Max Design 1992
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

In late 1992, two trading simulations were competing for the (German / European) market: Der Patrizier (also know as The Patrician abroad) and 1869. The latter came a little later (wow...) and it was generally considered the loser in this direct duel by the press. Only by a small margin, though - a very good second place.

Starbyte 1991
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Coal mining: an industry living 100% from subsidies. Here in Germany, they only stopped training new miners quite recently, i.e. until then, they let people go to their doom job-wise by pretending this still has a future. Unbelievable! Obviously, there were different times, too. 100 years ago, coal mining became the backbone of the industrial revolution. And that's the time this game is about.

Promotion Software 1994
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

We're slowly turning into a propaganda site for the government - this is already the third game financed by them we're presenting! No idea what we're trying to compensate with that, wishful thinking at our school days maybe (since they're all 'educational' games) or bad conscience because of the terrorist acts.... er... better stop talking about that now.

elefanten Schuh GmbH / WWF 1993
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

A well-known shoe company of the 80s teams up with a well-known environmental organization of the 80s to present you this economical simulation. Commercial advertisement mixed up with promotion for a 'good cause' - very, very questionable.

Rauser / BWMi 1993
Genre: Strategy
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

Just a little more than ten years ago (in 1993), there was no 'Internet' of today's proportions. Computer magazines coming with CDs full of stuff were still uncommon, too. To be exact, the first 'one-shot issues' of this kind appeared in early 1994 in Germany. So, 1993 was still a year of game demos being spread on floppy disks, and those were available on quite a few magazine covers.

Creative Materials / U.S. Gold 1991
Genre: Action
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Metro City's new mayor, the former Street Fighter champion Haggar, has vouched to rid the city off crime. The Mad Gears (a local gang) aren't too thrilled by that prospect, so they've kidnapped Haggar's daugther Jessica to blackmail him. As either Haggar himself, Jessica's boyfriend or another random guy who happened to be hanging around at the gym, the player has to fights his way through the hordes of the Mad Gears to free her again. No real risk there, because for some reason, the evil guys won't kill her even when they're attacked...

Golden Sector / Hawk 1991
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

If there is one genre which really screams '8 Bit', it's probably the joystick waggling games. You know, those sports games which actually required you to train your muscles - and which killed your wrists and destroyed your joysticks. International Championship Athletics is a total anachronism: It's an Amiga / Atari ST exclusive, yet it still follows that (by then) ancient gameplay principle.

U.S. Gold 1990
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Commercial
System: Amiga

Just like movie tie-ins, 'official' games of major sport events are crap in most cases. After paying for the expensive licence, little money seems to be left to make a decent game. Or, maybe the companies think it won't be important anyway, because fans will buy the game just because of the name.

Art Department 1993
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
Licence: Freeware
System: Amiga

Karamalz is a brand of Malzbier, so what we have here is a promotial game. Promotial games are mostly simple versions of classic arcade games or short Adventures. This one sticks out from the crowd by being a sports game. It's a surprisingly complex ice hockey simulation!

Gremlin 1990
Genre: Sport, Action
Rating: 2/6
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!