Retro games, abandonware, freeware and classic games for PC and Mac
Author: GN Team - Published: 7 January 2024, 3:54 pm
Bubba 'N' Stix is a platformer-puzzle game created by Core Design simultaneously for the SEGA Genesis and Amiga, including the CD32 version. The game, conceived by Simon Phipps, was released in 1994.
The first thing that catches the eye is the graphics, which resemble a cartoon. CORE Design has accustomed us to games with excellent graphics, such as Heimdall, Chuck Rock, or Darkmere: The Nightmare's Begun. However, we are on a higher level with Bubba, featuring hand-drawn animations inspired by Disney and Don Bluth animated films, coupled with a sense of humor. Most importantly, the quality of the game design stands out, presenting a platform game that requires exploration and, above all, puzzle-solving. The puzzles are intelligently and precisely designed.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 30 December 2023, 5:18 pm
Revenge of the Mutant Camels is a side-scrolling shooter written by Jeff Minter for the Commodore 64 and released in 1984 by Llamasoft. The game was a kind of sequel to another shooter called Attack of the Mutant Camels (also known as Advance of the Mega Camels). Despite being a classic on the Commodore 64, Revenge of the Mutant Camels was ported eight years later (1992) to the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS, with slightly improved versions and enhanced graphics.
The legendary English programmer Jeff Minter, founder of Llamasoft, began programming on early 8-bit computers, from the Commodore PET to the ZX-81 to the Vic-20. However, success came with Llamasoft and the first games for the Commodore 64. The Mutant Camels series is undoubtedly one of the most famous. Revenge (like Attack) is a game where a camel (apparently mutant) walks horizontally across the screen, shooting at surreal enemies, including phone booths, Polo mints (icons of the 80s), explosive sheep, and much more. The shooting camel somewhat resembles the AT-AT walker from Star Wars, and indeed, this shooter recalls the game Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - Atari 2600 from 1982, where we could control the famous "walker" from the Star Wars saga. Of course, the theme here is completely different and, if anything, more fun, as it immerses players in an almost psychedelic atmosphere.
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Author: Adam - Published: 24 December 2023, 8:22 am
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin King is a platform game created by Tose for the Game Boy Advance and released in 2005.
The story told in the game precedes the events of Tim Burton's famous holiday horror film. Players will discover Jack Skellington's first encounter with Oogie Boogie and how the protagonist earned the title of "The Pumpkin King." Familiar characters include Jack's love interest, Sally, the zombie doll created by Dr. Finklestein.
The gameplay can be described as classic Metroidvania, featuring a non-linear exploration of various levels to solve puzzles and defeat enemies. Moreover, the game's horror theme emphasizes similarities with the classic Castlevania, although, in this case, it is suitable for children who enjoy the "Tim Burton" genre. Perhaps what is lacking is a bit of innovation; Tose's choices were not very daring, and it would have been interesting to introduce some new elements.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 21 December 2023, 4:26 pm
SEGA Rally Championship is a racing game originally created by SEGA as an arcade release in 1994. The game was also released in 1995 for SEGA Saturn and in 1997 for Windows. Several years later, in 2003, the Game Boy Advance edition was published, and that's the one we present here.
The game made history as the first racing simulator to implement different terrains and conditions (desert, mountain, and forest) that influenced the car's behavior. Moreover, the various environments were inspired by real locations, such as Corsica (for the mountain) or Yosemite Park for the forest. The famous Lancia Delta Integrale is available as a drivable car, along with the Toyota Celica GT-4, while Sandro Munari's Lancia Stratos can be unlocked later. The title was hugely successful, even in the SEGA Saturn version. It is said that SEGA Rally Championship influenced the famous Colin McRae Rally.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 30 October 2023, 4:38 pm
Little Samson is a fantasy platform game developed by Takeru and published by Taito in 1992 exclusively for the NES. After its release in Japan and the USA, it also arrived in Europe in 1993.
Taito is undoubtedly more famous for its legendary arcade games, but in the 1990s, it also ventured into creating titles for the 8-bit Nintendo console. In this case, we have a platformer with fairly standard mechanics, featuring gameplay not too dissimilar from Capcom's classic Mega Man. However, Taito's style shines through with its colorful arcade-style graphics, which, at least in part considering the hardware difference, evoke memories of the wonderful Bubble Bobble.
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Author: Adam - Published: 24 October 2023, 4:34 pm
MUSHA, also known as Musha Aleste, is a vertically scrolling shooter created by Compile for the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive and released in 1990. The full title is M.U.S.H.A.: Metallic Uniframe Super Hybrid Armor.
The game, known in Japan as Musha Aleste - Full Metal Fighter Ellinor, belongs to the Aleste series, which began in 1988 with Aleste, known in the Western world as Power Strike. Initially, it was intended to be called "Aleste 2," but it was decided to make it a spin-off due to a change in the setting. In fact, the shooter has a much stronger connection to Japanese mythology, featuring demons, ninjas, and giant robots. Instead of the classic spaceship, you pilot a mecha (Gundam-style) called M.U.S.H.A. and must combat a supercomputer threatening Earth.
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