Author: admin
-
Air Power
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rod Hyde & Mark Shaw GAME DEVELOPER:Rowan GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1996, Rowan Air Power is a great flight sim based on alternate history by Rowan Software, maker of several top-notch titles including Dawn Patrol. PC Gameworld says it all about this overlooked classic: With the somewhat…
-
Paragliding
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Loriciel GAME PUBLISHER:Loriciel Copyright 1990, Loriciel Probably the most obscure Loriciel game ever made, Paragliding (a.k.a. Paraplane) is a fun simulation of gliding sport perhaps the only one ever made for the computer except for the fun paragliding event included in Epyx California Games…
-
Hostile Waters: Antaeus Rising
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Rage Software GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 2001, Rage Software After their graphically and sound-wise stunning, but gameplay-hollow, 3D action game Incoming, British developers Rage Software decided to use their powerful graphic engine to create a new game, a sort of real-time strategy (RTS) game with…
-
Insane
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Invictus GAME PUBLISHER:Codemasters Copyright 2001, Invictus Insane is a racing game developed by Invictus and published by Codemasters. I have decided to compare it to a more well known game, which also happened to be released at the same time as Insane – 4×4…
-
Final Conflict
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Kirby GAME DEVELOPER:Impressions GAME PUBLISHER:Impressions Copyright 1991, Impressions Final Conflict is a lackluster simulation of a nuclear conflict that feels as if the designer couldn’t make up his mind between making it an action game or a thoughtful simulation.The premise, as in Infogrames’ better-known and…
-
Best of the Best
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Futura GAME PUBLISHER:Loriciel Copyright 1992, Futura Best of the Best is an excellent but little-known sequel to Futuras outstanding Panza Kick Boxing. It was curiously released with the subtitle Championship Karate in some countries, despite the fact that the game is still about kick…
-
Stryx
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mike Chilton GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1989, Psygnosis Stryx is an ambitious multi-type action game with some puzzle elements (similar to Epyx classic Impossible Mission 2) that unfortunately is bogged down by poor platform action levels. The plot, which is almost superfluous in this type…
-
Cool World
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:OCEAN GAME PUBLISHER:OCEAN Copyright 1992, OCEAN Cool World is a lackluster platform game based on the equally lackluster follow-up movie to Who Framed Roger Rabbit?. In this cartoon world, you are Frank Harris, a detective hired to stop busty cartoon diva Holli Would from…
-
Deluxe Trivial Pursuit
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Domark GAME PUBLISHER:Domark Copyright 1992, Domark Deluxe Trivial Pursuit is a solid follow-up to Virgins earlier Trivial Pursuit, released a year earlier in 1991. The game improves upon the original in every way imaginable: better graphics, more categories, more questions, and just about everything…
-
Hi-Octane
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Bullfrog GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1995, Bullfrog One of the most overlooked titles from Bullfrog, Hi-Octane is a fun futuristic racing game that is rumored to begin life as something several Bullfrog programmers coded just for fun ? which probably explains why its concept…
-
Boulderdash Construction Kit
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Liepa GAME DEVELOPER:First Star GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1986, First Star Boulderdash Construction Kit is an excellent release from First Star that ranks as one of the best design titles ever made for the computer, not to mention the fact that it allows Boulderdash fans…
-
Archer Maclean’s Pool
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Archer Maclean GAME DEVELOPER:Virgin Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1992, Virgin Interactive Archer Maclean?s Pool is an excellent follow-up to Jimmy White?s Whirlwind Snooker, which he also designed. The review at Amiga Games Database says it all about this rare underdog: “Archer Maclean had a success…
-
Mr. Boom
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Remdy GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Remdy Mr. Boom is an excellent, near flawless clone of Bomberman, a famous action puzzler that most console fans are familiar with. Although the PC version of Bomberman already exists in Dynablaster, what is special about Mr. Boom is…
-
Kingdoms of Germany
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brian Vodnik GAME DEVELOPER:Realism Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Starbyte Copyright 1994, Realism Entertainment Kingdoms of Germany is a fun but somewhat dry wargame set in medieval Germany. From a short critique of the game by veteran wargame reviewer M.E. Brooks, …Economics, diplomacy and military forces all coalesced into…
-
Outer Ridge
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John McCarthy GAME DEVELOPER:GraphicWares GAME PUBLISHER:GraphicWares Copyright 1995, GraphicWares Outer Ridge is a sadly overlooked Asteroids clone that was released as shareware in 1995. Games Domain has the rundown on this underdog: “While it’s not Terminal Velocity, or Lemmings 3-D, it’s certainly one of the best…
-
Slicks ‘n’ Slide
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Timo Kauppinen GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 2001, Timo Kauppinen Definitely one of the best racing games ever made, bar none, Slicks n Slide is a living proof that games dont have to be 3D accelerated or take up 640MB of space to be addictive and…
-
Airlines
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:InterActive Vision GAME PUBLISHER:InterActive Vision Copyright 1994, InterActive Vision Airlines is an underrated airline management sim from Interactive Vision (who is actually hard at work on Airlines 2, slated for an early 2002 release). In contrast to Air Bucks, Airlines is a complex sim…
-
Revolution X
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Probe Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Acclaim Entertainment Copyright 1995, Probe Entertainment One of the worst games from Probe/Acclaim, Revolution X is a downright horrendous game that is even worse than the original coin-op version. Only fans Aerosmith may enjoy this one and they will probably delete…
-
Jimmy White’s Whirlwind Snooker
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Archer Maclean GAME DEVELOPER:Virgin Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1991, Virgin Interactive Excellent snooker simulation by Archer Maclean, one of the best known designers among Amiga lovers. The Amiga Games Database’s review summarizes the high points of this revolutionary snooker game that set new standards for…
-
Pub Pool
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Mastertronic GAME PUBLISHER:Mastertronic Copyright 1987, Mastertronic Pub Pool is a unique “coffee break” pool game from Mastertronic. In contrast to other serious pool simulations, the idea behind Pub Pool is simple: shoot six pool balls into each corner of a hexagonal pool table, using…
-
Wilson ProStaff Golf
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Pete Pavich GAME DEVELOPER:Novotrade GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1993, Novotrade Wilson ProStaff Golf is a hugely underrated golf game by Novotrade, published by Konami. It is unfortunate that the game is not as well know as big-budget titles such as Links or Jack Nicklaus series, because Wilson…
-
World Cricket
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Zeppelin Games GAME PUBLISHER:Zeppelin Games Copyright 1993, Zeppelin Games Probably the worst game from UK’s Zeppelin Games, World Cricket is an abysmal representation of the sport. Despite good graphics that are up to Zeppelin’s usual standards, the gameplay is too superficial and flawed to…
-
Oldtime Baseball
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Stormfront Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Stormfront Studios Copyright 1995, Stormfront Studios Oldtime Baseball is one of those rare games that succeeds in spite of its many flaws. Born as a two-disk roster patch for Tony LaRussa Baseball III, Oldtime Baseball was later released as a stand-alone…
-
Psycho Pinball
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Codemasters GAME PUBLISHER:Philips Media Copyright 1995, Codemasters Psycho Pinball is a vastly underrated pinball game that will please both beginners and experts alike. Developed by Codemasters and published by Phillips Media, the game offers 4 fun tables, good music, and a clear digital voice…
-
Pinball World
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Spidersoft GAME PUBLISHER:21st Century Entertainment Copyright 1995, 21st Century Entertainment Pinball World is one of the last releases from 21st Century Entertainment, arguably the best developer of PC pinball games alongside LittleWing. Since Pinball Dreams, the company had consistently delivered exciting, high-quality, and well-designed…
-
Race Drivin’
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tengen GAME PUBLISHER:Tengen Copyright 1991, Tengen Race Drivin is a terrible PC version of a fun arcade game of the same name, which itself is a clone of Ataris superior Hard Drivin series. In short, choose from four different cars and three different tracks…
-
Diamond Dreams Baseball
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Klug GAME DEVELOPER:Diamond Dreams GAME PUBLISHER:Diamond Dreams Copyright 1995, Diamond Dreams In the days before complex computer simulations of baseball there was tabletop baseball, with each player assigned a card of probabilities. In the mid-1980s, Pursue the Pennant came along to challenge the two top…
-
Tom Clancy’s Politika
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Tom Clancy GAME DEVELOPER:Red Storm Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Red Storm Entertainment Copyright 1998, Red Storm Entertainment You would’nt think it would be so hard to convert a board game into a computer game. It’s been done since the early days of computer gaming, with companies like Avalon…
-
Fallen Haven
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Interactive Magic GAME PUBLISHER:Interactive Magic Copyright 1997, Interactive Magic Fallen Haven is a noble attempt by I-Magic to attract non-strategy gamers who are interested in the turn-based strategy genre but found X-COM too daunting. Perhaps more appropriately called “X-COM Lite,” Fallen Haven fails on…
-
Escher Interactive
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Eyeware Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Byron Preiss Multimedia Copyright 1996, Eyeware Interactive Strategy Plus says it all about one of the most intriguing CD-ROMs ever made about M.C. Escher, one of the most interesting and reclusive artists of the modern day: “Escher Interactive: Exploring the Art…
-
Iron Assault
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Graffiti GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1995, Graffiti Iron Assault is a 3D giants robot action game in the mold of Mechwarrior and later Earthsiege. In the year 2094, the world is now in the hands of powerful corporations. As the years have gone by,…
-
Total Mayhem
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Benjamin Cooley GAME DEVELOPER:Domark GAME PUBLISHER:Domark Copyright 1996, Domark Total Mayhem is an ambitious isometric shooter that tries to improve the formulae of Origin’s Crusader: No Remorse with new gameplay elements that don’t quite gel together. The plot: it was the year 2140, and the human…
-
Flying Corps
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Rowan GAME PUBLISHER:Empire Interactive Copyright 1997, Rowan The sequel to Dawn Patrol and one of Rowan’s last games, Flying Corps is arguably the best World War I-era sim since Red Baron, and in many ways it surpasses even that venerable classic. PC Gamer review…
-
Hooves of Thunder
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Action Games GAME PUBLISHER:Micro League Copyright 1994, Action Games Sequel to Quarterpole and one of the last games Micro League released, Hooves of Thunder is a very comprehensive simulation of horse racing sport that rivals Virgin’s classic Sport of Kings in playability, realism, and…
-
Constructor
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Studio 3 GAME PUBLISHER:Acclaim Entertainment Copyright 1997, Studio 3 Constructor is a fun, tongue-in-cheek business simulation in the same style as MicroProse’s early classic Pizza Tycoon. Essentially, Constructor takes the empire building and resource management of the best simulations and adds to it a…
-
Ultimate Steroids
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mika Halttunen & Teemu Ruokolainen GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Mika Halttunen Ultimate Steroids is another excellent Asteroids freeware clone, with more graphics pizzazz than Disasteroids 3D. Basically, you pilot the spaceship from a first-person perspective, shooting asteroids that get in the way. You can…
-
Pontifex
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alex Austin GAME DEVELOPER:Chronic Logic GAME PUBLISHER:Chronic Logic Copyright 2001, Chronic Logic In 2000, Alex Austin released a small 15-level demo of Bridge Builder, a game he developed in his spare time. The small but amazingly addictive game that lets you design bridges proved to be…
-
House of the Dead, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:SEGA GAME PUBLISHER:SEGA Copyright 1996, SEGA The House of the Dead is a “rail shooter” – a kind of game I have not seen before on a PC platform although it is well known for arcade fans. For those of you who aren’t familiar…
-
House of the Dead 2, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:SEGA GAME PUBLISHER:Activision Copyright 1999, SEGA The House of the Dead 2 is a near-flawless PC conversion of the hit arcade game of the same name. The game is a ?rail shooter? like the first game, i.e. you are ?led? by the game down…
-
First Things First
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:J. Robinson Wheeler GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, J. Robinson Wheeler First Things First is a very ambitious game by J. Robinson Wheeler, author of the popular tongue-in-cheek IFComp game Being Andrew Plotkin. FTF is a very different game from Being Andrew Plotkin, however. It…
-
Augmented Fourth
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brian Uri GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Brian Uri Emily Shorts review says it all about this funny, well-coded game cast in the mold of Infocoms Enchanter series: “Augmented Fourth is a fairly easy puzzle romp whose appeal lies in wackily charming worldbuilding and sly…
-
Power Drive
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brian Colin & Jeff Nauman GAME DEVELOPER:Game Refuge GAME PUBLISHER:US Gold Copyright 1994, Game Refuge A fun cartoonish rally game that emphasizes quick fun over realism, Power Drive from Game Refuge offers a nice variety of tracks, cars, and reasonable car physics to keep rally fans…
-
Winter Olympics: Lillehammer ’94
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:US Gold GAME PUBLISHER:US Gold Copyright 1993, US Gold An okay game based on the 1994 Winter Olympics tournament at Lillehammer, Winter Olympics by US Gold includes a decent variety of events, but not nearly as good as Accolade’s better-known-although-without-official-license Winter Challenge. The graphics…
-
Not Just an Ordinary Ballerina
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jim Aikin GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Jim Aikin Not Just an Ordinary Ballerina is a highly underrated piece of IF that slipped unnoticed past most gamers’ radar screens when it was released in 1999. The capsule review at Baf’s guide to IF Archive sums…
-
Xiao Xiao 4
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Zhu Zhi GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Zhu Zhi Xiao Xiao series are short, immensely entertaining Flash snippets featuring stick figures who punch, shoot, and maim each other to the death in the true “organized chaos” style of Oriental films. Each subsequent Xiao Xiao releases…
-
Worlds Apart
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Suzanne Britton GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Suzanne Britton One of the most ambitious piece of IF ever written, Worlds Apart is Suzanne Britton’s magnum opus that took 3 years to complete. The capsule review at Baf’s Guide to IF Archive captures the charms of…
-
Bugged
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Anssi Raisanen GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Anssi Raisanen Bugged is a short but clever game with a unique premise: your cousin has written a terrible text adventure in a generic fantasy setting, riddled with bugs which make it impossible to progress by normal means.…
-
Pick Up the Phone Booth and Die
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rob Noyes GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1996, Rob Noyes Similar to Undo, Pick Up The Phone Booth and Die is a self-proclaimed classic of minimalist design. The premise is simple: there is a phone booth in front of you. If you pick it up, you…