Pitstop (Epyx, 1983)

Developed and published by Epyx for Atari 400/800, ColecoVision, Coleco ADAM and Commodore 64 in 1983.

Atari 400/800 version designed and written by Action Graphics.

ColecoVision & ADAM version by the Connelley Group and Action Graphics: Programming by Richard Ditton; Sounds by David Thiel; Graphics by Action Graphics.

Commodore 64 version written by Jamie Faye Fenton.

(Credits taken from Colecovision.dk)

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

I have to start this entry with a sad note. This comparison was originally written almost two years ago for the 16th issue of Reset64 magazine, which at that time was still in all appearances going strong and healthy. All sorts of real life events for the Reset64 staff were behind the initial delay, but then, a series of more or less unfortunate happenings started ringing the bells of doom for the magazine, with people stepping down from their roles in the magazine and even a death of a beloved member. So, in the end, issue 16 is still to be released, and is in the works by the remaining people. I asked for, and received permission to publish this comparison whenever I felt like (due to my personal scheduling problems) from the original editor of the magazine, who goes by the handle Unkle K at the Lemon64 forum, so I decided to dedicate this entry to all the current and past people at Reset64, and I hope to see the final 16th issue some day soon. Now, onto the comparison itself.

Just about 42 years ago, the happily straight-forward genre of racing games would be disturbed by the release of a game that would introduce something other than driving a car into the mix. The game, Pitstop, was the first to bring in actual pit stops into racing games, but of course, this was received with mixed reviews. In hindsight, the racing part of Pitstop probably could have been better, seeing as Pole Position was still considered the yardstick, but at least it was different, and became successful enough to have a sequel.

Another SPECIAL video on FRGCB's YouTube channel!

Just so this special occasion wouldn't escape you readers out there, here's a little notification about the new special video just published on the FRGCB YouTube channel.

No more than five years after the first "n00b's look" video, the same friend who borrowed his Videopac G7000 to get looked at for a video, borrowed his Sharp MZ-700 to get the same treatment. While I have tried the MZ-700 out through emulation a few times, the real thing is a different beast entirely to handle. So obviously, this is a much longer video, because computers with cassette drives are a bit more complicated to use than cartridge-driven consoles. I just didn't realize, how much more complicated the MZ-700 would actually be, because my experiences through emulation weren't very memorable.

Insector Hecti in the Inter Change (HiTEC Software, 1991)

Designed by PAL Developments

Amstrad CPC and Sinclair ZX Spectrum versions:
Programming and music by David Spicer
Graphics by Jason Brashill

Atari ST and Commodore Amiga versions:
Programming by Glenn Williams
Graphics by Stoo Cambridge
Amiga audio by Howie Davies

Commodore 64 version developed by Digital Design:
Programming by Dave Saunders and Nick Taylor
Graphics by Ashley Routledge
Music by Jeroen Tel

All versions published by HiTEC Software in 1991.

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

As I was finishing off the previous comparison of Yogi Bear, I realized that HiTEC Software is one rather well-known game publisher from the turn of the 1990's, which I haven't really featured on the blog so far. For good reasons, I might add, because most of their output were sub-par and not even funny in their blandness. So, I took a quick look at their entire catalogue and found that they had one game that was more commonly well thought-of than others, and it was this game, which doesn't even know how to spell itself. The title screen says Interchange, the cover art says Insector Hecti in the Inter Change, and there are some occasions, when it's Inter-Change. I suppose it is whatever you feel like it should be.

Yogi Bear (Piranha, 1987)

Designed and programmed by Dalali Software Ltd., and published for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and Sinclair ZX Spectrum by Piranha in 1987.

Music for the Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC versions by Matt Gray (uncredited).

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

The May break is over, so it's time to hop back onto the comparison blogging saddle. An easy fall back into blogging is what prompted me to do this cult classic from Piranha, and the fact that there was only one game prior to this one starting with the letter 'Y' in the comparison archive. Also, this has also been in my to-do list for a few years now.

The Train: Escape to Normandy (Accolade, 1987)

Developed by Artech Digital Entertainments, Inc.
Designed by Paul Butler and Rick Banks.

Commodore 64 version:
Programming by J. Stuart Easterbrook and Lise Mendoza
Graphics by Grant Campbell
Music and sound effects by Paul Butler

IBM-PC version by Dynamix, Inc.:
Programming by Greg Rose and Lincoln Hutton
Graphics by Tom Collie and Connie Braat
Sounds by Bryce Morcello

Amstrad CPC & Sinclair ZX Spectrum versions:
Programming by Nick Wilson
Graphics by Imagitec Design Ltd.
Unknown credits: Mick Hanrahan, Barry Leitch, Gavin Wade and Adrian Ludley

Originally released for the Commodore 64 in North America by Accolade in 1987, and for the IBM-PC compatibles in 1988. European distribution, including Amstrad CPC and Sinclair ZX Spectrum versions by Electronic Arts in 1988.

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

Along with the other thematic changes to the blog's calendar, I'm also trying to unravel the mess that is the combined list of old requests and games that are still logical and relatively easy to do before taking my next break and moving on to focus more on the 16-bit games. Today's entry had actually been sitting in the wishlist for some years, so whoever wished for this one back whenever, here's to you.

Master of the Lamps (Activision, 1985)

Originally conceived by Russell Lieblich.
Designed and programmed by Peter Kaminski for the Commodore 64, with music and additional programming by Russell Lieblich, and published by Activision in 1985.

Adapted for the Amstrad CPC and MSX computers by James Software Ltd. in 1985.

Atari 400/800 conversion by David R. Lubar.

Apple II conversion by Dan Thompson.

All versions published by Activision in 1985.

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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS

Welcome to the new, reinvented April at FRGCB! Instead of abominations, we're now focused on American publishers, that might or might not begin with the letter A. This year's American April's chosen publishers both start with A, so it's all phonetically appropriate. Of course, this doesn't mean there won't be any abominations here in the future, but I have chosen two rather good games for a change, one of which has been in the to-do list for many years now. This first game, though, is an old Activision favourite of mine, that doesn't seem like any other game ever made, which is what Activision were really good at in the 80's.

Oil Imperium (reLINE/Rainbow Arts, 1989)

Developed by reLINE Software:
Concept by A. Graf von der Schulenburg, Thomas Kruza, Peter Börner, Holger Gehrmann and Tobias Richter.

COMMODORE AMIGA version programmed by A. Graf von der Schulenburg, Thomas Kruza and Peter Börner. ATARI ST version programmed by Simon Gleissner. IBM-PC version programmed by U. Pasch. COMMODORE 64 version programmed by Peter Fröhlich and H. Heinrich.

Graphics by Tobias Richter, and for the C64 version by Peter Fröhlich and Tobias Richter.

Music by Karsten Obarski, and for the ATARI ST and C64 versions by Karsten Obarski and Holger Gehrmann.

Translations by Rachel Gauntlett.

Released for Atari ST, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64 and IBM-PC compatibles in 1989.

Originally published in Germany by reLINE Software in 1989. Released in Europe by Rainbow Arts, and in North America by Electronic Zoo as "Black Gold".

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INTRODUCTION AND GAME STATUS

Lo and behold, we have a strategy game on our hands this time! Perhaps this occasion should be celebrated with something, because it is a rare thing to happen on this blog. "Why is that?", I'm hearing at least one of you pondering. I admit to not being a huge fan of strategy games in general - although I do enjoy the occasional game of Civilization or Heroes of Might & Magic, that's as far as I have let myself get into it all, because even in my youth, I never liked the idea of a single game taking too much of my time at any given time. Of course nowadays, you can't get all that many games on any platform that would take less than 40-50 hours to complete. In addition to SimCity and Ports of Call, Oil Imperium (or Black Gold for you North Americans out there) was one of the first strategy games that got me hooked, because it was so clearly a light-weight strategy game, made so much more entertaining to gamers like myself by having some nice little action sequences. Like many of my friends at the time, we got to experience this marvel of a game on the Commodore Amiga with its proper title, translated to English, and naturally, cracked to bits, so this entry goes out to all the Amigist friends from my youth.