LD!

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CLASSIC GAMES

O

TM

INDIANA JONES AND THE MAKING OF THE MAKING OF ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO

THE FATE OF ATLANTIS SPIDER-MAN 2 MATCH DAY II SUPERIOR SOFTWARE
YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HOW TREYARCH REINVENTED LOAD 284
INSIDE JON RITMAN’S THE BEST BBC MICRO HITS
INDY’S GREATEST QUEST SPIDEY’S WEB-SWINGING EXCELLENT SEQUEL FROM THE 8-BIT PUBLISHER
 LOADING...

THE RETROBATES WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENT

FROM THE LEGEND OF ZELDA SERIES?

M
y first experience with the
adventures of Link was with
A Link To The Past on the
DARRAN JONES TIM EMPEY SNES and I’ve been hooked
Stepping onto Hyrule Field The ending of The Wind by his quests ever since. Some of
for the first time in Ocarina Waker. It was cutesy all the
Of Time. It promised so way through (aside from the my favourite moments in gaming are
much and fully delivered on kid with the snotty nose),
that promise. then Link goes for the head!
connected to Nintendo’s long-running
Expertise: Juggling a Expertise: Finishing Game Pass series, from raising aloft the Master
gorgeous wife, two beautiful games before they go.
girls and an award-winning Currently playing: Sword in a woodland glade in A Link To
mag, all under one roof! Final Fantasy VII The Past, to stepping onto Hyrule Field
Currently playing: GigaSword Remake Intergrade
Favourite game of all time: Favourite game of all time: for the first time in Ocarina Of Time. It’s
Strider God Hand a series that promises great adventure
whenever you leave its first area and so
far Link’s travels have rarely disappointed
me with that promise.
For the 40th anniversary of the series
Martyn Carroll has trawled through
mountains of old translated Japanese
interviews with the original development
teams to uncover nuggets of Zelda lore
that you’ve hopefully never heard before.
He’s also interviewed a number of modern
ANDY SALTER RORY MILNE MARTYN CARROLL indie developers who have been inspired
I’ve never played a Zelda I remember the second When the Breath Of The by Link’s many quests.
game, lived in a mostly Sega quest after finishing the Wild DLC introduced Hero’s
household so we played the original Zelda being so cool Path Mode, so you could Elsewhere we examine the BBC Micro
Shining series, Vay and Luna as I was expecting a harder trace where you’d been, and
growing up. replay of the core adventure. crucially, where you hadn’t.
games of Superior Software and discover
Expertise: Modding games, no Miyamoto really went the Suddenly, there were all these how Match Day II, Command & Conquer:
‘vanilla’ versions for me, thanks! extra mile there. new areas to explore and
Currently modding: Expertise: The game that I’m secrets to find. Renegade and Spider-Man 2 were made.
RTR: Imperium Surrectum writing about at the time Expertise: Spectrum stuff We revisit Indiana Jones And The Fate
Favourite game of all time: of writing Currently playing:
Rome: Total War although I Currently playing: Star Wars: The Legend Of Zelda: Of Atlantis and Project Zero II: Crimson
guess it’s the Remastered Rogue Squadron II: Tears Of The Kingdom Butterfly, quiz Gabriel Nieto Jimenez about
edition now Rogue Leader Favourite game of all time:
Favourite game of all time: Jet Set Willy working on Spanish videogame
Tempest
magazines and review
Resident Evil: Requiem and
Minishoot’ Adventures.
Stay safe and enjoy
the magazine.

ANDREW FISHER PAUL ROSE DAVID CROOKES

Making it through Skull Woods I’ll be honest… probably Seeing that iconic line, “It’s
in A Link to the Past for the the first time I met Tingle in dangerous to go alone! Take
first time. Majora’s Mask. Beautifully this,” for the first time and not
Expertise: Forty years of bizarre little freak. quite knowing what to expect.
gaming, from Commodore 64 Expertise: Winging it Expertise: Amstrad, Lynx,
to Switch Currently playing: adventures, Dizzy and
Currently playing: Astro Burn Doom: The Dark Ages PlayStation 2 (but is it
Favourite game of all time: Favourite game of all time: retro? Debate!)
Wizball Half-Life 2 Currently playing: Chase HQ
Favourite game of all time:
Broken Sword

RETRO GAMER | 3
CONTENTS
>> Load 284 Breathing new life into classic games

RETRO RADAR 60
8 Main News
Darran goes hands-on with some of the
incoming titles from Clear River Games

10 Mike Mika
Our resident US columnist on coding
NFL Blitz for the humble Game Boy

11 News Wall FEATURED

We say goodbye to Japanese legends
34 Music Memories:
12 Iain Lee Ghouls ’N Ghosts
It’s a trip to CEX for Iain this issue. It Tim Follin on reworking the excellent
wasn’t a very enjoyable one… arcade tunes of Tamayo Kawamoto

14 Mr Biffo  etro Gamer’s Favourite…

50 R
Paul loves the Zelda games and breaks Lemmings Abilities
down what makes them so special Celebrate the 35th anniversary of those
lovable rodents and their many skills
16 A Moment With
Darren Melbourne and Chris Smith on 52 Magazine Craft:
their new edition of The Spectrum Gabriel Nieto Jimenez
This month we travel to Spain and
18 B
 ack To The Noughties discover Gabriel’s impact on Nintendo
It’s November and Martyn is coming to
the end of an epic ten-year journey 60 Ultimate Guide:
Indiana Jones And The
Fate Of Atlantis
REVIVALS Find out why this epic LucasArts romp is
still worth playing today

20 3
 D Starfighter  overmount Corner:
64 C
You’d often use your imagination when Amiga Action #45
playing Amstrad games, but sometimes James Konik plays a pair of iconic Amiga 22

The Chronicles
imagination just wasn’t enough coverdisks and reports his findings

42 Warbirds 66 The Making Of:

Darran learned early on that a life of
crime certainly doesn’t pay. Even if it
involves multiplayer Lynx sessions
Command & Conquer:
Renegade
Behind the scenes of the flawed, but
Of: Zelda
Martyn Carroll trawls the Japanese archives for Hyrule lore
ambitious first-person shooter
and quizzes the indie developers inspired by Link’s adventures
58 Gain Ground
Tim didn’t enjoy living through The 80 Retro Inspired: Screamer
Troubles, but Sega’s game proved a Learn how Milestone is updating its 74
welcome distraction for him Nineties classic for a new generation

72 D
 r Mario 64 82 Ultimate Guide: Project
If the recent release of the Analogue3D Zero II: Crimson Butterfly
has had you browsing eBay, you’ll be We revisit the iconic horror game and
able to connect with this story quiz the team about their recent remake

88 B
 oktai: The Sun Is In
Your Hands 66
Darran recalls his drunken rampage in
London and the heavy toll he paid for an
evening of excess
The Making Of:
112 Bayonetta
Tim used to be crazy good at Spider-Man 2
PlatinumGames’ epic scrapper. Does he Discover how Treyarch reinvented the
still have the magic? iconic superhero sequel for the PS2 era

6 | RETRO GAMER
Don’t forget to follow us online for all your latest retro updates

40%
SAVE U
RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag [Link]
P TO
Retro Gamer Magazine @RetroGamerMag retrogamer@[Link]

SUBSC
R
SEE PAGIPTION 44
E 32

The Retro Gamer Guide To:

Superior Software
Rory Milne is your guide to some of the
best games to grace the BBC Micro

104 ESSENTIALS
96 Homebrew
Andrew Fisher presents some more
great releases from the scene for you

Gaming Grails: 100 Hot Topic:

Ristar Thrills And Chills
There have been some good survival

REVIEWS horror releases this month, so Tim and

Darran decided to discuss the genre

102 Collector’s Corner

Faith Johnson loves tracking down
interesting collectors and has another
great choice for you

106 My Retro Life

Darran explains how the release of the
Analogue3D has made him return to the
Nintendo 64
90 Resident Evil: Requiem
108 Mailbag
36 92 Minishoot’ Adventures Send in your letters. The best one
each month wins a cracking
94 Rushing Beat X: retro book
Return Of Brawl Brothers
111 Next Month
94 Area Wars What are the team
planning for issue 285?
94 Pokémon Pokopia
114 Endgame
94 Evercade: Taito Arcade 3 Find out what happens
when you complete
Heart Of An Alien

The Making Of:

Match Day II
Jon Ritman chats about his popular sequel
and how it improved on his first footy classic

RETRO GAMER | 7
GIVE US TWO MINUTES AND WE'LL GIVE YOU THE RETRO WORLD

» PC] We’re still not fully sold on the

visuals, but there’s no denying that
Truxton Extreme is very good from
a mechanical point of view.

CONTENTS THE CLEAR

8 THE CLEAR
CHOICE FOR RETRO
We play some of the releases
coming soon from Clear
CHOICE FOR RETRO
River Games We play some of the games coming soon from Clear River Games
10 MIKE MIKA Words by Darran Jones

D
In a two-part column, Mike
explains how he made NFL Blitz
for Nintendo’s Game Boy
ue to the nature of The title we’re most interested arcade mode, the ability to play
the magazine, it’s in currently is a game that with a friend where you share
11 NEWS WALL rare for us to get our initially didn’t impress us at all. available credits and a time-based
The passing of Japanese legends hands on early preview When Truxton Extreme was first Score Attack. There’s plenty of
and the closure of Bluepoint builds of games, so when the announced we instantly dismissed unlockables to discover as well.
Games are our latest stories opportunity comes up we’re not it as a cheap-looking iOS game One welcome addition is the
going to turn it down. – boy, were we wrong. From ability to change the speed of
12 IAIN LEE Clear River Games is a relatively the moment we started playing your ship, which makes dodging
Have you ever done the CEX walk
of shame? You haven’t? Don’t new name in terms of retro gaming Tatsujin’s game it’s obvious a lot through the bullet-dense patterns
worry, Iain will tell you all about it but its games will be familiar if of thought and love has been of bosses a lot easier. There’s
you’ve ever preordered titles from poured into it. While we’re still not a good variety to the numerous
14 MR BIFFO Limited Run Games, as Embracer super convinced by its visuals, enemy waves you encounter and
Paul takes a trip back to the world Group owns both companies and there’s no denying it does a great the bosses we faced off against
of Hyrule and explains what makes
the kingdom so special Clear River Games is effectively job of matching the distinctive were suitably challenging too. It’s
the European counterpart to look of the original arcade classic. shaping up to be a great release
16 A MOMENT WITH Limited Run Games, which It sounds astonishing too, with when it drops 30 July.
Darren Melbourne and Chris Smith publishes releases in the States. lovely remixes of past tunes, We won’t spend too much time
on releasing a white edition of It’s already released physical which makes sense as the original on Rushing Beat X: Return Of Brawl
The Spectrum iterations of a number of retro- composer is on board. Brothers as there’s a review on page
based or retro-themed bangers, What surprised us most with 94, but it’s a solid update of the
18 BACK TO THE from R-Type Delta: HD Boosted Truxton Extreme is the sheer Nineties-based scrolling fighter, with
NOUGHTIES and Operation Night Strikers, to amount of content it offers. There’s some neat mechanics and a nice
Martyn Carroll is close to finish an
epic journey. What will he discover the Toaplan Arcade Collection and a story mode with gorgeous range of combatants to master.
this month? Clock Tower: Rewind and plenty comic-book-styled panels by a The third game we went hands-
more games are on the way. veteran Toaplan artist, an intense on with was Taito Milestones 4,

8 | RETRO GAMER
» [PC] The hits aren’t quite as obvious on Taito Milestones 4, BIG ON
but it still includes fun games like Don Doko Don.
SURVIVAL
HORROR
T
here’s been some
» [PC] While the games in Marvel MaXimum Collection aren’t always good news for fans
great, the Spidey & Venom titles are now extremely expensive. of survival horror
games lately. Capcom
recently announced that
Resident Evil: Requiem
(reviewed on page 90)
has already passed six
million sales and it recently
» [PC] We know very little about FZ: Formation Z, but it confirmed that DLC is now
certainly looks like a game we’ll enjoy playing. on the way as well. Konami
also revealed that the late-
which is also out shortly. The 2024 remake of Silent Hill 2
games are all Taito titles, they’ve has passed five million
all been converted by Hamster, so sales. Granted, it has taken
the emulation is of a high quality far longer to achieve, but it
and there’s numerous extras to highlights there’s plenty of
enhance the experience. As with interest in the series still.
previous Taito Milestones releases,
several games are currently » [PC] We enjoyed Rushing Beat X: Return Of Brawl Brothers. You’ll find our review later in the issue.
exclusive to the collection and
include Arkanoid, Kuri Kinton,
Syvalion and Cameltry, but the What surprised us most with
biggest surprise is the change of
publisher as past releases have Truxton Extreme is the sheer
been by ININ Games and Strictly
Limited Games.
We had a lot of fun with this
amount of content it offers
one, but it’s worth noting that it Culdcept: The First, should also Spider-Man & Venom: Maximum MAKING
lacks the big hitters of the earlier
collections, although the likes
be releasing later this year. FZ:
Formation Z is also due, but if we’re
Carnage, Venom & Spider-Man:
Separation Anxiety, Spider-Man A PLAY
P
of Arkanoid, Cameltry and Don honest, we know very little about & X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge and lay Makers is a new
Doko Don are still a lot of fun. The this game, other than that it’s an Silver Surfer. That’s a decent book from Welbeck
remaining games in the ten-strong update of an old Jaleco arcade selection of titles and there are that goes behind the
collection are The Ninja Kids, Water game that we don’t remember ever numerous extras and quality-of-life scenes of 30 classic games.
Ski, Field Day, Bonze Adventure playing. It certainly looks like it could options as well, with the ability to Based on articles from
and Typhoon Gal. be a lot of fun, though. play X-Men: The Arcade Game our sister magazine Edge,
Although we didn’t go hands-on Marvel MaXimum Collection online with Rollback Netcode. the included games range
with them, other titles to look out should be out now, and we’re Needless to say, Marvel fans will from retro essentials like
for from Clear River Games include betting this one is going to be be champing at the bit to play this. Pong and Doom, to more
Culdcept Begins (16 July), Marvel extremely popular. While not all As physical collectors who have modern hits like Assassin’s
MaXimum Collection (out now) and the games it features can be said had to rely on importing games Creed, Left 4 Dead and The
FZ: Formation Z (19 June). Culdcept to be true classics, several of them from Japan or America, it’s Beatles: Rock
Begins is an interesting one as it are now extremely expensive, pleasing to see that more of these Band. Priced
marks the first game in the Culdcept making the physical version of this titles are becoming easily available at £25, it’s
series for a decade (Culdcept a great alternative to the pricey in Europe. If you want to see the available from
Revolt was a 3DS exclusive). The second-hand market. entire range of games available [Link].
card-based strategy title has been The collection includes X-Men: from Clear River Games you can org and other
around since the late-Nineties and The Arcade Game, Captain visit its online store, which is at retailers now.
that original game, now known as America And The Avengers, [Link]

RETRO GAMER | 9
US GOLD FEATURING MIKE MIKA
COLUMN Who is Mike Mika?
Mike Mika’s official videogame career began in the Nineties, working on Game
Boy Color titles like Klax and Alice In Wonderland. He’s now the studio head of
Digital Eclipse, a studio acclaimed for its reverential treatment of classic games.

Illegal formation:
The making of NFL Blitz for Game Boy – part 1

I
must confess, I never liked, understood, or
followed American football. I was a 100%
grade-a nerd, and my only interest about the
game was how it gave Flash Gordon’s
character some kind of depth, but even then I
was more of a Vultan fan. I just wanted to get that
out there, because at the beginning of my
videogames career, understanding American
football was the key to launching my career (or
possibly destroying it completely).
The pivotal life moment occurred inside a double-
decker McDonald’s in Burlingame, California, somewhere
near the Cow Palace convention centre. Not a particularly
inspirational place to make a life decision. Amid the potent
smell of French fries and beef patties, I signed a contract
to make NFL Blitz for Nintendo’s Game Boy. Three months.
That was the schedule. And I had a full-time job writing for
Next Generation magazine.
That meant development of the game had to happen at
night, in a one-bedroom apartment that I shared with my
girlfriend. She was thrilled.

M
Around this time I had just finished a conversion of Yars’
Revenge for Telegames for the Game Boy. It paid enough y development hardware wasn’t exactly
money for me to buy a nice stereo receiver and a pair of standard either. I obtained it from a guy in
rather cool speakers. I thought, if I could do that, I could do Alabama whose father was on the dev team for
anything on the Game Boy. the ColecoVision, which gave it a kind of
This was also my first time working with Digital Eclipse, legitimacy I guess?
where, many years later, I happily remain. I think that kind of But still. Homemade hardware. Three-month schedule.
longevity in one place was the result of being too dumb to One-bedroom apartment. Day job. Then there was
know I was in over my head. the football problem. To me, football looked like a war
game. There were front
All I needed to do was: lines, territorial advances,
• Learn how football actually worked formations that resembled
• Learn true Game Boy development
• Translate logic from the arcade game Football, it turns battlefield strategy. How
hard could it be? Football, it
• Write the whole thing in assembly
• Work nights after my day job out, has a surprising turns out, has a surprising
number of rules.
• Somehow manage a relationship
• And ship it all in three months number of rules The reason I loved NFL
Blitz wasn’t actually the
football. It was the chaos.
Honestly? At the time it sounded The ridiculous post-play hits.
completely reasonable. Because I was stupid. No, naive Players getting slammed into the turf after the whistle.
is a better word. Because naivety, it turns out, is a kind of The Game Boy CPU operates at a brisk 4MHz. The
superpower. When you’re young, you haven’t yet learned all graphics were simple. Getting any sense of those tackles
the things you’re not supposed to do. Everything still exists on that small screen would be near impossible. We were
inside the realm of possibility. making a Blitz game that couldn’t deliver the ‘Blitz’ part.
You assume that if you just work hard enough, the My solution was… questionable and I’ll share that with
universe will sort itself out. you in the next issue.

Do you agree with Mike’s thoughts? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK [Link] @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@[Link]

10 | RETRO GAMER
DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONTLINE OF RETRO GAMING
NEWS WALL

A RARE
TREAT
H
yperMegaTech!
recently announced
a Rare-based Super
Pocket that will include 14
games. Unfortunately, it’s
not quite as exciting as we
first thought due to eight
of the available games
» Sega shared the following image of Hideki Sato on its various » [PlayStation 5] Shutaro Iida was working on Bloodstained: already appearing on Rare
social channels. He was president from 2001 to 2003. The Scarlet Engagement, which will release later this year. Collection 1. Still, if you don’t

GREAT LOSSES
own that Evercade cartridge
we can see the likes of
Banjo-Kazooie, Snake
Rattle ’N Roll, Battletoads In
THREE JAPANESE ICONS OF GAMING HAVE SADLY PASSED

T
Battlemaniacs, Slalom and
he early months of 2026 has seen the and became incredibly important to the company, RC Pro Am II appealing to
passing of several notable members of eventually becoming president from 2001 to 2003. “His the casual market that the
the Japanese videogames industry. leadership helped lay the foundation of Sega, and his Super Pocket caters to.
Hayama Akito, a member of Resetetra contributions had a significant and lasting impact on the
revealed that Kazuo Sawa, the musician behind a entire gaming industry,” Sega posted.
number of Kunio-kun titles, as well as Totally Rad, On the same day, the official social-media channel
The Battle For Olympus and Mazin Wars had passed for Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement revealed
after the news was shared by Sawa’s son on 7 that Shutaro Iida, a long-time collaborator of Koji
February. Although Sawa’s discography was fairly Igarashi on various Castlevania games had died on 10
small, his son suspects that he worked on many February at the age of 51. “We are deeply saddened
more games beyond the Famicom era due to his by the loss of SHUTARO, our creative director.
father taking NDAs very seriously and therefore not On behalf of the team, we extend our heartfelt
revealing his involvement with them.
On 16 February Sega shared news of the passing of
condolences to his family and friends during this
difficult time. Thank you for everything, SHUTARO.” ALL
Hideki Sato on its various social channels. Sato was the Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and
CHANGE AT
MICROSOFT
designer behind virtually all of Sega’s home consoles family of Kazuo, Hideki and Shutaro.

ART LOST P
hil Spencer will
be retiring from
Microsoft’s games
division. He’s been a pivotal
SONY SHUTTERS BLUEPOINT GAMES

T
part of the console division
he games industry has been hit since the Xbox was released
by numerous layoffs over the last in 2001 but is finally leaving
couple of years and Bluepoint Games Microsoft after nearly 40
has become the latest studio to be years with the company.
shut down after the news was revealed by Xbox president Sarah
Bloomberg. Founded in 2005 by the late Andy Bond has resigned, leaving
O’Neil and Marco Thrush, the studio quickly became Asha Sharma, previously
known for its impressive remaster work. It created » [PlayStation 3] Bluepoint Games was to games preservation Microsoft’s president of
some genuinely excellent remasters of a number of what Criterion is to movies, it’s terrible it has been shuttered. CoreAI to take over as the
beloved games, including God Of War I and II, Ico, new CEO of Microsoft
Shadow Of The Colossus, several Metal Gear Solid Gaming. Matt Booty has
games and the original Uncharted trilogy. been promoted to CCO of
After remaking both Shadow Of The Colossus the division.
and Demon’s Souls, Sony acquired Bluepoint in
2021 and things went extremely quiet. In January
2025, it was revealed that Bluepoint had been
working on a live service God Of War game,
which had subsequently been cancelled. Despite
the critical acclaim of its Demon’s Souls remake,
Bloomberg also revealed that FromSoftware
turned down a request from the studio to remake
Bloodborne. Roughly 70 members of staff are
expected to lose their jobs when the studio » [PlayStation 4] We can’t understand the reasoning behind
closes in March. shutting down Bluepoint, it seems a foolishly silly decision.

RETRO GAMER | 11
FEATURING IAIN LEE
COLUMN Who is Iain Lee?
Iain Lee is a freelance counsellor who loves gaming, particularly retro gaming.
You can get more information about Iain by visiting [Link] or
heading over to [Link]/iainandKatherine

The walk of shame

I
recently had to do the CEX walk of shame. go and uninstalled the game. I get called that on social media too
I’ve had a fear of taking things to charity shops much already, I don’t need some dude in a game belittling me.
ever since a load I wanted to drop off was I was shocked when I was told that this game was also
rejected. Imagine being in Cancer Research scratched and unacceptable. I suddenly had the flush of shame.
with some of your old clothes and the lady I felt my face go red and my breath tighten. I mumbled some
behind the counter (who I assume is a scientist nonsense about it being the fault of my kids.
taking a break from her research laboratory out the back) looks I then said, “I’ll put Doom back then,” and had to walk the
at it with contempt and says, “No thank you.” I then had to length of the shop to put it back on the shelf. I paid my £3 for
thank her, slowly turn around and leave. The clothes got taken Rare Replay and left the shop.
to a tip. I’ve been back to different shops a few times but get To compound things, I looked like Ray Cropper from
the same level of anxiety I feel when I answer a call from an Coronation Street. Old man’s coat, unshaven and carrying a
unknown number. Still, we are supposed to push ourselves to Tesco bag. This was humiliating on every level.
do something uncomfortable every day. [Really? Sod that – Ed] I got back to my car and checked Kingdom Come
With that thought in mind, I decided to take two games Deliverance II… and you know what? There was not a single
into one of those second-hand game shops. I really wanted scratch on it. I went forensic Quincy style and THERE WAS NO
the new Doom and also the Rare Replay compilation. The first SCRATCH. The thing is, there was no way I would go back and
was £50 and the second £3. I knew that the PS5 versions of question it, and I also can never take another game to any of
Cyberpunk and Kingdom Come Deliverance II that I wanted these shops. When I buy a game now, I’m stuck with it forever.
to trade probably wouldn’t cover the two games and I was Dear God, the shiver of shame has just engulfed me again.
happy to pay the difference. Time to go and eat to push down my feelings.
After waiting about 20 minutes, I was beckoned over by a
child. I handed her the four discs. She opened Cyberpunk first
and after inspecting it for 15 seconds said, “We can’t take
this, it’s scratched.” I had a quick glimpse and fair play, she
was absolutely spot-on, it was a mess. I metaphorically kicked
To compound things, I
myself because I should have checked it first.
She then moved to Kingdom Come Deliverance II, a game I’d
looked like Ray Cropper
only had a few weeks. I stopped playing it after an hour or two.
There’s a character in it who kept swearing at me and actually
from Coronation Street
called me the worst swear word in the world. I told him where to

Do you agree with Iain’s thoughts? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK [Link] @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@[Link]

12 | RETRO GAMER
 COLUMN
FEATURING DIGITISER’S MR BIFFO
Who is Paul Rose?
Paul is probably better known as Mr Biffo – the creator of legendary teletext games magazine
Digitiser. These days, he mostly writes his videogame ramblings over at [Link]. If you want
more Biffo in your eyes, you can catch him as the host of Digitizer The Show at [Link]/biffo2000.

A world of mystery
W
hen I was 10 or 11, my games. And that, for me, includes the handheld those who felt it was a failed experiment, who
friends and I would iterations. Like many of you, A Link To The Past couldn’t see past those cel-shaded visuals. I
take our bikes to a was my first taste of the franchise, and it blew remember the first time I encountered someone
local park, which had my mind. I’d played RPGs before, but I’d never who hated the graphics, and I was genuinely taken
a large wooded area. It had once felt so much freedom playing anything as I did aback. I couldn’t understand how anybody could
been the grounds of a large on my first trip to Hyrule. see it as anything other than a visual triumph.
mansion owned by the Blackwell family – of Miyamoto, as we know, was inspired to create In purely aesthetic terms, it’s still the best-
Crosse & Blackwell pickle fame. the series based on his childhood spent roaming looking game in the entire series. I’m not going
Since then they’ve thinned out the woodland, the hills and forests of Japan – and it’s that sense to be swayed on that. It’s a masterpiece of visual
but when I was a kid it was really dense… of unbridled childhood freedom, playing out in the design, has one of the best stories, and some of
and among the trees, as we were gathering woods with friends, picking up random sticks, the most varied gameplay of them all.
supplies for our camp, we’d often find the stone funny-shaped rocks, or feathers… that the series And maybe that’s why Zelda has endured. Not
foundations of the former mansion. has always succeeded in capturing. because of its puzzles, or its dungeons, or even its
It felt strange and otherworldly – even though How does he do that? It’s pure alchemy. I mean, stories. It endures because it captures something
we were just a ten-minute walk from home. We on a surface level, the worlds of Zelda don’t make most of us only get to experience once: that
could believe we were in another world – and it’s any sense. There’s nothing to suggest any sort of strange moment in childhood when the world still
that feeling of escape that the Zelda franchise so functioning society. It’s very strange worldbuilding feels huge, mysterious, and full of hidden places.
beautifully captures. once you break down each of the games. And When a patch of woods can become a kingdom…
There hasn’t been a Zelda game I haven’t yet… they work by harnessing a feeling.
loved. Actually… no. Not completely true. I admit It’s nostalgic for an imagined childhood –

Like many of you,

it… I did struggle a tiny bit with the time-loop where sticks became swords and jars could be
aspect of Majora’s Mask. And that looming moon used to capture fairies. By making Hyrule so
face freaked me out. And I didn’t much like that abstract and weird, it lends the series a beautiful
weird one where you could only move in time to
the beat of the music. That was far too much faff
universality – making a child’s experience in
Japan somehow universal to the child within all
A Link To The Past
for my limited brain.
Let’s say… with the exception of Majora’s
of us, no matter where we grew up.
My personal favourite is The Wind Waker –
was my first taste of
Mask, I’ve loved all of the mainline Zelda which might be controversial. I know there are
the franchise, and it
blew my mind

Do you agree with Paul’s thoughts? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK [Link] @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@[Link]

14 | RETRO GAMER
 NEWS
A MOMENT
WALLWITH...
SHOWING OFF COOL RETRO-THEMED STUFF THAT’S GOING ON

» One thing we love about The

Spectrum is how it nails the feel of
the original rubber keyboard.

The Spectrum
» Chris Smith is the chief technology officer at
Retro Games Ltd and says the new white model
includes the latest firmware.

Darren Melbourne and Chris Smith on RGL’s new

colour variant of its popular system
Words by Darran Jones

R
etro Games Ltd is no and our goal is to meet as many
stranger to launching expectations as we can within
mini-consoles and commercial limitations. Seeing the
has had success with enthusiasm from long-time fans
various devices such as The and from people discovering the » Darren Melbourne is the licensing director of
Retro Games Ltd and explains that “tracking
Spectrum, THEA500 Mini and computer for the first time has down the true legal rights holders can be
THEC64 Mini. Its latest system is been incredibly rewarding for the extremely difficult”.
a limited-edition colour variant of whole team.
The Spectrum, so we were keen massive growth in retro gaming, What was the reasoning to
to find out more about it. The original white Spectrum and a downside of that growth make THE PRINTER and a new
was released to commemorate is the associated increase in the Crash magazine for the Limited
Have you been surprised by the the Spectrum hitting a million perceived value of old games. Edition of the system?
success of The Spectrum? sales. Has The Spectrum found Finding games that are CS: THE PRINTER, as we are
Darren Melbourne: We’re always similar success? available, of suitable quality, and of course calling it, has been a
cautious when forecasting our Chris Smith: We would, of still within budget is becoming significant technical challenge
projects, but like our previous course, love to say yes, but that is increasingly challenging. for us, but a great addition to
releases, the community really a huge number for where the retro our range and one that the true
lit up when we announced The console market is today. However, CS: With The Spectrum we Spectrum fans will love.
Spectrum. Retro home computers we are more than happy with the believe we already have a
(big and small) all have passionate success we are enjoying with all great mix of games, and as the Has this new edition of The
and knowledgeable communities, our hardware releases, and The White Edition is a fun collector’s Spectrum had any hardware
Spectrum is no exception. release, there was no need to updates to it?
change perfection. Across all our CS: Other than the complete
Is there any reason why no new systems, we’ve curated a strong change in colour, no. The Spectrum
games have been included with range of high-quality games went through a good number of
this version of The Spectrum? spanning multiple genres, most years of development, and we see
DM: Licensing retro games of which are must-have classics. it as the pinnacle of what can be
is now a very challenging and And of course, users can also add done with the machine at the mass
expensive process. Over the past their own games via USB on all market price we are offering. From
ten years or so, we have seen a our machines. the use of high-quality plastics,

16 | RETRO GAMER
 I think you will agree that
The Spectrum, and the RGL » The Microdrive lets

family of machines that came you add your own

programs and includes
Fusion Paint for use
» If you don’t
care for joysticks,
a white version of RGL’s

before it, are exceptional on THE PRINTER. THEGAMEPAD is also available.

CHRIS SMITH

» Here’s the full contents of the Collector’s Edition, which includes THE PRINTER,
a Quickshot II joystick and spiral-bound manual as exclusives. » [The Spectrum] You won’t find any new games on this version of The Spectrum, but it still has a great
selection of classics and homebrew releases like Alien Girl.
silicon for the keys, the metal In addition, what we really love
keyboard plate, to the mainboard about the retro world as it is today
featuring a powerful and highly is the huge number of new games
reliable SoC, I think you will agree being released which can often be
that The Spectrum, and the RGL downloaded for free or at a small
family of machines that came charge, put on the USB drive and
before it, are exceptional. That’s played directly on The Spectrum.
not to say that we will continue to While we can’t comment on any
improve our offering as technology specific future plans, I think it’s a
improves. The White Edition does wonderful idea to place new games
feature the latest The Spectrum or compilations on USB drives and
firmware, offering even more release them into the market.
compatibility and technical features.
We pride ourselves on continuing What can you tell us about
development post launch to deliver any upcoming projects you’re
the best user experience we can. working on?
DM: We are, of course, deep into » The Spectrum features great emulation and plenty of classic games, including Manic Miner.
Is there the option to perhaps THEA1200, our flagship Amiga
release new licensed Spectrum compatible full-sized home-
games via the supplied USB drive? computer release. After the
DM: The USB drive was another release of THEC64 Mini, fans were
nod to the fans. For the original The asking for a full-sized machine, and
Spectrum release we made a small we delivered THEC64 a couple of
number of USB Mini-Microdrives years later. Initially perceived as
which went down very well in the niche, this has gone from strength
community. With the White and to strength and is still selling well
Collector’s Editions, it made total five years down the line.
sense to include one in the box. It is As for future projects, we’re
unfortunately blank, as adding any always brainstorming ways we can
new games to it would cause us to bring new hardware to the retro
fall foul of age-rating systems around community. There are many
the world. And users can of course challenges to overcome, not least
source ROMs they already own licensing, but you will be very excited
and run them on The Spectrum. with our future plans I am sure.

RETRO GAMER | 17
 NOVEMBER 2009 – Christmas
is approaching and the big guns
are getting ready to fire their
festive offerings. The result
is a heady gaming cocktail of
platforming, FPSing, stealthing
and skateboarding. Join
Martyn Carroll as he
rounds up the month’s
most notable releases

» [Xbox 360] Modern Warfare 2 blew the

competition away in November. Some publishers
pushed their games back to avoid its impact.

NEWS
NOVEMBER 2009
THE LATEST NEWS
FROM NOVEMBER 2009
The weather dominated the
UK news this month. In the
time before we named storms (so

T
let’s make one up), Storm Colin
caused severe flooding in parts of his is one of the busiest simultaneous play. One to four While it wasn’t the best reviewed
Dorset and Sussex. Then, extreme months of the year for players could now assault levels Mario game, it sold like Bowser-
rainfall resulted in around 200 new games, when the together, and while it wasn’t breath-baked cakes, achieving
people having to be rescued from biggest AAA releases able to fix the inherent pitfalls in lifetime sales of 30.3 million and
Cockermouth in the Lake District, and franchise updates typically co-op platforming, it came pretty going on to become the fourth
as the town experienced the worst arrive to capture Christmas close. And it was loads of fun. best-selling Wii release of all time
flooding in its history. sales. There’s plenty to wade “It’s essential,” asserted Official (behind the two Wii Sports games
On 9 November, Germany through, but we must begin with Nintendo Magazine in its 96% and Mario Kart Wii).
marked the 20th anniversary of Nintendo’s New Super Mario Gold Award review. “This is the If we restrict sales to just 2009
the fall of the Berlin Wall with a Bros Wii, simply on account of it sort of game you bought your then New Super Mario Bros Wii
Festival Of Freedom – and yes, being the first proper 2D Mario Nintendo console for, not those was surpassed by a non-Nintendo
David Hasselhoff was involved platformer for a home console daft minigame collections.” The game. Activision’s Call Of Duty:
in the celebrations held at the since Super Mario World, released other mags were a little cooler, Modern Warfare 2 would amass
Brandenburg Gate. for the SNES 19 years prior. mainly due to its multiplayer focus. multiformat sales of 11.7m before
On 16 November it was When it was announced, many NGamer awarded it 85%, calling the year was out, despite only
announced that British actor believed it was a port of the 2006 it a “social experiment”, and it being released on 10 November.
Edward Woodward had died, DS game, but no, this was a received the same score from Developed by series creator
aged 79. The star of Seventies brand-new game that introduced GamesMaster. Edge gave it 7/10. Infinity Ward, this was the sequel
folk horror classic The Wicker to the game that turned Call
Man and later the US crime serial Of Duty into an entertainment
The Equalizer, passed away in phenomenon. The new entry
hospital after a period of illness. was a critical hit too, earning 9/10
In other entertainment news, from games™, 9/10 from Edge,
the second Twilight movie, New and a full house 10/10 from the
Moon, generated record-breaking Official PlayStation Magazine who
box office returns on its opening said, “The world’s biggest game
– leading to lots of fan snobbery. just got bigger.”
Similarly, Susan Boyle’s debut Arriving a week later was a new
album, I Dreamed A Dream, was entry in a series that would soon
released this month and became rival Call Of Duty as an annual
the fastest-selling UK debut album franchise monster. Ubisoft’s
in history. Not bad for a Britain’s Assassin’s Creed II introduced us
» [Wii] Looks serene. But anyone who’s
Got Talent runner-up. played New Super Bros Wii in four- to new hero Ezio and shifted the
player co-op, knows it’s anything but. setting to Renaissance-era Italy.

18 | RETRO GAMER
 BACK TO THE NOUGHTIES: NOVEMBER 2009

» [PC] Dragon Age: Origins introduced » [Xbox 360] Tony Hawk: Ride. The » [Wii] The brilliantly bonkers
us to the world of Thedas and some promise – stylin’ in a skater’s paradise, Rabbids Go Home. We love NOVEMBER 2009
of its scaly inhabitants. at one with the board… it to the moon and back.
PS3
The result was a superior sequel Age: Origins, the inaugural entry Go Home, for the Wii. Despite 1 – PES 2010 (Konami)
that critics loved. Both the Official in BioWare’s heroic fantasy series. releasing in the inescapable
PlayStation Magazine and games™ Duffer of the month by some shadow of New Super Mario Bros 2 – FIFA 10 (EA)
awarded it 9/10, with the latter margin was Tony Hawk: Ride, the Wii, this joyful supermarket sweep 3 – Tekken 6 (Namco)
praising its advances over the tenth main entry in Activision’s was rated higher than Nintendo’s 4 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (Sony)
2007 original, calling it, “A brilliant skateboard series that made a game in some magazines, 5 – WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010
game, and a vast improvement.” desperate grab for the Christmas receiving 86% from NGamer and (THQ)
One interesting facet of this period market by bundling the game with 96% from GamesMaster. For Wii
is that the big publishers liked an expensive plastic skateboard owners, these two exclusives PSP
to leave no stone unturned. So that middle-aged men gyrated on made a brilliant Christmas brace
1 – FIFA 10 (EA)
while Activision released Modern to pop tricks. Edge damned it to – years before the two parties
Warfare 2 for the Xbox 360, PS3 hell, awarding it 3/10 and calling it would officially collaborate in 2 – Gran Turismo (Sony)
and PC, it also put out Modern “deeply flawed”. Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle 3 – Football Manager Handheld
Warfare Reflex on the Wii and With Christmas just around the on the Switch. 2010 (Sega)
Modern Warfare Mobilized on the corner, let’s wrap things up with Join us next time as we focus 4 – GTA Chinatown Wars
DS. Similarly, Ubisoft also released perhaps the surprise offering of on December 2009, looking at (Rockstar)
pared-back Assassin’s Creed the month. Those pesky Rabbids the games that closed out the
5 – WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010
games for the DS and PSP. from Ubisoft’s Rayman Raving Noughties in style – including a (THQ)
Another highlight of the month Rabbids games finally turned return to the wilds of Hyrule and
was Valve’s Left 4 Dead 2 which up in their own outing, Rabbids the streets of Silent Hill.
splattered onto the Xbox 360 and DS
PC to strong reviews across the 1 – Professor Layton And
board, including a 9/10 from Edge. Pandora’s Box (Nintendo)
Also landing well was Dragon 2 – Scribblenauts (Warner Bros)
3 – Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
» [PC] Left 4 Dead 2 nicely built on the
co-op gameplay that distinguished the (Square Enix)
original game. 4 – Professor Layton And The Curious
Village (Nintendo)
5 – MySims Agents (EA)

MUSIC
1 – Meet Me Halfway
(The Black Eyed Peas)
2 – Fight For This Love (Cheryl Cole)
3 – Down (Jay Sean Ft Lil Wayne)
4 – Bad Boys
(Alexandra Burke Ft Flo Rida)
» [PlayStation 3] Assassin’s Creed II appears to be channelling 5 – Bad Romance (Lady Gaga)
something here, but we can’t quite put our finger on it.

THIS MONTH IN…

Xbox World 360 Edge GamesMaster
“2009 is the Year Of The The marketplace dominance of The lads at GamesMaster love
Delay,” bemoaned the mag, Modern Warfare 2 is discussed the look of the new PSP Go,
in a report highlighting several this month, along with its which launched in October. “Hats
anticipated titles that had been controversial price point. “Such off to Sony for delivering the most
bumped to 2010. They included is its dominant position that an handsome piece of handheld kit
Bayonetta, BioShock 2, Splinter increase in its RRP to £55 has currently available.” There’s a
Cell: Conviction and Red Dead been viewed more as a mark of sticking point though, and it’s not
Redemption. Patience guys, it’ll confidence in its quality rather the lack of a UMD drive. “It’s just
be worth the wait. than opportunism…” far too expensive!”

RETRO GAMER | 19
3D Starfighter
STAR WARS ON A BUDGET

» RETROREVIVAL
» AMSTRAD CPC » 1987 » CODEMASTERS
Due to coming from a single-parent
family, money was always tight growing
up, so the vast majority of games I could
afford were budget games. Maybe it was
because of the Dizzy games, but I found
myself owning more titles from Codemasters in my
collection than any other budget label.
Often these purchases were carefully considered
and based on reviews, but I would sometimes choose
something on a whim, because the back of the box took
my fancy or I had some rare birthday money to spend. 3D
Starfighter was one of those titles that was a purchase
that wasn’t given much thought, and in retrospect, I
probably should have read some reviews about it.
Like many youngsters of my age, Star Wars had a huge
impact on me and if I wasn’t reenacting key scenes from
the original trilogy with friends, I was reading comics,
making jigsaws and playing with my Star Wars figures.
3D Starfighter’s back cover offered exciting space
battles, similar to the ones I’d seen in George Lucas’
film and while the fighters that looked like disembodied
alien heads were nothing like ships found in the movie,
the game itself still appealed to me.
Sadly, 3D Starfighter is a rather generic blaster and
it struggled to hold my attention for very long. There’s
plenty to see and do in it and the visuals are nice
enough, but I couldn’t imagine it as a Star Wars game
like I could with Deathchase (pretending you were on
Speeder bikes) and 3D Starstrike (pretending I was Luke
in the final Death Star assault).
I’m not sure what it was about 3D Starfighter, but it
just didn’t fire my imagination in the way that Deathchase
and 3D Starstrike did. Maybe I was expecting too much
from it, but it just didn’t deliver on any of the thrills and
excitement that the back of the box promised.
I tried foisting 3D Starfighter off to my mates, but
none of them were interested, so it became stuck in
my collection and eventually ended up in a skip with all
my other Amstrad games. But that dear reader, is a sad
story for another time.
 hey say the best legends are Mario and then get the
destined to be retold, and Mario programmers
over the past four decades, involved in the final push
the stories behind the creation to finish The Legend
of The Legend Of Zelda Of Zelda.” It’s quite
series have been shared countless times. amazing to think that both
Its primary creator and torchbearer, Shigeru games – titles of such
Miyamoto, is not shy when it comes to talking significance – were in
about the series. Back in 1997/8, in the long lead development at the same
up to the release of Ocarina Of Time, he was in time by largely the same
full PR mode, giving enough interviews to fill a team. Even more so as the two games were
» Shigeru Miyamoto, the tome or two. You might argue that the voices of very different: Mario was a linear platformer,
primary creator of The Legend
Of Zelda, has had a hand in Miyamoto and his team have been exhausted on Zelda was a sprawling adventure with role-
every game in the series. the subject of Zelda. Yet, the various interviews playing elements.
often throw up fascinating tales and obscure The difference in approach was dictated by
details that deserve spotlighting – particularly cost. Famicom cartridges were durable and
as many were conducted in Japanese and not loaded instantly, but they were expensive to
translated until years later. produce. And bigger games meant larger ROMs
To tell the story of Zelda, we have sought the and higher costs. Hence why the eight worlds
insights of three people who are integral to its of Super Mario Bros were crammed into a
continued success: Miyamoto, series co-creator 40KB cart. Famicom floppies were cheaper to
Takashi Tezuka, and current series producer Eiji produce and offered 112KB of storage per disk, » Takashi Tezuka co-designed
Zelda alongside Miyamoto. He
Aonuma. Let’s go back to the beginning, and which allowed for more expansive games. This directed A Link To The Past
start with Miyamoto’s memories of the original opened the door to the Kingdom Of Hyrule, with and Link’s Awakening.
game, The Legend Of Zelda. Establishing a its large overworld and nine distinct dungeons
trend that many Zelda games would follow in to explore. There were other technical benefits
the future, it was developed to take advantage too. “We were eager to take advantage of the
of new Nintendo hardware. “Development Disk System’s features,” said Miyamoto. “We
began on The Legend Of Zelda in 1984, as a were able to register names, add better sound,
launch game for the Famicom Disk System,” save the player’s progress, and incorporate
he said, in a Q&A included with the 1994 audio other new ideas, which made the game a lot
CD The Legend Of Zelda: Sound And Drama. of fun to make.” But because the game drops
» Eiji Aonuma directed “We had started development on Super Mario players into a hostile world, with enemies on
Majora’s Mask, The Wind Bros shortly before, so we were extremely busy nearly every screen and minimal signposting, » [NES] The legend begins. Link
Waker and Twilight Princess. sets out on his epic quest, his
He currently serves as the with planning, with the two projects progressing Miyamoto and his team were nervous. “We progress underscored by Koji
Zelda series producer. simultaneously. It was very difficult to finish were worried that people wouldn’t know what Kondo’s iconic theme music.

22 | RETRO GAMER
THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA

RETRO GAMER | 23
 » [Switch] Blossom Tales is a love letter to 2D Zelda games and other 16-bit adventures. » [PC] Demon Tides was inspired by the 3D Zelda games, particularly The Wind Waker.

Can we begin by asking about your our attempt to bottle that sense of discovery exploring is rewarding, and if the moment-to-
relationship with The Legend Of and pass it on to a new generation. moment gameplay keeps players engaged. A lot of
Zelda series? development is just experimenting and refining until
Fabian Rastorfer: Ocarina Of Time ended up Rob, Blossom Tales is a homage to 2D Zelda everything finally feels right.
being my gateway drug into the Zelda world games. How did you look to add originality?
and it had a huge impact on me. It made RM: We always tried to strike a balance As Zelda celebrates its 40th anniversary, where
me realise games can be more than just between honouring the games that personally would you like to see the series go next?
fun to play, they can be an entire adventure inspired us and building something that FR: I believe the team over at Nintendo knows
you can get immersed in. This feeling » Fabian Rastorfer felt like its own world. The storytelling what they are doing and I’ll be there for whatever
was only further amplified when I played leads the team at framework helped a lot. We were big they do next. I do think what Breath Of The Wild
Fabraz that developed
Majora’s Mask, which I actually found quite Demon Turf (2021) and fans of The Princess Bride and always introduced, and Tears Of The Kingdom refined, has
frightening back then! Demon Tides (2026). loved that grandfather and grandchild been fully explored, so I’m eager to see what new
setup. Framing the game that way gives it innovations they cook up.
Rob Maher: Some of my earliest memories the feeling of sitting around with friends
are sitting cross-legged in front of a CRT listening to a story together, which gave us RM: I would love to see the series explore
television playing Zelda with my older a lot of creative freedom while still keeping something a little cosier alongside its adventures.
brother. Every secret we uncovered felt like that classic adventure feel. Imagine building a home, becoming part of a village,
a discovery we had made ourselves, and and spending time with familiar characters who
every Game Over was something we shared. Fabian, Demon Tides has a strong Wind grow alongside you. You could still venture out into
Later, when I got into game development, Waker feel… classic Zelda-style dungeons, but the things you
I learned that Shigeru Miyamoto originally FR: That was absolutely intentional. If you’d bring back would help your home and community
created The Legend Of Zelda to capture the » Rob Maher is the have asked me what my favourite Zelda is, I’d grow. A mix of life or farming sim elements with
feeling of exploring the woods as a kid. That lead creator of the two have answered The Wind Waker. I truly believe traditional dungeon exploration could make the
Blossom Tales games
really reframed the series for me. It showed (2017, 2022), developed it’s a timeless game, which was actually a rarity world feel more personal and lived in.
me that a game world can come from by Castle Pixel. for many 3D titles back in the day due to the
something very personal. race to higher fidelity. It looks as beautiful today Can we expect further adventures for both of your
as it did back then. Its sense of exploration and discovery game heroines at some point?
How influential has the series been out in the open ocean is also unparalleled and was FR: Right now we’re working on a big patch for
on you and your team? definitely a reference point for Demon Tides. Demon Tides that will feature more polish, bug
FR: I think it’s Zelda’s approach to world design fixes, quality-of-life additions and even a few new
which has left a mark on most of us. Connecting What were the biggest challenges you faced? features. After that it’s all about getting the game
locations spatially, having villages with lived-in FR: It’s hard to design levels for an open-world game, on the Switch before we decide what to do next.
NPCs etc. It all adds to a sense of place and it’s even harder to structure progression around Who knows, the possibilities are endless.
immerses you wonderfully. it, and it’s a big technical hurdle too as you need
to ensure everything loads seamlessly. There’s a RM: We have always imagined Lily’s story as a trilogy,
RM: Blossom Tales came from a mix of ambition reason Demon Tides took us over three years! a full journey of growth and discovery. There is still
and nostalgia. We grew up inspired by the classic more of her world we want to explore, and we are not
adventure games and wondered if a small team could RM: Honestly, the hardest challenge was figuring ready to say goodbye to those characters yet. When
capture that same spirit. At the same time, I wanted out how to make the game fun. You are constantly the time is right, we would love to invite players back
to recreate the feeling of childhood exploration. It was asking yourself if a puzzle feels satisfying, if for one more adventure.

24 | RETRO GAMER
 THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA
» [NES] No turn-based moves here. The first boss Aquamentus
is spitting deadly fireballs in our direction.

» [NES] Aha! After roaming the wilderness, Link finally finds » [NES] Link discovers a bow hidden
the entrance to the first dungeon. Let the real fun begin. in the depths of a dungeon. This
might come in handy…

» [NES] The Adventure Of Link is more of a » [NES] The sequel features a

» [NES] You could be forgiven for thinking that The Adventure traditional RPG, with the various locations number of townships where the
Of Link is just another NES side-scrolling platformer. linked via a navigable overworld map. locals offer up handy hints.

to do, even at the beginning of the game, and will I buy a map. Zelda RPG elements. NPCs
the game wouldn’t be well received. We were games are very much played a greater role
also concerned about the puzzle-solving element like this. First you in the game and
and whether we’d pitched the difficulty level explore, then you gain Link could now earn
correctly. Solving a puzzle could be difficult…” a useful tool – like my experience points to
Indeed it could. We all know how progression bicycle – and then you upgrade his abilities.
in Zelda games works, where inaccessible get a map. The map is The sequel was
areas are unlocked using items retrieved from not essential, it just makes things easier.” another commercial hit, but its departure from
dungeons (and the dungeons themselves have the original (and what would follow) has led to it
their own rulebook, learnt through trial and error), he Legend Of Zelda launched being known as the ‘oddball’ entry of the series.
but back then it was all brand-new. There were in Japan alongside the Disk Speaking about the game in a 1992 issue of
clues of course, but they were often cryptic System in February 1986. Famicom Tsushin, Miyamoto, who moved to
– and doubly so, when translated (somewhat Players were absorbed in Link’s the producer role for the sequel, explained the
loosely) from Japanese to English. Through gated quest to rescue Princess Zelda reasoning behind the changes. “The Adventure
progression, players were actively encouraged and defeat the dark prince Ganon, and sales Of Link was created with the premise that the
to explore the world, mentally map it out, were strong, topping 1.7m – impressive, when player will grow and improve as they play. But
and yes, get a little lost. “I wanted to create a you factor in that new hardware was required there are also people who just aren’t very good
game where the player understands the history to play it. The Disk System was not released at the game, so we made it so that even those
and nature of the land, and it feels like they’re outside of Japan, so for its 1987 worldwide people can progress if they work hard and earn
exploring,” said Miyamoto. “In traditional RPGs release Nintendo had to revert its approach enough experience points. The good thing about
the game progresses solely through dialogue, and issue the game on cartridge. This required RPGs is that even if you’re not great at the game,
but we wanted the player to interact with the a large (for its time) 128KB ROM and an you’ll be rewarded if you put in the effort.” A
game world using the controller, and conquer additional 8KB of battery-backed RAM to save decade later, speaking to the Swedish Super
dungeons using a simple mapping system.” In progress. It proved to be a wise move as the Play magazine, he was more reflective – and
another 1994 interview given to Total! magazine, game would sell a further 4.8m copies on cart. less forgiving. “It was my original idea, but the
Miyamoto shared a story about his love of While Western gamers were exploring actual game was developed by another team,”
exploring which beautifully encapsulated his Hyrule for the first time, in Japan the second he said, mitigating. “The games I make usually
entire approach to the series. “I like to explore instalment was already old news. Released in get better in the development process, since we
on my own,” he revealed. “When I visit a January 1987, Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link keep coming up with good ideas, but Zelda II
new town, like New York, I like to walk alone was turned around quickly, but this wasn’t a stayed the same. It was sort of a failure… We
at night, simply exploring the back streets and simple rehash like the Japanese Super Mario actually see A Link To The Past as the real sequel
hidden places. I explore on foot for a while, then Bros 2. Instead, Nintendo went back to the to The Legend Of Zelda. Zelda II was more of a
sometimes I buy a bicycle and cycle around drawing board to create a new adventure that side story about what happened to Link after the
town. Only when I know my way around a little was more of a side-scrolling platformer with events of The Legend Of Zelda.”

RETRO GAMER | 25
 Let’s follow Miyamoto’s overlapping worlds. In the the controls, the sound, the rhythm. No matter
lead and move onto the end, we decided it would how good the story is, if these aspects are
third game, A Link To The be best for us, as well as neglected, it won’t be a good game.” He felt
Past, which was initially for players, to have this as the same way about the visual enhancements
released for the Japanese two worlds: one light, one offered by the new hardware. “I’ve never
Super Famicom in November dark. We felt the best way to thought about it in terms of aesthetics alone.
1991. Miyamoto retained represent this overlap of light It’s important to first create the images, words
his producer role while and dark, and to represent and sounds that are the things you want to
Takashi Tezuka, who co-designed the original the changes between them, was to use the express, and then have the attitude of finding
alongside Miyamoto and wrote the story for the same slanted top-down view used in the original something that elevates them further.”
two previous entries, directed the new game. The Legend Of Zelda game.” Miyamoto’s design philosophy would reap
Speaking to this magazine in 2017, Tezuka results. A Link To The Past sold 4.6m copies
remembers being excited by the prospect of he third game placed more worldwide, which was more than the second
bringing Zelda to Nintendo’s new 16-bit console. emphasis on the plot, and game (4.4m), but short of the original (6.5m).
“The hardware allowed us to do things we particularly Link’s path to Sales aside, the game is celebrated by many
hadn’t been able to until that point,” he said. “I’d becoming the princess-saving, fans as the pinnacle of the traditional 2D Zelda
only been drawing four-colour pixel images up Ganon-conquering hero of format. In that category it does have competition
until then, so even just increasing the number Hyrule. “The game starts with a dark, rainy from a plucky outsider – Link’s Awakening, the
of colours available to 16 or 256, as well as scene, with Link being just a regular village Game Boy entry which was released in 1993.
being able to use high-quality sounds, was really boy who, in the same situation as the player, While the GB could have conceivably handled a
exciting.” That said, the technical challenges doesn’t really know what’s going on,” said port of A Link To The Past, Miyamoto and Tezuka
remained. “We had a long battle with the Tezuka. “He just follows Princess Zelda’s voice chose instead to create an exclusive adventure
memory size,” he revealed, “and I remember and works to save her. We didn’t have Link for the handheld. Link’s Awakening truly was
very clearly that the engineering team worked start out as a sword-wielding hero, because a side story, taking place away from Hyrule,
extremely hard to optimise it.” we wanted him to awaken as a hero when he on a mysterious island, with Zelda nowhere in
The game would return to the top-down pulls out the Master Sword. We thought that sight. 1993 also saw the release of two offshoot
perspective of the original – a decision that was players would form an emotional connection entries, The Faces Of Evil and The Wand Of
partly driven by the game’s backstory, which with Link as they play.” For Miyamoto, Gamelon, developed under license by Phillips for
saw Hyrule split into two parallel worlds which however, his oft-repeated maxim of ‘gameplay its CD-i hardware (more on those in RG 27). A
Link could flip between. “When we were first, story second’ still rang true. “The most third, Zelda’s Adventure, followed in 1995. Many
starting the project, we experimented to see if it important thing is how comfortable you feel words have been used to describe these CD-i
was possible to include a multi-world structure,” when playing the game,” he said in a 1992 efforts, but ‘misjudged’ is the most apt.
he continued. “Our plan was that events in the interview with The Super Famicom magazine. Despite the Phillips deviation, the series
hub world would have an effect on the other, “What determines that is not the scenario, but remained a vital property for Nintendo, so

CELEBRATING THE HIGHLIGHTS OF

LINK’S HANDHELD HERITAGE

1993 • GAME BOY 2001 • GAME BOY COLOR 2004 • GAME BOY ADVANCE
■ Link’s first Game Boy adventure is a miniature ■ Developed by Flagship, and released ■ This entry looks great, using the GBA hardware
marvel. Rather than the pared-back experience consecutively with its ‘twin’ game Oracle Of Ages, to deliver visuals that channel A Link To The Past .
you might expect, it’s a proper Zelda game that’s this emulates the look and feel of Link’s Awakening Gameplay-wise it’s another triumph, with the titular
delightful from start to finish. The difficulty level to excellent effect. Of the two games, Seasons is headwear that makes Link tiny leading to lots of
is slightly more forgiving, making it a perfect entry more cerebral, with a greater focus on puzzles over clever puzzles. It’s not the longest Zelda, but it’s
point for newcomers. action, so it gets our vote. every bit as rewarding.

26 | RETRO GAMER
 THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA
» Before his Game Boy » [Game Boy Color] Link’s Awakening DX features a new ‘Color Dungeon’
adventures, Link made his designed to show off the GBC’s new hues.
portable debut in a Game
& Watch LCD handheld,
released in 1989.

» [Game Boy] A Chain Chomp makes a cameo appearance in Link’s

Awakening, linking Zelda to the Mario universe.

» [SNES] A Link To The Past begins with an

atmospheric prologue, where Link sets out to rescue
Princess Zelda on a stormy night.

» [SNES] Step one. Sword acquired. We’re sure you

can hear the musical cue in your head right now.

2007 • NINTENDO DS 2009 • NINTENDO DS 2013 • NINTENDO 3DS

■ Built around the DS’ touch-screen capabilities, ■ The second DS game retains the stylus control ■ This is the direct follow-up to A Link To The
this direct sequel to The Wind Waker uses the system from Phantom Hourglass, resulting in a Past . While it recalls the SNES game’s setting
stylus to control Link’s movements and actions. similar game. Yet the addition of the Spirit Train, a and storyline, it looks forward with a less linear
It could have been a mess, but it’s perfectly customisable choo-choo that Link uses to traverse structure (you can choose the order in which you
intuitive and works brilliantly, adding a tactile new the overworld, is another genius addition that gives tackle the dungeons), granting the player more
dimension to Link’s exploits. the game a unique flavour. freedom in how they progress.

RETRO GAMER | 27
 » [Game Boy Advance] In a neat touch, if you
play either Oracle title on a GBA, a new ‘Advance
Shop’ pops up, carrying exclusive items.

» The two Oracle games were released on the same

day in 2001. They are separate adventures but it’s
possible to ‘trade’ items between the two games.
THAT TIME LINK AND ZELDA
TURNED UP ON OUR TELLIES
■ When 2023’s The Super Mario Bros Movie
earned a sizeable $1.36b at the worldwide box
office, it prompted Nintendo to chew over other
potential film projects. A live-action Zelda movie
was quickly greenlit and it’s due out in 2027,
directed by Wes Ball and starring Benjamin Evan
Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda. » [Game Boy Advance] If you complete
This is not the first time the series has the Four Swords multiplayer adventure,
been adapted for the screen. Back in 1989, an an exclusive new dungeon appears in
the GBA version of A Link To The Past.
animated The Legend Of Zelda segment was
included as part of The Super Mario Bros Super
Show!. A total of 13 episodes were produced,
which drew inspiration from the two NES
games. The plots were typical kids cartoon
fare, but what’s particularly interesting is the
depiction of the main characters: Link is a rather
annoying, reluctant hero, while Zelda is a very
resourceful princess who’s clearly capable of
saving herself. The series has been released on
various home media over the years, and these
days it’s possible to freely view every episode
online. For Zelda fans it remains a fun watch
– just avoid any drinking games linked to the
number of times Links utters the terrible line,
“Well, excuuuuse me, princess!”

» [Nintendo 64] Horses were introduced to Hyrule in Ocarina Of Time, enabling you to travel around quickly with neigh problems.

» We’re surprised Zelda hasn’t thrown

Link out of that window…

» [Nintendo 64] In Majora’s Mask, Termina Field acts as the game’s central hub, serving the same purpose as Hyrule Field in Ocarina.

28 | RETRO GAMER
 THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA

when the Nintendo 64 you just port everything

was released in 1996, over from the previous
it wasn’t a case of if, game, you can’t really
but when a Zelda game create something new,
would grace the new right? The development
system. And ‘when’ staff has largely changed,
soon became a hot topic. too, and I wanted them
Miyamoto had previously to make the Zelda they
mused on how it was wanted to make. The
taking longer and longer scenes with Epona
to develop Zelda games. were the result of long
The original took a year, Link’s Awakening a discussions with designer Yoshiaki Koizumi.
year-and-a-half, and A Link To The Past two- The reason we chose a horse is because
and-a-half years. Link’s N64 debut, Ocarina Of we wanted the mode of transportation to be
Time, would take more than three years. After something that brought you into contact with
high-profile delays it was eventually released in others. That choice is also a reflection of the
November 1998. staff’s understanding of what ‘Zelda-ness’
means.”
n the official Japanese strategy Of course, the biggest shift in Ocarina Of
guide for the game, Miyamoto Time was the move to 3D graphics – a change
spoke about the challenges of that affected not just the look of the game, but
» [Nintendo DS] Rather than just use the DS hardware to show your map
creating complex games requiring how combat and exploration worked. It meant on the second screen, Nintendo designed Phantom Hourglass around a
multiple development teams. “The changes to those famous dungeons too. “For stylus control system.
hardware keeps changing over the years and the first time in a Zelda game we didn’t spend
consequently the overall work we have to as much time on the dungeons. It may be make some pixel-perfect jump to progress.” The
do has blown up,” he said, in an interview because we were working from completely new solution was to introduce a system where Link
translated by [Link] “My work ideas this time. The dungeons are not further automatically jumps at the edge of platforms.
was less about adding my own ideas as it iterations on the ‘labyrinth’ ideas from A Link To Cutscenes were another consideration and
was bringing together and consolidating what The Past. I don’t think those are very appropriate Miyamoto looked to limit them, using the
everyone else had done. Because a game this for a 3D game.” And then there was the game’s in-game camera to add “miniature movies”
large is the combined work of a huge number approach to jumping – that bane of many instead. “When Link approaches a cliff’s edge,
of people, it’s not my place to come in and early 3D adventures. “I thought if we added the camera swivels upwards and allows you
try to exert my own control over everything.” jumping, it would be one-too-many gameplay to peer down into the chasm,” he said. “Or
Explaining his approach in relation to adding elements. And it would be frustrating if you when you cross a bridge on horseback, the
new features to the Zelda formula, he said, “If were in the middle of a dungeon and had to camera switches to a cinematic side view.

RELIVE THOSE KEY MOMENTS WHEN THE

GAMEWORLD SUDDENLY OPENED UP

■ After a few hours of play in A Link ■ It’s perhaps the quintessential ■ Zelda games like to limit your ■ Breath Of The Wild begins on The
To The Past , you’ll battle the evil moment in the Zelda series. Having exploration at the onset, and The Great Plateau, a raised region that’s
wizard Agahnim who will draw you finally escaped the confines of Ocarina Wind Waker does this more than initially secluded from the rest of the
into the Dark World, a gloomy version Of Time’s Kokiri Forest, young Link most. But once you reach Windfall map. To leave, you first must acquire
of the Sacred Realm. With Link is allowed to roam Hyrule Field for Island you can purchase the Sail from the Paraglider from the mysterious
standing atop the Pyramid Of Power the first time. Suddenly, this vast Zunari’s shop. With this item, you Old Man and use it to drift down
at the world’s centre (with Death overworld appears, with wide open can begin to explore The Great Sea to the region below. From here,
Mountain looming in the background), plains spreading out before you. The properly and enjoy an island-hopping the true adventure begins, with
you suddenly realise that this quest is door to the rest of the game is opened tour. Initially, however, you will need the sweeping expanse of Hyrule
much bigger than you first thought. and the impact is unforgettable. to factor in the wind direction. unfurling in every direction.

RETRO GAMER | 29
 In this way, we’re not of those, there were ideas
interrupting the gameplay that weren’t used to their
with lengthy cutscenes, full potential. One of those
but attaching the movies was the mask salesman.
to the character’s own We felt it would be a lot
movements.” of fun if Link acquired all
Ocarina Of Time was these abilities by putting
late but worth the wait. The on different masks. We
delay only served to build felt that would expand the
anticipation and players were not disappointed gameplay. Once we decided we were going
– it was another series high point, a genuine with the masks, everything just fell into place. » Ocarina Of Time was a huge hit on the Nintendo 3DS, selling
masterpiece. Sales were the best yet too, Well, we really didn’t have time, so things had to almost as many copies as the Nintendo 64 original.
hitting 7.6m. Capitalising on its success – and fall in place [laughs].”
the 3D engine it had built – Nintendo rushed Skyward Sword [2011] had a painting-like look
ahead with a direct sequel, Majora’s Mask. The ajora’s Mask was released with its half cel-shaded animation. It keeps
game was directed by Eiji Aonuma and Yoshiaki in 2000, at the beginning of changing with each new release…”
Koizumi, two of the Ocarina Of Time designers. the decade that would see The truth is the ‘look’ has always evolved, just
Aonuma, speaking to former Nintendo president the Zelda release timeline as the plot has repeatedly reset and Link, Zelda,
Satoru Iwata for an Iwata Asks interview, become very busy. There Ganon and the other characters have continually
revealed the story behind Majora’s Mask and its were three separate strands: the exclusive changed over time (Miyamoto confirmed this
unusual gameplay, which was based around a handheld titles (which you can read about in our back in 1994, stating that, “Each character is
repeating three-day cycle. “This all started with Side Quests panel); the multiplayer spin-offs, recreated for every new game.”) The style of
Miyamoto-san asking whether we could make released under the Four Swords banner; and game is also fluid. With the release of A Link
a game in one year if we repurposed the 3D the enduring mainline entries, beginning with Between Worlds (2013), and to a greater extent
models from Ocarina Of Time,” he revealed. The Wind Waker in 2002. This GameCube Breath Of The Wild (2017), the series has
“I started thinking about what kind of game I game, which saw Link navigating an ocean become less linear with an emphasis on open-
should make. I met Koizumi-san around this time overworld, featured cel-shaded graphics and world exploration. Its 2D roots are not ignored
and I asked for his help. He was working on a introduced the world to ‘Toon Link’. This new either – see the remake of Link’s Awakening
plan for a different game, one where you would look proved to be rather controversial at the (2019) and the more recent Echoes Of Wisdom
play the same moments in time over and over time. “There was division between those who (2024). With Aonuma’s steady hand on the tiller
again. From there, the ‘three-day system’ was liked that artistic style and those who didn’t,” as series producer, and both Miyamoto and
born.” Wearing masks to transform Link was Aonuma told Iwata. “We upended a lot of Tezuka retaining creative interest, we can be sure
also integral to the game. “The development things with The Wind Waker, and we continued that one thing won’t change: The Legend Of
of Ocarina Of Time was so long, we were able to do so beyond that. Twilight Princess [2006] Zelda will always inspire warmth and a sense of
to put in a whole lot of different elements. Out had serious and photorealistic looks, and then wonder in everyone who steps into its world.

ROUNDING UP THE VERY

BEST REMASTERS

■ The 1993 original worked perfectly within the ■ This is how you improve on perfection. The 3DS ■ The game looks amazing displayed in HD,
limits of the Game Boy hardware. With the arrival version sharpens up the graphics (and presents and the Wii U’s GamePad acts as a handy map/
of the Game Boy Color in 1998, Nintendo chose to them in 3D, naturally), and makes the controls more inventory screen. But the main improvement is
remaster the game, adding colour graphics and responsive. A myriad of small tweaks (such as the new Swift Sail, which makes travel across
bringing the visuals to life. A brand-new ‘Color simplifying the use of the Iron Boots) seal the deal the ocean faster and less fussy. There are other
Dungeon’ was also added. on this brilliant update. gameplay fixes but this is key.

30 | RETRO GAMER
 THE CHRONICLES OF: ZELDA

» [Wii U] ‘Toon Link’ made his

debut in The Wind Waker. It
was a rather divisive design
decision at the time. You can
read more about the game’s » [Wii] The original 2011 release of
creation in RG 121. Skyward Sword makes extensive
use of the Wii’s motion controls.

» [GameCube] Yes! Link gets

to transform into wolf form
in 2006’s GameCube/Wii dual
release Twilight Princess..

» [Switch 2] Breath Of The Wild is such a fine-

looking game. Every vista is screenshot worthy.

» [Switch 2] Exploring Hyrule and discovering its numerous

secret areas is one of the many joys of Tears Of The Kingdom.

■ Debate continues as to whether Twilight ■ This one’s an easy choice. Skyward Sword was ■ The fact this demanding game runs on the
Princess was best on the GameCube or Wii – but built around the Wii’s motion controls, making it Switch as well as it does is an achievement, but
these days it has to be the Wii U version every time, a bit of a Marmite entry. The Switch version lets performance regularly dips below the 30fps target.
thanks to the 1080p visuals, various quality-of-life you play it using a standard controller, making it On the Switch 2 it maintains a steady 60fps and
improvements, and the new Hero Mode designed more accessible. Gyro fans can still faff with their also introduces HDR and faster loading times. The
for seasoned players. Joy-Cons if they wish. end result is simply glorious.

RETRO GAMER | 31
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Behind the scenes of your favourite soundtracks

FROM THE TITLE SCREEN THROUGH TO STAGES TWO, FIVE AND BEYOND, THERE IS NO DOUBTING THE IMPACT
TIM FOLLIN’S INTRICATE AND AMBITIOUS SCORE HAD ON PLAYERS OF THE HOME-COMPUTER VERSIONS OF THE
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED GHOULS ’N GHOSTS
WORDS BY DAVID CROOKES

C
apcom’s Ghouls ’N Ghosts was my grandmother had saved up for
IN THE KNOW a frighteningly good platform because she also played so I grew
»D EVELOPER: game. It made its debut in the up hearing a lot of music.” Tim’s
SOFTWARE CREATIONS
» COMPOSER:
arcades in 1988 as the follow-up first instrument was a Yamaha CS-
TIM FOLLIN to Ghosts ’N Goblins and it quickly 01 monophonic synth which allowed
» BEST TRACK: caught the imagination of gamers, paving the way him to experiment with pulse-width
TITLE MUSIC for an inevitable slew of home-computer versions modulated (PWM) square waves.
» RELEASE: that were, in the main, also positively received. A few years later, aged around 14,
1989
The game’s combination of challenging he got a ZX Spectrum. “I began
» PLATFORM:
COMMODORE 64,VARIOUS gameplay and gorgeous graphics proved experimenting with machine code » [C64] Of the original tunes Tim
wrote for the game, his favourite
» GENRE: captivating enough but there was a special treat programming and immediately gravitated
was the high-score screen
PLATFORMER for anyone who played it on the Commodore towards creating sound,” he says, explaining he tune, mainly for the key change
64, ZX Spectrum (128K), Amstrad CPC 6128, learned to create multiple channels and began towards the end.
Atari ST and Amiga. These versions had a writing tunes “just as a way to show what the
blistering soundtrack by Tim Follin who many code could do”.
have argued to be the greatest ever composer Around that time, his older brother Mike
of videogame music. was writing games and Tim assisted with
That’s quite a pedestal on which to be the audio. After Mike developed a Spectrum
placed but Tim’s tunes certainly struck a version of the BBC Micro title The Sentinel
chord, particularly with Ghouls ’N Ghosts on and asked Tim to copy the four-channel sound,
the Commodore 64 and the 16-bits. What employment beckoned. “Mike landed a full-time
makes the soundtrack even more remarkable job at Software Creations and the boss asked
is that it was composed when Tim was just me to work there too,” Tim says. “That was
18 years old. Working for Software Creations, my introduction to all the other computers and
he not only improved upon the work of consoles and the other programmers explained
Tamayo Kawamoto, who composed the arcade how the various sound chips worked. I soon
version’s audio, but came up with a set of
original tunes, unleashing a gothic symphony. » [Amiga] The Amiga
“I’d always had an interest in music,” included a different title tune
but otherwise it included
he says. “My older brothers had various converted C64 tunes.
instruments, my grandad was an amateur
singer and we had a piano in the house, which

■ Tim Follin began his career

working for Insight Studios and
he followed his brother, Mike,
into full-time employment at
Software Creations. He left to
join Malibu Interactive, later
became a freelancer, had a
spell out of the videogame
industry and more recently
worked on the FMV-focussed
titles Contradiction and At » [C64] Tim says it’s “difficult to be proud of tunes that were only really
Dead Of Night. half my creation” but he did an amazing job.

34 | RETRO GAMER
 MUSIC MEMORIES: GHOULS ’N GHOSTS

FROM SID
TO SNES
Tim Follin highlights some of his
favourite systems for making music
■ Tim Follin has composed audio using many
different computers but he certainly had his
favourites. In terms of the 8-bits, he enjoyed
working on the Commodore 64 the most,
and he was frustrated with some of its rival
machines. “I hated the AY-8910 chip found
in the later Spectrum and Amstrad CPC,” he
admits. “It was so annoying that so many
computers used that chip which was already
dated at that time.”
For this reason, he didn’t like working on the
» [C64] Different tunes accompanied each of the different » [C64] Tim’s haunting soundtrack has been Atari ST either, preferring the Amiga which he
stages and all were appropriate to the gameplay. performed by symphony orchestras. says was always full of promise. “But I was
never given enough sample memory to make
stopped coding my own music drivers and let the woody, flutey sound would suit the game. He the most of it and I was never happy with what
much better programmers there do it for me, so I also looked at what was technically possible I was able to do with it,” he adds.
could concentrate on writing the music.” and ran with it. “It is really just the same as Tim seemed to get on better with the consoles.

T
someone overdriving their guitar and then “The NES was probably my next favourite after
im had been a fan of Ghosts wondering what sort of music makes the most the C64 because it was a simple chip but again
’N Goblins and he used to play of that sound (that is, all of rock music),” he just about flexible enough to achieve some
it in the arcade on his way says. Yet many of the main theme’s flourishes interesting sounds. The SNES was my favourite
home from school so, when were born from boredom. “I used to get bored sample-based chip to work on. It offered a lot of
Software Creations asked him very easily with the music I wrote and I used flexibility despite its small sample memory size.
to compose audio for the sequel, he was to make it evolve and change quite quickly,” he I’ve always loved a challenge!”
more than happy to get involved. He didn’t admits. “I think the overall effect of constantly
really get any direction. “I was familiar with the changing the tricks I was using made this
sequel and the mood it was going for but the theme sound busier and bigger.”
music was just left to me,” he says. “I think One thing’s for sure, Tim enjoyed working
music was seen as a sort of bit of extra gloss on the C64. “It was obviously a very simple
on top, rather than being integral to the game.” synth but it was still flexible enough to allow
Even so, Tim ended up me to create some
pulling a blinder.
Work began on
“I BEGAN EXPERIMENTING interesting sounds,”
he says. He also felt
the C64 version WITH MACHINE CODE he could experiment
first, starting with PROGRAMMING AND on the Amiga which » [Atari ST] Although Tim didn’t like the AY-8910 sound chip, he still
achieved great things with the Atari ST.
conversions of the
arcade tunes. “I IMMEDIATELY GRAVITATED allowed him to produce
a different title tune.
thought they were TOWARDS CREATING SOUND” He made a great job of
great, but they TIM FOLLIN all of the versions he
were all quite short worked on and says
and needed to be longer for the C64, so I Ghouls ’N Ghosts was the project he was most
embellished them and often took them in a invested in. “It aligned with some of my music
new direction.” He then turned his attention to interests outside of videogame music at the time
the original compositions, notably the amazing and I felt it was more atmospheric than anything
title tune. “The inspiration for this came from else I did on the C64,” he tells us. But he won’t
listening to Black Sabbath on the commute into take full credit for the work. “A lot of it was due
Manchester from my home town in St Helens,” to those brilliant original arcade tunes by Tamayo
he says. “If you listen to that first album you’ll Kawamoto,” he says. “I felt, and still feel, like I
hear where I got the inspiration from!” was riding on the coat tails of a better composer
Tim was starting to get into acoustic folk/ and I see this work more as a technical
rock at the time and he thought a more achievement than a compositional one.” » [C64] Ghouls ’N Ghosts is among Tim’s best work on the Commodore 64.

RETRO GAMER | 35
 THE MAKING OF

IN THE
KNOW
» PUBLISHER:
OCEAN
SOFTWARE
» DEVELOPER: RELEASED IN 1984, OCEAN SOFTWARE’S MATCH DAY
JON RITMAN,
BERNIE REVOLUTIONISED FOOTBALL GAMING, PARTICULARLY ON
DRUMMOND,
GUY STEVENS THE ZX SPECTRUM. RETRO GAMER CAUGHT UP WITH CREATOR
» PLATFORM:
ZX SPECTRUM, JON RITMAN TO CHAT ABOUT ITS SUPERIOR SEQUEL
MSX, AMSTRAD
CPC & PCW, C64 WORDS BY GRAEME MASON
» RELEASED:
1987 espite missing out on Crash

D
» GENRE: magazine’s Smash accolade
SPORTS (something developer Jon
Ritman never let it forget),
Match Day became a perennial
favourite everywhere thanks to its innate
simplicity and accessibility. Yet it was far
DEVELOPER from perfect. Its player sprites, scrounged
HIGHLIGHTS from Jon’s earlier game, Bear Bovver,
BEAR BOVVER were functional at best, and there was little
(PICTURED)
PLATFORM: C64, variety in the gameplay. “Obviously, there
ZX SPECTRUM were all sorts of things that could have been
RELEASED: 1983 better,” says Jon as we begin our latest
MATCH DAY conversation with the veteran developer.
PLATFORM: AMSTRAD “Such as the way the ball bounced off the
CPC, ZX SPECTRUM, players and the graphics themselves. I did
C64, BBC MICRO
RELEASED: 1984 the art for my early games, and I wasn’t the
best in that department.”
HEAD OVER HEELS
PLATFORM: ZX
International Match Day, released to help
SPECTRUM, VARIOUS promote the new 128K ZX Spectrum, arrived
RELEASED: 1987 two years later, but did nothing to address
Jon’s issues. “There was very little added
– the new Spectrum was being launched
in Spain and [Sinclair] wanted it for that.
We jazzed up the sound, put in the intro,
and that was literally it. The gameplay was
» Jon Ritman is
the creator of the identical.” Meanwhile, Ultimate’s Knight Lore
Match Day series had turned Jon’s head – as it had so many
and released a other developers – helping him create his
number of isometric
isometric masterpieces, Batman and Head
8-bit hits including
Head Over Heels Over Heels. But Jon never forgot about his
and Batman. football game. “Match Day had been very

36 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: MATCH DAY II

IT’S A FUNNY OLD GAME RETRO GAMER LOOKS

AT THE MAIN VERSIONS
OF MATCH DAY II

ZX SPECTRUM AMSTRAD CPC COMMODORE 64 MSX

■ With its Crash Smash (finally!) ■ Converted by Jon Ritman ■ As with the other versions, the ■ Another impressive version of
and Your Sinclair Game Of The himself, the Amstrad game pace of C64 Match Day II divided Jon Ritman’s finest 8-bit footie
Month awards, Match Day II replicates every facet of the gamers and critics. Some fans hour, and the best soccer game
arrived to great acclaim on the Spectrum game, albeit with a enjoyed the slower, more tactical on the MSX. Some graphical
Spectrum in early 1988. Featuring touch more colour and sound. play, while it lacked the frenetic flicker aside, everything works
all the playability of Match Day, As such, there’s little innovation, play demanded by arcade devotees. smoothly, and the computer
plus a host more gameplay options, and while colourful, it’s hardly Inevitably compared to International plays a notably tougher game,
for most Spectrum owners, this vibrant. A decent footie game, Soccer, Match Day II’s improved even on the lowest setting.
was the pinnacle of football on the but still too lethargic for many computer players helped secure it The goalkeepers are still a bit
Sinclair computer. fans of the sport. Sizzler status in Zzap!64 magazine. rubbish, though.

successful,” he notes, “but I thought I could that Ocean was a good partner and better
do something a lot better. Ocean never at marketing, and mindful of the risks of
asked – I decided to do it myself.” jumping ship to another publisher, Jon
Between Match Day and the start of Match accepted its offer, and Match Day II was go.
Day II, Jon Ritman’s development methods Top of Jon’s list for improvement was
had changed significantly. First up, he now Match Day’s rudimentary passing and
had an artist partner, Bernie Drummond. deflection systems. “It was very basic,”
“[Bernie] was always drawing, any time he notes Jon on the latter. “If the ball hit
got a spare moment,” a player, it simply
grins Jon. “He’d always be “FOR ME, A FOOTBALL bounced back in the
doodling, and he was such GAME SHOULD BE direction it came from.
a natural. Once we started In Match Day II, the
working together, it was ABOUT PLAYABILITY” game treats the player
the way to go.” Secondly, JON RITMAN as a cube that rotates
Jon was now using a as the player turns. » [ZX Spectrum] For that authentic Eighties winter look, Match Day II
CP/M business machine, connected to the From the angle of play, it either looks like includes this headache-inducing white pitch.
other computers for his game development. a square or a diamond, and I calculated
“Everything was on floppy disks and much the deflections based on that.” Thus, the
faster. I could go from one machine to the Diamond Deflection technique emerged,
other in a matter of seconds.” significantly expanding the game’s scope.
Players could now accurately deflect the
he scene was set for another ball into the path of colleagues, stop it in the

T
Match Day game, but it almost air before collecting it on the ground and,
didn’t happen – at least, not more importantly, divert it towards goal.
at the famous Manchester Continues Jon, “It also took into account
software house. “I received the player’s movement, slowing or speeding
an offer from Ocean,” remembers Jon, up the ball depending on whether you
“but then John Cook [of rival Mirrorsoft] were running in the direction the ball was
contacted me and made me a better offer.” travelling, or away from it.”
Jon dutifully returned to Ocean with the The difference was monumental: now,
news, which matched the offer. “But they fans could employ one-touch football,
said they weren’t going to go backwards dabbing the ball into spaces for other » [ZX Spectrum] Match Day II’s tactics menu is from the Mike Bassett
and forwards – that was it.” As with his players or themselves to run onto. “It’s school of football.
previous arrangements, Jon was freelance, a simplified system, nothing like today’s
taking an upfront advance on expected physics-based systems – but way better
royalties, before beginning to earn once the than in the original,” says Jon. “But it gave
game sold a set number of copies. Aware the user a chance to gain another skill in

RETRO GAMER | 37
 manipulating the ball. If you controlled
it, you might not be able to get past the
opposition player – but if you pull back, wait
for it to bounce, then run in the direction
of the ball and knock it forward, the other
player wouldn’t be able to catch it. Like in
real football, you use your body.”
» [MSX] With the clock ticking down, non-league Chelmsford City are » [MSX] The corner comes in –
leading Premier League Arsenal. Can they hold on? who’s going to get on the end of it? n the original Match Day, the

I
footballers had two types of
kick – ground and air, both hit at
the same speed and strength, no
matter what you pressed. Aware
that the majority of players used a joystick
» [ZX Spectrum] The Portsmouth striker rather than a keyboard and that he needed
bears down on goal during the first half
of this south coast derby. to improve the kicks, Jon devised Match
Day II’s Kickometer, a constantly shifting bar
at the top of the screen. Depending on the
settings decided before kick-off, this rapidly
spiked between three differing strengths
of forward kick and a back-heel. When
added to Match Day’s two styles – ground
pass when stationary, lofted pass when
moving – it again gave fans significantly
more varied options, whether in attack or
defence. Mix in a fast and low first-time
pass (also three different strengths), plus a
volley and players had notably more options
for pinging the ball around. Recalls Jon, “I
wanted to have a greater variety of kicks –
but it had to be controllable with one button,
as most joysticks only had the one. And
even if they had two, they usually did the
same thing!” Like much of Match Day II, the
Kickometer is customisable in the front end.
“The back-heel option didn’t really work,” he

BACK OF THE NET BECOME A FOOTBALLING

SUPERSTAR WITH THESE
HANDY HINTS

GOLDEN GOAL TRACK YOUR RUNNERS STAY GOALSIDE

■ Try to position your attacker at the middle of the ■ As in real football, it’s important to keep an eye ■ A key part of defending. Whenever an attacker
lower half of the 18-yard box, as in the picture. From on where the opposition players without the ball enters the penalty area with the ball, try to
here, aim a full-strength lofted pass goalwards. The are heading. Anticipate which pass the computer ensure your defender stays between them
computer goalie is caught in the lower section of its goal can make, and also prepare to know which of your and the goal, forcing them to either concede
and, if you place it right, will be unable to save the shot. own players is likely to be called into action. possession or pass backwards.

38 | RETRO GAMER
adds, “which is why you could disable it, “IT’S A SIMPLIFIED SYSTEM,
and change the other kicks. The player
decided how they wanted it to work.”
NOTHING LIKE TODAY’S
As Jon tinkered away with the game’s PHYSICS-BASED SYSTEMS”
engine, Bernie Drummond worked JON RITMAN
on Match Day II’s graphics. Ever the
perfectionist, Bernie spent many long that the goalies were blocking players rather » [Amstrad CPC] Soccerama goes on the attack, but it’s too little, too late.
nights perfecting the game’s players, just than active ones.” Also absent are tackling
as he had with Batman and the symbiotic and fouls, and therefore free kicks, offside
stars of Head Over Heels. The result wasn’t, and penalty shoot-outs. “I added stuff until
erm, the most athletic of footballers. “It’s the memory was full. It just wasn’t feasible
difficult when you’ve got so few pixels to to get it all in,” grimaces Jon, and Retro
work with,” laughs Jon, “and you’ve got to Gamer takes its cue to move on.
try and make it work with the actual game
motion. Bernie would bring the graphics to s in Match Day, the computer

A
me, and I’d say, ‘That’s rubbish’ or, ‘Great.’ controls one side completely
He’d take my word for it and move on. in a versus computer game,
For Match Day II, what he came up with while the player controls one
seemed to work in the game, and I was player, with a piece of code
happy with it at the time.” deciding which of the other footballers
» [Amstrad CPC] Tussling in the box as Ritman Utd prepare for a corner.
Like the rest of the players, the is transferred to them when they pass
goalkeepers got a visual overhaul – but the ball. Match Day II’s difficulty levels
remained as generally static as in the – changed from Amateur, Professional
previous game. As in Match Day, Jon and International to Low, Medium and
admits they were “a bit crap”, steadfastly High – refined the principles and artificial
refusing to move from the goal line, intelligence behind the computer’s ability.
take goal kicks, or indeed interact in “It’s funny to think of it being called AI,”
any meaningful way apart from the odd smiles Jon. “I remember thinking, for
save and tip-over. Did he try to improve the lowest difficulty level, I’m just going
the custodians between the sticks? “It’s to whack this guy on the head so he’s
not easy to fit in the code and graphics, stunned a bit and doesn’t react as quickly!
especially in the space on the Spectrum. It The hardest level was essentially just
would also have been time-consuming to everything working as it should do, while I » This licensed footie game from » Jon Ritman’s finest hour:
come up with the code to handle a good did a lot of work on the positional play, all Gremlin appeared at the same Match Day II in at number one
time as Match Day II. Look at in the Crash chart, while two
goalkeeper, running around the area and the theoretical places that all the players the picture in the bottom right. of his earlier games lurk in the
taking goal kicks. In the end, I just accepted you weren’t controlling were trying to get Seem familiar? top ten.

PUT IT ON A PLATE QUICK COUNTERATTACK BUILD FROM THE BACK

■ Earned a corner? Here’s how to score nearly ■ Players can be pulled out of position, allowing ■ Avoid booting the ball upfield at goalkicks, as
every time. If he’s there, boot it to your player for quick counterattacks. Learn how to use you can’t see clearly where it’ll land, which usually
lurking at the far post. Hold off the defender, wait the super-quick first-time pass and Diamond results in lost possession. It’s a better tactic to pass
for the ball to drop and use your body or head to Deflection to get the ball upfield quickly and take to a nearby defender and work the ball into midfield,
nudge it over the line. advantage of those gaps. but be careful not to get caught in possession.

RETRO GAMER | 39
 » [Amstrad CPC] Horns are locked between Ritman
» [Amstrad CPC] With no penalties, this match heads Utd and Bombay Mix as the teams ready for the
into extra time. second half.

» [Amstrad CPC] Soccerama

opens the scoring.

» [ZX Spectrum] Chelmsford City kick off against the might of RG Utd.

» [C64] Match Day II features many goalmouth scrambles.

» [C64] It’s an Arsenal throw-in with the North London

derby locked one-one.

» [ZX Spectrum] Jon Ritman’s commitment

to customisation meant you can play in this
weird colour scheme, should you desire.

» [ZX Spectrum] Match Day II offers a wealth of options.

40 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: MATCH DAY II

THE KING OF
THE GAME
RETRO GAMER CHATS TO CRASH MAGAZINE’S
CHAMPION MATCH DAY II PLAYER, PHIL KING
■ Issue 59 of Crash saw the World Cup tournament for that.” Scores on the
» [ZX Spectrum] A rousing cup run for RG Utd ends in glory. second of its inter-magazine doors: Phil’ Maradona’ King beat Zzap’s Gordon
challenges, with journalists Houghton 6-0, and The Games Machine’s Robins
to, depending on who had the ball and from the new multiformat Candy and Hogg 2-0 and 4-0 respectively. But it
whereabouts on the pitch the ball was.” magazine The Games wasn’t enough to prevent the Crash man from
While many of Match Day II’s options Machine pitched against finishing last. “I think I just wasn’t very good at
are similar to its forebear – such as the Zzap!64 and Crash writers. the other games,” he laments.
three computer skill levels, the ability to Each participant chose their own game, and
change team names and the length of each Crash’s Phil King didn’t need to think twice. “I
half (although the choice of playing a full absolutely loved [Match Day II] at the time,”
90-minute game is gone, with the maximum recalls Phil, “and remember thinking how much
a more sensible 15 minutes) – the front of an improvement it was over the original
end was radically redesigned from Chris Match Day.” Hugely familiar with Match Day II’s
Clarke’s original, echoing Jon’s games in the mechanics and having already triumphed in an
meantime. “That was all a bit of a fiasco, so earlier Crash challenge, Phil was well positioned
after Match Day, I decided to do it all myself to hand out some thrashings to the other
in the future. So the front ends for Batman, mags. “I particularly loved the Kickometer and
Head Over Heels and Match Day II were all Diamond Deflection system – good for headers.
based around the same code, which took up It’s really quite skillful once you get the hang
far less room in the computer.” of it.” Phil’s silky skills duly saw him triumph in
Match Day II. “Football was always my thing.
dditionally, Jon introduced I loved the Kick Off games on the Amiga, then

A
a new twin-player mode Sensible Soccer. I won the inaugural journo
alongside the existing two-
player option, though both
modes presented issues for
non-joystick users. “[The twin-player were differences for the “IN THE END, I ‘mere’ developer, Jon’s
option] was an obvious thing to do as MSX, because I actually JUST ACCEPTED THAT name also appears above
I wanted to give another way to play had to use sprites, and
THE GOALIES WERE the game title. “I think
and whatever flexibility I could. But the there was a limited [Ocean] saw it as good
Spectrum’s matrix keyboard gave you number, in particular with BLOCKING PLAYERS” advertising,” he muses.
problems, as it sometimes couldn’t detect having too many on the JON RITMAN It worked, with Match
which key was pressed or would choose same horizontal line.” Day II following the
one over another when more than one key Meanwhile, Ocean’s John Darnell coded success of its forebear. “My favourite
was pressed at once. Not much I could do the C64 game, a line-by-line conversion of moment was in Crash magazine,”
about it – get some joysticks, guys!” Z80 Match Day II. Remembers Jon, “Any remembers Jon. “It had this reader chart,
While curiously absent from most time something didn’t work, he’d get on and when Match Day II came out, it went
magazine reviews, Match Day II’s ponderous the phone, and we would step through the straight to number one, and I also had
speed remains its one source of criticism code, Z80 my end, 6502 his, to see at which two more places in the top ten.” But does
today. Presumably, Jon tried to optimise it point they went different ways and where he have any regrets? “Match Day II was a
as much as possible? “Hey, it was as fast the problem was occurring.” much better game [than Match Day], but
as I could get it!” he grins. “I spent ages As Jon expected, Ocean’s supreme three years too late – I could have done it
staring at the inner loops that drove it, trying marketing skills ensured Match Day II better straight away, but I’d seen Knight
to shave a t-state off [a unit of operation became a big hit, helped by another skilled Lore, which opened my eyes as to what the
within the microprocessor]. If you’ve got Bob Wakelin cover. “Look at the guy in Spectrum could do.”
something that’s happening thousands of yellow on the left – that’s Gary Lineker!” Jon soon began working for the Stamper
times a second, even if you can shave off laughs Jon. Under intense time pressure, brothers at Rare, shifting to console
one, that makes a significant difference to Wakelin often looked to existing images for development and thus making Match
the game’s speed. The drawing of the pitch inspiration. Unfortunately, on this occasion, Day II his ZX Spectrum swan song. But it
and the players was the main problem, and that very picture, of a youthful Lineker wouldn’t be the last we’d see of his most-
I optimised those to hell and back. I doubt I athletically volleying the ball, appeared on famous series. “For me, a football game
could have got them any faster.” the front cover of Gremlin’s official Gary should be about playability,” he notes, as
Match Day II debuted early in 1988, with Lineker game, Gary Lineker’s Super Star our chat heads into injury time. “You know,
Jon himself handling the Z80 versions. “I’m Soccer, released the same month as Match passing into space, and running onto the
not entirely sure, but I might have done Day II. “We were lucky shit didn’t happen ball. Easy to get to grips with. Just a good,
them simultaneously. I remember there over that,” ponders Jon. Unusually for a simple, football game.”

RETRO GAMER | 41
Warbirds
STEALING A WIN
» RETROREVIVAL

» ATARI LYNX » 1991 » ATARI CORPORATION

One of the biggest challenges as a
Lynx owner was simply finding other
Lynx owners. I longed to play my many
multiplayer games with others, but it
never happened.
That changed when I met Bob (not his name, but let’s
go with it). Bob was a friend of a friend who played D&D
occasionally and he was known as being a little ‘shifty’.
He was always the first to pull out a spliff during a D&D
session and would often tell some outrageous story that
started off with, “You’ll never guess who got in trouble
with the police the other day.” Needless to say, if there
was any sort of drama, Bob knew about it.
One weekend Bob stayed at the person’s house
who ran our D&D sessions and he had an Atari Lynx in
his bag. Finally, someone else who appreciated Atari’s
handheld. He had loads of games as well and he soon
enquired if I fancied a game of Warbirds.
If you’re not aware, Warbirds is a very entertaining
flight simulator, where the game’s focus is very much on
arcade action rather than attention to detail. I’d rinsed the
game’s few single-player missions but I’d never played it
multiplayer, so the idea of playing against someone and
testing my skills was too good an opportunity to pass up.
“Why don’t we turn this into a proper session?” Bob
said, pulling out a second Lynx and another copy of the
game. I couldn’t believe it. This was Lynx nirvana. Bob
and Kevin (another made up name) were decent pilots,
but they clearly didn’t know the game as well as I did
and I easily won the few games we played.
After a few more sessions we played Xenophobe
and Todd’s Adventures In Slime World and called it a
day. I was eager for the next time Bob turned up with
his Lynxes, but the day never came. You can probably
guess where this is going, but Bob’s games and
handhelds had been stolen and the long arm of the law
had finally caught up with him.
I never saw Bob again, but I’ll always have those fond
memories of beating him at his stolen games. Thank
goodness I never took him up on his offer to buy some
of them.
 THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO

ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PUBLISHER OF BBC MICRO GAMES,

SUPERIOR SOFTWARE SUPPORTED THE SYSTEM FROM SOON AFTER
ITS OUTSET UNTIL NEAR ITS DISCONTINUATION. THE FOLLOWING
PAGES HIGHLIGHT SOME OF SUPERIOR’S FINEST RELEASES
WORDS BY RORY MILNE

F
ormed in 1982 by developers Two other 1985 games further established it brought the innovative arcade adventure Exile
Richard Hanson and John Dyson, Superior’s reputation for quality BBC Micro to the system and re-released the compelling
Superior Software launched with fare: the puzzle platformer Citadel and the puzzler Imogen. Superior also published popular
a handful of arcade-inspired BBC Boulder Dash-like Repton. conversions for the BBC that same year,
Micro titles. Then when the publisher’s The following year, the company brought out including Barbarian and The Last Ninja.
1983 Beeb coin-op clone Hunchback topped more acclaimed Beeb originals like the gravity Further Superior ports for Acorn’s 8-bit
the charts, a deal was made to make it an game Thrust and the run-and-gun Stryker’s micro followed as the Eighties gave way to the
officially licensed title. Run. It also re-released Acornsoft hits like Elite Nineties, with 1993’s Citadel 2 being one of its
In 1984, Superior released its biggest seller and Revs for the 8-bit system after buying its last hurrahs for the Beeb.
to date in the form of the Pole Position-style former rival’s back catalogue. Now known as Superior Interactive, the firm
racer Overdrive, and a BBC version of Sinistar Superior’s 1987 output for the Beeb included focusses on releasing updated versions of
called DeathStar did similarly well for the the likes of the Stryker’s Run sequel Codename its BBC Micro computer classics for PCs and
publisher in 1985. Droid and the fun racer Crazee Rider, and in 1988 mobile platforms.

44 | RETRO GAMER
 THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO: SUPERIOR SOFTWARE

CITADEL 1985
■ What’s interesting about Citadel is that it’s equal parts arcade adventure
and platformer, unlike the arcade-style platform games and platforming-
light arcade adventures created by most other developers. Citadel also
differentiates itself by effectively giving you a health bar in numerical
form rather than contact with hazards and foes instantly killing you. You
can also play Superior’s game as a male or female protagonist, and its
sprawling maze of levels has some impressively unpredictable challenges.

OVERDRIVE 1984
■ At first glance, Overdrive looks like the Beeb’s answer to Namco’s
coin-op Pole Position, and it seems clear that’s where Superior’s
racer takes its lead from. But you soon realise that Overdrive is a
very different beast when you take it for a spin. Most obviously, the
BBC game has a perpetually straight track, unlike the arcade game’s
meandering course. In Overdrive you race past fields, through the
night, in snowy and desert environments, and along a riverbank. Pole
Position, by comparison, is set entirely in a single location. Superior’s
game is also tougher, even if there are no puddles to avoid like in Pole REPTON 1985
Position. Instead, your car explodes on contact with rival drivers, unlike ■ It’s quite difficult to describe Repton without making it sound like
Overdrive’s coin-op inspiration where that only happens if you hit Boulder Dash, and to be fair it is similar in many respects. However,
the roadside signs. Taken as a whole, these various distinctions give some crucial differences make it an entirely distinct experience. For
Superior’s racer a quite different challenge from Namco’s. one, Repton shows you far less of the environment, so you can’t plan
nearly as far ahead. Then rather than fast reflexes and speedy navigation
IN OVERDRIVE YOU R ACE PAST FIELDS, there’s a greater emphasis on working out routes that won’t leave you
T H R O U G H T H E N I G H T, I N S N O W Y A N D D E S E R T trapped or unable to secure treasure.
ENVIRONMENTS, AND ALONG A RIVERBANK

DEATHSTAR 1985 ELITE 1986

■ Superior’s tribute to Williams’ Sinistar foregoes the typical approach Of course, Elite was an Acornsoft original, but perhaps the definitive
of Eighties coin-op clones where the original was replicated with a few Elite was published by Superior after it secured its competitor’s back
changes made to its look and mechanics. In fact, apart from its name, catalogue. Although the Superior release provides BBC Micro owners
DeathStar is identical to the coin-op favourite. Interestingly for a shoot- with Acornsoft’s impressive original, owners of the BBC Master
’em-up, rather than blasting opponents the focus is on collecting and get an enhanced version of the open-world, space trading combat
converting crystals into projectiles to attack a boss that the standard simulator. Besides a more colourful instrument panel and cockpit view,
enemies are constructing. You do have to avoid enemy fire, but your everything moves faster and more smoothly in the Master version.
ship isn’t harmed by collisions with foes. However, the DeathStar There’s also a new ship called the Cougar, and there’s no in-game
destroys your craft on contact, and it isn’t easily dispatched. loading to disrupt proceedings.

RETRO GAMER | 45
 STRYKER’S RUN 1986 SPELLBINDER 1987
■ This quintessential Beeb run- ■ The detailed, monochrome
and-gun is a riot of colour and graphics and trial-and-error nature
RAVENSKULL 1986 remains a lot of fun to play. To of Spellbinder brings to mind
■ A compelling combination of Gauntlet and Dungeons & Dragons, make progress through its single, arcade adventures more typically
Ravenskull manages to be greater than the sum of its parts. The maze- epic side-scrolling level you need found on the Spectrum. That’s no
like arcade adventure gains depth from its layers of gameplay. Each to have extremely quick reactions bad thing, as Spellbinder is visually
level’s treasure has to be collected before you can secure one quarter of and be able to adapt and learn impressive, and there are clues
a crucifix, and there are insects and hazards to avoid. Then in addition to your opponents’ numerous attack hidden throughout its locations that
these arcade elements there are objects that overcome obstacles and patterns. Along the way you face mean your objectives aren’t too
spells with unknown effects. ground troops, helicopter gunships obscure. There are also ingredients
and mines. Allied soldiers help you for spells to be found and energy-
out, and there are aircraft to take draining foes to avoid on your
into battle. quest to defeat an evil wizard.

CODENAME DROID: STRYKER’S RUN PART 2 1987

■ Despite Codename Droid’s subtitle indicating that it’s the sequel to
Stryker’s Run, it wasn’t designed to be a continuation of the series,
and in fact it’s a follow-up in name only. It was developed as an original
concept, and this becomes apparent after a look at its gameplay.
Whereas Stryker’s Run is focussed almost entirely on combat,
THRUST 1986 Codename Droid is an arcade adventure with object and obstacle-
■ Thrust channels Gravitar and Space Duel, with the result that you based puzzles. It does have a combat element, but the enemies in the
have gravity and rotational force to contend with. It then adds a rescue game provide timing challenges rather than reaction tests. You don’t fly
element. You negotiate confined spaces under fire with a ship that’s helicopters, but there’s a jetpack you use to access certain areas.
dragged down into harm’s way by gravity and towards hazards by
momentum. You have shields, but using these deactivates your weapon. I T D O E S H AV E A C O M B AT E L E M E N T, B U T
To finish levels you fly heavy pods on a tethered beam into space while
they pull your ship in all directions.
THE ENEMIES IN THE GAME PROVIDE TIMING
CH A L L ENGE S R AT HER T H A N R E A C T ION T E S T S

REVS 1986
■ The version of Revs that Superior released has four more tracks than
the Acornsoft original, so as well as Silverstone you can race at Brands CRAZEE RIDER 1987
Hatch, Donnington, Oulton and Snetterton. Its other notable enhancement ■ Progressing between tracks in Crazee Rider requires you to finish in
is optional computer-controlled steering, which tempers the unforgiving the top six of sixty riders. This would be hard enough, but your rivals
nature of the original. Staying on course by getting your speed right on leave you in the dirt as each race starts, so you have to plough through
the bends remains a core challenge, as does safely passing your rivals. the pack at top speed just to stand any chance.

46 | RETRO GAMER
 THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO: SUPERIOR SOFTWARE

IMOGEN 1988
■ The originality in Imogen’s design
stems from its layered gameplay
and innovative mechanics. It’s also
a joy to look at. Its platforming and
puzzles typically require you to
select one of three player characters
for the task at hand. The cat is
adept at jumping, but the monkey is
capable of climbing. Then the wizard
BONE CRUNCHER 1987 PALACE OF MAGIC 1987 can use weapons and other items.
■ Despite its strange and morbid ■ A follow-up to Citadel in all but
storyline, Bone Cruncher is an name, Palace Of Magic shares its
evolution of games like Repton.
Instead of rocks there are living
inspiration’s format and some of
its mechanics while differentiating
REVISITING RAVENSKULL
creatures to avoid, and instead of itself with its level designs and MARTIN EDMONDSON ON HIS COMPELLING ARCADE ADVENTURE
being affected by gravity these surreal opponents. Palace Of Magic HOW DID RAVENSKULL’S vampire, and I found that
move left, right, up or down also distinguishes its gameplay in DEVELOPMENT BEGIN? all fascinating. A lot of
depending on which direction the various ways. Its locations are more When I was at school that inspired Ravenskull,
last door that you went through uniform in nature, in that there we had a computer club, because I didn’t want it to
was facing. In order to go through aren’t setpiece rooms with unique and they had a BBC be a pure arcade game. I
these you have to collect skeletons mechanics like in Citadel. Palace Of Micro there. I was then wanted spells with certain
and make them into soap, which Magic’s enemies all have set paths; lucky enough to get a effects, some of which you
is the strange and morbid part. there aren’t foes that home in on BBC Micro for Christmas. There would know about and some you
There are locked gates you need you like Citadel’s monks. Lastly, was a guy at school called had to learn about or talk to your
keys for and spiders to steer clear Palace Of Magic doesn’t give you Nicholas Chamberlain who also friends about. I suppose I had a
of, and you have a friend your foes a weapon, and its outdoor areas had a BBC Micro, and we just bigger imagination than the BBC
can’t hurt that you can send out in are more in keeping with its indoor started messing about writing Micro allowed for.
front of you. screens than Citadel’s. games. I proposed one with
four-directional smooth scrolling. HOW MUCH INPUT DID
It was based on an idea where SUPERIOR SOFTWARE HAVE?
you were in a creepy castle. Ravenskull was basically finished
The design happened as we when we took it to Superior. It was
went along, and actually it came the first and only company I took
together fairly rapidly. it too. There weren’t too many
BBC Micro publishers at the time.
WHAT THE INSPIRATIONS FOR Acornsoft wasn’t really a publisher
RAVENSKULL’S DESIGN? as such because it had its own
Gauntlet certainly influenced internal teams. But Superior just
Ravenskull, and the whole loved Ravenskull. It sent us a letter
Dungeons & Dragons look. I was suggesting a change to make it
GRAND PRIX CONSTRUCTION SET 1987 always a fan of the artist Roger more fun. It wanted there to be
■ If you’re thinking Grand Prix Construction Set sounds like Scalextric Dean. I loved all of his stuff, and a way to kill the Ravenbees, so
then you’re not wrong! Superior’s racer is a racing track play set in its fantasy themes. Then spooky we added a bow and arrow to kill
pixelated form. You build courses with straights, bends and crossovers castles always used to appeal them just to give it more action.
before racing on your creations. Races are into-the-screen affairs, and to me. That was very hard to get Pretty much straight away we had
there are stock tracks if you tire of making your own. across on the BBC Micro with its a publishing deal.
chunky graphics and bright primary
colours, but we did what we could. HAVE YOU ANY REGRETS ABOUT
Then in terms of running around I MAKING RAVENSKULL?
suppose Repton, although that was You started off having to run all the
a completely different game. But way around the side of the castle
Gauntlet was a heavy influence. I to get to the door to get in, which
put a lot of money into that as a kid. was such a dopey design decision.
Every single time that you started
DID ANYTHING INFLUENCE the game you had to run around
RAVENSKULL’S PUZZLES? the outside of that castle. I just
The puzzles were sort of inspired look back at it and think why? We
BARBARIAN – THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR 1988 by Dungeons & Dragons. I didn’t had to test the game, and every
■ Although a little blockier and gaudier than some other versions of really play it, but I did like reading time I would have to start at the
the popular hack and slash, Superior’s BBC Micro Barbarian still looks the campaign modules. One of beginning, even if I was testing
and plays the part. All of the moves are there, from attacks and blocks them was called Ravenloft. It something like the Ravenbees
to acrobatics and decapitations. As with other iterations, there are was about a castle owned by a halfway through the game.
two different arenas that you fight in, and as you cycle back and forth
between those the combat gets progressively tougher.

RETRO GAMER | 47
 THE LAST NINJA 1988 SPYCAT 1988
■ The Beeb computer was never ■ In terms of objectives and
going to be able to replicate structure, Spycat doesn’t veer too
the sublime aesthetics of the far away from your typical BBC
C64 version, and so you get Micro arcade adventure. However,
four-colour blocky graphics and its British spy narrative and themes
no soundtrack. That aside, the scores it points for originality. The
original’s gameplay is translated likes of CCTV cameras drain your
very faithfully by the Superior energy, as do assorted enemies.

ACORN ARCADE
PETER JOHNSON on his coin-op tributes Overdrive and DeathStar
conversion. Its level designs are
also spot on, and its combat has
that same intense feel.
There’s platforming, but primarily
you find objects and work out which
challenges they can help you with.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR environments was just to

START WITH SUPERIOR? make Overdrive different,
I was just finishing up an and all it meant was using
HND Computer Studies a couple of different
course, and I used the colours. The clouds would
time when I should have have been drawn with
been revising on making a random lines, and the
version of Q*Bert. I sent that off pyramids on the desert level
to a whole bunch of publishers. were just triangles.
I went with Superior because
they were run by a programmer. WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO MAKE
Everything always went pretty A SINISTAR CLONE?
well with them. Essentially I could I think I just liked Sinistar a lot
do what I wanted. The relationship and wanted to do a version of it.
was more like working with a book Most of the other games I had EXILE 1988
publisher in the way that I could done at that time were arcade ■ In Exile, you’re dropped into an open-world alien planet and challenged
come to them with something I’d conversions to some degree or to progress through experimentation. Real-world physics and weather
written and say, “Right, this is another. Although we shouldn’t conditions apply to the player character and the environments he’s in,
what I’ve done.” have called it DeathStar, because so he can be blown about by high winds or float around at speed in low
it was hugely trademarked. But gravity. Just as impressively, friendly and hostile characters respond to
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE I lived near Whitley Bay, and it what’s in their line of sight and the sounds they hear.
OVERDRIVE FOR THE MICRO? had loads of arcades. I could go
Richard Hanson sent me a sprite up there and see pretty much
routine. That let me do things that anything new, so that gave me
I couldn’t have done otherwise. I an excuse to go every couple
was thinking about what I could of months. Quite often that was
do, and I thought about 3D scaling. how I would decide what I was
I obviously didn’t write a scaling going to do next.
sprite routine; I had to draw eight
or however many pictures of a HOW DID DEATHSTAR’S SPEECH
car getting progressively bigger. It COME ABOUT?
might have been that I was playing Well that really depended on if
Pole Position in the arcades at the you had the speech chip or not. I
time. But I just thought you could read one review that said that the
get that sense of movement by sound was a bit rubbish, but I bet
using colour switching to do the the reviewer didn’t have a speech
movement of the sides of the track. chip! The speech made all the
difference. Obviously you could
HOW DID OVERDRIVE EVOLVE? only say things that the chip’s
Overdrive was really like a Game developers had recorded, I think
& Watch game on a big scale. it was Kenneth Kendal the BBC FIRETRACK 1989
That was really all it was. I didn’t news reader they recorded. So ■ Given how good a shoot-’em-up Firetrack is it’s no wonder that
put bends in the tracks because the DeathStar laughing is just him Superior re-released it for the Beeb and converted it to the Electron.
I wouldn’t have been able to saying the letter ‘R’ repeatedly. Like Uridium, Firetrack takes its lead from the coin-op Star Force, but
use colour switching. The aim But it was terrifying! People must there are no deadly raised obstacles. There’s silky-smooth scrolling and
was avoiding collisions, and have been thinking, “Bloody hell! in-game tunes, and screens filled with ammo, opponents, explosions and
therefore if you collided then your What was that?” Although I didn’t ground targets. Firetrack is purely based on blasting. There aren’t even
car blew up! I think having five get any letters of complaint. power-ups or bosses to distract from its intense firefights.

48 | RETRO GAMER
 THE RETRO GAMER GUIDE TO: SUPERIOR SOFTWARE

PREDATOR 1989
Inspired by the Arnold
Schwarzenegger flick of the same CAMELOT 1989
name, Superior’s BBC version QWAK 1989 It’s impressive how Camelot distinguishes itself from other arcade
of Predator doesn’t take any Part platformer, part puzzler, Qwak adventures by keeping some fundamentals of the genre in place while
prisoners. Even flocks of birds tasks you with clearing single- dispensing with others. Instead of assembling something, your objective
prove to be deadly! It’s not that screen levels that while adorably is to score a set number of points. Bags of gold are worth lots of points,
there are more enemy soldiers cute are anything but child’s play to but you also get some for blasting foes. However, they re-spawn and are
than in other versions, and the complete. Contributing to Qwak’s harder to beat. Then instead of working out puzzles, it’s always obvious
Predator itself isn’t tougher in this challenge are precariously placed which objects are required to overcome each obstacle.
iteration. It’s that the low-resolution fruit that you collect for points,
mode that the game uses gives deadly enemies that you dispatch
you so much less space to avoid with eggs and locked doors that
bullets, hazards and attacks. you need to find keys for.

HOSTAGES 1990
The BBC Hostages lacks the 16-
bit originals’ animated cutscenes HYPERBALL 1990
and cinematic presentation, Bat and ball games tap into
but it does faithfully adapt their that same part of the brain as
RICOCHET 1989 three levels. The first has you shoot-’em-ups, so it follows that
In many respects, Ricochet takes its lead from Citadel. It has flick-screen positioning commandos in an Hyperball provides power-ups for
levels, you have energy not lives and collectable objects overcome embassy while avoiding snipers. your bat. The collectables that
obstacles, but Ricochet differentiates itself with its spherical hero. A third-person stage has you drop down the screen include
Squashing him creates kinetic energy that when released propels him taking out terrorists and abseiling weapons, bat extensions and
upwards or across the screen. There’s much bouncing around, but with into the embassy. Lastly, you multiple balls. There are also
practice you can get him over obstacles and to high up places. have to save hostages from the bubbles to collect for points,
remaining terrorists in a technically which you can spend on upgrades
impressive first-person finale. between levels.

PERPLEXITY 1990 CITADEL 2 1993

A fascinating reimagining of Pac- Citadel 2 was an original title
Mania, Perplexity sets you more before it was turned into a
cerebral objectives than fleeing sequel, however it has much in
from ghosts and munching dots. common with its predecessor.
BALLISTIX 1989 Instead, you push rocks together You can’t kill most enemies,
The one and two-player modes in Ballistix are very different. The two- to form collectable diamonds and for example. Items can only be
player offering is like table football, except that you blast the ball around push keys into locked doors, all picked up or dropped on special
with missiles. You do the same in single-player mode, but instead of an while staying out of the way of platforms, and you complete it
opponent gravity sends the ball towards your goal, like in pinball. As the ghosts that, although deadly, by solving puzzles and collecting
game progresses, more and more obstacles are introduced. don’t chase you. lots of gems.

RETRO GAMER | 49
 LEMMINGS ABILITIES
OUR GREEN-HAIRED MEANDERERS HAVE BEEN CLIMBING, FLOATING, MINING, BASHING AND BLOCKING FOR 35 YEARS STRAIGHT NOW.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE SUCH AN ANNIVERSARY THAN HIGHLIGHTING THE VERY BEST OF THOSE ABLED RODENTS?
Words by Adam Barnes

FLOATER
■ Not to be confused with the mess your uncle made in your washroom the last
time he visited, the Floater is arguably the most iconic of all Lemmings. It’s easy
to see why: it was the deciding factor between level completion or ending up
a green and blue mess on the floor. A choice many of us intentionally decided
against for our own morbid humour.

POLE VAULTER
■ It’s tough to pick out the best from Lemmings 2’s 50+ skills. The Pole Vaulter might
not be the most extravagant of all of the new Lemmings that the sequel brought and it
has to be said that it’s quite finicky to use effectively. But that cool animation as the pole
itself bends under the weight of the Lemming flinging through the air is just fun to see.

BOMBER BUILDER
■ It’s easier to destroy than it is to create and for that we must respect the Builder
■ Where the Floater was a choice of omission, the Bomber is the Lemming for those Lemming. We wouldn’t want to be so incriminating of DMA Design’s true intentions,
who preferred to brutalise these creatures with a little more clarity. Maybe we’re feeling but we like to think there’s a real-world comparison here; brick by brick the Builder
a bit poetic, but there’s something noble about that one hero – an individual selected out works until his sack is empty, then it’s a shrug and ‘job’s done’ with half a roof
of a mass of sprawling clones – to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. hanging unsupported in the air.

50 | RETRO GAMER
 RETRO GAMER’S FAVOURITE… LEMMINGS ABILITIES

SUPERLEM
■ This Lemming might not appear too many times in Lemmings 2, but that makes it all
the more tempting when it does make an appearance. One click and it’s up and away
but, much like the Super Sheep from Team17’s Worms, the SuperLem requires a degree
of tact and deftness to achieve your goal. With great responsibility, and all that…

BAZOOKALemmings
■ At its very core is a game about deforming the terrain to make the road
home easier. There are many ways to deform said terrain: digging, bashing, exploding,
mining. A plethora of choices. You’re abundant with deformations. But when it comes
down to it, when all is said and done, this is a Lemming with a bazooka… why would
you choose any other method?

ATTRACTOR JUMPER
■ Here’s a Lemming whose only skill is to jump. Thrilling. Good for getting over
■ So we have to admit that the humble Blocker Lemming was originally going to make small gaps, true, but that’s it, right? Well the significance of the Jumper comes in its
it on this list, but it feels disrespectful to this Lemmings 2 upgrade. The Attractor capacity to cancel out other skills, and that’s arguably one of the most important tools
achieves practically the same as the Blocker, but it does so with flair, with panache, in the game. This Lemming is also critical for getting the fastest completion times, if
with (dare we say it?) razzmatazz. And each Lemming Tribe comes with their own you know how to use it smartly.
style of musical expression too, which is neat.

BASHER NUKE
■ Not a Lemming, admittedly, but still the most noteworthy skill in the whole series.
■Lemmings 2 brought with it numerous new tools to complete its levels, but the Basher Some games allow you to restart the level through a pause menu. Yawn. Here it’s a
proves you don’t need to overcomplicate things. All you need is a bit’a brawn, some elba press of a button and your little Lemming lollygaggers are kaput. No more. They’re ex-
grease and a ’ard day’s graft to get ya through t’other side. Your guess is as good as ours Lemmings. Raise your hand if you also regularly trapped a colony of Lemmings between
as to why we imagine the Basher to be a Northern lad. two Blockers and hit that button just to hear the pops. [That was definitely me – Ed]

RETRO GAMER | 51
 GABRIEL NIETO
JIMENEZ
From his words for the weekly computing magazine MicroHobby to his
key role in Club Nintendo, Gabriel Nieto Jimenez has been pivotal in the
development of the videogames industry in Spain. Retro Gamer speaks
to him about his varied and fascinating career
Words by Graeme Mason

THEN
How did you get into computing, Gabriel? had been the preserve of a select few. Overall,
I was always quite interested in computing however, and most importantly, I think it was
and started reading programming books. I about the games that you could play on it.
was fascinated by this new world, so I began
Fascinated by researching it, reading the magazines in this It’s always about the games! Let’s move on
computers and field, mostly foreign at this point, as there to yourself – how and when did you start
programming, Gabriel slowly was only one Spanish magazine. Little by your writing career?
immersed himself in this new little, I came to understand what it was all I studied at the Faculty Of Information Science
world, culminating in his role as about, until I was completely immersed in the [at the Complutense University in Madrid – Ed],
a reviewer for the newly formed world of computers. not in journalism, but in the field of audiovisual
MicroHobby magazine in 1984. communication. Despite this, there were many
From here, he fostered a love And from here, you presumably discovered things common between the two industries.
of computer games, helping a love of computer games? And ever since I was quite young, I have
form the games-focussed That actually came later, when I began to work enjoyed writing and been good at it. So I had a
MicroManía, before switching at MicroHobby. I was given the role of writing solid foundation thanks to this.
sides to the Spanish developer/ game reviews, something that was totally

NOW
publisher Topo Soft. new to me at the time, and on which I knew What was the written computer scene
practically nothing. So, slowly, I got involved in like in Spain? Did you get British
that world, too. magazines such as Crash, Your Sinclair,
CVG and so on?
Do you recall when you first discovered the When [MicroHobby] started, there was only
After his ZX Spectrum? really one other magazine, and that was
adventures in Firstly, it was not the ZX Spectrum itself, but average. It was in black and white, and didn’t
programming and journalism, the previous model, the Sinclair ZX81, which offer too much information – but that was
Gabriel worked for Erbe, then was much less powerful. I found it in a shop, in all there was. Apart from that, yes, we tried
Nintendo, helping to create the a department store. I didn’t even know what it to read magazines that came from other
Spanish branch of the famous was, but I became interested, and that led me countries. Computer & Video Games was one
Japanese games company and to the Spectrum. of them, and another I can’t remember, but
giving it a uniquely Hispanic they both helped access information that was
flavour. Today, he is retired As an aside, why do you think the difficult to get hold of over here.
and focussed on another Spectrum was so popular in Spain?
life passion, making music, I think it was affordable, a reasonable price for Did you work for MicroHobby from issue
specifically a musical. the time. Plus, it was a new experience, a new one? Were you staff or freelance?
way of accessing something that until that point I contributed to the first issue and was part

52 | RETRO GAMER
 MAGAZINE CRAFT: GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ

BEST COVER
GABRIEL TALKS TO US
ABOUT THE MAG COVER HE
ADMIRES THE MOST
“There have been many great
covers over the years, but
undoubtedly my favourite was for
MicroHobby issue one with the
kid pretending to be in ET, flying
into the sky towards the sun.
It was epic, and what’s more,
it was the cover that appeared
» Like its British counterparts, MicroHobby throughout the television
had a close relationship with its readers. » One of Gabriel’s developer interviews. campaign and marked a turning
point for videogames in Spain.
Until then, there was practically
nothing; from that moment on, an
industry was created.”

» Here’s the spectacular Alfonso Azpiri

» MicroHobby’s look at Elite’s Airwolf makes note of its great difficulty. cover for Topo Soft’s finest hour.

of the team that created the magazine. First

of all, I worked as a freelancer. However,
When [MicroHobby]
before the magazine went on sale, the editor
asked me to join the staff team, and from
started, there was only
that moment on, I earned a living working really one other magazine
for MicroHobby. It’s also true that the editor
owed me quite a lot of money, as I had GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ
already written many articles for the first few
issues, so in this way, he saved on what he covered reports on SIMO [Spain’s premier
owed me! computing show], for example, as well as all
the fairs and events that took place in Spain.
What was your actual take on the
magazine, MicroHobby? What was your favourite type of feature
In my opinion, it was a very interesting to write?
» [ZX Spectrum] Like many Spectrum fans, Gabriel
magazine in every sense, because it dealt Those on videogames and everything related was a big fan of Matthew Smith’s Manic Miner and
with computing from the perspective of to them. I also enjoyed interviewing videogame its follow-up, Jet Set Willy.
gaming, explaining what programming is and creators and companies, as well as covering
highlighting issues related to hardware. Above related trade shows.
all, though, it was a weekly publication, and
for those who bought it, it was a complete Do you have any favourite games from
I REMEMBER WHEN
revolution in those times. that time? GETTING STARTED
I can’t say there was a single favourite, but “I met José Ignacio Gómez
What was your role at the magazine? I have a special fondness for Manic Miner, Centurión, and he told me
I wrote all the articles about games and some because it was the first game I reviewed in about this new project
reports on general computing. I reported the magazine. I also have special memories [MicroHobby magazine].
on IT and computing fairs and, from time for others from that time: Sabre Wulf, It marked my entry into
to time, wrote more varied articles, not Underwurlde, Knight Lore, Back To Skool, videogames, computing and,
about videogames at all but other subjects, Saboteur… all of them belong to the Hobby officially, publishing.”
completely on my own initiative. I occasionally Press era, the early days, and have a very
wrote articles on computing in general – I also special meaning for me. Each one brought

RETRO GAMER | 53
 I REMEMBER WHEN
NON-STOP RINGING
“The Monday after the
MicroHobby TV campaign had
shown, the phone wouldn’t
stop ringing. We were
completely overwhelmed, and
realised the magazine was
succeeding far beyond what
we had ever imagined.”

» Erbe’s version of the Club Nintendo magazine, » The first of Nintendo’s own Spanish » MicroHobby wasn’t shy about using shock tactics:

BEST
before Nintendo itself took over. Club Nintendo magazines. “Don’t be left hanging,” this advert grimly declares.

something new that gradually became although it was already doing quite well. The
established in the next generation of computers idea was to add something new and offer an

PRESS TRIP
and consoles. alternative to readers who didn’t want to type
in the very long codes we included in the
What was writing for MicroHobby like? magazine. I thought it was a brilliant idea, but
It was brilliant. We were like a big family. We I wasn’t directly involved – I had enough on
GABRIEL WILL ALWAYS had a fantastic atmosphere and all got on very my plate with running a ton of sections in the
REMEMBER HIS FIRST SIMO well. We were colleagues, but also shared our magazine itself!
The Madrid computer expo SIMO leisure time. A wonderful, marvellous period in
TCI had been running for several which I was really happy. How did you get the games for review?
years before the wave of Eighties I managed to get games via the distributors I
micros moved it away from stuffy Who else was involved? was in contact with. I got in touch with Erbe
IBMs, software utilities and The magazine’s editor was José Ignacio Software and the other companies that worked
(believe it or not) office furniture. Gómez Centurión. He was the owner as well. on bringing games to Spain. Everyone was very
Originally devised in the early Otherwise, there were four or five of us who cooperative, particularly when we explained
Sixties, the show initially focused worked on it: editor-in-chief África Pérez Tolosa, that it was for a weekly magazine that would
on corporate concerns, before Domingo Gómez, the director, layout artist appear on television as part of a major
the games entertainment industry Rosa María Capitel and Miguel Hinojosa, who advertising campaign. Everybody wanted to be
entered its space, causing was in charge of the MicroHobby cassettes. involved, including the companies that made
attendance to balloon and games, such as Dinamic and Opera Soft.
paving the way for its peak years On that subject, what did you think of
of the late-Nineties and early MicroHobby cassettes? They were a great Tell us more about that TV advert.
Noughties. “The first SIMO I way to discover new games. It was a surprise to everyone because there
attended was a special moment,” MicroHobby Cassette was an attempt to were initially no plans for television advertising.
remembers Gabriel, “as it marked increase the magazine’s profitability further, But when we made the important decision to
the arrival in Spain of computers turn the magazine from monthly to weekly, we
and the world of computing at a had to reach as many readers as possible as
popular level.” quickly as possible. It was a very risky move,
and we needed it to succeed from the very first
issue, which it did.

Why did MicroHobby become weekly? Your

workload must have been immense!
Initially, it was planned as a monthly publication.
However, one month before its launch, the plan
» IFEMA Madrid organised many SIMO changed to weekly. So we split the material we
conventions. (Image: copyright Heidi Meud.)
had created into sections to cover the different
issues, since it had fewer pages. However, it
still took considerable effort to maintain that
level of information each week. It was difficult,
to tell the truth, but fun.

This being the Eighties, publishing

software was in its infancy. How did it
» The Spectrum adaptation of artist Alfonso Azpiri’s own comic, Lorna. work at MicroHobby?

54 | RETRO GAMER
 MAGAZINE CRAFT: GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ

» [ZX Spectrum] One of Gabriel’s favourite games:

Journey To The Centre Of The Earth.

» [ZX Spectrum] As in the UK, Spain adored the output of Ultimate Play The Game.
» The MicroHobby cassette version saved
At the beginning, we used
typewriters, and the layouts
We were like a
married, he came up with
a cover that, rather than
all the laborious typing.

were constructed by pasting

text without proper layout
big family feature content from the
magazine, was about the
equipment. It was all very GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ step I was about to take in
basic, as it was back then. my life – getting married.
Then, little by little, we improved it, using It was a tremendous surprise and a happy
technology, as, being a computer magazine moment; I still have it, and it’s very emotional
interested in everything new on the scene, we for me. I appear next to my wife on this flying
tried to incorporate new tech as it came out. In carpet. If you put the cover next to a mirror,
fact, apart from using the typewriter for drafts, upside down, it reads, “Congratulations Gabriel
I would often use a Spectrum word processor and Marisa.”
at home when under pressure to finish tasks.
That’s very cool. After a few years at
Like most magazines in the pre-internet era, MicroHobby, you began writing for another
the covers sold the mag. MicroHobby had magazine, MicroManía. What happened?
some amazing art courtesy of José Maria I started working with another team to create
Ponce – what did you think of his work? MicroManía. We were mostly the people
I think it was one of the magazine’s great already producing MicroHobby and began
successes. José was a genius. Every one of his working on it the same way, but this time, » Erbe’s main business was importing
covers felt like a discovery, and we all enjoyed the magazine totally focussed on the world of software from the UK.
it whenever he came up with new ideas. videogames, taking into account that I was in
Sometimes he even hid things in the covers charge of those sections in MicroHobby. After
themselves for us to look for. He gave me one the fourth issue, the editor thought it would be
of his covers as a gift, an illustration before I got better if I continued as editor at MicroManía, so
I REMEMBER WHEN
married that featured my wife and me riding on I left MicroHobby and devoted myself entirely TAKING OVER
a magic carpet. I treasure it dearly – as I said, to the new magazine. “When José Ignacio asked
José was a true genius. me to run MicroManía.
How was MicroManía different to working MicroHobby opened up
How did that happen? That must have on MicroHobby? computing to home users, while
been an honour! The idea was that MicroHobby was a MicroManía aimed to become
Every time he did a cover, we would tell publication devoted entirely to the ZX the voice of an increasingly
him what the most important thing in that Spectrum. MicroManía allowed us to branch important industry – games.”
issue would be, and he would come up out to the other computers on the scene, such
with a proposal that was always original as the Amstrad CPC and MSX, and focus
and surprising. Surprisingly, just before I got on their games. It was very different from

RETRO GAMER | 55
 » José María Ponce’s striking cover to issue
» MicroHobby cover artist José María Ponce 29, celebrating Beyond Software’s sci-fi
specialised in arcane images such as this cover » Like most of its British peers, MicroHobby featured type-in listings. strategy, Shadowfire.
for issue two.
MicroHobby, and I was determined to keep it a totally different time. I left MicroManía in
that way because I believed we were entering January 1988 when I started working for Erbe
a new era and that it was important for us to and its videogame company.
clearly differentiate ourselves from it.
This was Topo Soft, right?
How did the computer magazines change Yes. I was there when it was making a lot of
in Spain as the 8-bit era came to an end? games for the Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX and
They changed a lot because 8-bit computers even the Atari computers. Then, the Commodore
disappeared, and the arrival of new Amiga and, finally, for the PC. Our greatest
computers brought new and different ways project was a game called Viaje Al Centro De
» Gabriel’s multi-part feature on BASIC programming
was a highlight of MicroHobby’s early issues. to play computer games. It was a much La Tierra (Journey To The Centre Of The Earth)
more established era, less adventurous. based on the Jules Verne novel. It was a great
We gave [Club Furthermore, other elements closely
related to computing and technology
success because we made it for all the platforms
we had previously worked on at that point. It was
Nintendo Magazine] began to appear [in the magazines]: new
peripherals to talk about, new operating
a very elaborate project, with graphics drawn by
Alfonso Azpiri [a talented Spanish comic artist
our own personality systems, and the important emergence known for his Spectrum game covers such as

and, in a very short time,

of Windows and Apple. It was a totally Abu Simbel Profanation and Lorna, based on his
different era, and perhaps it became own comic strip] specifically for the game. He

turned it into an important much more professional. It covered much

more ground, but it lost that wonderful
gave us these amazing drawings, and we built the
characters from those. It was quite an adventure,
marketing tool spirit of the early magazines of
the Eighties.
and I believe the best project we did at the time.
The game and Topo Soft received numerous
GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ awards from various gaming publications. It
Did you work for any other magazines became one of Topo Soft’s biggest hits, but it
back then or since? was a big risk. It was a joint project across the
I eventually stopped working in the world of company, with all the programmers and artists
publishing and went on to run a videogame involved. We kept the hype up, releasing small
development company. There, instead of fragments and sketches of the game. Actually,
writing and talking about games, I spent our best-selling game was Emilio Butragueno
a few years creating them with a team of Futbol, which sold over 200,000 units – an
programmers and graphic designers. It was unthinkable figure at the time!

» From its very first issue of November 1984,

MicroHobby packed lots of content into its 32 pages.

I REMEMBER WHEN
A DIFFICULT CHOICE
“I left Hobby Press. It was
a sad day, as, even though I
would be earning more money,
I’d be working in videogames
instead of talking about them.”
» Gabriel pilots a magic carpet with his wife behind
him in this special cover from José María Ponce. » It’s a sports-themed spread, with Decathlon, Match Point and World Cup all covered.

56 | RETRO GAMER
 MAGAZINE CRAFT: GABRIEL NIETO JIMENEZ

PROUDEST
MOMENT FROM MICROHOBBY
TO MICROMANÍA
» MicroHobby’s review of Ultimate’s Alien 8, complete » “Return To The Wild West” – MicroHobby celebrates
with 18 (!) screenshots. Ultimate’s isometric cowboy game Gunfright. “I’m most proud of when
the team we had created at
What made Topo Soft so successful? not only for the people who worked there but, MicroHobby set out to create
It had a large investment, which was a of course, for the Nintendo users, who already a new magazine in a very short
decisive factor – we wanted to occupy an numbered in the hundreds of thousands. And time, MicroManía. I also have
important position within the Spanish software me, after all those years of adventures with much personal satisfaction
industry, which was booming at that time magazines and programming, I then spent many from the fact that when I took
with companies such as Dinamic and Opera years working for Nintendo. I created [Nintendo over MicroManía, it was selling
Soft. We decided to create a large group of Of Spain], which was quite different from what 15,000 copies; when I left, it
programmers and artists to develop a series of it had done in other countries. I focussed a lot was already selling as many as
games with precisely that objective. on it, and we created a club that left quite an 85,000 copies.”
impression on many of Nintendo’s users who
You mentioned Dinamic. Was there any big shared their experiences with us at the time.
rivalry with it?
Not at first, but when Erbe invested in Topo Tell us about the Club Nintendo magazine
Soft to turn it into a software company on the and your responsibilities there.
scale of Dinamic, it did create some rivalry. The company thought that, because I came
The year I joined, Dinamic had won practically from the magazine world, I would be a good
everything given out annually by the magazines; fit. The truth is, they gave me carte blanche to
our goal was to challenge that. launch Club Nintendo, a club that in Spain was
quite different from those in other countries.
Why did you leave Topo Soft? We gave it our own personality and, in a
I left because its time was coming to an end. very short time, turned it into an important
Topo was an Erbe company and had been marketing tool, capable of connecting users
acquired with investment in mind. And what in a way that had not been realised before.
happened in that period was that videogame We distributed around 300,000 copies of the
sales began to decline slightly, other platforms magazine to members, publishing it every two
began to emerge, and Topo continued, but with months. It was an important link to the users.
minimal staff and its games were developed
outside of the company by freelancers. What are you up to today?

Where did you go?

Currently, well, I’m retired, and I spend my time
making music, which is one of my passions in
I REMEMBER WHEN
Erbe was first responsible for distributing life. I’m working on a kind of musical, which is A DAWNING
the Game Boy in Spain, and they asked me something I’ve wanted to do since I was very REALISATION
to join them on this new project. It did well, young. Now that I have the time, the means, “I was interviewed [about
achieving unthinkable sales for Nintendo, and the necessary material to do so, well, that’s my career] many years later,
thanks mainly to Erbe’s enormous distribution what I’m working on. because it was only then that I
network. With that success, Erbe also realised what I had achieved.”
distributed the Super Nintendo. Finally, what’s been your favourite period
from your career?
Erbe’s success was cut short by a massive I think my time at MicroHobby was professionally
warehouse fire. What happened? the most important of my life. I have never been
To this day, it’s a mystery. There was a as happy in any other job as I was in those days.
lot of speculation at the time because We were helping to give a voice to an unknown
the warehouse contained a huge stock of world, turning every new game, console and
Nintendo games. The rest is legend, but that computer into an unforgettable experience for an
fire precipitated Nintendo’s official arrival in entire generation.
Spain as its own subsidiary.
Our thanks to Gabriel for his time. For more
So, you finally joined Nintendo in the on Topo Soft, check out David Crookes’
summer of 1993? excellent feature on the company inside
Yes. From that moment, all of us who had been Retro Gamer 190. Thanks also to Lester
working for Erbe became a part of Nintendo as Drake for assistance with translation » [ZX Spectrum] Another favourite in the MicroHobby
it officially arrived in Spain. It was excellent news and localisation. offices: Clive Townsend’s Saboteur.

RETRO GAMER | 57
Gain Ground
EVERY CENTIMETRE COUNTS
» RETROREVIVAL

» MEGA DRIVE » 1991 » SANRITSU DENKI

I grew up in Northern Ireland, during
The Troubles. So while the news was
filled with bombings, shootings and
general sectarianism (somebody graffitied
‘F**k the pope’ on a wall near where
I lived) it kind of washed over me. It was expected,
having never known anything else. (It was a bit of a
culture shock when I moved to Bournemouth in 2003
and none of the police were armed, or drove about in
armoured Land Rover Defenders.)
Anyway, I’d bought my Mega Drive and a short walk
from where I lived was an independent video rental
shop that also rented games. Weird games. Import
games too. There was a Joshi wrestling one that was
all in Japanese and I couldn’t work out how to play.
There was a good selection and I think I rented out
nearly all of them over time. But the one I kept going
back to was Gain Ground.
I’ve only just found out there was a plot to it as none
of the games came with manuals; it’s about being a war
simulation or something. I didn’t know, I just had lots
and lots of characters to use to get through the levels.
A favourite one of mine is the Odin-looking Viking guy
with the huge fast-firing arrows. But each one has its
own strengths and suitability for whatever the levels
throw at you. Some have long-range attacks, others like
to get up close and personal, some offer support, and
some you just don’t want to use. I liked the way you’d
unlock new ones by picking them up and escaping
through the exit with them.
I don’t think I ever completed it, though I’d hired it out
of the shop enough times. Still, it was a nice distraction
from when the town centre got blown up twice.
 ULTIMATE GUIDE

THE WORLD WOULD HAVE TO WAIT 19 YEARS AFTER INDIANA JONES

AND THE LAST CRUSADE TO ENJOY ANOTHER INDY MOVIE BUT IT
ONLY TOOK THREE YEARS FOR LUCASARTS TO DEVELOP A RIP-
ROARING VIDEOGAME ADVENTURE THAT MORE THAN FILLED THE GAP
WORDS BY DAVID CROOKES
o beat Indiana Jones And The Fate after a humorous slapstick sequence plays
Of Atlantis, you need to have your out, Indiana Jones and his fellow archeologist
IN THE wits about you. Failing that, you can let Marcus Brody find themselves at gunpoint as
KNOW your fists do the talking or team up with
an archeologist-cum-psychic to tackle
a mysterious man insists on stealing a small
metal bead freed from inside a horned statue.
» PUBLISHER:
LUCASARTS the game’s many puzzles as an intrepid duo. The man turns out to be a Nazi spy called Klaus
» DEVELOPER: As it happens, the choice is entirely yours and Kerner who has a book that links Indy to his
LUCASARTS
your decision will have a big impact on how you former assistant, the aforementioned psychic
» PLATFORM:
PC, AMIGA, MAC experience one of the most spellbinding point- Sophia Hapgood. This prompts Indy to head for
» RELEASED: “DEVELOPED BY and-click adventures ever made. New York City to meet and warn her and so
1992 Developed by LucasArts using its SCUMM the adventure begins.
» GENRE: LUCASARTS USING engine, Fate Of Atlantis was the company’s Fans of point-and-click adventures are in
POINT-
AND-CLICK
ITS SCUMM ENGINE, eighth release. Hitting the shelves in 1992, it familiar territory with this game. Players control
ADVENTURE FATE OF ATLANTIS followed on from the success of Indiana Jones a cursor to get Indy to move and to interact
And The Last Crusade which was produced as with various items that are dotted around each
WAS THE COMPANY’S
a tie-in to the 1989 movie of the same name. location. Items can be picked up, pushed,
EIGHTH RELEASE” Unlike that release, Fate Of Atlantis was based pulled, opened, handed to characters, looked
on an original premise written by Hal Barwood at and touched, and such actions are chosen
(assisted by Noel Falstein) who had previously by clicking on the nine verbs present at the
contributed to the scripts of Steven Spielberg’s bottom of the screen. It’s also possible to have
The Sugarland Express and Close Encounters a conversation with characters. Indeed, this is
Of The Third Kind. As befitting an Indiana Jones a fundamental aspect of the game, in line with
release, it leaned heavily into classic mythology. the genre. It’s how information is gathered and,
The story unfolds in 1939 on the eve of in many cases, how puzzles are solved. Most
World War II. As the opening credits roll and of the conversations are very lively indeed.
The chemistry between Indy and Sophia
is particularly engaging. They’d grown close,
romantically so, on an expedition in Iceland in
1929 only for Sophia to steal and sell some
of the artefacts they’d unearthed. It turned
out, she’d kept a necklace which she believed
was once owned by the evil king Nur-Ab-Sal,
the high priest and last king of Atlantis and
this becomes a pivotal plot device later in the
game. It dovetails well with the overarching
story which hooks into the legendary island

20%
civilisation of Atlantis, first described as a naval
empire by Greek philosopher Plato around 360
BCE. In fact, the whole game fully embraces
OFF YOUR FIRST Atlantis mythology which also sees our hero
GOG PURCHASE hunt for the Lost Dialogue Of Plato.
USING CODE Although many of the puzzles need to be
RETROGOG20 solved in a set way, there are exceptions and
(ONE-TIME USE) » [PC] Some of the puzzles involve some action. A whip is effective against this rodent. this becomes clear very early on when trying

60 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: INDIANA JONES AND THE FATE OF ATLANTIS

THERE ARE A FEW

WAYS TO PLAY THIS GAME
» [PC] Players interact with the game using a cursor, a small selection of » [PC] Indy and Sophia can have conversations ■ Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis
verbs and objects both collected and observed. with a host of characters they meet. was built using LucasArts SCUMM engine,
becoming the seventh such release to do so.
» [PC] There are many ways Released on DOS in 1992, it had standard VGA
of getting around the game. graphics, allowing for 256 colours, as well as
speech in the introductory sequence. It also
came on 11 floppy disks.
The Amiga version was much the same. It,
too, was released on multiple floppies so a lot
of disk-swapping was required but, despite
having poorer graphics in comparison to the
PC, it remained a faithful conversion.
The same was true of the game on Mac but,
as on PC, it benefitted from a CD-ROM version
the following year, with 8,000 lines of dialogue
(Indy was voiced by Doug Lee) and this is the
version available within the Wii title Indiana
Jones And The Staff Of Kings . A version for
FM Towns with full speech was also released
in Japan in 1993 and it’s considered to be
better than the PC original.
It’s also worth mentioning Indiana Jones
And The Fate Of Atlantis: The Action
Game. Released for DOS, Amiga, Atari ST,
Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad
CPC, this was a totally different game loosely
based on the point-and-click adventure. It was
more combat-focussed and played from an
isometric perspective.
INDIANA JONES ASIDE,
WHO ARE THE KEY CHARACTERS?

SOPHIA HAPGOOD ALAIN TROTTIER OMAR AL-JABBAR

■ A former American ■ Amateur scholar Alain ■ Helpful in the Team
archeologist-cum- Trottier plays a far larger and Fists paths, Omar
psychic, sharp-tongued role in the Wits and Team Al-Jabbar is an Algerian
Sophia Hapgood may paths than he does in merchant who provides
be under the influence Fists but this thin-skinned a map and camels
of the Atlantean king character is still rather so that our intrepid
Nur-Ab-Sal who she says memorable. He takes part explorers can find a
communicates with her via an in a séance with Sophia dig site. In Wits, however, he’s
» [Amiga] Fate Of Atlantis starts with a humorous intro, with Indy
ancient necklace. She assists Indy and has Indy engaging in a antagonistic and obstructive, bumbling around the archives of Barnett College for a statue.
in his quest to find the lost city of car chase to save him. He prompting Indy to lock him in a
Atlantis before the Nazis. helps locate the Sunstone. closet to steal the map and camel.

DR CHARLES STERNHART KLAUS KERNER DR HANS UBERMANN

■ An archeologist ■ Introducing himself ■ Dr Hans Ubermann is
and antique dealer, Dr as Mr Smith, it soon interested in the metal
Charles Sternhart is transpires that the man bead stolen by Kerner.
more of an opportunist who steals a metal It turns out it’s made of
than a villain. When Indy bead early in the game orichalcum – an energy-
and Sophia discover a is actually a gun-toting rich material which, as
tomb inside a pyramid SS colonel called Klaus it turns out, was used
and find a Worldstone, Sternhart Kerner. Desperate to find Atlantis in Atlantis to power machines. » [Amstrad CPC] The action version of Fate Of Atlantis features a nice
decides to steal it and run away. to gain power for the Nazis, he Ubermann wants it to power a God isometric viewpoint.
He gets as far as the Labyrinth but captures Sophia. Things don’t go Machine believing it’ll produce a
appears a changed man. quite as planned for him. powerful master race.

RETRO GAMER | 61
 » [PC] The man in a red fez can
be tricky to pin down – if you don’t
say the right things, he’s off and
you need to find him on the map!

THERE WERE TWO SEQUELS

THAT SOUNDED GREAT ON PAPER
■ Indiana Jones And The Fate Of Atlantis was
so successful, it was inevitable LucasArts
would begin to discuss another Indy game.
A sequel called Indiana Jones And The Iron
Phoenix was planned, with Hal Barwood hired
as a story consultant. The plot focussed on
using the Philosopher’s Stone to resurrect Adolf
Hitler two years after the end of World War II.
Development got underway but there were
concerns about the game’s artistic style. Game
designer Aric Wilmunder was also worried
the game wasn’t meeting LucasArts’ high
standards. Crucially, the game was shown at
the European Computer Trade Show (ECTS) in
INDIANA AND SOPHIA
DON’T HALF GET AROUND
London after 15 months of development. It was
pointed out that the game couldn’t be sold in
Germany, a key market for adventure games,
because of the Nazi-focussed content so,
fearing huge losses, LucasArts pulled the plug.
The plot ended up being turned into a four-
part comic-book series by Dark House but it
didn’t spell the end of efforts to create another
Fate Of Atlantis game sequel. According to Hal,
a small Canadian studio was hired to create ICELAND TIKAL THE AZORES
Indiana Jones And The Spear Of Destiny based ■ Iceland is where ■ This ancient ■ Indy and Sophia
on the Spear Of Longinus – the lance that Sophia Hapgood Mayan city is make a brief
pierced Jesus’ side when he was crucified. previously found where Indy and stop in the lush
With no experience of being able to manage Nur-Ab-Sal’s Sophia first surroundings of The
external teams, however, LucasArts decided to necklace. In Fate Of Atlantis, encounter Dr Charles Sternhart, Azores, a Portuguese archipelago
drop the development and this, too, ended up Indiana Jones and Sophia Hapgood having made their way through a in the North Atlantic that is made
being turned into a comic book. fly from New York to Iceland to jungle towards the temple where up of nine volcanic islands. Far from
visit a dig site and they meet he’s working. The intrepid explorers being given a warm welcome, Indy
archeologist Bjorn Heimdall who find a bead of orichalcum here – the meets with a distinctly frosty Felipe
is looking for Atlantean artefacts. same metal that sparked the Nazi’s Costa – who he soon discovers
He’s in the process of excavating a interest in Atlantis where there is would be far more interested in
device resembling an eel. said to be a plentiful supply. talking to Sophia.

MONTE CARLO ALGERIA ATLANTIS

■ Indy (and ■ There’s a visit to ■ Indy and Sophia
Sophia) will the Mediterranean finally make it to
find themselves capital Algiers Atlantis but they
in the luxury in order to find find the Nazis have
surroundings of one of Monaco’s Omar Al-Jabbar and, if Sophia is got there first. Our heroes end up
finest administrative areas and, accompanying Indy, she’s going going round in circles exploring the
» A 67-page design document was written for Iron Phoenix in 1993. depending on the chosen path, to have to volunteer to be a knife Lost City – quite literally as the
gain access to a classy hotel room. thrower’s assistant. The main metropolis is made up of three rings
Monte Carlo is where Indy obtains focus, however, is on getting to a of various sizes, each one packed
the Sunstone and goes round in dig site in the middle of a desert with rooms to explore and enemies
circles trying to find a specific then stabbing around in the dark to to avoid. Once at the inner ring, the
street’s location. make progress. compelling finale is close.

62 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: INDIANA JONES AND THE FATE OF ATLANTIS

» [PC] When traversing the desert looking for a dig site, you need to bribe
any officials you encounter.

» [PC] The games

has a lot of variation
to keep play fresh,
including this balloon
ride to a submarine.

» [PC] Indy changes his clothes so as not to arouse suspicion while he’s on the submarine.

to meet Sophia who is Players nail this choice through can keep you occupied for many hours.
“THE CINEMATIC
onstage in a sold-out theatre. early-ish in the game. Having Regardless of the path taken, though, each
Indy can’t buy a ticket so STORYTELLING IS globe-trotted to Iceland, Tikal rejoins the story ahead of Act III which marks
he looks for another way in, SO GOOD, IT COULD and The Azores, encountering the big push towards the end.
encountering a doorman called EASILY FORM THE English archeologist and It’s clear a lot of time and attention was paid
Biff. Indy is able to sweet talk
Biff into allowing his access.
BASIS OF A MOVIE” antique dealer Charles
Sternhart and grumpy
to this game over its two years in development.
There’s an abundance of exotic locations and
He is also able to move some crates and sneak womaniser Felipe Costa along the way, Indy intriguing characters together with logical
in through the fire exit. But there’s a third way. and Sophia talk over their findings in Indy’s puzzles as well as some creative sequences.
He can trash talk Biff to the point where the office at Barnett College. Players can then These will have you chasing around the streets
doorman wants a fight. decide to allow Sophia to accompany Indy following servant Paul Abdul to Omar Al-
(the Team path), go it alone (the Wits path) or Jabbar’s house (or looking to pin down a man
ombat is simple enough. Each increase the number of foes Indy will have to wearing a fez). They’ll see you on camelback
opponent gets a power bar and fight with (the Fists path). Each branching path looking for a dig site while avoiding bribe-
health bar and the trick is to strike offers different puzzles and methods of play and receptive officers and getting directions from
when the power bar is sufficiently there is an incentive to go back and try each nomads and they’ll see you chasing round the
full and avoid getting hit (which one once the game is complete thanks to the streets of Monte Carlo seeking to ram a car full
reduces health). It’s possible to block, step inclusion of IQ Points. of Nazis to rescue amateur scholar Alain Trotter.
back and punch high, middle or low and there’s Short for Indy Quotient, these points are You’ll end up dashing around trying to find a
a sucker punch option too. amassed for carrying out certain actions such as street corner or stabbing around in pitch-black
The fighting element adds another distracting the stage hand, moving a totem pole, darkness feeling around for objects. There’s
dimension to the game and leans into Indy’s obtaining camels and opening secret doors. a balloon ride that takes you to a submarine
penchant for a punch-up when required. But The only way to achieve a maximum 1,000 IQ where you’ll fire a torpedo. You’ll need to pick
the fact that players don’t have to engage points is to play all three paths and, because up a trio of stones and put them on a pedestal
in fisticuffs ensures traditional adventurists of the way the game is structured, you’ll need so you can turn them to make things happen.
can remain comfortable. It ensures the game to play those paths at least a couple of times And you’ll need to make your way through a
tailors for different tastes. too. That’s no mean feat when an average play labyrinth as well as around Atlantis itself – the
latter being no mean feat because you’re
essentially charging around three rings, entering
rooms, solving puzzles and meeting dead ends.
Fate Of Atlantis is certainly a challenge.
It also holds up well today. Although the
graphics have inevitably dated, they still manage
to sparkle and that is helped enormously by
the rotoscoping technique used to animate
Indy and Sophia. The cinematic storytelling is
also so good, it could easily form the basis of a
movie but then it is clear the game’s developers
fully understood what makes Indiana Jones so
» [PC] The solution to some of the puzzles, including this stone-based one, » [PC] The fights are rather basic but there appealing. On that basis, it’s no surprise that it
can change each time you play. can be fatal consequences so be careful. sold more than a million copies.

RETRO GAMER | 63
The best way to spend your pocket money

» [Amiga] Teamwork is key in

Hired Guns, but if your team
is under pressure it’s easy to
get overwhelmed.

» [Amiga] Helpfully,
the battle droid can’t
drown, but there
are baddies in the
water, too.

AMIGA ACTION #45

THIS MONTH IN JUNE 1993 THE MAIN EVENT:
The Amiga scene was thriving at this point, with HIRED GUNS DEMO
classic titles arriving all the time. The A1200 was DMA had a busy 1993 and after the original
out, and Amiga Action magazine mentioned shooter Walker, and expansive sequel
rumours of a CD-based console from Commodore. Lemmings 2 came Hired Guns. Launching
There was also a feature on CompuServe, for those several months before Doom, Scott Johnston’s
interested in trying the internet. high-octane take on the dungeon crawler
On the coverdisks, Hired Guns was the formula felt quietly revolutionary.
standout, an excellent demo of a ground-breaking Fast and tense, it equips its futuristic squad
game. With it was quirky platformer Donk and a of fighters with a fierce arsenal of weapons,
collection of public domain games. complete with beefy sound effects. There’s a
A few months later Doom would launch, thunderous assault rifle and it briefly featured
heralding a shift in power away from the the best shotgun in gaming.
Amiga, but this month’s big demo pushed Set in 2707, you control a band of four
many of the same buttons. fugitives, who banter as you play, providing
COVERDISKS OFTEN atmosphere and context. The demo is a
COMBINED HEAVYWEIGHT training exercise undertaken before the game
TITLES WITH SMALLER PUBLIC proper, simulating the planet Graveyard ahead
DOMAIN GAMES AND THESE of your mission to wipe out a facility producing
WERE A GREAT WAY TO BUILD illegally bio-engineered organisms.
Naturally, a small army of these beasties is
YOUR COLLECTION. THIS out to stop you, and you’ll hear them hatching
MONTH’S DISKS INCLUDE A from their eggs as you play, adding a grim
SMATTERING OF PD GAMES urgency to proceedings. As well as fighting
ALONGSIDE DEMOS OF A your way past them, you’ve also got to solve
SLIGHTLY OVERLOOKED SCI-FI puzzles and figure out how to make your way
DUNGEON CRAWLER, AND AN through the game’s sprawling corridors.
The four-way split-screen gives each
UNUSUAL PLATFORMER character their own window into the world.
WORDS BY JAMES KONIK » [Amiga] Your squad can follow each other about, or try to. Some puzzles require teamwork, such as one

64 | RETRO GAMER
» [Amiga] You’ve got several special powers, and turning into an egg
renders the enemies harmless.

» [Amiga] There are lots of diamonds, and you need to find them all to unlock the exit in Donk.

HIGHLIGHTS THE BEST OF THE REST

» [Amiga] Enemies hatch from eggs. Keep up a decent pace and you can CRAZY SUE
blast them before they hatch. ■ This is a wickedly difficult public domain
platformer, by Hironymus Jumpshoe, Thorin
person flipping a switch while someone else Oakenshield and DJ Braincrack, with banging
uses a lift. The combat is the big draw though, music, and decent graphics.
with enemies closing on you swiftly, meaning As the prophesied child with a blue key, you’re
you always need to be ready to fire back. exploring the land of Ereanor in search of an evil
Enemies wander freely round the level, so you wizard. You saunter along the levels, dodging the
can never let your guard down. unpredictable baddies while collecting bonuses
The demo is massive and more than and power-ups. Mad and original, it’s very, very
enough to justify the price of the magazine challenging, but a likeable diversion and a real
purchase by itself. There’s also a two-player test of your platforming skills.
mode if you’re lucky enough to have two
mice. Hired Guns was something special, and ISOLATION DEATHBRINGERS
it’s still worth a look today. ■ In this two-player FROM SPACE
strategy game by Bode, ■ This is a zappy space
PLAY THIS NEXT: DONK DEMO you have to move around shooter by Ego The
Wisely renamed after appearing as Dong on the map, removing tiles Avatar, where you fight
other coverdisks, Donk is a samurai duck on and attempting to isolate through waves of colourful
a mission to gather magical gems before the your opponent, who is trying to do the same to enemies. It’s certainly simple stuff, but the
nefarious Eider Down can use them for mischief. you. It looks simple, but it’s surprisingly deep, intro music is nice, and it includes a built-in
Creators The Hidden, founded by Craig and games can take a turn quickly. infinite lives mode.
Howard, had developed coverdisk games
before, but Donk, a side-scrolling platformer, ASSAULT AMIGA-Q
was its only commercial release. ■ A mouse-based PD ■ Amiga-Q is a Solitaire
The demo includes one of the game’s many shooting gallery that gives game, by Thomas Paul
levels, set in the Observatory Zone. Slickly you little time to hit even Shultz. You jump across
presented, with demoscene-like music and its the first tiny target. Made pins to remove them,
own sense of humour, Donk has some nice by Arno ‘Sigh’ Jellema of and try to carry on doing
touches. Some iffy collision detection makes De Bond while serving in the Dutch so until there’s just one left. It also includes a
picking up diamonds troublesome, but doesn’t army, you’ll need extraordinarily cheeky cheat mode option. This is a very nice
stop Donk being an entertaining game, and an fast reflexes for this one. game to have in your collection.
enjoyable, challenging demo.

RETRO GAMER | 65
 THE MAKING OF

WITH THE 1995 RELEASE OF COMMAND &

CONQUER, WESTWOOD STUDIOS CREATED AN
INSTANT CLASSIC THAT WOULD CHANGE THE
WORLD OF REAL-TIME STRATEGY FOREVER. SHORTLY
AFTERWARDS, THE SAME THING WAS TO HAPPEN AGAIN,
ONLY THIS TIME WITH A FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER.
WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE MUCH MORE COMPLICATED…

W
WORDS BY PAUL KAUTZ
estwood Studios may as one of our hero commando characters.
not have invented Renegade and Sole Survivor were both
the real-time strategy ideas of how our players might control a
genre with the single unit but be part of the greater real-
release of Dune II in time strategy that was authentically C&C.”
1992, but it clearly defined it and brought After some experimentation with the
it to the masses. The competition, led by genre-typical bird’s-eye view, Westwood
the well-armed Blizzard Orcs, came, saw turned to the first-person perspective. A
and built upon it. So Westwood had to step tech demo developed in mid-1997 on the
it up a notch to maintain its dominance. first PlayStation was called Command
Which it did in abundance with Command & Conquer: Commando and consisted
& Conquer. Not only was it a fantastic RTS of rotating real-time 3D objects and an
in its own right that cleverly expanded on animation test, all based on the 3D engine of
the gameplay mechanics of Dune II, but the racing game Sports Car GT, which was
it was also a huge hit also in development at
that continued to grow
in 1996’s Command &
“WE ALWAYS the time by publisher
Electronic Arts. However,
Conquer: Red Alert. VIEWED C&C AS this quickly proved to
Both games featured A WORLD WHERE be too inflexible, so
dedicated missions in MANY GAMES Westwood decided that
which heavily armed COULD BE PLAYED” a customised 3D system
lone wolf fighters were LOUIS CASTLE had to be developed.
let loose. It made sense The result was called
for Westwood to give these commando W3D, which stood for Westwood 3D, and
units their own game, as executive producer was later renamed SAGE and used in games
Dan Cermak confirmed to us. “C&C was a such as Command & Conquer: Generals
huge IP and the commando was one of the (2003) and The Lord Of The Rings: The Battle
favourite units in the game. So it seemed For Middle-Earth (2004).
natural to try to move to another genre while However, its first appearance was in
hopefully pulling in a sizeable audience that the game that was announced in a press
knew and loved the character.” release by Westwood on 15 September
Louis Castle, cofounder of Westwood 1999. “C&C: Renegade puts players directly
and also executive producer on Command on the Command & Conquer battlefield as
& Conquer: Renegade, elaborates further, the Commando, the one-man army made
“We always viewed C&C as a world where famous in the original Command & Conquer
many games could be played. We especially strategy game. Instead of commanding
liked the idea of playing first/third-person troops from afar, you’ll be on the battlefield,

66 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: COMMAND & CONQUER: RENEGADE

in the middle of the war.” The same press

release stated that the game was scheduled
for release in spring 2000 – which did not
happen. The game was postponed again
and again and again, with Westwood
even making fun of itself. In a four-and-a-
half-minute video called Havoc Takes On
Westwood ([Link]/p5ZF0PCTwEI), released
in November 2001, hero Nick Parker (played DAVID YEE
IN THE by Andrew Bryniarski, whom gaming fans ■ David was the lead
KNOW will know best as Zangief from the 1994
Street Fighter film) runs furiously through the
game designer for
Command & Conquer:
» PUBLISHER:
ELECTRONIC Westwood offices, to make sure the game » [PlayStation] Renegade began life as a very simple tech demo on the Renegade. After his
ARTS
isn’t delayed any further. “You ship on time, original PlayStation. time at Westwood, he
» DEVELOPER:
WESTWOOD or I’ll be back!” he shouts at the very end spent many years at
of the funny clip. It didn’t help though, the Electronic Arts and

SURVIVAL

A
STUDIOS
» PLATFORM: game was still not released until spring 2002. Oculus VR. Since 2022,
PC

OF THE
he has been COO at
» RELEASED:
2002 ccording to lead game VR game developer

SINGLEST
» GENRE: designer David Yee (who Another Axiom.
FIRST-PERSON also appears in the video),
SHOOTER
there were many reasons
for the significant delay. “It HOW C&C WENT SOLO BEFORE
took a long time for the team and studio ■ Command & Conquer: Sole
to figure out and agree how the game Survivor Online, released at the
should play and what the tone would be. end of 1997, is the third and now
Once decisions were made to answer these largely forgotten game in the
questions, we needed more time to finish C&C series. Visually, it was very
DEVELOPER acceptable assets for the time we were
releasing.” According to Dan, there was also
reminiscent of the first game, but it focussed on
online multiplayer, in an unusual way: each of
HIGHLIGHTS a lack of vision as well as technical issues. the up to 50 players per map (in 1997!) controlled
THE LEGEND OF
KYRANDIA “I don’t think there was a clear path for exactly one unit and engaged in deathmatch-like LOUIS CASTLE
PLATFORM: PC, AMIGA what the player should be doing and what battles against the others, either alone or in ■ Louis was one of the
RELEASED: 1992 it meant to be the Commando. When I got teams. There were 23 different units and lots of founders of Westwood
LANDS OF LORE: THE there, the team was demoralised and there upgrades hidden in crates that had to be found Studios and executive
THRONE OF CHAOS really wasn’t a product plan, but the game on the large maps. Ultimately, the game boiled producer of Renegade.
(PICTURED)
was supposed to ship that year. The art down to a kind of last man standing – whoever After Westwood, he
PLATFORM: PC
assets were very good but too much for the was left at the end or had the most points after was vice president of
RELEASED: 1993
engine, and we had to simplify most of it. the time limit expired, won the round. creative development
COMMAND & CONQUER We reworked the narrative and it felt like we It sounds like a great idea at first, but at Electronic Arts for
PLATFORM: PC, VARIOUS
started from scratch in a lot of areas. I do unfortunately plays very sluggishly and is simply many years and is now
RELEASED: 1995
remember having to demo the game to EA quite boring. The game mostly received only a freelance consultant.
» [PC] The game’s levels offer a Studio execs on a regular basis and it took average ratings and was anything but a sales
remarkable amount of variety. a ton of team focus to set those demos hit. The official servers were shut down in early
2002, and the game never found its way onto any
of the Command & Conquer collections released
over the years. It may have its fans (who have
been trying to revive its online functionality since
2022), but it is generally considered one of the
blackest sheep of the C&C family.

DAN CERMAK
■ Dan was also
executive producer
of Renegade. He then
spent many years in
senior management at
Volition and now works
as both a consultant and
teacher for game design.

» [PC] Sole Survivor had no campaign and no base building,

only multiplayer battles online.

RETRO GAMER | 67
 » [PC] Nick occasionally has to
deal with helicopters as enemies.
Unfortunately, flying them yourself
is not permitted in the campaign.

COMMAND
& COMRADE
HOW THE PLANNED RENEGADE
SEQUEL NEVER CAME TO BE
■ Immediately after work on Renegade was completed, the
developers turned to a sequel, as Louis confirms. “We rarely
built a new IP without a notion of how we would expand it. In
the case of Renegade, we talked about moving into the Red
Alert universe to follow the path of the original C&C games.”
Renegade 2 (which had the working subtitle Battlegrounds)
would have used an advanced W3D engine to tell a new story
in the popular Red Alert scenario. The hero would not have
been Havoc again, instead players would have fought their
way through the dark world in the role of a renegade Soviet
commander, using vehicles and weapons typical of the scenario. up. The team would fly in and we would
However, Renegade 2 never made it past the preproduction show the progress and discuss things. I feel
phase. Publisher Electronic Arts had more confidence in the like it took too much time away from the
recently released Battlefield 1942 and did not want to release dev process but the discussions were very
two similar games at the same time. Dan regrets this in hindsight, useful.” Last but not least, the sheer size
“I find that with a new IP, the first game isn’t usually the best of of the game was also a problem, as Louis
the series. The second is when the team has a real knowledge of » [PC] The standard enemies are very simple and only recalls. “It just took longer than expected
the tech and tools and a much clearer understanding of what the pose a threat due to their sheer numbers. to get to a high-quality, high-performance
IP is about. We pitched a sequel that, if we had done it, would game with the large open battlefields
have felt more like C&C from a first/third-person perspective. We we wanted to represent. Renegade was
wanted to allow the player to command units rather than just be a very ambitious game in terms of both
one character. The team was really excited to do it, but the sales technology and design. A few times we got
just didn’t support a second game.” pretty close to a release date but felt we

R
needed to make things a bit better.”

enegade was Westwood’s

first foray into the world
of first-person shooters.
Of course, the 30 or so
developers involved in the
project were fans of the genre, with Dan
citing games such as Medal Of Honor,
Half-Life and Counter-Strike as important
inspirations. But none of them had any real
experience developing such a game, which,
according to David, caused many internal
struggles. “In my opinion, one of the
most challenging things about Renegade
» [PC] Renegade 2 was supposed to be set in the dark world of Red Alert.

» [PC] Havoc can also drive some enemy vehicles, including the
beautifully destructive Flame Tank.

68 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: COMMAND & CONQUER: RENEGADE

» [PC] Some of the rare boss fights are quite challenging. » [PC] Most buildings can be entered, seamlessly transitioning between the outside and inside.

was working at a studio that did not play

or appreciate the FPS genre. I’ve been
lucky to also get to work on the Battlefield
franchise where we had a core pillar that
focussed on the experience of movement,
vehicles, using weapons and tools. When
working on Renegade, building compelling
FPS features was universally dismissed in
favour of trying to appeal to the core C&C
RTS audience first – where this might be
their first-ever FPS.”
Westwood’s focus on targeting its original
player base proved a frustrating issue, as
David continues. “It was a choice in game » [PC] Nick ‘Havoc’ Parker, hero of Command & Conquer: Renegade, in » [PC] Most of the vehicles can be used, dealing out a lot of firepower
direction that made it hard to advocate for all his smouldering glory. and giving Havoc a moment to breathe.
features that I would consider table stakes
for an FPS, like weapon firing animations,
decals or tracers, everything became
consoles. To the team’s
credit, everything “C&C WAS A idea behind Renegade
was to imagine what the
a discussion about how our potential changed once we got HUGE IP AND THE universe would be like
audience wouldn’t care about these details. multiplayer working. COMMANDO WAS from a very different
The art team was directed to make things That was really the A FAN FAVOURITE” perspective.” The original
more cartoonish. The Nod light tank that turning point once DAN CERMAK plan included the choice
we originally made as a more realistic- we got into daily to play the campaign
looking tank became the brightly coloured play sessions and people took it upon from the perspective of the Brotherhood
thing that we shipped with. At one point themselves to advocate for something that Of Nod as well, but according to Louis, this
in development, buildings did not take resembled what an RTS game would look was not possible due to time constraints,

A
damage and could not be destroyed. C4 did like at ground level.” “Originally it was both GDI & Nod, just like
not work unless you placed it exactly on the in the original game. However, we reduced
ccording to the game’s scope to just GDI fairly early on when we
manual, Renegade is set realised it would be just too ambitious to try
at the end of the first and build out two campaigns to the level of
Tiberium War between quality we were shooting for.”
the GDI (Global Defence The campaign, consisting of 12 missions,
Initiative) and the sinister Brotherhood Of is divided into primary, secondary and
Nod, which kidnaps three leading Tiberium occasionally even tertiary objectives: Havoc
researchers in order to turn the tide of war must free prisoners, eliminate enemies,
in its favour. They can only be freed by reunite his old combat unit Dead 6, flee
one man: Nick Seymour Parker, codename from a nuclear missile, escape from prison,
Havoc. According to David, the reason for and protect people on several occasions. As
the lone wolf centre was primarily a desire the whole game is deeply rooted in the C&C
to diversify. “Westwood always had a spirit universe, he also has to deal with Tiberium
of experimentation with the franchise, Harvesters, deadly Obelisks and the Hand
» [PC] Later in the game, Nick reunites his old team, the Dead 6, who including games like Sole Survivor (see Of Nod, all of which feature familiar-looking
then fight independently alongside him. the Survival Of The Singlest panel). The energy bars, and are accompanied by

RETRO GAMER | 69
 familiar sound effects.
Not to mention the EVA
“EVERYTHING the RTS, but I think it added
a modern element that fit
(Electronic Video Agent) CHANGED the FPS game better.” It was
menu system, the bird’s- ONCE WE GOT definitely worth it – Renegade
eye perspective overview MULTIPLAYER is a Command & Conquer
map and the ever-present WORKING” game through and through!
Tiberium fields. DAVID YEE Unfortunately, this is also
Havoc fights his enemies true of its drawbacks. Anyone
» [PC] There are plenty of references to Command & Conquer: not only on foot, but also at the wheel of familiar with the original RTS is sure to be
Overview maps, Tiberium Harvesters and, of course, legendary
buildings like the Obelisk. a Humvee, a Light Tank or even a mighty familiar with the infamously stupid Tiberium
Mammoth Tank! Many of the vehicles Harvesters. In Renegade, this role falls to
standing around in the environment the regular enemies, as their AI is practically
or being carried into view by transport non-existent for the most part: they tend
helicopters are fully usable and very to run blindly towards the player, without
easy to control. According to the original tactics or finesse. You can easily take out
press release, even more were planned, individual enemies from a group without
most notably flying units such as Orca the others giving any care, and most enemy
helicopters, but these had to be cut from vehicles can be safely destroyed from a

I
the campaign due to time constraints. distance with a few missiles – the biggest
danger to Havoc actually comes from
n addition, the existing vehicles snipers and Flame Tanks.
do not always behave as we Dan mentions with a smirk that this at
know them from previous games, least gave players the feeling of being a
which according to David was an truly overpowered hero. Who is, typical
» [PC] Letting a Flame Tank get this close is a bad idea. But with the right intentional decision. “One of the for the Command & Conquer series,
weapon, it’ll still become scrap metal quite quickly. most controversial decisions I made was the accompanied by a thunderous soundtrack
balance of the Stealth Tank and the Flame written by Westwood maestro Frank
Tank. Specifically, going against C&C canon Klepacki. David still remembers it very
and giving them increased movement fondly, “I do want to take a moment and call
speed. In the RTS, especially the Flame out Frank’s awesome music for the game.
Tank, these vehicles are superpowerful but Mechanical Man was one of my favourite
fairly slow, relying on a sense of impending original songs and I thought it fit the
doom or stealth to be effective. In our spirit of a C&C game where you play as a
playtests, they just became useless and too character. Seeing/hearing that Frank did an
easy to pick off with other units. Making updated version for Renegade was a career
that change is not what you would see in highlight. I still have the soundtrack on CD.”

» [PC] Renegade offers an extensive arsenal of weapons that can be used to wreak great chaos.

70 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: COMMAND & CONQUER: RENEGADE

» [PC] Even at the time of release, the graphics weren’t

the game’s strong point.

A
» [PC] The battles are simple, but usually look cool and
are a lot of fun.

fter that very long

development time,
Renegade was supposed
to be the first of many » Havoc Takes On Westwood was a short video released in late-2001, in which Westwood themselves poked fun at the game’s constant delays.
first-person shooters in the
Command & Conquer universe. But, alas,

THE THREEDEERIUM
that was not to be, as the very average
sales figures told a different story, as Louis

CONFLICT
sighs. “Renegade underperformed against
high expectations. One of the great things
about being part of a big company is that
you have incredible resources to build and WHY RENEGADES MULTIPLAYER MODE WAS SO SPECIAL
promote games. One of the key difficulties ■ Renegade’s multiplayer mode (called C&C Mode)
is that you are competing with all the other is basically a game of classic Command & Conquer
great franchises for the same limited pools – only from a first-person perspective and with
of investment dollars. The storyline and significantly more action. On the GDI or Nod side,
single-player of Renegade were okay, but you work as a team (originally a maximum of 32
didn’t measure up to games like Medal of players, later up to 128) to destroy your opponents’
Honor: Allied Assault. I do like the IP and base. Tiberium Harvesters bring in money that can
wish we could have revisited the genre with be used to buy equipment, weapons and vehicles.
a stronger investment in the core technology It’s great fun that fans kept alive over all these
and an emphasis on the multiplayer game.” years and still play it today.
A planned console version never came Its development presented some unexpected
to be, nor did a planned sequel (see the problems, as David remembers. “For multiplayer,
Command & Comrade panel). And so we really struggled with how to integrate super » [PC] In multiplayer mode, you have a free choice of characters
Renegade remains the only first-person weapons. But how could you not have an ion cannon and vehicles – as long as you have the money to buy them.
shooter in the C&C universe to date. or nuke? We also took a lot of inspiration from
Which is a real shame. Because despite Counter-Strike with placing and defusing the bomb
all its drawbacks, such as average graphics to come up with the concept of the beacons. My
and weak enemy AI, Renegade also got a favourite line from a review of the game described
lot of things right: Its integration into the the feeling of being on the battlefield getting hit with
C&C universe was exemplary, the action an ion cannon as watching the middle finger of God.”
had a lot of oomph, and the online mode Looking back, Louis regrets the development
was a masterpiece (more on that in the The focus of Renegade. “I wish we had started with the
Threedeerium Conflict panel). David still multiplayer mode and then built more single-player
has nothing but fond memories of it. “C&C levels that leaned into all the fun of base defence
Mode is one of my favourite things I’ve and assault. I think the multiplayer of Renegade really
worked on. I think we did a decent job of broke new ground and should have been the focus
capturing what it would feel like to play an rather than trying to teach players about shooters.”
RTS as an FPS for the time.”

RETRO GAMER | 71
Dr Mario 64
FAMILY DRAMA

» RETROREVIVAL
» NINTENDO 64 » 2001 » NINTENDO R&D1
Although I’ve recently sold off my
entire Game Boy Advance collection
and a large amount of my SNES
collection, my N64 games aren’t
going anywhere.
In some ways it represents two distinct sides of
me, the carefree idiot I was before I had kids and the
carefree idiot I became afterwards. Before my first
daughter Emily came along, the N64 was a constant
part of my life. If I wasn’t playing Ocarina Of Time
or Banjo-Kazooie, I was having multiplayer sessions
of GoldenEye 007, Turok 2 or Mario Kart 64 with
friends. Even Mel used to love Nintendo’s console,
and when she wasn’t staring at her character’s feet
in GoldenEye, she’d be using a guide and helping me
through whatever game I was playing.
With the imminent arrival of Emily, I sold my entire
N64 collection because I knew it was time to grow
up. Alongside swapping my original NTSC SNES for
an Amiga 1200, it’s the biggest gaming mistake I
ever made. I rectified this error around five years ago
when I looked at rebuying all those games I’d foolishly
sold off because I naively thought that being a parent
meant becoming a completely different person.
The new N64 became a hit, particularly with my
younger daughter Alice. She enjoyed playing Mario
Party 2, GoldenEye and Super Mario Kart 64 with
me, and even Mel started to play the odd session
of Gauntlet Legends – one of the few games we
completed together back in the day. She even played
some GoldenEye (she’s still terrible at it).
The arrival of the Analogue3D has made multiplayer
gaming even more appealing to my family now, as we
can play N64 games together in the front room on a
big TV. We don’t get together very often as Alice is in
uni and Emily is too cool to play games, but I picked
up Dr Mario 64 recently because I’ve heard very good
things about its multiplayer.
The few games I’ve played highlight that it’s not
really doing much mechanically over the earlier
games in the series, but it does come with a large
number of different game modes, which I’m looking
forward to getting stuck into.
It’s the four-player multiplayer mode that really drew
me towards buying the game however and I’m really
looking forward to experiencing it with the rest of the
family when we’re all under one roof again.
 IN THE
KNOW
» PUBLISHER:
ACTIVISION
» DEVELOPER:
TREYARCH
» PLATFORM:
PS2, XBOX,
GAMECUBE
» RELEASED:
2004
» GENRE:
ACTION-
ADVENTURE

DEVELOPER
HIGHLIGHTS
TONY HAWK’S PRO
SKATER 2X
PLATFORM: XBOX
RELEASED: 2001
CALL OF DUTY:
WORLD AT WAR
PLATFORM: PS3, XBOX
360, WII, PC
RELEASED: 2008
CALL OF DUTY:
BLACK OPS (PICTURED)
PLATFORM: VARIOUS
RELEASED: 2010

SPIDER-MAN 2 IS STILL WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF THE

BEST SUPERHERO GAMES EVER MADE. AT THE TIME, IT WAS
REVOLUTIONARY. THE OPEN-WORLD SETTING, INNOVATIVE CONTROL
SYSTEM AND INTENSE WEB-SWINGING ACTION DEVELOPED BY TREYARCH
ALL LAID THE FOUNDATIONS FOR FUTURE SUCCESS
WORDS BY SEAN COLE

74 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: SPIDER-MAN 2

JAMIE FRISTROM

T
■ In recent years,

“If you feel it strongly enough, getting there is just

Spider-Man 2 ’s
reyarch’s original Spider-Man game technical director
lacked something. It was solidly made,
and enjoyable enough to play, but failed
a matter of work. And we were excited enough that and designer has
been improving the
to replicate the visceral thrill of hurtling we didn’t care how much work it would take” experience of network
through New York as a web-slinging games on Minecraft:
superhero. It didn’t capture the freedom, TOMO MORIWAKI Bedrock Edition.
speed and fluidity of movement that makes
Spider-Man so compelling.
Jamie Fristrom, one of Treyarch’s first
employees and a key member of the
development team, had been away on his
honeymoon when work started on Spider-Man,
which was based around the first instalment
of the Sam Raimi trilogy. Jamie returned to the
office to find that his colleagues had embarked
down a different path to the one he envisaged.
Webs were essentially cosmetic and players
could swing continuously from one to another, TOMO MORIWAKI
regardless of whether they attached to anything ■ The game’s creative
or not. They didn’t respond to your momentum director is now chief
either, carrying you along at the same steady creative officer of
pace regardless of circumstance. Hyperkinetic Studios
» [PlayStation 2] The tilted
Jamie felt that the web-swinging experience camera shows Spider- and a lecturer at the
wasn’t anywhere near dynamic or immersive Man venturing to the top of ArtCenter College
enough. It also made Spider-Man too easy, the Empire State Building. Of Design.
depriving the game of the necessary speed and
peril. “I was pretty disappointed by that, but I
also knew that doing something more ‘realistic’,
with physics and grappling hooks, where you » [PlayStation 2] Rhino, the first
major villain that Spider-Man faces,
actually attach to stuff, was probably not going getting ready to charge at him.
to fly,” he says. “But, during the development
of that game, I did work late to cobble
together my own ideas. About six months into
production, I’d got something that I liked and
I showed it around the team. They thought it
was interesting and had potential.”
That initial discussion with team members
gave Jamie the confidence to push his idea
further. “I talked to the owners of Treyarch
– my college buddies – and said, ‘Here, look
what I did.’ They were like, ‘Come on, Jamie,
be reasonable. You can’t change the core game
mechanic halfway through!’ It also wasn’t quite
there yet. You’d swing and you’d stick to a wall
automatically, because Spider-Man was pretty
sticky back then. That wasn’t fun.”
Treyarch decided to continue with the
initial plan and put Jamie’s ideas to one side,
at least temporarily. After the game was
released in 2002, the development team
went to watch Spider-Man in the cinema for
» [PlayStation 2] Spider-Man takes
the first time, an experience which changed an injured woman to the hospital
everything. Spellbound by the film’s sheer in a time-limited challenge.

RETRO GAMER | 75
 » [PlayStation 2] Beating Quentin Beck
in a challenge to round up prisoners
and prove Spider-Man’s credentials.

» [PlayStation 2] Swinging between

trees in Central Park, one of the
game’s many iconic locations.

dynamism, they recognised that a more

ambitious approach would be needed to
ensure the sequel lived up to heightened
“It’s probably one of the expectations. “Maybe we still didn’t know
what to do next, but we knew exactly where
most difficult core game we were heading. Now we could do iteration

mechanics that you can after iteration. If you feel it strongly enough,
getting there is just a matter of work. And
dump in somebody’s lap we were excited enough that we didn’t care
how much work it would take,” says Tomo
and say, ‘Here, learn this!’

S
Moriwaki, the game’s creative director.

I was nervous as we were oon after Spider-Man shipped, the

shipping the final thing” next game was underway. Treyarch
had two years to deliver Spider-Man 2
JAMIE FRISTROM and spent the first six months of that
in preproduction, refining Jamie’s
prototype. “We had this period where we had

CONVERSION CAPERS
one team working on gameplay and controls
and character and how the camera would
OTHER DEVELOPERS STRUGGLED work, and then another team working on the
TO FIND THE RIGHT FORMULA tech,” he explains.
■ While Treyarch were responsible for the Boy Advance and N-Gage versions. Although the “In today’s world, with the kind of budgets that
acclaimed console version of Spider-Man 2 , its side-scrolling GBA title had cartoony in-game would be in place for a game like that now, it’s
best features – dynamic web-swinging, non- graphics, it borrowed cutscenes and backgrounds unreasonable. Our bosses would have stopped
linear gameplay and freedom to roam – were from the PC game. The N-Gage version combined us,” says Tomo. “But, at the time, there was
sadly lacking from the games made for other some painfully slow 3D swinging levels with more distance between publisher and developer,
platforms, leaving some players feeling misled. more responsive 2D sections. Both were and even the leaders of the development
The Fizz Factor, a branch of Amaze underwhelming at best. company. We were given a wider berth.”
Entertainment that specialised in delivering There was no guarantee that all this
licensed games on a budget, made the PC version. experimentation would deliver the results
Targeted at a younger audience, it was criticised they wanted, causing a lot of anxiety. “There
for being simplistic and clunky, especially the web- were several months of us telling our bosses,
swinging and fighting elements. like, ‘Don’t look at it yet! Don’t look at it yet!’
Vicarious Visions, now known as Blizzard Albany, That moment came where we couldn’t hold
fared better when developing Spider-Man 2 for the them off anymore,” recalls Jamie. “That was
Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable. On the PSP, a great day for us because they were all very
the style of gameplay was very similar to Treyarch’s impressed. They ran it all the way up the chain
original Spider-Man, but the missions were often to the chief operating officer of Activision to
too easy to complete. The DS game posed a show everybody what we’d done.”
tougher challenge, arguably too much so. Players The new fluid style of web-swinging, in
also had to settle for a 2D perspective and limited » [Game Boy Advance] Digital Eclipse’s GBA game didn’t capture the which Spider-Man would latch onto a building,
graphics. Lastly, Digital Eclipse made the Game majesty of the home-console versions, but it did look lovely. lamppost, tree or other structure and pivot like
a pendulum, was given resounding approval.
The more attachment points that were added,
the smoother the experience became. You

» [PlayStation 2] Each of the

game’s 17 chapters starts with a
dramatic freeze-frame sequence.

76 | RETRO GAMER
 THE MAKING OF: SPIDER-MAN 2
» [PlayStation 2] Spider-Man
meeting Black Cat in one of
the game’s many cutscenes.

TOYING WITH
ENEMIESSPIDER-MAN 2’S MELEE
COMBAT SYSTEM PRIORITISED
STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE
■ Combat was another area that evolved
to reflect the game’s focus on making
movement faster, smoother and more
satisfying. A wide variety of acrobatic
moves could be strung together
quickly, creating impressive animation
sequences that highlighted the influence
of series like Marvel Vs Capcom, Devil
» [PlayStation 2] Performing May Cry, Soulcalibur and Ninja Gaiden.
acrobatic tricks while flying “We had a combo system. We
through the air charges up only had a limited number of buttons
your Spider Sense.
(web, jump and attack), but they were
contextually sensitive,” says Tomo. “If
I hit ‘web’ in the air, I’d yank the guy up
to my altitude and stick to it a little bit to
could suddenly cover large distances much were basically just boxes. Always having those accommodate the next button presses. It
more quickly than before, in a way that felt things in memory was pretty key, and then just was fun how Spider-Man moved through
liberating and much truer to the film. “Spider- having the nearby stuff loaded in high detail.” space entirely through combat combos.”
Man becomes more like a ball that just moves Eric Pavone and other designers populated The experience was primarily
through space and is influenced by the choices Manhattan with activity to keep players designed to be enjoyable and visually
we make with the controller,” says Tomo. “That occupied between missions. You can make appealing, with much less concern about
shifted our thinking towards uninterrupted deliveries for the pizzeria and take photographs the level of challenge that players faced.
movement. We were on the hunt for animation for the Daily Bugle. There are various races to “It wasn’t a great combat system; it was
transitions that took account of player velocity. complete, hidden tokens to collect and crimes more of a gratuitous one. Being able to
If you were swinging at like 70 miles an hour, to stop, each earning you Hero Points that are web a guy and then spin him around.
if you let go, you’d fly at that speed before used to buy upgrades like new attack moves or Knock people around and tie them up

T
starting to slow down.” increased swing speed. to turn them into punching bags. It was
This one fundamental change served as totally there just as a fun decoration.”
the catalyst for so many others that came he most common type of challenges in
together to make Spider-Man 2 far more Spider-Man 2, where you have to stop
engaging and memorable than its predecessor. a crime or help a member of the public,
Building a large open-world environment – a were referred to as ‘shenanigans’ by
faithful recreation of Spider-Man’s version of the Treyarch team. Some had to be
Manhattan that players could freely explore initiated by players, while others occurred at
outside of missions – was one of the most random, leaving you to choose whether or not
significant, drawing inevitable comparisons to intervene. Time limits occasionally applied, like
with Grand Theft Auto. when a ship was sinking or a construction worker
Programmer Greg Taylor led the city’s was about to fall from a ledge.
construction, which was a huge task. “It took The lack of variety in shenanigan scenarios
longer than we expected. Greg definitely did is one of the game’s biggest drawbacks,
get pretty stressed out,” says Jamie. “One of forcing players to stop an armed carjacking,
the things we had that GTA III didn’t have was rescue a kid’s lost balloon or retrieve a stolen
the verticality. On GTA, you’re usually down on purse from a mugger many times over. This
the road so you can’t see that far. If you haven’t was a by-product of the approach the team
loaded in distant neighbourhoods because you had taken and the scale of what they were
don’t have the memory, or whatever, then it trying to achieve. “Part of the problem is
didn’t matter that much. that, in hindsight, we were a prototype game
“With Spider-Man, you could go up to the long enough that we had to use whatever
top of the Empire State Building and look the results were,” says Tomo. “We were just
around so we needed something. You couldn’t diligently going on, building all kinds of complex
just have a fog plane, like so many games did infrastructure for a system that we didn’t know
back then. Somebody came up with the idea of would work. Because of the way we were
loading in these low-detail neighbourhoods that doing it, it had to work.

RETRO GAMER | 77
 “Some of that stuff, like the armoured end. If the movie had come out when they
car robbery, was really complicated. It was originally said it was going to, I don’t know
already a huge logical difference to the way what we would have done,” says Jamie. “We
we scripted gameplay. It meant we were got a three-month reprieve. That gave us time
going to have to be responsible for itemising to bring more polish. Even with that, we had
» [PlayStation 2] Spider-Man what we pulled into the scene, and also when plans to do this whole sewer system with the
follows Black Cat as she quickly
traverses the city’s rooftops. we dumped it out. That required a difficult Lizard boss, which ended up making it into the
and complex memory management and third game eventually.”

M
streaming logic model.” Looking back, Tomo believes that the team
were simply too close to the project, and too
atthew B Rhoades adapted the passionate about it, to recognise that their bold
Spider-Man 2 screenplay to create plans were getting out of hand. Eventually,
the story. It covers the main plotline, Activision had to intervene, requesting that
the rise of Doctor Octopus and his Treyarch narrow the scope of the game
fusion experiment that threatens considerably to ensure that everything could be
to destroy New York, but other Marvel villains finished in time. Some painful sacrifices had to
like Rhino, Mysterio and Shocker are drafted be made. “Spider-Man 2 must have more cut
in to extend the gameplay. A highly sexualised content than any game that had come out until
Black Cat competes with Mary Jane Watson that point,” says Tomo. “The amount that was
for Spider-Man’s attentions as he struggles to cut is staggering. There were some people on the
reconcile his superhero responsibilities with project who had almost their entire work removed
» [PlayStation 2] Spider-Man his normal life as Peter Parker. “We had to from the shipped game and that’s terrible.”
gains the upper hand in a get approval and that wasn’t automatic for us. The control system used in Spider-Man was
second battle with Shocker.
We did a first round of just asking for a lot of completely overhauled to make the sequel’s
different characters and a bunch of them came gameplay as fluid and fast-paced as Treyarch

“We developed a control scheme back ‘no’. All the stuff that they said ‘yes’ to, we
basically came up with a rationale for it,” says
wanted it to be. Amid all the excitement about
what they’d created, there was an underlying
and a locomotion experience that Tomo. “We broke up the overall story into half
a dozen pieces and then plopped the movie
concern that players might find the new
controls too complex, potentially alienating a
could sustain an almost unlimited script’s key points across that timeframe. We significant chunk of their audience.

amount of exploration. We had just found a place for it to fit in.”

There was lots of extra content that the team
Feedback from playtests was inconclusive.
The team estimated that 10% of players might
no precedent for what we did” wanted to include. Too much, as it turned out.
“We were definitely behind schedule near the
struggle but worried that the true figure could
end up being even higher. “It’s probably one
TOMO MORIWAKI

SPIDER-MAN’S LASTING APPEAL

THE MARVEL SUPERHERO
HAS STARRED IN
NUMEROUS VIDEOGAMES

SPIDER-MAN SPIDER-MAN VS THE KINGPIN SPIDER-MAN: THE VIDEO GAME

■ Developed by Parker Brothers, the first-ever ■ A major commercial success, this 1991 title was ■ An arcade classic from 1991. This is a side-
Spider-Man game was released on the Atari 2600 originally released on the Mega Drive, before being scrolling beat-’em-up where you must take down
and Odyssey 2 in 1982. Swing up to the top of each ported to various other Sega systems. The Kingpin a wide variety of enemies, including Venom,
building, targeting bombs and henchmen along frames Spider-Man for stealing a nuclear bomb, Scorpion, Sandman and Doctor Doom, to retrieve a
the way, before defusing the Green Goblin’s Super which he must deactivate before it explodes, as mysterious artefact. You can also play as Black Cat,
Bomb at the summit. well as saving Mary Jane. Sub-Mariner or Hawkeye.

78 | RETRO GAMER
 » [PlayStation 2] Saving Mary Jane Watson THE MAKING OF: SPIDER-MAN 2
from thugs in the alley behind the theatre.

» [PlayStation 2] The
game’s map, showing
Spider-Man’s location,
a shop, the pizzeria
and several races.

» [PlayStation 2] Punching away a clown at

the entrance to Mysterio’s hidden funhouse. » [PlayStation 2] Preparing for the final showdown
with Doctor Octopus in his waterfront laboratory.

of the most difficult core game mechanics the third-highest grossing of 2004, Spider- over-commitment just felt like mad science
that you can dump in somebody’s lap and say, Man 2 was always destined to sell in huge and experimentation.
‘Here, learn this!’” says Jamie. “I was nervous numbers. Perhaps more significant was “We developed a control scheme and a
as we were shipping the final thing. It was like, the overwhelmingly positive reception from locomotion experience that could sustain an
‘Will people just buy this and not be willing to players and critics, who praised the game almost unlimited amount of exploration. We
figure out how to play it?’ Most games with 3D for its vast scale, daring style and sheer fun had no precedent for what we did and the
swinging do fail, but I have a theory that the factor. Sprinting, swinging, climbing and way we did it gives me this clear example of

T
lure of Spider-Man means people are willing to leaping around Manhattan was an absolute joy. why we take chances.”
get over that learning curve.” “In a lot of ways, I still feel like it was the peak
The new control system was much less he developers reflect fondly on the of my career. Even over 20 years later, that’s the
intuitive than the previous one, but with process that led them there too. coolest thing I’ve ever done, other than having
the time and space to practise, which the “I had an extremely good time and a kids!” laughs Jamie. “There’s just something
open-world setting offered in abundance, its ton of those people are still basically about Spider-Man 2 that’s special and enduring.
intricacies would gradually become second like family to me,” says Tomo. “What “The fact that Spider-Man games keep coming
nature to most players, making Spider- we were able to discover, and accomplish, out, and they keep paying homage to that
Man 2 a far more rewarding experience. together was super-satisfying. It was a lot of swinging mechanic we developed, really makes
Treyarch’s leap of faith paid off spectacularly. work and, I think in hindsight, it was maybe at me happy and proud still to this day. We changed
With the success of the film, which was a somewhat unreasonable pace, but even that gaming history in our own tiny way, right?”

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN SPIDER-MAN: SHATTERED DIMENSIONS MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN

■ Treyarch’s third Spider-Man game hit shelves ■ Players control four different versions of Spider- ■ A huge hit for the PlayStation 4 in 2018 and the
in 2005. Available on the PlayStation 2, GameCube Man, each stemming from a separate timeline in the start of a new era for Spider-Man games. Savour
and Xbox, it takes a similar open-world approach, Marvel universe – Amazing, Noir, 2099 and Ultimate. an exhilaratingly cinematic experience, wrestling
but with distinctive cel-shaded graphics and They work together to retrieve fragments of the back control of Manhattan from the Sinister Six, a
the ability to play as Venom, whose own unique Tablet Of Order And Chaos as gameplay styles vary cabal of supervillains led by Mister Negative. Its
storyline overlaps with Spider-Man’s. across levels, emphasising different abilities. sequel is even better.

RETRO GAMER | 79
New games that wish they were old

FAR FROM MERELY DUSTING OFF SCREAMER AND GIVING IT HD VISUALS, MILESTONE HAS
IN THE KNOW COMPLETELY REIMAGINED ITS NINETIES RACER. DIRECTOR MICHELE CALETTI DISCUSSES THE
» PUBLISHER:
MILESTONE
NEW GAME’S OVERHAULED COMBAT, MULTIPLE MODES AND CYBERPUNK ANIME NARRATIVE
» DEVELOPER: WORDS BY RORY MILNE
MILESTONE

A
» RELEASE:

»P
OUT NOW
 LATFORM:
rcade racers triumphantly
came home in the mid-
and as Michele spells out,
Screamer’s story mode
“MANY RACING GAMES
STEAM, PS5, EPIC GAMES
STORE, XBOX SERIES X/S Nineties thanks to the likes ‘The Tournament’ isn’t just IN THE PAST INCLUDED A
»G  ENRE: of Milestone’s Screamer bolted on. “For many on the FIGHTING SYSTEM, SO THE
ARCADE RACER trilogy. Milestone still makes
racing games, but it’s only now that it’s
team, anime was a central
part of their formative years.
IDEA WE HAD WAS TO
revisiting Screamer. The studio’s development Being set in the near future LET YOUR RAGE GO WHEN
& creative director Michele Caletti explains
why. “There were no new significant arcade
and throwing in some sci-fi
elements was also the right
YOU’RE ON THE ROAD”
racers coming out, we knew that the audience bridge between the story MICHELE CALETTI
was there and just like us it was ready for and the gameplay. The story
something new. We were also shifting our gradually introduces and explains mechanics,
internal focus from motorcycles to other so it all connects together.”
racing subgenres, and it was time to make Screamer’s narrative concerns competing
something that was completely unique.” teams of drivers – or Screamers, that Michele
The new Screamer’s uniqueness comes from considers important for player engagement
its teams of characters, reality-defying cars and and replay value. “The teams gave us a good
» [PC] Your choice of character
the cyberpunk anime narrative integrated into opportunity to explore the dynamics of one
in Screamer decides which
its story mode. Michele points out that these team against another. Having teams elevates power-ups you have when you
were created in co-operation with external the storyline and sustains its complex narrative. tackle its challenges.
■ Screamer’s director specialists. “We worked with an American Every team has its own storyline, and you can
Michele Caletti has been writer on the story, an external concept artist explore those team by team. So there’s a lot to
making hit racers at for the characters, an external studio for the discover in that sense.”
Milestone for decades. vehicles and the animation studio Polygon In terms of in-house development,
Pictures in Japan. We had very clear ideas of Milestone’s focus has been on the gameplay
what we wanted, but we needed this level of at Screamer’s core. Michele notes how it
» [PC] Naturally Screamer has a
expertise to bring them to reality.” takes the original’s combat to another level.
mode where you try to beat your
Giving an arcade racer depth with a “Many racing games in the past included a best times, and of course it has
cyberpunk storyline is an innovative approach, fighting system, so the idea we had was to ghost cars to race against.

» [PC] Screamer’s story mode ‘The Tournament’ shows that cyberpunk anime and arcade racers are a natural fit. » [PC] The checkpoint mode in Screamer recreates the experience of playing arcade racers like Sega Rally.

80 | RETRO GAMER
 RETRO INSPIRED: SCREAMER

SCREAMER
SERIES 101
A bluffer’s guide to the classic
Screamer titles
■ Channelling hit coin-op racers of the early
to mid-Nineties like Ridge Racer and Daytona
USA, Screamer brought the thrills of arcade
racing home. PC gamers were treated to
impossibly colourful polygon courses rendered
at breakneck speeds and the highest of
framerates. Up-tempo rock music by Allister
Brimble only added to the game’s coin-op
credentials. A year later, Screamer 2 followed in
its wake. To get the best out of it you needed a
pretty fast PC, but those that did were treated
to Sega Rally-inspired racing action of the first
order and a thumping techno soundtrack. Its
successor, Screamer Rally, was perhaps more
of a revision than an out and out sequel. Its
vehicle customisation offered similar options,
but these were all the more important to get
right if you wanted to successfully race on its
tracks. These were marked out from Screamer
2’s with the introduction of realism-enhancing
holes and bumps. Screamer Rally also raised
the bar in terms of hardware requirements with
its support for 3D graphics cards. Although
not developed by Milestone, the fourth game
» [PC] Milestone has gone the extra mile with Screamer’s Score Attack mode; there’s even a high-score table! Screamer 4x4 delivered a compelling take on
off-road 4WD racing, although its release sadly
let your rage go when you’re on the road. But the game also allows players to create their led to a hiatus for the series.
whenever you have an offensive measure you own racing experiences, as Michele explains.
need a defensive one, so you can save stocks “There’s a mode called Race! where you can
of Sync and use that as a shield.” customise all the rules. If you want to have a

D
race with no combat you can do it, if you want
espite its innovations, fans of to have different levels of multipliers you can do
the original are well catered that. So you can experiment in whatever way
for, and as Michele observes, you think would be interesting.”
this is especially the case Of equal importance are Screamer’s
with Screamer’s Checkpoint multiplayer modes. Michele runs us through
and Time Attack modes. “These modes the available options. “We have a mode called
are the basic training grounds for your skills. Mix Tape where you can have a sequence of
Being lovers of games like Daytona USA and tracks to race on, or you can jump into a quick-
Ridge Racer these sorts of challenges are join mode with up to 16 players. Then you have
something that we couldn’t miss out. These a mode that’s purely a team race. You can also
are the classic, bread-and-butter challenges have two or four-player split-screen races.”
for the arcade racer lover.” With its anime narrative-driven mechanics,
Similarly retro in feel is Screamer’s Score its combat-focussed racing and its celebration
Attack mode. Michele describes it and the of arcade racers, Screamer innovates by
game’s survival-based Overdrive Challenge. riffing on cherished concepts. So it’s no
“In Score Attack every character has a string wonder that Michele has high hopes for its
of challenges. You can make them short, release. “I’m pretty confident that we’ve
medium or long, and then choose other made something that isn’t present on the
aspects. The Overdrive Challenge is brutal! scene right now, so we’re very positive about
You just get faster, and after a short spell you the public response. Because being a stand-
get vulnerable. We’ve provided one shield, out in an industry where innovation in recent
but after that if you hit the walls it’s game years is not so frequent is something that will » [PC] Local multiplayer is back and Screamer is on-trend with its two,
over.” As well as Screamer’s traditional modes, be a badge of honour.” three and four-player split-screen modes.

RETRO GAMER | 81
 ULTIMATE GUIDE

AS WE PREPARE TO RETURN TO THE TERRIFYING LOST VILLAGE OF MINAKAMI IN KOEI TECMO’S

PROJECT ZERO II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY REMAKE, WE TAKE A WALK BEYOND THE WOODS TO SEE
WHAT MADE THE ORIGINAL PLAYSTATION 2 RELEASE SUCH A MEMORABLE HORROR GAME

roject Zero (named for in terms of story and also

the internal team that scope. The story can be played
made it) is an oddity. It on its own but still has a larger
popped up in 2002 on the connection to the Project Zero
PlayStation 2 and pitched a universe if you know where to look. It
Japanese haunted house – Himuro Mansion also mixes the dark, low draw distance of
– which the cover claimed was based on a Sony’s console to create a claustrophobic
real story (it was not). The player wanders village lost to darkness.
the halls as Miku Hinasaki, who is looking The early trailers mixed the J-pop aesthetic
IN THE for her lost brother, with only a mystical of Tsukiko (now Tsuki) Amano with an
KNOW camera for protection and defence.
This meant the player must use grades
ominous English voiceover talking about the
mysterious Lost Village and how one twin
»P  UBLISHER:
TECMO (JP), of film and stare into the face of terrifying must kill the other, with footage of twins Mio
UBISOFT (US/ Japanese ghosts – onryō and yūrei, called and Mayu Amakura running for their lives,
UK)
» DEVELOPER:
Wraiths in the upcoming Remake – to defeat with only a camera to protect them…
TECMO them. While the original (also known as Fatal
» PLATFORM: Frame) was difficult and censored in the “CRIMSON BUTTERFLY
PS2, XBOX West, the game was a moderate success so IS A MUCH BIGGER
» RELEASED:
2003
it was no surprise, thanks to the Japanese PROJECT BUT ALSO A
horror boom inspired by films like Ring and
» GENRE:
SURVIVAL Ju-On, when Tecmo greenlit a sequel.
STANDALONE SEQUEL, » [PlayStation 2] In true
HORROR Crimson Butterfly is a much bigger BOTH IN TERMS OF Sadako Yamamura fashion,
ghosts take their time
project but also a standalone sequel, both STORY AND ALSO SCOPE” creeping towards you…

» [PlayStation 2] You can walk in

Mayu’s shoes, albeit very slowly,
following crimson butterflies…

82 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: PROJECT ZERO II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY

INTRODUCING THE CAST OF ALL GOD’S

VILLAGE, BOTH LIVING AND DEAD…

■ The younger twin and the ■ The elder twin who limps due to ■ Itsuki is found imprisoned and ■ The white kimono-wearing spirit
protagonist of Project Zero II: her leg being damaged as a child. offers aid to Mio, mistaking her for makes for a menacing figure as she
Crimson Butterfly, Mio must find her Mayu (left) finds herself in All God’s Yae Kurosawa. He is a Remaining, stands in a pool of blood and corpses.
sister with only the Camera Obscura Village with her sister after noticing which means he killed his twin, Sae was the last twin to participate in
to protect her. She holds a lot of guilt a strange, glowing crimson butterfly Mutsuki, in the ceremony prior to the town’s ceremony but because her
over causing her sister’s disability which leads the girls towards a the one which failed, destroying All sister, Yae, escaped, the ritual failed
when they were younger. terrible destiny. God’s Village. and the village was swallowed whole.

» [PlayStation 2] Search for clues,

guided by the Camera Obscura, to find
Mio Amakura and her sister Mayu revisit a keys and other important items.
childhood spot where they used to play, the
same space where Mayu fell and damaged
her leg, leaving her with a limp.

he game, despite being set in

Japan, only had an English dub
in the US and Europe. Happily,
though, retro-gaming enthusiasts
will find patched ROMs that include
‘undubbing’ (the game’s text and menu
is in English but uses the Japanese dub).
However, the game maintains a lot of the
nuance of a Japan-set horror game so,
for example, Minakamimura becomes All
God’s Village, a literal translation which still
manages to sound clunky.
After the girls pass a Guardian Stone (a
dōsojin, which marks boundaries), they
find themselves transported to a strange
lost village lit by the full moon hanging in
the night sky. The girls begin by being led
into the Osaka House, which serves as a
tutorial area. The village itself eventually

RETRO GAMER | 83
 » [PlayStation 2] The game uses black-and-white, grainy sequences to
push the story and scare factor.

opens up, allowing Mio time to explore,

solve environmental puzzles and delve
deeper into the hidden side of the village
and its strange rituals.

oven into this is the story of

another set of twins: Sae and
Yae Kurosawa, the last set
of twins to participate in the
Crimson Ritual. However, after
Yae escaped the village, Sae was murdered
by the village’s priest, causing the ritual to » [PlayStation 2] Gemstones can be listened to using the Spirit Stone
fail. Yae’s angry ghost returned, dragging Radio, offering information via the thoughts of the owner..
the village into a space
between life and death, “WHILE CRIMSON ghosts going about
killing all the villagers BUTTERFLY COMES their day which became
and trapping anyone WITH SEVERAL a major completionist
who walks past the impulse in a game that
Marker Stone. Sae is
DIFFICULTY was published long
able to possess Mayu, SETTINGS, IT IS STILL before Achievements and
guiding her back to the NOT AN EASY GAME” Trophies were a thing.
Hellish Abyss in order to Like the other survival
conduct the ritual correctly and free all horror games of the era – Haunting Ground, » [PlayStation 2] Be patient and catch ghosts just at the right moment for
the trapped spirits. Clocktower 3, Silent Hill 2 and Rule Of Rose, Zero Shots and Fatal Frames…
Combat is done via the Camera Obscura, Crimson Butterfly relies on tank controls
a mystical film-based camera which and very slow, weak protagonists. Mio
allowed for a kind of digital photography moves at a slow jog at best on her own,
back before digital photography was even even slower when she’s protecting Mayu,
a thing. Mio finds the camera in the Osaka however this mechanic is closer to the one
House and discovers it is able to help her used in Ico than it is in typical escort quests.
defeat angry ghosts, unlock doors held Mayu, in turn, has stronger psychic abilities
shut by unseen forces, find keys and solve and is able to see ghosts and the crimson
puzzles. However, it also allows her to snap butterflies which flutter around the village.
blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shots of random While Crimson Butterfly comes with
several difficulty settings, it is still not an
A LOOK INTO THE MUSICAL WORLD
easy game. Yes, Mio finds herself with an OF TSUKI AMANO…
unlimited stock of the lowest grade film (a
step up from the original game where you ■ Chō or Butterfly was
could lock yourself in if you ran out of film, the song written for the
unable to proceed further). Game saves can game by Tsuki Amano. It
be made using Butterfly Lanterns, although first debuted in the early
these are still limited and required frequent game trailers and was
saving and backtracking. written to pair well with
Mio also has access to the Spirit Stone the game’s emotional
Radio, also created by Dr Asō, the inventor weight and the horrific and sad ending.
of the Camera Obscura. This allows Mio to Image songs are more about the vibe
collect gemstones and other items which with Amano encapsulating the search for
reveal clues in the environments and let her someone she loved, in the same way as Mio
» [PlayStation 2] Ornamental keys will unlock eavesdrop on the thoughts of the ghosts or explores the village looking for Mayu.
locked doors around All God’s Village. humans carrying them.

84 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: PROJECT ZERO II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY

CRIMSON BUTTERFLY IS PROBABLY offers distinct functions that are FINALLY, TSUKI AMANO HAS BEEN
THE MOST BELOVED TITLE IN THE useful not only in combat, but also A PART OF THE FRANCHISE SINCE
SERIES, WHY DID YOU WANT TO during exploration. THE ORIGINAL CRIMSON BUTTERFLY
REMAKE THE GAME NOW FOR GAME RELEASED AND HAS
MODERN CONSOLES AND AUDIENCES? YOU’VE ADDED IN NEW MECHANICS CONTRIBUTED MANY, POWERFUL
Hidehiko Nakajima: When we LIKE THE HAND-HOLDING SYSTEM, DO IMAGE SONGS TO THE FRANCHISE,
released the recent remasters, we YOU REGARD THIS REMAKE AS THE CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT
received many requests from fans DEFINITIVE VERSION OF THE GAME? HER CONTRIBUTION TO CRIMSON
asking specifically for Fatal Frame II: MS: Yes. The producer told us to BUTTERFLY REMAKE?
Crimson Butterfly. Responding to make sure we would have no regrets. MS: For the new ending, we
those voices was the primary reason This remake can be considered a entrusted Tsuki Amano with creating
behind this project. As it is one of the definitive edition that incorporates the theme song after sharing the
most popular titles in the series, we ideas we have carried since the ending’s concept, intent and the
felt that a full remake – rather than a original release, as well as everything characters’ emotional states with
simple remaster – would allow it to be that can now be achieved with her. For each title in the series,
embraced by players who enjoy a wide modern technology. she has consistently captured
variety of modern horror games today. the game’s themes from her own
OUTSIDE OF THE WELL-KNOWN perspective and expressed them
WHY DO YOU THINK JAPAN-SET CAST IN THE GAME LIKE MIO, through song. We believe her music
HORROR IS SO POPULAR OUTSIDE MAYU AND ITSUKI, DO YOU HAVE plays an important role in adding
OF JAPAN AND WHY DO YOU THINK A FAVOURITE SIDE CHARACTER IN depth to the world of the game.
CRIMSON BUTTERFLY IS SO POPULAR MINAKAMI VILLAGE?
AROUND THE WORLD? MS: Personally, my favourite spirit
Makoto Shibata: Horror titles set is Chitose Tachibana. While many
in Japan often convey a sense of Wraiths attack the player, Chitose
realism that its creators understand instead runs away and hides. Unlike
intuitively, and we believe that other spirits, there is something
authenticity resonates with overseas about her that makes defeating her
players as well. The Fatal Frame feel almost heartbreaking. In this
series minimises jump scares remake, she also appears more
and graphic depictions, focussing frequently through side stories, so
instead on fear that stimulates I encourage players to experience
the imagination. Among the that for themselves.
series, Crimson Butterfly strikes a
particularly strong balance between THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT VERSIONS
story and horror, which we believe OF THE GAME HAVE ALWAYS HAD » [PlayStation 2] The game uses tank
led many players to complete NEW ENDINGS, CAN YOU GIVE US A controls and static backgrounds you can
the game. As a result, I think the HINT AT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM move around, impressive for the time.
impactful ending may have left a THE REMAKE WHEN IT COMES TO
lasting impression in their memories. ENDINGS AND REPLAYABILITY?
HN: In addition to the original ending
WHY DO YOU THINK THE CAMERA of Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly,
OBSCURA WORKS SO WELL AS AN IN- a new ending has been added. In this
GAME DEFENCE MECHANISM? new ending, players can also hear
HN: In many horror games, being a brand-new song by Tsuki Amano,
approached by an enemy puts the so we hope they will play through to
player at a disadvantage. In contrast, experience it. To make it easier to
combat with the Camera Obscura view endings and complete various
requires players to capture Wraiths collectibles, the game includes chapter
in the viewfinder, face them directly, select and a New Game option that
and draw them in close. We believe carries over upgrades. Floating Wraith
this risk-and-reward structure is very photography, which was added after » [Xbox] In addition
deliberate. In this title, we replaced the original release, is also included, to new endings and
lenses from previous entries with and we encourage players to make costumes, the Xbox
version has a cool
filters. Each filter not only changes full use of these features to find and first-person mode.
how the viewfinder looks, but also photograph everything.

RETRO GAMER | 85
 THESE USEFUL PLAYING TIPS WILL LET
YOU SURVIVE AS YOU EXPLORE CRIMSON
BUTTERFLY’S ALL GOD’S VILLAGE

■ Ghosts wander the village, but not all of them ■ All God’s Village is huge and filled with ghosts. ■ For your first playthough, focus on the story and
want to hurt you. Malevolent ghosts are orange- But resources are finite so it’s very important the combat. You’re more than likely to get the Crimson
red while other ghosts will be blue, often flashing that you look everywhere for the various grades Butterfly or Lingering Scent endings (where Mio
in and out of your field of view. Snap them before of film, Sacred Water and Herbal Medicine, as leaves Mayu behind). On your second run, aim for the
they’re gone for special photos. you will need it. Hellish Abyss ending by playing on Hard Mode.

HOW PROJECT ZERO SHIFTED TO NINTENDO’S WII

■ In 2012, the remake of Crimson Mask Of The Lunar Eclipse, including a quick turn
Butterfly – Deep Crimson button and pick-up mechanic which would often
Butterfly, or Project Zero 2: Wii see ghosts doing sneak attacks as you try to grab a
Edition – hit the Wii in Japan, shiny item from the floor.
Europe and the US. The game was well received and also included
The game kept the storyline, two new endings, as well as a new image
ghosts and plot beats but song – Kurenai or Crimson – written and sung
updated the action, graphics and by Tsuki Amano. This first ending, which sees a
added numerous quality-of-life tweaks. It removed the second Repentance coming, has Mio and Mayu
classic tank controls and shifted the perspective to an remembering a shadow festival and refusing to be
over-the-shoulder perspective a la Resident Evil. The separated ever again. The second new ending saw
game included newly rendered cutscenes, new outfits Mayu, possessed by Sae, turn Mio into a living doll…
and even a new – best – ending. The game’s success ultimately led to the
Developed by Team Ninja, (which also developed Wii U-exclusive Maiden Of Black Water and the
series like Ninja Gaiden, Nioh and the upcoming franchise briefly became attached to Nintendo,
Crimson Butterfly Remake), Deep Crimson Butterfly before the later remasters of Maiden and Eclipse,
took inspiration from the then-Wii Japan-exclusive which paved the way for Crimson Butterfly Remake.

86 | RETRO GAMER
 ULTIMATE GUIDE: PROJECT ZERO II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY

■ As the game continues, you can use points ■ One of the more fun environmental puzzles ■ Most of the lore comes from the items you find in
gained from shooting ghosts and convert them involves photographs showing you an area you the village: newspaper clippings, notes, diary entries
into new lenses, power-ups and the ability to hold need to find in order to open a door or get access and even video in the form of projector film. These are
more film. Remember to go into your menu and to a new location. Most of the time you’ll recognise superimportant as they will slowly piece together the
periodically spend them to make life a little easier! the spot as soon as you get there. story and the true horror of All God’s Village.

Much of the lore-dumping and exposition least one new ending in the “MUCH OF THE LORE-DUMPING
is done via newspaper clippings, notes
and photos, while cutscenes and full voice
upcoming remake, as it includes
a new image song, Utsushie or
AND EXPOSITION IS DONE VIA
acting break up the gameplay elements. Sketch/Shadowgraph.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, NOTES
These cutscenes were created for the initial Crimson Butterfly also has AND PHOTOS, WHILE CUTSCENES
trailers and the game, but also ended up on a strong focus on outfits you AND FULL VOICE ACTING BREAK
a themed ride called Zero 4D that was found can earn, from a maid uniform UP THE GAMEPLAY ELEMENTS”
around Japan as late as 2010. to character costumes from
Using an open-world and chapter- Tecmo’s popular Dead Or Alive series.
based structure, the game allows Mio to (These are found in the Xbox’s Director’s Cut ike other titles of the time, there
explore the whole village and also offers while Mario and Luigi outfits feature in the is a strong focus on puzzles from
multiple endings (three in the PS2 version, Wii version.) The remake is also continuing ‘find x key’ or deciphering glyphs
four in the Xbox version and seven in this with an upcoming collaboration with and finding corresponding locations
the Wiimake. We also know there is at Konami’s 2025 horror title Silent Hill f. from photographs, to inventory
management for rare items, resources and
» [PlayStation 2] Butterfly key items. This made the game even more
Lanterns offer a place to of a challenge in a time before wikis and
save the game and spend online strategy guides, especially when you
points acquired from
photographing ghosts. factor in the requirements for each ending.
Where the game works is in its unique
horror aesthetic. All God’s Village is filled with
terrifying Japanese ghosts and the various
locations you visit are a mix of wooden floors,
paper screens and sliding or bolted doors.
Every slow creak, every ghost flitting past
just adds to the slow chill of J-horror. It is the
alien-ness of the village which makes it such
a compelling location to explore and it’s filled
with rooms with kimonos on stands, libraries
full of books and Shinto shrines with their own
secrets. Finally, there’s the dark tone of the
Crimson Ritual itself where one twin murders
the other in order to placate the Hellish Abyss,
With the remake about to be released (it
even includes a retro viewfinder for fans
of the original game), this is the perfect
time to revisit the PS2 original. Anyone
who wants to practice their photography or
enjoy slow-burn horror with deep themes
and terrifying combat, should be sure to
take a visit to All God’s Village.

RETRO GAMER | 87
Boktai: The Sun
Is In Your Hands
CRUSHED DREAMS

» RETROREVIVAL
» GAME BOY ADVANCE » 2003
» KONAMI COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT JAPAN
I love a good gimmick so Boktai’s main mechanic
instantly appealed to me. Hideo Kojima’s vampire
game relied on actual sunlight to make progress, so
you were actively encouraged to go outside and get
a dose of the good stuff if you wanted to give the game’s many
vampires a good battering.
What I really loved about Kojima’s new game though was that the
Japanese edition of it launched alongside a black-and-red Game Boy
Advance SP, which looked incredibly cool compared to the single-
colour editions we often got in the UK. So after paying about £250, I
ordered a copy from PlayAsia and waited for my new GBA to turn up.
I loved that machine and I took it everywhere I went, the in-laws,
the cinema (although I didn’t play Boktai) and even restaurants.
Everywhere I went that little black-and-red device went with me,
until one day I took it on a press trip.
We were travelling up to London to see an NBA Jam game and I
was still within my probationary period on games™, so I should have
been on my best behaviour. Being new to the excess (at least back
then) of game launch parties, I had way too many free drinks and
woke up the next morning in a London hospital. I had been picked
up wandering the streets by an ambulance and the night staff were
keen to get me out before the day staff turned up.
Anyone else’s first thought might have been to phone their wife
or wonder why the rest of their colleagues had simply gone home
without them [Ahem! We spent about an hour looking for you!
But we had to get the coach back to Bournemouth and didn’t get
home until way after 3am – Tim], but all I could think about was my
precious GBA. I was in a hospital gown (my clothes had apparently
been ruined) and I’d put my GBA in the back pocket of my jeans, as I
was nervous about leaving it on the bus.
I asked for my belongings, saying I should have a wallet, mobile
phone, glasses and a small games console. My mobile, wallet and
its contents were long gone and my glasses were smashed and
useless, but the GBA was there in all its glory. I opened it up to
play it as I waited to be discharged and that’s when I saw that the
screen was smashed to pieces.
I must have fallen on my backside while drunk and my large
posterior had pulverised my precious console. The nurse let me
phone my wife Melanie and also gave me a fiver so I could travel
the Underground to Waterloo Station. I was able to make another
call to Melanie who booked me a ticket home. I got moved up to
first class as people complained I looked weird due to still being
in a hospital gown (think 28 Days Later but with no zombies) and
I was picked up at the station by Melanie and we went straight to
Vision Express so I could get new glasses. I then rolled into work.
I didn’t drink for about four years after that, but there is a happy
ending to my tale of woe. Despite being told it would be impossible
to fix, a local games store did indeed replace my GBA’s screen.
Needless to say, I never left it in my back pocket again.
 » [PC] The game opens up significantly
once Leon returns to Racoon City.

>> This month

we hang out
with Leon
S Kennedy
and Grace
Ashcroft, try
out the latest
Evercade
cartridge, go
on a giant
adventure in
a spaceship,
battle our
way through
the latest
Rushing Beat
game and
catch some
Pokémon
Resident Evil: Requiem
A GAME OF TWO HALVES
Has it really been different faces of the popular
INFORMATION 30 years since we series. You’ll spend the early part
» SYSTEM: PC
made our first of your adventure as FBI analyst
» ALSO ON: PLAYSTATION 5,
cautious steps Grace Ashcroft who returns to
SWITCH 2, XBOX SERIES S/X
into the Spencer where her mother was brutally
» RELEASED: OUT NOW
Mansion? The ninth mainline murdered when survivors of
» PUBLISHER: CAPCOM
game of the Resident Evil series the Racoon City incident start BRIEF HISTORY
» DEVELOPER: CAPCOM
PICKS OF looks back at its past, but also mysteriously dying. » The original Resident
THE MONTH » PLAYERS: 1
makes tentative steps into new It’s not long before the out- Evil appeared in 1996 and
introduced many gamers to
areas, hinting at another new of-her-depth agent is captured the concept of survival horror.
direction for Capcom’s long- by ex-Umbrella scientist Victor Just like the virus that’s
running franchise. Gideon and forced to escape central to the franchise’s
story, the series has gone
In some ways this ninth from his Spencer Mansion-esque
through many changes in
instalment reminds us of Resident care centre, which is filled with the intervening years, most
» [PC] It’s indicated early on that
DARRAN Leon is suffering from some sort
Evil 6, not because it’s a bad dangerous inhabitants and a notably with Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil: Requiem game, but because it juggles terrifying new antagonist that in 2005 and the 2017 release
of infliction. Fortunately, he’s still as Resident Evil 7: Biohazard,
It doesn’t quite hit the
highs of the greatest
quippy as ever. characters whilst presenting relentlessly chases Grace as she which introduced a first-
Resident Evil games, but tries to escape the clinic. Played person perspective.
I still had a lot of fun. out in the first-person perspective
of the newer games in the
series, these sections are superb,
capturing the terror of the earlier
games, while delivering plenty of
jump scares due to the in-your-
face perspective. While you can
switch to a third-person viewpoint,
TIM
Avatar: Frontiers we feel first-person helps Grace’s
Of Pandora character immensely, as it
There wasn’t much on highlights her relative inexperience
Game Pass, so I went and
completed this, and didn’t in the field. Grace can also craft
enjoy any of it. Anti-pick! items by using the blood of

90 | RETRO GAMER
 REVIEWS: RESIDENT EVIL: REQUIEM

WHY NOT TRY

▼ SOMETHING OLD
RESIDENT EVIL 4 (GAMECUBE)

▼ SOMETHING NEW
SILENT HILL F (PC)

» [PC] Grace can craft items from the

blood of enemies, including serums that
deliver one-shot kills.

Resident Evil games in the future. Requiem certainly suffers

It’s great to see Capcom is from a saggy middle (as many
still prepared to try new things of us do as we get older) but it
with its popular series, but it’s starts and finishes strongly and
also pleasing to see the respect while it doesn’t bring much new
it clearly holds for the franchise’s mechanically to the series, what’s
origins. Leon is assisted here is as finely honed as Leon’s
throughout by a classic character, shiny new axe. Unfortunately, the
many areas of the game are eerily game’s ten-hour (ish) running time
reminiscent of past locations isn’t the only lean thing about it,
from earlier titles, while Leon as there’s little to do once the
himself gets to return to one main quest has been completed.
very important chapter of his life. You’ll certainly have a good time
There’s an incredibly atmospheric while it lasts though.
» [PC] It wouldn’t be a Resident Evil game without an overpowered foe relentlessly chasing you down. section later in the game that
neatly links Grace’s past to the In a nutshell
defeated enemies and combining access. At first, the game’s focus character assisting Leon, while It’s as polished as you’d
it with other items, which feels typically falls on Grace, with Capcom does a commendable expect from a AAA game and
like a call back to the scanning Leon’s sections offering short, job of unravelling the messy lore there’s no denying that Leon
found in the Revelations games. but intense adrenaline rushes, but that has bogged down the series S Kennedy is one of gaming’s
Leon S Kennedy is also once the game returns to Racoon over the last 30 years. We also best action heroes, but his trip
investigating the mysterious City, Leon takes centre stage in liked how you can play the game to Raccoon City does deflate
deaths of Raccoon City and his a section that hints at where the in Classic Mode, which effectively the game’s otherwise excellent
path soon starts crossing with series might move to in the future. requires you to use Ink Ribbons pacing somewhat.
Grace’s. As you’d expect, Leon’s While this area isn’t strictly open to save like in the earlier Resident
sections are far more action- world, it does significantly open Evil games. >> Score 85%
orientated and the traditional up the play area in a way we’ve
third-person viewpoint he uses not seen in the series before,
(which again, can be switched) allowing for some significant
better demonstrates his skills exploration. Although Capcom
in the field. He’s picked up a itself describes Resident Evil 9
few new tricks since we last as having Metroidvania elements,
encountered him and as a result this section actually feels more
combat throughout is far tighter, like the design of Fromsoftware’s
dynamic and more fluid than Dark Souls games, so well is it
we’ve ever seen in earlier games. crafted together into a cohesive,
Leon is far more capable explorable area. It doesn’t always
with weapons and also comes work (it’s essentially an overly long
equipped with an axe which fetch quest) but the exploration is
not only makes short work of interspersed with some fantastic
opponents, but can also parry boss fights and gripping setpieces
enemy attacks and prise open and offers a tantalising glimpse
objects that Grace struggles to into what we can expect from » [PC] Leon’s sections are far more action-packed than Grace’s and offer some exhilarating setpieces.

RETRO GAMER | 91
RETRO ROUNDUP
WE LOOK AT THE LATEST RETRO-RELATED RELEASES

PICK OF THE MONTH

Minishoot’ Adventures
INFORMATION We’ve played all sorts of » [Xbox Series S/X] Areas like this are
A MINIATURE
RESI
NEVER
ADVENTURE
4 AS YOU’VE
OF EPICSEEN
PROPORTIONS
IT BEFORE
great for farming crystal fragments, so
» FORMAT: XBOX SERIES S/X shmups over the years, but shoot as many enemies as you can.
» ALSO ON: PC, PLAYSTATION
we’ve never experienced
5, SWITCH, SWITCH 2 one quite as creative as
» RELEASED: OUT NOW Minishoot’ Adventures. Feeling like a
» P
 RICE: £11.99+ bizarre love child between The Legend
» PUBLISHER: SOULGAME Of Zelda, Metroid and Thunder Force 2,
STUDIO, INDIEARK Minishoot’ Adventures tasks you with
» DEVELOPER: locating your missing friends and finding
SOULGAME STUDIO the resting place of the Unchosen. It’s
» PLAYERS: 1 a relatively simple story requiring you to
traverse a surprisingly large open world
and work out how to find access to and
then solve the game’s many dungeons.
Initially you’ll find progress frustrating
WHY NOT TRY as it’s not always clear where you’re
▼ SOMETHING OLD supposed to be going and whenever
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:
A LINK TO THE PAST (SNES) you go underground it’s impossible to and skill to bypass. Initially these mayors
note your location, but as you slowly don’t put up too much of a challenge, but
explore and investigate the various as the ten-hour adventure progresses their
nooks and crannies hidden around the ordnance will become more powerful and
brilliantly designed map, you’ll gradually their bullet patterns more tightly packed, » [Xbox Series S/X] Power-ups offer various abilities and
start making headway and the game meaning you have quite the fight on your can make traversal easier or power-up your craft.
really opens up. hand if you choose the higher difficulty
Stylistically and mechanically it reminds level (of which there are three). What makes Minishoot’ Adventures
us of A Link To The Past, with bold, Thankfully, shooting enemies leaves so much fun is the actual world itself.
▼ SOMETHING NEW
ARCHVALE (PC) primary colours painting each environment behind crystal fragments which will It’s jam-packed with hidden secrets to
and the challenging boss dungeons that slowly fill up to form crystals. These discover and while some of the puzzles
require you to solve basic puzzles and can then be put towards a variety of can feel a little obtuse at times, it’s
defeat numerous monsters, but there are useful upgrades, from speed boosts and really satisfying when everything clicks
also elements of Metroidvania games increased firepower, to longer-reaching and you’re able to finally finish off an
here as well, as later ship upgrades will and faster-firing shots. The friends you underground area. There are Sprites that
allow you to blast pesky boulders or fly rescue also make your quest easier, can be raced, fragments of lore to be
BRIEF HISTORY over once impassable stretches of water providing you with better firepower (for tracked down and countless enemies
» SoulGame Studios to reach brand-new areas. a price of course), free health restores to blow apart. The sense of exploration
consists of two cousins,
Argl and Kuho, who are Once you do encounter a dungeon’s and items that will make exploration far is really involved at times, but it’s also
based in Toulouse, France. boss you’ll find yourself dodging intricate easier. Many additional items can be rewarding and it always feels like there’s
The duo have released a waves of densely packed bullets that found by taking down the mini-bosses something new to do (particularly once
number of popular indie
require a surprising amount of dexterity that are dotted around the world. the game is completed).
games, including Soul Driver,
Swords & Souls, as well as With its tight controls, finely balanced
two Rogue Souls games. gameplay and dynamic open world,
Minishoot’ Adventures is a genuinely
GO DEEPER excellent game and it’s astonishing
The facts behind to think that it’s the work of just two
Minishoot’ Adventures talented individuals. It’s certainly taken a
» Minishoot’ Adventures long time to reach consoles, but anyone
originally debuted on PC in early
2024 and was a nominee for that who plays it will understand that the wait
year’s Indie Game Awards. was absolutely worth it.
» Minishoot’ Adventures is
currently available on Game In a nutshell
Pass, which is how Tim A delightful fusion of genres that
discovered it and subsequently proves you don’t need huge teams
suggested it for review.
or gigantic budgets to deliver
» An item was added to genuinely enjoyable gaming
let you locate missing experiences. Top stuff!
collectibles as Argl doesn’t » [Xbox Series S/X] Minishoot’s
bosses can get quite challenging, so
like wasting hours hunting
them down in other games. be sure to memorise their attacks. >> Score 90%

92 | RETRO GAMER
RETRO ROUNDUP
WE LOOK AT THE LATEST RETRO-RELATED RELEASES

PICK OF THE MONTH

Rushing Beat X: Return Of Brawl Brothers
» System: PC (tested), PS5, Switch 2, Xbox Series S/X » Buy it for: £15.99 (digital), £36+ (physical) » Buy it from: Online

Despite some decent entries, play styles and feature everything from nimble
Jaleco’s Rushing Beat series never ninjas to hulking brutes that slowly wander around
gained the same popularity in the but cause immeasurable damage when their
West as franchises like Final Fight attacks connect. Mechanically the game is varied
and Streets Of Rage did. The series is now back too, building on the earlier games while adding
after a 23-year hiatus and it’s a surprising amount new wrinkles that help it stand apart from other
of fun that should appeal to both fans of the series modern scrolling fighters. The game’s Rage Gauge
and the genre in general. has multiple uses depending on how filled it is, » [PC] While we’re not massively sold on the visuals, we do
The game’s plot is completely ridiculous, but it and lets you deliver powerful blows, hurl away enjoy the comic-book styled approach Rushing Beat X takes.
does a surprisingly good job of pulling together all enemies or deliver intense combos. There’s plenty
the lore from the earlier games (often using cute more to discover to, from counters to combos
sepia-toned pixel images of past events). It’s funny and even the option to make meals by combining
as well, and is not afraid to take either pot shots uneaten food. Still, Rushing Beat X is not without
at itself or other aspects of pop culture (there’s its issues. It’s not always easy to tell if your attacks
a great Thriller gag later in the game). Ultimately are being blocked, some of the later enemies feel a
though it’s just barmy nonsense and is largely there bit spongy and there are annoying difficulty spikes.
to introduce the seven playable characters (one of Despite this, it’s easily the best game in the series
which is unlocked upon completing the game). and a must-play for fans of the genre.
One of the strengths of Rushing Beat X is how
varied each hero is. They cover a wide range of >> Score 76%
» [PC] The range of available characters is great and you’ll
easily find one that suits your playing style.

Area Wars Pokémon Pokopia Evercade: Taito Arcade 3

» System: PC » Buy it for: £2.49 » System: Switch 2 » Buy it for: £58.99 » System: Evercade family » Buy it for: £19.99
» Buy it from: [Link] » Buy it from: Online, retail » Buy it from: Online, retail

If you’re looking for a hardcore The latest Pokémon spin-off is a Blaze continues to delve into the
old-school shooter it’s hard to go delightful fusion of Minecraft and fantastic back catalogue of Taito and
wrong with Area Wars. Each stage Animal Crossing and as you can it’s come up with another solid cart
has you shooting down enemies while imagine, it’s a gigantic time sink. The that’s filled with some great titles.
contained in a small area, which changes main appeal of Pokopia comes from The excellent Puzzle Bobble is easily
in size with each new enemy wave you building suitable habitats to entice new the highlight here (particularly when
encounter. You’ve a limited amount of Pokémon and then doing numerous played on a VS) but Qix, Zoo Keeper and
bombs and lives, while a useful timer tasks to keep them happy. Playing as a Cameltry are great fun too.
bar tells you when the next wave will Ditto, you can learn abilities from other The remaining games are Crazy
begin. You’ll also have to contend with Pokémon to reshape your environment Balloon, Football Champ, Lunar Rescue
some exceedingly tough bosses. and the aim of the game is to make the and The Fairyland Story, which range
Later levels get almost puzzle-like in region habitable again so that humans (and from OK to good. The emulation is
their structure and the difficulty ramps up hopefully your trainer) will return. This is of a high quality, there’s a nice poster
significantly as well, perhaps too much. a genuinely delightful experience, largely alongside the usual manual and a good
It’s admittedly very basic and there’s thanks to the interactions you have with mix of variety with the featured games,
very little in the way of extras, but it’s the Pokémon and the many things you but this collection is definitely not as
hard to argue with the £2.49 entry point. can build. More please, Omega Force. strong as the previous two releases.
DARRAN JONES DARRAN JONES DARRAN JONES

>> Score 68% >> Score 80% >> Score 78%

94 | RETRO GAMER
 CELEBRATE THE BEST OF
RETRO GAMING IN 2025
Our latest tome features an incredible amount of fantastic content from Retro
Gamer’s past 12 months. Iconic characters, huge franchises and classic
systems all feature, making it an essential read for retro fans. Don’t miss it!

ON SALE
NOW

Ordering is easy. Go online at:

Or get it from selected supermarkets & newsagents

 <Your monthly guide to everything
happening in the homebrew scene/>

<!--- [Sinclair Next] the Horizontally scrolling shoot-‘em-up TX-1696

features Richard’s music and scored 88% in RG 262. --->

<!--- [Sinclair Next] Next Point

in action with a clay court. --->

<MAIN HEADER>

A SHEDFUL
<intro> We’ve spent a
lot of time this month
playing the brilliant

OF SOFTWARE
Roguecraft DX from
Badger Punch Software.
Digital versions are
available for Amiga,
MEGA65 by Retro Cogs,
and a clever top-down
version for Game <intro> Richard Faulkner of Technoshed Software is an important <!--- The sketch and finished
Boy Color by Shane publisher, musician and game coder for the Sinclair Next </intro> cover art for Next Point. --->
McCafferty. Check
them out by visiting 001 <body> Richard Faulkner started as a publisher 011 Patricia has an ethos that it must be of the standard
[Link]. 002 after collaborating with Patricia Curtis (get 012 of the Bitmap Brothers or Team17; excellence in
io. Physical boxed 003 013
copies are planned to more information at [Link]). presentation and execution, and it’s something we’re
follow from publisher 004 “Patricia had initially tried to launch TX-1696 directly 014 upholding going forward.”
Thalamus Digital as 005 015
well. And check out through her Lucky Red Fish label/website,” says Richard’s music is a key part of each Technoshed
our features for the 006 Richard. “Unfortunately, things went awry with 016 release, and is produced in three different ways.
Next, NES, and Mega 007 017
Drive, plus our usual PayPal, so having contributed some code and all “Vortex Tracker can produce files for one, two, or
reviews. </intro> 008 the music, it fell to me. I spent about three years 018 three AY chips. You can use NextDAW on the Next.
009 of evenings and weekends on the soundtrack 019 This is more powerful in some ways and is great fun
010 LP and did the SD loading code as a prototype. 020 to use. Or I’ll often make music on the Atari ST’s

TERRIFIC TITLES <intro> Richard talks about five forthcoming Technoshed titles. </intro>

DRIVING GAME NECROMANCERS PLATYPUS PERIL SPINBALL VACCINE

<“An unnamed pseudo-3D OF AVALON <“[This is going to be] a 2D <“A fast-paced, against-the- <“A very unique puzzle game
driving game – myself on code <“By Greenman Soft, shown platformer in the style of Zool clock game where you navigate where you must fight off
and music, new graphics coming here with temporary graphics, and Super Frog, developed by mazes – code and music by viruses! This is also developed
from Scott Ruiz and Zingot, due with new graphics by Zingot and SpecTre, with its release to me, with Zingot pixelling, due by SpecTre, and its release is
early summer.”/> music by Jamie Mallender.”/> be confirmed.”/> October 2026.”/> currently to be confirmed.”/>

96 | RETRO GAMER
NEW GAMES NEEDED
Our new email address is waiting for all your homebrew news, <!--- [Sinclair Next] Go With
The Flow’s starfish hero
previews and more: retrogamer@[Link] floats between surfaces but
only stops moving when
they hit something solid. --->

<intro> All the latest news, handily

arranged by format </intro>

<Atari 8-bit: The unreleased conversion of the

C64 game Trap has been dumped and is fully
playable. Uncover it by visiting [Link]/trap-atari />

<C64: Kornel Kolma released his Poker-based

Rogue-like Bal8tro. Shuffle on over to
[Link]/bal8tro-c64 />

<Commander X-16: HAZARD: Let Us Out is a

brilliant NES puzzle platformer that has been
converted, with $12 giving you the download for
both systems. Head to [Link]/hazard-x16nes />

<Dreamcast: The DreamDisc ’25 game jam

organised by Orc Face Games proved very
popular. You can check out at the entries
021 Cubase, running lots of synths, and mix the output available via [Link]/dreamdisc25 />
022 down and stream it from the SD card. All three ways
023 suit different games.” <Game Boy: You can now play Dangerous
024 The tennis game Next Point from Victor Morilla Demolition by Dr Ludos on the Game Boy/Game
025 will launch when KS3 machines are released, with Boy Color and Super Game Boy. Homebrew
026 great cover art. “The illustrator is Alfonso Azpiri’s Factory is running a preorder campaign for
027 daughter,” says Richard. “Her late father was the physical cartridges. A digital download is $4.99,
028 famous illustrator behind many Spanish titles.” including Game Gear and Master System
<!--- [Sinclair Next] Rei Gun 029
needs an accelerated Next, Rescape Arcade’s Go With The Flow is another ROMs. Find out more at [Link]/demolition-gb />
but its sheer quantity of 030 forthcoming release. “This was an original design
on-scren bullets is extremly
impressive to see. ---> 031 that originated back in 2020, which never got past <Master System: This demo of Konami’s
032 the earliest prototypes,” explains Richard. “In early Castlevania (above) is a must-play. Whip across
033 2025, we saw some demos by Rescape Arcade and to [Link]/castlevania-smsdemo />
034 immediately thought the Copper could be used to full
035 effect! We revised the original design with new tech, <Plus/4: Check out The Pit, converted from the
036 new levels and new enemies.” The game’s graphics classic Eighties coin-op. You’ll find it by delving
037 are by Scott Ruiz, with music by Jamie Mallender. into [Link]/pit_game />
038 Cavern Games’ Rei Gun is a bullet-hell shooter
039 that uses the accelerated co-processor on the <Sinclair QL: Jim McKay has converted Old
040 Next. “One area the Next can sometimes come to Tower by RetroSouls from the ZX Spectrum.
041 the edge of its capability is when it has to do lots Head on over to [Link]/oldtower-ql />
042 of calculations involving division or trigonometry,”
043 explains Richard. <Sinclair Next: Wing Warriors by Fran
<!--- [Sinclair Next] Richard
is fond of Xeno Brigade 044 The glossy Technoshed packaging has become a Matsusaka is a great vertically scrolling shmup
Extinction (RG 269, 85%),
and it could get an Amiga 045 sign of quality. “I’m always wanting to do whatever for just $1. It’s at [Link]/wingwarriors-next />
conversion soon. ---> 046 each developer wants,” Richard continues. “Some
047 want big manuals, or postcards, or a bonus CD, <Steam: Azzy Battles The Darkness from Celtic
048 or vinyl. We help with audio, graphics, playtesting Dragon is inspired by classic 3D platformers and
049 and coding advice where it’s helpful. I’m always is also heading to Kickstarter. Play it by visiting
050 interested in hearing from anybody who wants to [Link]/azzy-demo />
051 publish a game. I genuinely just love chatting about
052 possibilities and helping people get there.” <VIC-20: The new website Lemon20 has been
053 Richard is also open to publishing on other formats. launched by the team behind Lemon64. There’s
054 “We’re publishing at least one Amiga title, although more info at [Link] />
055 it’s not quite ready for release yet, and will possibly
056 be doing another. I’m also interested in the GBA, <ZX Spectrum: The [Link] Crap
057 Dreamcast, Mega Drive and Commodore Plus/4, and Game Competition is underway for 2026,
058 the devs all have their own favourite platforms too. organised by zxkerl. Make your way ovr to
<!--- Richard Faulkner is a 059 This is a part-time hobby after all, and it’s all about [Link] for more info. />
man who is vry happy in his
Techno Shed. ---> 060 what brings joy to developers and me!” </body>

RETRO GAMER | 97
 Don’t forget to follow us online for all the latest retro updates
RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@[Link]

MAURO XAVIER
<intro> With Final Fight MD nearly complete, Mauro’s next FULL SPECTRUM
DEFENCE
project is a 3D racing game </intro>

<info From: Brazil Website: [Link] / [Link]/cw/mauroxavier

Format: Mega Drive Working on: Final Fight MD, Driftin’ Rage /> <info Format: ZX Spectrum (128K only)
Credits: Sausageware Games Price: digital download £1.99 /
physical cassette £9.99 plus shipping
What got you interested in accurate enemy behaviour compared Web: [Link] / [Link] />
making Mega Drive games? to the arcade version. I also need to
<I always wanted to create complete the high score, fix some <body> Tower defence games are unusual on 8-bit
videogames for retro consoles bugs, and bring back the famous systems, so this game set inside a computer being
and ended up choosing the Mega continue screen. /> attacked by viruses is a welcome one. The player
Drive because of the SGDK. For switches between three modes: Build lets you build new
programming, I use the C language What inspired Driftin’ Rage? towers, each with a specific range and weapon (including
and Visual Studio. For graphics I use <Top Gear, Lotus and OutRunners, ice to freeze enemies, Tower lets you reload a tower’s
GIMP, and for sound effects I use but there’s a bit of RoadBlasters and ammo, upgrade a tower to make it stronger, or sell a
Audacity and Goldwave. /> Out Run. When I talk about more tower to regain cash (with a limited number of towers
modern titles, I think of Burnout 3 allowed per level), while Target gives a secondary bomb
What inspired you to convert and Motorstorm: Apocalypse, as I attack, which can be upgraded.
Capcom’s Final Fight? want to bring some chaos to Driftin’ All these actions cost cash, earned by destroying
<I did a demo on a platform called Rage in the future. /> enemies before they reach your base (whose health
Colour Maximite 2; Master Linkuei depletes with each enemy attack). Enemies come in
encouraged me to create a Mega How difficult was it to write a 3D waves, and calling the next wave early from the enemy
Drive version. I had already designed racing engine? base earns a cash bonus. Survive all the waves, and your
everything, thinking about three <I considered the difficulty to be capabilities are upgraded before the next level, while later
players, but I kept quiet since I didn’t moderate; however, I’m not satisfied levels give a code to restart at that point. Keys can be
have much hope that the console with the curves and other details, so redefined, with two needed (one to change Mode, the
would be able to run it. After years of I believe development will become other to switch options). There are four difficulty settings,
optimisation, along with significant more difficult. /> with Cosy being the easiest. This excellent take on the
improvements to SGDK, it was genre has varied enemies and great background levels,
possible to enable the feature. /> What else are you adding? emphasising the setting. Good music and effects add to
<Earthquakes, hurricanes, abyss, the atmosphere, with later levels becoming frantic. This
Who else is involved? mountains, objects flying towards the should prove challenging for Spectrum fans. </body>
<Edmo Caldas is the talented player (rocks, trees, etc), weapons,
musician who rewrote the music, and and power-ups. I’d like to release it Score: 88%
Master Linkuei (Paulo Ferreira) initially sometime in 2026. Aside from Final
helped me with the graphics, Sega Fight MD or any future ports, the
CD, and arcade rips, colours and other games that are original creations should
adjustments. I’d like to achieve more receive complete physical versions. />
<!--- [Mega Drive] Maki from Final
Fight 2 cleans out the restaurant
with her special move. --->

<!--- Mauro is also currently

working on Into The Darkness, Mazes
of Chaos, The Legend of Drakonnus,
and Bullet Rhythm. ---> <!--- [ZX Spectrum] On Level
2, building a Gun turret near
your base should help. --->

<!--- [ZX Spectrum] Flies

have arrived on level 3,
while reloading this turret
will cost $2. --->

98 | RETRO GAMER
NEW GAMES NEEDED
Our new email address is waiting for all your homebrew news,
previews and more: retrogamer@[Link]

<intro> Swedish developer Christian

Fast and his son are working on their
new NES game, Chicken Panic </intro>

<body> Christian started NES development

during COVID. “With my son, we brainstormed
the idea of four chickens with different abilities,”
he says. “The first year was trial and error. I
started writing the game in Notepad ++ and
NESASM, but I switched to ASM6. When I learnt
new approaches and ways to implement game
mechanics, we played around with those, and
<!--- [SNES] In one-player mode, burst the <!--- [SNES] The atmospheric select screen, my son asked, ‘Can’t we add x and y?’ so I did all
bubbles and use your special moves to where new characters and levels are
avoid capture. ---> gradually unlocked. ---> I could to implement it.”
The game mixes poultry, platforms and
SUPER FANGER puzzles. “Our main goal is a physical release
– the feeling of opening the box, browsing
<info Format: SNES Credits: Mega Cat Studios / Beakful Bits Price: £38 cartridge only / through the manual, and popping the cart
£45 boxed cartridge with manual plus shipping Web: [Link]/superfanger />
in,” explains Christian. “Another goal my
<body> Set in a haunted house, this is a twist on the classic game of Tag. In Arcade son and I had was to showcase the game
mode, one player must avoid the enemies and burst as many bubbles as possible. There are at a retro game expo. We achieved that at
four characters with individual special moves to choose from, with two available initially and Retrospelsmässan in Gothenburg. It made me
the others unlocked, along with three new levels. A second player can help by using a ghost rethink mechanics and spurred me to redesign
to distract enemies. The two-player mode happens over two rounds; whoever survives the the game world. I’ve spent time optimising
longest before they are caught wins. The production values are high, with excellent sprites my map data; with a few more bytes, I could
and moody, atmospheric backgrounds. It takes a few games to get into and feels a little probably reinstate my password system.”
lacking in depth, particularly for the solo player, but it is fun. Catch it if you can. </body> We’re egging Christian on to finish it. </body>

Score: 74%

<!--- [GBA] Pogo can shoot snowballs to <!--- [GBA] Completing a tower leads to
clear these bricks, or to freeze/destroy the visually impressive bonus fishing
certain enemies. ---> game. Get shooting Pogo! --->
<!--- [NES] Unlock the shop with the first key, then

NEBULUS
you can spend Coins on extra energy, the Dash
ability, and more keys. --->

<info Format: Game Boy Advance Credits: The Retro Room / Rebellion Price: £8 digital
download / £18 cartridge only / £36 boxed cartridge plus shipping
Web: [Link]/nebulus-gba />

<body> The classic John Phillips game (aka Tower Toppler and Castelian) of
climbing and destroying rotating towers has been converted from the Atari ST. You
must guide Pogo upwards, using lifts and shooting snowballs. Falling or getting knocked
down costs valuable time. Reach the top, and the tower self-destructs before your submarine
takes you to the next tower through the bonus level, where you shoot fish with bubbles to
catch them. This polished adaptation features great graphics and sound, an alternating two-
player mode, plus the tougher second mission (giving 16 towers in total). </body>

Score: 85%

RETRO GAMER | 99
HOT TOPIC
RETROBATES MULL OVER THE SCENE’S MOST INTRIGUING ISSUES

THRILLS AND CHILLS

The team look back at survival horror from the PS2 years

W
ith the recent to imagine Project Zero or remember being blown away
release of Resident Forbidden Siren working well by the Resident Evil remake as
Evil: Requiem and on the previous consoles. Do the graphics looked astonishing.
the remake of you have a standout game from Those new zombies could do
DARRAN Project Zero II, Darran and the period, Tim? one, though! Did you enjoy the
JONES Tim decided to revisit the PS2 Silent Hill games? Did you
PS2 era of survival horror. It TIM bunk off work like I did?
was arguably one of the most I tried Forbidden Siren because » [PlayStation 2] Rule Of Rose proves expensive
interesting periods for the genre, it looked so creepy with the TIM games aren’t necessarily good ones.
thanks to a number of great and whole sight-jacking thing. But Er, I’ve only played PS2 Silent
not so great games. it played terribly, so I didn’t get Hill: The Room, and I didn’t TIM
TIM through a lot of that. Not long get what I was supposed I reviewed Rule Of Rose, it’s
EMPEY DARRAN after I got my GameCube I to be doing in that one. The not very good, but then all
So Tim, why do we think played most of Eternal Darkness only other one I have played the controversy hit. I think I
survival horror games became and, while I loved the way it is the one with the ex-soldier still have the disc, but there’s
so popular during the PS2 era? messed with you, I just didn’t who couldn’t put his hand in a nothing printed on it to indicate
get all the way through it. puddle to unlock a door near it is the game. So it’s probably
TIM Instead I played the GameCube the start, and that annoyed me worthless, and buried in a box
Well Resident Evil kicked off remake of Resident Evil and it something rotten. I did go on that I still haven’t unpacked from
the whole genre I reckon, and was amazing. Those graphics! a press trip when Play had the moving over a year ago.
then everyone wanted a piece At that time! Amazing. Did you exclusive for Alone In The Dark,
of the gory pie. Then with the finish Eternal Darkness? but that gave me tonsillitis. DARRAN
PS2 etc, graphics improved and I laughed so much when
everything looked a whole lot DARRAN DARRAN hundreds of copies were found
better/worse. Man, I fricking love Eternal Mate, Silent Hill 2 is superb. in Italy, which caused the
Darkness. I can still remember Play the new remake when prices in CEX and elsewhere
DARRAN when it was a planned N64 you can as it keeps the core to plummet. There were some
I think that’s a fair assessment game so I was made up story but solves much of the half-decent curios during this
of what happened. It felt like when it turned up on the original’s clunkiness. I quite time. Haunting Ground by
there was a lot more diversity GameCube. It’s clunky as hell, like The Room and it’s been Capcom with the dog, the
on the PS2 as well. It is hard but so ambitious in its scope. I reappraised in recent years. Obscure games which were set
Are there any smaller games in a high school and Cold Fear
from this period that stood out which was on a boat. Did you
for you? experience any of those?

» [PlayStation 2] Cold Fear certainly has some nice ideas and being on
» [PC] Capcom’s excellent GameCube remake of Resident Evil is now available on all modern systems. a boat felt novel at the time, but it’s no Resident Evil 4.

100 | RETRO GAMER

 HOT TOPIC

» [GameCube] Capcom reinvented

the concept of survival horror with
Resident Evil 4.

READERS
REACT
The PS2-era games that
tingled your spine
Alex W
I have a soft spot for Extermination. It
made a stumbling attempt at almost
everything Resident Evil 4 would
eventually do perfectly – weapon
» [PC] Silent Hill 2 is one of the greatest survival customisation, over-the-shoulder aiming,
horror games of its era. The remake is also great. a then-novel contextual action button. I
think I cleared it four times.
TIM
Bazza H
Umm, no. I might have tried a
Forbidden Siren I enjoyed, although I was
bit of one of the Clock Tower hopeless at it.
games. Though I did play some
Fatal Frame under some very FatPlumber
unusual conditions… The Resident Evil remake and Resident
Evil 0 are obvious ones. There wasn’t

I reviewed Rule Of Rose, it’s not very

anything quite like them previously and at
DARRAN the time they were peak horror. Also, a
I really like the Fatal Frame huge shoutout to Eternal Darkness for
series. The first-person
perspective felt novel, I like the good, but then all the controversy hit what’s essentially, survival horror time
travel – following a family line throughout
history with plenty of unsettling moments.
focus on female protagonists TIM EMPEY
and they have largely remained Pixel Knight Games
consistently creepy over the down to reception to meet Haunting Ground is amazing. Well made,
years. I did foolishly give the Capcom’s PR and thank them scary and just a ton of fun.
second game 6/10 in games™ for saving the GameCube!
Stuart Gipp
once, which felt overly harsh
Silent Hill 2 is a fairly obvious pick, but it’s
in retrospect. So Tim, I can’t DARRAN also an essential one. I didn’t even play it
believe you’ve not mentioned Hah, I remember that day for the first time until late-2025 and I
the Onimusha games yet. well. I actually picked up thought it was worth every single plaudit
the GameCube and looked it’s received and then some. You could cut
TIM the atmosphere with an enormous knife,
underneath it as I couldn’t
while wearing a pyramid on your head.
I don’t think of them as horror believe it was running on it.
games at all. OK, you’ve got Let’s face it though. If you don’t Antony Longmore
monsters, but it’s way more think the Onimusha games Resident Evil Outbreak. I genuinely believe
slashy slashy than survival are survival horror titles how the game was ahead of its time. A remake
of this title/series would definitely stand out
horror in my opinion. on Earth would you categorise
amongst the rest.
Resident Evil 4? » [PlayStation 2] The original Project Zero has you frantically trying to
DARRAN snap away at wayward ghosts. ACO
This is very controversial! I TIM Eternal Darkness. If not that, the closest I
was hoping to catch you out I’d categorise it as one of the played to a PS2 survival horror was
Onimusha: Warlords, but that was more
but according to Capcom best games ever!
an action game.
itself it uses the tags ‘Action’,
‘Violent’, and ‘Hack And Slash’ RJ Frazer
to describe the remakes on Resident Evil Code: Veronica on Dreamcast.
its Steam page. However, I I’m still bitter that Sony’s politicking meant
Code Veronica was robbed of the prestige
still maintain they have more
of a numbered mainline title, even though it
in common with Resident Evil was the true sequel, while Resident Evil 3:
than Devil May Cry. Nemesis was really only a side story of
Resident Evil 2.
TIM
Speaking of Resi. I was on Cube
when Resident Evil 4 came out!
» [PC] Obscure wasn’t an amazing game, but it
That was such a momentous did well enough to secure a sequel. » [GameCube] Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem is an ambitious
day, the whole team going game with a time-spanning plot.

RETRO GAMER | 101

COLLECTOR’S CORNER
READERS TAKE US THROUGH THE RETRO KEYHOLE
SONIC
BLAST
“My friend messaged me a
DAZE link to it on eBay. But when I got
BEFORE it, the box was creased a lot. But I
CHRISTMAS saw a trick on YouTube on how to
“A fellow collector and friend iron out the creases, and it now
was selling it on a social media looks great.”
group a while back, so I had to AMOUNT PAID:
scoop it up.” £420
AMOUNT PAID:
£500

MEGA
DRIVE II
JURASSIC
PARK PACK
“I got this from a guy in France who
was selling up his collection. I’m
good friends with said collector, so
as soon as he put it up for sale, I
just had to have it.”
AMOUNT PAID:
£1,324

A MEGA SEGA COLLECTION

Paul Angell has always loved the Mega Drive ever since he first played one

BIO
Words by Faith Johnson

F
or Paul Angell, it has baby, when I went to Southampton’s their youth,” he explains. “Some
NAME: always been the Mega CEX. I saw a PS2 and purchased it people have small collections that
Paul Angell Drive, and later the PS2, with a couple of games, one being include their childhood console and a
that fuelled his love of The Simpsons: Hit & Run. We few games that they played as a kid.
LOCATION: retro gaming. “I first discovered got home, and my partner was so Then some people get the collecting
Hampshire gaming when my mum and dad got excited about the stuff we got for bug, as I did, and go all out. They
me my first Mega Drive as a child,” the baby, but I was excited to relive start collecting variants, side sets
ESTIMATED VALUE
OF COLLECTION: he begins. “I played on it every day my youth again.” and accessories. It’s just such a cool
£35k without fail. I also enjoyed gaming Paul’s main collecting niche is hobby, and I’ve met some amazing
with my late mum, and Tetris was finding different Mega Drive console friends through this collecting journey
FAVOURITE SYSTEM: a favourite. Then the PS2 was bundle variants, and we ask him why as well. I hope to make more friends
Mega Drive released, and I couldn’t have been he loves it so much. “The Mega along the way, and I’m not slowing
any more excited. I came home Drive is my childhood console. As down on my purchases, especially
FAVOURITE GAME: from school to find a brand-new PS2 it stands, I’m at 21 variants, with the Mega Drive.”
The Simpsons: Hit & Run and a couple of games sitting on the some that are expensive and some We finish up asking Paul what
table. I asked my mum if it was for not so much. I just can’t get enough his Grail items would be for his
INSTAGRAM: me, and it was. I remember it like of them. The artwork is beautiful, collection. “The Holy Grail item that
@retrogamer94 it was yesterday. One of my best and I just think everything about the I would love to add to my collection
memories ever was opening that Mega Drive is amazing. I do have a is the Lion King Master System. I’ve
PS2, setting it up, and playing WWF few favourites such as Jurassic Park, never seen one for sale, and for me,
Smackdown! Just Bring It.” Street Fighter and Toy Story. The list that would pretty much complete
We then ask Paul about when goes on, but for me, it’s the thrill of my Sega Disney set. I don’t know of
collecting became serious. “I started the next variant that comes along.” any other collector who has got this
collecting about eight or nine years When asked about why he feels close to the full Disney set. I’m sure
ago when my partner and I found retro gaming is so popular today, Paul I will be the first one to have them.
out we were pregnant with our first feels it’s a hobby that expands with I won’t give up trying to find it, and I
baby. I was walking around town time and has a great community. “In can’t wait to complete this set. I have
with my partner, buying stuff for the my opinion, everyone wants to relive been searching years for one.”

102 | RETRO GAMER

 COLLECTOR’S CORNER

Got an impressive collection of your own? Contact us at:

RetroGamerUK @RetroGamer_Mag retrogamer@[Link] [Link]

BARGAIN HUNT
Your guide to the rising world of retro prices
THE COVER STAR
THE LEGEND OF ZELDA:
OCARINA OF TIME (NINTENDO 64)
Nintendo’s classic adventure title can be bought loose for about £10. Boxed
MASTER complete PAL copies are around £45, while mint editions can go as high as £300. The
SYSTEM II US version is surprisingly more expensive, particularly in mint condition.
ALADDIN PACK
“I put a post on a Facebook group
asking for this and the Lion King MATCH DAY II (ZX SPECTRUM)
Master System. A guy replied saying Scoring a copy of Ocean’s hit sequel can be had for a transfer fee of
he had an Aladdin for sale, so I made
a more than fair offer and got it.”
about £5 for a complete copy.
AMOUNT PAID:
£1,000 3D STARFIGHTER
(AMSTRAD CPC)
Not many copies of this space game come up for
sale, but they only cost about £7 when they do.

WARBIRDS (ATARI LYNX)

Cart prices range from £10-£20, which is odd, as
boxed copies start at £20 and rarely pass £30.

REPTON (BBC MICRO)

This one shouldn’t cost more than £10, although it
tends to come up more as part of larger bundles.

BOKTAI: THE SUN IS IN YOUR

HAND (GBA)
To get this in your hand will cost about £70 for a
loose cart and over £100 for a complete copy.

SPIDER-MAN 2
(PLAYSTATION 2)
Complete copies can be bought for as little as £3,
with mint or sealed copies being around £20.

COMMAND & CONQUER:

RENEGADE (PC)
Loose discs can be found for under £5,
with complete, good condition boxed
copies rarely hitting £10.
JEWEL PROJECT ZERO II: CRIMSON BUTTERFLY
IN THE (PLAYSTATION 2)
CROWN Most used copies sell between £50-75, with good condition,
complete copies costing over £100. Mint usually hits over £150,
MEGA DRIVE II so get saving!
JUNGLE BOOK
PACK
■ “I purchased this from a
guy who sold all his Mega HOW MUCH?!
Drives years back. It was
one of the bigger purchases POKÉMON HEARTGOLD
I have made.” Not everyone will be collecting them all anytime
PAID: £1,300 soon, with this copy of Pokémon Heart/Gold selling
for over £1,000 in a recent auction.

Prices correct at time of print

RETRO GAMER | 103
GAMING GRAILS
EXAMINING OUR HOBBY’S BIGGEST HITTERS

IN THE KNOW
» PUBLISHER:
SEGA
» DEVELOPER:
JAPAN SYSTEM HOUSE
» PLATFORM:
GAME GEAR
» RELEASED:
1995
»P  RICE TODAY:
£250+

» [Game Gear]
Ristar can use
enemy spears
to create new
platforms and find
secret items

RISTAR
While he is best known for his outing on Sega’s Mega Drive, Ristar also made a rather
explosive appearance on the Game Gear in what would become one of the last games
released for Sega’s handheld
» [Game Gear] Top players will find
Words by Faith Johnson
their way to the secrets usually hidden
on high platforms. THE GAME practice aiming Ristar’s arms at the THE QUALITY
Ristar is a side-scrolling platform intended target, everything falls into The critics praised Ristar, and although
game that contains many of the usual place, and this suddenly becomes a comparisons to the Mega Drive
gameplay mechanics found in the genuinely different kind of platformer. version were made, most felt it
genre at the time. All the levels have There are several other mechanics stood alone as a decent platformer.
a set theme, such as a forest or a to experiment with in Ristar, such Mike Weigand of Electronic Gaming
pirate ship, and involve reaching the as using items dropped by enemies Monthly reviewed it in March 1995,
end without losing all your life points. to find secrets or use as projectiles. scoring it 7.5/10. “I can’t help but be
Each set of levels ends in a boss fight Some enemies drop hats that can be taken in by the cute little star and
before Ristar shoots off to another thrown like a Frisbee, and others drop its bouncing action,” he explained.
planet in his quest to save his people. spears that can be used as platforms Weigand was also impressed with the
» [Game Gear] There are plenty of The gameplay hook that separates once lodged against a wall. presentation, saying “the colours and
examples of excellent graphics in
Ristar on Sega’s Game Gear.
Ristar from other platformers of the Another aspect that sets it apart sounds are good for a portable”.
time is Ristar’s grabbing mechanic. from other handheld platformers is the Game Informer, which scored
This is used to grab enemies and level of detail in the sprites and the Ristar 8/10, concluded that, “Sega
headbutt them, to grip onto ladders impressive use of colour. It’s one of did a great job in this translation to
and platforms, to swing around the best-looking games on the Game the Game Gear. The play is almost as
poles, activate switches and open Gear and is also large for a handheld good as its big-screen counterpart.
treasure boxes. It’s quite difficult to game, with almost as many levels as Ristar is the next best thing to Sonic
get the hang of it at first, but once you the Mega Drive version. and a welcome change of pace.”

104 | RETRO GAMER

 GAMING GRAILS

I’VE
GOT IT!
These collectors
have reached out
and grabbed Ristar
Vance the Happenstance
I have it loose. It came with
my used Game Gear I
picked up back around
1998-2000? I can’t
remember the exact year
anymore but I do
remember that I got the
system, a case, the Game
Gear magnifier, the AC
Adapter, Ristar and Taz
Escape From Mars for
around $50. I got it from a
thrift store, which my mom
called the junk store. It shut
down nearly 20 years ago
at this point but I’ll always
remember this find.

blast68k
I bought a complete copy
from a used games store,
but it wasn’t terribly
expensive. I cannot
remember the exact price I
paid for it, but it was not
» [Game Gear] Every set of levels ends in a boss fight, and Ristar celebrating his victory over them. more than 25 Euros.

Mean Machine Sega scored Ristar character, which are always popular Justin Harris
82%, and reviewer Paul Bofton among collectors, and it means I bought a copy of it at
» [Game Gear] Ristar is happy sleeping in his underwater Game Dude in North
enjoyed the size of the game. “Unlike that when good condition complete home before his adventure begins.
Hollywood, CA a few years
most of its rivals, there are plenty of copies do come up, they generally back. I can’t recall exactly
levels,” Bofton said. He also felt it sell quite quickly. how much it was, maybe
may reinvigorate the Game Gear by $20. I bought a heap of
saying, “The graphics will certainly CHEAPER ALTERNATIVES Game Gear games before
they raised their prices. I
give haggard-looking handhelds a bit The cheapest way to enjoy Ristar on checked their price guide
of a facelift.” the Game Gear is to buy a cart-only that was updated in
copy, as these can be picked up for September 2024, and it’s
WHY IT’S EXPENSIVE £30 if you shop around and have currently listed for $39.
By the time Ristar was released on some patience.
Callum Hawkes
the Game Gear, Sega had all but While there are usually a few loose It’s one of the Game Gear
given up on trying to take a slice of carts for sale, complete copies in games that I’m still on the
Nintendo’s dominance of the handheld good condition are quite scarce, so » [Game Gear] You’ll need to use the Shooting Star move if look out for. I do have the
market. The Game Boy was selling this may be the best option for many, you want to build huge scores very rare boxed Tarzan
in the millions, and Sega just couldn’t regardless of their preferences. Lord Of The Jungle, though.
compete. There just weren’t enough An alternative Game Gear title to THE BOTTOM LINE Blanks
Game Gear owners around, especially try that isn’t as expensive is Dynamite Ristar on the Game Gear is a fun I never had it for Game
by 1995, to give Ristar a platform for Headdy. This shares some gameplay platformer that uses every ounce of the Gear. I played it recently on
success that would have inevitably led mechanics with Ristar, especially with handheld’s abilities. It may not be as the Nintendo Switch Online
to more prints of the game. the way both characters hang onto vibrant or polished as its big brother on service. The crazy little guy
runs around strangling
Beyond the original release, this platforms and can use different items the Mega Drive, but it still holds up well everyone like a maniac.
version has only ever been included to gain access to secret platforms. today and is one of the better
in the USA-exclusive Sonic’s PlayPal The next best alternative is to platformers on the system. This is one Jed
Plug & Play device. This was a cheap play the Mega Drive version, which that collectors may find hard to source in I got my Game Gear copy of
controller and console in one that is readily available on several Sega decent condition, complete nowadays, Ristar about five years back
on eBay. I only paid about
plugs straight into a television, but is collections, most notably on Sonic but the box art, especially for the $45 for it. It’s a cart, though.
now hard to find. Add to this the fact Mega Collection for the PlayStation 2, Japanese version, is some of the best I’m assuming it goes for a lot
that Ristar is an anthropomorphic GameCube, Xbox, and PC. the Game Gear has to offer. more if it’s complete.

RETRO GAMER | 105

MY RETRO LIFE
PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT OUR SHARED PASSION

FEELING THE URGE

The Analogue3D has reignited Darran’s love for the N64 ALL THESE GAMES GET A

B
NEW LEASE OF LIFE WHEN
YOU THE ANALOGUE3D’S
ack in and authentic as possible, but I THE OVERCL
OCKED TIT
LES THAT UNLEASHED MODE.
lockdown soon realised that I was kidding HAVE IM PR ES
SED ME
I decided myself. Games like Castlevania: CASTLEVANIA
: LEGACY OF
This is so mu DARKNESS
to invest in Legacy Of Darkness, Banjo- ch nicer to play tha
far higher framerat n before. It runs at
e and the camera and a
the Nintendo 64, Kazooie and Perfect Dark are feel a lot more respon movement
after selling my original system transformed using the system’s sive as a result.
just before the birth of my first overclock settings and as a result PERFEC T DARK
It’s shocking I know,
daughter Emily. As I often do, I they’re far more enjoyable to play. original Perfect Dark
but I’ve never comple
ted the
soon acquired most of the games I realise this is a little hypocritical on the N64. I now pla
via the Analogue3D n to do that
I’d owned the first time around, to say this after recently dunking .
as well as titles like Perfect Dark, on those revisionist gamers who SIN & PUNISHM
ENT:
SUCC ESSOR
Excitebike 64 and Conker’s Bad were proclaiming Sonic Unleashed This was always an
TO THE EARTH
Fur Day, which all came out after I to be a great game because of impressive-looking
but now it’s just a littl N64 game,
e smoother and mu
sold my console. how new consoles were drastically the eyes with som ch nicer on
e tweaked settings.
Despite owning my collection improving its performance, but I
for around six years now, I’ve still feel this is different. GAUNTLET
LEGENDS RACING GAMES ARE
I’ve always had a sof
only completed a small fraction I’m under no illusions that the t spot for this arcade ANOTHER GENRE THAT
it holds up particular port and
ly well when the An SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVES
of my games. This will seem original games had flaws and fully tricked out.
alogue3D is
ON THE ANALOGUE3D.
ludicrous to some, but if I’m performance issues on release
RAYMAN 2: TH
honest, I’ve always been more but unlike Sonic Unleashed, even E GR
Yes I could just pla EAT ESCAPE
excited about the thrill of the hunt with those issues the likes of y the Dreamcast ver
bought this via eBay sion but I
from a member of
and getting a game for a good Perfect Dark and Banjo-Kazooie holds special value Rare, so it
to me.
price rather than the actual playing were still considered brilliant
of said game. I also now realise games. Castlevania not so much,
that my ASD (I was recently but even before I got my hands I stopped looking at the games I
diagnosed in August 2025) is on an Analogue3D I had come still hadn’t completed and began
a contributing factor to how to the conclusion that the N64 eyeballing new titles that could
obsessive I become when trying Castlevanias are actually a lot be added to my collection. I’ve
to acquire certain things and it also better than I originally gave them already mentioned how I picked
helps explain why I so easily move credit for back in the day. up Rocket: Robot On Wheels for a

S
off them to pursue new ‘passions’. small fortune and how close I am
I’d been following the o what have I been to finishing it and I’ve also added
announcement of the Analogue3D playing on the Dr Mario 64 to the collection as
closely and while its lengthy Analogue3D in the last well. I recently snagged a US copy
production schedule and launch few months? Well, a of Bomberman 64 for well under
weren’t without controversy, I’ve little bit of everything if I’m honest. what it usually goes for and that’s
been really impressed with the Initially I had the honeymoon going to be my next time sink, but
final system, particularly the way period of just trying out all my I’ve also got a Japanese version of
it can boost the performance games to see how much better Pokémon Stadium 2 on the way.
of certain games. I’m not quite they ran when the machine I’m unsure how much Japanese
ready to retire the NTSC-modded was fully tricked out. Sin & knowledge it will require, but as
console I bought back in 2020, but Punishment, Banjo-Tooie, Gauntlet it’s ten times cheaper than the US
since the Analogue3D has turned Legends and Ocarina Of Time all equivalent it felt like a solid gamble
up, all of my N64 quickly grabbed at just over £20.
gaming has been
done in my front
I’ve been my attention and I
was even able to
Despite the fact that I have
eBay searches in place for
room on my 65-inch
LG OLED.
really convince Melanie
to play a bit of
‘NTSC Tetrisphere’ and ‘NTSC
Bomberman Hero’ I’m going
Initially I played
many of my games
impressed Gauntlet Legends
with me (it’s one
to try and focus on playing and
completing my new acquisitions [NINTENDO 64] ROCKET:
on their original
settings as I wanted
with the final of the few games
we completed
rather than get new ones.
Will I manage that? Probably
ROBOT ON WHEELS IS SUPERB.
IT’S EASILY ONE OF THE N64’S

system
BEST PLATFORMERS.
the experience of together before the not, but at least they’ll run
playing on the device kids came along). fantastically well when I do get
to be as accurate DARRAN JONES Inevitably though, around to playing them.

106 | RETRO GAMER

 MY RETRO LIFE

[NINTENDO 64] IGNORE READERS

REACT
THE MESS AROUND THE TV,
PERFECT DARK RUNS SO
MUCH BETTER NOW.
[NINTENDO 64] I ACTUALLY LIKE THE The modern
FILTERS ANALOGUE HAS ADDED TO
THE ANALOGUE3D, IT MAKES GAMES
devices that fuel
LIKE GAUNTLET LEGENDS LOOK your retro passion
LOVELY AND CRISP.
nromdotcom
I gotta hand it to Evercade. Not just
for reigniting my love of retro gaming,
but of games in general. When I got
the OG handheld in 2022 I had mostly
fallen off videogames as a hobby, but
now I’m back into games both as a
hobby and a community.

Ciaran
For me? First a RetroTink-5X Pro, and
now a RetroTink-4K. The ability to play
my old dusty consoles on a modern
screen has been a game-changer.

Simon Lock
Not sure if it is relevant, but I credit
the AtGames portable Streets Of Rage
Mega Drive handheld as being so
abysmally bad, it drove me to learn to
repair my childhood Mega Drive. It
snowballed from there.

William
I love my Analogue Pocket, it’s
really got me back into playing GBA
games on cartridge. I’ve recently
been hoovering up lots of cheap
titles off eBay, as I prefer focussing
on one cartridge instead of being
overwhelmed with an endless list
of ROMs.

FrankTheTank
The SNES Classic Mini rocked my
ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE world recently. I got to play some
ON THIS YEAR’S LIST TO titles that I never did years ago. I think
COMPLETE. WILL I ACTUALLY it’s become my favourite system now
MANAGE IT THOUGH? and has overtaken the N64…

Daniel James Diggle

The Analogue Pocket is great. I
ended up starting a fairly large GBA,
Game Boy and Game Boy Color
collection! But also seconding the
RetroTink! After picking up a 4K
model I then grabbed a Saturn, PSX
and PS2 and have been loving
playing them on the big screen. It
was an awesome purchase!

Filbert Wang
The Evercade. Just for being able to
slap a cart into the machine and
immediately jump into a game when
you are tired after work. I love that the
games are curated selections too so
I’VE HEARD LOTS OF MIXED STUFF there are generally few stinkers!
ABOUT QUEST 64 BUT A RECENT
PLAYTHROUGH BY ONE OF MY
Antonio
BLUESKY FRIENDS CONVINCED ME
Thanks to the RetroTink I finally
TO GIVE IT A TRY.
invested in an RGB cable for my
Mega Drive.

RETRO GAMER | 107

 WIN!
Every mo
nth
one lucky,
writer-in w
receive a ill
of one ofcopy
classic reotrur
books fro o
our archiv m
e
Good lucsk.
HAVE YOUR SAY… SEND US A LETTER OR MAKE YOURSELF everyone!
HEARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA – [Link]/RETROGAMER_MAG

some old Japanese-focussed

game mags, as well as some
D&D magazines and just always
liked the term. We make no
real distinction between the
two terms. We hope that clears
things up for you.

A TRIBUTE TO NICK
Hi Retro Gamer,
I wanted to write to offer my
condolences for the passing
of Nick Thorpe. I’m only now
reading the news (I held off on the
Shadow Of The Colossus issue
» Nick would have been overwhelmed with the
» [PC] Some readers thought ‘mayor’ referred to it being a nightmare to beat, but we’ve just always liked the until my birthday, today, since it’s sheer amount of messages his work has received.
word to describe a big baddie. one of my favourite games – a We wish he was still here to see them all.
nerdy detail I hope you’ll take as
FEELING BOSS the history behind using ‘mayor’ in an indication of how highly many I’ve read out of order. Partly I
Dear Retro Gamer team, this context? Does it come from a of us value your magazine rather wanted to share that, but it also
I’ve noticed that you use the terms particular region or games genre? than how weird I am to skip an made me realise how much I
‘mayor’ and ‘boss’ seemingly And do you make any distinction issue and return later). value the magazine and wanted
interchangeably to refer to special, between a ‘boss’ and a ‘mayor’? I’ve enjoyed reading Retro to share that with Darran and the
usually end-of-level, videogame Thanks! Gamer for several years now rest of the team.
enemies, but I’ve almost never Henry ‘The Etymology Mayor’ Petrie and have always appreciated I can only imagine how hard it
seen ‘mayor’ being used in this Nick’s articles. I will miss him in must be to carry on with another
way anywhere else. Everyone else Thanks for writing in, Henry. every issue from now – indeed I issue while feeling the loss of Nick.
seems to only use ‘boss’! What’s Darran saw the term used in already noticed his absence given So, I wanted you all to know that I
value the magazine greatly and truly

STAR LETTER appreciate the work you’re doing.

I know no one else who shares
my passion for retro gaming (and

SHOPPING AROUND gaming in general, to be honest,

I’ve never met anyone that I can
Dear Retro Gamer, share a word about Metal Gear
While rereading an old Mean Machines Sega, I You’re right Phil, most specialist games shops Solid with since my school days).
was amazed by how many adverts there were for seem to be incredibly rare nowadays. You’ve Today I feel a little more lonely
independent gaming shops: DWM in Dundee, Pro also just reminded us that we were going to knowing of Nick’s passing.
Soft in Bournemouth, Power Plus in Southend… a look at a feature covering the independent But I love the magazine for
whole ecosystem that’s all but vanished. shops that are still going strong today, so connecting me with like-minded,
It took me back to the mid‑Nineties, when thanks for jogging our memory and have a good people who share a similar
I discovered a tiny games shop hidden on book for making us all nostalgic. passion. Please do keep up
Chapel View in South Croydon. I’ve never found the good work. And pass on
any record of it since – maybe another reader to Nick’s family how much his
remembers it? For a 12‑year‑old kid, finding a readers will miss him.
secret games shop felt magical. Daniel McFarlane
These days, indie stores are so rare you can
practically count them on one hand. I’d love to see Thanks so much for the kind
an article looking back at that era and whether any words about Nick, we really
of those shops survived. appreciate it, Daniel. We hope
All the best, you had a great birthday and
Phil we’ll make sure Nick’s family
sees your lovely tribute.
PS. An advert for Megabytes in Sutton jogged
my memory – and amazingly, it’s still going! » Megabytes still exists today. We like the look of that nearby toyshop as well. AGHAST ABOUT DUNE
Hi Retro Gamer,
I absolutely love the magazine, I’ve

108 | RETRO GAMER

Don’t forget to follow us online for all the latest retro updates
RetroGamerUK [Link] Retro Gamer Magazine @RetroGamerMag @RetroGamer_Mag

CONTACT US
Snail Mail: Retro Gamer,
Future Publishing, Quay House,
The Ambury, Bath,
Somerset, BA1 1UA
Email: retrogamer@[Link]

DISCUSSED THIS MONTH

Discussed This Month
He’s already sold off his GBA and SNES
collection, but Darran has more things to
get rid of, so he’s currently listing items
from his personal collection to sell at the
Bournemouth Gaming Market. The event will
have finished by the time you read this, so
look out for a read up on how he did in next
month’s My Retro Life.

» Darran recently appeared on the Retro Asylum

podcast. There’s a video link to the episode at
[Link]/asylum_darran

I have to say I was fascinated by

the interview and would love to
hear more from Darran.
» [Amiga] Darren Singleton is a big fan of Dune’s soundtrack on the Amiga. I guess this is where I
shamelessly plug my favourite
been a subscriber for over ten years Thanks for writing in, Darren. gaming podcast Gaming Views
now! I am a little aghast though. We obviously couldn’t cover by Dan & Dan. (lain Lee also
You recently did an entire six-page every Amiga game with an mentioned them and brought the
article about Amiga game music amazing soundtrack, so thanks pod to my attention in a superb
and didn’t mention Dune! The for giving a mention to Dune. It’s article a few issues back.) They
soundtrack to this classic game by great to know it still resonates started their podcast in May
Stéphane Picq and Philippe Ulrich with you after all this time. last year and they are absolutely
is, without a doubt in my mind, the fantastic. I would love to connect
finest music in the history of this PODCAST MENTIONS two worlds together – my favourite We’re glad you enjoyed
beloved computer. Hi Retro Gamer, mag and my favourite pod! I was listening about Darran’s
The game is amazing too and I’ve been a subscriber for a couple wondering if Darran would give an gaming background and
I’d love a feature about it. I know of years now. I absolutely love the interview to Gaming Views if he subsequent career in
you’ve covered it before but we mag and look forward to it every has the time, I’m sure they would magazines. He doesn’t do
have a new Dune movie coming up month. I just heard Darran on love to have him on. many podcasts, but maybe he
so there’s always room for a revisit! the Retro Asylum podcast from Thank you for everything, could be convinced if the right
Darren Singleton November (late listener sorry!) and Antony Longmore subject matter comes along.

Your say
Every month, Retro Gamer asks a question on social media and prints the best replies. This month we wanted to know…
What’s your favourite moment from The Legend Of Zelda series?
FPL Gills amazing with all that transparent space felt impossibly large and Gavvie
Playing Link’s Awakening on the mist everywhere. Exploring it and not full of possibility. I just had to The look Link gives
Game Boy at eight years old, being able to find the Master Sword. explore every corner. Getting that his ocarina when he
finding the sword on the beach Then getting the three pendants game for Christmas is still a very learns a new song
at the start of the game, and the thinking you are near the end game, special memory for me. in Ocarina Of Time.
It’s very much a
music kicking in. Even now it only to land in the Dark World. » [Switch 2] Breath Of The Wild is filled with
gives me goose bumps. Aaron Weiss “what the hell?” face memorable moments, so it’s not surprising
Harmony Tetra being revealed as Princess and it makes me laugh every to see it getting so many mentions.
karolinakom Seeing my first dragon, Farosh, Zelda in Wind Waker. From a design time I see it.
In Breath Of The Wild, reaching flying in the distance above Hyrule perspective it wasn’t shocking but moment where 11-year-old me
Kakariko Village after Bridge absolutely stunned me. It from a story perspective it was an RJ Frazer locked in with a game!
experiencing the Blood Moon for really helped to show how vast excellent reveal. The quest to acquire Biggoron’s
the first time was sooo soothing. I the world in BOTW actually is. Sword in Ocarina Of Time. Racing Jamie Robinson
wish I could experience it again. DJE80 against the clock to opposite ends Emerging from the Shrine Of
Gavin Anderegg The beginning of The Legend Of of the map was both a thrilling Resurrection at the start of
Wambam Wammy When I first arrived at Hyrule Field Zelda: A Link To The Past, entering challenge and an enchanting way Breath Of The Wild and seeing
A Link To The Past, entering the in Ocarina Of Time. Compared to Hyrule Castle, hearing the rain to explore the hidden corners the vastness of Hyrule. It’s a jaw-
forest for the first time looked previous games I’d played, the drops on the roof. Magic. of an expansive world. An early dropping moment.

109 | RETRO GAMER

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Retro Gamer is available for licensing and syndication.
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110 | RETRO GAMER

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Bayonetta
FLY ME TO THE MOON
» RETROREVIVAL

» XBOX 360 » 2009

» PLATINUMGAMES
I left the world of
videogames in September
2009 to do a master’s
degree in multimedia
journalism. It was a bit of an ass-
backwards way of doing things, and not
having a bachelor’s degree in anything
made it all the more daunting. I was also
faced with real-world issues like potholes,
the decision to knock down the Imax
cinema in Bournemouth, court reporting…
all sorts of things that I realised I just wasn’t
that interested in. To escape from all that I
had my Xbox 360 and halfway through-ish
the master’s Bayonetta was released.
I’d read the previews and reviews, and
somehow managed to buy a copy (leftover
Christmas money maybe). I fired it up and
was instantly taken by the smoothness
and massive variety of the combat. Sure
you can mash a bit and get through the
game, but it was much more fun to master
it. And I kind of did. Controlling combos,
dodging at just the right moment to activate
Witch Time, using Dodge Offsets and
bludgeoning bosses (learning their attacks
after a good number of attempts).
Eventually I completed Bayonetta, or
had I? You get ranked at the end of each
level and are awarded a grade, and mine
were mostly rated Stone, the worst you
can get. So the real work began to get
Pure Platinum awards for every level.
I’m not sure how I had the time to do all
this, but I did it. Pure Platinum all the way
(those Space Harrier and motorbike levels
were incredibly tricky). Even better was
that this was the first game I got all the
Achievements for!
I’ve played it again a year or two ago
and… I’ve got no skills anymore! Back to
Stone awards again. I did pass the master’s
degree though, so that’s good. I think my
mum has the certificate framed, and it’s
hanging in the downstairs loo.
 HEART OF THE ALIEN
(MEGA-CD, 1994)
» With Another World’s sequel remaining a Mega-
CD-exclusive to this day, many will no doubt
wonder what happened to Lester the scientist
and his alien companion Buddy. Worry no longer,
but be warned, it doesn’t have a happy ending…

01 02 03

» Buddy and Lester return to the prison » The cad begs for his life, but Buddy » Buddy starts freeing the other slaves
they escaped from so Buddy can free isn’t having any of it. He releases the who rejoice and immediately start
his mates from their red-eyed enslaver. beast and watches in satisfaction as it torching the prison. Not the smartest
A few cracks from his Power Whip tears apart his red-eyed tormentor. As idea while they’re all still inside, but
forces his opponent into a pit which his nemesis is dragged off screaming these are trying times which call for
contains a very familiar caged foe. for his life, Buddy rescues his friends. drastic measures.

04 05

» Buddy finds Lester who was electrocuted after saving » Having no medical knowledge whatsoever, Buddy simply
Buddy earlier, and he carefully transports him from the assumes that Lester passed away from his wounds (in reality
prison while rioting continues around him. Will the intrepid he was knocked unconscious after the nasty shock). With
scientist live to see another day? Or will something happen tears in his eyes and not noticing his friend’s weak stirrings,
that is so bleak and miserable that it’ll ruin everyone’s day? Buddy incinerates his mate alive. Poor Lester.

114 | RETRO GAMER

9000 9031