Author: admin
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Sky Puppy
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Daniel Roth & Michael Stearns GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Daniel Roth & Michael Stearns Sky Puppy is a great entry in Retro Remakes’ One Switch Competition that deserves to finish in the top three, except it did not. Your goal: fly a puppy as…
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Wunda Flossy
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Ovine by Design GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Ovine by Design Wunda Flossy and Ork Attack are two quality entries in One Switch Competition. (Actually, Ork Attack was not finished in time for the competition, but it was the author’s intent to enter). Wunda Flossy…
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Ork Attack
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jimmy Riley GAME DEVELOPER:Acoders GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Jimmy Riley Wunda Flossy and Ork Attack are two quality entries in One Switch Competition. (Actually, Ork Attack was not finished in time for the competition, but it was the author’s intent to enter). Wunda Flossy finished second,…
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Kingpin: Life of Crime
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Xatrix Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1999, Xatrix Entertainment Kingpin is a great FPS from Xatrix/Interplay that remains largely underrated – mostly because of numerous bugs in the first release that were finally fixed. Although it is not a “classic” in a sense that Half-Life…
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Arcomage
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:New World Computing GAME PUBLISHER:Studio 3DO Copyright 1999, New World Computing Arcomage is a fun single or two-player fantasy card game, first appearing as a mini-game in Might & Magic VII that you can only play inns. Best described as a simplified rip-off of…
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Façade
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Mateas & Andrew Stern GAME DEVELOPER:Automata GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Michael Mateas & Andrew Stern Touted by the New York Times as the future of video games, Faade is a fun 15-minute “one-act interactive drama” that uses AI extensively in an attempt to go beyond…
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Mall Monster
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ryan Juckett GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Ryan Juckett Mall Monster is a great game from a team of programmers at Digipen Institute of Technology. You play a little kid who has been locked inside a mall, and now it’s the middle of the night…
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KO: Ultra-realistic Boxing
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Data Becker GAME PUBLISHER:Data Becker Copyright 1999, Data Becker Billed as an “ultra-realistic boxing game,” unfortunately Data Becker’s KO is anything but. Although it does look like a decent boxing game at first glance, it doesn’t take long before the shallow execution and inaccurate…
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MegaMek
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ben Mazur GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Ben Mazur Copyright 2004, Ben Mazur & Helge Richter MegaMek is a superb Java-based wargame based on FASA’s celebrated giant robot tabletop wargame called Battletech. As of July 2005, the game includes all level-1 (3025) tech and most level-2 (2750, 3050+)…
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Tigershark
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:n-Space GAME PUBLISHER:GT Interactive Copyright 1997, n-Space Tigershark is an above-average shooter that is better known on the Playstation console. Developed by n-Space and published by GT Interactive, the game is set in the near future, pitting you against the entire Russian army who…
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wxSpellcast
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Bartle & Dennis Taylor GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Dennis Taylor wxSpellcast is a good Windows version of Spellcast, a fun multiplayer-only strategy game for UNIX that is in turn based on Richard Bartle’s Spellbinder paper-and-pencil game first published in his magazine. This two-player…
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Formula Dé
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Laurent Lavaur GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Unknown Formula D is an excellent fanmade PC version of a great tabletop F1 racing game from EuroGames. Coded in Java, the game looks and plays even better than FormulaPC, an older (2002) freeware title reviewed earlier on…
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Transsib
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Franz-Benno Delonge & Harald Gruber GAME DEVELOPER:Rio Grande Games GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Harald Gruber Transsib is a great Java version of TransAmerica, a fun “beer & pretzel” tile-laying tabletop strategy game from Rio Grande. A game for 2-6 players, the goal in this game is…
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RealmSpeak
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Hamblen & Robin Warren GAME DEVELOPER:Avalon Hill GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Robin Warren RealmSpeak is a solid freeware Java version of Magic Realm, Avalon Hill’s classic and long out-of-print tabletop strategy game featuring fantasy elements. An ambitious game that is much broader in scope and…
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Simple Sudoku
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Angus Johnson GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Angus Johnson Simple Sudoku is a great Windows program that generates high-quality Sudoku puzzles that are symmetrical, with a single solution, and do not require trial-and-error to solve. If you have never played Sudoku before, here is the…
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Peasant’s Quest
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mike Chapman & Matt Chapman GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2004, Mike Chapman & Matt Chapman Peasant’s Quest is a humorous, hugely entertaining 2D adventure that plays like Sierra’s classic King’s Quest games. Here is the official plot: “A real long time ago, in the peasant…
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No Gravity
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Realtech VR GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1996, Realtech VR No Gravity is a cool 3D space shooter from Realtech VR. Formerly a commercial game, the source code and later the data files were released into the public domain in 2005. Similar to Wing Commander, you…
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BreakQuest
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Nurium Games GAME PUBLISHER:Nurium Games Copyright 2004, Nurium Games BreakQuest from Nurium Games is arguably the best Arkanoid/Breakout game I have ever played, bar none. If you think Arkanoid games get boring after the first few levels, this underdog will change your mind: each…
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F1 Manager 2000
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Intelligent Games GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 2000, Intelligent Games F1 Manager 2000 from Intelligent Games is a decent F1 manager game that unfortunately was too bug-riddled in the first release to pose any real challenge to the superb Grand Prix Manager 2 game from…
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Privateer Remake
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Roberts & Jason Winzenried GAME DEVELOPER:Origin Systems GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Unknown Privateer Remake is a noble and largely successful attempt at updating Origin’s classic Wing Commander: Privateer to modern Windows-based computers without the need to fiddle with DOSBox to get the original game working…
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El Grande
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Klaus-Jurgen Wrede GAME DEVELOPER:Rio Grande Games GAME PUBLISHER:KOCH Media Copyright 2004, KOCH Media El Grande is a decent PC version of the excellent board game of the same name, coded by the same company (Germany’s KOCH Media) who released the PC version of Carcassonne. The original…
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Puerto Rico
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andreas Seyfarth & Mark Blanco GAME DEVELOPER:Rio Grande Games GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Mark Blanco Puerto Rico is a great fanmade PC game based on a great tabletop strategy game of the same name which is published in the USA by Rio Grande Games. In this…
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Giant: Citizen Kabuto
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Nick Bruty GAME DEVELOPER:Planet Moon Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 2000, Planet Moon Studios Giants: Citizen Kabuto from Planet Moon Studios is a great FPS/RTS blend that makes up for its dumb AI with an excellent mix of humor, interesting (if wacky) storyline, and fun gameplay that…
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Skooter
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ronald Weeserik & Leandro Correia GAME DEVELOPER: GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Leandro Correia Skooter is a fun freeware remake of an oldie puzzle game for the MSX computer. In the author’s words, “[this] remake was made in the most possible faithful way, with slighly modified graphics.…
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Shadow Watch
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Red Storm Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Red Storm Entertainment Copyright 2000, Red Storm Entertainment Shadow Watch is a fun, albeit short sci-fi tactical strategy game in the same vein as X-COM that offers some original ideas that make up for the short length, slow gameplay, and…
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Star Fighter 3000
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andrew Hutchings & Tim Parry GAME DEVELOPER:Krisalis GAME PUBLISHER:Telstar Copyright 1995, Krisalis One of the most obscure 3D shoot ’em ups ever made for the PC, Star Fighter 3000 is a solid PC port of a hit RISC OS game of the same name originally designed…
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B.A.L.L.O
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Osku Tervonen GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2004, Osku Tervonen B.A.L.L.O from Finnish developer group Marelwish Production is the well-deserved winner in the “game” category of the Assembly 2004 competition. The idea is quite innovative: you must swing a ball across a narrow cave without letting…
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HaneHane Paradise
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Koji Wada GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Koji Wada HaneHane Paradise is yet another insanely-difficult-but-fun freeware action game from Japan. Derek Yu (of Blackeye Software fame) says it all in his mini-review at TIGSource: “My God, I have never known frustration like this. HaneHane Paradise…
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Colorful Notes
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Maruchu GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Maruchu Colorful Notes is a clever swap-the-tile puzzle game from Japan. Your goal: join same-colored tiles together by swapping them. There is a catch, though: some tiles cannot be moved, and some others can only be moved a certain…
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Rumble Box
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Patrick Hackett & Joe Bourrie GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, DigiPen Institute of Technology One of the more unique beat’em up games you’ll find, Rumble Box is a fun little game from Patrick Hackett and Joe Bourrie, two graduates of DigiPen Institute of Technology. In…
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Funnels and Buckets
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Data Sage GAME PUBLISHER:Data Sage Copyright 1984, Data Sage Funnels and Buckets is a very old but excellent math game for primary school students aimed at teaching basic arithmetic. Your goal: type the correct answer to each math equation that is falling out of…
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Cave of Monsters
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Guzu Ligo GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2004, Guzu Ligo Cave of Monsters is a fun platformer coded with Game Maker program. Darthlupi (of Mage Craft and Legend of Shadow fame – see reviews of his games on this very site) gave it a very favorable…
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Holotz’s Castle
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Juan Prez GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2004, Juan Prez Holotz’s Castle is a neat Lode Runner-style game that combines the key-collecting, hole-hopping fun of Lode Runner with an interesting plot that features some funny dialogues and interesting NPCs. Your goal in this 2D side-scroller is…
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JFK Reloaded
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kirk Ewing GAME DEVELOPER:Traffic Management GAME PUBLISHER:Traffic Management Copyright 2004, Traffic Management No doubt one of the most controversial games ever made, JFK Reloaded is a shareware game made by a Scottish company called Traffic Management that lets you recreate the assassination of President John F.…
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Nomltest FS
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kei Mesuda GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Kei Mesuda Nomltest FS is one of the best Space Invaders clone you’ll ever play, although you won’t think it likely from looking at the screenshot. Although the graphics are nothing special (with “ripped” sprites from Space Invaders,…
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Ocular Ink
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Justin Kim GAME DEVELOPER:Pistachio Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Pistachio Productions Ocular Ink is hands down one of the most fun and unique freeware games I’ve played in the past few years. Just reading the official storyline will already give you a clue as to how…
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Jabberwock
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Aeju Murasame GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, Aeju Murasame Jabberwock from Japanese programmer Aeju Murasame is a great action/RPG hybrid that fans of Smash TV and Zelda games will enjoy. Your goal in the game is to escape from a labyrinth full of weird fantasy…
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Guardian of Paradise
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:E. Hashimoto GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2005, E. Hashimoto Guardian of Paradise is a great Japanese action/RPG hybrid in the same vein as Zelda games. Created by E. “Buster” Hashimoto, the same designer behind superb Akuji the Demon, this game offers the same excellent blend…
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Chess 88
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Don Berg GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1988, Don Berg A very simple black and white (pardon the pun) chess game with 6 difficulty levels. The computer opponent is decent enough, and you can choose whether to play white or black. It’s nothing spectacular, however, and…
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Computer Dots
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Thayer GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1984, John Thayer Computer Dots is a fun little would-be coffee-break game. Basically a PC version of the game “Dots”, the game was written in 1984, and is somewhat of a jewel for that fact alone. For those as…
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Monopoly [1985]
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Don Gibson GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1985, Don Gibson Although an inferior version of the game Monopoly Deluxe already included on The Underdogs, this old gem is nevertheless a fun PC version of the classic board game. The final version of the game, v5.5 done…