International Karate was released in 1986 by System 3 Software.
It was written by Archer MacLean and was one of the first beat ’em ups – ever – to actually feel like a decent game to play and not a ridiculous slug-fest.
International Karate was released in 1986 by System 3 Software.
It was written by Archer MacLean and was one of the first beat ’em ups – ever – to actually feel like a decent game to play and not a ridiculous slug-fest.
Archer MacLean‘s Dropzone was initially released on the Atari 8-bit machines in 1984, before it later appeared on the Commodore 64 and became a smash hit.
The Atari 8-Bit version of the classic Mercenary is the original, published by Novagen in 1985.
From the opening sequence onwards you know that you are in for a special ride with Mercenary, and exploring the wireframe world of Targ (the name of the planet you’re trapped on) is a video-gaming joy – especially with the easy-to-use controls.
Paul Shirley‘s classic isometric puzzle/adventure game, Spindizzy, originated on the Commodore 64, but is also quite excellent on the Atari 800.
Chunky visuals and a smaller play window make the Amstrad version of Cybernoid look decided untidy next to the Spectrum original.
A decent Commodore 64 conversion of Cybernoid, by Nick Jones.
This original ZX Spectrum version of Raffaele Cecco‘s Cybernoid was released by Hewson Consultants in 1987.
Winter Olympiad 88 for the ZX Spectrum was programmed by Derek Brewster, with graphics by Philip Scott. It is a multi-event winter sports game, no doubt created to cash in on the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada.
A budget motorbike racing game, created by Derek Brewster in 1987 for Mastertronic.
Speed King 2 is the sequel to… well, nothing, because there’s isn’t a Speed King 1, as far as I can tell. Was there a prequel to this? If there was, I can’t find it… Maybe Brewster was trying to make a sequel to Full Throttle? Because Speed King 2 does look a bit like it. I dunno.
Codemasters released this Derek Brewster game in 1987 under the title of Mission Jupiter (also known as Jupiter Mission in some territories).
It’s a simple side-scrolling shooter with a guy wearing a jet pack.