Taito 1990
Genre: Puzzle
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Puzznic is one of the great games from the heyday of the puzzle-genre. The late 1980s/early 1990s brought a good number of these gems and well, here's one I really do like. The concept is fairly simple, which let's you concentrate on the problems the levels bring you. Basically you have to get matching pieces together to let them vanish. You can push them to the left and the right, but cannot lift them up. If you push them over an edge they fall down to the ground. Once all are gone you have completed the level. Simple as that, but difficult in many cases. While the first problems mainly consist of moving blocking pieces away and back again the higher levels face you with the problem of getting three pieces to vanish at once as there are uneven numbers of pieces of the same type. Also pretty soon the dreaded moving brick enters the stage - I seriously got to hate that thing! I have to admit I'm a bit weak in reacting fast, but you sort of have from time to time. You have to throw pieces on these moving things and down again. I tend to push my pieces too late... But seriously - don't think this game has any serious action-elements. It doesn't - I'm just slow. ;)

Nick Sumner 1988
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Freeware
System: C64

Breakout with a unique twist: Instead of one, you're controlling four paddles at once. One on each side of the screen, so up and down move the ones on the left and right vertically, and left and right move the ones on top and bottom horizontally.

Graftgold / Hewson 1986
Genre: Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: ZX Spectrum

Paradroid had been a huge hit on the C64, so ports were the logical step. For the Spectrum, Graftgold decided a straight port wouldn't be possible, as the game very much depends on the smooth scrolling into all directions. And while they were at it, they decided to change quite a few more things on the way.

Sierra 1992
Genre: Adventure, RPG
Rating: 4/6
Language: Enlgish
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

You want to be a hero, and what is your big plan for that? Completing some quests or course, and so you go to Spielburg, having heard they need some help and being well prepared by your recently finished hero course by correspondence.

Meisters 1986
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Freeware
System: C64

Tired of all these modern 'anti-terror' - games? Hunting evil guys of whom you have no idea what kind of evil they've done gets boring? You're fed up with working for an anonymous 'government' with more than questionable ideals? Then choose the other side: become a terrorist!

Will Wright / Broderbund 1984
Genre: Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

It may seem unbelievable in these days, now that every computer game seems to be about war, spurting blood and severed limbs, but in the 80s, it was pretty much agreed on in the gaming press (here in Germany at least) that 'realistic' war themes are morally questionable and detract from the enjoyment of a game. So, the more otherworldly the story and the freakier the setting of a game about some sort of fighting, the better the ratings.

Microprose 1990
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Most people already know this classic. Because it was a huge success. And it deserved it! Inspired by Sim City, Sid Meier wanted to do a real-time building game. This was the product.

The most significant thing about the game is, that there's no real goal. Just like in Sim City you just build and build. You can't really win the game, only climb the highscore list. You just try to build up a huge railroad company.

Bally Midway / Activision 1986
Genre: Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Atari ST

This is gonna be a short one, as there's not much to describe in terms of storyline and plot. Straightforward coin-op/arcade stuff here, which is a genre I usually won't rave about. Rampage has that little something that makes certain games so addictive, though.

Electronics Arts 1992
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

As an adaptation from an arcade, Rampart is a simple game, a simple, fun and hard game in which you will build the castle walls inside which will be placed the cannons to fight back an invading float.

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.