Kings Quest: IBM, Tandy, and Beyond - An Animated Documentary - Episode I Retro365 2024-07-17 | King's Quest: IBM, Tandy, and BeyondEpisode 1: The IBM ConnectionWelcome to the first episode of my animated documentary series, telling the fascinating story behind one of gaming history's most iconic creations. The second episode can be seen here: youtu.be/Fp5-r945ZYQ and the third here: youtu.be/490JzMKuV4s?si=siCCz7EavHrFq-X_The series has been a small summertime project, all done in my spare time. I set myself a rather tight deadline for getting everything done and I might go back and fix a few mistakes and add more animation here and there. Maybe I get to it when I have time to combine all three episodes into one long. Thanks for watching and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month - You can also follow me on X @ErnstKrogtoft.
Fowl Play - Mops Computer Systems, Inc., 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-10-17 | A short play of Mops Computer Systems' Frogger clone, Fowl Play, released for the IBM PC in 1983.After meeting at church and with a shared passion for computers and software, Morgan Watkins, 28, and Paul Rutz, 23, wanted to break into the competitive software industry. In May 1981, the two co-founded Mops Computer Systems, Inc. in Austin, Texas, operating out of a spare room in Watkins’s apartment. The two wanted to create traditional software and leave games to others but to gain attention and get the company off the ground, the two started developing Halls of Time, a 3D maze game for the now-aging TRS-80 home computer.Halls of Time took 2,000 hours to design and was released in May 1982. Though interest and orders were modest, it proved a valuable learning experience for both. Now, looking to capitalize on the growing popularity of the IBM PC, in 1983, the duo, inspired by the Frogger-craze, developed their own Frogger clone, Fowl Play, where players had to guide chickens across a busy highway.Mops hired a marketing firm to boost sales and get Fowl Play into retail stores, but it seems the game was ultimately only released as shareware (if you have any information on a published version I would love to know.)Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Bits From my Personal Collection - Display Cabinet #12 Retro365 2024-10-12 | For a long time, I've been tinkering with the idea of doing a series of elaborate videos, in a show-and-tell fashion, showcasing the items that I currently have on display. Unfortunately, with everything else going on I simply don't have the time and the grand vision has to become a future project (I'll also need a better camera, a proper microphone, and probably some better lighting). For now, I've just done a small quick video of my 12th display cabinet. Over the following months, whenever I have a bit of time, I'll continue the journey and hopefully get a chance to show everything I have on display.Display cabinet #12 contains a few assorted titles along with some of my New World Computing, Dynamix, Data East, and Legend Entertainment titles.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Test Drive II: The Duel - Accolade, 1989 - Commodore Amiga (4K) Retro365 2024-10-11 | A playthrough of Distinctive Software's Test Drive II, published by Accolade for the Commodore Amiga in 1989.I'll add a bit more information later on.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every
Test Drive II: The Duel - Accolade, 1989 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-10-11 | A playthrough of Distinctive Software's Test Drive II, published by Accolade for the IBM PC in 1989.I'll add a bit more information later on.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Crown of Arthain - Micro Lab, Inc., 1981 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-10-07 | A playthrough of Dan and wife Marilyn Meller's Crown of Arthain, released for the Apple II in 1981 by Micro Lab, Inc.The Mellers completed their fantasy roleplaying game in the autumn of 1980, with local Illinois software company Micro Lab, Inc. publishing it in 1981. The couple aimed to create a roleplaying game that allowed two players to be equally engaged and compete for the quest, something uncommon not just at the time, but also in the genre's later development.Fifty years ago, Prince Arthain conquered the kingdom and established his capital in vast underground caverns beneath the mountains, cleared of monsters. However, family turmoil fractured the royal line, leading Arthain to banish his two eldest sons, Berthain and Merthain, after their bitter rivalry ended in tragedy. Now, with the aging king nearing death, the estranged brothers are called back for one final challenge: the first to retrieve the lost crown will become the next ruler.Each player explores their side of the mountain range that divides the map, battling enemy creatures and seeking treasures like magic armor and enchanted items. Players must find the dwarf who sells the map showing the mountain entrance and the elf who provides the password. The ultimate goal is to enter the mountain capital, defeat the dragon guarding the crown, and claim the throne.In battles, players can choose to attack in various ways, defend, or attempt to retreat. Striking first causes damage to the opponent. The game offers 20 difficulty levels and I'm playing single-player on level 15 (novice) which makes the game quite easy - I have sped up most of the battles in edit. Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Oldorfs Revenge - Highlands Computer Services, 1980 - Apple II Retro365 2024-10-05 | A complete playthrough of Butch Greathouse's Oldorf's Revenge, released for the Apple II in 1980 by Highlands Computer Services, founded by him and Garry Rheinhardt."As you explore caverns and castles looking for treasure, you must battle the one-eyed, two-thumbed Torkie; find the Grezzerlips' sword; visit the Snotgurgle's palace and get through the domain of the three-nosed Ickyup - Plus MORE!" - excerpt from Highlands 1981 catalog.Oldorf's Revenge was the first game released by Greathouse and Rheinhardt and stood out for its detailed graphics with more than 100 Hi-Res illustrated black-and-white line drawings (vector) in a time the majority of adventure titles were solely text-based.Originally titled Wizard, the game underwent a name change to avoid confusion and potential conflict with Ken and Roberta Williams' Wizard and the Princess, another pioneering graphical adventure game released in the Autumn of the same year. A unique feature of Oldorf's Revenge was its party-based gameplay. Unlike most adventure games of the early '80s, the game introduced seven playable characters, each possessing distinct abilities essential for solving specific puzzles. Characters could be swapped throughout the game but each only five times, requiring players to carefully plan their actions to achieve a full-point completion.In 1981, Robert Clardy's Synergistic Software ported the game to the Atari 400/800, releasing it under the new title The Warlock's Revenge. Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Toki - Ocean Software, 1991 - Commodore Amiga (4K) Retro365 2024-10-01 | A complete playthrough of Ocean Software's Toki, released for the Commodore Amiga in 1991.As a competitive swimmer, I traveled frequently for training and competitions. During one weekend in 1990, I discovered this quirky arcade game called Toki and was instantly hooked by its impressive graphics, challenging gameplay, and imaginative monsters. Though I never got to play the arcade version on the original hardware again, I later enjoyed it on my friend's Commodore Amiga. Toki, also known as JuJu Densetsu in Japan, was developed as an arcade game by TAD Corporation in 1989. The game was later localized for Western markets by Fabtek, who released it as Toki in early 1990. Toki was ported to home computers by Ocean Software in 1991. Versions for the 16-bit Commodore Amiga and Atari ST stayed faithful to the arcade’s gameplay, aesthetics, and challenging gameplay.Read the Toki story on my blog:Toki - A creative take on the classical run-and-gun platformerhttps://retro365.blog/2024/10/02/toki-a-creative-take-on-the-classical-run-and-gun-platformer/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:39 Level 1 - Labyrinth of Caves4:40 Level 2 - Lake Neptune8:57 Level 3 - Caverns of Fire14:43 Level 4 - Ice Palace18:53 Level 5 - Dark Jungle25:12 Level 6 - Golden Palace Part 127:38 Level 6 - Golden Palace Part 230:26 Credits
Police Quest: Police Officer Turned Game Designer - An Animated Documentary - Episode I Retro365 2024-09-25 | Police Quest: Police Officer Turned Game DesignerEpisode 1: Jim WallsWelcome to the first episode of my animated documentary series, telling the story behind Police Quest. Thanks for watching and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month - You can also follow me on X @ErnstKrogtoft.
Bomber! - Softape, 1978 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-09-25 | A short play of Bob Bishop's Bomber!, released by Softape for the Apple II in 1978.Bishop became one of the earliest adopters of the Apple II computer when he purchased his 16KB model with serial number 0013 in July 1977. The computer featured a cassette tape interface for data storage and despite the limited documentation available at the time, Bishop, through trial and error, became one of the first programmers to release games for the system through Softape, based in North Hollywood, California.In October 1978, Bishop declined an offer from Atari and was recruited by Steve Wozniak to join Apple Computer in December as employee #187. At Apple, he worked as a development engineer, sharing an office with Jef Raskin while collaborating with Wozniak in research and development.On February 25, 1981, during an event known as 'Black Wednesday,' then-CEO Michael Scott dismissed Bishop along with half of the Apple II engineering team. After Scott’s own departure, Bishop was offered the chance to return to Apple, but he chose to decline."As an early adopter of the Apple II, Bishop faced the challenge of inadequate documentation, particularly regarding the Apple II's high-resolution graphics mode. Without a proper manual to guide him, he relied on experimentation to write assembly code to utilize the hi-res graphics and ultimately developed the very first games to feature animated high-resolution graphics, including Bomber!https://retro365.blog/2024/09/25/bomber-bob-bishop-pioneering-the-apple-ii/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month
F-14 Tomcat - Activision, 1989 - Commodore 64 (4K) Retro365 2024-09-12 | A short play of Dynamix's F-14 Tomcat, published by Activision for the Commodore 64 in 1989.F-14 Tomcat simulates the U.S. Navy's carrier-based air superiority fighter.The game offers a quick mode, in which one of 80 randomly assigned missions can be flown, but the main attraction is the extensive career mode. It starts with three training missions, featuring basic flight and combat maneuvers and mock dogfights against flight instructors. Good performance here is necessary to advance. It also determines whether the player's pilot will get an impressive or unfavorable callsign and final tour of duty assignment. The main tour of duty places the player on the aircraft carrier Nimitz, flying combat missions against Soviet-produced jets like the MiG-21, MiG-25, and MiG-29, as well as American-built F-4s.Depending on mission performance, many career paths are possible. An excellent mission record will result in promotions and medals. Violating orders, ejecting without proper reason or poor performance may result in reprimands or even the revocation of flight privileges. On bailing out, there is the possibility of being captured by the enemy, but even then the game is not over, because there is a chance of being rescued. There are also R&R periods, but a refresher course is in order upon returning to duty. Having an excellent performance record at the right age may lead to being called to Top Gun School to compete against the best of the best of the Navy's pilots. Finally, a pilot's career hopefully ends with honorary retirement and not being killed in action.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month
Kings Quest: IBM, Tandy, and Beyond - An Animated Documentary - Episode III Retro365 2024-08-19 | King's Quest: IBM, Tandy, and BeyondEpisode 3: Tandy and BeyondWelcome to the third and last episode of my animated documentary series, telling the fascinating story behind one of gaming history's most iconic creations. The first episode can be seen here: youtu.be/JpgnWDJrufo and the second here: youtu.be/Fp5-r945ZYQThe series has been a small summertime project, all done in my spare time. I set myself a rather tight deadline for getting everything done and I might go back and fix a few mistakes and add more animation here and there. Maybe I get to it when I have time to combine all three episodes into one long. Thanks for watching and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month - You can also follow me on X @ErnstKrogtoft.
Kings Quest: IBM, Tandy, and Beyond - An Animated Documentary - Episode II Retro365 2024-08-03 | King's Quest: IBM, Tandy, and BeyondEpisode 2: The DevelopmentWelcome to the second episode of my animated documentary series, telling the fascinating story behind one of gaming history's most iconic creations. After I uploaded the video, I discovered a small spelling error in one of the scenes. I'm sorry about that.The first episode can be seen here: youtu.be/JpgnWDJrufo and the third here: youtu.be/490JzMKuV4s?si=siCCz7EavHrFq-X_The series has been a small summertime project, all done in my spare time. I set myself a rather tight deadline for getting everything done and I might go back and fix a few mistakes and add more animation here and there. Maybe I get to it when I have time to combine all three episodes into one long. Thanks for watching and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month - You can also follow me on X @ErnstKrogtoft.
Stellar 7 - Software Entertainment Company, 1983 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-06-19 | A short play of Damon Slye's Stellar 7, published by his and Jeff Tunnell's Software Entertainment Company for the Apple II in 1983.Stellar 7 is a first-person, arcade-like tank simulation game featuring wireframe graphics. The player controls a tank called the Raven, navigating through seven levels, each filled with various enemies with the ultimate goal of destroying The Supreme Overlord of the Arcturan Empire, Gir DraxonWhile Slye, a young undergraduate from the University of Oregon, frequently had visited Tunnell’s software store in Eugene, one day he brought in a 3D wireframe tank game inspired by Atari's Battlezone, he was working on. Impressed by Slye's work, Tunnell hired him to work in the store and assist in completing his edutainment title, Electronic Playground. Tunnell persuaded Slye to publish his game and Stellar 7 was released under their newly established label, Software Entertainment Company.Initially, Electronic Playground and Stellar 7 were sold through mail order under the Software Entertainment Company label, but sales were limited. Tunnell realized self-publishing was not viable, recognizing the need for more products and financial resources, and decided to leave publishing to established companies. With industry giants like Activision dominating the market, Tunnell concluded that the best path forward was to focus on development and partner with a major publisher. Software Entertainment Company was abandoned and the two founded Dynamix.The technology used in Stellar 7 would continue to evolve and play a major factor in Dynamix's success through the '80s and into the '90s.Stellar 7 was remade by Dynamix in 1990, using contemporary technology.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month0:28 Mission briefing3:30 Sol system6:11 Antares system9:22 Rigel system13:41 Deneb system
Caveman Ugh-Lympics, Electronics Arts, 1988 - Commodore 64 (4K) Retro365 2024-06-14 | A playthrough of Dynamix's Caveman Ugh-Lympics, published by Electronics Arts for the Commodore 64 in 1988.With Olympic-themed sports games gaining popularity, largely due to Epyx's Summer and Winter Games, Dynamix offered its unique take on the genre by setting the events in the Stone Age. Caveman Ugh-Lympics features six humorous "sports" and supports up to four players. Each player selects from six different cavemen characters, each with unique backgrounds, skills, and drawbacks.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month4:09 Matetoss6:37 Dino Race10:30 Fire Making13:12 Clubbing15:20 Saber Race17:33 Dino Vault
Cannonball Blitz - On-Line Systems, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-06-03 | A play of Olaf Lubeck's Cannonball Blitz, published by On-Line Systems for the Apple II in 1982.Cannonball Blitz, a Donkey Kong clone, was conceived in Lubeck’s spare time, when not working at the Los Alamos National Labs as a scientific programmer. While the game played very much like the game it copied it did bring a few new additions.Cannonball Castle, a fortress of the enemy redcoats, sits high atop Nutcracker Hill. It is your mission, as a rebel soldier, to climb Nutcracker Hill and destroy the castle. Not so fast though – there are many traps and obstacles designed solely for your elimination. Rough terrain and enemy troops are bent on your destruction, and a constant rain of cannonballs could cause a fatally large headache. Many men before you have tried and failed, so it’s all up to youCannonball Blitz was reviewed as fun but at times frustrating and extremely difficult. It was later, in 1983, released under Sierra On-Line‘s short-lived action/arcade label, SierraVision.https://retro365.blog/2020/10/10/bits-from-my-personal-collection-cannonball-blitz-clones-lawsuits-clones/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Lunar Leeper - Sierra On-Line, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-05-30 | A short play of Chuck "Chuckles" Bueche's Lunar Leeper(s), published by Sierra On-Line for the Apple II in 1982.Lunar Leeper, released in the Autumn of 1982 was one of the first titles released under Sierra On-Line's shortlived SierraVision label, dedicated to the company's arcade and cartridge-based games.Piloting a lunar lander, your mission is to rescue stranded astronauts while dodging and shooting leaping aliens, known as "Leepers." The gameplay combines elements of precision flying and shooting, with increasing difficulty as players progress through the two looping levels.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Pest Patrol - Sierra On-Line, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-05-27 | Two plays of Mark Allen's Pest Patrol, published by Sierra On-Line for the Apple II in 1982.Pest Patrol, released in the Autumn of 1982 was one of the first titles released under Sierra On-Line's shortlived SierraVision label, dedicated to the company's arcade and cartridge-based games. The game was Allen's third and to my knowledge last. The battlefield is your garden, and your only weapon against armies of invading bugs is a can of pesticideThe game can be played on either slow or fast speed and has forty levels with the first twenty-nine being selectable with the plus key, Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:29 Slow speed28:19 Fast speed
Apple Cider Spider - Sierra On-Line, 1983 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-05-24 | Two plays of Ivan Strand's Apple Cider Spider, published by Sierra On-Line for the Apple II in 1983.Strand's career as a programmer started at Indiana Bell Telephone Company, programming mainframes. In 1983, at 41 years of age, he programmed Apple Cider Spider, a platform game with elements from the likes of Donkey Kong. Despite the inspiration, Strand still managed to create a unique game.You assume the role of a spider navigating an apple cider factory to reach the top factory floor and join the other spiders.Each of the three levels represents the production stages of apple cider in reverse order, starting with bottling and sealing, followed by splitting and crushing apples, and finally the delivery of fresh apples. Each level is stacked vertically, with the spider moving upwards while the apples are moving downwards.You're instantly killed upon contact with cider, apples, or cider-making equipment - even falling kills you. Upon completing all three levels, the game restarts. Higher levels introduce faster gameplay and new hazards such as animals and blocker bars on the ladders.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.1:00 Difficulty 034:50 Difficulty 6
Shooting Gallery - ANALOG Software, 1981 - Atari 400/800 (4K) Retro365 2024-05-18 | A short play of Phil Mork's Shooting Gallery, published by ANALOG Software for the Atari 400/800 in 1981.Shooting Galleryhttps://retro365.blog/2024/05/18/shooting-gallery/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
The Blues Brothers - Titus, 1991 - Commodore Amiga (4K) Retro365 2024-05-15 | A playthrough of Titus' The Blues Brothers, published for the Commodore Amiga in 1991.Based on John Landis' 1980 popular musical comedy film of the same name, starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. The Blues Brothers, Jake, and Elwood are back to conquer the stage one more time. Navigate six levels, across the city, retrieve stolen instruments and musical notes to reunite and reach the final concert performance. The game features renditions of classic blues and rock 'n' roll tunes from the movie, composed by French music producer and DJ, Dimitris Yerasimos.I'll be adding a bit more info and a link to the article on my blog when it's ready.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:42 Level 15:39 Level 211:01 Level 318:01 Level 423:53 Level 532:45 Level 6
Dedale - Freeware, 1986 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-04-25 | A short play of Dedale, released as freeware for the IBM PC in 1986.In Dédale, meaning labyrinth/maze in French, you have to find your way through the randomly generated mazes that get bigger and more "complicated" as you progress.Your overall score is posted when all nine levels are completed and is based on how fast you have completed each maze - penalty points are given for hitting the walls.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Law of the West - Accolade, 1985 - Commodore 64 (4K) Retro365 2024-04-20 | A playthrough of Alan Miller's Law of the West, published by Accolade for the Commodore 64 in 1985.Law of the West, Alan Miller's road to an Accolade launch titlehttps://retro365.blog/2024/05/01/law-of-the-west-alan-millers-road-to-an-accolade-launch-title/Law of the West is set in a small frontier town, with the player assuming the role of the town's Sheriff. The gameplay involves the Sheriff interacting with various characters on the town's main street. Dialogue choices determine the progression of discussions, which may lead to gunfights. If the Sheriff is shot, he may be healed or left for dead depending on previous interactions with the doctor and other characters. The objective is for the player to survive to sunset, with the option to engage in violence impacting the final score.Law of the West was one of Accolade's launch titles and the only game from the company designed by co-founder Alan Miller. Miller joined Atari in February 1977 as one of the first four Atari 2600 game designers. In late 1978 and early 1979, he co-authored the operating system for the Atari 400/800 computers before he left Atari, along with programmers, David Crane, Larry Kaplan, and Bob Whitehead, and together with music industry executive, Jim Levy, formed Activision.In 1984, Miller and Whitehead left Activision and formed Accolade.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Oils Well - Sierra On-Line, Inc., 1984 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-04-13 | A short play of Thomas Mitchell's Oil's Well, published by Sierra On-Line for the IBM PC in 1984.Mitchell initially created the game for the Atari 400/800, copying Chris Obert's video arcade game Anthill, which Oberth had developed while at Stern Electronics in 1982. While Anteater never became a commercial success, Mitchell's Oil's Well did and was ported to most major platforms of the era. It went on to spawn numerous clones, despite being a clone itself.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Ardy the Aardvark - Datamost, 1983 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-04-12 | A short play of Chris Oberth's Ardy the Aardvark, published by Datamost for the Apple II in 1983.In 1982, Oberth put his final touches on Anteater, a unique coin-op video arcade game, developed for renowned arcade and pinball manufacturer Stern Electronics and distributed in the U.S. by newly established Tago Electronics. Blending elements from popular games like Dig-Dug, Snake, and Pac-Man, Oberth’s game offered a novel, fun, and challenging experience but never managed to become a widespread success. In an era dominated by blockbuster hits like Frogger, Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man towering above almost everything else, getting a foothold was challenging, regardless of how good your game was.In 1983, Oberth adapted the game to the Apple II. The home computer conversion was picked up by Dave Gordon of Datamost and published as Ardy the Aardvark.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Mouskattack On-Line Systems, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-03-29 | A short play of Mouskattack, published by On-Line Systems for the Apple II in 1982.Mouskattack, initially created for the Atari 400/800 in 1981 by John Harris, finds its roots in Harris' earlier Pac-Man clone, Jawbreaker. While the resemblance to Pac-Man was unmistakable, Harris changed the theme and added a few strategic elements that would elevate the game from the original Pac-Man and the plethora of clones available at the time. Harris switched the ghosts for rats and Pac-Man with ace plumber, Larry Bain (named after an On-Line Systems employee), whose task is to install pipes throughout the mazes all while avoiding the ferrous rodents roaming freely.Traps can be picked up and placed to catch the rats and cats can be picked up and placed strategically to repell them.Mouskattack can be played by one or two players - with two-play mode having Bain and Peter Pipefitter competing against each other. The Apple II version was programmed by On-Line Systems co-founder Ken Williams with help from Al Nystrom. This version looked apart from Harris' original Atari 400/800 version with mazes not clearly replicating the mazes from Pac-Man. The gameplay was to some extent easier and more enjoyable.An IBM version also followed in 1982.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Mouskattack - On-Line Systems, 1981 - Atari 400/800 (4K) Retro365 2024-03-29 | A short play of John Harris' Mouskattack, published by On-Line Systems for the Atari 400/800 in late 1981.Mouskattack finds its roots in Harris' earlier Pac-Man clone, Jawbreaker. While the resemblance to Pac-Man is unmistakable, Harris changed the theme and added a few strategic elements that would differentiate the game from the original Pac-Man and the plethora of clones available at the time. Harris switched the ghosts for rats and Pac-Man with ace plumber, Larry Bain (named after an On-Line Systems employee), whose task is to install pipes throughout the mazes all while avoiding the ferrous rodents roaming freely.Traps can be picked up and placed to catch the rats and cats can be picked up and placed strategically to repell them.Mouskattack can be played by one or two players - with the two-player mode having Bain and Peter Pipefitter competing against each other. The Pac-Man maze concept had been more or less exhausted and with Atari pulling out the big guns on anybody infringing on their intellectual properties, Mouskattack never became a big seller.Mouskattack was ported to the Apple II in 1982, programmed by On-Line Systems co-founder Ken Williams with help from Al Nystrom. The Apple II released looked apart with the levels not clearly replicating the mazes from Pac-Man. The gameplay was to some extent easier and more enjoyable.An IBM version also followed in 1982.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Cross Country Rallye - Continental Software, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-03-22 | A playthrough of Bob Carter's Cross Country Rallye, published by Continental Software for the Apple II in 1982.Cross Country Rallye is essentially a maze game for one to eight players. Drive your vehicle across the country, reach all eight checkpoints in ascending order, and return to start. Avoid crashing into oncoming vehicles and don't run out of gas.The green arrows show the direction to the next checkpoint, while the red arrows show nearby vehicles. The map in the lower right-hand corner can show where your car(s) and checkpoints are but won't show the roads.While simplistic in gameplay, I'm sure the "open-world" layout and top-down graphics really sparked players' imaginations back in 1982.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
3-D Skiing - Continental Software, 1981 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-03-20 | Two short plays of Jeffrey Stanton's 3-D Skiing, published by Continental Software for the Apple II in 1981.Stanton had been fascinated by Bruce Artwick's 1979, Flight Simulator, a game celebrated for its use of "real-time 3D" wireframe graphics. Having worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry in the early '70s, Stanton was intrigued with the idea of home computers being able to calculate and display 3D. While Artwick's Flight Simulator offered two airports and a mountainous terrain, Stanton went on to modify its database, transforming the features to depict Marine del Rey harbor and the Palos Verdes hills in Los Angeles County. Changing existing work was doable but creating a 3D game engine from scratch and making the content interactive was a challenge for most, including Stanton who wanted to craft his own game.In 1980, programming prodigy Bill Budge introduced his 3D Graphics System for the Apple II. The software package provided developers with access to Budge's sophisticated tools, enabling them to create their own projects without extensive 3D technical expertise. As Stanton's postcard and photography business was slow during the winter season of 1980-81, he spent his spare time creating a 3D skiing game, utilizing Budge's tool set.The resulting game comprised two parts, a "real-time 3D" slalom section where players had to navigate a skier through a series of gates, and a more traditional ski jumping segment in 2D.The two parts were put together and released by Continental Software as 3-D Skiing. The game debuted at the March 1981 West Coast Computer Faire.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:18 Ski Slalom2:07 Ski Jumping (which I'm apparently quite miserable at)
Guardian - Continental Software, 1982 - Apple II (4K) Retro365 2024-03-17 | Two short plays of Bob Flanagan and Scott Miller's Guardian, published by Continental Software for the Apple II in 1982.Flanagan had earlier been hired by Dave Gordon to develop software for his company Datamost. Here he created several popular action games, many inspired by the games he loved from the arcade. Flanagan was working from home and often had friends over to help him out with the development. In 1982 he was working on a new game, Guardian, somewhat inspired by the numerous multidirectional shooters of the time. Flanagan was taking care of the majority of programming with Miller coming over and chipping in where needed. The game was picked up by Continental software but to not affect Flanagan's relationship with Gordon and Datamost, he and Miller used the synonym, Tom and Jerry in the game's credits.You must escape six levels of frenzy, to keep the sacred Emerald of Syrinx safe. If you're playing using the keyboard you can move and fire in separate directions. Playing using a joystick you shoot in the direction you're facing (I'm playing using a joystick.)A portal to the next level will move randomly between the four corners every time an enemy is killed. You must reach a portal before the timer runs out to complete each level. If you accidentally shoot all enemies, the level restarts (not the timer.)Guardian offers Normal and Expert play. I'm playing through the Normal mode before giving the Expert mode a try.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:31 Normal4:29 Expert
The Great Giana Sisters - Rainbow Arts Software, 1988 - Commodore Amiga (4K) Retro365 2024-03-11 | A playthrough of Time Warp Productions' The Great Giana Sisters, published by Rainbow Arts Software for the Commodore Amiga in 1988.I'll be adding a bit more info and a link to the article on my blog when it's ready.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Kings Quest I: Quest for the Crown (SCI Remake) - Sierra On-Line, 1990 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-02-28 | A playthrough of the SCI remake of the first King's Quest title, published by Sierra On-Line for the IBM PC in 1990.Read the story on my blog:King’s Quest – IBM, Tandy, and Beyondhttps://retro365.blog/2024/04/05/kings-quest-ibm-tandy-and-beyond/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Antix - Dmitry Pavlovsky & Vadim Gerasimov, 1985 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-02-25 | Two short plays of Dmitry Pavlovsky and Vadim Gerasimov's Antix, created in 1985.In 1984, at the Computer Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (now Dorodnicyn Computing Centre) in Moscow, Ilan Raab and Dani Katz's MS-DOS Qix variant, Xonix was a smashing success.Dmitry Pavlovsky along with 16-year-old high school student Vadim Gerasimov, who together soon would port fellow colleague Alexey Pajitnov's Tetris to MS-DOS, wrote their own take on Xonix called Antixonix, or just Antix for short. The game was initially developed for the Soviet Electronika 60 computer (like Tetris) and then ported to MS-DOS.Gerasimov earned a BS/MS in applied mathematics from Moscow State University in 1992 and a Ph.D. from MIT in 2003. When his work VISA expired he joined Google in Australia as a software engineer. Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:00 Speed 14:18 Speed 4
Freddys Rescue Roundup - IBM, 1984 - IBM PC/PCjr (4K) Retro365 2024-02-18 | A short play of IBM's Freddy's Rescue Roundup, released as freeware for the IBM PCjr and IBM PCs in 1984/85.Created by D.P. Leabo and A.V. Strietzel, Freddy's Rescue Roundup was featured on IBM's software sampler disks, a common inclusion with many IBM PCs of the time, and could be distributed freely. The IBM PC version could be played utilizing a composite color monitor/television set (16 colors) but the prevalent use of direct drive monitors (RGBi), like IBM's own 5153 Color Display among computer owners led to the game being commonly remembered in its 4-color CGA glory.The development title was Roadrunner Rescue and included a basic program for editing levels. A feature that was omitted from the released version, in part due to IBM's concerns that it made the game too reminiscent of Brøderbund's successful 1983 title, Lode Runner.The player assumes the role of Freddy, tasked with rescuing road runners threatened by rogue maintenance robots, and bears a resemblance to Lode Runner.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Starbase Hyperion - Quality Software, 1982 - Atari 800 Retro365 2024-02-14 | Two short plays of Don Ursem's Starbase Hyperion, released for Atari 800 in 1981.Initially developed and published for the Exidy Sorcerer home computer in 1980, Ursem ported his game to the Atari 8-bit.Playing as the colonial side, you must successfully defend Starbase Hyperion for a total of 15 days (turns) or destroy all incoming enemy forces to win. The starbase is located in the center of a 360-degree field. During each turn, you manage the limited resources that control your power generators, shields, and ability to build and power ships and probes. A fleet, derived from five different classes, can be created and commanded, the amount of energy used determines the ship's combat strength.There are a total of 6 difficulty levels, affecting the strength of alien vessels from small fighter squadrons to dreadnaughts.Starbase Hyperion, a strategic Simulation Game of War in the Far Futurehttps://retro365.blog/2024/02/14/starbase-hyperion-a-strategic-simulation-game-of-war-in-the-far-future/Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.0:00 Difficulty level 122:24 Difficulty level 3
Caverns of Zoarre - Freeware, 1984 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-02-12 | A short play of Thomas G. Hanlin III's Caverns of Zoarre, released as freeware for IBM PCs in 1984.Hanlin's inspiration came from Daniel Lawrence's 1982 title, Telengard, and the game was initially developed for the TRS-80 as Dungoen of Mirador but as the interest in the TRS-80 quickly faded it remained incomplete and unpublished. Hanlin turned to the IBM PC and spent the better part of a year completing what would become Caverns of Zoarre.Caverns of Zoarre was released as freeware but Hanlin offered up his support, and a 20-page manual describing the game and its mechanics, for $25.Caverns of Zoarre is a text-based roguelike dungeon crawl with simple role-playing elements, similar to those found in Telengard, which was derived from Dungeons & Dragons.You can only choose between two classes, Fighter or Sorcerer, as you dive down into the dungeons. As the game doesn't offer any new weapons or upgrades as you play, the role of Sorcerer offers a bit more varied gameplay, using a small selection of spells.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Future Wars: Adventures in Time - Interplay, 1990 - IBM PC (4K) - Part 1 Retro365 2024-02-08 | A playthrough of Delphine Software's Future Wars: Adventures in Time, published in the US in 1990 by Interplay.Future Wars was the first of three games to use Delphine's proprietary Cinematique point-and-click interface and one of the first adventure games on the PC to feature 256-color VGA graphics.The game was mainly the work of Paul Cuisset (story and programming) and Éric Chahi (graphics) and debuted in Europe in 1989 for the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga where it was published by Delphine Software International as Future Wars: Time Travellers (Les Voyageurs du Temps: La Menace in French.)Delphine Software International was formed in 1988 as a part of the Delphine Group and was initially based in Paris. It was headed by Paul de Senneville, and co-directed by Paul Cuisset, who was the company lead designer.Future Wars was supposed to be the first of a series of adventure games revolving around time traveling but later episodes never materialized. It was praised for its excellent graphics and great but somewhat tiring looping soundtrack. The story, to most extent, was excellent but the overall experience was somewhat let down by the clunky user interface and some tedious pixel-hunting.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Encounter - Freeware, 1984 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-02-06 | A short play of Cory Bruening's vertical-scrolling space shooter Encounter, released as freeware for IBM PCs in 1984.Encounter is one of the many simple space shooters released in the wake of the immense popularity of Space Invaders. It runs rather sluggish on the IBM PC & XT, and too fast on the AT.There seems to be a bug when you run out of fuel, freezing your spaceship but spawning another you freely can move around and continue to play.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Mindshadow - Activision, Inc., 1984 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-01-27 | A playthrough of Interplay's Mindshadow, published by Activision for the IBM PC in 1984.Mindshadow, a classical illustrated text adventure, was one of three games contracted by Activision in a $100,000 deal. The game was loosely based on Robert Ludlum's novel "The Bourne Identity" with an amnesiac storyline. As the player, you wake up on an island beach without any memory of how you got there or why, and now have to try to piece together the story yourself.Allen Adham, one of the game's programmers, hired by Interplay co-founder Brian Fargo, would later become one of the founders of Silicon & Synapse, a company that a few years later became Blizzard Entertainment. Rebecca Heineman, who also was one of the four founders of Interplay, worked on the game and would later found Logicware, Contraband Entertainment, and Olde Sküül.Heineman earned her early glory in the videogame business when she and a friend traveled to Los Angeles, in 1980, to compete in a regional branch of a national Space Invaders championship. While she didn't expect to fall under the top 100 contestants, she won the competition. Later that year, she also won the championship in New York. Hence, Heineman is considered to be the first national video game tournament champion.Mindshadow was released for nearly all of the era's 8-bit machines and later for the Atari ST and Commodore Amiga and while mostly receiving mediocre reviews it went on to sell around a respectable 100,000 copies.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Privateer - Freeware, 1985 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-01-23 | A presentation of Peter Ole Frederiksen's Privateer, released in 1985 for the IBM PC.Privateer was one of the earliest successful IBM PC games made in Denmark. Frederiksen was working at IBM in the early '80s where he had developed a text adventure written in APL, running on an IBM mainframe.Partly inspired by the ZX Spectrum game Plunder, Frederiksen started developing his Privateer game around late 1983 or early 1984, mainly for his two sons to enjoy. On and off, he spent the better part of a year, in his spare time, on his IBM XT and in BASIC, developing "Kaptajn Kaper i Kattegat" which was its original Danish title (meaning Captain Corsair/Privateer in the Sea of Kattegat - the sea just north of the main Danish island of Zealand.)Frederiksen tried getting his employer, IBM to sell the game but as they weren't interested, he made a deal, in 1985 with DanaData, a computer store in Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city. The game was added, free of charge, to all new computer systems sold by the store. The game quickly spread, as permitted and encouraged by Frederiksen, and soon was on nearly every PC in Denmark, at home, in schools, at companies, and even in government institutions.The licensing on the game allowed for it to be freely redistributed under an early donationware license, as users were asked to donate 50 DKK (around $10 at the time) to Frederiksen's personal bank account if they enjoyed the game. A further 300 DKK could be sent for a copy of the source code.This is one of the earliest IBM PC games I truly remember playing... so much fun and quite impressive for a BASIC game (compiled BASIC)Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Rogue: The Adventure Game - Epyx, Inc., 1985 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-01-20 | A short presentation of Rogue, published for IBM PCs in 1985 by Epyx, Inc.This version, published by Epyx had an added title screen, a few animated transitions along with a few tweaks to the gameplay, otherwise, it plays the same as the original Artificial Intelligence Design Systems release from 1983.Rogue was inspired by text-based mainframe games such as Star Trek (1971) and Colossal Cave Adventure (1976-77), along with the high fantasy setting from Dungeons & Dragons. Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman, both University of California, Santa Cruz students, had worked together to create their own text-based game but looked to incorporate elements of procedural generation to create a new experience each time the game was played.Rogue was developed around 1980 for Unix-based minicomputer systems as a freely distributed executable. It was later included in the Berkeley Software Distribution 4.2 operating system. Commercial ports of the game were made by Toy, Wichman, and Jon Lane under their company Artificial Intelligence Design Systems. Around 1984, Robert Borch, the vice president of publishing at Epyx discovered that Rogue had become popular with several of Epyx's employees and that they suggested that Epyx should help fund ports to other systems. Epyx published the IBM PC version and contracted Artificial Intelligence Design Systems to port the game to the Macintosh and Commodore Amiga.With Rogue's popularity at colleges in the early 1980s, other users sought to expand or create similar games but with Rogue's source code never released, these efforts generally required the programmers to craft the core game elements from scratch to mimic Rogue. These games, which generally feature turn-based exploration and combat in a high fantasy setting in a procedurally generated dungeon and employing permadeath, were named roguelike games in honor of Rogue's impact.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Rogue: The Adventure Game - Artificial Intelligence Design Systems, 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-01-18 | A short presentation of Rogue, published for IBM PCs in 1983 by Artificial Intelligence Design Systems.Rogue was inspired by text-based mainframe games such as Star Trek (1971) and Colossal Cave Adventure (1976-77), along with the high fantasy setting from Dungeons & Dragons. Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman, both University of California, Santa Cruz students, had worked together to create their own text-based game but looked to incorporate elements of procedural generation to create a new experience each time the game was played.Rogue was developed around 1980 for Unix-based minicomputer systems as a freely distributed executable. It was later included in the Berkeley Software Distribution 4.2 operating system. Commercial ports of the game were made by Toy, Wichman, and Jon Lane under their company Artificial Intelligence Design Systems. Around 1984, Robert Borch, the vice president of publishing at Epyx discovered that Rogue had become popular with several of Epyx's employees and that they suggested that Epyx should help fund ports to other systems. Epyx published the IBM PC version and contracted Artificial Intelligence Design Systems to port the game to the Macintosh and Commodore Amiga.With Rogue's popularity at colleges in the early 1980s, other users sought to expand or create similar games but with Rogue's source code never released, these efforts generally required the programmers to craft the core game elements from scratch to mimic Rogue. These games, which generally feature turn-based exploration and combat in a high fantasy setting in a procedurally generated dungeon and employing permadeath, were named roguelike games in honor of Rogue's impact.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Tapper - Sega Enterprises, Inc., 1984 - Atari 8-bit (4K) Retro365 2024-01-14 | A short presentation of Tapper, published for Atari 8-bit line of computers in 1984 by Sega Enterprises, Inc.The video arcade game was released in 1983 by Bally Midway and developed by Marvin Glass and Associates. It was Originally sponsored by Anheuser-Busch and featured a Budweiser motif as it was intended to be sold to bars, with cabinets sporting a brass rail footrest and drink holders. Early machines had game controllers that were actual Budweiser beer tap handles, which were later replaced by smaller, plastic versions with the Budweiser logo on them. A re-themed Root Beer Tapper followed in 1984, which was developed specifically for arcades because the original version was construed as advertising alcohol to minors.Most home versions of Tapper featured the Mountain Dew logo, while the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC versions had the Pepsi logo.Tapper puts you in the shoes of a bartender who must serve eager, thirsty patrons before their patience expires, all while collecting empty mugs and tips. Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Tapper - Sega Enterprises, Inc., 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2024-01-11 | A short presentation of Tapper, published for IBM PCs in 1983 by Sega Enterprises, Inc.The video arcade game was released in 1983 by Bally Midway and developed by Marvin Glass and Associates. It was Originally sponsored by Anheuser-Busch and featured a Budweiser motif as it was intended to be sold to bars, with cabinets sporting a brass rail footrest and drink holders. Early machines had game controllers that were actual Budweiser beer tap handles, which were later replaced by smaller, plastic versions with the Budweiser logo on them. A re-themed Root Beer Tapper followed in 1984, which was developed specifically for arcades because the original version was construed as advertising alcohol to minors.Most home versions of Tapper featured the Mountain Dew logo, while the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC versions had the Pepsi logo.Tapper puts you in the shoes of a bartender who must serve eager, thirsty patrons before their patience expires, all while collecting empty mugs and tips. Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Floyd of the Jungle - MicroProse Software, 1982 - Atari 8-bit Retro365 2024-01-07 | A short presentation of Sid Meier's Floyd of the Jungle, published for the Atari 8-bit in 1982 by his and Bill Stealey's newly founded MicroProse Software.Floyd of the Jungle was the second game published by MicroProse and the only platform game by Meier, who would go on to become one of the world's most acclaimed game developers.This is the 1983 version (version II) which was written in Assembly Language instead of the original done in Atari BASIC. Version II played better and allowed the computer to control any unused players, and was the version ported to the Commodore 64 in 1984.I'm the yellow character, the rest are controlled by the computer. The Atari allowed for 4 human players which made the game much more fun, when playing against friends... despite its awful collision detection.I'll link to the corresponding article on my blog when it's ready.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
ImagiNation! - The Imagination Network, Inc., 1995 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2023-12-31 | A short sneak peek into the Winter map of ImagiNation!I was looking for something with a winter theme and remembered my brief time with The ImagiNation Network when I lived in the States in the mid-'90s.Sierra On-Line started developing its own online multiplayer network in 1989, modeled after the Prodigy service launched a year earlier. The service was launched to the public in 1991 as The Sierra Network and was one of the first dedicated gaming services in the world and allowed subscribers from across the United States a place where they could play games, hang out, make friends, and have fun. The service also featured an electronic post office, bulletin boards, and chat rooms.The Sierra Network was renamed The ImagiNation Network in 1994 after Sierra partnered up with AT&T, which took over the service. AT&T sold it off to AOL in 1996, which at the time acquired several other telecommunications companies.The ImagiNation Network was shut down by AOL in 1998.You can see some of the different physical software releases on my blog:https://retro365.blog/2020/10/27/bits-from-my-personal-collection-online-with-sierra-on-line-and-ken-williams-new-book/I'm accessing the network through the INN Barn project - http://innbarn.com - go check it out...Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Freddy Fish - Mirror Images Software, Inc., 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2023-12-27 | A short presentation of Freddy Fish, published for the IBM PC in 1983 by Mirror Images Software, Inc.Mirror Images Software was started by James Tousignant and a college friend in 1981 as a result of a school project. The company was the first student company in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Incubator Program. The Program was open to all start-up enterprises with technology-based products or services and founded in 1980, making it the first wholly university-based Incubation in the US.Mirror Images Software focused on games and software authoring for the newly introduced IBM PC for leading software publishers, including IBM, Datasoft, Broderbund, and Simon & Schuster. The company published seven games between 1980 and 1985Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Fleet Sweep - Mirror Images Software, Inc., 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2023-12-23 | A short presentation of Jake Richter's Fleet Sweep, published for the IBM PC in 1983 by Mirror Images Software, Inc.Mirror Images Software was started by James Tousignant and a college friend in 1981 as a result of a school project. The company was the first student company in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Incubator Program. The Program was open to all start-up enterprises with technology-based products or services and founded in 1980, making it the first wholly university-based Incubation in the US.Mirror Images Software focused on games and software authoring for the newly introduced IBM PC for leading software publishers, including IBM, Datasoft, Broderbund, and Simon & Schuster. The company published seven games between 1980 and 1985Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Santas Xmas Caper - Zeppelin Games, 1993 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2023-12-20 | A presentation of Santa's Xmas Caper, published for the IBM PC in 1983 by British Zeppelin Software.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
Czorian Siege - Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc., 1983 - IBM PC (4K) Retro365 2023-12-17 | A short presentation of Jeff Krantz and David Willen of Computer Applications Unlimited, Czorian Siege, published for the IBM PC in 1983 by Howard W. Sams & Co., Inc.Czorian Siege was one of the many Space Invaders-like games of the era. It was initially released by Screenplay in 1983 and featured, as one of the first IBM PC titles, digitized speech through the PC speaker.The game had a boxed rerelease by Sams later in 1983.Enjoy and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog where I post new articles every month.
