Julian Gollop / Red Shift 1984
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: ZX Spectrum

Not many games can claim the honour of having started something really big and immensely popular for themselves. Rebelstar Raiders is one of the notable exceptions. It spawned a whole modern genre and has to be recognized as the seminal work for countless others. Games like UFO (X-Com) and Jagged Alliance wouldn't exist without RR. Talking about UFO, RR was even made by the same person, so it's even a direct descendant.

Dynamix 1990
Genre: Simulation
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Red Baron is kind of a predecessor of Dynamix' Aces series. This time it's about World War I and featuring its respective planes. All known features can be found in this game: single missions, a career mode and the possibility to record your most glorious deeds.

Microprose 1989
Genre: Simulation
Rating: 6/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Red Storm Rising is based on a novel by Tom Clancy creating the background for this submarine simulation by the outbreak of a conflict during the last phase of the Cold War. The player as the commander of an US attack submarine has to fulfill various missions whose success may influence the outcome of the war.

ImagiSOFT 1993
Genre: Puzzle, Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

The most vicious pirates of the Carribean want to find out who is the biggest cutthroat, so they make a bet. They're all sailing the same route, and whoever can show the biggest amount of loot at the end of the journey wins. Master pirate Redhook plays the judge, but there aren't many rules - everything is allowed as long as it earns gold.

Technos 1992
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: SNES

That's a game which doesn't require much talking about. The programmers intentionally left out an intro or a story as the subtitle says it all: 'The Sleeping Dragon has awoke.' Ah yes. In other words: 'The 1st part was quite successful so let's make more money.'

Microprose 1992
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Rex Nebular, cosmic adventurer, delivers the valuable vase he was sent to retrieve to his employer Col. Stone. Walking into the office, he demands his payment. Gruffly, Stone asks how the mission has gone. Rex begins to tell his story...

Core Design 1989
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

The Indiana Jones action games by Lucasfilm aren't too popular for a reason: they're not very good. Real men are looking for alternatives - and a smart company provides one: Rick Dangerous.

Core Design 1990
Genre: Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Another ordinary action game. But what makes it special to me is the fact that I spent days, weeks and month in front of my Amiga playing this particular game!
Why? Well, to be honest mainly because it was available! I simply didn't have that many games back then. But beside the emotional component, there are also objective arguments for this game!

Dynamix 1991
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Rise of the Dragon takes you to one of these futures which are in fact historical periods. Sure, there is some sci-fi stuff floating around, like for example videophones and combined identity/credit cards. Some people are running around wearing strange body armour instead of normal clothing. But that's about it. Everything is reminiscent more of the 1930s than any kind of futuristic vision.

Electronic Arts 1992
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Road Rash - one of the few signature games of the Sega Mega Drive (apart from Sonic, of course). The Amiga and the Mega Drive had quite a few things in common hardware-wise, so porting this successful hit was only a question of time. A year after the original release, it finally appeared.