Category: Others

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Origin Systems GAME PUBLISHER:Origin Systems Copyright 1993, Origin Systems One of Origin’s least known releases is a solid screensaver collection that features posters and scenes from famous Origin games (e.g. Wing Commander and Ultima). The screensaver modules are not as varied in style as…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Mark Paquette GAME DEVELOPER:MECC GAME PUBLISHER:MECC Copyright 1992, MECC SnapDragon is a good collection of open-ended activities that facilitate early larning for toddlers/preschoolers. Friendly Snap Dragon and his pal Teddy will escort your child on a tour of exciting, animated places. Sleep under the stars. Have…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Weltenschmiede GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1990, Weltenschmiede Das Stundenglas was the first game by little German Bavarian-based company Weltenschmiede. It’s an illustrated text adventure, all in German, in the style of the Magnetic Scrolls games, combining the story with many graphic stills. At the start…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Starbyte GAME PUBLISHER:Starbyte Copyright 1992, Starbyte Soul Crystal is one of the better German text adventures, with a fun and interesting story, a fairly good parser, and a mouse-driven interface. The plot sounds as if it were inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland:…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Weltenschmiede GAME PUBLISHER:Software 2000 Copyright 1992, Software 2000 Hexuma is one of the best German text adventures ever made. The third game in Weltenschmiede’s adventure series following Das Stundenglas and Die Kathedrale. Don’t miss this one if you are a fan of German text…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Weltenschmiede GAME PUBLISHER:Software 2000 Copyright 1991, Software 2000 German text adventures are rare, good ones even rarer. Die Kathedrale by Weltenschmiede is one of those few good ones – together with Hexuma, Soul Crystal and a couple more lesser known games. The game offers…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Berlyn & Gene Smith GAME DEVELOPER:Accolade GAME PUBLISHER:Accolade Copyright 1992, Accolade One of the most underrated preschool edutainment titles ever made, Snoopy’s Game Club is a great collection of educational games for kids ages 3-8 designed to foster basic skills such as pattern and spatial…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Lawrence Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Lawrence Productions Copyright 1993, Lawrence Productions Mind Castle: Spell of The Word Wizard is a fun educational game with a neat fantasy plot, which goes as follows: nearly seven years ago, a young man named Smith disappeared while exploring an ancient…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Gunther Koenig GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1992, Gunther Koenig One of the most curious promotional games ever made, Off To Europe was developed by the Foreign Affairs Office in Bonn, Germany, and released as freeware in 1992 to promote the European Union (EU) and the…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rob Steggles GAME DEVELOPER:Magnetic Scrolls GAME PUBLISHER:Rainbird Copyright 1987, Rainbird Successor of Commodore blockbuster The Pawn, Magnetic Scrolls’ Guild of Thieves improves upon its predecessor in almost every respect, although the charming tongue-in-cheek humor of the first game is somewhat muted here by a much stronger…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rob Steggles & Hugh Steers GAME DEVELOPER:Magnetic Scrolls GAME PUBLISHER:Rainbird Copyright 1988, Rainbird One of my most favorite Magnetic Scrolls games (alongside The Pawn) and one of the best games ever made, Magnetic Scrolls’ Corruption marks a departure for the company in many ways, all for…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Georgina Sinclair & Michael Bywater GAME DEVELOPER:Magnetic Scrolls GAME PUBLISHER:Rainbird Copyright 1987, Rainbird There are still witches in Aquitania. Centuries ago they did great harm until the good sorcerer Turani created a bracelet that gave magic luck to the inhabitants of Aquitania. No one was injured…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Rob Steggles GAME DEVELOPER:Magnetic Scrolls GAME PUBLISHER:Rainbird Copyright 1986, Rainbird Definitely one of the “Finest Hours” of the British interactive fiction scene, Magnetic Scrolls’ first release The Pawn was an instant sensation in Europe when it was first released by Rainbird in 1987, and instantly earned…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Joseph Stanko GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1996, Joseph Stanko Red Dwarf is based on BBC sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf, which is very popular in Europe. You are the main character: Lister, the last surviving member of the human race who is on board huge…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Steve Meretzky GAME DEVELOPER:Infocom GAME PUBLISHER:Infocom Copyright 1989, Infocom Duncan Stevens posted an excellent review of this ultimately disappointing underdog from Infocom in SPAG, so I’d like to quote it here in full: “The original Zork series was probably best described as treasure hunt with a…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Distinctive Software GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1992, Disney A wonderful game that followed on the heels of Disney’s earlier Mickey’s ABC: A Day at The Fair, Mickey’s 123: The Big Surprise Party teaches the basic concept of numbers to nine to toddlers ages 0 –…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:MECC GAME PUBLISHER:MECC Copyright 1993, MECC One of the best releases from MECC, Museum Madness is a great educational title that will help kids ages 12 and above hone their knowledge of science and history, as well as problem-solving skills, in an attractive inventory-based…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Scott Adams GAME DEVELOPER:Adventure International GAME PUBLISHER:Adventure International Copyright 2000, Adventure International After a long hiatus from gaming, Scott Adams, the prolific author of many Adventure International games in the 1980s, is back, for better or worse. As the fifteenth entry in Scott Adams’ celebrated SAGA…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Lori Cole GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Sierra On-Line Copyright 1991, Sierra On-Line A very enjoyable adventure for young kids that is unfortunately neglected, Sierra’s Mixed-Up Fairy Tales follows in the footsteps of its more famous predecessor, Mixed-Up Mother Goose. Instead of assembling nursery rhymes, your job…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Robert Pinsky GAME DEVELOPER:Synapse Software GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1986, Brderbund Synapse’s last game and also its most ambitious, Mindwheel unfortunately ends up as an ideal example of a great concept that is horrendously botched by frustrating puzzles that are not illogical, but are poorly integrated with…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:James Paul GAME DEVELOPER:Synapse Software GAME PUBLISHER:Brderbund Copyright 1985, Brderbund A potentially great game that is unfortunatelly bogged down by weak puzzles that don’t fit well with the story. Like all other Synapse games, the high point of Brimstone is definite the story, which is very…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Michael Berlyn GAME DEVELOPER:Infocom GAME PUBLISHER:Infocom Copyright 1986, Infocom Stephen Granade posted an excellent review of this fun underdog from Infocom in SPAG, so I’d like to quote it here in full: “On your first big archaeological dig, you manage to waste most of your money…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jeff O’Neill GAME DEVELOPER:Infocom GAME PUBLISHER:Infocom Copyright 1989, Infocom Graeme Cree posted an excellent review of this pun-filled underdog from Infocom in SPAG, so I’d like to quote it here in full: “Nord and Bert Couldn’t Make Head or Tail of It is a collection of…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1989, Topologika Murdac (by Avon designers Thackray and Partington) sees you flying off to the ancient land of Murdac. Your mission? To discover its secrets with the help – if you can call it that –…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1985, Topologika Easily one of best Topologika games and my most favorite by far, SpySnatcher is a great spy thriller that casts you as agent 3084, working on a (what else) secret mission for MI7, the British intelligence agency.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika An ambitious fantasy IF that is captivating yet frustrating at the same time, Hamil is a clich? regain-your-rightful-throne game done right: with plenty of good writing, atmosphere, and even some plot development– a rare thing indeed for…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Alex Ship & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1990, Topologika A spiritual successor to Topologika’s earlier Acheton and before it, Colossal Cave, Hezarin is a decent dungeon romp that casts you as a sworn-in member of the Adventurer’s Guild who is tasked with overthrowing…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1990, Topologika One of Topologika’s earliest games is Acheton, a huge IF adventure in the Colossal Cave style. Similar to Zork (which was released on the VAX mainframe not long before that), Acheton is a fantasy…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth & Jonathan Mestel GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika One of the oldest IF titles ever written (its first version was written in 1979 for the IBM 370 mainframe under the name Brand X), Philosopher’s Quest gets my vote for having the most…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1988, Topologika The last and best game in the Doom trilogy, Last Days of Doom once again casts you in a role of the intrepid space explorer who is the only human being known to survive Doomawangara, the most…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1988, Topologika The second game in Topologika’s Doom trilogy after Countdown to Doom, Return to Doom sends you, the only explorer to have survived the planet Doomawangara, flying back to the accursed planet in response to a distress call.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Peter Killworth GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1987, Topologika One of Topologika’s last IF titles, Countdown to Doom is a fun “light” science fiction set on the planet of Doomawangara (no, I’m not making this up). Despite the name, the planet is actually a very dangerous…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Jonathan Partington & Jon Thackray GAME DEVELOPER:Topologika GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 1985, Topologika You are a tourist visiting Stratford-upon-Avon, but all is not as it seems… When you try to buy the cauldron of three old ladies, things start to get weird. When you leave the shop,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tom Snyder Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Windham Classics Copyright 1984, Windham Classics A fun adventure based on a popular children’s tale about a shipwrecked family, Swiss Family Robinson was designed for young adventurers, ages 7 to 12. As such, it is a commendable attempt that is…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Leisuresoft GAME PUBLISHER:Leisuresoft Copyright 1988, Leisuresoft Return of The Dinosaur is a fun board-game style detective game designed to teach kids facts about their most favorite animals of all time. The premise is that your hometown is suddenly overrun by dinosaurs, thanks to professor…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Tom Snyder Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Spinnaker Copyright 1983, Spinnaker In Search of The Most Amazing Thing is a great adventure/action/strategy hybrid for the whole family that remains this day, almost two decades after its release, as one the most innovative games of its kind. The…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Patricia Relf & Deborah Kovacs GAME DEVELOPER:Tom Snyder Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Spinnaker Copyright 1982, Spinnaker One of the world’s first detective games for kids, Snooper Troops is a great edutainment title that truly stands the test of time. First in a short-lived series from Tom Snyder /…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Knowledge Adventure GAME PUBLISHER:Knowledge Adventure Copyright 1991, Knowledge Adventure Based on the same engine as Knowledge Adventure its first release, Knowledge Adventure (the company)’s Sport Adventure is a solid database of sport factoids and trivia, complete with hundreds of photos, intuitive interface, and timeline.…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Al Lowe GAME DEVELOPER:Sierra On-Line GAME PUBLISHER:Disney Copyright 1985, Sierra On-Line Second in Sierra’s short-lived series of edutainment games based on Disney’s cartoon characters, Winnie The Pooh in Hundred Acres Wood is a fun adventure for kids that allow them to interact with their favorite Pooh…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Francois Lionet & Yves Lamoureux GAME DEVELOPER:Clickteam GAME PUBLISHER:Europress Copyright 1996, Clickteam Here’s very accurate description of this amazing game creation program from Europress’ website: “Blazing a completely new trail into the realms of computer creativity, The Games Factory is the latest thoroughbred from the stable…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Lawrence Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Lawrence Productions Copyright 1993, Lawrence Productions Discovering America is a fun game that is derivative of MECC’s famous Oregon Trail, but offers many innovations of its own. Designed for children aged 8 and up, this adventure for children combines American history…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Lawrence Productions GAME PUBLISHER:Lawrence Productions Copyright 1991, Lawrence Productions Nigel’s World is a fun educational title that fulfills what its subtitle (Adventures in Geography) implies, despite obvious borro– err– inspiration from Carmen Sandiego series. In this game designed for kids ages 7 and up,…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Henrik Markarian GAME DEVELOPER:Software Toolworks GAME PUBLISHER:Software Toolworks Copyright 1987, Software Toolworks Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing from Software Toolworks is a revolutionary typing program that spawned many sequels and a host of imitators. 4-color CGA graphics doesn’t hamper the game’s appeal at all, as it’s not…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Adam Cadre GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Adam Cadre Adam Cadre is increasingly making his mark in the interactive fiction community as modern-day Implementor (what Infocom authors used to call themselves). Ben of the Trotting Krips said it much better than I ever could about…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Interplay GAME PUBLISHER:Interplay Copyright 1992, Interplay A great typing tutorial that is best described as Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing for kids, Mario Teaches Typing is a full-featured typing program that has something for everyone, although kids with no typing experience will get the most…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:David Bishop GAME DEVELOPER:Magnetic Scrolls GAME PUBLISHER:Magnetic Scrolls Copyright 1992, Magnetic Scrolls Magnetic Scroll’s last adventure game (before they designed the inferior adventure/RPG hybrid The Legacy: Realm of Terror for Microprose) is in my opinion the best game they produced, filled with memorable characters, creative and…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Telarium GAME PUBLISHER:Telarium Copyright 1985, Telarium Telarium’s 1985 release, Wizard of Oz, seems to be entirely inspired by the famous Judy Garland movie and, as far as I can tell, has very little to do with the L. Frank Baum books (which I’ve never…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Artech GAME PUBLISHER:Binary Zoo Copyright 1993, Binary Zoo This is a fun game that, as the title suggests, combines science and arcade almost flawlessly. In short, this game is the scientists’ version of arcade classic Marble Madness. The objective is simple: maneuver the ball…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER: GAME DEVELOPER:Angelsoft GAME PUBLISHER:Mindscape Copyright 1985, Angelsoft Voodoo Island is a slight variation on the “Most Dangerous Game” story, set on a remote island. Your task is to destroy the evil Dr. Beauvias is brewing, while avoiding dangerous voodoo rituals and black magic practiced by…

From the Database of Home of the Underdogs GAME DESIGNER:Adam Cadre GAME DEVELOPER:Freeware GAME PUBLISHER:Freeware Copyright 2000, Adam Cadre Varicella is yet another great work of IF from Adam Cadre, freeware IF author who is quickly establishing himself alongside Andrew Plotkin and Graham Nelson as one of the true descendants of Infocom. The game, which…