Auswärtiges Amt 1991
Genre: Puzzle, Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: Deutsch
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

In 1991, the EU wasn't nearly as prominent as it is now. In fact, it didn't even exist back then, because the treaties of Maastricht would only be signed a year later. However, there was the 'European Community' which was pretty much a predecessor of the EU. And it was obvious that the political and economic integration would continue, so there was a 'need' for political propaganda to soften the nationalist feelings of the population. Which part of the population is most easily influenced? Right, the children. Enter Auf dem Weg nach Europa.

Micromagic / Origin 1988
Genre: RPG
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Autoduel is one of the few classic games that don't deserve as much attention as it is getting. It may sound ironic that I review a game just because I don't consider it worth a review, but it isn't so. Autoduel is a very original piece of work, which is seriously flawed by inferior graphics, awkward interface and an extremely steep learning curve. Autoduel is simply the result of applying arcade principles to a pen-and-paper roleplaying game.

Factor 5 / Hudson Soft 1992
Genre: Action
Rating: 3/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Conversions of console games to computers often go wrong. Translations of Japanese games just as often. With B.C. Kid, it went surprisingly smooth. It first appeared on the PC Engine and had (for 'western' tongues) a really strange name. The English version became 'Bonk'. Bonk? To make a long story short, the Amiga version got a better title when it was ported by the German company Factor 5 a few years later.

Microsphere 1985
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: ZX Spectrum

Last year, schoolboy Eric managed to steal his report card from the headmaster's safe. He has taken his time to forge a positive one. Now it's time to get it back into the safe.

A lot has happened on the school grounds over the holidays. It has been split in two sections: a boys school and a girls school (with a fence between them). The boys' building (the only part which could be seen in the prequel Skool Daze) has been expanded, too. There are now more classrooms, more offices, a new assembly hall and (perhaps the most useful innovation) a bathroom. The school has also bought a new safe to replace the old one. This one doesn't have a combination of numbers, but a simple lock. But where has the key been hidden?

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

A local radio station is holding a competition: answer five questions about (male) rockstar 'Alex X. Pose' (for the younger readers: the singer of a then popular band called Guns 'n' roses was called 'Axl Rose') to win a romantic candlelightdinner with him. Our (male) hero is keen to be the chosen one. Yes... you'd better ignore the homoerotic elements of this story. Anyway, let's just say our protagonist is a huge fan, ok?

Chris Crawford 1990
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 6/6
Language: English
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

Balance of Power is almost a simulation of the cold war. As one of the two major superpowers (USA or USSR) you try to gain influence without starting a nuclear war.
The rest of the world is serving as a playground for the enemies. Other countries are not directly conquered but you try to get the respective government on your side or to overthrow it.

Creative Edge / Panasonic Interactive 1995
Genre: Strategy, Action
Rating: 4/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Baldies is a real time strategy game.

PLOT

The plot is simple, you have to lead the Baldies to victory over the Hairies.

GAMEPLAY

This is a standard build, research and attack game (no hunting for resources). There are four types of Baldie, breeder (Red), builder (Blue), soldiers (Green), and scientist (White). When the first house is built you have to pick up Baldies and place them in the house (just by dropping them on the house), and then double click on the house for an internal view which consists of four rooms (one for each of the colours) and a hallway. It is possible to move the Baldies from one room to another via the hallway. This allows you to branch into different spheres of research and breeding. For example if you have mostly red then your Baldies will multiply alarmingly. Once four houses have been built you will have access to the "shovel" and the "angel wings". The shovel allows you to extend the land or even remove little sections of the land so as there is only water underneath (I enjoyed going onto my enemies land and trapping his men and drowning them). The angel wings allows you to select a group of Baldies with the mouse and send them where you like (even onto your opponents land).

Mr Creosote 1996
Genre: Action
Rating: 0/6
Language: -
Licence: Freeware
System: PC

This is actually not a game, but only a 'programming excercise' I did for myself. It was intended to mimic the basics of a shooter, but all you can do is move around and shoot, because there are no enemies.

Infocom 1986
Genre: Adventure
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

In spite of a few visits as a kid, I've pretty much always been quite a cynic about the circus. Ballyhoo is all about the circus. So insert your favourite fuzzy stereotypes here as I'll neither be listing them, nor be talking about 'the magic' or whatever. This game is set in the circus. The owner's daughter has been kidnapped and she's held for ransom. The player has to find her, because the detective who has been hired to investigate is a clueless drunk.

Core Design 1994
Genre: Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English, Francais, Deutsch, Dansk
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Banshee is a very late arrival in the genre of shooters. In 1994, the gaming industry started moving everything towards 'three-dimensional' games, and classic concepts like this one slowly died out. Thankfully, this genre (at least the subgenre of 'vertical shooters') got one final hit with this game.