Category: Arcade and Action Games

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Inner Circle Creations GAME PUBLISHER:Softdisk Publishing Copyright 1996, Inner Circle Creations Alien Rampage is a fun 2D horizontal platformer from indie developer Inner Circle Creations, who bought rights to the game (originally titled Ravager) from Apogee, finished it, and got Softdisk to publish it…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Actionware GAME PUBLISHER:Actionware Copyright 1988, Actionware Capone is a decent “shooting gallery” action game from Actionware, erstwhile Amiga game maker who released a handful of game in late 1990s. This is one of their two Operation Wolf clones, P.O.W. being the other (and better)…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Hikoza Ohkubo GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2004, Hikoza Ohkubo Another superb freeware shooter from Japan, Warning Forever is similar to BulletML games like rRootage – addictive games that are turning “abstract shooters” into a new and exciting genre. Warning Forever packs enough innovation to set…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Monolith GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Monolith Another fun action freeware underdog from Japan, Kurukuru UFO lets you pilot a flying saucer around the arena. In contrast to a typical shooter, you cannot control the firing direction of your saucer: in this game, your ‘gun…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GAMOS GAME PUBLISHER:GAMOS Copyright 1997, GAMOS Flip Flop is another fun game from Russian developer Gamos, makers of clever puzzle games. Although far from Gamos’ best, Flip Flop is still fun for a few minutes before it gets repetitive. Your goal: open all of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Pro One GAME PUBLISHER:Pro One Copyright 1997, Pro One Real Genius from Pro One is a decent compilation of 20 puzzle games, most of which are family word games we are all familiar with – games such as cryptograms, scrabble, and word builder. Although…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Derek Yu & Jon Perry GAME DEVELOPER:Blackeye Software GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Blackeye Software Diabolika 2 is a great sequel to Diabolika, a unique strategy/puzzle hybrid from freeware developer Blackeye Software. More of an update than a true sequel, Diabolika 2 nonetheless remains as fun as…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Scott Nelson GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Scott Nelson One of the most unique action games you’ll ever see, Town Hall Toaster plays like an expanded version of BBQ, a little-known freeware gem from Japan that is also reviewed on this site. The purpose of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Lachie Dazdarian GAME DEVELOPER:Kentauri GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Lachie Dazdarian Ball Blazing Fantasy is a fun arcade-ish game that plays like a cross between Marble Madness and Dizzy series of games. The game contains two different ball-rolling games: “Ball Blaze” and “The Quest.” In “Ball Blaze,”…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Captain Pork GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Captain Pork

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Captain Pork GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2002, Captain Pork

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Flecko.net

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Robert Lupinek GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Robert Lupinek

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Shawn Noel GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Shawn Noel Jetz Fusion is the latest and best Jetz game in a long-run series of freeware action games from Shawn Noel, a talented designer known in the freeware cycle as “Shawn64.” The game is a beat ’em…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Natomic Studios GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Natomic Studios Sideswipe is another quality freeware offering from Natomic Studios. A fast-paced side-scroller, the game offers lots of frenetic action and enemies in crisp anime-style graphics. You play secret agent 053 who has just stolen a hoverbike…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Ambertec GAME PUBLISHER:Ambertec Copyright 1997, Ambertec Pharaoh’s Ascent is one of the most challenging and most innovative arcade-style puzzle games ever made – too bad the game remains unknown to most gamers due to limited on-line-only distribution on a shareware basis. The plot: you…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:GameTek GAME PUBLISHER:GameTek Copyright 1995, GameTek CrossWorld 2 is a superior sequel to GameTek’s little-known CrossWorld, a great crossword puzzle program for DOS. This time, the game engine has been improved for Windows 95, with a clean user interface and two additional games. The…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:CnC Darkside GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, CnC Darkside

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Christopher Clark GAME DEVELOPER:MicroProse GAME PUBLISHER:MicroProse Copyright 1998, Paramount Klingon Honor Guard is a superb first-person shooter set in the Star Trek universe. Designed by MicroProse and released in 1998, KHG was definitely the first Star Trek computer game in a long while that broke the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Molyneux GAME DEVELOPER:Bullfrog GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1995, Bullfrog Sequel to Bullfrog’s classic Magic Carpet, Magic Carpet 2 improves upon its already outstanding predecessor with new spells, better graphics, and more varied terrain. Unfortunately, the addition of huge monsters made gameplay quite repetitive in the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:ZAP GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, ZAP Yet another excellent shooter from Japan, Winglancer is a “retro-style” vertical shooter from ZAP, who updated his own game for the MSX computer to work on modern Windows PC. Nothing special here: kill everything in sight by shooting…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kenta Cho GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Kenta Cho A7xpg and Parsec47 are two more superb “abstract shooters” from Kenta Cho, prolific Japanese freeware developer. If you have played rRootage or Noiz2sa (or hopefully both), you know what to expect here: two more insanely addictive…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Kenta Cho GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Kenta Cho A7xpg and Parsec47 are two more superb “abstract shooters” from Kenta Cho, prolific Japanese freeware developer. If you have played rRootage or Noiz2sa (or hopefully both), you know what to expect here: two more insanely addictive…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:CraftM GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, CraftM Bound Plus is a fun freeware arcade-ish puzzler from Japan. Mistakenly labelled on many freeware sites as B-Zero for some reason – perhaps due to the file name – your goal in the game is to get to…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Cliff Bleszinski GAME DEVELOPER:Epic Megagames GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1995, Epic Megagames Epic Megagames developed “Holiday Hare” versions of their popular platformers Jazz Jackrabbit and Jazz Jackrabbit 2 as freeware releases to celebrate the holidays. Each game is populated by X-mas themed levels and festive sounds, and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Cliff Bleszinski GAME DEVELOPER:Epic Megagames GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1998, Epic Megagames Epic Megagames developed “Holiday Hare” versions of their popular platformers Jazz Jackrabbit and Jazz Jackrabbit 2 as freeware releases to celebrate the holidays. Each game is populated by X-mas themed levels and festive sounds, and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Oliver Pflug GAME DEVELOPER:Brainbug GAME PUBLISHER:Brainbug Copyright 1998, Brainbug Final Impact is a fun and highly underrated parallax-scrolling vertical shooter in the same style as Raptor and Tyrian. Although it is not a “classic” like those two games, Final Impact deserves a lot more attention for…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Domark GAME PUBLISHER:Domark Copyright 1996, Domark Absolute Zero is yet another missed opportunity for Domark: a game that offers an innovative premise that is so refreshing that it makes poor gameplay all the more regrettable. GameSpot’s review says it all: “The starfighter genre has…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jph Wacheski GAME DEVELOPER:Iteration Games GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Jph Wacheski lockOn is a fun arcade-style “retro” shoot ’em up that is remiscent of Asteroids, Robotron 2084, and Tempest in equal measure. The idea is simple: survive long enough to get the high score by avoiding…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Iguana Entertainment GAME PUBLISHER:Acclaim Entertainment Copyright 1997, Warner Brothers Among game developers, Acclaim has one of the most mixed records of all, curiously displaying a very large gap in quality between their classics such as Mortal Kombat games and the better-forgotten games based on…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mike Voss & Jim Voss GAME DEVELOPER:Moonlite Software GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1995, Moonlite Software Clyde’s Revenge is a pretty bad sidescrolling platformer that ruins the creative no-enemies premise with dull gameplay and interminably boring levels. Basically your goal is to collect every stone on the level…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:John Calhoun GAME DEVELOPER:Casady & Greene GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1994, John Calhoun Glider for Windows is an excellent PC port of a hit Machintosh title of the same name that started life as a small black & white shareware game in the late 1980s and went…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Dynasty International GAME PUBLISHER:Dynasty International Copyright 1993, Dynasty International Puzzle Beauty is a so-so Tetris variant developed by Dynasty International, famous (in Asia) Taiwan company whose Flame Dragon series consistently rank among some of the best-selling games in Asia. One of their first commercial…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Masque Publishing GAME PUBLISHER:Masque Publishing Copyright 1995, Masque Publishing Shadows of Cairn is a horrible action/adventure hybrid that squanders a good premise with awful controls and boring puzzles. Set in a medieval city, you play an “honest thief” (a la Robin Hood) who must…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rowan Atalla GAME DEVELOPER:Argo Games GAME PUBLISHER:Apogee Copyright 1995, Argo Games Xenophage is a pretty bad one-on-one fighting game in the same style as Mortal Kombat, although not half as good despite featuring scrolling arenas and some inventive aliens. Games Domain’s review says it all about…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Gremlin GAME PUBLISHER:Electronic Arts Copyright 1997, Gremlin Nuclear Strike is the last and most fun entry in Electronic Arts’ underrated “Strike” series of helicopter action games. In this release, your job is to fight terrorists in different parts of the globe. While you still…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Jack Bean GAME PUBLISHER:Jack Bean Copyright 1995, Jack Bean Little Monk is a fun top-down action game from Jack Bean, a curiously-named, short-lived Taiwan developer who released only several games in their native country before going out of business. Which is a shame, because…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Core Design GAME PUBLISHER:EIDOS Interactive Copyright 1997, Core Design A decent PC port of a Playstation game of the same name, Fighting Force is little more than classic Double Dragon series with a facelift. Given that it was designed by the same team that…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Kalisto GAME PUBLISHER:UBI Soft Copyright 1998, Kalisto The Fifth Element is a decent first-person shooter from Kalisto, published by UBI Soft in 1998. Games Domain’s review says it all about this marginally above-average underdog: “I’m happy to say that

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Manabu Kusunoki GAME DEVELOPER:SEGA GAME PUBLISHER:Expert Software Copyright 1997, SEGA Panzer Dragoon is a fun 3D shoot ’em up game from SEGA (a PC port from the hit SEGA Saturn version), featuring 360-degree action and multiple gameplay styles. The plot: you are a hunter who one…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alicuu GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Alicuu Super Cosplay War Ultra is a superb one-on-one fighting game in the same vein as Fighters Kyodotai, previous fighter from the same design team: Alicuu from Taiwan. Similar to Kyodotai, SCWU sets itself apart from other freeware fighters…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Fallen Angel Industries GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Fallen Angel Industries Streambolt is another excellent freeware release from Fallen Angel Industries, a group who develops all their games with Clickteam’s excellent game-creating applications. A cross between Mega Man games and Konami’s classic platformers, Streambolt harks…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:NOAH GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, NOAH Pipiru the Archer Practice Special is a fun freeware gem from Japan’s NOAH, an independent game development group. Released for free to promote their shareware title Pipiru the Archer, this Practice Special game stars Pipiru, a cute archer…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Seth Robinson GAME DEVELOPER:Robinson Technologies GAME PUBLISHER:Robinson Technologies Copyright 2003, Robinson Technologies One of the most fun word games I have come across in quite a long time aside from Yahoo!’s insanely addictive Literati, Dungeon Scroll is another masterpiece from Robinson Technologies, quality indie developer behind…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Maxis GAME PUBLISHER:Maxis Copyright 1997, Maxis Full Tilt! Pinball is an excellent pinball game from Maxis, a company best known for Sim games. The game will be familiar to anyone who has the Microsoft’s Plus! Windows 95 companion pack, since one of the tables…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Sandige GAME DEVELOPER:Maxis GAME PUBLISHER:Maxis Copyright 1997, Maxis One of the most unique puzzlers in the same vein as The Incredible Machine series, Marble Drop plays like a cross between Dynamix’s classic and the Japanese game of Pachinko. Games Domain says it all about this…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ikiki GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Ikiki Teppoman and Bimboman are two excellent cartoon platformers from the same Japanese author. Created with Klik & Play game creation program, both games feature very smooth animations, crisp graphics, and excellent level designs. One of the things I…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Ikiki GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, Ikiki Teppoman and Bimboman are two excellent cartoon platformers from the same Japanese author. Created with Klik & Play game creation program, both games feature very smooth animations, crisp graphics, and excellent level designs. One of the things I…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Keypunch GAME PUBLISHER:Keypunch Copyright 1986, Keypunch Space Games is yet another collection of thoroughly average arcade games sold as one compilation. Keypunch was one of the world’s first “shovelware” publishers, and this title is no exception. You will find in here four games, none…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:NZP GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2003, NZP Yet another excellent coffee-break game for Windows from NZP of Canada. From the official site: “A collection of 4 classic puzzles. Each puzzle consists of a number of counters placed on a board. Your goal is to shuffle…