Tag Archives: Retro Gaming

Celebration, Ocean Software

Head Over Heels Week

9 Comments

Happy April Fools Day!

A celebration of jokes and humour, and – in our world – video games.

Written by Jon Ritman, with graphics by Bernie Drummond, Head Over Heels was first released in 1987 and is still a fantastic game to play now – across a number of different formats.

So every day this week we’re going to be celebrating Head Over Heels – a classic 3D platform game like no other – starting with the ZX Spectrum original, and covering all the different versions of the game as the week progresses.

Anyway: welcome to April. You lovely gaming fools.

The King of Grabs

Head Over Heels on The King of Grabs:
ZX Spectrum version, Commodore 64 version, Amstrad CPC version, MSX version, Atari 800 version, Atari ST version, Amiga version, PC version, Head Over Heels Week

Atari ST, Graftgold, Hewson

Ranarama, Atari ST

Leave a comment

Ranarama, by Steve Turner of Graftgold, originated on the ZX Spectrum in 1987, and was later converted to the Atari ST, Amiga and Amstrad CPC.

Continue reading Ranarama, Atari ST →

Commodore 64, Epyx

Pitstop II, Commodore 64

Leave a comment

It might be considered primitive by today’s standards, but back in 1984 when Pitstop II was first released, it really raised the bar for arcade-style racing games. That is: racing games that are fun to play, rather than being as realistic as possible.

Continue reading Pitstop II, Commodore 64 →

Ashby Computers and Graphics, Ultimate Play The Game, ZX Spectrum

Jet Pac, ZX Spectrum

10 Comments

Ultimate Play The Game‘s amazing Jet Pac is an early ZX Spectrum classic, first released onto an unsuspecting world in 1983.

Continue reading Jet Pac, ZX Spectrum →

Megadrive/Genesis, Rare

Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, Megadrive/Genesis

Leave a comment

Rare‘s classic isometric action game, Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, was first released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1990. This Sega Megadrive/Genesis port came later, in 1993.

Continue reading Snake Rattle ‘n’ Roll, Megadrive/Genesis →

Atari ST, Rainbird, Realtime Games Software

Carrier Command, Atari ST

4 Comments

Realtime Games‘ 1988 hit, Carrier Command, is a compelling mixture of 3D simulation and real-time strategy.

In it you take control of a futuristic, robotic aircraft carrier and must work your way through an island archipelago, taking control of each island and competing against a rival carrier.

Continue reading Carrier Command, Atari ST →

Atari ST, Maelstrom Games, Microplay Software

Midwinter, Atari ST

2 Comments

Mike Singleton‘s 1989 release, Midwinter, is a classic action strategy game with a mixture of early 3D polygonal graphics and 16-colour 2D graphics.

Continue reading Midwinter, Atari ST →

21st Century Entertainment, Amiga, Bad Video Games, Infernal Byte Systems

Nebulus 2: Pogo-A-Go-Go, Amiga

1 Comment

I won’t beat around the bush: I absolutely HATE Nebulus 2: Pogo-A-Go-Go… I wanted to love it – because I love the original Nebulus – but this game is NOT by the original author (John M. Phillips), and – after playing it for a few hours for the first time this week – I can only conclude that it is absolute rubbish.

Continue reading Nebulus 2: Pogo-A-Go-Go, Amiga →