Category: Arcade and Action Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:S. Ison GAME DEVELOPER:Mastertronic GAME PUBLISHER:IBM Copyright 1989, IBM One of the rarest games from IBM, Street Fighting Man is also one of the company’s best releases. The game casts you as Nick, a brawny dude who must journey to the rough areas in 5 U.S.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Vincent Panades GAME DEVELOPER:Digital Dreams Multimedia GAME PUBLISHER:Digital Dreams Multimedia Copyright 1995, Digital Dreams Multimedia Delvion Star Interceptor is a great horizontal shooter game that manages to convey a good illusion of depth with 2D graphics. The premise is typical sci-fi fare, but the gameplay is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alex Barnfield & Jakub Majewski GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Alex Barnfield & Jakub Majewski Unknown Enemy is a fanmade conversion mod for Wing Commander: Secret Ops, and an excellent example of what dedicated fans are capable of. Set in the Union of Border Worlds…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:T-Rlam GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, T-Rlam Powered by MatrixEngine, Fate Axis is an excellent – and free- 3D fighting game from Japan. The game sports excellent animations, 6 choosable characters, and plenty of attack moves. The graphics are excellent, although the frame rate is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Frank Kuan GAME DEVELOPER:Time Warner Interactive GAME PUBLISHER:Time Warner Interactive Copyright 1995, Time Warner Interactive Chris McMullen of the Games Domain says it all about this excellent conversion of a hit coin-op fighting game: “Primal Rage has the standard plot.. you know the stuff.. ‘wizard’ etc..…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Ensign Software GAME PUBLISHER:Ensign Software Copyright 1982, Ensign Software The Queen of Hearts Maze Game and Treasure Hunt are two of the earliest commercial maze games, both released in 1982. There is nothing much to say, except that the first game is a top-down…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:TexaSoft GAME PUBLISHER:TexaSoft Copyright 1982, TexaSoft The Queen of Hearts Maze Game and Treasure Hunt are two of the earliest commercial maze games, both released in 1982. There is nothing much to say, except that the first game is a top-down ASCII maze game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Infogrames GAME PUBLISHER:Infogrames Copyright 1988, Deliege Sepp. Probably the rarest Infogrames game for PC ever made (alongside Sidewalk anyway), Stir Crazy is a nice collection of mini action games based on Bobo, a charming comic created by Belgian artist Paul Deliege. True to the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:General Admission GAME PUBLISHER:General Admission Copyright 1996, General Admission General Admission’s Sport Pinball series rank among some of the worst pinball games ever made. This Baseball edition is no exception: the table is boring once you pass the initial “ooh, sport-themed table” novelty in…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Electric Harem GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Electric Harem BOFH: SUS, tapping on the Bastard Operator from Hell legacy, is an overhead shooter game, very much like Tapan Kaikki, or older action “adventures” on 8- and 16-bit systems. To quote the story from readme file:…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Markus Oberrauter GAME DEVELOPER:Max Design GAME PUBLISHER:Max Design Copyright 1996, Max Design Strike Base is a decent 3D space shooter that features good graphics for its time, created from an unusual mix of Voxel, 3D vector, and bitmap technologies. The typical save-the-world plot: you are pilot…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Microfolies GAME PUBLISHER:Microfolies Copyright 1997, Microfolies Trucks is an interesting driving game that plays like a cross between Interstate ’76, Quarantine, and Terminal Velocity, except not nearly as innovative or fun as any of these games. This futuristic game is set on the planet…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Reflexive Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Alawar Entertainment Copyright 2002, Reflexive Entertainment No, not just another Breakout clone, for this game by Reflexive Entertainment is one of the most original brick busting games yet. You start the game with a tutorial that slowly teaches you about all…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ben Marty GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Ben Marty TechnoVenture is a fun and innovative platformer with strong puzzle elements, similar to classic Apogee games of yore. First released as shareware game for the Amiga, the game was converted to IBM PC in 1997, and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Erik Hermansen GAME DEVELOPER:Caravel Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Caravel Software DROD: Architects’ Edition is a superb – and free – updated remake of the maddeningly addictive Deadly Rooms of Death (aka DROD). This is in turn a newer version of Caravel DROD, a freeware version…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Treciokas GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Michael Treciokas Collex Plus! is the “definitive” version of A1 Collex, a fun and unique brainteaser. Your goal is to move your box around the board to collect all the numbered boxes in ascending order, as well as…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Colin Garbutt GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1992, Colin Garbutt Kye is a fun and addictive brainteaser designed by Colin Garbutt and marketed as shareware in 1992. Your goal is to find all the diamonds on each level. It is not as easy as it sounds,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Preben Technologies GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Preben Technologies Preben p? Eventyr 2000 is one of the most addictive 3-minute games I’ve ever come across. You play Preben, a wannabe shooter at the bottom of the screen. Your goal: score as many points as possible…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Antonin Hildebrand & Iain Syme GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Antonin Hildebrand PacWars 2 is a fun multiplayer action game inspired by PacWars, a classic network action game released by Iain Syme in 1991. PacWars2 improves upon the original in many ways by adding better…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Todd Cope GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Todd Cope Paintball Party is a fun multiplayer action game without blood and gore. The goal: annihilate up to 3 other players in a game of paintball, conducted in a furious 4-way split-screen action on the same computer.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Duncan Gill GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 1997, Duncan Gill Marshmallow Duel is a simple-looking 2D multiplayer action game that is much more fun than it looks. Although only playable with 2 human players, the game is one of the best 2-player games you will have…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andrew Robinson GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Andrew Robinson Carnage is a fun freeware remake of two classic Amiga games: Biplane Duel and Dogfight, which are in turn inspired by the classic Sopwith PC game. The aim of this game for 2-8 players is to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Hyperman ML GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Hyperman ML TankWars 2.0 is a fun artillery game for up to 10 players. The goal will be familiar to anyone who has played Scorched Earth or Gorilla: opponents attempt to destroy each others tanks by firing various…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Todd Replogle GAME DEVELOPER:Apogee GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1990, Todd Replogle The Thor Trilogy is a fun early shareware ASCII-based action/adventure game, similar to ZZT. One of Todd Replogle’s earliest games at Apogee before he went on to design classics like Cosmo’s Adventure, The Thor Trilogy contains…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alexandre Moreira GAME DEVELOPER:Namco GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Alexandre Moreira Battle Nation is a great fanmade game based on an arcade classic by Namco called Battle City, which is in turn based on Atari’s Combat. The basic idea: control a tank to destroy all enemy tanks…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:DK Software GAME PUBLISHER:DK Software Copyright 2001, DK Software Card Hunter Sakura 2 is a fun fighting game based on Card Captor Sakura, a popular Japanese manga and subsequent anime series. One of the better Dojin soft releases (i.e. unofficial fanmade games), CHS2 will…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Retsuzan GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Retsuzan Yet another outstanding fighting game made with ASCII’s Fighting Game Maker application (never released outside Japan, unfortunately), Metal Blade has it all: unique and well-designed characters, fluid animations, tons of cool fighting moves, and even a great soundtrack…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alex Austin GAME DEVELOPER:Chronic Logic GAME PUBLISHER:Chronic Logic Copyright 2002, Chronic Logic Pontifex II is the superior sequel to Pontifex, a unique bridge designing game that is deservedly in our Hall of Belated Fame. If you love Pontifex, this sequel will not disappoint. Your goal, as…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Daddelkingz GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Daddelkingz One of the best examples of what Elecbyte’s powerful MUGEN fighting game engine can do, J-Dar-II is a fun vertical 2D shooter for DOS. The game offers three difficulty levels to suit your preference, and a unique power-up…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Pioupiou GAME DEVELOPER:Konami GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Pioupiou One of the best examples of a good MUGEN fighting game that isn’t simply a clone of others, TMNT: Tournament Fighters Remix is a good PC remake of an old SEGA Genesis game, released by Konami. The game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Doctor M GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Doctor M Brutal: Paws of Fury Remix is an outstanding fanmade remake/update of GameTek’s excellent fighting game of the same name. Coded with Elecbyte’s excellent MUGEN engine, the game takes the best elements of all versions of GameTek’s…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GameTek GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1995, GameTek One of the more successful Mortal Kombat-inspired fighting games, Brutal: Paws of Fury is an innovative game that features cartoon animals doing kungfu moves. With names like Foxy Roxy, Kung Fu Bunny, and Psycho Kitten, the game has…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Keypunch GAME PUBLISHER:Keypunch Copyright 1986, Keypunch Arcade #1 is one of Keypunch’s many game packages in which the company essentially stole freelance designers’ works (most released as freeware or shareware on various BBS’s), took out all credits, and sold them as the company’s own…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Lightshock GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1997, Lightshock Pray for Death is a little-known one-on-one fighting game that is quite decent, despite the fact that it is not much more than a ripoff of Killer Instinct: “realistic” moves, lots of gore, and the ability to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Bitewise Computer GAME PUBLISHER:Bitewise Computer Copyright 1995, Bitewise Computer Living Ball is an interesting and innovative pinball game that unfortunately is long on concept, but short on gameplay. Billed as “world’s largest pinball game,” the game definitely matches that claim: each of the three…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1996, Psygnosis Assault Rigs is a fun 3D tank game that combines the best elements of Battlezone and – yes – Pac-Man. In this fun action game, futuristic tanks duke it out in a furious deathmatch, gathering up as many…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Millennium Media Group GAME PUBLISHER:Millennium Media Group Copyright 1996, Millennium Media Group H.U.R.L. is an awful first-person shooter that tries to bring the appeal of DOOM-style carnage to kids – by replacing violence with non-violent action, and ugly monsters with cartoony ones. Chris Mullen…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Seth Robinson GAME DEVELOPER:Robinson Technologies GAME PUBLISHER:Robinson Technologies Copyright 2002, Robinson Technologies Teenage Lawnmower is a unique blend of action and business simulation. The official PR blurb says it all: “You’re seventeen and your life is a living hell. Between your alcoholic mother and her abusive…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jai Shaw GAME DEVELOPER:Anonymous GAME PUBLISHER:Anonymous Copyright 2002, Jai Shaw One of the best modern spiritual sequels of Atari’s classic Asteroids, Dreamstars 3 has just about everything you could wish for in an Asteroids game: ability to build and customize your own ship (e.g. choose your…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jetro Lauha GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Jetro Lauha Starshift is a fun freeware Crazy Taxi-style game from Jetro Lauha, the author of excellent caveflyer KOPS. Your goal in this fun space arcade game is to visit all the platforms on each level to pick…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Taito GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1996, Taito RayForce (released as Layer Section outside Asia) is an excellent vertical shooter that began an series that would spawn RayStorm and RayCrisis. The game is a 2D shooter with excellent scaling and animation effects, including the nice camera-panning…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:ARC System Works GAME PUBLISHER:Cyberfront Studios Copyright 2001, ARC System Works Guilty Gear X is a very interesting fighting game. It introduces plenty of new ideas to the genre, is the first high-res 2D fighting game ever released, and is probably the best 2D…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Keypunch GAME PUBLISHER:Keypunch Copyright 1991, Keypunch Xtron is a dead average Space Invaders clone by Keypunch – one of the first commercial clones of its kind. Nothing more to say, really — if you like Space Invaders, this is a competent clone that will…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Taito GAME PUBLISHER:Taito Copyright 1996, Taito The Year is 2219. The place, Earth. Alien beings from the Secilia System have arrived in our solar system. Their objective, is to obliterate and take over the Earth with their Battle Cruisers, Mechs and Fighter Crafts. Only…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Kidum Multimedia GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1997, Kidum Multimedia Virus: The Game is a classic example of great idea gone to waste by horrendous execution. Games Domain’s uncompromising review of this unique underdog says it all: “Virus is a strategy game, well hidden in a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Taito GAME PUBLISHER:Taito Copyright 2001, Taito RayCrisis is a good-looking vertical shooter from Taito that is not as good as G-Darius or games in the Gradius series, but still packs enough variety to warrant a look. This download is the rare PC version that…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Cyberfront Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Taito Copyright 2001, Taito G-Darius is an excellent PC port of the great PlayStation game of the same name, developed by Taito and published by THQ in the U.S. in 1998. This PC version was ported and released only in Japan…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Micheal Speck GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Micheal Speck One of the best Breakout/Arkanoid clones I have seen, LBreakout2 is a great Windows port of the Linux game of the same name, which is in turn the sequel to LBreakout which was released only for…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Allan GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2001, Mark Allan Chromium B.S.U. is an excellent vertical shooter that requires a 3D card that supports OpenGL. Inspired by classic shooter Raptor, Chromium B.S.U. is similarly fast-paced. The graphics are very nice: very detailed ships and backgrounds that…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Schoeneman & Tim Riker GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Chris Schoeneman & Tim Riker BZFlag is a great freeware multiplayer 3D tank battle game that has one of the best “Capture the Flag” gameplay I have seen. The game was first developed in 1992…