Category: Arcade and Action Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:NZP GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, NZP Military Puzzle is a good collection of 4 brainteasers from NZP. From the official page, this is “…a collection of four classic puzzles, set to a military theme. Find the safest placement for airplanes on an airfield, decipher…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:NZP GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, NZP 24 Knights is a fun little chess puzzle from NZP. The official word: “a chess puzzle consisting of 24 numbered knights randomly distributed among 25 chessboard squares. The object is to move the knights into numerical order in…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:NZP GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, NZP Robot Puzzle is a neat little brainteaser from NZP. The plot, which seems superfluous for this kind of games, goes as follows: “The POLARIS spaceship is rapidly approaching Mars. Captain Corbett prepares the XTR-4, earth’s most advanced robot,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Code Guru Dr. Horst is a polished remake of Dr. Mario, a fun Connect 4 clone for console systems that was never released on the PC. Your objective is to connect four pills of the same color to make…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Caldera GAME PUBLISHER:Caldera Copyright 1997, Caldera Advanced NetWars is a little-known sequel to NetWars, a great 3D space shooter that Novell bundled for free with their Personal NetWare program to show off IPX capabilities. Caldera upgraded the game with better graphics and more features,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:xLand Games GAME PUBLISHER:Epic Megagames Copyright 1994, xLand Games The Adventures of Robbo is a decent puzzle game by xLand Games, small developer who also developed two other shareware games published by Epic: Heartlight and Electro Man. The game is a 2D puzzle game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Atari Games Donkey Kong is a great PC port of Nintendo’s classic arcade game that needs no introduction, since it has been ported to just about every console and computer system you can imagine. In case you…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ed Rotberg GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Atari Games One of the earliest pioneers in computer gaming history, Battlezone is a solid PC port of one of the most celebrated games of all time. Battlezone is arguably the very first FPS (first-person shooter)…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Namco GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Namco Galaxian is another near-flawless conversion of coin-op classic for Atari. This time the target is Namcos revolutionary vertical shooter, commonly regarded as the first truly multi-color video game ever made. The gameplay is straightforward: anyone who has…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Eugene Jarvis GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Atari Games Defender is Atari’s excellent PC port of Williams’ arcade hit – one of the most successful of all time designed by legendary Eugene Jarvis. Your mission, as captain of the “Defender” ship, is to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1984, Taito One of the more obscure games by Atari, Jungle Hunt is a decent PC port of Taito’s coin-op classic. The goal: swing from vine to vine and avoid boulders and crocodiles to save your fair maiden…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ed Logg GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Atari Games Centipede is a good PC port of Ataris classic coin-op hit by the same name, designed by legendary designer Ed Logg. The original arcade version was one of the first games most old-time gamers…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Atari Games Moon Patrol is a great PC port of Ataris classic coin-op and Atari console game. In one of the earliest 2D platformers, your goal is to blast aliens flying overhead while jumping over rocks and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Namco GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Namco Dig Dug is a great PC port of Namco’s coin-op classic of the same name, ported by Atari. You are Dig Dug, an intrepid gardener whose soil is infested with pesky Pookas and fire-breathing Fygars. You’re armed…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Newcomer GAME DEVELOPER:Williams Electronics GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1983, Williams Electronics Joust is a faithful PC conversion of Williams’ coin-op and Atari console classic done in-house by Atari as part of their “Atarisoft” brand. The objective should be familiar to everyone except those who started…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GameTek GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1995, GameTek Starball is an interesting and unique pinball game from GameTek that unfortunately doesn’t play as well as it sounds. Based on Starball Special Edition game on Atari ST, the premise is unique to say the least: in addition…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Abrash GAME DEVELOPER:Datamost GAME PUBLISHER:Datamost Copyright 1982, Datamost Space Strike is a great commercial Space Invaders clone. Although its not that different from Ataris classic (and indeed, you might mistake the game for Space Invaders if you hadnt look at the title screen), the game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Visionary Media GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1999, Visionary Media Best described as Unreal Tournament for kids, Nerf ArenaBlast is a surprisingly fun first-person shooter that will appeal to both kids and adults. I say “surprising” because it is hard to imagine that a FPS…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jari Komppa GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Jari Komppa Orbital Sniper is a great freeware coffee break game from Finland with a simple premise: shoot potential assassins from a bird’s eye view to protect VIPs. The plot was basically devised only to explain how you…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Minter GAME DEVELOPER:Llamasoft GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Jeff Minter One of the best designers ever, Jeff “Yak” Minter is famous for designing numerous classic action games for early 8-bit systems such as the Atari 800 and Vic-20. Gridrunner++ is Yak’s PC remake of his own…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:dynamite! GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, dynamite! Commando Enhanced is an excellent remake of Commando, Data East’s classic shoot ’em up. The game is in turn a remake of Commando 32K, a smaller remake created for the Mekka 32k competition. Similar to the original classic,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Protozoa GAME PUBLISHER:Inscape Copyright 1997, Protozoa Squeezils is a fun and innovative 3D action game from Protozoa, a small and now-defunct developer better known for making short eye-catching 3D animated clips in mid-1990s. Although billed as an action adventure, the game is really a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GameTek GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1993, GameTek CrossWorld: LA Times Edition is a fun and comprehensive crossword puzzle game for DOS. Featuring a whole year’s worth of crossword puzzles from LA Times, the game also includes a full-featured crossword creator you can use to make…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Monolith Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Fox Interactive Copyright 2000, Monolith Productions No One Lives Forever is a great FPS with many humorous quirks. The box describes the plot better than I could: “Assume the role of Cate Archer, a beautiful but deadly Operative working for UNITY…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Tero Alatalo GAME DEVELOPER:10tons entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Reflexive Entertainment Copyright 2002, 10tons entertainment Crimsonland is an excellent clone of Phobia II, spiced up with a few nice innovations: mouse aiming, loads of weapons and gaining allout-ish ‘perks’ by killing a load of aliens. Like in Phobia II,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Remco de Korte GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Remco de Korte FlowerPower is a fun puzzle game with a simple premise: collect all the flowers on each level to increase “flower power” (ugh) while avoiding the “Bad Lieutenant” who follows you around. The catch is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:K. Shimizu GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, K. Shimizu Pastel Fantasy is fun little puzzle game that plays like Tetris – or more accurately Same Game since it does not require any reflexes). Your job is to clear the screen by clicking on pastel creatures…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Malcolm Michael & Joe Cassavaugh GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1993, Malcolm Michael & Joe Cassavaugh Modern Problems is a fun and very unique puzzle game that challenges you to figure out not only how to solve the puzzles, but also what their rules are. There…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Everett Kaser GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1988, Everett Kaser Snarf is a fun action game where you try to find your way through a maze without getting overrun by the swarms of snarfs that run through it. The game is similar to Pac-Man, with a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Adams GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1984, Peter Adams One of the earliest shareware games (although you don’t get extra gameplay features from registering), Flightmare lets you pilot a prop plane to fight off a band of vandals before they reach your city. Although the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Game Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Game Arts Copyright 1994, Game Arts Silpheed for SEGA CD is a cosmetic update of the 1988 game of the same name, also developed by Game Arts and published to great acclaim by Sierra outside Asia. Although this SEGA CD version…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Family Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Microforum Copyright 1996, Family Productions Rebel Runner is a decent platformer from Korea that offers good value for money but is marred by awkward controls and choppy animation. The plot is entirely optional, so there’s no need to go into the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:FormGen GAME PUBLISHER:FormGen Copyright 1996, FormGen Space Dude is a funny and quirky action game from FormGen. Billed as “an interactive animated motion picture where you control the action”, it is really a loop of mini games tied together by cut-scenes to advance the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Family Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Microforum Copyright 1998, Family Productions Shakii the Wolf is a fun platformer designed specifically for kids (6 years old and older). The story goes as follows: “Shakii The Wolf once ruled the peaceful Kingdom of Shake until the evil, almost invincible…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michal Marcinkowski GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Michal Marcinkowski One of the best multiplayer action games I’ve come across, Soldat is a great Worms-style game that takes the concept to a whole new level. The official description says it all: “Soldat is a unique side-view…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Hideki AIkeda GAME DEVELOPER:Deep Water GAME PUBLISHER:SEGA Copyright 1995, SEGA Eternal Champions: Challenge From The Dark Side is one of a small handful of one-on-one fighting games that came out for the Sega CD. Thankfully, its one of the best. Including 13 characters (and 12 hidden…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Glen Dahlgren GAME DEVELOPER:Legend Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:GT Interactive Copyright 1999, GT Interactive Robert Jordan’s best-selling novels are lovingly brought to life in Legend Entertainment’s Wheel of Time. For those not familiar with the books, your main character is an Aes Sedai, a keeper of the light.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Neil Branden & Patrick Buckland GAME DEVELOPER:Stainless Games GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1997, Stainless Games One of the best over-the-top action games ever made, Carmageddon is a revolutionary driving game that sets new standards in violent games, and is one of the truly timeless driving masterpieces. Steve…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bill Hogue GAME DEVELOPER:Big Five Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1985, Bill Hogue Bounty Bob Strikes Back is a great sequel to Bill Hogue’s classic Miner 2049er game. Although this is much better than the original, it wasn’t as commercially successful – perhaps due to poor marketing…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Bill Hogue GAME DEVELOPER:Big Five Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1983, Bill Hogue [The screenshot above is from the Apple II version] Miner 2049er is one of the best “climbing games” ever made (the genre popular in early 1980s), and a much better game than the better-known…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Nihon Falcom GAME PUBLISHER:Working Designs Copyright 1994, Nihon Falcom Somewhere, long ago, in one of those many alternate realities popular in RPGs and fantasy adventures, a war was fought amongst three dark warlords and the three races of the planet, the Elves, the Humans,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Robert Jaeger GAME DEVELOPER:Utopia Technologies GAME PUBLISHER:Wizardworks Copyright 1998, Utopia Technologies Possible winner of the “longest time between a game and its sequel” award, Montezuma’s Return is an action/puzzle sequel to Parker Brother’s classic Montezuma’s Revenge. It took almost 15 years for a sequel to be…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Takeru GAME PUBLISHER:Takeru Copyright 1991, Takeru Cocoron for the NES console is one of the most original and quirky games you’ll ever come across. The game was released only in Japan, but thanks to fan group Magic Destiny, we can now play the game…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Box Office GAME PUBLISHER:Box Office Copyright 1988, Box Office Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future is yet another awful action game from Box Office, this time based on a 1987 TV series of the same name. The plot of the TV series…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Brderbund GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1985, Brderbund One of the most underrated Apple II games ever made, Captain Goodnight and the Islands of Fear is a very funny platformer that is both addictive and very frustrating due to the high difficulty level. The plot goes…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Aik Beng GAME DEVELOPER:Brderbund GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1983, Brderbund Drol is a fun, light-hearted game from the early days of Apple II, the platform for which Br?derbund was a clear market leader with classics like Lode Runner. Compared to other Br?derbund classics, Drol is much less…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Hideo Kojima GAME DEVELOPER:Konami GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1990, Konami Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is a little-known release in Konamis popular Metal Gear series, because it was released only in Japan for Konamis MSX2 computer. Its not until the release of MSX2 emulator for PC and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Damon Slye GAME DEVELOPER:Dynamix GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1989, Dynamix Project: Firestart is one of the earliest “cinematic action/adventure” games that successfully bring the thrill of an action movie to the computer screen. Designed by Damon Slye of Dynamix and published by Electronic Arts, it was…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Atari Games Copyright 1984, Atari Games Gremlins is a fun and very rare PC version of ATARI’s action classic for on its 5200 console. Aside from being one of ATARI’s early classics, the game also deserves mention as one of the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Philips Media GAME PUBLISHER:Philips Media Copyright 1982, Philips Media Pickaxe Pete! from Philips is a very addictive Donkey Kong variety of 2D climbing games. Originally released for Philips own Videopac console system, the description from the manual says it all about this game: “As…