Cinemaware 1989
Genre: Strategy, Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

You like the concept, but medieval England is getting a bit tiring? Then head over to medieval Japan! This is how Lords of the Rising Sun is best described. Oh, you don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Then you probably haven't played Defender of the Crown by the same company! Stop reading here and sit in the corner!

Gremlin 1990
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

This is the first part of a series many people consider as a classic. As you can see from my rating, I don't agree with that. To describe Lotus, just one word is needed: boring!
Nevertheless, its historical value is out of question! It's the ancestor of all the 'modern' action racers, e.g. the Need for Speed- or Screamer-games. And what's even more important (and interesting!) is the fact, that Lotus is almost identical to those newer ones!

Creative Sparks 1985
Genre: Adventure, Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

I must admit I'm a sucker for classic horror movies and novels. I'm also one of these people who cheer for the bad guys and abhore the wimpy do-gooders. For all those with similarly sick minds, the 80s produced the computer game of our dreams: Mad Doctor.

Ikarion 1995
Genre: Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Mad TV's success virtually begged for a sequel. Rainbow Arts announced Mad Burger, a fast-food chain simulator. Ralph Stock, designer of the first part, had left the company, though, and he was working in Mad News which was published by Ikarion. Mad Burger never made it, but two years later, Mad TV 2 (the only 'official' sequel) appeared - and it sucked. This review is about Mad News, however. The game which should probably be called the only rightful successor of the original game.

Rainbow Arts 1991
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: Deutsch, English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

This is one of the few german games which got much international attention. And it really deserved it. Basically, it's a pretty tipically german genre: a business sim. But in contrast to lame tries like Winzer this one is really fun! The reasons for this are simple.

Igelsoft 1986
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

You may smile ironically about the graphics of C64 games. You may even consider them ugly. I won't protest much. In fact, I have to confess I don't value the 'multimedia' capabilities of this computer too highly myself. I can understand everyone who appreciates these extremely blocky looks, but I've been 'socialized' by other machines mainly. One thing is undeniable, though: The C64 had and still has the most creative 'user scene'! Even today, new programs are being written by the followers of this small computer, some even released commercially.

Greenwood 1995
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 4/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

A safe way for a game to become successful back in the 'golden days' was to get good reviews in the magazines dealing with computer games. Most companies went with simple bribery (even though you never believed this of course, eh?).

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.

Lucasfilm Games 1987
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English, Deutsch
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

This is it - the game which started it all. The game which revolutionized Adventure games by finally throwing out the text parser completely. The game which put Lucasfilm's games division into the limelight, where they stayed for almost ten years. And even when they stopped producing these great Adventure games, nobody else was there to take their place. But I'm disgressing.

Electronic Arts 1984
Genre: Action, Puzzle
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Marble Madness was one of the first games on the new and fresh Amiga system. And what a way to get a system started! Although the game was also released for pretty much every other system out there at the time, it was the Amiga version which outshone them all. Closest to the original arcade machine (and even with the two player feature), it showed off the new computer's technical capabilities perfectly. A killer application, especially considering the direct competitor, the Atari ST, only had a greatly inferior port.