neo Software 1994
Genre: Strategy, Puzzle
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

Lured by the promise of quick money, Matt Stuvysunt arrives in London in early 1953. A meeting with his not very sympathetic, but nevertheless fascinating aquaintace Briggs provides him with a used car, some startup money and at least a faint idea where to start: a small kiosk somewhere out of town. Low gain, but also close to zero risk. Briggs himself is obviously up to something a lot bigger.

Mr Creosote 1996
Genre: Puzzle, Strategy
Rating: 0/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

Made directly following Geh aufs Ganze, this is another TV show. Guess the prices of real products, and be more accurate than the other AI or human players - thrilling!

Tapuak was responsible for entering the prices into the 'database'. The final 'level' is unfortunately missing, because we both couldn't remember the exact rules anymore.

Promotion Software 1994
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

We're slowly turning into a propaganda site for the government - this is already the third game financed by them we're presenting! No idea what we're trying to compensate with that, wishful thinking at our school days maybe (since they're all 'educational' games) or bad conscience because of the terrorist acts.... er... better stop talking about that now.

Sunflowers 1996
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Money and political power are often closely related. The family referenced in the title is one of the best known historical examples of this phenomenon. The members of that family don't actually appear in the game, though. It takes place a few levels below that instead. On a regional level, i.e. a member state of the former 'Holy Roman Empire', the player tries to gain political influence - just like the big idols.

Blue Byte 1993
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

British and American games usually keep their names when they're released in Germany - even if it's a translated version. That's good, makes international conversations about them easier. German companies on the other hand sometimes take really silly measures to increase their chance on the international market. Not that it has ever worked, but giving up would be silly, too. One of the effects is that German games have English names - even here. If you can't see anything strange about that, you're probably from the USA. What would you think if a game by an 'American' company would carry a title in Suaheli? To take it one step further: what would you think if a game by a German company was released in your country carrying a German title?

Blue Byte 1995
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Whenever something claims to be 'crazy' (meaning 'funny' or 'wacky') in the title, you should be careful. It usually means the product won't be crazy at all, but rather lame. Simple reason: They try too hard, it all gets too obvious. Die total verrückte Rallye (literal translation: the totally crazy rallye) fortunately only stumbles into this trap partly, keeping the lameness factor at a bearable minimum (if only there weren't this 'announcer' with his GDR / Berlin accent...).

PCSL 1991
Genre: Puzzle
Rating: 1/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Dingsda was a popular quiz show on German television running from the mid-80s to the end of the last millenium (in fact, it was only popular until the mid-90s, but it ran for another five years after that). The basic premise: two teams of TV 'celebrities' would compete in guessing words which were explained by kindergarten children.

Avalon Hill 1984
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

This is a conversion of a tabletop. As one of 7 Powers in a Europe divided in regions on the dawn of the 20th century you try to conquer as much as possible with your allies' help.

The rules have been adopted completely. The main point of them is that nothing happens by accident but everything can be calculated logically before. That means that nobody can use the excuse of luck/bad luck. Instead of that the attacking armies are compared to the defending ones. The one who has more wins. But more than one unit per area is impossible. In order to build a front line neighbouring countries have to support others.

Virgin Mastertronic 1990
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

Diplomacy is a '[board-] game of international intrigue' which was developed in the 1950s. It takes place in the Europe of 1901. Seven major military powers are locked in a deadly power struggle. Each one is trying to achieve world domination, but neither can do it on its own.

Impressions 1991
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Francais, Castellano, Italiano
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Impressions never had the best reputation with the mainstream gamers. They mainly produced quite inaccessible (granted) strategy titles. Caesar and Cohort are maybe their widest known classic titles. The vast majority of their games completely disappeared though.