Category: Arcade and Action Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Disney GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1996, Disney One of the first games released after Disney Software was merged back in-house to become a division Disney Interactive, Disney’s duck action hero Maui Mallard finally got a game to his name. This time, the game is designed…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark E. Seremet GAME DEVELOPER:Paragon Software GAME PUBLISHER:Paragon Software Copyright 1986, Paragon Software The first Paragon game is an extremely primitive stick-figure fighting game that really has nothing going for it except the exotic locales and a good variety of moves. The game is not really…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Larry Reed GAME DEVELOPER:Atari Games GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1986, Atari Games I spent countless coins on the arcade version of this game, which proves why Atari was a highly successful game company in the 80s: original concept, great graphics, and solid gameplay. Guide a ball…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Silmarils GAME PUBLISHER:Silmarils Copyright 1988, Silmarils A lackluster PC version of excellent Silmarils game for the Commodore 64, Manhattan Dealers (distributed by Broderbund in the US as Operation: Clean Streets) is a CGA platform game in which you are Inspector Harry, assigned to seize…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Thomas Scholl GAME DEVELOPER:Rainbow Arts GAME PUBLISHER:Rainbow Arts Copyright 1991, Rainbow Arts In this fun puzzler that’s simple in concept but hard to master, the goal in Logical is to arrange the order of the colored balls to match the required pattern on the left of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Tunnell GAME DEVELOPER:Presage Software GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1994, Presage Software If there was ever an award for “perfect choice of designer for game sequels,” Sierra would get this in 1994 when they tasked Jeff with designing a sequel to Br?derbund’s classic Lode Runner. The…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Doug Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Brderbund GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1983, Brderbund To describe Lode Runner as just another treasure-grabbing “action game” would be to undermine its ingenuity: suffice to say that it is arguably the world’s first action game that combines puzzle elements successfully– dexterity is required, yet…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1987, Data East Lock-On is one of the few Quicksilver arcade conversions that were not released on the console systems, making it one of the least known Data East games in existence. That is perhaps for the best, though,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Minter GAME DEVELOPER:Llamasoft GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1992, Llamasoft Back in the heyday of Commodore 64, Jeff Minter (of Ozark Software) was a household name for fun and addictive action games. As in most other games he designed, Llamatron puts you in control of a llama…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Marti Wong GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1997, Marti Wong A fun and hardly-known multiplayer fighting game that’s designed by Marti Wong, resident designer of Softstar (one of the best Taiwanese developers). Up to 4 players can join the all-out fistfights that feature cute SD-style graphics…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Disney GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1994, Disney Disney’s third platform game continues its predecessor’s excellence in fluid animations and addictive gameplay. As in the movie, follow Simba’s journey from a clueless cub to a graceful King of the jungle. The levels are even more diverse…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Safari Software GAME PUBLISHER:Safari Software Copyright 1990, Safari Software Line Wars II is a great update to the original Line Wars. The company line: “Play alone or battle your friends in modem and network play! Cruise through a true 3D environment in the Deneb…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Patrick Aalto GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1989, Patrick Aalto Patrick Aalto’s first game before he co-founded Safari Software, this is basically a 286 version of the “Galileo Project.” It has the flight engine of the original Elite, and you fly a Cobra Mv III (although…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Andy Hollis GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1991, MicroProse Lightspeed and Hyperspeed are without a doubt two of the most underrated space sims of all time designed by celebrated Gunship 2000 and F-15 Strike Eagle III designer Andy Hollis. Although billed as “adventure/strategy” games, they are…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Oliphant GAME DEVELOPER:Interplay GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1990, Peter Oliphant This hugely underrated game was also designed by one of the most underrated designers. (Peter Oliphant was responsible for many hits for Cinemaware before he joined Interplay and became one of their best programmers). This is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1996, Psygnosis Arguably the most short-lived and underrated of all Lemmings, Lemmings Paintball stars everyone’s favorite furry animals, but this time around the challenging (but frustrating) puzzles in the first games are reduced to a version of “capture the flag”…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Coktel Vision GAME PUBLISHER:Coktel Vision Copyright 1987, Coktel Vision Probably Coktel’s only action game, Legend of Djel is a very strange game that combines quick reflexes with minimal strategic elements. Everything about the game is simply strange, including the plot, which casts you as…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Silmarils GAME PUBLISHER:Silmarils Copyright 1989, Silmarils Silmarils’ first action / adventure game is a great game of exploration and survival that sets the stage for many more survival games to come. As intrepid explorer, buy equipments and tools and head into the wild Yucatan…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1994, Psygnosis A fun but easy action game based on the Disney movie of the same name, Last Action Hero follows the movie’s plot closely– as an all-brawns-but-no-brains hero you must rescue the kids from the clutches of the town’s…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Pixel Painters GAME PUBLISHER:Pixel Painters Copyright 1994, Pixel Painters Pixel Painter’s second release is a fun and innovative puzzle game in which you have to arrange mirrors to reflect the laser light from the source to required target in each level. The puzzles get…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:3D Realms GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1994, 3D Realms This beta was released by 3D Realms in 1997 to celebrate one-year anniversary of its immense hit Duke Nukem 3D. Most likely however, the release was to prove that the game had in fact been under…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alexei Pajitnov GAME DEVELOPER:Spectrum Holobyte GAME PUBLISHER:Spectrum Holobyte Copyright 1997, Spectrum Holobyte The company’s blurb is right this time: “Knight Moves successfully combines stunning computer-generated characters with mind-boggling, addictive gameplay. The playing piece is a noble knight with its signature one-over-two-up “L” move. The object of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Richard Jordan GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1999, Richard Jordan Skool Daze is a classic and one of the most original Spectrum games ever, released by Microsphere in 1985. In it you played a naughty schoolboy named Eric. It’s almost the end of the school term,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Doug Sharp GAME DEVELOPER:Cinemaware GAME PUBLISHER:Cinemaware Copyright 1988, Cinemaware King of Chicago is one of Cinemaware’s best-loved games, and for good reason: it oozes a ton of atmosphere, and is simply a blast to play. Set in the roaring twenties, you play Pinky, a two-bit hood…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Image Works GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1991, Konami San Francisco in the 21st Century. The City by the Bay’s famous fog has become an infamous lethal shroud. A permanent toxic mist that’s choked half the population, and now cloaks the sinister doings of a fanatical…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:William C. Fischer GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1987, Data East Karnov is another excellent arcade conversion by Quicksilver, this time casting you as rotund, fire-breathing Russian by the name of Karnov, who’s on his quest to recover the lost treasure of Babylon from the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Disney GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1992, Disney As hero of Rudyard Kipling’s immortal tale of high adventure and human greed, advance through various stages of Mawgli’s life as he grows up from a jungle boy to a full-fledged ranger. The story’s charm is captured perfectly…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Gray GAME DEVELOPER:Chris Gray Enterprises GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1988, Chris Gray Enterprises Infiltrator 1 and 2 are faithful PC conversion of Commodore 64 action hits. As the title suggests, you are a soldier/spy ordered to infiltrate the enemy’s compounds. Along the way you’ll fight numerous…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Chris Gray GAME DEVELOPER:Chris Gray Enterprises GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1987, Chris Gray Enterprises Infiltrator 1 and 2 are faithful PC conversion of Commodore 64 action hits. As the title suggests, you are a soldier/spy ordered to infiltrate the enemy’s compounds. Along the way you’ll fight numerous…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Psygnosis GAME PUBLISHER:Psygnosis Copyright 1990, Psygnosis An innovative 3D exploration / action game that was truly ahead of its time, Infestation boasts excellent level design, neat 3D weapons and objects to find and use, and some creative aliens. The plot, as in most action…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Haigh-Hutchinson GAME DEVELOPER:Tiertex GAME PUBLISHER:LucasFilm Games Copyright 1989, LucasFilm Games When LucasArts (then LucasFilm Games) released an adventure game based on blockbuster movie Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade in 1989, an action game based on the same movie was concurrently released, but never racked…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jon Dean GAME DEVELOPER:LucasArts GAME PUBLISHER:LucasArts Copyright 1992, LucasArts After letting Tiertex develop a disappointing action game based on its The Last Crusade movie license, LucasArts wisely decided to develop the action game based on the original Fate of Atlantis adventure game on its own. The…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Tunnell GAME DEVELOPER:Jeff Tunnell Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1995, Jeff Tunnell Productions The culmination of the incredible (pardon the pun) Incredible Machine series combines the ingenious puzzles of its predecessors with the wacky, animated parts from Sid & Al’s Incredible Toons (such as Mel…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff Tunnell GAME DEVELOPER:Jeff Tunnell Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Dynamix Copyright 1990, Jeff Tunnell Productions Undoubtedly one of the most unique games ever produced for the PC, The Incredible Machines 1 is a dream come true for anyone who as a child likes to tinker with gadgets and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Epyx GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1990, Epyx Another great game that defies simple description, this is the PC version of yet another hit Commodore 64 game. It’s a platform action/adventure where you infiltrate a hi-tech building to stop an evil plan. Despite this hackneyed plot,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1989, Data East Ikari Warriors III is a disappointing last game in Quicksilver’s long line of above-average arcade conversions. It’s not a bad game– it’s just dead average: nothing in the game is done very well, and there’s nothing…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1996, Sierra On-Line Part of Sierra’s much-hyped but short-lived “k.a.a.” line, Hunter Hunted is a one- or two-player side-scrolling action game which pits human hero Jake against (what else) a big, ugly creature, both of which have been…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Imagitec Design GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1995, GameTek Some of the most original puzzle games ever created, similarities to Psygnosis’ Lemmings notwithstanding, The Humans games let you help our predecessors the cavemen “progress” from the stone age and beyond. Puzzles are very engaging: they involve…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Imagitec Design GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1994, GameTek Some of the most original puzzle games ever created, similarities to Psygnosis’ Lemmings notwithstanding, The Humans games let you help our predecessors the cavemen “progress” from the stone age and beyond. Puzzles are very engaging: they involve…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Imagitec Design GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1993, GameTek Some of the most original puzzle games ever created, similarities to Psygnosis’ Lemmings notwithstanding, The Humans games let you help our predecessors the cavemen “progress” from the stone age and beyond. Puzzles are very engaging: they involve…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Toys for Bob GAME PUBLISHER:Crystal Dynamics Copyright 1993, Toys for Bob One of few action games that offer an excellent mix of action and strategic elements, The Horde casts you in the role of Chauncey, a lowly serving boy who became a knight after…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:First Row Software GAME PUBLISHER:First Row Software Copyright 1988, First Row Software Based on classic TV comedy series of the same name, The Honeymooners is long on atmosphere but short on gameplay. Although graphics is only in 4-color CGA, the many cutscenes taken from…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Steve Meretzky GAME DEVELOPER:Boffo Games GAME PUBLISHER:Virgin Interactive Copyright 1995, Boffo Games The legendary Steve Meretzsky (author of Spellcasting games, among others), turned his wacky sense of humor to this charming collection of puzzle games cleverly strung together in a big quest: as either Prince Hodj…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alexander Safonov GAME DEVELOPER:Omega Integral Systems GAME PUBLISHER:Safari Software Copyright 1992, Omega Integral Systems The spiritual precursor to Safari’s more famous shooter Tyrian, Highway Hunter is an addictive, knuckle-blistering shooter from obscure Russian developer Omega Integral Systems (OIS). The game puts you in control of an…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1989, Data East Essentially the same game as Quicksilver’s earlier Guerilla War, Heavy Barrel is your basic top-down shoot em’ up game. As in Guerilla War, the game features responsive controls, a lot of enemies, and is very quick…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Scott Kim GAME DEVELOPER:Publishing International GAME PUBLISHER:Buena Vista Copyright 1992, Scott Kim A fun and original puzzle game, Heaven and Earth is essentially a collection of three seperate types of puzzles: an original card game, a slightly arcade-ish game called “pendulum,” and a collection of intriguing…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Mindscape GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1989, Mindscape One of the very few Harley Davidson licensees, Road to Sturges is a fun and atmospheric bike game where you travel from city to city with your gang looking for fun and profit on the way to Sturges,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Tom Loughry GAME DEVELOPER:Accolade GAME PUBLISHER:Accolade Copyright 1990, Accolade One of the best action games ever made, this game puts you in control of 3 different stations in a gunboat ranging from gunnery to demolition. Manning each station (i.e. weapon) actually requires different tactics due to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Quicksilver GAME PUBLISHER:Data East Copyright 1987, Data East Arguably Quicksilver’s best arcade conversion, Guerrilla War is an outstanding top-down shooter. The controls are simple and and very intuitive, you to shoot and let loose some heavy artillery with ease. There are a ton of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Konami GAME PUBLISHER:Konami Copyright 1997, Konami This is a faithful Windows 95 remake of Gradius I and II – two classic NES and Super NES shooters. Gradius I is still widely hailed as one of the best 8-bit shooters ever made, and it is…