork as Attack or Roland on the Ropes Platoon posters, or as illustrations to (or any other adventure starring loading music on accompany features. As for the Roland)? Roland could even be a the quick loader and tattoo idea, we wonder if any feature on his own! normal mode was brilliant. It readers already have retro I’d also like to comment on gaming tattoos?
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of Super Mario Brothers on the made to NES Super Mario possible to generate a regular NES may appear to be faster than Brothers in this country to ‘interrupt’ at the end of every another. quicken it up. Presumably if the single frame of the game, this is Although I wasn’t aware of a music on US versions of the the preferred method of slower NES version being in game was a bit slower, an initial regulating the speed of the music. existence for UK machines, I had PAL conversion would have been For example, it may be that every noticed that when I bought the a further 20% slower, which six or seven frames, the next unit GameBoy Color version of Super would be quite slow. You would of a musical pattern is played. Mario Brothers, the music was think a Mattel sticker suggests an Simply changing how many quite a lot slower than the music earlier version. Now, generally frames are waiting before on my NES version (which is the speaking, it’s quite a complicated updating the music’s position one paired with Duck Hunt). I matter to speed a game up once would allow the music speed to thought this was just the GBC it’s been converted to PAL, as it be changed without the game’s version, but when I played the US would involve manipulation of the speed changing at all. Faster version of Super Mario Brothers game’s workings to make things music could certainly give the on an emulator, it also had the move faster (and by a non-integer impression that a game was slower music. I can’t say for sure factor), and I think it’s unlikely running faster. Mario whether or not my PAL NES that this would have been done. This explanation is entirely explained version is actually a faster game You could very easily change the conjecture, but it is viable at than these other versions, speed the music plays at though. least. I’ve one more thought to Regarding Chris Myatt’s letter in because I don’t have any of them Most music programming on this add: if it’s true that the game is issue five, I think I have an on hand, but it’s possible a slight kind of hardware is tied into the in fact twice as fast in some explanation for why one version modification could have been frame rate. Because it is usually incarnations, one way this may be
Evolution could rival the C64. Furthermore, In the issue 4 game music RG: Thanks for the feedback and Hi Martyn. When I was five I I heard that in the UK cassettes feature, I think you missed out suggestions. For those who played with colourful toy bricks. were used as the main medium one German genius. Chris might not know, the VC-20 One year later the bricks were for games – is that true? I Hülsbeck composed some great Klemens refers to is, of course, still colourful, but the material started to collect C64 games pieces, including the music for the VIC-20. Commodore changed wasn’t wood – instead they were quite late – about 1993 – and the whole Turrican series (how the name because Vic (if made of ones and zeros thanks back then every games was well known is that series in the pronounced correctly) sounds to my brother’s VC-20! These released on disk. Cassettes were UK?), R-Type (the C64 version), like Fick, which is German for bricks didn’t always do what I the exception. Tunnel B1 (PSone and Saturn) ‘fuck’! told them to, but the fascination I find games likes Dizzy (I and Extreme Assault (PC). If you look on the German of this digital playground is still think the Game Gear version Finally, I would like to eBay site, it’s clear how popular alive. Even in the middle of the may have been released here) suggest some potential topics for the Commodore 64 and 128 were Alps (some say you can find a and Repton (never heard of that upcoming issues. Please during the 80s and 90s. It’s little country named Austria there!) I series – looks to me like Boulder highlight some more fan wonder that there’s still a big think it’s time to point out that Dash) very interesting as they’re projects, like the great Beats of C64 scene in Germany, and your outstanding magazine is written from a UK perspective. If Rage for PS2, games are still being developed well known in the German- you have UK-specific games Xbox, PC and my for the speaking area. When you have a (and characters) then perhaps favourite, the machine. closer look at retro gaming, the some popular German titles Dreamcast. This Sadly, the local differences are truly should be unofficial Streets C64’s main mentioned of Rage sequel storage format too. Especially with SNK here in the UK when you graphics is was indeed look at the highly tape. This last years of entertaining! I actually the C64, there would also like to hear more prevented some disk-based are some about the Creatures series games from being released here, really nice (Creatures, Creatures II and the such as Gauntlet III and Sword products such graphically outstanding Mayhem of Honour. as The in Monsterland) on the C64, and We’re well aware of COSMOS Ormus Saga the two British brothers behind Designs, and Heavenbound and series (an the games. And of course there Lions of the Universe are two of Ultima clone) are new games that are retro, Shaun’s favourite titles, alongside fascinating. I wonder how wide and two RPGs by a small like Viewtiful Joe. I think retro the unforgettable Fred’s Back these differences are between company named AMOS. Even in isn’t just about the visuals – it’s series. Thanks also for your other countries? Some examples Austria we had COSMOS Design about the feeling. suggestions. The Creatures for you to consider… – a group of coders that Forgive me for my focus on series, along with Cyberdyne In the field of home produced amazing platform the C64 (well, I do love my Warrior and Retrograde, was computers, the C64 was king games such as Heavenbound, baby!) and please ignore my developed by Steve and John without any doubt in Germany and shoot-em-ups like Lions of mistakes. Greetings from Austria Rowland, known as the Apex and Austria. Other machines were the Universe. Are you familiar and keep up the good work! brothers. They’d certainly be also popular, but none of them with any of these games? Klemens “Mav” Franz, via email worth tracking down…
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possible is by twice running all when there are so many other ever so here are mine. I’m am a Anyway, I noticed that in your the code the game would more deserving games out there. huge Final Fantasy fan and see review of football games in issue normally run once per frame, But for me, it just serves as a the best in all the games, so I three, you omitted Commodore’s before updating the screen reminder of how privileged we are would struggle to select my International Football (and the graphics. This would actually be here in the UK to enjoy such a favourite in the series. But when I almost direct rip-off, Emlyn easier to program than speeding rich and diverse range of games. think about FFVII, the memories Hughes’s International Soccer). up the game the way I mentioned As always, thanks for the return – the death of Aeris, The former should be noted for previously, but I doubt this is the magazine and keep up the great Sephiroth walking through the being (I believe) the first game on case, since this would effectively work. flames, and the long hours I the C64, and whilst aiming and require twice as much processing Chris Dempsey, via email spent playing it in between shooting at a 45 degree angle to to be done every frame. revising for my exams. So what if the goal always found the back of Joe Dixon, via email RG: Good to hear from you again Channel 4 rounded up ‘The 100 the net, it was quite an exciting Chris. We agree with you Greatest Video Games’? Would game. Emlyn’s game was even RG: Thanks for that explanation regarding Final Fantasy VII, but FFVII take the top spot, or better, and whilst it didn’t solve Joe. It certainly shreds a little not everyone does… knowing Channel 4 and its target the 45-degree problem, it did light on the matter. Unless audience, would Tomb Raider be come fairly close. Plus all the anyone out there knows different. voted best game? options in the menus were quite Final Fantasy good fun to muck around with. VII (part 2) I was also wondering if, in Final Fantasy some future magazine, you will VII Hello Martyn. First off, thanks for be covering Imagine and the the great coverdiscs worth putting alleged dodgy dealings that took Hi Martyn. So Final Fantasy VII is in your CD-ROM drive! I loved the place and ensured its downfall. I the best game ever? GameBase 64 with issue five. would also be interested to know While, as you said, Anyway, I’m what happened to Interceptor it’s the best in a responding Micros (Siren City). series that’s always to an article Nicholas Kingsley, via email been quality, it’s far in your news from being the section about I also have a request. I’ve RG: International Soccer was a pinnacle of gaming. Final Fantasy have this lead (see picture) and I great game, especially when Even after years of VII and how have no idea what it is used for. played against a friend. It’s deliberation I it got voted Could someone please explain it amazing to think it was originally couldn’t commit the greatest to me? One end fits into a printer released in 1983. Thanks for myself to naming game ever. port of a PC and the other fits pointing it out. one game as the ‘best ever’, but I Well, I think it’s about time this into the NES controller port. I do can easily think of dozens of great game gets the title it not want to use it until I know games on dozens of platforms deserves. The game is sheer what it does, otherwise I could Retro gaming that exceed it. genius and will never be matched blow my house up. fixes This raises the question of in RPG terms. The characters are David Freeman, via email how a full Retro Gamer poll would great and the storyline is superb, Hello to all at Retro Gamer. Now turn out. It seems to me that the plus it’s got great length too and RG: We can see that the Final then, we all know that today’s European gaming you don’t put Fantasy VII debate has already games look a million times better environment is it down ‘til started. As for your mystery load, than their predecessors of probably a lot you’ve perhaps one of our readers can yesteryear. Games are generally more balanced and finished it. All lend a helping hand. more complex, interactive and complete than in all, it’s the larger affairs than ever before. either the US or best game in They continue to push the various the Far East, since its genre and, International platforms they’re developed on to we consume for me, it’s Soccer the limit. These days a console massive numbers just ahead of barely reaches two years old of games from Super Mario Hello. I haven’t written to a before the hype starts building West and East, yet Kart as the best game overall. magazine editor in a long time – for the next all-conquering super we also have our own gaming As for new thoughts for the the last time was when I stated console ie PS3, Xbox 2 or N5. So, heritage, mainly through the 8- magazine, maybe some sort of in an ex-magazine that the C64 a question then: if we all seem to and 16-bit micros of the 80s and world records page for racing or was the best machine for games. want bigger and better games, 90s, which didn’t have the same sports simulators. I know people A month later a programmer what is it that keeps us going impact in the US or Japan. will be shocked at some of the stated that it wasn’t in all cases. back to the old days for our Britain and France in particular WR on Mario Kart! Keep up the I was quite disappointed to be gaming fixes? have produced some of the best great work! told that. What about the burst of games ever made, but these go Chris Clark, via email nostalgia you get when playing largely unrecognised in America a game from 20 odd years and Japan. An example of this is ago. It’s a bit like when you the recent flop of Ubisoft’s Final Fantasy hear an old song. Beyond Good and Evil, which was VII (part 3) Forgotten memories nothing short of criminal. In suddenly come short, it’s lamentable and puzzling Dear Retro Gamer. You wanted to rushing that FFVII should have found know people’s thoughts on Final itself in such an exalted position Fantasy VII being the best game
**13** RETRO6 Letters.qxd 7/8/04 12:13 AM Page 14
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back mag. I for one am hooked. it’s still popular today. into your mind Bob Storey, via email However (and getting to the and transport you to point), when are you going to a place and time that RG: We think you’re right about look at the MOD scene? I missed you subconsciously relate the programmer’s personality MOD music files on the Amiga, the song to. Games from coming through in their games. but before the MP3 craze hit, this back in the day concentrated Remember the famous Jeff Minter was the nearest I got to really more on gameplay rather than titles? Of course you do, because good music on the PC. Granted, fancy graphics, didn’t they? They whether you thought they were there were lots of different also often had a sense of the any good or not, they reflected trackers and players, and some programmer’s personality within his personality really well, and would work with this, but them. This isn’t something we see more importantly his (in many wouldn’t work with that etc – it too often these days, due to the ways) groundbreaking ideas. was all a bit fraught! But there large development teams. Unfortunately, with today’s big were some good tunes produced, All in all I think it comes down budgets and multi-personnel some really decent covers, and same effect, but sadly, it didn’t. to something very simple: a good teams it is difficult for any one some utterly bizarre ones. I never Wayne Rockett, via email game is a good game. No matter personality to shine through, amassed many, and once MP3s how old it is or how dated the which is why we take such a came around, I think the scene RG: Well, this email prompted graphics are, playability is keen interest in what the retro died for a lot of people. I don’t some investigation from our everything. Admittedly, when you remake guys are doing. Sure, know a massive amount about editor and guess what? You’re look back over the years there their productions can’t be this, but I’m sure someone will right! Take a look at these compared to their modern take up the challenge! screenshots. If anyone else has contemporaries in terms of Keep up the good work! any such trivia about other cosmetics or scale, but Mark, via email games, please let us know. they are the embodiment of the heady days of the RG: We’ll certainly get around to 80s’ bedroom covering the great Amiga, as it is Tower of programmer, creating for both a retro and modern platform, Babel the most part good and the community is a vocal games worth playing. minority in a sea full of PC users. Hello there! I’d like to start off by Another important When we do, of course, we’ll be saying how much I enjoy Retro part of the retro scene, taking a look at the Amiga music Gamer and that I’m flabbergasted as you quite rightly point scene. We remember with glee at how much the first issues are out, is emulation. There the trackers and rippers that were selling for on eBay. Perhaps I have been some are many platforms that would be available at the time, which all should get a safe. I’ve recently really poor games released, but all but distant memories if it tied in happily with the huge PD taken out a subscription and that’s still the case today. For wasn’t for the dedicated work of and demo scene. For a short having received my free 5-in-1 every Rise of the Robots there’s emulator authors. while, Shaun even set up a PD games joystick, I am now some licensed crap like The group of sorts called The Wizards addicted to Bosconian. Incredible Hulk. PD. His handle was the Games Having read your article on There’s no denying that the Making sweet Warrior, although he doesn’t like Rain/Silver/Firebird, I was retro gaming scene continues to music to admit it, and his favourite PD wondering what happened to increase. The amount of game was Drip (anyone remember Pete Cooke. After a jump to dedicated sites on the Internet is Hiya Martyn. So, I finally decided that?). Those were the days… Microprose he seems to have all huge. We’ve got retro sections in to get off my rear-end and mail but disappeared. most magazines now and, of you guys! Fantastic mag – it My interest mainly lies in a course, the great new magazine provides something different to Booty-ful rather obscure title of his that I that is Retro Gamer. It’s good to the usual review of the latest loved to play on my old Amiga, see a magazine that isn’t afraid to 4THz processor or the new 1GB I’ve just been reading issue four called Tower of Babel. Sadly I big up emulation. Personally, I ultra-fast graphics card. of your superb publication. I have been unable to find a think emulation is fantastic. It’s Having heard the SID tunes on loved the feature on Telecomsoft. working emulator version of this been a major help in keeping the CD last month, I was quite I used to buy all of the Firebird game. I’d be interested to know if games, computers and consoles impressed. Well, I should be, games, as they were great value. anyone else remembers Mr Cooke alive that might otherwise have having owned an Acorn Electron I loved Viking Raiders and The or Tower of Babel (or has even gone to the retro graveyard. when I was younger. I was only Wild Bunch, and still play both heard of Tower of Babel). Maybe Unfortunately, not all of us had used to single-bleep stuff, so games on an emulator on my your wily journalists could track the foresight to keep hold of all even hearing Repton on the BBC mobile phone. him down for an article! our old systems. Many of us in school would make me jealous. In fact, Firebird games were Andrew Williams, via email probably had to sell one to Up until then I’d hardly ever seen even better value than people upgrade to another. I often curse C64s, let alone got near to one often thought. Take the game RG: We are always interested in myself when I think of the long enough to hear it! Booty for example. If you loaded tracking down personalities from collection I could have amassed Over the years I have heard a the game on the ZX Spectrum gaming’s past, including Mr since I started gaming in the late little bit from the SID scene, but with a speech synthesizer Cooke, so stay tuned as you seventies. Hindsight is an the CD gave me a real taste of it. plugged in, a completely different never know. As for Tower of annoying thing! We’re all much I now have every reason to see game would start. So that was Babel, Shaun remembers the wiser now though, eh? I’ll never why C64 owners were so smug! two great games for £2.50! This, game for the Amiga, although he sell any of my stuff ever again! That box can sure produce some of course, led me to trying every never played it. Are there any Keep up the good work on the good sounds and I can see why Firebird game to see if it had the other Babel fans out there?
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RETRO REVIEWS
From old games on new platforms to new games on old platforms. As long as it'sDo retro you disagree you'll with our find Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame it in our regular reviews section...reviews? Or can you think of any other really greatreviews@retro or damned awful games that we should take a look at? Email gamer.net with your suggestions and we’ll take it from there...
Frantic Freddie
Publisher: Commercial Data screen filled with platforms, Frantic Freddie is simple yet very Systems Ltd ladders, collectables and bonuses. playable, and makes fine use of the Original price: £5.99 Three monsters per level are out to SID chip. Standards set since its Format: Commodore 64/128 stop you progressing through the release back in 1984 make it look game, and each ladder is double- dated, but all I can say is try it out rantic Freddie may seem sided – that’s to say that you may and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. an unusual addition to our only go up or down each side. This Now, I wonder if they ever made a FHall of Fame, but there’s a rule doesn’t apply to the monsters game based around Brian May… good reason for its entry. The first in the game, and play can therefore Shaun Bebbington time I encountered this game was prove tricky, as you may soon find actually on the Amiga. A demo yourself trapped when seeking out Graphics 70% group had faithfully remade it for the next bonus. Colourful and simple, representing the A500 and released it into the Frantic Freddie is simplistic in its era more than the graphical public domain. This remake made its design, graphics and gameplay, capabilities of the C64. such an impression on me that I which will be off putting to some, sought out the original C64 game but give it chance and it proves to Sound 86% to see just how good it really was. be seriously addictive. Where this Varied, bright and well thought The first thing that greets you is game really shines is in its out, although not all original the title-screen music. It’s a glorious soundtrack. There are scores. The title music will have rendition of Crazy Little Thing over half a dozen tunes and you humming along – if you’re a Called Love by Queen. The jingles throughout the game, and Queen fan that is. significance of the game’s name although not all of them are then becomes clear – presumably original scores, they certainly keep Playability 88% the authors were big fans of you entertained. On Lemon64.com, The play is fast, but occasionally mustachioed rock god Freddie several people have commented there are elements of luck rather Mercury. The opening screen is that these tunes were the reason than skill. Overall 83% simple and fairly standard for the they bought the game. And you’d A frantic, fun-to-play platformer. time of release (circa 1983), and have thought that C64 music Addictiveness 88% Might be difficult to find these the same can be said about the didn’t exist before Thing on a The simple gameplay is days, but worth keeping an eye gameplay, which is set in a static Spring, wouldn’t you? compelling and easy to pick up. out for.
**16** RETRO6 Retro Reviews 07/07/2004 10:41 PM Page 17
INV+
Programmers: Erik Mooney & compromises – the invaders are on cartridge (although I suspect Piero Cavina basically partially animated blocks, only die-hard 2600 fans will do Price: Free download for example – although I’m happy this) or downloaded free (for use (or US$20 for to report that they haven’t affected with an emulator) from www. cartridge version) the gameplay. Your missile- atariage.com. Format: Atari 2600 launching craft, the bases and the Shaun Bebbington customary mother ship are all NV+ is a new homebrew nicely drawn, and the sound Graphics 79% game for the Atari 2600. It’s effects accompany the play well. Nicely drawn bases and crafts, Ibased on the classic The game can also handle two and lots of on-screen enemies concept of Space Invaders, which simultaneous players, so you and despite the machine’s obvious I’m sure you’ve gathered from the a mate can have great fun limitations. screenshot. But why release a competing for the highest score. game for such a primitive format? There’s also an ‘invisible’ mode, in Sound 80% Well, part of the fun is creating which you only see the invaders The in-game sound effects are of good games on a limited spec, for a few seconds, when either one a high standard, especially the and INV+ is a great example of of them or your ship is destroyed. explosion effect. putting this into practice. As it is a current trend to INV+ is a mere 4Kb, and is the mention the AI of the game, I Playability 80% first (well, second if you count INV) should report that it is quite An instantly recognisable concept Space Invaders clone on the 2600 difficult to play at first (although that will quickly have you hooked. to have 11 aliens per row, making it’s easier with a good second Great to play with a mate too. Overall 78% a total of 55 on-screen craft – no player), so it’ll prove a challenge Like the original Space Invaders, easy task with such a small for even the most avid Space Addictiveness 80% simple yet extremely playable. amount of memory. Needless to Invaders fan. This game is well There are enough new gameplay Wiping out wave after wave of say there have been some worth a look and can be bought additions to keep you interested. aliens is always fun. Sonic Advance 3
Publisher: Sega game, each level is intricately Graphics 90% Overall 80% Price: £29.99 designed and all of them contain The graphics are bold, colourful and Sonic Advance 3 is a solid and Format: GameBoy Advance many different routes to the blast along at a blistering pace. enjoyable platformer that bears finish line. You have to make the There’s Plenty of special-effects the classic Sonic spirit and plain onic’s new-fangled 3D most of various contraptions trickery and the animation is great. old fun values. Cracking stuff. adventures have received along the way (such as Sa pretty lukewarm slingshots, see-saws and the like) Sound 77% reception, but when it comes to and a few refugees from the 3D While the music may grate a little old-skool 2D platforming, the games (grinding rails, for after a while, it is excellent quality speedy ol’ critter still has it. His example). Rather than following a and there’s even some speech latest incarnation on the GBA is a set level-by-level approach thrown in for good measure. testament to this, and as soon as however, Sonic Advance 3 uses a you fire it up, you know you’re in strange combination of levels Playability 85% for a roller coaster ride of whirling and hubs, leaving you to mooch Sonic has always had great platforms, loop the loops, crazy around the worlds as you see fit. playability, and this is no boss fights and plenty of insanely This also includes a Chao garden different. Fast and fluid play, fast moments. (these are collected in the great level design, and spot-on Sonic Advance 3 once again pits various zones). controls mean you’re in for an Sonic against the robotic forces of Sonic Advance 3 is an enjoyable romp. the Eggman, and, as usual, it’s the enjoyable, fast platformer, and Chaos Emeralds that are at the while the levels do tend to get very Addictiveness 68% heart of the problem. So, more ring samey quite quickly, there’s still Possibly the weakest point. Levels collecting, enemy smashing and plenty of fun to be had here. It’s do get samey and you probably berating Tails for being totally just a shame Sega can’t quite won’t play the game for prolonged useless are the order of the day. recreate this winning formula in 3D. bouts. You’ll certainly keep coming Much like any other Sonic Aaron Birch back for more though.
**17** RETRO6 Retro Reviews 07/07/2004 10:41 PM Page 18
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Publisher: Atlus arcade game and as such, bears Graphics 45% Overall 42% Price: £29.99 all the ravages of time you’d The graphics themselves aren’t too I wanted to love this, but the cold Format: GameBoy Advance expect. Although the graphics bad for the GBA, but the shoddy hard reality is that it’s just a poor have been slightly tweaked, they animation is just unforgivable. game. In the past it was a giant, ouble Dragon is widely suffer from painfully poor but now it’s simply bad. acknowledged as one of animation. This was acceptable Sound 58% Dthe best beat-em-ups of back in 87, but it’s just plain A mixed bag. The original music yesteryear, an acknowledgment awful now. On top of this, the is brought back to life with nice that I wholeheartedly agree with. control system and amazingly results, but the SFX seem to The memories of spending all my sluggish character movement rob have been lifted directly out of pocket money down the local the game of any sort of appeal the original, meaning they’re not greasy spoon come flooding whatsoever. The enemies spend very good. back. Pumping in 10ps while the half of their time running around usual contingent of mates and aimlessly, and the collision Playability 30% hangers-on watched as you detection is childlike at best. Oh dear. Although I admit the pummeled the many deformed Given that the GBA is capable of original was far from perfect in assailants into next week – fond so much more, it’s hard to this department, the GBA seems to memories indeed! So when I overlook these technical gaffs. have robbed it of any form of heard that the game was going The bottom line? The original playability whatsoever. to be resurrected on the GBA, DD was awesome back in the well, I couldn’t wait. day, but looking back, I realise Addictiveness 35% Sometimes however, how poor the game was. The original held me an iron grip, memories can be lying gits, and Bringing it back fault for fault is but this remake would be lucky to Double Dragon is a prime a bad idea and it deserves to tempt me into paying the same example. DD on the GBA is a die a swift death. price as a Fruit Salad for the total recreation of the original Aaron Birch privilege of owning it. Double Dragon
Publisher: Melbourne House You (and a friend, if you want Double Dragon for the C64 is Original price: £9.99 tape or to double the pain) move left to bugged to hell, badly presented and £14.99 disk right through the baddie-infested reeks of a rush job. If you were Machine: Commodore 64/128 back streets of a rundown city, in unlucky enough to buy this feeble search of the infamous Shadow effort when it first came out, then rcade games must have Boss who’s kidnapped your you know exactly where I’m coming presented many woman. But you’re not totally from (and I’m guessing you took it Ainteresting challenges for helpless, as you have some cool back to the shop, claiming your those lumbered with the task of moves and deadly weapons at your Gran bought it for you by mistake). converting them to 8-bit formats. disposal. It all sounds fine and it Avoid like a venereal disease. The home version would somehow would be if this port resembled the Shaun Bebbington have to be tailored to fit the host arcade original in any way. In machine, playing to its reality, you do little more than Graphics 15% technological strengths and using deliver girly slaps to clones of Nice backdrops and reasonable programming tricks where possible yourself. The weapons don’t scrolling, but awful glitches and to create a better overall resemble weapons at all and aren’t no variety in the enemy sprites. Addictiveness 8% production. There are some superb particularly useful. Play is sluggish Experience the awfulness yourself, arcade conversions for the C64 – and the main sprites are split into Sound 22% then switch it off. There’s nothing Turbo OutRun and Ghouls ‘n’ two halves, with their upper bodies A passable attempt at the title more to see here. Ghosts, for instance. Both are floating above your waist. You’ll music and end-of-level jingle, but shining examples of how to do it soon find yourself moving forward, otherwise no thought has gone Overall 13% well. Double Dragon, on the other tapping the fire button until the into the in-game sound effects. Double Dragon on the C64 is a hand, is perhaps the poorest of all computer decides that your enemy perfect example of how not to arcade ports. And when you is dead, then repeating this process Playability 7% covert an arcade game. Even consider that the original was until a jingle lets you know that Move right, hit fire, then reset your without the licence it barely never a great game to begin with… the level is complete. machine. That about sums it up. qualifies as a beat-em-up.
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>On The Prowl
The second weekend in June witnessed two important events: the launch of Euro 2004 and the second annual JagFest UK show. Retro Gamer passed up on the opportunity to watch England vs France, preferring instead to investigate JagFest. After all, Atari isn't a matter of life and death - it's much more important than that!
t all started in 2003, when a group of Atari Jaguar and Lynx enthusiasts looked across the pond and saw a vibrant Atari scene, which usually met once a year at Ithe JagFest or at a JagFest sub-section of the US Classic Gaming Expo. With the commercial backing of 1632 Systems and many helping hands, Gary Taylor drew up plans for a UK equivalent of the JagFest. The imaginatively named JagFest UK was launched and the first event was an immediate success. It brought together many enthusiasts from around Europe, enabling them to show their wares, meet like-minded people, buy items for their collection, play games and drink plenty of beer.
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Friday
The second JagFest UK was billed as a “festival of Atari featuring Jaguar, Lynx and ST, TT and Falcon.” As with last year’s event, it was held at the Medway Manor Hotel in Rochester, Kent. We travelled down and booked into a the hotel for the Friday evening a Thai restaurant close by and before JagFest, and spent the rest we all piled in. The rest of the of the day unloading gear and evening was spent with great setting up stands ready for the food and drink, and in good slew of enthusiasts. As expected, company. Conversations across the usual technical problems the elongated table consisted reared their ugly heads, which of what people did for a living always seems to happen at retro and how far they’d travelled. shows and events. Phrases like Much more interesting a CD-ROM drive, Nick Bamji was on JagFest, with plans already in “Well, it worked at home…” were conversations concerned 68000 hand happily explain it to you in place for September 2005. The heard at least 30 times during assembly language and, if you as much detail as you liked. stage was set for this year’s event Friday evening alone. were desperate to discover the Some of us mere mortals felt a though, which promised to be After setting up, we decided quantum physics behind the little out of depth amongst such bigger and better than before. to find a place to eat. There was laser beam of knowledgeable tech-heads, but talk The event opened slightly happily moved on to games and a earlier than planned and on ritual slagging off of Microsoft’s entering, you were greeted with popular operating systems. 1632 Systems’ shop adjacent to Once back at the hotel, the the bar, which had many Jaguar rooms were opened and a private and Atari items for sale. The ‘warm up’ party started, which room nearest to the bar was the went on until after 3am. designated games room, home to Obviously, game-playing practice many Jaguars, Lynx and other was needed for the upcoming tournaments, as well as a few more beverages. Saturday
We were all up early for a hearty Yet more pre-teen breakfast. Even at this early retro gamers stage, talk turned to the next
business? Of course, but I do 1632 Systems shows all over Europe and sometimes the States. They also interview help the business side of things. RG: With regard to JagFest UK, While attending JagFest, we took the did you seek help or advice from time to have a chat with Nick Harlow the JagFest USA organisers? of 1632 Systems NH: Not really. I did have some Retro Gamer: When and how did We attended most of the old RG: Was sponsoring the JagFest help from Carl Forhan [well-known 1632 Systems start out? shows in their heyday. Anybody UK a natural thing for you to do? Atari fan and founder of Songbird remember the 16-Bit shows at Has it helped the business side Productions] with stock (excellent Nick Harlow: 1632 started life as Wembley? Or the Atari shows at of things? games, mate), but since I had a Public Domain library for the the Motorcycle Museum? We were some experience with attending Atari ST, then grew into a there… But all good things come NH: Interesting question. I did try shows I just put in what I wanted business and a commercial shop. to an end and finally, with the to involve a couple of other to see and do. The games events almighty PC’s taking the lion companies, but they didn’t were organised by Gary Taylor share of the market, I started a answer or weren’t interested so in and Nick Turner for the first shop. Then about four years ago, the end I took up the gauntlet. show. The biggest pain was I started working for a living. The However, I must make it clear getting a hall or rooms at a shop moved to a warehouse and that whilst I wanted to do a reasonable price. then I closed that down and just show, the original impetus for the kept 1632 as a retro Web shop. Jaguar show was Gary Taylor. I kind of moved it along RG: Where did you get the idea somewhat. Has it helped to include a Commodore
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consoles, including the Sega impressive scene demos were Dreamcast and the rare Nuon displayed with some explanations DVD player/console. The guys of the programming techniques behind GameBase ST had set up used, and the odd game or two stall here, with the promise of a was played. similar project to the GameBase 64 front-end found on issue 5’s Sunday coverdisc. Over on the other side (and purposely furthest away The game playing and computing from the bar) was the computing carried on well into Sunday room, where the people behind morning and, surprisingly, most the online publication MyAtari.net of the attendees and exhibitors had set up camp. Opposite them that had been burning the was the Cheshunt Computer Club, midnight oil were up bright and who supported the Atari ST, TT early. The doors were opened and Falcon machines. In the Above: Nick Bamji, Tempest Champion and most of the day was spent corner was an 8-bit Atari XE-GS Below: Nick Bamji, Nick Harlow & Nick Turner winding down. At around 1pm using a Pentium-based laptop as we loaded up the car, then a virtual disk drive. Also present The MyAtari.net team were said our goodbyes. was the Atari Portfolio Club, with beavering away, offering both It was clear from the event many wares for sale, and as a enthusiasm and expertise. On that there’s a lot to look out for sideshow – or as some put it, their stand they displayed adverts in the Atari scene – emulator ‘freak show’ – Commodore Scene that Atari had planned to use to users and fans should keep an was in attendance with Allan promote the Jaguar and Lynx back eye out for GameBase ST project, Bairstow at its helm, promoting in the day, and as the weekend and there are rumours of new his activities and the C64 whilst progressed, the writers and games for the Jaguar. With the trying to sort out the usual proved to be very helpful. He had photography team were busy wheels for next JagFest UK show technical problems. an Atari Falcon housed in an ATX putting together the next issue. already in motion, we’re looking More people than expected tower case, with a massive 512Mbs This is where the aforementioned forward to more game-playing arrived early on to have a look of memory and an accelerator card Atari XE-GS could be found with merriment. Hopefully we’ll see around, enter the competitions, clocked at approximately 60Mhz. its slaved laptop. Once again, you there too. buy items and chat to exhibitors. The group also presented us with One or two people were surprised some impressive demos created by by the presence of Commodore, those coders who refuse to accept and many stopped to take a look that the machine’s limitations are out of curiosity. Several of the just that. Technical help or advice Cheshunt Computer Club’s for the Atari ST/TT and Falcon members were present, each using range could be found here, as well an upgraded or modified machine. as information on club Mark Branson from the group membership. More Tempest and the GameBase ST stand
older computers and thought we NH: With the recent advances in wrong they still had a little style should involve other types as well coding for the Jaguar and the and soul. in the JagFest. CD encryption finally being broken, for the Jaguar I see a new future in homebrew games RG: You’ve already started RG: In general, is the Atari scene and prototypes. Whilst it will planning the next JagFest UK. Is healthy or do you think the never be a mainline machine, there any way Retro Gamer number of users is declining? there are a lot of people readers can get involved? interested in coding for it. The sideshow? Can you see the NH: Healthy? Well I won’t earn a Lynx is further down the line with NH: Sure. The best way is to let JagFest UK growing to include living from it just yet, but it is new games and demos from me know what you want to see other formats as well? constantly in good health. people such as Duranik. at the show. After all, it’s there Numbers declining? Not at the for you. Oh, and don’t forget to NH: OK, I have a dark secret. I moment. People seem to want to visit my Web shop – you may own an Amiga 4000, and whilst I relive their gaming past and RG: What do you think makes want to buy something! don’t use it as much as I want, it’s some people collect for the sake users so loyal to the Atari a bloody superb machine. I have of collecting. But, Atari machines? always liked the Amiga and would ST/STE/TT/Falcons are still in like to involve the company as everyday use and a vocal NH: I think as Atari started it all well. The Commodore 8-bit… well, I minority still want drive candy for and produced groundbreaking grew up with a Spectrum and a their machines. computers and consoles. Many Dragon but loved playing games people grew up with them. But on the C64 and VIC-20. After the when they use modern PCs and Micro JagFest, which was held last RG: Computers aside, what sort Macs they remember how much November in Birmingham, I was of future do you see for the easier the older stuff was to use impressed by the sheer loyalty Jaguar/Lynx scene? and how quickly you could get some people have towards their results. Even when they went
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SFUSP£HBNFS* | FEATURE:REPORT | ON THE PROWL | Tournament results
Four tournaments were planned Group 3: Sacha Hofer, Shiuming entrants were: Bamji was allowed to restart his for the weekend. However, Nexus Lai and Jan ‘Coda’ Thomas. Stephen Moss, first-round attempt due to an Magazine, which was charged with Group 4: Nick ‘Stone’ Bamji, Gary Taylor, accidental reset because of an running one of them, had to pull Nick Harlow and Nick ‘The Nico Hofer, Jan alleged controller malfunction. The out of the JagFest at the last Tyrant’ Turner. Thomas, Bryan first round scores were as follows: minute due to unforeseen Bosley, James difficulties. This left only three to Richard Stevens, Ryan Edwards, ‘Clock’ Barret, Pete Muller 380,553 compete in: Worms on the Jaguar, Jan Thomas and Nick Bamji all Dennis Barret, Nick Bamji 206,887 Tempest 3000 on the Nuon DVD won their respective groups and Ryan Edwards, Matt Bacon 194,232 player, and the Atari 7800 version progressed to the final. As Ryan Thomas Nick Turner 185,258 of Asteroids. The adjudicators won all the tournaments at the Wellicome, Nick Harlow 176,000 overseeing fair play were Stephen first JagFest UK, the other finalists Stephen Poynter, James Haslam Richard Stevens 131,357 Moss, James ‘thund3r’ Perrow and were slightly apprehensive about and Thornsten (aka ‘Mad James Perrow 108,950 Ryan ‘Jagman’ Edwards. playing against him. After a great Butscher’). Gary Taylor 72,250 final, the results were as follows. No prizes were awarded for Allan Bairstow 51,550 Worms In fourth place was Jan Thomas, this tournament, but the top three Nico Hofer 48,600 tournament who won a copy of SpeedBall 2 scorers were as follows: Stephen Moss 24,950 for the Atari ST. Third place went Shaun Bebbington 13,000 The dozen to Ryan, who won a copy of 1st: James Barret 19,840 points Shiuming Lai 6,950 entrants to Dragon’s Lair for the Atari ST. A 2nd: Thorsten 19,760 points James Haslam 6,150 Saturday’s Worms close second place was ‘Stone’, 3rd: Nico Hoffer 17,570 points Thorsten 4,300 tournament were who won a White Men Can’t Jump Sacha Hofer 950 split into four Jaguar game cartridge. And the groups of three winner was Richard Stevens, who Tempest 3000 After a gripping second round, the players, with the won a Hoverstrike (Unconquered tournament tournament was taken by Nick winner from each Lands) CD for the Jaguar and a ‘Stone’ Bamji. He won a rather group JagBox insert. This tournament nice boxed Lynx II for his progressing to ran on the troubles. Second place went to the final. The groups were as Asteroids Sunday and Nick ‘The Tyrant’ Turner, who won follows: tournament really a copy of Tempest 3000. In third succeeded in place was the first-round winner Group 1: Shaun Bebbington, James This tournament ran on Saturday bringing out Pete Muller, who won two Atari Haslam and Richard Stevens. and was a simple high-score some raw 2600 games. A single 2600 game event. Players had 10 minutes or passion in was awarded to Matt Bacon who Group 2: Ryan Edwards, Gary until they died (whichever came players! There finished fourth. ‘Gaztee’ Taylor and Thorsten (aka first) in which to score as many was a little ‘Mad Butscher’). points as possible. The 12 controversy when Nick ‘Stone’ Commodore Scene interview Allan Bairstow also attended the show, so we took a few minutes to speak to him about Commodore Scene magazine and the impending CS-Doom 64 - a version of Doom for the Commodore 64
Retro Gamer: How did you first get Commodore PETs in my final years family reasons, I asked if I could involved with the Commodore 64? at school and that would be about continue production until he was 1979. Either way, Commodore’s are able to return. He didn’t return and Allan Bairstow: Well, if we are now in my blood and I am I am still here. The magazine goes talking specifically about the C64 surrounded by them at from strength to strength, but it then that would be the late 80s. Commodore Scene. has to be said that the readership I’m not too sure of the exact date. I never had any intention of has dropped off a bit in these I was a bit of a late starter as I writing a magazine. Along with latter years. had to wait until I was working so many others, I was a reader of that I could afford to buy my own Computer Scene (Commodore computer. I paid £299 for the C64 Scene’s original name) and I even RG: Which is the busiest part of alone – I had to go back a week started submitting GEOS articles. running Commodore Scene: the AB: It has to be the magazine. later to buy the Datasette for When Richard Bowen (the previous magazine, importing service or the Everything is geared around £49.99. Prior to this, I used editor) had to stop producing it for other on-going projects? producing Commodore Scene, and
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everything that comes through the just awaiting some special letter box or arrives via email is equipment so that final testing can considered fair game for the be done. This is just a ‘wait and magazine, so that takes quite a bit see’ situation, but there is good of sorting out. Although it has to news as a prototype should be be said that there are a few ready for the winter. people who contribute regular articles and that makes my life a whole lot easier – I am eternally RG: Is there anything you would grateful to them for their like to say to RG readers? dedication and help. The importing service runs fairly easily as goods AB: There sure is. This year we come and go without too much have the good fortune of having trouble (if they arrive on time that a genuinely great magazine for us is). The other projects (being the all to enjoy – I am of course CS-Doom 64 challenge and the referring to Retro Gamer. We need Commodore-to-VGA adaptor) are to make sure it stays with us so, semi-self running, but I want to as with Commodore Scene, we Will anyone take up the challenge for £500? see them both complete this year. need to subscribe and keep it alive. If you have some spare £10 each. Today I have loads of RG: How can Retro Gamer readers cash afterwards, why not RG: Which of the side projects has hardware and software and the get involved? subscribe to Commodore Scene received the most interest from games cost next to nothing, so in as well. I was very pleased to C64/128 enthusiasts? that respect I am happier now. You AB: Well, with CS I would say meet Martyn Carroll at last year’s can’t really compare the two times subscribe to keep it alive. I will Micro Mart show at the NEC in AB: The Commodore-to-VGA as they are worlds apart. I enjoyed send out a free single-issue Birmingham, and having now adaptor has really caught peoples’ the heyday as I was young and all sample to anybody who seen the final magazine and imagination, even to the point of I had to worry about was where writes/emails as long as they say watched the changes made in them pre-ordering the units so that my next 10p was coming from for that they read about it here in such a short space of time, it is we can raise enough capital to Space Invaders. I’m enjoying the Retro Gamer. The CS-Doom 64 obvious to me that the staff are finish the prototypes. The project revival we are having now and I project is now on the look out for producing something truly great should be finished this year have a wiser head on my a programmer and the only way I for us all. This is the start of without too much trouble, shoulders, which means I can save will be able to do that is to raise something big. 5** providing we can source the right some money so I can go to shows some more cash – donations/pre- testing equipment to get it done. and enlighten the general public orders are welcomed and I will To contact Allan, send an email The CS-Doom 64 challenge will be about what your C64 can do today, keep a tab on anybody who sends to commodorescene@btopenworld. getting a kick from me during which is why I negotiated an area in cash or items for auction. The com or head over to his homepage August, after this weekend and my at the JagFest. Commodore-to-VGA adaptor is now at www.commodorescene.org.uk. family holiday. Along with the funds we have already and the new funds from donations, I hope RG: Do you get many new to be able to entice a programmer subscribers to Commodore Scene? to pull his finger out and produce Atari Web something truly amazing. AB: This year saw quite a few new subscribers, but the overall subscription base has dropped resources RG: Regarding your Doom 64 from last year. It’s a sad fact of challenge, do you expect to see a life that people just assume that Here are some essential playable demo any time soon? CS will be here forever. It will if links you may want to keep people subscribe and won’t if an eye on and AB: At the moment the answer is they don’t… containing many links .net www.myatari downloads no. However, I would like to see a or all interesting e premier publication f demo of some sort before Th matters. The entire Atari-related esbasest.com Christmas (hopefully). I will be RG: Would there ever be a time d this www.gam yAtari team UK attende esBase setting aside the latter part of when you would consider finishing M Homepage of the Gam st and will bring you year’s JagFe t August and the whole of Commodore Scene? e in their ST projec e fullest report possibl September to promote CS-Doom th xt issue .net 64 and locate a programmer. We AB: Financially I would have to ne www.portfolioclub.cwc K Atari already have a musician doing the stop producing CS if the Virtual home of the U st.org www.jagfe o club audio stuff, and we’ve been subscriptions weren’t there, but I tal Portfoli The official JagFest por approached by a few people, but would make sure there was ards and ontaining message bo /accueil/ I’m not at liberty to say any more. something to replace it. On a c www.czuba-tech.com ews on future events personal level, my Commodores n english/welcome.htm ari TT/Falcon are now a part of me and they Information about At ystems.co.uk www.1632s lerator boards RG: What are your feelings on the will never leave me. It’s hard to rs of and acce ne of the main sponso ‘old days’ and the current scene? explain to my wife but I’m sure all O he JagFest UK org you collectors will understand. t http://hardware.atari. ari hardware AB: In the old days I didn’t have That is what being an enthusiast Loads of detailed At slam.atari.org http://jfha tion any money and games cost nearly is all about. age informa James Haslam’s homep
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:HARDWARE | WORLD OF ATARI |
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>World of Atari
In 1979, Atari launched two computers that were to change computing history. The Atari 400 and its bigger brother, the 800, came with features that other computer manufacturers could only dream about. John Southern takes an in-depth look at Atari's remarkable 8-bit computer range and talks to co-founder Nolan Bushnell
rior to the launch of the Atari 400/800 machines, the computing world was made up of mainframes and mini-computers from the big boys. A few micros P had started to come along, such as the TRS-80 model I and II and the Commodore PET. Atari, meanwhile, had already made millions through videogames such as Pong, and new owners Warner Communications had to find a way to make its US$28- million investment pay off. The Atari 400/800 computers were originally announced in December 1978, and within 10 months units were ready for shipping. From their first day on sale, the machines were in instant demand, leading to a shake up of the computing industry as a whole.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:HARDWARE | WORLD OF ATARI |
feel where the key was and so type without looking at your fingers. Unfortunately, with virtually no vertical movement, it wasn’t that easy in practice. Of course not everyone was happy and plenty of peripheral manufacturers soon started offering typewriter Antic stood for Alpha-Numeric keyboard replacements. (Many Television Interface Circuit, and wonderful inventions were tried, it was used to control the TV including sticking rubber keys display. It had its own onto the membrane in the hope instruction set and an that the rubber would give application called the Display some responsive movement.) On List, which handled writing data the right-hand side of the to RAM using Direct Memory keyboard were four function Access and shunting the 6502C keys – Select, Option, Start and, CPU. The 6502C was really a of course, Reset. Much later MOS Technologies’ 6502B CPU Atari would increase the number with an extra HALT line of function keys to five, with developed for Atari. the inclusion of a Help key. The CTIA (Color Television As well as allowing for a Interface Adapter) chip was reduction in manufacturing responsible for the graphics. As costs, the membrane keyboard well as adding colours and was designed in a way that dealing with collision detection, Advertisements emphasised the power of the new meant it could be wiped clean designer Jay Miner also 8-bit machines after being used by children. incorporated Player/Missile This ties in with early adverts Graphics (PMG) technology to because they had the biggest for the 400, which alluded to the CTIA graphics chip, opening The first Atari 8-bits may look breasts. Who said computing is the fact that they could be up endless gaming possibilities. primitive now, but back in 1979 a highbrow pursuit? family machines, mentioning By catering for the when the home-computer quad-sized fonts for teaching programmers, Atari ensured a market was still in its infancy, The Atari 400 children to read, and the usual steady supply of up-and-coming this technology trounced the clean-shaven, pristine-suited game developers that it could competition. They may have The 400 was Atari’s first attempt man displaying his family leverage for its arcade and been ugly, but beneath the at being more than just a budget in a pie chart. console divisions. bizarrely designed casing laid console and video arcade The groundbreaking On the I/O side of things, the an impressive box of tricks. company. Corners were cut on development, though, was the joystick ports weren’t just The machines had colour some parts of the design, but use of the first custom- simple connectors – they could graphics – 320 by 192 pixels the machine still retained its built Antic co-processor. could be coloured. OK, so there edge. For an initial were only 16 actual colours, but launch price of the brightness of each colour US$550, the could be varied to give 128 most noticeably different shaded colours. The reduced feature Sinclair ZX81, released two was the years later, still couldn’t do this keyboard. Atari and was limited to black and used a white only. The machines also membrane boasted four-voice sound, with keyboard that a three and a half octave range. did not have The sound was a little tinny and moving switch the volume control was almost keys. Rather than useless, but this was the start suffering from of computer music, which cheap rubberised finally ended with Atari TT’s keys or slippery production of much of the membranes as 1980s’ techno sounds. other During production, the 400 manufacturers and 800 were codenamed later did, the 400 ‘Candy’ and ‘Colleen’. Rumour had small raised has it that Candy and Colleen ridges around where two secretaries working at each key. This Atari, and they were picked out meant you could
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also fire out data that could be used to control other >Add-ons devices, such as robot arms and phone diallers. There & extras were expansion ports too, but these were For those with a little more cash in their pockets and internal and you had the need for a more useful machine, Atari offered the to take most of the 810 disk unit. This was a single-sided, single-density machine to pieces to access 5.25in drive. Two versions them, as they lay under the were released: the usual metal R/F shields that made up The Atari 800 flip-eject mechanism or the part of the cartridge slot push-button type. The housing. Like so many early The more expensive 800 model push-button version jolted machines, you could use came with 48Kb of RAM and the unit less, so the cassette tapes for storage and, had the advantage of a second read/write head tended to naturally, Atari shipped its own cartridge port. This meant you last a little longer. tape player/recorder. Tape data could increase the RAM further The 820 was Atari’s dot- transfer was slow, so the and still have room for an matrix printer, which had a five-pin head. The 822 was cartridge slots were used for application cartridge. The 800 a thermal printer and had the added important applications. The also had more RAM on board. advantage that you didn’t need the 400 only had one slot, which RAM was expensive in 1979 and earplugs that really should meant you had to choose prices fluctuated almost daily, have been supplied with the between BASIC (as this wasn’t so to have the extra 32Kb was very noisy 820. The 825 supplied in the operating a great bonus. Ultra-rare was a professional eight-pin system), a game cartridge or versions only had 8Kb on dot-matrix printer that was a extra RAM (interestingly, the board, but were sold with a little slower than the 820, cartridge slot was labelled ‘left’ 32Kb RAM cartridge. The but could use a wider range of even though there was only addition of a proper typewriter- paper stock. ever one.) For those who style switch keyboard and RGB Communication via computers was wanted to program the machine, monitor output indicated that it still in its infancy, but Atari had two the BASIC cartridge became the was primarily aimed at the modems. The 835 looked like any external must-have buy. business man rather than the modem, while the other 300 Baud modem was an acoustic Collectors of retro computers home gamer. coupler. This was a box with two rubber docking cups that should look out for the 8Kb RAM The 800 was the ultimate you fitted your phone versions of the 400 (as opposed to prize. It was expensive, selling headset into. Due to the later 16Kb models) as these in the UK for £400, almost the exorbitant price, were the first issues – unfortunately double what it retailed for in it was cheaper to though, they’re becoming very rare. America. (You could try buy the 850 Incidentally, the 400 name came importing one, but by the time adaptor, which from the original specification that you’d added postage and UK added parallel called for just 4Kb of RAM. custom charges, you’d saved and serial ports, very little.) When and a coupler from the RadioShack/Tandy range. units were shipped Thanks to their communication capabilities, the Atari to the UK, most computers soon became the preferred choice of machine to buyers realised that run Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). These acted as the the UK computers forerunner to the Internet, and email of a sort existed, with could not compete BBSes passing accumulated messages on to each other to on functions. Only form large networks that spanned countries and the expense of the continents. Echomail still runs today and many BBSes are cartridge software in operation. They cater for specific groups and are still stopped the Atari very cheap to operate. machines from killing the UK Trackers and paddles computer manufacturers dead Input devices added glamour to the otherwise staid in their tracks. keyboard entry. The Trak-Ball had seen some success on The computers Missile Command in the arcades, but sold in higher were huge in the numbers than expected for Atari. This was due to the fact States. Atari’s that the ball could be sent spinning with a simple flick of advertisers knew the wrist. In some games this proved to be an advantage, exactly where to which is why you can still buy these devices for your PC hit the market. some 25 years later. One advert Paddles (gamepads) have now merged and appear showed a very similar. In the early days however, innovations bookcase filled abounded. Twisting potentiometers, sliding gauges and with software even paddles that sensed the human body’s titles. At the top electromagnetic radiation found their way onto the market!
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:HARDWARE | WORLD OF ATARI |
>Atari exports
Around the time of the XL launch, Atari started to cater for differing markets. When launched, the European PAL models had a monitor output alongside the usual TV connector, as opposed to the USA NTSC versions that had to rely on TV output only. In Canada, Atari released a version of the 600XL with 64Kb of RAM built in (instead of the usual 16Kb). The 800XLF was released in France and was better still. This machine had a customised memory-management chip (Freddie) to give faster graphical memory switching. This was The Atari 1200XL and its successors, the 600XL and a SECAM version, but due to the cold war, Atari was the 800XL prohibited from exporting to the world’s largest SECAM market, Russia. The Eastern European 800XE can be considered to be either a 65XE with an ECI port or a 64Kb version of the faced the challenge of having to this mistake, the subsequent 130XE. The casing was similar to the XL range, but many port all of its software to the 600XL and 800XL featured very older Atari users didn’t like the repositioning of the cartridge new machine. This meant the few differences in the extended slot at the back of the computer as this meant changing 1200XL started life as any other operating system and were games was physically a little awkward. The machine also new machine, with very little almost fully backwards featured a white keyboard, which had a softer, spongier feel. happening on the software compatible with the original front. The model only managed software catalogue. They four months in production included new 24Kb ROMs and were all the financial and piracy and maintained a high before being deemed a the increase in size was due to statistical packages, shouting price. As the videogame market commercial flop. their incorporation of the out that the computer, although flourished, so did the cartridge Having learnt quickly from BASIC Interpreter on board, only a fraction of the cost of a range for the 400 and 800 business machine, was machines. Other computer nevertheless capable of helping manufacturers had to write you become a business leader. everything from scratch and Graph IT and Atari Word slowly build up a back Processing held the prime catalogue. Atari made the cut positions. Below this lay by ensuring every program was educational and productivity available in the arcades, on its software to appeal to a lighter consoles and then on its yet still serious user, such as computers. If you were serious Touch Typing, My First Alphabet about games, then you bought and Music Composer. The an Atari. bottom of the bookcase showed a library of software written by The XL series other users. If they could do it, well why not you? Only in the In 1982, Atari released its next middle did it target the younger generation of computers. The XL audience. The shelf with the series became Atari’s best- most titles was games. selling range, but it had a poor Atari benefited from its coin- start. The first machine, the operated videogame market. 1200XL, was released in the US Direct copies of games were only (making it something of a sold as cartridges so you could collector’s item in other play the same games at home. countries.) The 1200XL included Cartridges prevented against the 6502C chip and 64Kb RAM, but unlike the 400 and 800 it only had two joystick ports instead of four. With a new 16Kb ROM and sound that now came through the TV rather than the system’s built-in speaker, the computer gained a few followers. Unfortunately, changing the operating system meant the The Village People diggin' back catalogue of software the Atari 800 became redundant and Atari
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meaning Atari could do away ribbon cartridges. Old, cheap with a BASIC cartridge slot. stock from other printer >Prototypes With the same customised manufacturers could often be chips – Pokey, Antic and CTIA used, keeping printing costs (later upgraded to the GTIA – down. Most hardware manufacturers have George’s Television Interface The Commodore MPS-801 a whole list of machines that Adapter) – the new machines printer was rebranded and sold never made it off the drawing were technically the same as as the 1029 printer, while the board and Atari is no exception. the original models, although 1027 printer plugged directly The never-to-be-released 800XLD they did boast an additional into the XL computers to give a (an 800XL with a built-in 5.25in Parallel Bus Interface (PBI). So very neat daisywheel-quality disk drive), 1400XL (a basically, the 600XL/800XL were printer. The drawback of this replacement for the 1200XL with successors of the Atari 400/800 model was that you had to built-in voice synthesiser and series and the unsuccessful manually feed in a sheet of 300 baud modem) and 1450XLD Atari 1200XL, in a more compact paper at a time. (a 1400XL with built-in 5.25in case. They could use almost all The 1050 disk drive came disk drive and room for a second drive) were all in production around 1983, but perhaps the most the same software, just as long with the original Atari 400/800 famous example is the much-speculated 1600XL. This twin processor as the program was written operating system on a disk that model was said to have the usual 6502C and the new Intel 80186 correctly. Only a few titles could be loaded on top of the for greater DOS compatibility. However, in 1998 the Atari Museum would not run because of some XL’s OS to ensure compatibility claimed to have found engineering logbooks showing evidence of a slight variations between OS with your old software. Memory 1650XLD (6502C based) and a 1850XLD (68000 CPU, 128Kb RAM versions. The new 64Kb of RAM could also be extended to over with Apple compatibility). It is the latter that was probably the in the 800XL model also helped 300Kb and EPROMs could be result of Atari licensing the Lorraine system from Amiga. the game designers expand fitted with DOS onto the their range and complex motherboards. Other unreleased prototypes include the 65XEP (XE Portable), which was a portable 65XE adventure titles became popular. housing a 5in green-screen With the new range came The XE series monitor and 3.5in disk drive. new printers and other Finally, the 65XEM (XE peripherals. The 1020 was On 2 July 1984, Atari’s Consumer Music) was a version with Atari’s only colour printer. Electronics Division, along with an eight-voice ‘Amy’ sound Manufactured by Alps, it used its Home Computer Division, chip designed to rival the four pens to give a total of 256 was sold to Tramiel Technologies Commodore 64’s SID chip. colour combinations. The 1025 Limited. The holding company Unfortunately, neither machine was a proper nine-pin printer was quickly renamed Atari passed the prototype stages that used spools of ribbon Corporation. This change in and both remained concept rather than the rising ownership brought about the machines. format of death of the trusty XL line and gave rise to the XE series. January 1985 saw the launch of the Atari 65XE and 130XE publicity. The 65XE, which was disk with a whopping 10Mbs of computers, to much press priced at US$120, was really a storage was launched by Supra. remake of the 800XL without High-resolution monitors and the PBI. The 130XE, on the third-party 5.25in drives were other hand, was to become the common. You could even add ultimate Atari 8-bit to reach CP/M via an additional Zilog mass production. With 128Kb of Z80 chip unit from SWP. RAM, the Freddie chip and a re- However, this was all just a engineered PBI called the holding strategy while the new Enhanced Cartridge Interface Atari company killed the 8-bit (ECI), it had the best of Atari 8- line with the launch of the 16- bit technology. bit Atari 520ST. The peripherals improved The final 8-bit from Atari was too. The Atari SX-212 Modem the XEGS (XE Game System). finally made it beyond 300 This was marketed as a Baud to an impressive 1200 console, but it was really a Baud rate. And with the XF-551, complete 8-bit computer. It disk drives also featured 64Kb RAM and a changed detachable keyboard. Built into to the 32Kb ROM was the BASIC double- interpreter and the Missile density, Command game. double- Despite concentrating on the sided units. 16-bit range, Atari continued to On the business manufacture the 8-bit machines side, many designs for many years after the ST’s The EX range shared the same casing were tried by those launch. Finally, on 1 January style as the later ST line who didn’t want to 1992, production ceased and advance down the IBM- Atari’s 8-bit computer line was compatible route. A hard discontinued.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:HARDWARE | WORLD OF ATARI | >Machine specs >Nolan Atari 400
Production 1979-1982 CPU MOS Technology 6502 at 1.773447MHz (PAL version) RAM 8Kb or 16Kb ROM 10Kb TEXT MODES 40x25 GRAPHIC MODES 320x192 (maximum) COLOURS CTIA 128 colours, GTIA 256 colours SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves I/O PORTS TV, 1 cartridge slot, expansion bus, Atari Serial I/O (SIO), 4 joystick sockets, tape recorder, 2 internal slots OS 400/800 OS in ROM Atari 800
Production 1979-1982 CPU MOS Technology 6502 at 1.773447MHz (PAL version) RAM 8Kb or 48Kb ROM 10Kb TEXT MODES 40x25 GRAPHIC MODES 320x192 (maximum) COLOURS CTIA 128 colours, GTIA 256 colours SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves Nolan Bushnell, the godfather of I/O PORTS TV, RGB monitor, 2 cartridge slots, expansion bus, Atari Serial I/O (SIO), 4 joystick videogames sockets, tape recorder, 4 internal slots OS 400/800 OS in ROM Retro Gamer: In the old days, a programmer could bang Atari 1200XL together a game in a back bedroom, but today entire Production 1982 development teams are involved CPU MOS Technology 6502 at 1.7897725MHz (NTSC only) and the market has changed RAM 64Kb completely. How do you see ROM 16Kb today’s gaming industry – can a TEXT MODES 40x24 bloke with a vision for an GRAPHIC MODES 320x192 (maximum) original game still make it? COLOURS GTIA 256 colours SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves I/O PORTS TV, RGB monitor, 1 cartridge slot, peripheral connector, 2 joystick sockets Nolan Bushnell: Absolutely. The OS XL OS in ROM nice thing about software is that you can throw teams of Atari 600XL/800XL programmers at it, which is necessary for extremely Production 1982-1985 extensive and complex world- CPU MOS Technology 6502 at 1.773447MHz (PAL) type games, and most of the RAM 16Kb (600XL) or 64Kb (800XL) RPGs that you see in the online ROM 24Kb world require that. So it’s a TEXT MODES 40x24 budget and a monetary issue. GRAPHIC MODES 320x192 (maximum) But many of the games that I COLOURS GTIA 256 colours believe will be successful are SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves reminiscent of the early Dooms I/O PORTS TV, RGB monitor, 1 cartridge slot, expansion bus, Atari Serial I/O (SIO), 2 joystick sockets, tape recorder, parallel bus – they will be the product of OS XL OS in ROM with BASIC interpreter one or two brilliant programmers. And I think that Atari 65XE/130XE/XEGS the massive multiplayer, in which you have to have an Production 1985-1992 extremely small data-sparse CPU MOS Technology 6502C at 1.773447MHz (PAL) kernel and ways to keep servers RAM 64Kb (65XE/XEGS) or 128Kb (130XE) from being bound through ROM 24Kb (65XE/130XE) or 32Kb (XEGS) transactions, they almost need TEXT MODES 40x25 to be non-corporate because GRAPHIC MODES 320x192 (maximum) the architecture that it screams COLOURS GTIA 256 colours out for is peer to peer. So if SOUND 4 voices, 3.5 octaves anyone reads this, I am I/O PORTS TV, RGB monitor, cartridge slot, expansion bus, Atari Serial I/O (SIO), 2 joystick sockets, tape recorder interested in a game in which you essentially secure a OS XL OS in ROM with BASIC interpreter (XEGS includes Missile Command) structure in which every
**32** RETRO6 Atari 07/07/2004 9:23 PM Page 33
Bushnell interview
Atari is over 30 years old and in that time the world of videogaming has changed beyond all recognition. Nolan Bushnell, Atari's co-founder, is back in the games market with a new company, uWink. We caught up with him and asked for his views on today's gaming industry... around, and give a more participant becomes a server. of structure ultimately, but we satisfying experience You can then have multiple were definitely moving in the than a console. connections, adding and direction of a connected online A more interesting dropping sessions with the community. trend is this whole players that are in your The console market has question of open environment. always been for the technical systems versus closed. neophytes, and network There is, at the moment, connections have technically a great attempt to keep Retro Gamer: Are people today been somewhat difficult. It has the console systems too bothered about how a game only been through the closed, so they can looks rather than how it plays? application of tremendous essentially subsidise the amounts of resources that this hardware with software Nolan Bushnell: The reason that has become easy to use. There sales. I believe that in they are obsessed with that fluff were some very strong early the final analysis, even is that we live in a media attempts at this, such as Sierra though there are some environment where you get a Online, which was a gaming very compelling lot of jollies for how things network that was launched in economics for keeping look. In many cases people are the mid-80s. There were some closed systems, I more interested in the really good games that could be believe software and Nolan with the custom Pong controller technology of gameplay than in played. If you then look at the intellectual property in the gameplay itself. And I really time before the Internet was the long run always wants to be of the aspects of it is that it is don’t know why. essentially commercialised – free or tends to want to be much relatively graphically sparse as some of the MUDs that were more open. well. So the fact that the early operating by Stanford Research I think there will continue to games had to be extremely well Retro Gamer: Online gaming is and Xerox PARC – there were be this battle for the console tuned and exciting as well as already massive on the PC and some really amazing things market. But I really think that graphically sparse, means that a it’s now taking its first tentative being done even in this early there will be a convergence of lot of the early games are perfectly steps into the mainstream era. I think that it was more computers and TVs, where they suited to this new medium. through stuff like Xbox Live and that the economics of simplicity become essentially one thing. My the PlayStation online malarkey. slowed down the development vision for the future is that in the Retro Gamer: So what’s this Is online gaming the wave of of online gaming via consoles. corner of the house is a server. uWink thing all about then? the future? We then have a network of screens that we hang around the Nolan Bushnell: uWink’s centre Nolan Bushnell: It’s funny you Retro Gamer: Currently, the house. Some of these are at a of gravity is games that are mention that, as in 1975 we gaming market is split between desk where we have a keyboard; highly addictive and, in some started a division of Atari called the consoles and the PC. Do some of the screens are in the ways, more reminiscent of the AtariTel. We actually had a you think one platform will living room where we watch TV. games that were developed in working 22-kilobit modem in ultimately dominate? Then we hang speakers around the early days of this industry. the lab. This in a world of 300 the house and play our MP3s. All Our games are simple, easy to baud modems! So we were Nolan Bushnell: I think it’s this would be accessible through learn, but very difficult to master planning to have an online always going to be difficult for smart remote controls. Basically, and we think that there is a component that was based the consoles to overtake PCs just these artificial distinctions that need for this type of game around bulletin board because in general, PCs have we now have disappear. today. The hardware we are structures. We were going to more money that can be thrown using is PC driven. use T1s to link local bulletin at them. There is also a certain boards, to give an Internet-like cheat that is going on, in that Retro Gamer: Loads of classic structure. The IP infrastructure the television screen has much games are enjoying a new lease Retro Gamer: Finally, how do and protocol is just brilliant in less resolution than a good of life on mobile phones. Why do you feel about Infogrames its simplicity and extensibility. It monitor; so with the consoles you think this is? adopting the Atari name? was so much better than the you don’t have to manipulate so system that we had envisioned many pixels to have what, Nolan Bushnell: In the early days Nolan Bushnell: I don’t mind it, at the time, even though we compared to television, is a of computer gaming, graphics were but I’m disappointed because I were very early. It can only be pretty paltry graphic experience. technically very difficult, and so in wanted to get control of the name speculated whether or not we And so a graphic card for the PC some ways if you look at the and return Atari to its previous would have evolved an IP kind is going to move more pixels micro screen on cell phones, one glory – but under my tutelage. ✺✯*
**33** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:32 PM Page 34
❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:ARCADE | COIN-OP CONVERSIONS |
**34** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:32 PM Page 35
>Coin-op Conversions
Having had your socks blown off by the arcade behemoths, it was only natural that you'd want to play the games at home on your humble computer or console. The conversions wouldn't look or sound as good, but they'd play the same, right? In the first of a two-part feature, Robert Mellor looks at how the home versions of a couple of classic Sega arcade games fared...
n the mid 1980s, Sega genius Yu Suzuki changed the face of arcade games. Thanks to Suzuki and his AM2 team, punters were treated to several technically amazing Imachines that would quickly become certified coin-op classics. As naturally as night follows day, conversions were released for all the major platforms of the day, and they varied wildly in quality. We begin by looking at two AM2-developed arcades games: Hang-On and Space Harrier.
**35** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:32 PM Page 36
❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:ARCADE | COIN-OP CONVERSIONS |
>SINCLAIR VERSION
>AMSTRAD CPC VERSION
>ARCADE VERSION
Electric Dreams Sinclair Spectrum: meaning the experience wasn’t won the Super Hang-On licence in quite all it could have been. Still, 1986 and most of the home it was a superb machine that computer formats were covered. always gathered a crowd of The Spectrum version featured a >Hang-On admiring onlookers. nice loading screen, but that’s layer; and had the ability to draw A sequel to the game was where the impressive presentation This 1985 racing classic was the translucent shadows. The sound in released in 1987 in the form of ended. It was cursed with some first game that Yu Suzuki and his the game was powered by a Z80 Super Hang-On. This updated horrible opening music, which was soon-to-be legendary team sound CPU, which was version added a wealth of extras, set to an on-screen depiction of created. You took on the role of a complimented by either a YM2203 such as the choice of a number of the coin-ops level-select map, and gutsy competitor who had to race or an YM2151 chip and a custom courses depending on which skill the programmers decided to his motorbike through several PCM chip. All this combined to level you selected, an excellent completely forgo any kind of title twisting stages. The game’s create a game that blew away the soundtrack and even better screen. The in-game action didn’t scenery changed instantly every arcade competition of the time, graphics with stages actually feature any music to accompany time you crossed a checkpoint. It with super-fast, knee-scraping morphing as you progressed, à la you on your journey, just the odd was pretty much the first genuine gameplay, brilliant graphics (in OutRun, rather than the sudden bit of uninspiring spot FX here vehicle simulator in an arcade terms of both colour and detail), flash changes that were seen in and there. setting and took full advantage of and a catchy, well-composed the original. The sequel also The game scrolled well enough, the superior hardware that Sega soundtrack. featured a turbo-boost button that but wasn’t as fast as it should have was working on. What really made the game propelled you to speeds of over been and was prone to sluggish Although later games on similar stand out though, were the various 300kmph, making it one of the and awkward handling. Strangely hardware would make Hang-On cabinets it was housed in. Hang-On fastest land-based games to grace enough, in contrast to Amstrad’s look inferior, this game opened the came in two basic flavours, the hardware. conversion, the Spectrum version floodgates in terms of what was namely stand up and sit down. featured more colours, slightly possible with the core 68000 The stand-up version featured a Home more detail on the main bike setup. The game ran on what realistic handlebar complete with a conversions sprite, more colourful roadside became generally known as ‘Space throttle and brake lever, and a objects and a little splash of colour Harrier Hardware’, featuring the tachometer and speedometer. The Although Hang-On and Super in the status text. Visually, it was obligatory Motorola Dual 68000 sit-down edition was an almost Hang-On weren’t as prolific in the surprisingly similar to the style of main CPU. The hardware: outputted full-sized bike that you could home market as the other AM2 OutRun on the Spectrum, with a video resolution of 320x224; had actually steer by leaning left and games, they were converted to well-presented but hollow-line the capability to display up to 128 right. The only setback to this several systems with varying drawings used for the main sprites on-screen sprites, two tile layers, a version was that the bike failed to degrees of success. text layer, a sprite layer capable of use the force-feedback elements, hardware zooming, and a road
**36** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:33 PM Page 37
>MASTER SYSTEM VERSION
>COMMODORE 64 VERSION
>MEGA DRIVE VERSION
>ATARI ST VERSION
but decent enough spot FX, with a game play. The play area was snippet of the main theme tune sounding music for the game, but large, not cramped by an annoying used on the title screen. Like other and a basic two tone-style overall the title was a little border, and the game played 8-bit versions, it lacked in-game background. It also managed to disappointing. Despite offering a smoothly and at a fast pace. detail, which meant the track was recreate the undulating road effect choice of different courses Various courses were available very bland and unexciting. Sega to some extent. depending on the skill level, the depending on the difficulty you tried to make amends by releasing scenery in each was remarkably selected and the programmers Hang-On 2 shortly afterwards, Amstrad CPC: The Amstrad version similar, save for a different colour even managed to cram in a which added in-game music, but of Super Hang-On featured an scheme here and there. The game scaled-down version of the sacrificed speed, looks and control, appallingly designed level-select did manage a fair bit of on-screen scenery morph, as seen in the making it an even poorer game screen that looked like it had come colour in each respective stage, but coin-op. The title was lots of fun than the first. straight from the Atari 2600. Like there was a decided lack of to play and was basically a very : The 16-bit Sega Spectrum’s conversion, the music roadside detail, with blocky main nice mini-representation of the Sega Megadrive featured in the game was once sprites making it pretty much arcade game. port was produced by the Japanese again painful to listen to. The indistinguishable from the arcade software giant itself. The game tem: Sega’s programmers also lazily decided to original. Sega Master Sys made a memorable appearance on port the Spectrum’s in-game version of the original Hang-On the Mega Games 3-in-1 cartridge The 16-bit home graphics to a machine that was Atari ST/Amiga: proved to be something of a and, like most of Sega’s obviously capable of more. micros received really good mixed bag. The play was fast, but conversions of its own titles, was a However, this version let you versions of Super Hang-On and it featured three gears that the very good rendition. The game was choose whether you controlled the Electric Dreams has the proud player had to change, rather than fast, smooth and looked great game via keys or the joystick and boast of producing what is the straightforward pedal-to-the- despite a very obvious tiling effect. allowed you to alter the sensitivity undeniably the best port of an metal acceleration of all the other All the features of the coin-op were of the controls. The game played AM2 game on a home computer. versions. Annoyingly, players would present, including the excellent very slowly though, and the The usual slight graphical and also find that their motorbike intro screen, level/course selection motorbike took an excruciating sound differences applied between exploded on the spot the second it and the option to choose from time to straighten up after taking a the ST and Amiga versions, but was touched by either another bike brilliant renditions of all the tight corner. A wasted opportunity. overall both were very good. The or any roadside scenery. This was original theme music. Amiga version in particular especially grating when an A perfect port of the original Another nice Commodore 64: featured excellent mod renditions opponent approached and Hang-On did eventually appear loading screen featured on the 8- of the selectable theme tunes, accelerated straight through you, on a Sega console, as a bonus bit Commodore rendition, but the complete with simultaneous spot totally obliterating your vehicle game in AM2’s epic Dreamcast options were typically limited C64 FX, a scrolling text intro lifted but not his. title, Shenmue. fare. As was usually the case, the straight from the coin-op, and a There was no in-game music, SID chip came through and good selection of options for in- managed to churn out some cool-
**37** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:33 PM Page 38
❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:ARCADE | COIN-OP CONVERSIONS |
>SINCLAIR VERSION
>COMMODORE 64 VERSION
>ARCADE VERSION
controls were a little annoying, as your character would automatically centre every so often. However, the title ran at quite a pace and the >Space Harrieron-screen action. While not quite general look of the game was great, incredible speed. Unbelievably, the as thrilling as the cockpit version with just a tidy status panel at the Space Harrier was also released in play would get even faster at of After Burner, the rolling cabinet bottom of the screen rather than 1985. The game really pushed certain points, such as the levels in showcased the talents of both the an all-encompassing border. Most Sega’s arcade hardware to its which you sprinted through an AM2 development team and of the sprites were typically hollow limits, allowing players to see the area that also featured a tiled Sega’s engineers. and there were a couple of colour full potential of what AM2 had to roof. After battling your way layers for the scenery, but the main offer. Set amidst an alien through each zone you had to Home sprite was reasonably solid and landscape know as The Fantasy confront the respective end-of- conversions the machine handled the mighty Zone, you controlled a plucky level boss to advance to the next boss characters surprisingly well. blonde-haired space cadet blindingly bright scenario. A fun Even though converting this This was a equipped with a futuristic laser bonus level would also appear monster of a coin-op to home Commodore 64: cannon that was both your every so often, in which you rode machines was always going to be pleasing conversion with a jolly weapon of defence and your atop a giant furry caterpillar. difficult, at least 15 different ports SID-chip rendition of the arcade’s means of flight over 18 enemy- When you reached the final level, of the game made it onto the main theme tune. The in-game populated levels. you had to destroy every boss home market, with selected display area was large, with just a Visually, the game was pure again in rapid succession. formats even receiving a souped- smattering of text for the status eye candy, with an unbelievably Once again, Sega offered up sequel as well. display, and the whole thing tripped-out playing area – Incan, prospective buyers the choice of moved along at a very acceptable : Elite Software prehistoric, oriental, and futuristic either an upright cabinet or a rolling Sinclair Spectrum rate with fairly smooth scrolling. influences were all thrown in for model complete with all the tackled the conversions for this Unfortunately, the game was a let good measure. The game featured trimmings. The upright was much title in 1987, and the Spectrum down by the sprite animation, as a multitude of colourful characters the same as the stand-up version of version was blessed with a proper the main character’s movements and play areas contained After Burner, in that it featured a tiled floor, as seen on the coin-op. looked a little goofy. everything from giant magic flight stick with which to control the While not completely solid, this Converting such a gargantuan mushrooms to woolly mammoths. on-screen sprite, complete with a fire was a very impressive sight on coin-op to home 8-bit systems was The title used the hardware’s button to activate the laser cannon. such a limited format. The game always going to be a big challenge sprite-scaling and zooming The rolling cabinet, of course, went played surprisingly well, but there and, as with most home versions capabilities to the maximum – one step further, featuring a was no in-game music, just a lot of of AM2 games, it quickly became massive enemies seamlessly hydraulic system that moved the very bad sound effects. The advanced towards you and the player along with the synchronised tiled floor created the illusion of
**38** RETRO6 Coin-Op Conversions 07/07/2004 9:34 PM Page 39
>PC ENGINE VERSION
>AMSTRAD CPC VERSION
>SEGA 32X VERSION
>ATARI ST VERSION
well recreated, including the Harrier. The sprites were big and bosses. The only setbacks of perhaps the Atari ST/Amiga: Elite’s 16-bit colourful but looked messy in this version were was prone to apparent that, stripped of the lush versions were decent conversions – places – many enemies had a slight slowdown it graphics and thunderous sounds they were a little rough around the square tile around them to now and again, and the tinny of the original, the experience edges, but they captured the comply with the scenery of any sound effects. simply wasn’t as much fun. But general feel of the coin-op quite given level. The bosses Saturn: While the Elite did about as well was well. The multi-load was perfectly themselves were well reproduced, Sega 32X/Sega S possible and at least produced a acceptable, particularly in the but their appearance caused the standard Megadrive was home to game that ran quickly. Amiga version, and the tiled floor game to chug and their fire was a version of the rather lacklustre was present and even bigger than surround by an ugly, colour-co- Space Harrier II (as were many Amstrad CPC: This version began in the coin-op with a nice ordinated block. Like the Amiga home formats in the early 90s), with a typically tinny-sounding perspective change as your and ST versions, the game Sega decided to convert the interpretation of the arcade’s main character moved around the screen. sported some of the arcade’s original classic to both its 32X theme tune as title-screen music. The Amiga mod also provided a sampled speech and a clone of Megadrive add-on and its Saturn The actual game itself, however, faithful version of the arcade the arcade’s attractive mode for console in the mid-1990s. Both of proved to be a very weird version’s main theme tune and the title screen. Unsurprisingly, these versions proved to be experience. For a start, the floor even managed to reproduce some the Game Gear version was essentially arcade-perfect ports of wasn’t tiled and it instead featured of the original’s speech samples to identical to the Master System the coin-op, finally allowing a set of thin blue lines that would add a bit of atmosphere. The game counterpart. players to really experience advance over the grey floor to ran quickly and smoothly, the Space Harrier in all its glory in create the illusion of movement. spites were big and well animated PC Engine: The PC Engine did an the home. The graphics themselves were a and the Amiga’s full-screen display excellent job of catering for the As with OutRun and After very strange mix of both raster was certainly very impressive. impressive graphics and speed Burner, a standalone version that and vector elements – your The machine’s limitations of the original. The music was featured remixed music was character and the horizon were tended to show through here and well done, the sprites were large created for the Saturn and was solid, while the bad guys and there, though. For example, the and moved smoothly, and the released to the Japanese market, scenery were, by and large, simple tiled floor was forced to change game ran at a suitable pace. The while the rest of the world were line drawings. Thankfully the colour in correspondence with the floor wasn’t a truly tiled replica of treated to it as part of the superb status panel was at the top, so the boss characters as you gradually the arcade game, as the PC Sega Ages compilation set. More overall look of the play area wasn’t depleted their energy. Engine instead opted for a recently, Space Harrier appeared as bad as it would have been had succession of brightly coloured on the Dreamcast as a bonus em: Sega’s 8-bit ✺✯* a border been used. Overall, the Sega Master Syst lines to simulate the scrolling game in Shenmue. game wasn’t too bad to play, but it console received a seriously effect. The bad guys were also wasn’t on a par with the Spectrum scaled-down version of Space and C64 versions. Next month We compare the many home conversions of AM2’s most memorable titles, OutRun and After Burner
**39** Untitled-1 1 1/9/06 12:55:47 RETRO6 Desert Island Discs 07/07/2004 9:51 PM Page 41
>Desert Island Disks
This month's castaway is David Doak, MD of Free Radical Design and the man behind GoldenEye on the N64. Paul Drury asks the questions...
eah, but if I’d written a book, I’d have been on the fucking cover.” David Doak isn’t happy. Fifteen seconds ago he was “Ysmiling broadly and musing how proud his mum will be. I’ve shown him a piece in the Oxford University Magazine about past scholars now working in the videogame industry. There’s a picture of GoldenEye, a game that sold 8 million copies, grossed half a billion dollars and invariably appears in the top 10 of all-time greatest games lists. But in the article all it’s given is a passing mention, and that’s only thanks to a letter by Edge writer David McCarthy, pointing out how often the field of game design is overlooked. We share a moment of righteous outrage at the derisory treatment of videogames >WHO? by the media in general. It’s something that clearly riles David. As he starts to David Doak – formerly of Rare and now top man at Free Radical Design wax lyrical about his Desert Island Disks, the passion he feels for gaming is obvious and in the article in question it’s once again being treated as the poor relation of other more established creative endeavours.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | DESERT ISLAND DISKS |
who nearly scuppered much of small team led by Martin Hollis, what makes Goldeneye so of crap ones too, which always which was working on a new Whilst I can detect the passion in special. “They turned up out of seemed to have the Nintendo departure for Rare at the time – a his voice, I struggle to hear any nowhere near the end and said Seal of Approval…” first-person shooter. And it had a Irish brogue in there, despite the ‘No, it was unacceptable… Bond Whilst his route into playing big licence too… fact that he was born and grew didn’t do those things.’ They videogames is fairly typical – his “We were like a mini-company up in Belfast. Maybe it’s the 10 wanted a sanitised version of story of playing Space Invaders in inside Rare making an atypical years he spent at Oxford, initially Bond who doesn’t shoot anyone. his local Spar shop for a weekly game that no one really thought reading biochemistry at If you go back to Sean Connery, prize takes me back to a time was going to be any good. The Brasenose College, then going on he’d shoot people for a laugh. when arcade machines were general feeling was we were a to study for PhD and Post-Doc. Smoke tabs, shoot people, shag everywhere – his entrance into bunch of students wasting time. Computing wasn’t a big part of birds.” The team literally stuck to the industry is not. Seeing an And then when it went into his studies, yet this is the era in their guns and created one of the advert in Edge for a systems testing there was this very good which many of his favourite landmark games of the Nineties. administrator at Rare, Doak feedback, initially from testers in- games were produced. That’s encouraged one of his students house but also from Nintendo. probably not a coincidence, as Rare talent to apply. When he declined, Doak People were putting in voluntary David admits that he spends a decided to apply himself “for a overtime to test this game.” The lot less time playing games now All this is even more amazing laugh” and found himself in game in question was GoldenEye that developing them is his job. when you discover that for all but charge of the company’s Silicon for the N64. Nintendo is However, what he learned about two of the team it was their first Graphics machines. “I went there renowned for its rigorousness – the importance of tempo, game. Was this freshness key to with glamour in my eyes, but “it likes to test things to death immersion and balance in those producing a game of such after six months I’d revised my and that’s the right way to make SNES days has a direct input into quality? “I think so,” muses opinion of quite a lot of the good games” – so people started how he makes games today. “If I David. “That and being slightly people who worked there.” He to take notice. They even got a could only take one console with isolated. It was overambitious but was all ready to leave, but was visit from licence-holders MGM me, it’d be the Super Nintendo. A persuaded to stay on and join a lot of great games, though a lot
Perfect Dark suffered from frequent delays, but it emerged as a worthy follow-up to GoldenEye
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Free Radical Design is best known for the excellent TimeSplitters series
Halfway through selecting his instalment is due out next year, eight games, David starts to soon stumbled. “GoldenEye through publishing giants in the end just about got there. If struggle. We’re worried he’s pretty much exhausted the Electronic Arts) and the there’d been any kind of sensible running out of ideas, but quite performance of the machine. It forthcoming Second Sight, Free control it probably wouldn’t have the contrary – in true High was hard to push it further. Radical Design has established a been allowed to be as ambitious Fidelity style, he’s worrying about Perfect Dark had some good reputation for quality and as it was.” You get a vision of what he could possibly leave ideas but was dog slow.” innovation. David explains how wide-eyed scrawny kids taking on behind. All the time he’s Martin Hollis left Rare in 1998, acutely aware they were when an established formula and peppering the conversation with an event that seemed to trigger setting up the business of the moulding it into something new, videogame anecdotes: playing the gradual dissolution of the graveyard of start-ups: “I will exciting and essentially theirs. Like Robotron with “a pint of beer and team. David left at the end of launch my own company, do the the Ramones on their debut a fag on” or missing youth club 1998, soon followed by Steve most ambitious game known to album. Producing a game probably because he was mesmerised by Ellis, the programming genius mankind and four years later I isn’t as exciting as proto-punk in Pong, or strapping colleagues to who “sat in a room with all the will have nothing.” He praises 1976, but as David talks about the chairs and forcing them to play game code written for a single- Sony for backing them in the GoldenEye team, you get a sense Zelda ‘til they recognised its player game and turned early days and puts this down to of their camaraderie, of their ‘us greatness. As with so many of us, GoldenEye into a multiplayer the fact it saw PS2 as “capable of against them’ attitude and their gaming has woven itself into the game.” (We got to shake his a nicely rendered 3D game that desire to prove they could produce fabric of his life and simply hand later and thank him on ran at a decent frame rate. something epic. They sound like recalling a Spectrum classic can behalf of gamers everywhere. He Everyone else saw it as a the coolest gang in town. evoke a whole series of half- looked bemused, but flattered.) platform for interactive Toy Story And the gang lives on within forgotten events and faces. Others followed and now four of movies. There were so many these very walls – the rather Proust wouldn’t bite on a biscuit the original nine who worked on unrealistic expectations of games plush Nottingham offices of Free these days to kick start his the project work here. that looked like the Tekken intro. Radical Design. After GoldenEye, memoirs, he’d plug in an Atari. With the hugely successful I mean for fucks sake…” the team was put to work on TimeSplitters series (the third the follow-up, Perfect Dark, but
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | DESERT ISLAND DISKS |
Day of the Tentacle X-Pilots
LucasArts – PC Stabell, S chouten, Gijsbers – PC There was a good logic to the thing… I loved the speech and Whilst looking after the network at Oxford we discovered X- the time travel stuff. Changing the American Flag into a costume Pilots. It’s kind of like multiplayer Thrust. Back in 1991 everyone to dress up as a tentacle – fantastic. It’s been a while since I’ve who was in the know was playing this online game – and it played it but the humour and story has not been diminished by worked. We were the biochemistry Department at Oxford time. Yes, I did complete it. It’s never been surpassed in terms playing teams of Astrophysicists from Cambridge and UMIST. of point-and-click adventures. Tournament was hardcore: power-ups and only eight bullets on screen. During these complicated dogfights, the real fucking masters would be able to beat you in a deathmatch, while typing insults with the other hand…
Laser Squad
Ta rget Games – Spectrum I played this a lot on a big clapped-out colour TV whilst doing my D.Phil and sharing a house. You need two sets really: one Grand Prix Legends to play on and another showing videos while it’s not your turn. It’s a turn-based combat game using Traveller snapshot combat Papyrus – PC rules (there’s a whole world of sad there). The Gollop brothers Before and after this, Papyrus has made a string of shit racing went on to produce the X-Con games, but what’s good about it games, but this… A great concept, good physics model, good AI has been diluted. Here it’s done charmingly – very elegant and and rock hard. Sit most players down and they’ll rev it up, entertaining. They take an incredibly asymmetric scenario – you doughnut it and are off the track. Since being a child, I’ve tried play a bunch of assassins, your opponent has to stay alive – unsuccessfully to get my dad to play driving games, but I set and yet it’s almost perfectly balanced. It’s so well balanced it’s him up on this and he was happy as Larry. like when they took their hands away they were amazed to find it stayed standing.
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Super Mario Kart Super Bomberman
Nintendo – Ninte – SNES ndo – SNES The GoldenEye team almost fell out over this game. We’d play it My younger brother bought it the day before I was going back at lunchtimes and Chris Stamper would wander round at 3pm to Oxford. I stayed up all night playing it and bought a SNES with this look on his face of “What the fuck are you doing?” on my return. I was just completely knocked out by it. I think Time just flew past… It got really serious, with league tables it’s got one of the best co-operative modes in any game, and controllers being thrown round in temper tantrums. The though it’s not labelled as such. You see all the other characters game mechanics are just so simple. Because you can see are cheating bastards… the better you do the more you get shat everything that’s going on, watching other people is as on. Like life really. Your friend can ride shotgun and take some important as watching yourself. It embodies the direct of the flak. And you need two more people shouting out multiplayer nature of console gaming… there’s killing someone, advice: “Dump that… you need a shell!” Great game and such a and there’s huge learning curve – we were still getting better three years in. telling them you’re going to kill them and killing them: “You’re going home in a fucking ambulance”.then It’s the best console multiplayer game ever and I don’t think anyone will make one better. Nintendo repeatedly tried to make it better and repeatedly made it worse.
Legend of Zelda GoldenEye
Nintendo – SNES The original on the NES is nice and many would be surprised Rare – N64 how many elements of the Zelda universe are in that game. The An indulgent choice. Looking back, there are things in it I’d be traversal part of the game is made entertaining by the wary of attempting now, but as none of the people working on distraction of killing people. The integration of you developing the code, graphics and game design had worked on a game your character and the accessibility with the background is before, there was this joyful naïvety. I still play the single-player really well done. You’re thinking “I can pick that up now… if I game and realise “there’s something about it that’s very good,” went into the dark world I could get there… oooh!” something to do with the repetitive part of it, the sweet tempo, the level of interaction with the background… it looks dated, but the gameplay is solid.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:SOFTWARE | JET SET REVIVAL |
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>Jet Set Revival
Over 20 years after the release of the original Manic Miner, there are now well over 60 Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy clones for the Spectrum alone, all created by enthusiastic hackers. Richard Hallas is credited with kick-starting this craze, and here he takes a personal look at how the Miner Willy revival came about
veryone has fond memories of Miner Willy. His initial appearance in Bug-Byte’s Manic Miner on the Spectrum back in 1983 may have been a low-key affair, but Ethe quality of that first game assured his popularity for years to come. The success of Manic Miner alone has ensured that author Matthew Smith still remains in people’s minds, decades later, as the demigod creator of one of the most enduringly popular games of all time. Manic Miner’s sequel, Jet Set Willy, was therefore eagerly anticipated and proved to be even more popular than the original, despite some nasty bugs in its first release. It’s a testament to the game’s underlying quality and appeal that the bugs didn’t affect its popularity. Any game that contained coding errors serious enough to corrupt its data and prevent it from being completed perhaps deserved to be a commercial failure. Not so with JSW. If anything, the bugs may actually have added to its appeal. After all, these were the days of the young hackers. For many, being a child of the 80s involved learning to program computers for fun. The games were fun too, but in those days you had a realistic chance of becoming a good enough programmer to write your own game, have it published and earn loads of money. Even if you didn’t set your sights so high, you could still have a lot of fun by hacking away at other people’s games, finding out how they worked and learning to improve them. JSW was probably the ultimate game for such players.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:SOFTWARE | JET SET REVIVAL |
days later. The tape was still on the shelf and with a little trepidation I handed over the money. When I got home and loaded the editor, I discovered that it was superb, far better than I could have anticipated. In the summer of 1984, I used it to create my first new Willy game, Join the Jet Set!, which I gave to a few friends at school. They all liked it, and its brief and limited success led me to start another game set in space. I lost interest part-way through that, and the editor and games were put away and largely forgotten for the next Most games are previewed and reviewed and that's it, but Jet Set Willy was decade or so. still featured in magazines months after its release When I first got an Internet What if it wasn’t any good? And connection in 1995, I was amazed even if it did work, did I really to discover the comp.sys.sinclair want to edit JSW? Would I really newsgroup and a lot of Spectrum- >Hacking be able to produce a whole new related resources on FTP sites game? It sounded like a lot of and the fledgling Web. The work even if the editor was Sinclair group was full of really away good, so I walked out of the friendly people, and although I shop without buying it. hadn’t given my old Spectrum slow and hard to use. Another It niggled away at me though, much thought since around 1987, The fact that Mega-tree, the third editor, from Softricks, was better, and I knew I wanted it really, so I all the happy memories came Miner Willy game, never and was even published went back to the shop a few materialised mattered less than it commercially with Software might have done because of the Projects’ approval, but it still spirit of the time – enterprising wasn’t especially good. By far hackers were willing to go as far the best was a utility as creating editors for other unimaginatively titled Jet Set Willy >Miner people’s games. Willy’s last official Editor, and it’s this program that appearance was in Jet Set Willy II, formed the basis of the JSW alterations an extended version of the revival of recent years. previous game by a different author, which most players found Lost & found It wasn’t only JSW that was hacked. Manic Miner, the game that started it all, may have been neglected, but Miner Willy fan Lee disappointing. But the hackers Tonks recalls having a couple of editors for that game, too: a kept prodding away at Willy in It was Jet Set Willy Editor that commercial offering called Manic Designer and the type-in Manic their bedrooms and, thanks to the motivated me to produce a Miner Editor published by Your Sinclair magazine. In late 1996 he rise of the Internet a decade later, couple of JSW games myself, and painstakingly retyped the Manic Miner Editor, but it was rather their efforts were reborn for the I have quite an interesting story limited in its scope and only allowed certain aspects of the game to world at large to see and enjoy. to relate about this editor. I went be changed. Nevertheless, he used it to great effect to produce an The amount of coverage JSW to school in Wakefield, and in my entertaining new Manic Miner game, Tales from a Parallel Universe. on the Spectrum received in early teens there were two Manic Designer was a much more capable editor, but sadly Lee’s magazines (including maps, computer shops in the city that tape containing it was irretrievable. However, in 1997 one of its pokes and general rumour held large stocks of Spectrum authors, Dave Webb, turned up and was able to supply a copy of his mongering) was unprecedented. games. My favourite was work, so Manic Designer was also made available to the public. There’s probably no other Microbyte, but the other, The Since then, many new Manic Miner games have appeared (around a Spectrum game has received so Computer Store, sometimes dozen so far), some of which are very sophisticated. much attention, before or since. stocked more obscure titles. One Both Crash and Your Spectrum day, while browsing The Computer (later Your Sinclair) devoted Store’s tape racks, my eyes fell on significant space in several issues an enticing-looking cassette. It to JSW, and printed tips, pokes, had a nicely presented but maps, bug fixes and even game slightly home-grown-looking inlay utilities. Your Spectrum was showing a blue floor plan of a notably the first to publish a house with some red bricks below new screen for the game – a it, superimposed over which were type-in listing produced a special the words ‘Jet Set Willy Editor’. edition of the game with a new Being a great fan of JSW, I was room in addition to the 60 rather excited to find this, but I already present. couldn’t decide whether to buy it Your Sinclair later published a or not. I only had pocket money Lee Tonks typed in Your Sinclair's Manic Miner JSW editor to allow players to with me and I’d never heard of Editor listing and used it to create a new set of create new games, but it was this editor or read a review of it. caverns for Willy to explore
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flooding back in a wave of nostalgia. I remembered my old JSW game and thought how nice it would be to see it again. Luckily, I managed to find the tape, so, using a DIY interface, I connected a cassette recorder to my PC and transferred the game successfully into emulator format. This took several attempts and each emulated ‘R Tape loading error’ brought a new wave of despondency, but the eventual feeling of elation when the game loaded successfully was considerable. I released my Several editors were released, but the Jet Set Willy Editor by game to the denizens of Paul Rhodes is widely considered to be the best comp.sys.sinclair, and it would be fair to say that the positive reaction it received astonished the editor from Barry, who should me – I’ve never had so much fan make his first posting on still had the original source tape mail! But what of the editor that comp.sys.sinclair? None other somewhere, he hadn’t transferred left their Spectrums running for was used to create my game? I than Paul Rhodes, the author of it himself. the 11 or so hours of real-world felt sure that I would be able to the Jet Set Willy Editor! I couldn’t time that it took to reach the find a copy online, but no – the believe the coincidence and sent Designing point in the game when the raft only one available was Softricks’ him an email to ask if it was Willy’s World was supposed to appear. Of editor, which seemed very crude really him. It was. What’s more, course, they were disappointed to by comparison. I wanted to he had a rather sad story to tell Your Spectrum magazine actually find that nothing happened, but rediscover the joys of the superb about his editor. deserves a fair share of the the story took off in such a way Jet Set Willy Editor that I’d used a After writing the software, blame for my creation of JTJS!, that it was probably the decade earlier, but it was Paul approached Spectrum thanks to a spoof letter that was inspiration behind the genuine nowhere to be found. Electronics, a local computer published in issue 7. It’s quite ability in JSW II to sail the yacht I attempted to transfer my shop in Luton, to see if they likely that any Spectrum-owning to a desert island. own copy, but I was unsuccessful. would buy it from him. Instead, JSW fan in their mid-30s will Anyway, the ideas excited me, I tried several tape recorders, but the company offered to distribute remember this letter, because it and evocative names like Crusoe
Screens from Richard's faithful JSW homage, Join the Jet Set
the cassette’s poor quality meant it. All went well for a time – was disproportionately influential, Corner and The Ice Volcano were I couldn’t get a successful official approval was obtained especially considering that its just too good to waste. I was transfer. Eventually, I posted my from Software Projects, copies claims were completely fictitious. determined to use the editor to tape off to Barry Plewa, a with colour inlays were produced The letter, written by one Robin create a new game of fellow reader of the (Paul’s father drew the cover) Daines of Chester, claimed that if my own featuring Sinclair newsgroup who and sent out around the country, you took Willy to the bow of his these mythical rooms. ran a short-lived but and some copies were sold by yacht and waited there until I began my design very entertaining mail order. However, shortly 11:45pm (game time), a wave work with a fanzine called Emulate!. afterwards Spectrum Electronics would appear and carry a raft to Spectrum Graphics Pad He managed to suddenly and unexpectedly him. Jumping onto the raft would – an A4 paper pad on perform the transfer, closed down, and Paul never take Willy to a desert island which was printed a sent me the editor in heard from the proprietor again. called Crusoe Corner, and from special graph layout emulator format and He did receive around £50 and a there he could visit rooms called that illustrated every returned my tape. box of cassettes, but his editor Tree Tops – The Sequel and In pixel on a Now comes the certainly didn’t make him rich The Clouds. The reply to the Spectrum’s amazing part of the and he never discovered the letter, which played along with screen. As story. Unbelievable extent of its distribution. Rhodes the deception, referred to The Ice there could though it may was therefore quite interested to Volcano below Hades. be a total of sound, on the very hear that I had bought a The claims in the letter were, 64 rooms in same day that I genuine copy from a shop in of course, complete rubbish, but my game, I received the Wakefield. He was also pleased such was the excitement realised that by successfully to receive an emulator copy of surrounding JSW at the time that dividing up one transferred copy of his editor because, although he many players admitted to having of these sheets
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:SOFTWARE | JET SET REVIVAL | >A musical interlude
My personal contribution to the sphere of JSW knowledge (which I now regret never having submitted to a magazine at the time) was sketching out 24 rooms I decided patches, I felt that the original to work out how the in-game music was encoded. The result of my this was a waste of time and that game was really unfair at times, investigations was a choice of 10 in-game melodies that I created I’d be better off just designing my and that some areas were just for JTJS!. Some were renditions of existing pieces, whilst others screens in the editor, so I too difficult to access (Tree Root were tunes I’d dreamt up myself, but the user’s choice from a abandoned the graph paper. being the best example of this). I selection of 10 was poked into memory before the game started, However, it does explain why particularly disliked the way a relieving the monotony of ‘If I were a rich man’ going round and JTJS! has a completely rectangular simple slip-up could lead to round and round ad nauseam. Later, in 1998, I wrote a technical document about music in the map layout, unlike the much maddening death-loops, causing more sprawling design of JSW. you to lose the entire game. I Willy games entitled A Miner Triad. It documented music in Manic From the outset, my aim was therefore made a conscious Miner (both Bug-Byte’s and Software Projects’ versions of the to try and recapture the spirit of decision to design my screens in game) and JSW, but not JSW II. Having produced new in-game Matthew Smith’s games. I a way that, in the main, music for both of my games, I decided to explain how it was done. therefore did my best to come up prevented this from happening. To this end I wrote up what I already knew (how to replace the in- with a similar range of wacky I did retain a few rooms from game tune) and then went further, analysing how to replace the ideas, in-jokes and whimsical the original game, though usually title-screen music in JSW. graphics, but most of the rooms in an edited form, partly because were designed to provide a they had to be there – I needed genuine challenge. I also wanted to retain The Yacht and The Bow, into an eight-by-eight grid, one sheet into 64 rooms, dreamt up it to be relatively easy for the for instance, in order for the pixel on the pad could represent names for them all and the player to travel around and see player to be able to travel from one block in each room of the started pencilling in the basic the entire map. Although there them to Crusoe Corner. Similarly, game. I therefore divided up the layouts for each screen. After were various traps and tricky Entrance to Hades needed to be
Design your own game! Join the Jet Set mapped out on special graph paper
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retained (though this time as a unmentionable item from within a some craters from Lunar Jetman Willy’s New Hat. This turned up playable screen) in order to bedpan. I got about halfway and a selection of planets from eventually and proved to be include Hades and The Ice through this game when I ran out Ad Astra. I then put these another oddity, as it was a wholly Volcano below it. I also retained of ideas and put it aside together to create the loading maze-based game with no many of the existing guardian unfinished. Another school friend, screen. As for the new in-game moving baddies to avoid. Apart graphics, though I created new Simeon Hartland, and I began music, to reflect the game’s from these two games, there was animations of my own, too. designing a different space-based space setting I wrote a bleepy nothing else available. All in all, designing the game game, which was set on the rendition of the Star Trek: To be strictly accurate, I took a fair amount of time and surface of an alien planet. Voyager theme. should mention that a commercial effort, but I was very pleased with However, we ran out of Jet Set Willy in Space was JSW clone game was released in the result. I made a new game inspiration (or possibly, school released for emulators a couple 1985. Henry’s Hoard by that I actually enjoyed playing holidays!) about a quarter of the of years after JTJS!, in the last Alternative Software was actually myself, and, although it provides way through it. few days of 1997, as a Christmas based on a modified (and a significant challenge, it’s a lot I retrieved these two game present to the members of uncredited) version of the JSW easier to beat than the original. fragments for emulator use in comp.sys.sinclair. Once again it game code, but it had enough 1995 and found they actually tied was well received. It’s significantly alterations to make this less than The final together quite nicely – there was more difficult than my first game, obvious. The game had quite a frontier a space station and a planet’s though in theory it’s possible to different flavour to JSW, as well surface and it made sense to complete it without losing a life as a different central character The warm reception JTJS! received combine them. Unfortunately, and I had again tried to minimise and setting, so it doesn’t quite among my school friends was putting them together wasn’t easy the chances of infinite death. As count as a JSW clone. enough to inspire me to start because the two games had been before, I wanted the player to be Anyway, once I had successfully creating a second game. Indeed, designed independently, so there reasonably free to explore the transferred my own game, I began
Jet Set Willy in Space, complete with its somewhat post-modern loading screen
it also inspired others. One were overlaps in the data, with game and to tackle the collection hunting through my old Spectrum school friend, Adam Britton, some rooms and graphics of the trickiest objects in tapes and was able to find the actually created no fewer than sharing the same ‘slots’. By whatever order seemed best. three JSW games by my school three games of his own (JSW: The various acts of subterfuge I was friend, Adam Britton, so I Continuing Adventures, JSW: The able to rearrange the room and Attack of the transferred those as well. They Deadly Mission and JSW: Willy’s graphics data so that everything clones were originally released with Holiday). My general feeling was fitted together in one single Emulate! magazine by that he made them a bit too hard game. As a tribute to Paul When I first discovered the Barry Plewa, and then (some rooms took the form of Rhodes, I also imported and Spectrum scene on the Internet in made generally available. invisible mazes, which you had to used slightly modified versions of 1995, the idea of creating new The ‘drip, drip’ approach navigate blindly) and they the two demonstration rooms he versions of existing games hadn’t of introducing a new certainly had a different flavour had supplied with his editor really taken off. Despite the JSW game every couple from the original game, but they program. That left just a further existence of various JSW editors of months (from late contained plenty of clever and 16 rooms to define, although I (or perhaps because of their poor 1995 to early 1996) inventive ideas. also needed to finish off several quality), there were hardly any really seemed to establish In my second game, Jet Set incomplete rooms from the new variants, other than the them in people’s minds. Willy in Space, I once again fragmentary games. standard games from Bug-Byte Adam Britton himself wanted to capture a fair amount Once the game had been play and Software Projects. There was then turned up on of the atmosphere of the original tested, it was time to add a game called Jet Set Willy 3, comp.sys.sinclair, was game whilst placing it in a new finishing touches and release it. which had clearly been created pleased to find that setting. Willy wore a space suit Rather than drawing a new using one of the game editors, his three games had and the game was set onboard a loading screen from scratch, to but unfortunately it wasn’t been retrieved, and space station, but there was still save time I took screenshots from especially good and didn’t really proceeded to create a plenty of silliness and surrealism, various old Spectrum space capture the flavour of the Special Edition version of the such as deadly teddy bears and games: a rocket from Jetpac, the original. There were also rumours first one (The Continuing the need to retrieve an planet surface from Timegate, of another JSW clone called Adventures SE).
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:SOFTWARE | JET SET REVIVAL |
A selection of some of the earlier Jet Set Willy clones
Another hack of the standard JSW modifications was Geoff Eddy’s game was performed by Jonathan excellent basis for completely new J4:The Fourth Remix (sometimes Harston, who devised a way of At around this time (mid- games. It took a while for JSW referred to as Jet Set Willy 4). allowing the game to access 72 1997), Arsen Torbarina created a 128 to take off, but from the year This was the fourth in a line of rooms as opposed to the normal new website, the Jet Set Willy 2000 onwards, people started to increasingly sophisticated hacks maximum of 64. However, Ultimate Fan Page, which use it to create new games and based on the original JSW perhaps the most impressively contained lots of information well over a dozen have been engine, and was designed by advanced JSW and Manic Miner about the games, full maps of based on it. John also wrote a PC- Geoff and Iain Eddy and their games are those produced by JSW and JSW II, and kept track based editor, which has evolved friend Alasdair Swanson. The Vidar Eriksen (Erix1). of the different versions of the to allow users to edit not just previous versions weren’t Unfortunately, the two games he game, both conversions of the JSW 128 games, but other released, but J4 came out in created contain language and official games to many computer standard variants (including 1999 to great acclaim. Rather graphics that make them platforms and unofficial sequels Henry’s Hoard). John is currently than just being a modification of unsuitable for younger players – (at the time it was quite easy to working on a new set of JSW existing room data, J4 was the apart from that though, they’re keep track of the games engines called JSW64, which first JSW clone (if we don’t count quite amazing. Both Eugene, Lord because there were very few of allows the contents of the rooms JSW 128, which wasn’t really a of the Bathroom (based on Manic them). The site was nicely put to be more varied than before. new game) to make major Miner), and Maria vs Some together and very interesting, changes to the way the game Bastards (based on JSW, with but sadly it has been offline for Hacking squad played. As well as cosmetic apologies for the title) vastly several years now. improvements, the guardians extend what the underlying The emergence of JSW clones There are now over 50 JSW could behave in more flexible games can do. Not only that, but inspired John Elliott to carry out games for the Spectrum (not ways, a teleporter system was they have absolutely superb some ambitious hacking. He counting the dozen or so new implemented, and patch routines graphics (given the limitations of aimed to produce a new version Manic Miner games), with more could be included to make the Spectrum) and are fun to of JSW for the Spectrum 128, on the way. Many of these games special events occur. Geoff Eddy play, though very challenging. The entitled (naturally) Jet Set Willy involve significant hacking on the went on to release a total of four games have been enhanced to 128, featuring new music, double part of the authors – they’re not games based on his so-called such an extent that they only the regular number of rooms and just the same game with new ‘Geoff Mode’ engine and a PC- bear a passing resemblance to other new features. Originally screens, but include a variety of based editor for creating them. Manic Miner and JSW. comprised of all the rooms from genuine new-game facilities. Several new Geoff Mode games Special mention must be JSW and my own JTJS!, JSW 128 The first of the JSW games to are currently in development. evolved through several versions include significant game into a playable game and an
Some of the more recent clones are stunning. It's hard to believe they run on the humble Spectrum
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>Web resources
Andrew Broad has compiled a large collection of Web pages at www.geocities .com/andrewbroad/spectrum/willy. They provide technical details, links to every relevant resource and a lengthy page listing every known game variant, patch and development for Spectrum-based versions. There are also links to versions of the game for other platforms. All in all, it’s a very comprehensive site with a vast amount of information, though it’s all presented in text-only format without flashy graphics. For a more visually arresting site, Gawp’s JSW Remakes site ( http://jswremakes.emuunlim.com) is another comprehensive resource that was launched in 2000 to keep track of new JSW clone games. The site provides links to most of the available games, and, in the majority of cases, screenshots and short reviews.
made of Andrew Broad, a man Andrew’s games make use of a whose devotion to Willy is remarkable number of tricks – legendary. His dedication to the both quirks of the original subject makes everyone else look games that weren’t normally like complete amateurs. If ever seen and special effects that he there was a man who could write has devised himself. As such, a post-doctoral thesis on the they’re very clever and are structure, content, technical designed with great precision – details and social implications of they push the game engine to its the Miner Willy games, it’s absolute limits. Andrew. He continues to produce a never-ending stream of both As seen on TV Manic Miner and JSW games, including combination games The growth of the JSW revival has based around a theme – for been so great that a TV instance, Manic Miner: The programme has been made about Geoff Eddy’s ‘Geoff Mode’ games and resources Hobbit and Jet-Set Willy: The it. In mid-2002, an Italian TV crew www Lord of the Rings form a pair of visited the houses of many of the .cix.co.uk/~morven/jsw tributes to Tolkien’s books. It authors of JSW clone games, John Elliott’s JSW 128, JSW64, editor and technical info should also be noted that Andrew myself included, to film us talking www started his Miner Willy work about our efforts. They were very .seasip.demon.co.uk/Jsw several years before the general friendly, and being filmed while Richard Hallas’ JSW games and resources JSW revival on the Internet, walking along the street certainly www based on his own hacking. piqued the curiosity of the .hallas.net/Software/spectrum.htm Andrew’s examination of the neighbours. The film was games is considerable and he scheduled for release in Italy and has produced his own editors Finland in early 2003, though and other utilities for both unfortunately I haven’t managed Manic Miner and JSW. He also to see it. has over a dozen Miner Willy So, with a catalogue of over games to his name, which have 60 games, vast libraries of either already been published or technical documentation on the are in development, and he Web and even a TV documentary continues to work on new ones. to its credit, it’s clear that at the A new pack of games, Party age of 21, Miner Willy has lost Willy, was released as recently as little of his former popularity. If April, and is clearly designed to you remember him fondly, grab blend the player’s brain. Aside your emulator and fire up some from the brand-new games in of the games mentioned in this the pack, there are also Manic article. If you think you’re a Miner: Jet-Set Willy (in which the master of the originals, you’ll Jonathan Harston’s JSW editor and resources JSW rooms are presented within probably revise your opinion w the Manic Miner game engine), when you find out how ww.mdfsnet.f9.co.uk/Software/JSW Jet-Set Willy: Manic Miner (which challenging some of the new Lee Tonk’s Manic Miner remake and resources does the same thing, but the clones are. And if you’re not a www.geo other way around), and ‘mirror’ master player, that’s fine, because cities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/6142 versions of both games (in most of the clones are designed Spectrum Diamond TV documentary which all the screen designs to be fun, and fun is exactly what www.opificioci have been laterally inverted). they are. ✺✯* clope.com/spectrumdiamond.html
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | THE NEXT LEVEL |
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Illustration by Susan Rowe RETRO6 Level9 07/07/2004 9:59 PM Page 55
>The Next Level
Back in the mid 1980s, Level 9 Computing dominated the UK adventure game scene, with epic titles like Dungeon Adventure, Snowball and The Price of Magik earning accolades from the public and the computer press alike. The first part of Richard Hewison's extensive history traces Level 9's formative years, from its launch in 1981 to the release of its last dedicated 8-bit game five years later evel 9 began life as a small family- run business. Brothers Mike, Nick Land Pete Austin started the company back in 1981 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, with assets of around £50 and a 16Kb Nascom computer. Their sister Margaret looked after the marketing and distribution side, and their father John was appointed as Managing Director. Pete Austin studied Psychology at Cambridge University in the mid 1970s, and stayed on for another year to study Computer Science (as did his younger brother Nick, in London). As a student, Pete was heavily into Ladies & gentlemen, the Austins role-playing games like TSR’s Empire of the are floating in space...
Petal Throne and the classic Dungeons & Dragons. After finishing student life, Pete programmed accounting applications for a bank before moving on to a computer mainframe manufacturer. It was there that he discovered a version of the text adventure that is generally accepted to have started the genre – Will Crowther’s Adventure (amended by Don Woods a year or so later). Pete played the game from start to finish in a fortnight during his lunch breaks. It was a game that was going to heavily influence Level 9 Computing in the years to come.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | THE NEXT LEVEL |
The adventure It took Level 9 almost a year to begins create the tools and produce its first adventure game, which was Level 9’s first commercial products called Colossal Adventure. >Case were a mix of arcade games and The plot involved rumours of utilities for the Nascom: Missile incredible riches and untold danger study Defence; Bomber; Space Invasion; within Colossal Caverns. Most Asteroids (written by Steven people considered the cave to be a Weller); Galaxy Invaders; Super myth, the product of a fevered Level 9’s packaging changed considerably over the first few years. Gulp; Compression Assembler (a imagination, but every year a The initial version of Colossal Adventure was distributed in a re- full Z80 assembler which used handful of people would set out to sealable plastic bag that included an eight-page manual, an advert advanced compression tech- find the cave, driven by necessity for its other releases and a clue request card complete with its own niques); and Extension Basic or overwhelmed by greed. Most envelope. The envelope was illustrated with a drawing of a man (which added more keywords to returned empty-handed with tales holding an olive branch in his hand and a bird flying towards it. The NASCOM basic). The odd one out of volcanoes, dragons, gigantic words “Fly back with a clue” were printed in the top left-hand corner. was a pseudo-adventure game snakes and the like, but some The clue card was initially for individual questions. Only later on did called Fantasy, which had never returned, and speculation Level 9 start offering complete and comprehensive clue sheets. characters reacting to the actions remained that they were the As Level 9 branched out onto new formats, the packaging was that the player typed in. successful ones who found updated during 1983. Gone were the plastic bags and in came the Classified adverts were placed enormous wealth, or died trying. cardboard boxes with cutout windows on the front, showing the in Computing Today magazine and Level 9’s Colossal Adventure cover of the manual inside. Distinctive black & white L9 logos orders were saved individually wasn’t a direct conversion of Will covered the border of each box. The manuals were also colour- from the computer onto cassette Crowther’s original. The food was coded for each different machine version. 32Kb BBC manuals were and sent by post. Level 9 also moved into the otherwise printed with a green cover, for example; Spectrum 48Kb in orange. branched out into programming superfluous forest locations outside The following year was to see another change to the packaging, titles for the BBC Micro – Forth and the caves, and extra rooms were with black plastic wallets replacing the cardboard boxes. Each Forth Toolkit. added. In the original, the game wallet was adorned with a colour illustration on the cover, again Pete Austin believed that they finished when you picked up the surrounded by dozens of the (by now) famous black & white L9 could fit a version of the original final treasure and the cave logos. Inside the wallet was a transparent pocket that held the Adventure game onto the 16Kb announced that it was closing manual and clue request on the left, with space for the cassette or Nascom, so he devised an down. You then had to get out as disk on the right. adventure writing system to do the fast as you could. Level 9 decided Later still, Level 9 commissioned artist Godfrey Dowson to job. Mike then wrote the game to add another 70 rooms (involving provide new cover artwork for its entire catalogue of titles. Dowson using his own ‘a-code’ – an the rescue of some elves caught was a self-taught artist who had an interest in fantasy and magic. efficient interpretation language. inside the cave) so it could boast His first few paintings (created in inks and gouache) included Red Finally, Pete wrote some text that the game had “over 200 Moon and Emerald Isle – two of Level 9’s 1985 releases. The compression routines that allowed locations” – a phrase that would manuals also changed from A5 booklets to instructions printed on them to cram as much text as reappear on the packaging of the back of a foldout A3 colour poster, showcasing more of possible into the available memory. future releases. Dowson’s artwork.
An example of Godfrey Dowson's painting, used to great effect on later Level 9 releases
As Level 9 grew, the packaging for its games became more professional year on year
Level 9’s second title was as a result, the people fled to the Adventure Quest, which was a south. An unseen enemy decimated direct follow-up to Colossal troops sent back into the north, Adventure. The plot was set and finally an army of Orcs hundreds of years after the events invaded, commanded by Lord of the first game: the land had AGALIAREPT – a Demon Lord become tranquil, and the last of renounced for his ferocity and skill the elves had long since departed in battle. after their rescue from the Adventure Quest was a dungeons below Colossal Cavern. landmark game for the Austins, as But a drought in the north brought it was their first attempt at crop-failure, followed by attacks designing an adventure game from from maddened wild animals and scratch. As they would prove in
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After tinkering with the initial premise (which was called Time Lords during its early develop- ment), the game was eventually released as Lords of Time. As with most of Level 9’s titles, there were numerous references to the number nine throughout the game, the most obvious being the nine time zones that had to be explored to complete the quest. Level 9 had always planned to return to the Snowball universe and the sequel was duly published in late 1984. It was titled Return to Eden and proved to be a tough but very rewarding game to complete. Level 9's Middle-earth Trilogy. The three games were later released in a single pack Having saved Snowball 9 from entitled The Jewels of Darkness destruction, Kim Kimberley was majority were found in a huge Branching out framed for murder (hijacking was future games, they often drew their colour-coded maze. The remaining added to the list of crimes in later inspiration from existing myths and rooms were spread throughout the Up until this point, Level 9 only versions). Escaping to the legends. For example, according to spaceship on various levels, produced titles for the BBC Model B, dangerous world of Eden, Kim had occult texts, the evil Lord accessed by lifts. The game began Spectrum and Nascom machines. to survive the radiation, endure the AGALIAREPT was a Hebrew demon in the dark, inside a sponge-lined Thanks to the way the adventures weird plant and animal life, explore – a servant to Lucifer no less. And coffin. Not long after awakening were created, writing versions for a robot city and save the planet! as for Orcs and Elves, Tolkien’s from cryogenic sleep, the player other machines was a relatively Return to Eden contained a Lord of the Rings was an obvious was soon puzzling over how to straightforward process, so the number of subtle political and influence. avoid the killer nightingale sentry Middle-earth Trilogy was soon religious statements embedded robots that roamed the ship. ported to the Commodore 64, Oric, into the design, along with some Snowball's Thanks to signing up with Atari 400/800, Lynx and RML 380Z tricky puzzles. As with most of its chance Microdeal (a major UK software in 1983. Later on it also converted games, there were also references distributor), Level 9 was faced with the entire 8-bit range to the to previous games. For example, For its next release, Level 9 turned an enormous order in the run up to Amstrad CPC, MSX and even the typing some of the magical words to a different type of fantasy: that Christmas 1983. The Austins had to Elan Enterprise. from Colossal Adventure (like of science fiction. Snowball was set recruit as many of their friends and For its next adventure, Level 9 ‘plover’ or ‘xyzzy’) usually elicited a in the year 2304 and cast the family as they could to meet the turned to a game designed by Sue response or two! player as secret agent Kim demand. Gazzard, a self-confessed Level 9 fan. Mike Austin implemented the Kimberley, whose mission was to Snowball was quickly followed prevent the interstellar transport by Dungeon Adventure, a direct ship Snowball 9 from crashing into sequel to Adventure Quest. The a star. three games were now referred to With around a third of its as the Middle-earth Trilogy. The adventure sales being credited to story picked up just a day after the female players, Level 9 deliberately defeat of Lord AGALIAREPT, but chose a sexless name so that the thoughts had already turned to character could be perceived as ransacking the Lord’s own hordes male or female. Interestingly, a of treasure, held within the Black credit at the end of the game Tower. The player set off on their refers to ‘Ms Kimberley’, but that is journey, but within one mile of the the only clue that she might have tower, a spell caught them off- been female. guard, and they awoke the next The game boasted an amazing morning robbed of all their 7,000 rooms, although this was provisions and floating on the river slightly misleading as the vast by a bridge.
While great to play, the early games do not make the best screenshots!
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | THE NEXT LEVEL |
its cheaper (£6.95 instead of A kind of £9.95) and slightly easier games magik was Emerald Isle. As with Lords of Time two years previously, it was Red Moon was released in the designed by a Level 9 interloper – summer of 1985 and published at Shaun D. Abbott. The game began the cheaper price of £6.95. The with the player hanging from a theme of ‘magik’ was strong in Red tree on a secluded island Moon. This fantasy adventure somewhere in the Bermuda introduced some basic role-playing Triangle. Trapped in an entangled statistics into the mix, with the The Commodore 64 version of Eden featured better graphics, and an easier-to-read font parachute, the player is player and other creatures having immediately faced with a life or ‘hit’ points that reduced during game, with help from Chris Queen. James Horsler) made good death situation. Having survived combat. Once again, some of the Inspiration for the story came from commercial sense at the time, but the drop to the ground, the player adventure purists didn’t like this a number of science-fiction novels, it did upset some of the text- then explored the island, entered a addition, but it certainly didn’t including A Spell for Chamelion by adventure purists. Although the city and discovered a competition seem to harm reviews or sales. Piers Anthony, Deathworld 1 by images weren’t brilliant, they did where the prize was to become David Williamson and Pete Harry Harrison, Hothouse by Brian add a welcome splash of colour to ruler of the island! The game Austin designed Red Moon, and Aldiss, I, Robot by Isaac Asimov the display and imbued the games design originally included a Simon Aspinall helped Pete to and John Sladek’s short story, with a certain ambience. cannibal sequence (complete with implement the game. Influences on Broot Force. cooking pot), but this was removed the game design included the Return to Eden also marked a Rapid expanse for fear it might have been tabletop RPG RuneQuest. One key turning point for the Austins. Apart considered racist. design element was that iron from an updated version of Mike’s Increasing sales during 1984 led to The graphics in Emerald Isle inhibited the use of magik. ‘a-code’, they also took the brave a company re-organisation and the were similar in style to the system Therefore, if you were carrying decision to add graphics to each recruitment of new staff. Disk employed in Return to Eden. The anything made of iron or were in and every location on all formats versions began appearing for the Spectrum version got full-width the same location as something with more than 32Kb. Other first time on the C64 and BBC, and graphics this time, instead of the made from iron, you were unable companies had adventures the Austins were writing games for smaller window that had been to cast any spells. Unfortunately, illustrated with a few location the latest additions to the home employed in Return to Eden. When the game treated the save game graphics, but the Austins decided micro boom, the Amstrad CPC and the player completed Emerald Isle, feature as a spell, so if you were to go much further. Using their the lesser-known Memotech they were told to look out for Red carrying iron, you couldn’t save expertise in compression machines. Moon and The Price of Magik, your game position. techniques, they found a way of But success came at a price. described as “later games in the Unlike previous Level 9 squeezing a location graphic into a Pete Austin became so swamped same series”. This fact was releases, you could complete Red tiny amount of memory (sometimes with clue requests (sometimes as conveniently forgotten a few years Moon without getting close to a as little as 40 bytes per picture). many as a hundred a day!) that he later, when it was Lords of Time full score. Apparently, this was a The graphics consisted of had no time left to design the that was combined with Red Moon deliberate design decision to component parts – rocks, trees, etc games. The solution (if you excuse and The Price of Magik – but more enable more players to finish the – which were added together to the pun) was simple: instead of on that later. game. build up a picture. On the trying to resolve individual Spectrum, the usual colour problems, he created attribute problems made the comprehensive clue sheets that graphics look messy, but they covered the entire game in one go. looked acceptable on the other They were written in such a way formats. The size of the graphics that the reader couldn’t accidentally window varied from format to stumble upon the answer to a format. For example, the Spectrum puzzle they hadn’t yet encountered. version had a window that Having tested the water with its occupied the middle third of the first illustrated game, Level 9 went top half of the screen, whilst on into overdrive with a collection of the Commodore 64 it filled the four more graphic text adventures whole top half of the display. in two years. The price range The addition of graphics by Tim varied according to the size and Noyce (and in later games, by difficulty of the game. The first of
Emerald Isle was the first of Level 9's games to be released at a lower price
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>Bookware
Level 9 produced a number of licensed games for publishers during the mid 80s. Mosaic Publishing was well known for releasing games based on novels. In the past, it had released a number of book-related games including The Pen and the Dark, The Snow Queen and Twice Shy. It signed Level 9 to base an adventure on a book by Terry Jones called The Saga of Erik the Viking (later a film directed by Jones himself). Pete Austin found writing a game based on a book a pleasant change from creating original adventures from scratch. The Worm in Paradise rounded off the Silicon Dream trilogy in fine style Erik was followed by The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole (based on Sue Townsend’s book) and a game based on the Radio 4 country The release of Red Moon in This now included a 1000+ word soap opera, The Archers (with text provided by the series’ own July 1985 began Level 9’s most vocabulary, an advanced parser, script writers, for that authentic Ambridge feel). A second Adrian intense release schedule yet, with improved text compression (better Mole game was created by Level 9 and released by Virgin a year a new game appearing approx- than 50%), a type-ahead facility or so later. imately every six months. Late and multi-tasking, so the player Although these games looked like adventures, only The Saga of 1985 saw the release of the didn’t have to wait for the pictures Erik the Viking was a traditional Level 9 illustrated text adventure. concluding chapter in the Silicon to be drawn before issuing Both Adrian Mole tie-ins and The Archers were multiple-choice Dream Trilogy. Following Snowball commands via the keyboard. games, with the player simply typing a number to choose what to and Return to Eden, The Worm in The game began with the do next. This approach was presumably chosen to appeal to Paradise wrapped up the series in player standing in a brick-walled younger players (who wouldn’t want to type in commands). It fine style. Set 100 years after the garden with no obvious means of obviously worked for the first Adrian Mole game, which clocked up events in Eden (during the reign escape. Picking a rotten apple from sales of over 165,000 copies. of the ‘Third Kim’), Worm was by a nearby tree and biting into it far the most serious game that released a worm that grew larger Level 9 had released, with many and larger as it crawled away. The political themes sprinkled liberally player had to chase the worm, into the design. which crashed through the brick The Worm in Paradise placed wall and escaped across sand the player back in Eden, which was dunes to freedom. now a benevolent bureaucracy. This beginning turned out to be With a 15-hour working week, full a symbolic dream, which ended Examples of level 9's licesnsed work. Only Erik was a employment and no crime, it when the player climbed onto the true text adventure sounded like a true paradise, with back of a sleeping behemoth in the billions of citizens living in domed desert, used one of its scales as a cities, supported by millions of shield and tackled the acid-spitting Even if the player did manage avoiding the same fate. robot servants. The government worm head on! Once the dream to work out the system, there were The Price of Magik was another didn’t tax its citizens, managing to was over, the player removed their plenty of other problems to thwart enjoyable and atmospheric generate funds through alternative visor, left the Dream Alcove and them. Curfews meant that they adventure with dozens of objects means. The police made a profit by began exploring the city. had to be back in their Habihome and 200-odd locations to explore. creating fines for almost The puzzle that defeated many before a certain time, or else the It also had a nice twist at the end: everything, and the health service players was the infuriating Enoch Fuzbots (police) would get them. when the player had defeated also made a profit by charging Transport System. This was a giant Falling into debt was also a major Myglar, they were given the option citizens for basic health care. hub made up of different coloured obstacle to finishing the game, of a good or bad ending. In the Citizens could be rewarded for segments. The player had to and there were plenty of good ending, the future showed acting as informants on criminal navigate this system to reach opportunities for getting fined – that they would live in a luxurious activity or on other citizens with various locations, like shops, job usually related to failing to gain or castle and rule wisely; in the bad infectious diseases. centres, travel agents, etc. complete jobs. As the plot ending, their quest for magik Worm was also the first game Unfortunately, the route through progressed, the players found turned them stark-raving mad, and to be written using the third the transport system to reach these themselves taking jobs, joining they ended up in a mental asylum. version of the a-code system. locations changed every time the political parties and exposing a By now Level 9 was at the game was loaded. fake alien invasion! pinnacle of its achievements. Exceptional adventures were still End of an era being crammed into a minimum of just 32Kb, and machines with a What turned out to be Level 9’s little more RAM were getting last 8-bit-only game was released pictures with every location. In the in mid 1986, just six months after eyes of the press and the fans, it Worm. The Price of Magik was the could do little wrong. But with the sequel to Red Moon and it emergence of the 16-bit machines, continued the same themes: a the Austins were about to find out crazed magician called Myglar had that the industry moved fast and succumbed to the terrible price of gamers were often fickle. The Price of Magik turned out to be Level 9's last magik, and it was the player’s Level 9 story concludes in next 8-bit-only adventure task to defeat him whilst somehow month’s magazine… ✺✯*
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SFUSP£HBNFS* | FEATURE:ARCADE | CONSTRUCT YOUR OWN COIN-OP |
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>Construct Your Own Coin-op
Want to relive retro arcade machines as authentically as possible? As Dave Cusick explains, there’s no substitute for having a six-foot tall arcade cabinet in the corner of the living room
ost of the Retro Gamer team grew up during the 1980s, in the glory days of Marcade machines. We remember the smoky atmosphere of gloomy amusement arcades, summer evenings spent pumping 10-pence pieces into classic coin- ops, with hordes of kids standing admiringly around to watch the kid who held the Galaxians high score stretch his record that little bit further. They really don’t
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SFUSP£HBNFS* | FEATURE:ARCADE | CONSTRUCT YOUR OWN COIN-OP |
Build or arcade PCB (printed circuit modify? board) and changing the game name in the For the cabinet itself, there are illuminated marquee across two paths you can go down: you the top of the machine. can buy an arcade machine and Generic machines are modify it; or you can build your available in one- or own cabinet completely from two-player formats, scratch. with each player If you want to buy a cabinet provided to modify, there are several ways generally with in which you might be able to either three or six pick one up. One is to scour fire buttons. eBay, another is to ask around If you’re shopping any amusement arcades in your around for a generic area. Unless you get lucky cabinet, you’ll come VIA's EPIA CL motherboard is more though, you’re unlikely to turn up across the term JAMMA than powerful enough to run MAME much with either of these which stands for approaches, so a better bet might Japanese Amusement Machine Street Fighter II) on a JAMMA be to contact a company which Manufacturers Association. A machine which only provides sells old arcade machines, such JAMMA cabinet is one which has three fire buttons per player! as Arcade Warehouse (see the a standard interface, so any We’re not going to cover JAMMA Useful Links section for the JAMMA cabinet can play any in great detail here, but if you’re relevant Web addresses.) game which comes on a JAMMA keen on exploring this avenue then check out the PC-to-Jamma Project website and pay a visit to the JAMMA+ IRC channel or Web forum. Of course, if you buy an old machine and it’s in good condition, it’s a shame to rip it to pieces. In truth, most old arcade machines have had a tough life and will probably be in need of some tender loving care. After weighing up the pros and cons, we decided to build our upright arcade cabinet from scratch. Plenty of enthusiasts go down this route, and you don’t need to be a woodworking expert to do it either. We’re going to build the cabinet from 12mm (0.5in) MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard), reinforced where necessary with wooden batons. Not much cop at woodworking? You can buy flat-packed kits We designed the cabinet from several companies, such as this ArcadeDepot kit, ourselves, basing it on our plans. Alternatively, you can buy which is supplied in the UK by GremlinSolutions memories of upright arcade assemble-it-yourself flat-pack cabinets, working to our own cabinet kits. Upright cabinet plans dimensions, and making bits of it are available from MAMEroom or Old cabinets come in two board. There are a couple of up as we went along. The key GameCab, and MAMEroom also flavours: dedicated machines and things to watch out for though. thing to bear in mind is that your sells flat-packed, upright cabinet generic machines. Dedicated Firstly, some JAMMA machines cabinet will need to be big kits. We’re going to use a cocktail machines were cabinets built have vertically mounted monitors, enough to accommodate the cabinet kit, kindly supplied by specifically for one game, such as as used by a lot of the older relevant hardware. Make sure you GremlinSolutions, as the basis of the colossal sit-down Afterburner arcade games, whilst some have measure the width, height and our second retro arcade machine. machines or those multiplayer horizontally mounted monitors, as depth of the monitor or TV you’ll Daytona Rally things you’ll still used by the vast majority of be using to ensure there’s find in many arcades today. These games manufactured in the last sufficient room for it inside the The technical often have elaborate control 20 years. Secondly, some JAMMA cabinet. stuff systems, force feedback or other cabinets provide only three fire If you don’t feel confident special features. Generic machines buttons per player, whilst others enough to design your own At the heart of both our systems were built to play a whole range provide six, and it’s no good cabinet, there are a number of will be a PC running arcade of games, and could be switched trying to play a game which websites which will provide (or emulation software. There are over simply by inserting a new requires six fire buttons (such as sell) detailed cabinet design several arcade emulators around,
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download, and it enables you to run thousands of classic coin-op ROM images. ROMs are available for download all over the Internet, but it’s illegal to use ROM images unless you have the creator’s permission to do so, or already own the original arcade PCB (in which case your ROM image could be regarded as a backup). Fortunately there’s now a website which sells legal ROMs from classic Atari games – it’s called StarROMs, and it enables you to pick up cracking titles such as Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command and even Tetris for only a few quid. There are loads of MAME front ends available, but Dave Before installing MAME Dribin's Game Launcher is one of the most versatile though, we’re going to need an operating system. MAME is but the most famous (and the board sound probably wouldn’t available in several different one which is capable of running do this justice. We’ll also add flavours – DOS, Windows, Linux more games than any other) is 256Mb of memory to each etc – and your choice will most MAME – the Multiple Arcade system, plus an old 4Gb hard likely be influenced by their Machine Emulator – so that’s the disk (more than big enough for relative cost and ease of use. one we’re going to use for our our purposes). We’ll need a CD- Linux is free but can be brain- cabinet. ROM drive during the setup numbingly complicated at times; The PC in a retro arcade process, but this will be removed DOS is plain nasty, and you won’t system doesn’t need to be later. No floppy disk drive will be find DOS drivers for most modern powerful, since it’s running games necessary. PC hardware (such as our EPIA between 15 and 25 years old. If you’re building a system motherboard); so we’re going for We’re going to use some VIA EPIA around an old arcade cabinet, Windows Me. This will make our motherboards – a CL 10000 board you may already have an arcade lives a lot easier because in the upright cabinet, and a monitor. If you’re building from Windows Me comes on a V5000 in the cocktail table. EPIAs scratch, you might be able to bootable CD, which means we are small motherboards with on- pick up an old arcade monitor won’t need to use a floppy drive board graphics and sound from somewhere, but it’s at any point. capabilities, and pre-installed probably more likely you’ll have Explaining in detail how to set processors. They’re quiet, don’t to settle for either a TV or a PC up a new PC system is a bit generate too much heat, and are monitor. We’re going to use beyond the scope of this article, extremely compact. You can buy standard 17in PC monitors in our but here’s the process in brief. EPIAs brand new from Mini- cabinets. With all your hardware connected, ITX.com for between £75 and enter the PC’s BIOS (usually done £150, depending on the exact by pressing DEL during bootup) model. Software and set the CD-ROM as the boot To the EPIA board in our device. Restart with the Windows upright cabinet, we’ll add a Our system is designed to run Me CD in the drive, and after a dedicated sound card, because MAME, because it’s the most couple of minutes of drive we’re going to stick a decent popular and well-supported churning you’ll be presented with speaker system and subwoofer arcade machine emulator in the Windows installation program. inside the cabinet, and the on- existence. MAME is a free Choose to install Windows Me on your hard drive, formatting the drive in the process, then sit back and wait. You’ll need to answer some questions at various points during the installation, so don’t go too far away. Once Windows has finished installing itself, install the drivers provided with your motherboard, and drivers for any additional devices you We're using the X-Arcade in our upright have included in the system cabinet to save time, effort and money (such as the Creative
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potential for future expansion of point, but it was fiddly and time- SoundBlaster sound card we’re to choose from, ranging from the system without having to consuming. Not only that, but using). And there you go – an all- simple but effective to start all over on the software because of the way in which new system, ready and waiting ridiculously over elaborate. Most front. Configuring Game Launcher keyboards are manufactured, for you to install your application are free, so you can download a is easy; it involves editing some ‘ghosting’ was a common software. bunch and see which one works text files to include the list of problem – this is where one key The next step is to download best for you. AdvanceMAME and your MAME ROMs, and to tell the (or hard-wired button) is pressed the MAME distribution archive ArcadeOS are probably the two program which joystick movement but one or more other keys (or from the Net, and extract its most popular front ends, but or button presses you’d like to buttons) also register at the same contents to your hard drive. Even there are some novel ones, such use to select games. We’ll cover time. Clearly, if you’ve got in its Windows incarnation, MAME as 3DArcade which enables you this in detail in our step-by-step ghosting problems then you’re is a command-line tool, so to choose the game you want to guide later. not going to have the most ordinarily to run it you’ll open a play by navigating your way For the cocktail-table machine, enjoyable gaming experience. command prompt (by choosing through a virtual amusement we’re using Cocktail Frontend. As Fortunately, keyboard hacking Start/ Run, typing ‘command’ then arcade… minus the smoke, dodgy the name suggests, this is is no longer necessary. There are hitting Enter), and then key in geezers and change booths. designed specifically for us, in now a number of arcade- ‘mame romname’, where vertical screenmodes, and it’s a controller-to-PC interfaces doddle to configure, too. available from companies such as Ultimarc in the UK and Hagstrom Electronics in the US. You can The controls wire your arcade controls to one of these interface cards, slot the Those who opt to modify an old card into your PC, and Bob’s your arcade cabinet will obviously mother’s brother – everything have some joysticks and buttons should work perfectly and available. A way is still needed of without any ghosting. Ultimarc's IPAC controller is ideal for getting these to ‘talk’ to the PC at If you want to build an those looking to build their own control the heart of the system. authentic control system from panels from scratch In the early days of MAME scratch using one of these (the late 1990s), people building interfaces, you can pick up a romname is the name of a ROM For our upright cabinet, we’re their own arcade cabinets had it variety of joysticks, buttons and file located in the mame/roms using Game Launcher. This is tough. The only way to get the other controllers from Ultimarc, or folder on your hard disk. initially less user-friendly than the PC to recognise arcade joystick from Happ Controls in the US – To make using the cabinet alternatives, but it’s extremely movements or button presses both stock a great range of more pleasant you’ll doubtless versatile. It can easily be was to perform a keyboard hack products. Check out the Arcade want to employ the services of a configured so that it can be – in other words, split apart the Controls website for loads of MAME front end. This runs on top controlled with a joystick and PC keyboard and hard-wire the helpful advice on constructing of Windows (so you need never some fire buttons, which means arcade controls to particular keys, your own control systems, and see Windows itself), and enables we can tuck all the PC workings so that when the joystick was take a look at our cocktail you to switch easily between the away inside the cabinet, only moved or a button pressed, the cabinet step-by-step guide to see games installed on the system. ever needing to be accessed computer would think that a key how we’ve done it using controls Most front ends let you use your when the machine needs turning on the keyboard had been arcade controls to make this on, shutting down and turning pressed instead. Keyboard selection, rather than the PC’s off. Game Launcher also works hacking worked to a keyboard or mouse. with a variety of emulators There are dozens of front ends besides MAME, so there’s
Sites such as ClassicArcadeGrafix supply reproduction prints which you can stick to your cabinet if you don't fancy designing your own graphics
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editor Mat Mabe on the case, and website. Combine a few elements and an I-PAC interface obtained GremlinSolutions for £99. It’s got he whipped us up some custom from these and you shouldn’t go from Ultimarc. bags of buttons, it’s sturdily built graphics, which we then had too far wrong. If you don’t want If you don’t fancy going and it’ll save us lots of soldering printed onto adhesive vinyl by to go to the expense of having through the trouble of designing and wiring. We’ve based the local signmaking company, the designs printed onto your own control system, there is cabinet dimensions around the X- Tunnicliffe Signs. They also adhesive vinyl, you could simply a much simpler alternative – buy Arcade, so that it’ll fit snugly and supplied a suitable strip light for print them out with a standard a ready-made arcade controller. securely at just the right height the marquee, and printed our inkjet printer and glue them onto There are a few good ones to for optimum gaming fun. designs onto Perspex for the the cabinet, then whack some choose from nowadays, including marquee panel and the screen transparent sticky-backed plastic the HotRod, various products surround. Getting stuff like this over the top, or else use some from Ozstick, and the XGaming X- Finishing done professionally isn’t cheap, sort of sealant to provide a Arcade which is available in one- touches but it does guarantee that your hardwearing finish. and two-player versions. These cabinet looks the business when If you don’t fancy your artistic products typically connect either Cocktail tables have a certain it’s finished. skills, you’ve got a couple of to a USB port on the back of chic-ness, but a ruddy great If you don’t have your very options: you could buy some off- your PC, or to the PS2 keyboard upright cabinet isn’t going to look own Retro Gamer art editor the-shelf reproduction prints from socket (with the keyboard then too impressive in the corner of handy, don’t despair – fire up sites such as Phoenix Arcade or connecting to the controller, so the living room. What’s needed your favourite PC paint package ClassicArcadeGrafix; or you could that you can still use it when are some irresistible graphics for and have a play around. You can download some original arcade required). For our upright cabinet, this cabinet’s front and sides, and find loads of character artwork cabinet designs from the Arcade we’re going to use the two-player a stylish illuminating marquee to and original game logos to Art website and either print them version of the X-Arcade, which run across the top. incorporate into your design at yourself or get a local printing you can pick up in the UK from We got our esteemed art the Arcade Vector Graphics company to do it for you.
Useful Building your own controls w.arcadecontrols.com Arcade Controls ww w.hagstromelectronics.com Hagstrom Electronics ww w.happcontrols.com links Happ Controls ww w.ultimarc.com Ultimarc ww Revamping old cabinets Interactive Control Panel Designer ame/icpd/ICPD.htm www.move360media.com/m deheaven.co.uk Arcade Heaven www.arca dewarehouse.com Arcade Warehouse www.arca meworld.net/pc2jamma Legal ROMs PC-To-JAMMA project www.ma www.jammaplus.com/forum w.starroms.com JAMMA+ Web forum StarROMs ww PC component suppliers MAME front ends forge.net www.mini-itx.com http://advancemame.source Mini-ITX.com AdvanceMAME a/frontend.html w.mameworld.net/pc2jamm ArcadeOS ww www.mikebillings.com Cabinet plans and Cocktail Frontend launcher www.dribin.org/dave/game_ flat-pack kits Game Launcher www.arcadedepot.com ArcadeDepot /arcade General help and advice http://users.adelphia.net/~seanhat LuSid’s Cabinet plans ice/main.html www.gamecab.com w.mameworld.net/emuadv GameCab Emuadvice ww mlinsolutions.co.uk GremlinSolutions www.gre ertechdesign.net/mameroom MAMEroom www.cyb Pre-built MAME cabinets www.gamecabinetsinc.com Cabinet graphics Game Cabinets Inc rcade_games.html w.letsgoretro.com/classic_a Let’s Go Retro ww ww.localarcade.com/arcade_art w.loadsmorestuff.com Arcade Art w LoadsMoreStuff.com ww torlib.free.fr Arcade Vector Graphics http://vec enixarcade.com Phoenix Arcade www.pho ssicarcadegrafix.com Inspirational example ClassicArcadeGrafix http://cla www.tunnicliffesigns.com cabinets Tunnicliffe Signs amecabinet www.knosp.com/projects/m Andy Knosp’s Cabinet /index.shtml http://rtcw.no-ip.org/cabinet Arcade controllers MAME Cabinet in 24 hours net.php www.bazpatts.f2s.com/cabi MAME Cabinet conversion y.com/fifa/294 www.gremlinsolutions.co.uk http://underworld.fortunecit Gremlin Solutions odJoystick Cocktail Table Project an/hardware.html www.hanaho.com/products/HotR www.pharaohweb.com/pacm HotRod Pac-man Cocktail Cabinet r/rayder.html ww.ozstick.com.au w.ameritech.net/users/rayde OzStick w Rayder’s MAME/VP Cabinet ww ww.x-arcade.com tp://cmdrtaco.net/jubei XGaming X-Arcade w Rob’s Arcade Cabinet ht w.russprince.com/cabinet Russ’s MAME Cabinet ww w.weirdpier.com/cabinet WeirdPier’s MAME Cabinet ww
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Build your own upright cabinet
Shopping list Suitable PC case (from £30) 256Mb RAM (£45) 6 MDF sheets, 1810x607x12mm (£50) Hard drive (from £40) 8 planed wood lengths, 2000mm long (£10) 17in monitor (from £100) Tin of wood filler (£8) PCI sound card (from £20) Tin of MDF primer (£8) Speaker system with subwoofers (from £50) Tin of black gloss paint (£8) CD-ROM drive (only needed during setup) Pack of two hinges (£5) Keyboard (£5) Case graphics (varies) Mouse (£10) X-Arcade two-player controller (£99) Operating system (varies) Custom graphics printing on vinyl and perspex (£200) Legal ROMs (from around £5 each) VIA EPIA motherboard (£135) TOTAL COST = from £828
>01 >02
The first step is to plan the cabinet. You can find plenty Transfer your designs for the two sides onto a couple of of example plans on the Internet, but we’ve drawn up our sheets of 607x1810x12mm MDF. If the designs are simple own, taking our cues from the X-Arcade’s width, the you can mark both out using a tape measure; if they’re monitor’s depth, and the fact that 12mm MDF is readily complex, mark out and then cut one side, then draw round available in sheets that are 607mm wide and 1810mm tall it onto the second sheet of MDF to ensure the two sides (anything larger is too big to fit in a hatchback car!). match up.
>03 >04
You’ll probably find that when you’ve drawn things out Now it’s time to start cutting. For curves or at full size, they don’t look quite as you’d envisaged complicated cuts, use a jigsaw, but for straight lines them. Now’s the time to make changes. We’ve refined our you’ll find it much quicker to use a circular saw. When design so that the front doesn’t stick out as much; the cutting MDF, always wear a facemask and eye protection, shelf supporting the X-Arcade is now much smaller and because this stuff produces very fine dust which you more elegant. don’t want to breathe in or get into your eyes.
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>05 >06
Here you can see one side, the back of the case Screw two lengths of wood to the cabinet back. You’ll and the two little controller shelf supports. We need to drill holes through the MDF for the screws, and need a way of securely fixing the back of the case then countersink them so that the screw heads will be to the sides, and for this we’ll use planed lengths able to sit beneath the level of the surrounding MDF. of wood to create sturdy batons that’ll hold This is so they can be filled over and concealed later. everything together. There’s no need to pre-drill the wood batons.
>07 >08
The baton gives us something solid to screw the side With both side panels attached, we’ve added a wood panel into. The back panel is the width of the X-Arcade, length which will run horizontally in line with the top less the 24mm of the two side panels. When you’re of the controller support shelf. Again, this is attached building the cabinet to such precise dimensions it’s a with screws coming through from the outside inwards. The good idea to regularly check that everything is matching shelf support is the wrong way around in this up as intended! photograph, which we realised after screwing it - d’oh.
>09 >10
Now the cabinet can stand up for itself, so the The top of the X-Arcade controller extends further back workbench is whipped out of the way and we can get a than the sides, so we’ll drill out a notch in the side of feel for the size of the thing. In a moment we’ll add the case so that the controller will fit snugly in place some cross-bracing at the front to hold things firmly in without an untidy gap behind it. As the old adage goes, place, but first we’ll pop the controller into position measure twice and cut once - if you get this hole in the to make sure the width is still spot on. wrong place, it’ll look untidy when the cabinet’s finished.
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>11 >12
A cross-brace can now be added underneath the controller. It’s worth adding an additional internal brace. Then Again, this has batons attached to it and we’ll screw through it’s time for a front panel, constructed in much the the sides into these batons, holding the cabinet together and same way as the back panel. This doesn’t come all the supporting the controller securely into the bargain. Although way up the front of the case, because we’re going to add we’ve not done it yet, it’s a good idea to drill into the a door above it so that we can access the internal PC cross-brace in two places, so it won’t move around. components when necessary.
>13 >14
Two internal shelves are next one for the PC Next, more cross-pieces are added at the top (directly components and one for the monitor. These are supported above and below where the arcade cabinet’s marquee will underneath by batons screwed into the front and back of eventually live). At this point, the plan is to have the the cabinet. We’ve taken a chunk out of each shelf at marquee attach to these wooden batons, so they’re the rear, to enable cables to be threaded through. mounted flush with the front of the cabinet.
>15 >16
Then it’s time to add the rest of the roof, which again The front door is next. This is a panel attached will be attached using batons screwed into the roof with a couple of hinges, with two wooden batons panels and the sides of the case. Competent woodworkers running across inside the case so that it doesn’t can mitre the edges of the panels so they fit snugly spring back too far and end up inside the case. The together; otherwise, keep the gap as small as possible handle is a standard draw handle, bought cheaply so it can be filled later. from a DIY store.
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>17 >18
The two little triangles of MDF which support the So that the whole thing can be moved around more control panel weren’t sitting entirely flush with the easily, it’s a good idea to add some wheels. We’ve cabinet sides, so here we’ve added some wooden batons to screwed four furniture castors to a piece of MDF, hold them securely in the correct position. which will then be screwed into batons attached to the cabinet sides. The sheet of MDF sits underneath the cabinet sides for extra support.
>19 >20
With a few extra wooden batons and screws here and there First, all those screw holes need filling. Ladle on a to lend the whole thing strength and stop anything from thick layer of wood filler. Don’t try to get the surface moving around, that’s the cabinet construction finished. smooth because you won’t manage it the filling stage Now we’re ready for the slow and boring part: preparing is about filling, not smoothing. Be sure not to skimp on it for painting. the filler.
>21 >22
Now for the sanding. We strongly suggest you invest £15 With the sanding complete, those screw holes should or so in an electric sander because it’ll make your life just be a memory. Before starting painting, give a hell of a lot easier. Make sure you wear a facemask the cabinet a good dusting off and air out the room and eye protection when you’re sanding, because you you’re working in so that there’s no dust floating don’t want to inhale the wood filler and MDF dust or get around - this could prevent you from achieving a it into your eyes. good paint job.
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>23 >24
Apply at least one coat and preferably two of MDF primer Primer takes a couple of hours to dry. Then it’s to the cabinet before you whack on a colour. If you time for some shiny black gloss paint. Whack it on don’t, the MDF will positively drink your paint and nice and thick the biggest mistake most people you’ll have to apply several layers to achieve a decent make when painting is to spread the paint too finish. This tin of primer cost less than a tenner and thinly. Wait a good day or two after the first coat provides more than enough paint for two coats. before applying a second.
>25 >26
This is the PC which is powering our upright cabinet We’ve installed Windows Me from a CD-ROM, and (minus the sound card which is yet to be added). It’s transferred across MAME and our legal ROMs. Whilst advisable to check your PC works properly before you’re at it, you may as well install and configure Game installing it in the cabinet, as it’s much easier to Launcher; the first step is to open glaunch.cfg using diagnose problems at this stage. Notepad.
>27 >28
Find the line which says emulators = and remove Further down, make sure that path_prefix is set to everything except MAME, since this is the only emulator c:\. Then scroll all the way down to the Key we’ll be using initially. Then scroll down to resolution Mappings section. This is where you’ll need to = and set this to your desired screen resolution - enter the scancodes for the keys that will enable 800x600 is normally fine. you to control the menu with the joystick.
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>29 >30
We’re going to change the Up, Down, Left and Right Save and close glaunch.cfg and then go into the keys to 45, 39, 82 and 83 respectively, and the Play Config directory. Open mame.cfg using Notepad. Here Game key to 28 (the Player One Start button). You you need to set the directory of the MAME can find a full list of all the possible scancodes executable, using 8.3 filename convention (so if in scancode.txt, a text file that’s supplied with your MAME lives at c:\program files\MAME then you Game Launcher. should enter c:\progra˜1\mame here).
>31 >32
Next change the name of the MAME executable you’re using Change screen_shot_directory to c:\progra˜1\mame\snap (or (normally this is mame.exe). Under global options you whatever). Ensure Use_rom_file is set to yes.You can can tell MAME that you’ll always be using the X-Arcade then save and close mame.cfg. The next file which needs change this so it reads global_options = -ctrlr xarcade. editing is mame.rom, so load this into Notepad.
>33 >34
This file simply contains a list of the filenames Having saved the finished mame.rom file, open mame.map (minus the file extension) of the ROMs you want to in Notepad. This tells Game Launcher the names it use with Game Launcher. The filenames are listed one should display for each of the ROMs listed in the per line: ASTEROID, ATETRIS and so on - to find the mame.rom file. As an example, you might list ASTEROID correct names, browse to your MAME/ROMs folder “Asteroids” on one line, ATETRIS “Tetris” on the next, within Windows. and so on.
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>35 >36
Save that file, then load up Game Launcher by double- If everything works, create a Shortcut to glaunch.exe clicking glaunch.exe, to check everything works properly. and drag this to your Windows Startup folder, so it runs If prompted to type ‘OK’ when a ROM loads, waggle the X- every time the computer boots up. Then you need never Arcade’s player one joystick left and right. To quit out see Windows at all - apart from when you want to turn of a game and return to Game Launcher, press the right the machine off, when you’ll have to hit Escape on the side button and Player Two Start together. keyboard and then shut down the system.
>37 >38
The PC fits neatly on the cabinet shelf, alongside the Here’s the project so far: the cabinet’s built and subwoofer (on the left) and a four-way power block on painted; the internals are in place and working; the right. We’ll need all four outputs - one for the PC, now all we’re waiting for are the finishing one for the speaker system, one for the monitor and one touches such as the marquee, graphics for the for the cabinet marquee light. The trailing plug exits cabinet sides and a perspex sheet to fit around through the back of the cabinet. the monitor screen.
>39 >40
These are the graphics which will adorn the outside And here it is - behold: the Retrotronic! All that’s of the cabinet, as designed by Retro Gamer’s art needed now are a couple of bar stools, a few beers editor extraordinaire, Mat Mabe. We supplied this and snacks, and a clear diary. Oh, and some flowers Adobe Illustrator file to local company Tunnicliffe for the missus wouldn’t go astray as you attempt to Signs, and they manufactured and installed the convince her that this monster will look a treat in graphics for us. the living room!
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Build your own cocktail cabinet
Shopping list VIA EPIA motherboard (£135) Suitable PC case (from £30) Oak cocktail cabinet kit (£280) 256Mb RAM (£45) 2 custom-drilled control CP2B control panels (£70) Hard drive (from £40) 2 eight-way JOY1 joysticks (£40) 19in monitor (from £150) 12 buttons (£30) Speaker system (from £15) 12 microswitches (£30) CD-ROM drive (only needed 19in monitor bezel (£25) during setup) Tempered glass top (around £75) Keyboard (£5) 8 glass clips (£38) Mouse (£10) Printed top underlay (£50) Operating system (varies) IPAC interface (£40) Legal ROMs (from around £5 each) Wire (a couple of quid) TOTAL COST = from £1,115
>01 >02
We’re using a flat-packed Oak cabinet kit, manufactured ...this fetching little chappy. Well, alright, so in the USA by Arcade Depot and supplied in the UK by we’ve not attached the piano-hinge side door yet, GremlinSolutions. This comes with a decent instruction but it’s surprising how quickly you can glue and booklet, so in under an hour, two hard-working Retro screw the kit together. It definitely helps if Gamer hacks had managed to assemble... there are two of you working on this though, especially when it comes to attaching that door.
>03 >04
To make our lives easier, we had GremlinSolutions Attaching a microswitch to each button is just as pre-drill the two metal control panels. Buttons are easy. Each switch has two little holes in it, and the easily installed - drop one through a hole and then buttons have two notches on them. Angle the switch so fasten the supplied plastic nut up on the other that a notch goes into one hole, then rotate the side to hold it in place. switch so that the other notch clicks in the other hole - that’s all there is to it.
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>05 >06
Now it’s time for some soldering. All the COM (common) The NO (normally open) tabs of the switches, which tabs of the switches must be daisy-chained together with should be marked, connect to the relevant wires, and connected to the GND (ground) connection on connectors on the I-PAC. When wiring the joystick, the I-PAC controller board. There’s a separate GND for remember that pushing it in a given direction each player to help keep the wiring neat. depresses the switch on the opposite side. You’ll need around 40 wires.
>07 >08
To give the control panels strength, wooden supports Inside the cabinet, we’re using a VIA EPIA V (which come with the cabinet kit) are fixed underneath motherboard (£75 from Mini-ITX.com), with 256Mb RAM the metal panels at either side. The panels are then and an 8Gb hard drive, running Windows Me. The I-PAC screwed in place and a wooden slat drops into place controller is taped in place for convenience, and above them. connects to the PC’s PS2 socket. It has a pass- through connector for the keyboard.
>09 >10
We’re using a standard 17in PC monitor, mounted on You may need to configure MAME to match your a home-made wooden stand which sits astride the PC controller, particularly if you’ve wired any case. PC monitors aren’t designed to be laid on controllers in the wrong place. This is easily done their backs, so you do this at your own risk. We within MAME - press Tab and then choose the General don’t advise leaving the cabinet unattended when Controls option. it’s turned on, just in case!
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>11 >12
You also need to individually configure all the You’ll want a front end which can run in a vertical games which MAME will be running so that they’ll screen mode too. We’re using Cocktail Frontend which is flip screens when going from one player to the a free download from www.mikebillings.com. With this other. To do this, hit Tab, choose the DIP Switches configured, the cocktail cabinet’s almost done. The option and then select Cocktail mode instead of the finishing touch will be some printed graphics for the usual Upright mode. top, with a tempered glass or perspex overlay. Readers’ cabs John Hardie hide in a new cabinet and go was up and running inside my to town on that instead. John bought an old JAMMA arcade machine. Cutting up the Whether my girlfriend accepts cabinet for £120 with the pads and converting them to losing more room-space is intention of refurbishing it. He the JAMMA board was painful another matter!” says, “When I got the bug for but highly worth it, as the building my own cabinet, I Lee Bolton arcade machine is used like it didn’t have a clue on what to would be with any JAMMA of this, I now get to run MAME do. Thankfully the Internet board. Player One Start (using DOS) with Arcade OS as Lee bought a JAMMA cabinet came to my rescue, with corresponds to the Start button my operating system – all at and for a while contented various sites giving out on the Megadrive and A, B and native arcade resolutions. This himself with buying JAMMA tutorials, explaining arcade C are your normal three fire gives the machine a completely boards to slot into it, but then monitor frequencies, how to buttons on the machine. Sound authentic feel.” he started to want more. Lee make an operating system is converted using the takes up the story: “I found work etc.” Megadrive’s headphone jack so through the Internet that you David Lloyd you can always turn the sound could connect a Megadive up off if your girlfriend is getting to the machine via a JAMMA David bought an old arcade annoyed with the loud blasting fingerboard, two old Joypads cabinet six months ago from action. Simple stuff. Just place and an eight-pin din plug. Why Arcade Heaven, and the the Megadrive within easy a Megadrive? Well, there are components for a MAME reach of the coin door so you loads of Megadrive games conversion from Ultimarc, and can easily swap and insert which were either coin-op spent three evenings carrying cartridges, and you’re away. out the transformation. His conversions or based on coin- “My children love it. They op gameplay – Streets of Rage, cabinet features an old always want to challenge me Golden Axe, Gauntlet 4, Double Hantarex arcade monitor (with for a game of Bomberman or Dragon and so on. ‘INSERT COIN’ burnt into it for Ms.Pacman (the Megadrive “With the help of some full authenticity!) and a version has a two-player fabulous websites and a trusty 450MHz Pentium 3 PC inside option) and they always seem soldiering iron, within days of with video card, video cable to win. Maybe Dad is getting and Ultimarc I-PAC. trial and error the Megadrive too old for games.” 5** David says, “My cabinet is still a work in progress – I’d “The hardest part for me love to get some marquees was getting the JAMMA made up for it and maybe add interface to talk to my PC. I a couple more buttons to each then found a wonderful site player to allow for Streetfighter called Ultimarc which sold an II’s six-button goodness. But I’ll excellent little gizmo called the probably wait and get myself a J-PAC. This little adaptor not four-player cabinet when my PC only converted all the controls, gets an upgrade and thus I but the video as well. Because have the old PC components to
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>The Final Word
Weekly Famitsu is more than just a Japanese magazine - it's an institution. Jonti Davies looks between the covers of this celebrated publication...
n 1983, Nintendo launched its first proper home console in Japan: the Family Computer or Famicom. Two years later, it was clear that the Famicom revolution Iwas in full flight. Millions of Japanese homes had one of these 8-bit consoles and Super Mario, Link and others had become superstars in their native territory. Famicom cartridges were being released at a tremendous rate – some sort of periodical review was needed for the education and benefit of the masses of new gamers. Famicom Tsushin (Anglicised as Famicom Communications) was therefore established by Japanese media giant ASCII as a bi-weekly videogame review in 1986.
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Famitsu teases readers with adverts for the biggest upcoming games
score out of 40. Any game that outstrips the competition, but it’s time. Its huge success was garners a score greater than 30 Initially, the Famicom not simply the most successful is given a Gold award. Thanks to largely down to the fact that it Japanese games magazine, it’s Communications’ chief concern had no real competition, and with Famitsu’s massive circulation, that was Nintendo’s ubiquitous format, also the most influential. award can have a significant so many consoles and games Famitsu is famed for its but the magazine changed with impact on game sales. being bought, its area was hardly reviews. Compared with the the times. New formats were a niche interest. In late 1991, it covered as they arrived on the videogame critiques found in Chart became necessary for the Western magazines, Famitsu’s scene, making the magazine a magazine to expand: what had tracking Japanese gamer’s Bible, whatever reviews are not nearly as detailed been a bi-weekly magazine in their analysis of new releases. their allegiances. Soon the title As well as guiding the direction suddenly became Weekly So-called cross-reviews are the was abridged to Famitsu, which of the nation’s disposable income, Famitsu, which is the format in publication’s chosen method of is now a legendary name in the Famitsu is also in a unique which it still exists today. In evaluation. Four staff writers each world of videogames. But what position when it comes to 1999, Enterbrain bought the title submit a paragraph and award made Famitsu such an important reporting on game sales. It’s in from ASCII in what was a rather the game a rating out of 10. publication? And how does it fare Famitsu that, with the co- shrewd acquisition. Every week, These scores are then added today? around 800,000 copies are picked operation of games stores across In the 1980s, Famitsu was together to arrive at a total, a up across Japan. Famitsu far simply the right title at the right
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pages in each issue cover such or don’t sing, but nevertheless Aesthetically, too, Famitsu is a minutiae as soundtrack releases, are very sweet and therefore Japan, the nearest thing to an winner. Its mascot was created by J-pop, and vitamin supplements official Japanese sales chart is popular). (occasionally). From a Western famous manga artist Susumu Feature stories aren’t common. collated and published. Unlike Matsushita. (Matsushita, you may perspective, Famitsu is an the Western videogame press, What Japanese readers get intriguing representation of remember, drew the character (which, as Famitsu is nearly 20 which relies on sales data from artwork in Capcom’s Maximo Japanese culture. independent chart trackers, the years old, is presumably what Until 1991, Famitsu featured games.)Works from Matsushita they want) is news on upcoming Japanese look to Famitsu for their are found on the cover of Famitsu quite prominently on its covers – information. The magazine’s releases, followed by lots of in English – the bullish claim that most weeks, giving the magazine previews and reviews, and finally, readers are also encouraged to a distinctive look. Inside, the it was ‘The Final Word on supply Famitsu with data that in-depth strategy guides to recent Games’. More than a decade magazine’s pages are packed titles. The games are very much reflects the public consensus by with screenshots, Japanese text since that tag line was dropped, filling out and returning the brief the magazine’s focal point. But few would argue if it made a and further examples of the that’s not to say that Enterbrain questionnaire attached to each aforementioned artwork. There return. In the Japanese issue (What games are you most (Famitsu’s omnipotent publisher) videogame market there is but a are also regular sections given ✺✯* looking forward to? Which suffers from tunnel vision: a single voice of authority. over to comic strips and cute small number of the 200-odd systems do you own? etc). Japanese ‘idols’ (girls who sing, Famitsu is a powerful machine.
Each issue is a mix of previews, reviews and guides to the latest games
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>Olympic Gold
In some civilisations in the world, being stuck in front of a screen and forced to move your arm frantically from left to right would bring about human rights issues. Yet in the 80s, this was a form of acceptable torture and we all did it for fun. Simon Brew looks at the sport of crippling yourself in the name of Olympic glory
here are some who would have you believe that the march of technology is a very good thing. There are some who would argue that, as processing power Thas moved on, games have become more sophisticated than ever before. And there are some who would happily sit in a pub for hours longer than they should, waxing lyrical about how we’ve never had things so good. Try telling all that to a fan of the joystick waggler. Few genres of gaming have been done. Compare, if you will, quite so decimated by the onslaught of progress,should and few be genres have borne witness to what could be done riding roughshod over what the breathtaking simplicity of Track & Field on the Atari 2600 – which came with its own dedicated controller, no less – with Sony’s latest Athens 2004 game. One is simple, easy to play, and loads of fun. And the other is produced by Sony. So let’s start right back there, but not without first setting some ground rules. This feature will focus solely on Olympics-style joystick wagglers. That resigns the completely non-Olympics games like Atari’s Video Olympics to the sidelines, sadly, and sadistic torture devices such as Combat School to their own boxout. They’ll be safer there.
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Hammer time end of day two and releasing you had the dreaded 1,500m to Konami’s Track & Field (aka Hyper finish? At least the 1,500m Olympics) seems a logical place involved tactics, as you tried in to kick off, as it was a game that vain to keep the energy meter graced pretty much every system under control. in some state over the past 20 Decathlon was a big hit across years. Nothing, of course, can all formats and unsurprisingly, quite beat playing it in the Ocean was keen to produce a arcades, with sweaty teenagers sequel. It didn’t take long to happily gobbing on the controls arrive. In 1985, Daley Thompson’s to reduce friction come button- Super-Test arrived, and it’s here battering time (they also figured that you can start to trace the that sliding their knuckle across demise of the joystick waggler. the two buttons worked faster than smacking seven shades out of them), but again, we’ll keep David Crane's take on the Olympics. Unsurprisingly, the our focus on the comfort of your Olympiad looked more than a little like Pitfall Harry front room. In the home, the game’s as you could. The long jump? and play, and while it didn’t origins go right back to that 2600 Ditto, but you also pressed the include factors such as getting version, and that controller we red button at the right point to your angles right, there were still mentioned earlier. Available either jump, and had to get your angles elements of timing to consider. with the game or sold separately, right (different experts would But history will remember the the controller told you everything have you believe there were decathlon-game crown going to you needed to know about the different optimum angles, but just someone else. challenge in store. Two white under 45 degrees generally did buttons either side needed to be the job). And who can forget the Daley worship beaten rapidly, and one red javelin? In certain versions, if you button in the middle needed to launched it off the screen, your That someone? Mr Daley be touched for just the right javelin would come down with a Thompson. Released in 1984 – amount of time. No doubt some bird impaled on the end of it. the same year its hero walked off smutty innuendo can drawn from Athletics and animal torture in with the gold at the Los Angeles all that, but naturally we wouldn’t the same game – classy. Olympics – Daley Thompson’s stoop so low. Yet. The 2600 version of Track & Decathlon fully deserves its place A conversion of the arcade Field was released in 1984 (a year in the hall of fame. Released on original, Track & Field came after its coin-op debut), but by all the major 8-bit formats, the across well on the 2600, with then there was a strong field of game was split over two sides of pretty impressive graphics for the contenders building up. Activision a tape, making 10 events in time and the compulsive – who wouldn’t touch the genre total. In truth, the formula wasn’t gameplay that continued to with a barge pole now – had The very different to that of Track & underpin the game Activision Decathlon up its Field, but that didn’t detract from already very much sleeve. Written by David Crane the quality of the gameplay, in place. Yet it and initially released in 1983 (and which managed to produce a was all so simple. later benefiting from a fine C64 cocktail of entertainment and The 100m? You port), Decathlon was a great little exhaustion. Remember getting to just whacked the game, albeit one that never the end of day one and realising white buttons, in threatened to win the virtual gold that you had the 400m to run? rhythm, as fast medal. It was simple to pick up And worse still, getting to the Blatant advertising in computer games. That'll never catch on!
Super-Test wasn’t a bad game, but it didn’t capture the magic of the original. The events within it were that bit more sophisticated and perhaps that was part of the problem. The 400m became a 400m cycle race, and clunky events such as high diving and penalty taking (?) managed neither to retain the simplicity of the original nor endear themselves as worthy replacements. Some counter this view, arguing that the events required a bit more skill, and The classic Atari 2600 version of Track & Field, complete with custom controller presented a better challenge all round. Yet for our money, Super-
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A day at the races A rundown of the 10 gruelling events which made up Daley Thompson's Decathlon
Event 1: 100m
The Spectrum 128 version of Super-Test featured four extra events, taking the total number of mini-games to 12
Test just didn’t capture the magic to the gym was what Daley of Decathlon. But it was a damn wanted us to do, but not many Event 2: Long jump sight better than what came next. did, and thus the prospect of a Daley lent his name to one Daley 4 was no more. more outing from Ocean, but by Still, Daley was a big success, this time, the glory days were and it wasn’t just Ocean who was long gone. Daley Thompson’s reaping the rewards of the Event 3: Shot put Olympic Challenge, which was joystick-waggling genre. Joystick released in 1988, kicked off in a manufactures, for starters, must gymnasium, where you had to have thought all their Christmases earn the right to tackle the had come at once, as punters various events. And just where resigned themselves to a exactly is the fun in that? It’s like continual programme of replacing that bit in The Sims where you’re joysticks that had been well and Event 4: High jump asked to position a microwave truly knackered when trying to oven in a place of your liking in a shave another tenth of a second virtual kitchen – you have to stop off a record time. Konami was and ask yourself whether this is also happy with the success of actually a game you’re playing or Track & Field, and it went on to Event 5: 400m whether it’s just a pretend apply similar magic to 1984’s version of a nagging spouse. Get Hyper Sports…
Event 6: 110m hurdles
Event 7: Pole vault
Event 8: Discus
Event 9: Javelin
Join Daley down the gym. There's a whole lot of fun to be had there - honest! Event 10: 1,500m
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Sport relief
By this time, Track & Field had gained extra prominence, as it was a regular feature on some otherwise-crappy BBC1 quiz program called First Class, hosted by Debbie Greenwood (who, let’s be honest fellas, we all had a thing for at that age). Yet Hyper Sports had its own weapon that ensured no one would forget it in a hurry. It had an athlete with a dodgy porn-star moustache. Remember it? It didn’t make it to all of the home computer versions, but it served as a videogaming fashion statement. Anyway, the game – it was brilliant. In fact, you could put together a strong case for Hyper Sports being one of the top three joystick wagglers of all time. Not HES Games was later re-released on a budget label in 1986, only did it feature a diverse under the title Go For The Gold selection of genuinely interesting events, but it also had lots of wrong moment, valuable seconds for the Commodore 64, the game little details. For instance, shoot would be lost. But if you timed it mixed in a bit of diving, some all the clay pigeons and a big right, you’d satisfyingly pull away weightlifting, the hurdles, the duck would fly in out of from the pack. Simple really rather tricky archery nowhere, teasing you to blow it things, but they added an competition, and the staple diets away for extra bonus points. extra something to the of the genre – the 100m and the Then there was the events. long jump. It brought in elements swimming, which Hyper Sports was, such as a replay feature, and introduced the and is, a cracking wasn’t afraid to play around with need to breathe. game, that still perspective. HES Games also got The fire button regularly gets a you waggling your joystick until made your namecheck. Yet criminally, your arm needed medical character the same fate hasn’t attention and introduced some breathe in, been reserved for skill requirements. That the game and if you did it at the the totally forgotten supported up to six players did it have been a good idea at the HES Games (1984). no harm either, and if you should time. It also bore a striking and Granted, the chance across a copy today, you’d really quite frightening catchy name be doing gaming history a service resemblance to certain, drug- does it no by snapping it up. pumped Eastern European favours (it was also known as Go Before we move on to one of athletes. Mixing wacky events For The Gold and Gold Medal the greatest names in joystick with an Olympic-esque theme has Games), but at the time it was torture, let’s briefly pause to never really worked either. Amiga rightly lauded as one of very best remember some of the worst. owners would find that out with sporting titles bar none. Hunchback at the Olympics, for the distinctly average James Developed by 3-2-1 Software instance, doesn’t even appear to Pond: Aquatic Games (which washed up in Robocod’s wake), but Gremlin fared a little better with Alternative World Games (which you can find on issue 3’s coverdisc, assuming you haven’t flogged it on eBay by now). Then there were the numerous Tynesoft efforts, such as Summer Olympiad, European Games and Winter Olympiad 88. Now Tynesoft, to be fair, never really had a reputation that would send you into raptures at the announcement of a new game, and its event games did little to improve its image. At best they were OK, but at worst it was like putting £5 notes through a paper The classic Hyper Sports, converted to home systems by Imagine shredder.
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Combat School Not strictly relevant, granted, but has there ever been a more pointless joystick waggler than Combat School? We’re all for military-based games – running around and shooting baddies and stuff – but this joyless exercise just had you doing the rock-hard training (as did a game based on the Paul Hardcastle’s hit 19). And that was it. They could at least have got the mental drill instructor from Full Metal Jacket. Even Captain Harris from Police Academy would have done.
Epyx's irrepressible Summer Games set new standards in the field
contemporaries such as Daley Ocean's conversion of Konami's Epyx-ation original. War has never been Thompson’s Decathlon and Track so little fun We move on to a company that & Field were interested primarily managed to marry up far more in you banging the keys, than a cursory waggle with waggling the joysticks and points, but the game far more shined, you also got little medal something a bit more strategic. occasionally hitting the right generously rewarded timing and ceremonies and an opening in Epyx, when on top form, was the button for the right amount of skill, and each event required a which a little man ran onto the absolute master of the genre. It’s time, Summer Games introduced different control dynamic. The screen and lit the flame. perhaps best known for the a more strategic edge. In fact, it’s devil really was in the detail. Not The success of Summer Games godlike California Games, but for hard to think of many other only were you left with the spurred Epyx on to produce more the purposes of this feature, games in the genre where impression that someone had games in the genre. In fact, with our attention shifts to its waggling took such a back seat. genuinely slaved away to polish the exception of a couple of non- selection of summer and winter Sure, it was called upon at some many of the events ‘til they related titles that did the games (which also means there’s business (the Impossible Mission no room to talk about the titles, mainly), Epyx thrived due flat-out wonderment of World to its Games series. Summer Games, sadly). Games II followed in 1985 and So we start back in 1984, managed to better the already- when Summer Games was excellent original. Mixing what released on the Commodore 64. were tremendous graphics for the The game actually had its origins time with some surprisingly on the Atari 2600, when a merger sophisticated gameplay, it was between Epyx and a firm called rightly regarded as a must-have Starpath meant the former by the press. Actually, that last inherited the latter’s partly comment needs tempering a finished code. It would eventually little. Whilst many Epyx titles appear on the 2600 and would found their way over to other also be ported to many other machines, even the most platforms, including the Atari 800, impassioned C64 hater would Apple II, Sega Master System, have to admit that Commodore Spectrum, Amstrad and even the owners had the best deal here. ST and Amiga some Some would go as far as to argue eight years later. For that Epyx’s success on the C64 in one game to have particular helped both the such a life span, you’d developer and computer itself have to conclude it achieve prominence. They was really rather good. certainly did few favours for other What made machines. it all the more The sequel appeared a year Winter Games was another interesting was later in 1985, featuring a 1985 Epyx release, and that that whilst wider range of events actually did fare quite well on
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we come back to the point we we’ll meet again in the future. made at the outset – how the Particularly worthy of merit were advance of technology has the excellent PlayStation versions, certainly diluted, if not killed, the which united the familiar old genre. gameplay (and hardware- Espana 92 simply missed the damaging tendencies) with a point. By introducing elements of polished presentation style. By team management and training – adding in more events, Konami which could have worked, but also succeeded in expanding the didn’t – the focus was taken off game a little, too. By the last the events themselves, and they version, some weird thing Epyx's later efforts were disappointing, with many became little fun to play. More involving dances and ribbons had fans preferring to dig out the originals instead than 30 events were packed into appeared. Not sure what that was the game, but in retrospect, all about, though. other formats. It was, again, a of its resources into a handheld honing that down to 10 and It’s been a barren time for brilliant piece of software, and gaming device called the Handy, getting them to work better fans of the genre though since never before or since have which would ultimately be sold would have been a more sensible that appeared, with only Sony’s otherwise masculine teenagers on to Atari and become the Lynx. option. Hilariously, one of the Athens 2004 title to really talk been so transfixed by figure Yet Epyx’s cash reserves were Amiga magazines at the time – about. Actually, it’s not too bad, skating. Naturally, they preferred drained, and in 1991, it filed for Amiga Action – lauded it, with a although again it seems intent on the bobsleigh, or at least that’s bankruptcy. Eventually, the name 90% plus score. Everyone else taking itself that little bit too what they told their mates. was bought, but still ended up saw it for what it really was: a seriously for our liking. It The firm then went on to consigned to the gaming rushed, distinctly average cash-in certainly leaves us harking back develop the brilliant California graveyard. that failed to achieve anywhere to the days: when a ghostly Games and World Games, before near the playability of games white Daley Thompson waved his ultimately returning to more Game over? seven or eight years older. arms to the crowd; when we traditional sports releases in Fortunately, all was not lost finally got the hang of Summer 1988. Sadly, both The Games: And after that, frankly, the genre for those who were into their Games II; and when, for the first Winter Edition and especially The was never really the same again. waggling, as one of the oldest time, we looked at that buggered Games: Summer Edition were Companies still tried to produce names in the genre continues to Quickshot II and figured that this disappointing by Epyx’s high good athletics-related joystick carry the torch. We’re talking might be an expensive hobby standards. Perhaps the problem wagglers, but games such as Track & Field and whilst it’s now after all. was that it’d got both the Gremlin’s Super Sports (1988) four years since we last saw a So like we said, progress isn’t summer and winter games licked never really cut the mustard. T&F game, we’d like to think that always a good thing. 5** first time around and had left That’s not to say that publishers itself little room to develop the had given up – far from it, in The Track and Field series lives on, and Sony has just franchise. fact. Excited by the impending released Athens 2004 exclusively for the PlayStation 2 Sadly, in many ways, the new 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Ocean Games titles marked the start of Software gave the world Espana the end for Epyx. It pooled more 92: The Games. And this is where Winter of content It wasn’t just the summer Olympics that attracted their share of games. The winter equivalent had programmers just as busy, and not just on Epyx’s aforementioned Winter Games. Arguably the best other example came from Digital Integration, as this focused purely on one event, which you can guess from the name of the game – Bobsleigh. It was a terrific game that is sometimes easily forgotten and deserves to be dug out. There was Eddie Edwards’ Super Ski, Flair Software’s Winter Sports ‘92, the passable Professional Ski Simulator from Codemasters, the underrated Ski Star 2000 (which, er, came out in 1985) and Electric Dreams’ middling Winter Sports. And we guess Horace Goes Skiing could perhaps sneak in on a technicality…
Why not dig out these games in time for the Winter Olympics?
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SFUSP£HBNFS | REGULAR:ADVERTISING GALLERY | atari advertising gallery To tie in with this
month's Atari 8-bit
feature, we've rifled
through the pages of many
classic magazines in
search of important,
interesting or just
downright bizarre Atari
adverts. Here, for your
viewing pleasure, are the
best examples. Please note
that these are old
adverts, so don't ring the
telephone numbers listed
and then complain to us
that the number you have
dialled is not recognised.
Yes, you know who you are
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**95** Untitled-1 1 1/9/06 12:55:47 RETRO6 Join The Revolution 07/07/2004 9:38 PM Page 97
>Join the Revolution
Revolution is the UK developer behind our classic cover-mounted game, Beneath a Steel Sky, and the forever popular Broken Sword series. We spoke to founding member Tony Warriner about Revolution's past, present and future...
evolution has been developing games for 15 years, and in that time it’s released six adventure games. That’s a small but significant catalogue of titles. Its first Rgame, Lure of the Tempress, was released in 1989 and, at the time, was a refreshingly contemporary point-and-click adventure. The unique ‘Virtual Theatre’ engine allowed non-playable characters to ‘live’ in the game world, going about their everyday lives. The engine was used again in Revolution’s 1994 follow-up, Beneath a Steel Sky. Swapping the fantasy setting of Temptress for a dystopian sci-fi scenario, Steel Sky stood out as an intelligent adult adventure that fully deserved its cult status.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | JOIN THE REVOLUTION |
all the Revolution hallmarks, game sold well and remains a Nico returned in 1997’s sequel, with an absorbing storyline, Revolution is perhaps best favourite of adventure fans. strong characterisation and The Smoking Mirror, before Since the release of In Cold known for its Broken Sword Revolution rested them for a clever puzzles. Blood in 2000, Revolution turned Following the release of games. The first, subtitled The little while and concentrated on Shadow of the Templars, was its attentions to the third Broken Broken Sword 3, Revolution has its next project. Following the Sword game, which was released released in 1996 on the PC and success of the two Broken announced a surprising shift in PlayStation (a GameBoy Advance on PC, PS2 and Xbox in focus, sacrificing production Sword games on the November last year. This new version followed later in 2001). PlayStation, Sony commissioned duties and focusing on its key Following American tourist entry moved with the times, design skills. With this, and Revolution to produce a new introducing a new 3D engine George Stobbart and accomplice adventure game. The result was news of Beneath a Steel Sky 2 Nico Collard’s quest for clues which allowed for direct control leaking out onto the Web, we In Cold Blood, a PlayStation and even some simple relating to the historical legend and PC title that blended thought it a fine time to chat of the Knight Templars, the platforming sections. Despite the with Revolution’s Tony Warriner... adventure and espionage. 3D graphics, the game featured game carefully mixed adventure, Despite mixed reviews, the intrigue and humour. George and But we were making the games to TW: I’m not sure anything was amuse ourselves, too. The key, except perhaps the tech Hobbins “it’s crap, son” line behind Virtual Theatre. The whole probably put a week on the thing was done organically, by schedule as people fell around which I mean we just programmed laughing. The trick is not to over away and that fed back to Charles’ do it and turn the game into a farce. ideas for the design and so on. There was never much of a design document. There wasn’t even the RG: You’ve cited Beneath A Steel title Lure of the Temptress until Sky as your favourite Revolution about 10 days before duplication game. Why does this game when Virgin picked our joke name, stand out? from a list of titles, as the one they wanted. TW: I suppose lots of reasons. It was probably the last game any of us ever did where we could just sit RG: How hard was it to create a and do what we wanted with game like Temptress with such a minimal interference. It was never Tony Warriner, one of Revolution's founding members small team? ‘positioned’ or ‘placed’ into a marketing segment – it just TW: It was moderately hard. Commercial Director. Without her happened. That makes it special, Looking back, the problems we Retro Gamer: Revolution was business acumen, we’d not have somehow. had were due to our lack of founded by Charles Cecil, David got this far. Sykes and yourself in 1989. Can specification and design. I’d love to you tell us about how you got do Lure now, it would be sooo RG: For your next game, were you easy. Beneath a Steel Sky was far together? RG: We gather you were a big fan ever tempted to play it safe with a harder, for the same reasons. That of text adventures at the time. Do sequel to Lure? Back in 1985 I game was the hardest thing I’ve Tony Warriner: you have any favourites? managed to fail all my school ever done. TW: I don’t think it was ever exams by concentrating instead on TW: For me, the Level 9 games even considered. A sequel would programming an Amstrad CPC were all true masterpieces – Return have been commissioned on the RG: What inspired the story and game called Obsidian. This game to Eden, Worm in Paradise etc. back of sales success, so there setting of Beneath a Steel Sky? was subsequently published by Unfortunately for Level 9, its would have to be a gap anyway. And is it true it was originally to Artic Computing, part owner of attempt to move on from text- Lure did well, but everything be called Beyond the Abyss? which was Charles Cecil. After this based games and compete with had moved on by the time Steel I drifted around doing 8-bit games the Sierra-style stuff didn’t work Sky had been finished. Lure 2 TW: We felt we’d had enough of programming here and there – out, despite a promising-looking would have been instead of dungeons for a while, so the polar Codemasters, and the like – and engine. This all coincided with Broken Sword, a game that was opposite had to be science fiction – ended up doing some aviation Revolution’s inception. perfect for its time. software with Dave Sykes. (Have a genre currently being grossly you seen all those little strips of overlooked in contemporary gaming. I’ve never heard the title paper they use in the towers at RG: Did Revolution ever consider RG: Broken Sword then. Were Beyond the Abyss!? airports? Well, the system we creating text adventures, or were you surprised that a 2D point- worked on was the first in the you always going to take the and-click adventure could be so world to computerise those. And point-and-click path? successful, especially on the coming from the 8-bit gaming RG: Despite the bleak sci-fi setting, PlayStation? the game is still laced with scene, we simply had to encode TW: Our plan was to beat the humour. Was this a conscious Everyone was surprised by our initials into the messages.) Sierra games, which were hugely TW: decision? Around this time, Charles was popular in the USA and starting to the PlayStation success. Virgin Development Manager at Activision, make serious in-roads over here. It turned it down, allowing us to TW: Yeah, pretty much. The idea but was looking to start his own was far too late for text-only stuff. sell the PlayStation version development company. After a of a dark, grim world, but with directly to Sony. I think the weekend retreat in darkest Wales, the human spirit shining through sales forecast was 60,000 here and there works well, we quit our jobs and work RG: Tell us about Lure of the copies and it went on to do whereas games that take commenced on Lure of the Temptress, in particular the ‘Virtual nearly 300,000. Then, bizarrely, themselves too seriously Temptress. Incidentally, there is a Theatre’ engine. Was the same thing happened again generally fall flat on their faces. fourth founder of Revolution, Noirin characterisation key? Carmody, who has always been
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Lure of the Temptress was started in 1989, even before Revolution's inception as a development company
RG: Your next title, In Cold Blood, placed more emphasis on action. point-and-click genre had run out Again, was this forced by the of steam. We couldn’t have signed publisher? a Broken Sword-style game anywhere. TW: By this time Virgin Interactive was in the process of being taken down by its ailing US parent and RG: In Cold Blood is perhaps the so we were out on our own again. first Revolution game to receive Given the success of BS1 and BS2 some less than favourable reviews. on the PlayStation it seemed How did you react to this? natural to try and build on that with Sony. The thinking was that if TW: The reviews went two ways: we took the story and humour love or hate! There was some from our other games but moved confusion as to what the game was about and so reviewers who were with Broken Sword 2. This was them into a more conventional hot for Metal Gear-type games, the only time Revolution has backing steady, but genre then we’d be more rather than adventures, were ever earned any royalties on nonetheless profitable games successful still. But this was at a perhaps not amused. If you take its games! like Broken Sword. But this time when, despite the success of sums up the problem Broken Sword, it was clear from a the game as an adventure, and adventures have always had – publishing perspective that the 2D expect nothing more, then it’s actually pretty good, and many RG: How much pressure was they sell, but not enough to there from Virgin to release turn the publishers on. Broken Sword 2? Anyway, as BS1 had been expensive to make, Virgin drew TW: Well, even though the PC us this little publisher graph version of BS1 had done well, that showed how much money Virgin appeared not to be fully they’d lost on BS1 and how a at ease with the idea of sequel would have to be written adventure games. On the one on half the money and in half hand, BS1 was profitable and the time (which it was). It was a solid, but on the other, such frustrating time for us because games don’t turn into mega hits, we were producing good games like Command & Conquer did, that reviewed and sold well, but for example. There was a we had to beg for every penny mentality within publishing that of development cash. At the said you were better off same time publishers were throwing money around burning money faster than it randomly, and maybe scoring a could be printed on truly terrible surprise big hit, instead of internal projects that would never see the light of day.
The classic Beneath a Steel Sky. A sequel is currently in the works
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙* | FEATURE:PROFILE | JOIN THE REVOLUTION |
In Cold Blood was a success on both PC and PlayStation. It was even translated in Russian!
looking at the upcoming platform Approval from SCEA. However, transition and all that it will entail. there’s a good chance it still will, We also need to think about what so fingers crossed… sort of games we want to write and what will do well in the mass market. RG: Revolution is soon to celebrate Our feeling is that development its 15th birthday, which is no mean of mass-market games – eg feat for an independent developer. console and PC games at full price However, you recently announced and sold through retail – is going that you would be concentrating on to change fundamentally over the design rather than production. next few years. There will be super RG: Broken Sword 3 received great What’s the reason behind this developers, with hundreds of staff people saw that. It sold very well, reviews. Was it commercially decision? and in-house code bases better than Broken Sword, and still successful, compared to the first supporting multiple projects. sells well in North America. two games? TW: We certainly felt that we Perhaps there will be half a dozen needed to scale back and consider of these in the UK? But outside of TW: In fact, it sold more or less the how we want to move forward, these companies, many smaller RG: A third Broken Sword game same, and to the same people. We without the constant pressure of teams will exist, and they will was inevitable, as was the shift didn’t widen the market as we had running a studio. We were focus on their specialist skill sets; from 2D to 3D. How did you go hoped. But there was an element wondering why we weren’t having ours being the design of story, and about pleasing fans of the original of Catch 22: on the one hand, such fun anymore, and at the same time games as well as those new to the an experiment could only be done series? with an existing, respected brand like Broken Sword; but in the TW: We thought the time was right shops, this held it back as the to have a go at reviving the name shouts ‘2D point and click!’ adventure genre by showing how you to consumers. And of course, it could make it work in 3D and with cost a lot more to make – another direct control. A big part of this was US$1 million over BS1. the success of the GameBoy Advance version of BS1. We felt that this implementation, using direct control, RG: What’s the story behind BS3’s worked better than the mouse-based cancelled PS2 release in the US? original. This gave us great That must have been a confidence and heavily influenced considerable blow. Broken Sword 3. Our argument was that the essence of Broken Sword is TW: It wasn’t so much cancelled, the story, the narrative, the voices, as much as it never got Concept etc. By and large, that’s true.
The original Broken Sword - arguably Revolution's most popular title
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The sequel to Broken Sword was developed during a tight one-year schedule
RG: Beneath the Steel Sky 2 has been rumoured for a while now. RG: Following your experiences Is this project currently in with BS3, how do you see the development? If so, what can future for story-driven adventure you tell us about it? games? TW: TW: Yes indeed, it’s one of the I see mainstream games using designs we’re working on, and has story and characterisation heavily, had a promising response from but BS3-style adventures will not publishers. I can’t say much about feature in the retail market. it, but it won’t be quite what you Adventure games themselves could might be expecting from us! find their revival in the emerging online sector, with a little luck.
RG: Can you tell us anything more? RG: Finally, we wondered if you had anything to say about Broken TW: The problem is that it’s all subject to change. I am half Sword’s infamous ‘goat’ puzzle? It’s narrative-based games. We’ll envisaging that we get our surely the most devious puzzle simply tap into the code base of a full-price retail reality – just design signed, but we may have ever! one of the super developers and look at the game charts… If a to map it onto a new concept. avoid the whole technology way can be found to reach these Today, I can’t give a firm TW: Sometimes it’s best just to problem. We think this model is players without incurring the apologise and move on – so, problems associated with answer… about to arrive, and harbours “Sorry!” ✺✯* many opportunities for smaller traditional publishing, where companies. The era of middle- niche genres simply don’t work, sized developers writing engines then I think it’s worth pursuing. and games is truly over, but Certainly we’d love to do it. The maybe creativity will make a theory is that by cutting out all return. People who resist these the distribution costs then changes are going to face a lot of players will pay 50% less and pain, I think. developers earn 50% more. Suddenly the maths make sense again. We’re looking at the RG: Talk on the Revolution Web emergence of some very credible forum has mentioned ‘online online gaming portal companies distribution’ and ‘episodic as a healthy sign. If we can sell adventures’. Can you tell us more adventure content this way, then about this? one way to reduce the financial risk is to sell smaller chunks of TW: Many players clearly love gameplay, for a lot less money. the old-style 2D adventures, but So imagine Broken Sword split not enough to make these games into, say, half a dozen chunks – it’s basically the TV series model.
The third Broken Sword game utilised the graphical power of modern PCs and consoles
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>Happy Daze
Remember Skool Daze and Back to Skool, Microsphere’s classic scamp-em-ups? Author David Reidy promised a third game and claimed that clues to Eric’s next adventure were hidden inside Back to Skool. Well we searched the school high and low, but found nothing. On numerous occasions since, we’ve also tried (and failed) to track down David Reidy and ask him what became of young Eric. All is not lost, however, as a new independent game studio has recently released Skools Out, a PC update of Skool Daze with full 3D graphics. The studio’s name is MuckyBaby Productions and the man behind it is Simon Keating, formerly of Argonaut Software and MuckyFoot Productions. We spoke to Simon about Skools Out and the plans for his new venture
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SFUSP£HBNFS* | FEATURE:PROFILE | HAPPY DAZE |
The sequel, Back to Skool, introduced bikes, frogs and girls have a pretty naff PC les, end PCs. I Unlike other educational tit cent and I just can’t play any de cover up their which try to on it because they l new games obviously plain educationa there run really slowly. I’m sure n Skools Out the properties, i re people with older ed into must be mo classes are perfectly entwin PCs PCs than people with new xperience, as the whole e e our main audience. y and they ar attending lessons effectivel ers RG: How many team memb player to survive enables the you from MuckyFoot? hout have joined longer within the game wit l. getting thrown out of schoo yfooter SK: Just one other ex-Muck id that, it’s purely up to Having sa me out with testing ants to is helping MuckyBaby founder and Skools Out the player if he or she w and QA. Everyone else got author Simon Keating graphy lesson or not – go to a geo all four corners of he employed in as long as they can avoid t are also the globe. mission structure. There achers, that is. r: Why did you decide te Retro Game b-games, as well as n 3D? plenty of su to bring back Skool Daze i the obvious switch to 3D.
Simon Keating: I basically t some of our old thought tha of Urban Chaos, the eft RG: Talking classic genres were being l game engine bears a close d needed to be brought behind an e to this title. Is there Skool resemblanc up to date. I used to love you any reason for this or did id and wanted to see Daze as a k ratch? think start from sc a more updated version. I ugh many genres have that altho ased that you think ver SK: I’m ple had a gradual evolution o n the engine resembles Urba ind of genre suddenly time, this k used a commercially e Chaos, but I stopped moving somewher available engine instead to down the line. save time.
did the RG: How much influence e RG: You’ve included a hug original games have of questions that will be n you number The game begins quietly enough, in the relative on you whe game. used in lessons within the were coming up with comfort of your own home Is Skools Out a bona fide he new title? t ience? funding the learning exper writing RG: You’re RG: Any plans to include t development of Skools Ou SK: Obviously there blackboards or skipping a play with these so- on the onations – putting luence, SK: I’ve had rsion? through d is a lot of inf d class in the finished ve alled educational games an people’s names on the but at the same c retty good, but I think Do you think this mixed some are p a must as credits. time I’ve irst SK: Skipping class is most people want to play f novel idea will catch on in elements of ne knows. There are cated second (well, everyo er development such and be edu writing on with oth newer games, that indeed plans to have gamers do anyway.) I think teams? as GTA and Urban oards and we might even rocess of learning is blackb e a the whole p them too. Chaos, to includ e fun. let the player draw on made easier when it’s mad SK: I hope so. I think varied, open-ended it’s a great idea if I do say so myself, and n to release the RG: You pla e e. Do thus it shall b game as a budget-only titl known as the clear future in the you see a ibution you Keating Contr budget-only market or will -price method. But eventually re-enter the full seriously, like most gaming world? ideas it comes from a t need is r the need… and tha SK: I do see a big future fo that we do not receive et, especially for low- The original Skool Daze - one of the best- budget mark loved Spectrum games
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all- driving games too and my be time best-ever game has to Grand Prix Legends.
ool RG: So what were your sch days like? Were you a model pupil?
SK: I used to get told off all the You’ve got just 20 school days to get hold of your school report e. I wasn’t before your parents see it! tim bad but your favourite particularly e RG: So what are : I’d love to get back to th I was one of for development SK es then? any money future firmly gam t consoles, but our those ‘must try unlike other teams, who ge sts on our customers’ es harder’ pupils. must do what we can re Skool Daze is ace, but gam zillions. We ave to see SK: decisions. We’ll h d weeks were Those teachers to enable us to continue. I played for days an ere they take us. ust didn’t understand wh s like Sensible Soccer and j thing 5** to the big on my me man. RG: Are you going to stick Target Renegade. I’m things or will you PC side of ays been nsoles? RG: Have you alw eventually venture onto co into games? What’s your gaming history? Mucky es. SK: I’ve always loved gam rever They have been my life fo really. From designing and Stuff when playing role-playing games . I got I was about 10 up ‘til now There’s a playable demo of Skools Out ars a job in the industry 10 ye on this month’s coverdisc, and if you like ’s just ago and I still love ‘em. It what you see, you can order the full game rking on f that you get sick of wo rom www.muckybaby.com. The game is priced at £6.99 (US$12.85) three There are loads of lessons a title that takes over and runs on Windows PCs. Online orders will be processed with 48 to attend and over 1,000 y years sometimes. That’s m hours of receipt. questions to answer. You can rudge. skip class of course though only g TOTO SUBSCRIBESUBSCRIBE ININ AMERICAAMERICA OROR CANADACANADA
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Payment method: American Express, Visa, Mastercard, check or money order accepted. Please make checks payable to EXPRESS MAG. RETRO6 Coverdisc 07/07/2004 11:40 PM Page 106
❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙ | REGULAR:COVERDISC | Retro Gamer Coverdisc
Topping the bill this month is the full version of Revolution's point-and-click classic, Beneath a Steel Sky. The game will run on
PCs and Macs, and step Place the coverdisc into your CD/DVD step Some programs are provided as .exe drive and it should start files and these will run or install full setup and automatically. If not, select Run straight from the disc. If the 1 from the Start menu and enter 2 program chooses to install itself, playing D:\browser.exe (assuming that D: is simply follow the onscreen prompts the letter of your CD/DVD drive). When and then wait while the files are copied the browser appears, click OK to accept to your hard drive. instructions are the declaration. provided on the opposite page. The coverdisc also contains a further 20 full games, plus playable demos, and you'll find our selection of the best games step Many programs are stored in .zip step If you are looking for a particular over the page files, so you might need an archive program, click the Search button and manager like WinZip, which is under enter a keyword. The browser program 3 the Extras browser tab. Extract all 4 will search the disc and place all the files from the .zip archive the relevant results under the left using the Extract feature and place them most browser tab. They can now be in an empty folder, then run the .exe accessed directly from here. file.
Problem solving Coverdisc helpline If you’re having a problem with a particular program on our coverdisc, please view the help file in the program for assistance. You might also consider visiting the website of the program author for further help. If this fails, please email: [email protected]. 01625 855051 If you are having problems with the CD, first check that it is not dirty or scratched. CDs can be cleaned by holding [email protected] them under the cold water tap and gently rubbing the silver side with a tissue. Dry it carefully with another tissue. (Monday-Friday 10am-4pm) If the disc still doesn’t work, then it may be faulty. Faulty discs should be returned to Retro Gamer, Live Helpline for coverdisc problems only Publishing International Ltd, Europa House, Adlington Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, SK10 4NP. We will replace all genuinely faulty discs.
DISCLAIMER
Some of the programs on the Retro Gamer disc interact Due to the way the Retro Gamer disc is compiled, Retro responsibility for damage to your PC or otherwise with your PC on a fundamental level. We strongly advise Gamer, Live Publishing International Limited and/or any arising from use of the coverdisc. You use the programs you back up your personal data before using the disc. associated company and/or individual cannot take on the disc at your own risk.
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Playing Beneath a Steel Sky PLEASE NOTE: The Mac version of Beneath a Steel Sky is designed to run under OS X (10.2 and 10.3). All other coverdisc contents are for PC only.
step PC users will be presented with this menu screen. Click the step If you’re using a Mac, double-click on the Retro Gamer CD icon Install Game option and select a location to extract the files and the disk contents will be displayed in a window. You can to (the Desktop is ideal). Click Unzip and wait for the files either run ScummVM straight from the disk, or copy the disk 1 to be extracted, then run scummvm.exe. 2 contents to your hard drive and run it from there.
step Both PC and Mac users will now see the ScummVM menu screen. The step Beneath a Steel Sky will now appear in the ScummVM menu. first thing you need to do is browse to the folder containing Highlight the game and click the Start button to begin. By both the ScummVM and Steel Sky files. Select Add Game, then default, the game will run in a window but you can toggle 3 browse to the folder and click Choose. Click OK to confirm. 4 between windowed and full screen mode by pressing Alt + Enter.
step You can move your character by pointing at a location and step Press F5 to access the in-game options. Here you can change pressing the (left) mouse button. To use an item, go to the sound and text settings, save and load your position, and quit top of the screen and right-click on it (Cmd-Click on Macs). the game. By default, your saved game files will be stored in 5 Now drag the item to where you want to use it. 6 the same folder as the game itself.
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❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙ | REGULAR:COVERDISC | Adventureland
Besides Beneath a The Infinite Ocean Steel Sky, there The problem with the majority of adventure games is that they can take are over 20 other days or even weeks to complete. Many of us simply don’t have enough time to devote to a single game. The Infinite Ocean, though, can be adventure games on completed in less than an hour. And what an hour it is… this month's The game was written by coverdisc. Not Jonas Kyratzes and is the sure where to follow-up to his acclaimed start? Let us show Last Rose in a Desert Garden (also on the coverdisc). Like Last Rose, The Infinite Ocean is downright dystopian, taking place in a you the way post-apocalyptic hell. You begin in some kind of military base and your only hope of escape is by using the various computer terminals. For a small, freeware adventure The Infinite Ocean packs a considerable punch. It’s well written and the haunting music will send the odd shiver down your spine. Turn the lights down, hike The game can be dark in places, the volume up and fall into this brief but brilliant adventure. so you may need to turn up the brightness on your monitor
Flight of the Amazon Queen
You’ve got to hand it to the guys behind ScummVM. Besides continually improving their emulator and adding support for more and more adventure games (the latest version now runs the first two Broken Sword games), they also find the time to badger publishers and get them to release their old games as freeware. And that’s exactly what’s happened here. Amazon Queen was commercially released on PC and Amiga back in 1995 and now it can be freely distributed. If you aren’t familiar with the game then you’re in for a treat. Billed as an irreverent pastiche of 1940s’adventure serials, the game mixes adventure, puzzles and humour to great effect and even rivals the mighty Zork Trilogy LucasArts’efforts. The CD-ROM version is included on the Level 9 is a prominent feature of this issue, but if we’re talking coverdisc and features full speech. The ScummVM emulator is about adventure houses, then Infocom must get a mention. And required and you can set it up by following the Beneath a if we went right back to the beginning, we’d find the original Steel Sky instructions. Zork Trilogy. The three games, all pure text adventures with no graphics, take place in an ancient empire that lies deep The game features over 100 underground. Your aim is locate priceless treasures, but there locations and there are 40 are many deadly creatures and difficult puzzles that block your different characters to way. If you’re new to text adventures, the original Zork is an interact with ideal place to find your feet. Be warned though that the two sequels (Zork III in particular) can be very tricky indeed. Each game is provided as a self-extracting archive, so make sure you put a folder name in the path, otherwise the unzipped files will spill out onto your desktop. To start the Out of Order games you need to run the .BAT file. The adventure will then run in a window. If you’re a fan of point-and-click adventures and are disappointed that this particular sub-genre Enter the strange world of Hurford has died out in recent years, then Out of Order is Schlitzing. You'll like this guy a title for you to treasure. You play Hurford Schlitzing, one of life’s eternal optimists. Hurford wakes up in the middle of the night to hear a storm crashing outside his bedroom window, and from then on things start to get very weird. Out of Order is a fine homage to the point-and-click games of the early 90s. Humour abounds, and there are plenty of tricky puzzles that will keep you playing long into the night. In fact, you could play through the night because the completion Enjoy Infocom's original time is estimated to be between 12 and 15 hours. So what are you waiting for? adventure series on your Windows PC
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Photopia is a modern text adventure in every sense, mixing together Fiend different narratives
Fiend is an interactive adventure heavily inspired by the work of HP Lovecraft. Rather than being a direct adaptation of one of his short stories, the game employs many of his usual themes and plot techniques to draw you in. The year is 1928 and you play mineral- expert Nick Cane, who has arrived in a rural New England township to investigate an abandoned mine. The owner believes that valuable minerals are located there but you soon discover that the mine harbours Photopia something much more unpleasant. Photopia won first place in the The action is viewed from a top- 1998 Interactive Fiction down perspective and the 2D game Competition. It’s a modern text engine produces some impressive adventure game that serves up three seemingly visual effects, including lightning unconnected stories – two guys driving home from a party, a flashes and falling rain. Ambient child astronaut’s adventures on an alien world and a near- sound effects are also used to drowning at a swimming pool – and then carefully ties the infuse this tale of terror with a threads together into a painfully precise knot. The result is an degree of atmosphere. It’s no extremely clever and engrossing game. Resident Evil or Alone in the Dark, Gather information by but Fiend is a very playable and talking to the town's enjoyable alternative. locals inhabitants
The Key
This fantastic adventure game will appeal to fans of the classic Myst and Riven PC games. Using still images to depict locations rather than animated 3D visuals, and featuring a Myst-style interface, the game places the player inside an abandoned space station on the planet The graphics may now be Arcadia. Your mission is to find a key that will save your home in 3D, but the locations planet from attack. Your first task though, is to power up the RealMYST are all familiar station and find a way to access The Valley of the Stars. With the highly anticipated release of Myst 4 approaching, we Standing in your way is a thought it was an appropriate time to run a demo of the series of taxing puzzles. As original game. But before you wonder why we’re offering you a with many classic adventure demo of a 10-year-old game, let us explain that realMYST is a games, it really pays to make remake of the original game. Instead of the static, slideshow a map and write down each approach, the original developers have turned the game into a and every clue you find, no fully 3D adventure. The locations and puzzles are the same, matter how trivial. but the game is now much more immersive (and far prettier). We’ve included all three The demo takes place in the Stoneship age. If you’ve never parts of The Key on the played the game before, then the following hints will help you coverdisc. When you’ve In order to control the climate along. At the start of the game, turn right and head towards completed part 1, simply in the base you must first the control panel beneath the umbrella. Press the button on unzip part 2’s files into the same folder. power up the atmosphere plant the right, turn around and enter the lighthouse. Go down the Now when you reach the Arcadia Comm steps and turn the tap on the chest. Turn the tap again and Tower, you’ll be able to progress to the Valley of the Stars. Do return to the control panel. Press the middle button and re- the same when you reach part 3 and you can complete your enter the lighthouse. Open the risen chest with the key and quest for the fabled key. then unlock the trapdoor. You’re on your own from now on!
**109** RETRO6 Retro Mart 07/07/2004 11:38 PM Page 110 ❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙ | REGULAR:RETRO MART❙❋❙P✄ ❇❙ | Your place to buy and sell all things retro! Reach thousands of retro collectors with a classified advert in the magazine. Your advert will also be included free of charge on our website!
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R S 3 E EL 0 W T L W R Y O O O G Accessories for C286-LT (old R U 96 (boxed) – £25. Email postage. Phone D EA R SINCLAIR Commodore Laptop) and/or [email protected] or 07713 630087 or S R “Web-It” – English version telephone 017687 75116 email F - manuals, power supplies and [email protected] R - FOR SALE E anything else considered. Contact Megadrive – With all leads and E Sealed original game Bubbler for me at [email protected] connectors, two controls & PGA NeoGeo AES, unboxed – Plus ! sale – Highest offer accepted Tour Golf (boxed) – £25. Email one original NeoGeo Joystick after 24 hours. Email me for To place a free advert on this [email protected] or (black) with Riding Hero and pictures at page, visit www.retrogamer.net telephone 017687 75116 Samurai Spirits 2 (both in [email protected] and fill in the online form, or excellent condition). Email complete the form opposite and Alien Soldier – Japanese original [email protected] for Issue one 16K ZX Spectrum for either post or fax it to us. It’s in mint condition. Treasure’s last details sale – Serial number: 003109. simple! Megadrive title. Email me for Email me for pictures at pics. PayPal welcome. £100 ono, Apollo 13 (for the R-Zone) – UK [email protected] ATARI FOR SALE free recorded delivery, happy version, boxed with instructions, hunting! Email like new. £1.50 + P&P. Email me ZX Spectrum Cartridge ROMs for Atari 8-bit SCART cable – 2m, [email protected] for photo at sale – In mint condition. All 10 high quality, fits 800, 600XL, [email protected] for sale. Email me for more 800XL, 65XE, 130XE etc. £8 + £1 Jordan F1 Buzzin & Hornets details at [email protected] postage. PayPal or Nochex steering wheel and pedals for the Fade To Black (for the PSone) – accepted. Phone 07713 Dreamcast – UK version, boxed UK version, boxed with COMMODORE 630087 or email with instructions, very good instructions, pretty good [email protected] condition. £4 + P&P. Email me condition. £3 + P&P. Email me for FOR SALE for photo and information at photo at I am in Australia… – and have [email protected] [email protected] Commodore 64 SCART cable – access to a heap of retro gear 2m, high quality, fits C64, C128, that is hard to find at low prices. Megadrive II (no aerial lead) £8, Retro Gamer issue one for sale – SX-64, VIC 20, plus/4, etc. £8 Email [email protected] for 2 x Sega Mastersystem II kits £8 Offers please. Text Paula on +£1 postage. PayPal or Nochex further information each, 44 boxed games £1.50-£2 07817 123640 accepted. Phone 07713 each, 9 unboxed games £1 each, 630087 or email NINTENDO Dreamcast kit £35 including Seven AIWA 14” TV/Video combis [email protected] games. 01865 775556 - two fully working, five with VCR FOR SALE picture faults, one new remote. Commodore 64 with data To place a free advert on this Ideal for C64, PSX etc. SCART on cassette – Four game cartridges Two Game & Watch (dual screen) page, visit www.retrogamer.net rear, phono on front (silver) and eight tape games, all boxed – Donkey Kong II and Mario Bros, and fill in the online form, or 01865 775556 and in good condition. £30 or both in excellent condition. £30 complete the form opposite and will swap for Sega Mega CD II. each. Email [email protected] either post or fax it to us. It’s Console shop closure, 20 x Email [email protected] or phone 07855 303960 (please simple! sheets MDF slatboard, 2000+ or telephone 07817 990520 leave a message if there is no fittings/hooks, 2 x counters (4x6 reply) Tetris by Dr Pepper for the metre), metal shelving for C64 Reference manual – Megadrive – Japanese version, TVs/videos/consoles etc. 6-way Comprehensive hardback with SNES Console – With all leads and boxed, in good condition. £15 + mains, 6” white shelving brackets dust cover. In very good connections, two controls & FIFA P&P. Email me for photo and (complete shopfull) condition. The book has sound, International Soccer cartridge – information at garethcrowley@ 01865 775556 video, machine language and £30. Email [email protected] amiga.e7even.com disk chapters. £15 including or telephone 017687 75116 Sega lockable rotating racks for postage from Australia. 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WANTED WANTED Please mail me your list to SEGA [email protected] Commodore 64 tape deck Wanted. A device to play US or wanted – Willing to pay up to Japanese games on a UK SNES – WANTED Imagine TV documentary circa £10-15 for a working unit in Plus any Star Wars, Dragon Ballz 1985 – Apparently part of good condition. Email or classic Nintendo games. Cheap Wanted! Sonic on Mega CD – Commercial Breaks series. Willing mortalkombat1978 prices please. Email Good price paid. Email to pay for tape and postage. @hotmail.com [email protected] [email protected] Email me at [email protected] I have a working Amiga CD32 SEGA OTHER with no software – I will swap To place a free advert on this for an Amiga A1200 or will buy FOR SALE FOR SALE page, visit www.retrogamer.net and CD32 software offered. Email fill in the online form, or complete [email protected] or Megadrive II – With all leads and High-quality Dragon 32/64 2m the form opposite and either post telephone 0796 9511982 connectors, two controllers & FIFA SCART cable for sale – £8 + £1 or fax it to us. It’s simple!
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ISSUE 7 HITS THE SHELVES 31ST AUGUST 2004 CRAMMED WITH QUALITY RETRO CONTENT RETRO6 Endgame 07/07/2004 10:05 PM Page 114
❙❋❙P✄❍❇ ❋❙ | REGULAR:ENDGAME | Endgame
This month, the refreshing conclusion to Sega’s Golden Axe. Death Adder has been defeated and the King and Princess are safe. But in an amusing twist, we see kids playing the game in an arcade packed with other Sega hits. Suddenly, the machine rumbles and Death Adder’s invaders burst forth. They chase the kids out of the arcade, but our three heroes - Warrior, Amazon and Drawf - are not far behind. See you next game!
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