Retro games, abandonware, freeware and classic games for PC and Mac
Author: GN Team - Published: 22 December 2021, 7:01 pm
Hard Drivin' II: Drive Harder is a sequel, for computers only, of the famous arcade by Atari, one of the most popular in the history of video games.
Hard Drivin 2 was released in 1990 for the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS. Like the predecessor, the game is a 3D racing game with filled polygons. This time, it also includes a track editor, which is one of the best aspects of this release.
The conversion of the first chapter of Hard Drivin' wasn't exactly a masterpiece. This sequel solves many bugs of the first game and improves the framerate, taking it to an acceptable level. This is why many magazines gave high ratings, even though you can find better titles in this genre, like 4D Sports Driving or Stunt Car Racer. Despite this, if you are nostalgic about the old Atari coin-op, this is the version you should choose.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 11 December 2021, 2:19 am
Gnome Ranger is a text adventure with graphics created by Level 9 Computing and released in 1987 on several 8-bit and 16-bit platforms. Releases include Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Macintosh, and others.
The game is often compared to Magnetic Scrolls' masterpiece The Pawn, but Gnome Ranger doesn't aspire to be such an epic game. Nevertheless, it's well-written, funny, and not too hard. This adventure, set in a fantastic and surreal world, was written by Pete Austin and developed using Level 9's engine KAOS - the same engine used to produce Knight Orc.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 3 December 2021, 9:52 pm
Stellar 7 is a 3D sci-fi tank simulator created by Demon Slye for the Apple II and Commodore 64 in 1983. Clearly inspired by the classic arcade Battlezone, Stellar 7 puts the player in the seat of a super tank, with the task of defending the solar system from the evil invaders. The hero should fight the enemies in 7 different systems (hence the title Stellar 7) until the final battle with the overlord Gir Draxon and his powerful tank. Of course, due to the limitation of 8-bit computers, the game was entirely rendered with wireframes.
Stellar 7 was followed by a sequel, Arcticfox, released in 1986. A few years later, Dynamix decided to release a completely revamped version of the original Stellar 7 for PC and Amiga. The game graphics were completely redesigned, with the engine was now supporting 3D-filled polygons. Sound effects, music, and excellent cutscenes were added. The plot, merely outlined in the original game, is now fully explained, improving the player experience. At the same time, Dynamix decided not to change any element of the game design or even the map of the levels, the enemies, and the bosses. A great choice. I wish all remakes were like this.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 20 November 2021, 9:52 pm
The Lords of Midnight is a mix of strategy and adventure games created in 1984 by Mike Singleton for the ZX Spectrum. In the following years, the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC versions were also released.
Mike Singleton created a revolutionary engine called "landscaping" for this game, used to render a 3D world from a first-person perspective. The player could move in 8 different directions, with the scene changing accordingly. Despite not being a real 3D engine, the illusion was very realistic. The game was able to show up to 32000 different views. Quite impressive, considering that we are talking about 8-bit computers in 1984. The players and the critics appreciated this solution, and the game became a huge success.
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Author: E. Bolognesi - Published: 31 October 2021, 1:25 pm
Choplifter! is a helicopter simulator/action-adventure created by Dan Gorlin for the Apple II and published in 1982 by Brøderbund. The game was converted to Atari 8-bit, VIC-20, Commodore 64, and later to many other platforms, including SEGA Master System and NES.
Dan Gorlin, a programmer with a strong passion for helicopters, started to develop his idea at the beginning of 1981. Initially, it was not a game but rather a helicopter simulator. He soon dropped the idea of the first-person 3D view, like Flight Simulator, and opted for a more traditional side view. But despite the arcade look, he tried to replicate the physics of helicopter flight as much as possible. Then, inspired by the coin-op Defender, Gorlin added planes, tanks, and hostages to be saved.
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Author: GN Team - Published: 21 October 2021, 6:57 pm
Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters is an Atari coin-op released in 1989, ported to Amiga, CPC, Atari ST, C64, DOS, and other platforms.
The game was designed by Mark Stephen Pierce, also known for Klax and Dark Castle. This excellent Amiga conversion was developed by Teque, the same studio that made Brutal Sports Football, Shadowlands, Laser Squad, and many other titles.
Escape is a shoot-em-up for two players (yes, single-player is supported too, but co-op is much better). Unlike other 2-players shooters like Alien Breed, Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters uses isometric graphics. The sprites and background are detailed and colorful in a lovely cartoon style, similar to D/Generation.
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