Thing On A Spring (Gremlin Graphics, 1985)

Developed by Micro Projects Engineering:
Design by Mark Rogers
Coding and graphics by Jason Perkins and Anthony Clarke
Music by Rob Hubbard
Originally released for the Commodore 64 in 1985.

Converted for the Amstrad CPC by Pedigree Software in 1986, with music by Ben Daglish.

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GAME STATUS

Now that every RESET subscriber has their copy of the original comparison, I guess it's safe to publish the very slightly edited blog edition. (The corrected credits for the C64 original were updated on the 3rd of September, 2019, with help from the reader "Non sono Mandrake", whose source for the information was an interview in Retro Gamer magazine issue #99. Thanks again.) Gremlin's first big C64 title for 1985 came as a slightly shocking surprise, if the writers' reaction from Zzap!64's issue #4 is anything to judge something that happened 30 years ago by. Apparently, the gaming press of the time wasn't all too happy about Gremlin's earlier output on the C64. But the shock was quite a positive one, since the game was given a 93% overall score and a Sizzler award to go with it, and the main character also became a regular graphic element to be printed in the margins of Zzap!64. The Amstrad conversion came out the next year to a much lesser fanfare, but whether this was so for a good reason or not, remains to be seen.

Looking towards the third year...

Before I make a proper return from my prolonged holiday, here's an inevitable rambling about the past, present and future of the Finnish Retro Game Comparison Blog. I shall begin by reviewing the past year before telling some of what you can expect from the blog in the future. This post will again feature some of those charts that show all the released versions of all the games featured on the blog so far, as well as each game's "winners", so to speak. But if you're truly interested about all that, click on, and see how I've ended up in actually starting a third year.

Pirates! (MicroProse, 1987)

Originally designed and developed by Sid Meier for the Commodore 64, with: Software graphics & manual illustrations by Michael O. Haire; Scenario design & Documentation by Arnold Hendrick; Cover & map art by Rebecca Butcher; Print graphics director: Mark J. Ciola; Quality assurance: Alan Roireau.

Amstrad CPC conversion programmed by Stefan Walker, with artwork by Murray Taylor and sounds by Ken Lagace. Released in 1987.

Converted for the IBM-PC compatibles by Randall Don Masteller, with: Graphics and artwork by Michael O. Haire, Andy Hollis, Randall Don Masteller, Gregg Tavares and Murray Taylor; Music and sounds by Ken Lagace. Released in 1987.

Apple ][ conversion programmed by Ed Magnin and Tony Dahbura, with artwork by Michael O. Haire, Murray Taylor and Iris Leigh Idokogi, and sounds by Ken Lagace.

Apple //GS conversion programmed by Ed Magnin and Dan Chang, with artwork by Michael O. Haire, Murray Taylor and Max Remington, and sounds by Ken Lagace and Silas Warner. Both Apple conversions released in 1988.

Also converted for the Macintosh by the MicroProse team, and released in 1988. Further credits unknown. Also converted for the NEC PC-88 and PC-98 computers in 1989, but no further information is known.

Atari ST conversion programmed by Steve Bohrer, Russell Finn and Ken Veale, with graphics by Max D. Remington III and sounds by Ken Lagace. Released in 1989.

Commodore Amiga conversion programmed by Steve Bohrer, with graphics by Kim Biscoe and sounds by Ken Lagace. Released in 1990.

Converted for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Rare Ltd. and released through Ultra Games for the North American market, and through Palcom for the European market in 1991.

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

For the last comparison entry for my second year of intense blogging, I have not chosen Defender of the Crown, as I originally planned (as you might have guessed from the preview picture I made last August), because it turned out to be practically impossible for me to do for various reasons. Instead, I was cornered to do one of my earliest and most frequent requests, and certainly a classic: Sid Meier's Pirates! This comparison was made within a three month period, and the resulting entry is the longest single comparison I have made so far. So, before you click on to read further, make sure you have plenty of time and refreshments at hand. Also, a word of warning: *This post is heavy on graphics, so be patient. Also, if your internet deal has a data limit, read this one elsewhere.*

Unique Games! - Part 8

It never ceases to amaze me, how many exclusive games are there on not only our favourite machines, but other consoles and computers as well. This blog has been worth doing just for digging up this sort of stuff, if not for anything else, and all the helpful comments to find new games you've never heard of more easily have made it even more worthwhile than I anticipated. As this series is already on its eighth outing (in the main series at least), it's high time I give some more attention to some of the machines that I have left for less attention after their initial visits in the series, but I will also give space for another first-timer as well.

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Skate or Die! (Electronic Arts, 1987)

Developed and released for the Commodore 64 by Electronic Arts: Programming by Stephen Landrum and David Bunch. Graphics by Michael Kosaka. Sound effects by Christopher Grigg. Music by Rob Hubbard and Kyle Granger. Product management by Kelly Flock. Associate producer: Don Traeger. Technical support: David Maynard. Art director: Nancy L. Wong.

Converted for the Apple //GS by David Bunch, Michael Kosaka and Michelle Shelfer, and released in 1988 by Electronic Arts.

Converted for the IBM-PC compatibles by Arti Haroutunian for Sculptured Software, and released in 1988 by Electronic Arts.

Converted and released for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Ultra Games in 1988.

Converted for the Amstrad CPC by Kinetic Designs team: Mike Talbot, Tim McCarthy, Doug Trower, Richard Cheek and Sarah Day. Released in 1989 by Electronic Arts.

Converted for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum by Kinetic Designs team: Mike Talbot, Stephen Landrum, Tim McCarthy, David Bunch, Sarah Day, Drew Northcott and Richard Cheek. Released in 1989 by Electronic Arts.

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GAME STATUS

Although this might look a bit dubious to feature another Electronic Arts game almost immediately after the previous one - only separated by a newer game - it's only natural that I follow my December comparison of Ski Or Die! with the original game in the series, Skate Or Die! as my extended summer break is soon about to start. For many, this is the better game of the two actual sports titles, so I'm sure some of you have been waiting for this one.

NGOTM: Sir Ababol (The Mojon Twins, 2010)

Originally developed for the ZX Spectrum 48k by the Mojon Twins: Concept and story by anjuel, maribip and zemman - Graphics by anjuel and kendrook - Programming by na_th_an - Music adapted by anjuel from the original "Romanic" MOD chiptune by Mekola - Powered by La Churrera by the Mojon Twins and splib2 by Alvin Albrecht - Originally published by Ubhres Productions in 2010.

Converted for the Amstrad CPC by na_th_an in 2010.

Converted for the Commodore 64 by Woodmaster in 2012, with in-game music and sound effects by Conrad/VRZ, tape loader by Enthusi, tape loader music and end screen music by Linus/VRZ.

Converted for the Nintendo Entertainment System by Shiru in 2013.

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DESCRIPTION & REVIEW

Let's start this month with another entry in the New Game of the Month series. This time, we've got our second game by the Mojon Twins to compare, with our usual threesome joined by a conversion for the NES, and one other surprise.

Realm of Impossibility (Electronic Arts, 1984)

Originally designed by Mike Edwards for the 8-bit Atari, and released as "Zombies" by Bram, Inc. in 1983. Enhanced version re-titled as "Realm of Impossibility" published by Electronic Arts in 1984. Music for the 1984 version by Dave Warhol.

Converted for the Commodore 64 in 1984 by Mike Edwards and Henry S. Bolley, with music by Dave Warhol.

Converted for the ZX Spectrum 48k by Mike Edwards and published by Ariolasoft in 1985.

Converted for the Apple ][ computers by Marek Popiel, and published by Electronic Arts in 1986.

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

I know, I know - I was supposed to do a big one for the end of this month, but I realised about a week before my self-set deadline that I wouldn't be able to make it, because the comparison I was working on was just too big for that. But I will get that done as soon as possible, which will probably be about a month from now. To make up for it, I have chosen to do something completely unexpected, and I hope this will be one of those that will make people more interested about an often forgotten game. Who knows, perhaps this IS a big one for some of you.