Author: admin
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Countdown to Doom
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika One of Topologika’s last IF titles, Countdown to Doom is a fun “light” science fiction set on the planet of Doomawangara (no, I’m not making this up). Despite the name, the planet is actually a very dangerous…
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Return to Doom
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1988, Topologika The second game in Topologika’s Doom trilogy after Countdown to Doom, Return to Doom sends you, the only explorer to have survived the planet Doomawangara, flying back to the accursed planet in response to a distress call.…
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Last Days of Doom
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1988, Topologika The last and best game in the Doom trilogy, Last Days of Doom once again casts you in a role of the intrepid space explorer who is the only human being known to survive Doomawangara, the most…
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Philosopher’s Quest
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth & Jonathan Mestel GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika One of the oldest IF titles ever written (its first version was written in 1979 for the IBM 370 mainframe under the name Brand X), Philosopher’s Quest gets my vote for having the most…
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Acheton
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1990, Topologika One of Topologika’s earliest games is Acheton, a huge IF adventure in the Colossal Cave style. Similar to Zork (which was released on the VAX mainframe not long before that), Acheton is a fantasy…
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Hezarin
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alex Ship & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1990, Topologika A spiritual successor to Topologika’s earlier Acheton and before it, Colossal Cave, Hezarin is a decent dungeon romp that casts you as a sworn-in member of the Adventurer’s Guild who is tasked with overthrowing…
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Kingdom of Hamil
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika An ambitious fantasy IF that is captivating yet frustrating at the same time, Hamil is a clich? regain-your-rightful-throne game done right: with plenty of good writing, atmosphere, and even some plot development– a rare thing indeed for…
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SpySnatcher
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1985, Topologika Easily one of best Topologika games and my most favorite by far, SpySnatcher is a great spy thriller that casts you as agent 3084, working on a (what else) secret mission for MI7, the British intelligence agency.…
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Murdac
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1989, Topologika Murdac (by Avon designers Thackray and Partington) sees you flying off to the ancient land of Murdac. Your mission? To discover its secrets with the help – if you can call it that –…
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Nord and Bert Couldn’t Make Head or Tail of It
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff O’Neill GAME DEVELOPER:Infocom GAME PUBLISHER:Infocom Copyright 1989, Infocom Graeme Cree posted an excellent review of this pun-filled underdog from Infocom in SPAG, so I’d like to quote it here in full: “Nord and Bert Couldn’t Make Head or Tail of It is a collection of…
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Infidel
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Berlyn GAME DEVELOPER:Infocom GAME PUBLISHER:Infocom Copyright 1986, Infocom Stephen Granade posted an excellent review of this fun underdog from Infocom in SPAG, so I’d like to quote it here in full: “On your first big archaeological dig, you manage to waste most of your money…
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Brimstone
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:James Paul GAME DEVELOPER:Synapse Software GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1985, Brderbund A potentially great game that is unfortunatelly bogged down by weak puzzles that don’t fit well with the story. Like all other Synapse games, the high point of Brimstone is definite the story, which is very…
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Mindwheel
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Robert Pinsky GAME DEVELOPER:Synapse Software GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1986, Brderbund Synapse’s last game and also its most ambitious, Mindwheel unfortunately ends up as an ideal example of a great concept that is horrendously botched by frustrating puzzles that are not illogical, but are poorly integrated with…
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Mixed-up Fairy Tales
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Lori Cole GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1991, Sierra On-Line A very enjoyable adventure for young kids that is unfortunately neglected, Sierra’s Mixed-Up Fairy Tales follows in the footsteps of its more famous predecessor, Mixed-Up Mother Goose. Instead of assembling nursery rhymes, your job…
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Return to Pirate’s Island 2
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Scott Adams GAME DEVELOPER:Adventure International GAME PUBLISHER:Adventure International Copyright 2000, Adventure International After a long hiatus from gaming, Scott Adams, the prolific author of many Adventure International games in the 1980s, is back, for better or worse. As the fifteenth entry in Scott Adams’ celebrated SAGA…
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Shanghai
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brodie Lockard GAME DEVELOPER:Activision GAME PUBLISHER:Activision Copyright 1986, Activision One of the first Mahjongg games ever made, Shanghai is a solid computer version of the popular Chinese parlor game, although it takes a lot of patience to move each tile, as there is no mouse support.…
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Mindbender
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Magic Bytes GAME PUBLISHER:Gremlin Copyright 1990, Gremlin Mindbender is a unique blend of action and puzzle in a fantasy setting. The object is simple: rotate the mirrors held by little gnomes to reflect the ray of spell being cast by your wizard so that…
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Ocean Ranger
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kevin Patrick GAME DEVELOPER:Activision GAME PUBLISHER:Activision Copyright 1989, Activision A solid yet relatively unknown hydrofoil naval simulation from Activision, Ocean Ranger lets you command a warship in modern naval battles that resemble arcade games, but with considerable realistic factors. There are four theatres of operation to…
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Troika
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Dima Pavlovsky GAME DEVELOPER:Paragon Software GAME PUBLISHER:Paragon Software Copyright 1991, Paragon Software Troika is an eclectic collection of games from Russia that range from an average title, to an interesting twist on the old idea. The first game, Rebel Planets, is an okay shooter that won’t…
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USS John Young 2
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Magic Bytes GAME PUBLISHER:Magic Bytes Copyright 1992, Magic Bytes Two fun arcade-style single-ship simulations from Magic Bytes, USS John Young 1 and 2 are short on realism but long on old-fashioned fun and attractive graphics. Taking place in a hypothetical modern day, the games…
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Ultimate Domain
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Microids GAME PUBLISHER:Software Toolworks Copyright 1992, Microids A highly underrated empire building game, Ultimate Domain (or Genesia as it is known in Europe) plays a bit like a cross between Bullfrog’s Populous and Sid Meier’s Civilization, but with some unique twists. The plot goes…
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Dick Tracy
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Titus GAME PUBLISHER:Titus Copyright 1990, Titus A much inferior adaptation of the hit Disney screen by Disney’s own Dick Tracy: Crime Solving Adventure, Titus’ Dick Tracy is wooden, shallow, awkward, tedious, and generally devoid of much of the atmosphere that makes the movie a…
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Offshore Warrior
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Titus GAME PUBLISHER:Titus Copyright 1988, Titus A simple arcade motorboat racing game, Offshore Warrior nevertheless offers a lot of gameplay despite 4-color CGA graphics. Your goal is simple: compete in a motorboat tournament that spans the globe. While the tracks, which range from North…
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Armored Fist
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Garcia GAME DEVELOPER:NovaLogic GAME PUBLISHER:NovaLogic Copyright 1994, NovaLogic The underrated cousin of NovaLogic’s more popular Comanche: Maximum Overkill and its sequels, Armored Fist is a fun tank simulation that tries to woo both the arcade and simulation fans, and ended up attracting neither camp. In…
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Iron Cross
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Phil Steinmeyer GAME DEVELOPER:New World Computing GAME PUBLISHER:New World Computing Copyright 1994, New World Computing Iron Cross is an ambitious but disappointing real-time wargame that lets you control infantry, artillery and armor units on various battlefields and you can play either the Axis or the Allies.…
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Museum Madness
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:MECC GAME PUBLISHER:MECC Copyright 1993, MECC One of the best releases from MECC, Museum Madness is a great educational title that will help kids ages 12 and above hone their knowledge of science and history, as well as problem-solving skills, in an attractive inventory-based…
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CivNet
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Sid Meier GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1993, MicroProse When Sid Meier’s masterpiece Civilization was first released in 1991, it seemed to be the ideal pioneer of multi-player gaming. At that time, though, on-line gaming was still in its infancy, and so the idea of a…
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Terminator: Skynet
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Todd Howard & Morton M?rup GAME DEVELOPER:Bethesda Softworks GAME PUBLISHER:Bethesda Softworks Copyright 1996, Bethesda Softworks The final, and very disappointing, finish to Bethesda’s Terminator series of 3D shooter that began promisingly with The Terminator in 1989. Just how disappointing is the game? I’ll leave it to…
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Super C
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Konami GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1990, Konami The second and unfortunately last in Konami’s widely acclaimed Contra series that were translated to the PC, Super C retains the addictive gameplay of the original while introducing more challenges and new surprises. To those unfamiliar with the…
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Ascendancy
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jason Templeman & Arthur DiBianca GAME DEVELOPER:Logic Factory, The GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1995, Logic Factory, The Ascendancy is an ambitious space strategy game that is full of innovative ideas. Unfortunately, it also has one of the worst computer AIs of all time. The AI was so…
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Quarantine 2: Road Warrior
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Mindscape GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1996, Mindscape Road Warrior is a superior sequel to GameTek’s highly original Quarantine, a politically incorrect roadkill game. As in the original, you still play the role of Drake Edgewater, a cab driver whose only goal is to escape the…
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Earth Orbit Stations
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Karl Buiter GAME DEVELOPER:Electronic Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1988, Karl Buiter Karl Buiter’s first, and most underrated, design, Earth Orbit Stations is a classic space program simulation that was one of the first of its kind. It is also probably the only space station simulation…
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Across The Rhine
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:James Day GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1995, MicroProse In the words of veteran wargamer M. Evan Brooks: “This was the most anticipated wargame of 1993-1994. When it was finally released in 1995, it quickly sank to the depths of the ratings charts. “We wuz robbed!”…
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This Means War!
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1995, MicroProse This Means War! is a rarely known beer-and-pretzel isometric strategy game from MicroProse, released in 1996 for Windows 3.1. With a focus on light-hearted action and a sense of humor, the game plays like a distant cousin of…
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WWF European Rampage
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Coupe GAME DEVELOPER:OCEAN GAME PUBLISHER:OCEAN Copyright 1992, OCEAN One of the worst games ever made, WWF European Rampage is dull, repetitive, and even looks horrible. The entirety of gameplay consists of walking up to your opponent and hitting the fire button to punch him a…
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Mickey’s 123: The Big Surprise Party
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Distinctive Software GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1992, Disney A wonderful game that followed on the heels of Disney’s earlier Mickey’s ABC: A Day at The Fair, Mickey’s 123: The Big Surprise Party teaches the basic concept of numbers to nine to toddlers ages 0 –…
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Jammit
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GTE Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:GTE Entertainment Copyright 1994, GTE Entertainment Jammit is a very entertaining arcade-style basketball game that almost perfectly captures the flavor and atmosphere of “street” basketball that is very popular in the US. In contrast to normal team basketball, street basketball is…
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Blues Brothers: Jukebox Adventure, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Image Works GAME PUBLISHER:Titus Copyright 1993, Titus A follow-up to Image Work’s 1991 Blues Brothers game, Blues Brothers: Jukebox Adventure features improved graphics, bigger levels, and –naturally– more records than ever to collect. The game stars the Blues Brothers, a duo of popular musicians…
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Action in The North Atlantic
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Owen Hall GAME DEVELOPER:General Quarters Software GAME PUBLISHER:General Quarters Software Copyright 1989, General Quarters Software One of General Quarters’ best games, Action in The North Atlantic is a fun and accessible naval simulation set in the World War II. The game focuses on only a single…
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4D Sports Tennis
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Distinctive Software GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1990, Distinctive Software 4D Sports Tennis is a revolutionary tennis game that unfortunately was both critically and commercially less successful than its over-hyped cousin 4D Sports Boxing. Based on a more advanced version of polygonal 3D engine used in…
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Archipelagos
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Logotron GAME PUBLISHER:Logotron Copyright 1989, Logotron Definitely among the most unique action/puzzle hybrids ever created, Archipelagos is a fun cross between chess, Populous, and a good measure of its own idiosyncracies. The goal is to destroy the 2001: Space Odyssey-style Obelisk in order to…
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DeathTrack
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Darek Lukaszuk GAME DEVELOPER:Dynamix GAME PUBLISHER:Activision Copyright 1990, Dynamix One of the most underrated sci-fi racing games of all time, Activision’s Death Track is a fun futuristic racing game where the objective is to eliminate your opponents– literally. With names like “Preying Menace” and “Crimson Death,”…
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Double Dare
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GameTek GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1988, GameTek Double Dare is a solid computer version of the not-so-well-known TV gameshow hosted by Alex Trebek. TV trivia buffs might be interested to know that this was Trebek’s *first* gameshow, long before rising to stardom with Jeopardy!. Another…