We look back at the Atari ST games that deserve more love than they got first time around.
The computer in question was the Atari ST, and it was simply wonderful.
A floppy disk drive!
A proper mouse-operated GUI!
It was the stuff of dreams.
Alas, the Atari ST was as much an underappreciated computer as the games Im about to look at.
But which we whiled away at on rainy afternoons and long into the night.
I have no idea how many levels there were.
The game appeared to go on forever.
But it was a compelling and oddly addictive game.
Sleepwalker
This largely forgotten title was a part of the Comic Relief appeal back in the early 90s.
Advanced Destroyer Simulator
Simulators already had a healthy foundation by the time the ST came along.
Marine warfare had its share too, but most were focused on the stresses and strains aboard a submarine.
ADShad you in command of a destroyer though, and it worked a treat.
The 3D aspect was impressive, but the game was ultimately tedious as hell.
However, if you mastered the controls, thenADSshone and became as realistic as the ST could get.
Thankfully, minus the seasickness.
Ambassador or something in Tahiti.
Sierra On-Line pushed the limits of the machine, which caused untold disk loading and slow-downs.
But you could hook up a Casio Synth and enjoy the in-game music, especially during the dance scene.
Onslaught
Hewson Consultants were already a familiar name to most 8-bit gamers.
As side scrolling shooters go, it was certainly action packed, and it looked great as well.
Clearly, theres life in the old dog yet.
Rampagewas one of the most memorable games of the 80s.
The graphics were large, colorful, and the controls infuriating to master.
Still, beating up a dragon as a Speedo-wearing Cyclops is something that doesnt happen too often.
Hacker
Hacker, from Activision, was a game I enjoyed immensely on the Spectrum.
The fact that I would have become target practice for some government agency never entered my mind.
Probably the reason why my parents never bought me a modem.
Graphically, it wasnt a match forFalcon.
It even had a cracking title tune from Jonathan Dunn.
G-LOC
Ill admit here that I likedG-LOC.
Not many people did, especially the magazines that reviewed it.
Id have probably hated it otherwise.
Hero Quest
Turning board games into computer games was always a hit and miss affair.
Pro Boxing Simulator
This is a game that I have to admit I never owned.
My friend did though, and thats how I got to spend time with it.
But I found myself being pounded frequently, either in two-player mode or by the computer.
It was infinitely better than being repeatedly punched in the head, though.
Mercs
Games likeCommandoorIkari Warriorswere the bread and butter of the fast action home computer gamer.
You wouldnt get that at the start ofGTA V.
35.
The coin-op was good, rescuing kidnapped Madonna from the Skin Head gang.
The conversion to the ST, though, looked like it was lifted from an 8-bit machine.
But I rather liked it.
There was something oddly unique about it, despite the poor animations and even worse controls.
It was fun, and frustrating at the same time.
But worth a laugh.
Incredibly frustrating, but addictive enough to keep going back for more.
Ork
Its funny what you remember about certain games, and what ultimately makes you purchase them.
What you had to actually do in the game, I must confess, I have no idea.
I never really got all that far.
In fact, I think I just used to load it up and listen to the title music.
Maybe my mom had a point when she said I was wasting my money on computer games?
Cruise for a Corpse
Quite possibly my most favorite point-and-click adventure game ever.
Graphically, its simply stunning.
The large sprites and detail in each scene were a joy to behold.
Hunter
An open world game on the modern PC isnt such a big deal in this day and age.
Speaking of which, you got in helicopters, hovercraft, and entered buildings to have a look around.
There were even other characters, and I seem to remember running over some cows while driving a tank?
We therefore had to rely on the computer flea-markets that cropped up every so often.
It was there that I picked up this one.
Great title tune from Ben Dalglish as well.
So I thought it would be fun to see what the ST version was like.
In some ways, I do prefer the Spectrum version.
Theres a lot going on for such a limited computer.
But the ST version ofDan Dare 3was a favorite of mine for many years, even after completing it.
One thing though, did anyone else think that The Mekon looked like he was sitting on the toilet?
Battle Command
Carrier Commandwas Realtime Games biggest hit outside the wireframe work on the Spectrum.
Its sequel,Battle Command, wasnt quite as warmly received despite the glowing reviews it got.
In essence, it was3D Tank Duelwith better graphics.
Still very playable, though.
Shadow Warriorswas a beat em up I was rather fond of back in the day.
Classic stuff, really.
Nevertheless, it was one that kept you coming back for more.
Sly Spy: Secret Agent
Side scrolling shoot em ups/beat em ups were ten a penny on the ST.
Most of them were reasonably good, some were pretty terrible.
Sly Spy: Secret Agentwas somewhere in the middle.
Okay, there were times when it was a little bland.
It was like a huge elaborate game of chess that lasted weeks.
It was long, laborious, and to the outside viewer, not very interesting.
However, if you liked a good strategy, then this was one youd no doubt enjoy playing.
Stormbringer
TheMagic Knightseries was immensely popular on the Spectrum, and a collection of my most played games ever.
Despite the fact youre the only who has scored for Norwich City over an entire season!
Fallen Angel
As far as scrolling beat em ups go,Fallen Angelwas, admittedly, pretty dire.
Its sequel,Academy, did even better.
There were lots of them.
It was silly, but incredibly addictive.
Another shooter that I played until the disk went caput wasBlood Money.
It was also David Jones (ofLemmingsandGTAfame) second game afterMenace.
It was years ahead of its time, and quite a complex game to get into.
A remarkable game that no one seems to mention these days.
A top down racer that was fast, frantic and exceptionally addictive,L.E.D.
Stormwas a Capcom conversion that worked particularly well on the ST. Sidewinder
While were on the subject of vertical scrolling shooters, another fine example is the vastly underappreciatedSidewinder.
A Mastertronic budget title that, although simple, was immensely playable and had some great digitised explosion sounds.
It also had a weird electric guitar-sounding title tune as well, if I remember correctly.
Either way, another game that I spent far too much time in front of.
Electronic Pool
Dodgy physics arent a modern gaming phenomenon.
There was something oddly compelling aboutElectronic Poolthough.
It was written in STOS BASIC, and had Paco digging his/her/its way through the dirt to pickup diamonds.
But you couldnt move upwards unless you had dirt above you to dig into.
This resulted in a clever bit of forward planning as you started each level.
A fun waste of time.
I liked it though, and it lasted until I traded in the ST for my first PC.
And there was also a strange anti-you who followed you around the level intent on killing you off.
Its a large, colorful game with a tight time limit and a difficulty level thats soon ramped up.
Although, to be fair it was a bit too short; two players though was immense fun.
Gobliiins
Gobliiinswas a thoroughly odd, but interesting puzzle and adventure game.
Rod-Land
Okay, soRod-Landis a bit of cutesy, simple platformer, but I rather liked it.
The game was a little likeBubble Bobble, and probably a thousand other games of that key in.
But it was smooth, fun to play, and had some great animations.
Its a game my daughter now plays via emulation and loves it.
Tonic Tile
I have to admit that I never really likedArkanoid.
In my opinion, a much forgotten game that was better thanArkanoid.
Warhead
An amazing, yet unbelievably difficult game to master.
Graphically,Warheadwas incredible, a true 3D space shooter with nausea inducing tendencies and a cruel learning curve.
You also received faxes in-car as well.
A bit dull at times, but interesting if you got into the mystery.
Impact AnotherArkanoidclone, looked really basic but as you broke the bricks it played a little tune.
Virus Not so much underrated, but not talked about much these days.
Virus was light years ahead of its time, but difficult to master.
Tai-Pan Loved this on the Spectrum, pretty much everything was the same, even the music.
Creatures A decent, but tough, Thalamus title.
Artwork by the legendary Oliver Frey too.
Anyway, what are your suggestions?
