Ubi Soft 1989
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Ilyad is a game with a troubled past. It was scheduled for release in 1989, but for some reason, it never appeared in spite of being finished. A British magazine then dug it up and brought it to the public as a coverdisk in 1991. Another year later, it was finally released commercially at last (I doubt it was very successful; a certain other crewmember of this site owns what is probably one of the few boxed originals in existence). To get it over with right from the start: the three years show. The graphics virtually scream '80s', and they aren't even very spectacular for that time.

Lucas Arts 1996
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English, Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

The daily life of Dr. Henry Jones Jr. Somewhere in Central America, he's carrying out his archeological duties. It all starts with his colleague Marcus Brody giving him his latest assignment. It usually concerns finding an artifact before a competing archeologist does, freeing someone from the clutches of the nazis or something similar. The best thing about it: every time you start the game, you get a different adventure to play. Or at least that's what the advertisement says.

Mastertronic 1986
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Plus/4

The myth of the 'wild west' is full of hero figures, usually referred to as 'lone rangers'. All alone they fight all kind of evil (bankrobbers and of course Indians), always with a hand on their gun. That's the true American dream: riding through the prairies, spreading 'true justice'.

Data East 1985
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

One of the biggest hits in the arcades of the mid-80s, converted to the C64. Most people will know the gameplay from International Karate these days (if at all), but Karate Champ was the game which started it all!

Virgin Interactive 1992
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

It's the last days of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev has destroyed part of the old structures. But as always when there's change, there are groups who want to take advantage of it. For some, it doesn't go quickly enough, some want to go back as much as possible. And some of those aren't all that peaceful about it...

English Software 1986
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

The Middle Ages: was it an age of chivalry and knights in shining armors? Or a dark age of oppression and plague? We'll maybe never know for sure. One thing is for sure though: people liked brawling back then - just like today! And that makes all the other questions completely useless and uninteresting!

Lucasfilm Games / Activision 1986
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

There were Adventure games before SCUMM and aside from Sierra's endless Quests. Lucasfilm's first own foray into the genre was Labyrinth - an official offshoot of the movie of the same name (starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly).

Westwood Studios 1993
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Kyrandia is in trouble again! But this time it's not that easy to determine where it comes from. The realm is slowly disappearing bit by bit. The royal Mystics don't have a clue what to do (that rhymes ;). But fortunately, a giant hand has obviously experienced this phenomenon before: someone needs to retrieve the anchor stone from the center of the world. On the hand's diagram of the world, you can clearly see a lot of lava there, but who cares? The youngest member of the mystics is chosen for this mission: Zanthia.

Graftgold / Firebird 1988
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: ZX Spectrum

Meta robot KLP-2 from Quazatron is back: This time, the reactors of eight satellites have to be shut down. Of course, these satellites are full of robots to destroy as well.

KLP-2 moves (or rather floats) over the three-dimensional platforms which now have a fixed distinction into screens (circumventing the problem of the rather slow scrolling). Again, it's all looking and moving very smoothly - technically, this is yet another step forward from the already high standard the predecessor set.

Ron Balewski 1988
Genre: Puzzle
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Shareware
System: PC

Mah Jongg is one of those little gems you just HAVE to have on your harddisk - for the simple reason that it's small, runs under Windows without the slightest problems (at least not under those Windows versions I played it under - which are Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Windows 98, Windows NT 4.0 and Windows XP) and is exactly the game you are looking for when you want to play but don't have an idea what to play. It's always good for a round or two... or even for a playing it all night (if you are like my mother - and she's hardly a gamer, far away from that actually!).