Atari Games / Electric Dreams 1986
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Atari ST

Finally - the classic when it comes to top-down racers. You'll find exactly the same elements as in the later imitations. Namely: Fast and simple racing round courses which stretch exactly across the screen and randomly appearing power-ups which can be picked up by driving over them. In this case, the latter consist of bonus points and wrenches. Wrenches can be used to tune your car (motor, tires, you name it) - another standard feature.

Bally Midway 1983
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

A very simple game for quick fun. Its attractiveness is caused by its original theme: As a waiter you have to serve the rushing-in customers.

But they are very impatient. Aparantely they are alcoholics. Their appearance points to that: unkempt beards and hair hidden under (probably) greasy hats. But also their behaviour lets you become suspicious about their addiction. They can't even wait for their beer (the game does not know other drinks) for some seconds. No, they need it immediately! And if you do not serve them at once, they will pull you over the bar.

Telekom / Art Department 1993
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

And "Ron Sommer" said: "Let's pretend to to cool. It'll look as if we actually care for our customers and as if we were a young and modern company." And his disciples went into the wide world to spread his word. One came back with something he called a 'computer game'. And "Ron Sommer" saw it was good. Or at least he thought it was good...

Ocean 1991
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Francais
Licence: Commercial
System: Game Boy

Talking about games that deal with films or series, sooner or later the phrase "licence crap" will come up. Many more or less common titles, for example almost every Simpsons game, do give reasons for this: The brand name itself is selling most of the copies, so why spend money on a complex production? Quickly design some sprites, that remind of the original characters and warm up some old games idea and the way into the shelves is paved.

Lucas Arts 1995
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 3/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Français, Italiano, Castellano
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

The Dig - an experiment in megalomania. An epic science fiction adventure based on an idea by Steven Spielberg, made by the guys who made Star Wars (well, not quite). Special effects by Industrial Light and Magic. The hardest puzzles in a Lucas Arts game since Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Isn't marketing great? Here's an experiment: Let's judge the game exactly according to all the marketing slogans they came up with then.

U.S. Gold 1994
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: SNES

I have to admit that I know nothing about this comic-myth 'Hulk'. But I'll try my best to do justice to him (?) in this review.
Hulk the Incredible - a character full of metaphors. Hulk the Human - he's like you and me. When it is the time again when his skin turns green and his muscles swell, he's standing on a street filled with shooting robots. Apocalypse now in a modern form. The Final Court. Even if it's unbelievable: At this point YOU get into the action. YOU are Hulk. Didn?t we all want to be him sometimes? The time has come now.

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

My name is Bond - James Bond! This game is based on the movie starring Roger Moore. I suppose everyone has seen at least one James Bond movie, so I won't explain what that is...

Domark took the action parts of it and put them into levels which are only loosely connected with short text-based explanations about the story. Most levels are basically the same. You see your vehicle from top and have to reach the level's exit without being killed. These vehicles are either a Lotus Esprit (driving on the road or diving under water!) or a small motor boat. From time to time an enemy appears and you have to shoot him. If you don't have any missiles left, it doesn't matter too much - just let him drive in front of you and avoid his shots! Sometimes a big truck labelled 'Q' appears in front of you. Don't try to destroy or overtake it (like I did when I first played the game 10 years ago ;) - It's your friend 'Q' who 'sells' you equipment for the 'Q'-coins you've selected before!

Rauser Entertainment 1994
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Kellogg's trying to convince you to eat more breakfast cereal. Not just any, but their own, of course. Also, not their boring old corn flakes, but the variants with as much sugar as possible (still extremely healthy, of course). The tiger from the Frosties, the monkey from the Coco Pops, the toucan from the Fruit Loops and the frog (?) from the Smacks can all be controlled in this by-the-book Jump'n'Run game.

ShadowBit Interactive 2004
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

Gremlin's classic arcade game Hustle remains one of the most played classics today, although you might not know it under that name and it has mostly lost its place on desktop computers. It has moved to smaller devices like mobile phones, and it's usually called Snake.

Origin 1994
Genre: RPG
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Ultima VIII - Pagan. The Guardian has banished the Avatar to Pagan, a world he controls. Now it is up to you (aka the Avatar) to make it back to your own world. You find yourself near the town Tenebrae which is ruled by Mordea - who is leading something best described as a terror regime. Among other things it's one of your goals to defeat her.