Author: admin
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Pro Pilkki
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Procyon Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Procyon Productions I like fishing in the summer. If it’s peaceful and quiet fishing by yourself on a lake, or some true seabound fishing with a large boat, it is nice way to spend time. What I don’t…
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Monopoly Tycoon
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Deep Red Games GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 2001, Infogrames Recently, there’ve been a bunch of different tycoon series of games. This isn’t from any of them. Monopoly Tycoon, like the name suggests, is based on the classic board game “Monopoly”. It has all of the…
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Stronghold (2001)
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Firefly Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Gathering of Developers Copyright 2001, Firefly Studios This game didn’t quite sit right with me to start with, I’ll admit. The problem is that, while you use troops and build fortifications and set up resource-gathering chains and so on, making it…
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Bio Menace
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jim Norwood GAME DEVELOPER:Apogee GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1993, Apogee Bio Menace is a typical but quite enjoyable early platformer by Apogee. Despite the clich? defeat-aliens-that-invade-Earth plot, Bio Menace offers huge levels, fun power-ups, and detailed EGA graphics that is a step above Commander Keen (the engine…
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Redhook’s Revenge
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:ImagiSOFT GAME PUBLISHER:ImagiSOFT Copyright 1999, ImagiSOFT Redhook?s Revenge is a fun and educational game of life on the Caribbean seas of yore. Billed as ?pirate educational board game,? Redhook?s Revenge fulfills every word in its claim: it reasonably simulates a pirate?s life (sail, dig…
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Dark Ages
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Apogee GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1991, Apogee Dark Ages is one of the earliest shareware platformers published by Apogee, and one that is among their worst. The plot: you are the prince and heir to the land’s greatest kingdom. Garth, a wizard of immense power…
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Major Stryker
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Allen Blum III GAME DEVELOPER:Apogee GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1993, Apogee Major Stryker is a fun top-down shooter from Apogee that features smooth parallax scrolling, detailed EGA background graphics, decent controls, and diverse enemies. There?s nothing here that breaks the mold, but even if the action is…
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Erachacha
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Mirinae Software GAME PUBLISHER:Mirinae Software Copyright 1996, Mirinae Software Erachacha is a cute and enjoyable platformer from Korean publisher Mirinae Software, starring a cute goblin of the same name. The plot is typical Oriental folktale about ghost, but probably is exotic for Western gamers:…
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Dragon Force
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Mirinae Software GAME PUBLISHER:SKC Soft Copyright 1993, SKC Soft Dragon Force, Icarus, and Assault Dragon are three competent 2D side-scrolling shooters from Korea, based on the same mundane sci-fi plot about defending the Earth from alien invaders. All three games offer no-nonsense shooter gameplay,…
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Icarus
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:SKC Soft GAME PUBLISHER:SKC Soft Copyright 1994, SKC Soft Dragon Force, Icarus, and Assault Dragon are three competent 2D side-scrolling shooters from Korea, based on the same mundane sci-fi plot about defending the Earth from alien invaders. All three games offer no-nonsense shooter gameplay,…
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Fox Ranger
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Soft Action GAME PUBLISHER:SKC Soft Copyright 1992, SKC Soft Fox Ranger is a fun side-scrolling shooter from Soft Action, later to become SKC Soft, one of the leading game developing houses in Korea. While the objective (blast everything in sight) is all too familiar…
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Assault Dragon
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:SKC Soft GAME PUBLISHER:SKC Soft Copyright 1995, SKC Soft Dragon Force, Icarus, and Assault Dragon are three competent 2D side-scrolling shooters from Korea, based on the same mundane sci-fi plot about defending the Earth from alien invaders. All three games offer no-nonsense shooter gameplay,…
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Pee & Gity Special
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Family Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Family Productions Copyright 1995, Family Productions Pee & Gity Special is a fun and very cute 2D side-scrolling beat ?em up from Korea, starring two lovable cartoon characters: Gity the squirrel, and Pee the snake. The game is in Korean, but…
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Crop Circles: Escape From Planet 3
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Zero Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Zero Entertainment Copyright 1998, Zero Entertainment Crop Circles: Escape From Planet 3 is a fun sci-fi shareware arcade game that makes up for repetitive and simplistic gameplay with a great sense of humor. As with other games from Zero Entertainment, Crop…
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Roketz
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Bluemoon Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Bluemoon Interactive Copyright 1996, Bluemoon Interactive Roketz is a great multiplayer space combat game from Bluemoon Interactive, makers of celebrated classic Skyroads. First released as shareware for the Amiga, the game is notable for the excellent balance between playability and realism…
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Riot
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1997, Psygnosis Riot is a unique and fun 3D futuristic sport game that plays like a cross between basketball, football, and hockey. The game plays a bit like Bitmap Brothers classic Speedball upgraded for the new millennium, although the controls…
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MDK
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Nick Bruty & Bob Stevenson GAME DEVELOPER:Shiny Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Playmates Interactive Copyright 1997, Shiny Entertainment One of the most innovative first-person shooter games ever made, Shiny Entertainments MDK (short for Maim, Destroy, Kill) sets new standards in the crowded genre popularized by the likes of Quake,…
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Esoteria
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jason Chen GAME DEVELOPER:Kirin Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Moebius Designs Copyright 1998, Kirin Entertainment Esoteria is a fun 3D third-person shooter that unfortunately got far too little attention than Shinys innovative MDK, which the game closely resembles both in gameplay and presentation (although not in the creativity department).…
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Ant Man
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Namil Soft GAME PUBLISHER:Namil Soft Copyright 1995, Namil Soft Ant Man is a fun futuristic platformer from Namil Soft, a Korean games developer that was later acquired by fellow Koreans Wizard Soft in 1999. The game is similar to Thexder and Mega Man series:…
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Lars: The Wanderer
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Gravity GAME PUBLISHER:Gravity Copyright 1995, Gravity Lars: The Wanderer is an excellent fantasy “action RPG” from Gravity, a Korean developer. The game is similar to Sierra/Game Arts’ Zeliard in gameplay and style, except there is more emphasis on the use of magic. The gameworld…
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Hellcarrier
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Johan Peitz GAME DEVELOPER:Free Lunch Design GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Free Lunch Design Hellcarrier is an excellent top-down 2D shooter by Free Lunch Design, one of my favorite freeware developers. You play a succesful helicopter pilot flying for the UN on various missions to eradicate terrorists.…
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Happyland Adventures
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Johan Peitz GAME DEVELOPER:Free Lunch Design GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Free Lunch Design Happyland Adventures is a classic freeware platformer that is quite typical in plot (or lack of one) and gameplay, but it has the same qualities that made Mario Brothers enduring: charming graphics and…
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Charlie the Duck
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mike Wiering GAME DEVELOPER:Wiering Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1996, Mike Wiering Charlie the Duck is a fun cartoon platformer reminiscent of Super Mario Brothers starring Charlie, a cute duck you must help to get through levels. Although its similarities to Nintendo’s classic make the game familiar…
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Patrick Polly Swooshball Challenge, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Unique Development Studios (UDS) GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Unique Development Studios (UDS) The Patrick Polly Swooshball Challenge is an innovative, but ultimately banal, blend of tennis and Pong, mixed with elements of air hockey. Played in the style of tennis, your objective is simply…
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Jang-gi
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Hak Jong Lee GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1991, Hak Jong Lee Jang-gi is a competent, no-nonsense computer version of Chinese chess that plays a decent game without the frills of commercial titles. If you enjoy Chinese chess, this freeware game from Korea is well worth…
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Football Manager Remake
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kevin Toms & Paul Robson GAME DEVELOPER:Addictive GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Addictive Definitely one of the most famous Spectrum games ever made, Football Manager is arguably the game that single-handedly invented the whole SMG genre — soccer simulation games that simulate focus on the managerial aspects…
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Puyo Puyo
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Compile GAME PUBLISHER:Compile Copyright 1996, Compile Alexei Pajitnov’s blockbuster Tetris spawned many clones, but Puyo Puyo is one of the more worthy derivatives from the whole falling-blocks craze in the early 80s. First released on the Mega-Drive console by Compile, Puyo Puyo has all…
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Frantis
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:S. Kuzmin GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1991, A. Safonov & S. Kuzmin Frantis and Frantis: Mission II are two decent freeware action games with banal save-the-world-from-alien plots, but passable gameplay and graphics. Nothing much to say here, except that the games are done in different…
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Frantis: Mission II
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:S. Kuzmin GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1993, A. Safonov & S. Kuzmin Frantis and Frantis: Mission II are two decent freeware action games with banal save-the-world-from-alien plots, but passable gameplay and graphics. Nothing much to say here, except that the games are done in different…
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Real Mah Jong, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Paul Grosse GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Paul Grosse The Real Mah Jong is a nice freeware game that offers excellent, no-frills gameplay. The author named the game “real Mah Jong” because contrary to popular Western belief, the actual Mah Jong game that is played…
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Hong Kong Mahjong
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Nine Dragons GAME PUBLISHER:Nine Dragons Copyright 2001, Nine Dragons Hong Kong Mah Jong is the best commercial Mah Jong title I have ever played, hands down. Before I talk about the game, let’s dispel some myths. Contrary to popular Western belief, the actual Mah…
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Four Winds Mah Jong
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Arto Tenkanen GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 2001, Arto Tenkanen Four Winds Mah Jong is an excellent Mah Jong game that offers a variety of scoring systems to choose from, although it lacks the personality of Hong Kong Mah Jong. Before I talk about the game,…
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Dig-Dogs: Streetbusters
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1994, Unknown Dig-Dogs is a fun promotional game for kids that teaches basic driver’s education, including safe driving, the meaning of different traffic signs, and other road rules. The gameplay is simple: just drive the car for as long as…
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Tony and Friends in Kellogg’s Land
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Rauser Advertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Kellogg Tony and Friends in Kellogg’s Land is a decent clone of Super Mario Brothers starring cartoon characters that populate the covers of Kellogg’s cereal boxes. You play Tony the tiger who must journey across Kellogg’s lands to…
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Adventures of Captain Comic, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Denio GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1988, Michael Denio Captain Comic and its sequel are competent shareware platformers in an era where the shareware scene was dominated by Apogee and Epic Megagames (and still is, to a lesser extent). The best things about the game…
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Captain Comic II: Fractured Reality
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Denio GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:ComputerEasy Copyright 1990, Michael Denio Captain Comic and its sequel are competent shareware platformers in an era where the shareware scene was dominated by Apogee and Epic Megagames (and still is, to a lesser extent). The best things about the game…
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Europa Universalis II
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Paradox Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Strategy First Copyright 2001, Paradox Entertainment The game Europa Universalis caught the strategy gaming community a good year ago by surprise. Paradox, the Swedish developer, had put together a game that simulated country interactions between 1492 and 1792. It featured immense…
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Heart of The Alien
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Eric Chahi GAME DEVELOPER:Delphine Software GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1994, Delphine Software Heart of the Alien is the highly underrated sequel to Out of This World, one of the best PC games ever made. Despite the success of Out of This World on PC system, developer…
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ABC’s Wide World of Sports Boxing
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Cutter GAME DEVELOPER:Cinemaware GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1991, Cinemaware ABC’s Wide World of Sport Boxing is essentially the same game as Cinemaware’s TV Sports Boxing, with the added chrome of Dan Dierdorf, sportscaster of ABC Sports channel. From my review of TV Sports Boxing on…
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Arrakis
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Noah Hearle GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Noah Hearle Arrakis is a laudable effort by fans of Westwood’s revotionary Dune 2 to create another real-time strategy game in the Dune mythos, based largely on game concepts from Westwood’s classic. Dune 2 veterans will be right…
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Backlash: A Turret Gunner Simulation
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Sanctuary Software Studio GAME PUBLISHER:Sanctuary Software Studio Copyright 1994, Sanctuary Software Studio Backlash: A Turret Gunner Simulation is a straightforward clone of Wing Commander without the intriguing plot dynamics and personalities that made it a classic space combat game. Your job: climb into the…
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Ballermann: Hey Baby
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Nils Bote GAME DEVELOPER:FAKT Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, SWING! Entertainment Ballerman – Hey Baby is a fun freeware clone of Frogger created to promote SWING! Entertainment’s Ballerman commercial game, which is in turn based on Germany’s popular comics. The game also features Sound Convoy, an…
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Battle Europe
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Comspec GAME PUBLISHER:Comspec Copyright 1993, Comspec Battle Europe is a fun isometric shooting game set in World War II. Your objective: as either Allies or Axis, destroy all tanks of the opposing side on each level to advance to the next. In each level,…
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Beirut
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Brian Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Lytol Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Lytol Software The legendary drinking game played at fraternities across the U.S. has finally reached the gaming world. Beirut comes to the computer screen with all the fun of real life — without actually getting drunk or…
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Legend of Billy The Kid, The
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Level 9 Computing GAME PUBLISHER:OCEAN Copyright 1990, OCEAN The Legend of Billy The Kid is a great action/adventure hybrid in the style of Cinemaware’s It Came From The Desert game, except this time you can play as either the legendary outlaw, or Sheriff Pat…
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Black Gold (Starbyte)
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Starbyte GAME PUBLISHER:Starbyte Copyright 1992, Starbyte Not to be confused with another game with the same name from reLINE, Black Gold is a great simulation of the oil industry from Starbyte. The game is similar to reLINE title, but focuses more on realism and…
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Brain Works
From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Synergistic Learning GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Synergistic Learning Brain Works is a fascinating freeware application that asks you a series of question to answer two intriguing questions about the brain: whether you use the brain’s left hemisphere more than the right, and whether you…