John Van Ryzin‘s popular H.E.R.O. (Helicopter Emergency Rescue Operation) first made its appearance on the Atari 2600 (aka Atari VCS), via Activision, way back in 1984.
Tag Archives: 8-bit
Action Biker, Commodore 64
Action Biker was created to market Skips Crisps in the UK, and therefore features KP Skips Crisp’s mascot “Clumsy Colin” as the playable character.
3D Monster Maze, ZX81
3D Monster Maze was developed by Malcolm Evans for J.K. Greye Software in 1982.
This classic black and white maze game was one of the first ever video games to use a first-person viewpoint inside a 3D maze.
Driller, Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 version of Incentive‘s classic Driller is surprisingly good, considering that the machine isn’t particularly suited to this kind of game.
Everyone’s A Wally, ZX Spectrum
Chris Hinsley‘s 1985 follow-up to Pyjamarama sees the return – once again – of Wally Week. The mechanic turned mundane video game hero.
The unique thing about Everyone’s A Wally is that you can switch between five different characters and go about your adventuring business – two years before Maniac Mansion.
Driller, ZX Spectrum
Driller first appeared on the ZX Spectrum in 1987. This version is where it all began.
Driller‘s engine – called Freescape – was to go down in history as one of the first to make 3D gaming a real possibility.
Driller, Amstrad CPC
Driller was the very first Freescape game. A very important game for its time. It first came out in 1987.
It was one of the first ever games that allowed you to explore a full 3D environment, and Freescape was the engine that made it possible.
EarthBound Zero, NES
This classic NES game was initially released in Japan in 1989 under the title of Mother.
Academy, ZX Spectrum
Sub-titled “Tau Ceti II“, Pete Cooke’s stunning Academy is a brilliant mission-based surface shooter that combines great presentation and atmosphere, with interesting use of light – quite radical for a humble ZX Spectrum.
Starquake, ZX Spectrum
Arguably game designer Steve Crow‘s finest hour, Starquake is a brilliant platform action game first released through Bubble Bus Software in 1985.