totty@flute.cs.uiuc.edu (Brian Totty) (07/23/90)
Thanks to every one who voted for their favorite games. There
were a total of 19 replies to my request for people to vote for their
favorite Atari ST games. The mean number of games voted for per voter
was 5.4.
The following is the result of the voting where the number on the
left signifies the number of votes each game received. The order
of preference between people's votes (1st choice, second choice, etc.)
was not taken into account.
The descriptions shown are fragments of various people's reviews
mixed and matched together. I couldn't verify many of the reviews
because I am not familiar with many of the games. Some games
were voted on with no description.
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A T A R I S T G A M E B A L L O T R E S U L T S
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9 Dungeon Master
This is a very good dungeon-exploration/combat game.
Excellent 3-D graphics you can even see the slime on
the dungeon walls!digitized sound. Digitized sound,
sets a new standard in D&D style computer games.
6 Sim City
Very addictive game. The player is 'mayor' of a city and uses
his 'budget' to build public facilities (PD, FD, stadiums) and
to zone other land for commercial construction (residential,
commercial, or industrial). City grows as you go and problems
of traffic, crime, pollution, etc. arise. If your suicidal,
you can play w/ disasters on and face earthquakes, fires,
floods, monsters, etc......
5 Chaos Strikes Back
Sequel to Dungeon Master, even better.
5 Populous
Play God and wipe out other God's population
Great game for 2 people by Modem.
5 Stunt Car Racer
You've seen flight simulators? Well, this is a Driving
(Racing) simulation, where you are racing on a track that
resembles a rollercoaster, in that it is a raised track (and
ya can fall off!). You are in the car looking out the front
windshield, as you attack the 3D track. The graphics resemble
Starglider II quality, in that they are solid filled, and
update at a reasonable rate. You can race against the
computer, on various complex stunt tracks, but the REAL FUN
begins when you connect two ST's running the same program
(only need one copy to boot both), and each opponent on their
respective computer tries to beat/outwit the other driver. We
play nasty, and someone usually ends up knocking the other
player off the track purposely :) ... but don't worry, seconds
later you are back on the track, and if you can catch 'em you
can take REVENGE!
3 Elite
The old space-trading classic, tho' I started to find it
getting rather "samey" as time went on.
4 Falcon
I'm sure you've heard lot's about this already...THE F-16
flight simulator. Choose mission and skill level. Higher
levels are more realistic but difficult to survive in.
Dogfight with computer MiGs and evade surface to air
missiles. Truly a blast flying head to head at 19.2
baud (get your friend to bring his ST over...it's worth it).
Also recommend the optional mission disk.
3 Starglider II
A space flight sim of large scale. Involes flying around and
between planets performing missions and encountering over 130
different objects. You have to destroy an enemy battle
station with a special bomb. To get the bomb, you must get
various things from around the solar system.
3 Xenon II
I only have one game, which I bought after a long time of
evaluation. The Game is XENON II, and I love it (did - I have
blasted through all levels). It have very good graphics
(antialised and everything), very smooth 2 plane scroll, and
lotsa action!
2 Battle Hawks
Lucasfilm Games - WWII pacific theatre. Player can fly
various carrier based aircraft in 32 different missions (16
amer, 16 Jap). Medium simulator, great game.
2 Empire
You may have seen this game on other machines but I beleive
the Atari port is the best I've seen. It's a conquer the world
game allowing up to 3 players. You and others (human or
computer) can have advantages/handicaps. You start with a
predefined world (many to choose from...you don't know what it
looks like until you explore...ditto for your opponents). You
must develop you're cities (you start with 1) and battleforces
with the hopes of discovering and conquering. You have land,
air and sea forces available (armies, planes, troop
transports, aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines,
cruisers, battleships) all with different capabilities. Very
good mouse implementation. Be prepared to spend hours and
hours with this game.
... but someone else said ...
Attempt to crush enemy using armies, navies, and planes. I've
seen a better version on the Mac and can envision a MUCH
better implemenation.
2 Flight Simulator II
I go back to it again and again. A learning experience. The
best flight sim. ever. Wonderfully expanded by the scenery
disks.
2 Gauntlet II
Dungeon exploration with an overhead view. A faithful copy of
the awesome arcade game. With optional adapter, supports four
people.
2 Indiana Jones Last Crusade Adventure
Mouse controlled adventure game that follows the movie.
2 Millenium
Earth has been hit by a large asteroid, and almost all life
wiped out. You have to start from a base on the moon, and
colonise the solar system.
2 Oids
Combination Chopper-Lifter & Lunar Lander
2 Pirates
You are a pirate captain in the 16th or 17th century, raiding
ships and towns on the Spanish Main. Realistic pirate
simulation with many different scenarios.
2 Rick Dangerous
Platform style game set inside a cave.
2 Silent Service
WWII submarine. Main factors of submarine warfare.
2 Super Breakout
PD game from Germany or Holland. Monochrome version of the
popular breakout games. Includes every option I've seen in
ANY breakout game and over 100 screens.
1 Arkanoid
Breakout type game with power ups.
1 Breach II
Very well-done wargame-type game. You control a squad
of men. Infiltrate enemy territory, rescue prisoners,
acquire enemy data, crack enemy computers. Includes
a scenario-builder program to "roll-your-own".
1 Carrier Command
You command a futuristic aircraft carrier, plus its complement
of aircraft and amphibious tanks. So does the computer. You
fight for control over a cluster of islands.
1 Chessmaster 2000
1 Chronoquest
An icon-driven adventure game involving a bit of time travel.
Pretty graphics, nice music, some difficult puzzles.
1 Damocles
Took a long time, but worth the wait. Brilliant exploration
and clue solving action.
1 Drachen
Remove a stack of Majong pieces as quick as possible.
1 Fighter Bomber
Excellent simulator (dubiously realistic but when it's this
much fun - who cares?). Better than F29 or Falcon.
1 Full Metal Planet
An EMPIRE type game, idea is to get as much ore as
possible...leave the planet with more ore then the other
player. Involves combat with the other player's units. NICE
graphics. Based on a board game, I believe. I think this game
supports STe graphics.
1 Future Wars
1 Gravity
fascinating strategy/action game, complex, great graphics.
1 Great Giana Sisters
Excellent Super Mario Brothers clone.
1 Gunship
I think this is pretty close to tied with Falcon. This is the
AH-64A Apache helicopter flight simulator and has numerous
reality levels, missions and terrain.
1 Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
Infocom textual adventure game based roughly on the book/
radio show/television series. Characters and general
circumstances are the same but story line differs so people
familiar with the story will still enjoy the game. Very
funny. Douglas Adams worked on teh game development.
1 In Harm's Way
WWII. No graphics. Lets you give commands for a naval battle.
Simple but fairly good. (expensive).
1 International Karate
A karate game with great graphics and a real nice user
interface. It's easy to use and fun. Can play solo or with
another player. You fight against two others, at least one of
which is computer played.
1 Interphase
This is kinda a takeoff from the book Neuromancer in which you
have a partner in the real world trying to get to the top of
this building (7 levels). You use the Interphase to
communicate with her. This is a type of virtual reality that
you 'fly' through and security items are represented by
various 3D objects that you must manipulate/destroy. Currently
number 1 as I just got it and I'm having a lot of fun with
it...up to level 5 (been a few weeks of irregular play). Combo
shoot 'em up, fly around and strategy/adventure game.
1 Kick Off
The best football/soccer sim. available. Small sprites but
fast hectic action. Soon to be improved in Kick Off II (if
possible!).
1 Larn
Public domain. Kill the monster's and find the treasure. Hack
and Rogue are similar.
1 Man Hunter
1 Mid Winter
Strategy game after nuclear winter. Character's personalities
interact.
1 Mines
Cross a mine field successfully.
1 Monopoly
I dunno-- just something about this game that is very
addicting...
1 Net Hack
1 Omega
This was my current favorite...Hard to call this a game unless
you think programming is fun. You have to design/write the
intelligence for a tank. You start with fairly basic
'hardware' components and if you tank does well enough in the
simulations you get more credits and can get better
'hardware'. You can also design battlefields and simulations
and it comes with a 'debugger'. This game is also availble for
the IBM and Amiga so you can pit your tanks against your
friends (the tank design files are compatible between
machines...). The progamming language is a bit lame and has at
least 2 bugs but still a blast.
1 Shuffle Puck Cafe
A very realistic shuffle board/air hockey type game with
excellent mouse control...quick and easy to learn/play.
1 Stellar Crusade
Wargame between computer and player, or two players. The
opponents fight for control over a cluster of stars, and must
colonise the star systems as well as fight for them.
1 Sundog
An early Atari favorite. An animated trading simulation
where you try to "buy low" go elsewhere and "sell high".
Watch out for pirates and keep your ship in good repair.
1 Tetris
The Soviet game of dropping shapes.
1 The Pawn
A rather nice text adventure game with accompanying artwork
that I actually managed to solve!
1 The Sentinal
An aging game of strategy unlike anything else, involving
moving around fractal landscapes manipulating energy. Very
ethereal.
2 Time Bandit
Arcade type game with an underlying adventure game
scenario. There are numerous thematic 'time zones' which
scrolling rooms and monsters all in beautiful color. You
shoot the monsters while trying to get treasure (for extra
lives) and the keys to get out. As you do this you will
learn about the underlying story of the time zone you are in
and will try to solve the adventure. Split screen allows
two players to cooperate at the same time. Fast, colorful
graphics.
1 Umoria
Your normal everyday Rogue-type game.
1 Warhead
A stunningly atmospheric space combat game. Has real class.
1 Warship
World War II Navel simulation. Fairly realistic, but several
bugs (none of which make it crash). Let's you figure out how
to fight naval battles.
1 XyBots
This is a good game to play with one other person. In two
player mode, it is on a split screen. It has simple but good
3D graphics (Maybe simulated 3D is a better word?). You walk
through this space station blasting robots and try to kill the
Master Robot at the end. Nice shoot-em-up. Based on an
Arcade game.
/ Brian Totty o o
/__ __ o 406 E. Michigan / Apt. 6 o
/ / / / Urbana, IL 61801 \_/ "We have corn in
/__/ / / totty@cs.uiuc.edu Massachusetts too!"totty@flute.cs.uiuc.edu (Brian Totty) (07/23/90)
Two mistakes were in my previous posting, because I added a final vote and forgot to resort the list of games: (1) Falcon received an additional vote and so should have been placed before Elite: > 4 Falcon > I'm sure you've heard lot's about this already...THE F-16 > flight simulator. Choose mission and skill level. Higher > levels are more realistic but difficult to survive in. > Dogfight with computer MiGs and evade surface to air > missiles. Truly a blast flying head to head at 19.2 > baud (get your friend to bring his ST over...it's worth it). > Also recommend the optional mission disk. > 3 Elite > The old space-trading classic, tho' I started to find it > getting rather "samey" as time went on. (2) Time Bandit received an additional vote which should have placed it before Arkanoid: > 2 Time Bandit > Arcade type game with an underlying adventure game > scenario. There are numerous thematic 'time zones' which > scrolling rooms and monsters all in beautiful color. You > shoot the monsters while trying to get treasure (for extra > lives) and the keys to get out. As you do this you will > learn about the underlying story of the time zone you are in > and will try to solve the adventure. Split screen allows > two players to cooperate at the same time. Fast, colorful > graphics. > 1 Arkanoid > Breakout type game with power ups. / Brian Totty o o /__ __ o 406 E. Michigan / Apt. 6 o / / / / Urbana, IL 61801 \_/ "We have corn in /__/ / / totty@cs.uiuc.edu Massachusetts too!"