The ZX Spectrum conversion of Realtime Software‘s classic Carrier Command is arguably even better than the 16-bit originals. Mostly because it’s been tweaked a little to accommodate it on the humble Speccy, and as a result it plays really well as a strategy game, with extra action elements. Carrier Command on the Spectrum is for 128K machines only and was first published by Rainbird in 1989.
Tag Archives: Cult Game
Gorf, ColecoVision
A rare home port of Nutting Associates‘ famous 1981 arcade game, Gorf. Rare because the original developers licensed both Space Invaders and Galaxian for inclusion in the original Gorf, which restricted its reach in home markets (because anyone wanting to release the game on another system would also have to license both games to make it legal).
Karate Champ, Arcade
Karate Champ is an early one-on-one beat ’em up that was pioneering and influential, and was a precursor to fighting games that followed. It was developed by Technos Japan and manufactured into arcades by Data East in 1984.
MediEvil 2, PlayStation
MediEvil 2 is the sequel to the classic PS1 game, MediEvil, and is the return of the skeleton warrior, Sir Daniel Fortesque. The game is this time set in Victorian England where Sir Dan must combat monsters and animated skeletons, resurrected by a meddling sorcerer who is trying to resurrect Zarok, the bad guy from the first game. Gameplay is mostly identical to MediEvil [one], but with a few tweaks here and there. MediEvil 2 was first published in 2000 and was developed by many of the same people who made the first game, at SCE Cambridge Studio in England.
Dark Sceptre, ZX Spectrum
Dark Sceptre is a single-player fantasy strategy game designed by the late Mike Singleton (of Lords of Midnight and Doomdark’s Revenge fame), and Maelstrom Games, and it was published by Firebird Software for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC in 1987.
Cylon Attack, BBC Micro
Programmed by Doug Anderson and published by A&F Software in 1983, Cylon Attack is an early cockpit-based space shooter for the BBC Micro that still plays quite well today.
Mappy, Arcade
Mappy is a cute-but-challenging vertical screen platform puzzle game, developed and manufactured by Namco in 1983, in which you play as a police mouse retrieving stolen goods from a mansion full of criminal cats.
Alternative World Games, Commodore 64
Alternative World Games is a parody of the famous Commodore 64 Epyx ‘Games‘ series, developed by Hungarian company Novotrade and published by Gremlin Graphics in 1987. It is apparently known as “Sports-A-Roni” in North America, although I’ve no effing idea what that’s supposed to mean…
Blue Lightning, Atari Lynx
This arcade-style, third-person combat flight game was developed by Epyx and released exclusively for the Atari Lynx in 1989. Blue Lightning was actually a launch title for the North American release of the Lynx.
Repton 3, BBC Micro
Repton 3 – first released by Superior Software in 1986 – was designed and written by Matthew Atkinson; not Repton‘s original designer, Tim Tyler. Thankfully Repton 3 reverts back to the formula that made the first Repton game so successful, with a series of password-accessible, time-limited levels, split into three data files (prelude, toccata, and finale).