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?

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).

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.

Palace Software 1987
Genre: Action
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

To get the story over with: Evil wizard has captured the princess, oily muscleman carrying a huge sword tries to free her by first confronting the sorcerer's soldiers and then the evil master himself.

Sportsware Productions 1985
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 5/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: C64

There are some things I've always enjoyed. Staying up until late in the evening on my C64 (or proudly-owned P IV more recently :lol:), reading, writing (as you can see here). Oh yeah, and watching box matches. I never practiced box professionaly, although I did have some recalcitrating classmates who realized that you *can* learn something if you watch the TV. Boxing is just one example, if you know what I mean :lol:

Konami 1993
Genre: Action
Rating: 2/6
Language: English
Licence: Commercial
System: SNES

A common day in Gotham City: Batman puts on his chicle coat, and with his Batmobile he drives to the place of action. Through the slits of his ridiculous mask, he sees the unjustness. Good citizens are being hindered to do their Christmas shopping. A gang of clowns prevents a fluent and free enterprise and causes a setting that reminds of an oriental bazaar.

Sierra 1995
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 5/6
Language: English, Deutsch, Francais
Licence: Commercial
System: PC

Battle Bugs is one of the games that do not need a story. You just complete mission after mission. Nevertheless it has a naive charme because of its theme (insect battles). The military background is ironically weakened by that. Most times they are about "conquering" most of the food that is lying around. That is done by moving a "unit" near the thing that you want to conquer. Then a flag appears on it, slowly rising. If you have more bugs there the flag will rise faster. When it has reached its top you own the object. Unfortunately the enemy tries to achieve the same so that heavy battles take place. As long as both sides have insects around the food nobody owns it. Conquered targets can of course be taken over the other army if it dominates the control zone. Almost any unit has its own special ability, strengths and weaknesses. A grasshopper for example is lethal for enemys but it also is killed fast. Bees can (of course) fly and also drop bombs, dynamite or cheese (!) on the enemy. This last thing is used to stun units. All flying animals have to fear ants with missiles. These specific characteristics should be considered when planning the battle. An example: A huge mass of enemies that would easily crush you hands down comes nearer. You send your "pill bug" in their direction. The enemy army concentrates on it, so that all are on the same place and beat it up. Now your bee starts and drop its bombs on this concentrated mass. The pill bug is immune to bombs but the enemies die in the explosions. Level completed!