Daniel Thomas

There are a few games that use more than 16 colors at one time. Roadblasters, for instance, is another game that pushes more colors (around 24). Really, I never thought this was an issue. 16 out of 4096 was perfectly fine for a portable 8/16-bit with a 3" screen. There are lots of games that look terrific and mirror their arcade cousins brilliantly. Good graphics are a product of good art skills more than anything -- look at the NES or Gameboy for examples.

If you want to get busy making Atari computer games, then by all means, use BASIC. Sure, it is a slow language, but it works very well on the Atari, and there were loads of homebrew BASIC games back in the day. I've actually seen some terrific games (including a few I made myself) made this way.

Yes, there is a version of the emulator called Atari800Win Plus that has online support. The latest version, 3.1 (or wherever the dot goes) can be found here: http://www.a800win.atari-area.prv.pl/ Now all we need is a GBA version of MULE to take on the road! That would just rock.

I'd say Loopz is the best of the three. It's really a very good puzzler that only needed a tweak or two before release. Too bad it was never finished. Road Riot is another solid arcade conversion, but I really hate the way the car keeps crashing all the time. Still, it's okay. Lynx Centipede has its fans here, but it's completely lost on me. Is the final version as painfully slow as the preview ROM is? The game is way too slow and just doesn't look very good. Maybe I need a couple beers to fix that.

The android is always considered the best player to use if you're trying to finish all 40 levels, thanks to his immense storage space. Personally, I have a affinity for the weirder characters in Gauntlet 3, like the Pirate (who throws his parrot), the Punk (who kicks his boots), and the Nerd (who throws his books). Who wants to be a boring Wizard or Warrior?

I would love to help you out, as I'm still a fan of MULE. Unfotunately, I don't have any classic Atari consoles. If anybody wanted to post any questions or problems on this board, I'll be glad to help as best I can.

You know, I was thinking about that intro when writing the review. I alwasy enjoyed the loading intros that Lucasfilm Games put into their early games -- Rescue on Fractalus is another great one. Of course, with modern emulation, those loading sequences are now lost. When writing a review, there are so many things to highlight and talk about, that it really comes down to focusing on your main points. You'll notice that I'm trying to structure my game reviews differently than the norm. The typical videogame review follows the same pattern of "the graphics are..." and "the sound and music are..." and "the gameplay is..." It's game reviews by Mad Libs. My style is closer to Pauline Kael's, which gets at the marrow of what makes a videogame tick. Is this a legitimate part of the pop culture, ala movies, music, and television? If it is, then we need some better writing. Eventually, I plan to publish a collection of these reviews in a volume, not unlike Roger Ebert's "The Great Movies," a wonderful book of film reviews from his bi-weekly Sun-Times column. Again, thanks for the kind words. It means a lot.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I have a new review/essay for Ballblazer on my website. Let me know what you think. I'm sure that there are some fans on this board. Thank goodness for the wonderful Atari versions, and not that horrible NES version. And did anyone try out Ballblazer Champions on the PSX? www.danielthomas.org/pop/classics/ballblazer.htm

Personally, I never cared very much for Lynx Casino. Maybe it's because I'm over 21 -- really, what's the point? I can gamble in the real world and make some money while I'm at it. This game is fine for what it does, but is it really any different than the video casino computer games from 20 years ago? For $39.99, I'd pass and put that money towards a trip to Vegas. Crystal Mines 2, however, is much better. I want to say it's a gem, but then the pun police would be all over me. It is very much a ripoff of Boulderdash; think of it as the modernized version. CM2 is based on a little-known game on the NES by Color Dreams, which later copied the formula for the Ned Flanders-friendly Exodus and Joshua. Good fun.

There is, I think. Version 3.1 of Atari800Win included network play... it would supposedly let you play multi-player games over the internet with each person using one of the four joystick ports. I haven't tried it yet, but I want to get a multi-player game of MULE going with some buddies soon! Thanks for the tip. I think my version of 800Win is 2.6 or something. Time for an upgrade. One of the things I really love about these emulators is the ability to play these games online. Why they aren't prepackaged with every computer is beyond me. Also, did everyone have a chance to see my review? Just curious what y'all thought. Also, this week's review is Zelda 3 (snes) -- I need a bit more info about Ballblazer before I write that one. Thanks a lot. www.danielthomas.org/pop/classics/mule.htm

Well, I'm guessing that you're playing on an actual Atari computer and not an emulator. But if I'm mistaken, it shouldn't matter. First, make sure you have the joysticks plugged in; this is where you hope you have an Atari 800, which has 4 joystick ports. At the title screen, Option and Select are used to select the number of players and level of difficulty -- "tournament" is the one you want, as the other levels are merely practice for the real thing. When everything's ready, hit the joystick button. When you see "joystick" on the screen, that is the game acknowledging that you're now a player. When all the players have hit their buttons, you go to the next screen. On this screen, you are choosing colors, which cycle around. When you find the color you want, hit the button again. You get to choose one of the aliens to control -- use the flapper bird if you're a rookie, and the human if you're an expert, and the rest are all the same -- and you just use the stick and button for that. Easy as pie.

How many fans of MULE do we have here? I'm still playing this game on the Atari800Win emulator on my PC. I wish there were a way to play this game online. It really would be perfect for that. Also, not to toot my own horn, but I have a review of MULE on my website. I hope everyone takes a visit and let me know what they think. I add a new "classics" review every week, just so you know. I think I may do Ballblazer next week, but I can't yet say for certain. Anyway, there ya go.

Do you know that Spindizzy was eventually ported to the Super Nintendo? That was a real surprise back then. BTW, did this game come out before or after Marble Madness? Just curious.

There isn't much confusion about my favorite Lynx games being among the early launch titles. I feel that Epyx did an exemplary job with those games; there really wasn't a dud among them. Atari had their collection of brilliant Atari Games titles, which helped a lot, as well as some of the other arcade games like Robotron, Joust, and Battlezone 2000. Atari's original efforts, however, often ranged from mediocre to just lousy. Maybe that just came from their inability to hire more experienced developers; there was never anyone on par with a Konami or a Capcom. I think the Lynx would have performed far better in the hands of the big names. I'm thinking of games like Viking Child, Switchblade 2, Dirty Larry, Scrapyard Dog, Basketbrawl, Batman Returns, Fat Bobby, Gordo 106. I realize that those games have their supporters, and that's fine. But these titles were just plain lousy in my book; certainly nowhere near as good as the big-name titles on the GameBoy. Then you have titles like Robo-Squash, Zarlor Mercenary, Turbo Sub, Ishido, Hockey, and Ninja Gaiden 3. Games that were either too slow, too cramped, or just awful to listen to. Too many Lynx games with simple graphics and sound effects that were practically stolen from the Atari 2600. As much as I still dig the Lynx, there just wasn't any great modern games like on Nintendo. Mario, Zelda, Contra, Castlevania -- those are the styles of games that were needed the most, and they never appeared.

Oh, just for the record, I always dug Gauntlet 3. Epyx really gave that game a real sense of irreverence. Where else can you be attacked by shark fins and chewing plants? All the early Epyx games were terrific. Blue Lightning is, of course, on everyone's list of fave Lynx games. It was an amazing thrill ride in 1989, and time hasn't aged it one day. Why is it that there still isn't a game like this on GBA? Even though there are few puzzlers on Lynx (compared to GameBoy), the ones available are excellent. Klax plays and sounds (!) amazing, Loopz has a real charm, Chip's Challenge is maddening and addicting, and Shanghai may very well be the Lynx's finest hour. After that, throw in the terrific arcade conversions, like Roadblasters, STUN Runner, Paperboy, Zenophobe, Rampart, Rampage, Ninja Gaiden, Xybots, blah blah. Anyway, here's my final top ten list, in no real order: 01 - Shanghai 02 - Blue Lightning 03 - Klax 04 - Roadblasters 05 - Electrocop 06 - Xenophobe 07 - Slime World 08 - Warbirds 09 - Xybots 10 - Gauntlet 3 And, oh, I'll put California Games on #11. Too bad the original Lynx games were so awful, but that's the way it goes.

Hey, glad to help. Hope things work out. The reason I left out the option to run is because I don't feel it's really all that necessary. The challenge, of course, is in trying to fit as much as possible into the button scheme. Given this, I don't believe it's productive to have two different walking speeds. Movement should be easy and intuitive. Now, there is another option. Here's what you do: set Option 2 to an Options screen, where you can select 1) the map; 2) a password for saving (at the current level); and 3) the option to walk or run. When "walk" is set, normal movement will be at the walking speed. When "run" is set, movement will be at the running speed. The trick here is to find a walking speed that isn't too slow, and a running speed that isn't too fast. Of course, the framerate is the highest priority, and everything else takes a back seat to that. Make sure the basic movement is smooth and fast, and then work from there. P.S. Another thought that occured to me: are all movement speeds -- walking forward, turning, strafing -- the same speed? Wouldn't it be better to make the turning speed faster than normal? I'm thinking of my time playing Battlezone 2000 on the Lynx. Turning those stupid tanks is way too slow. Anyway, it's my food for thought.

I have a couple questions about Battlezone 2000 -- the advanced "Easter Egg" version, not the default game. I've figured out almost everything by searching around for a couple FAQ files that explain the basics. One problem I still have is ammuntion. I'm constantly running out of ammo and getting killed by tanks or those blue aliens. Is there more ammo scattered around the playfields, or was this something that was left out of the final version? Or perhaps this is a problem with some levels (there are over 2000, after all). What has your experience been? Also, has anyone managed to play the "advance" version in multiplayer? What's everyone's experience?

I think your Elite project is terrific, and I would love to help you out. I happen to be something of a writer, and I'd be good for coming up with some good material. I'm afraid I don't know enough about Stardreamer do hand out any ideas right now. How are the interactions with other characters handled? What happens when the player visits planets or space stations? Will there be cut-scenes with a graphic of the person you're talking to? The arcade idea sounds great. How would that be handled? Finally, I'm curious: is this a straight copy of Elite, or what are the differences? How large is the game world? Again, more questions. Again, I'd love to help you out, so feel free to contact me when you have the time. Thanks!

First of all, I recently downloaded the latest demo of your work, and I think it's fantastic. It certainly exceeded my expectations (I doubted the Lynx could pull it off), and looks nearly as good as the Doom clones on the GBA. If you manage to put something together with a solid framerate, you'll even put that handheld to shame. As for controls, the challenge (of course) is that you're limited to two main buttons and two minor buttons. Here's what I would do: B button: Fire weapons. A button: Strafe when held with L/R. Tap to open doors. Option 1: Use for special weapons like grenades. Option 2: Go to the map screen -- add in zooming if you're feeling lucky. I hope that helps. The important thing to remember is to keep things simple and straightforward. Everything should be easy to pull off, especially something like strafing. I don't know if I would keep the running in; the ideal thing would be to find a walking speed that's fast enough without getting choppy. Again, fabulous work. You should be congratulated (and paid) for your efforts.

Dracula is a landmark among the Lynx library and was a really good game. It wasn't a great game, and for that, we can thank Atari for yet another in an endless line of stupid decisions. Really, they cut out half the game. Half the game?! What were they thinking? They didn't want to spend a couple more dollars for the extra ROM? This is the same Atari that sunk money down one stupid hole after another: the XE "game system," the Portfolio, the Falcon, the TT, the Jaguar. And yet they couldn't bother to treat their Lynx developers well. Sigh. Dracula is a fine game, wonderfully drawn in sepia tones, with some wonderfully eerie music (another notch in Handmade's belt). The puzzles seem hard at first, but once you get started, it becomes much easier. There are some great moments, like having to climb out a window and climb across the castle walls, and a few cut-scenes. My favorite moment comes in the castle's basement, where you find a lantern which lights the area around you. It's an amazing visual effect; commonplace on the PSX in 1996, but this was a Lynx in 1993. There's a lot of running back and forth, no doubt because half the game was cut out. I also wish there were a lot more cut-scenes. There's one scene involving Dracula's brides, but it only occurs once and is over way too soon. That pretty much describes the whole game.

Electrocop is one of those games that you either love or hate; there's very little middle ground. Personally, I remember being blown away when I first played it (back in 1989), and it still looks terrific today. Gameplay-wise, Electrocop has more in common with Atari Games' Xybots, another 3D maze shooter in the vein of Gauntlet. Electrocop, however, has more adventure elements, with the doors, power-ups, and non-linear play. I was playing a little this weekend, and I noticed how tense the game becomes as the clock winds down. One hour seems like a lot, but before you know it, you're going in circles and it's down to five minutes. That makes it a lot tougher to run through the circuit boards without getting killed. The game's only real flaw -- a real problem with every Lynx game -- is that there's no real ending. No final boss battle, no great ending sequence, nothing. Grr. Other than that, it's a terrific game if you're willing to put in the time. Oh, and bring along a pen and pad; you'll need it.

Well, the boxes themselves might not have been very good, the box illustrations were really great. Whoever Atari hired to draw the box art did a great job.

I have to say I like Loopz a lot. Clever, unique, and lots of fun. It's too bad this puzzler was never released, as it would have been a welcome addition to the library. Why didn't Atari pump out more puzzle games? I remember that the Gameboy had almost nothing but puzzlers for the longest time. It's best for a handheld system, since you can play for short bursts of time. I've come to really respect Handmade Software. They seem to be the only developers who have cracked the Lynx's audio abilities. No more rehashed Atari 2600 white noise! The music in Loopz is terrific and catchy as hell -- I've been humming the songs in my head for days now. Of course, excellent music is a HMS calling card (see Awesome Golf, Battlezone 2K, Dracula, and Malibu Volleyball). How were they able to achieve this? I'm guessing there isn't a "complete" version floating around somewhere, and the 90% version is the only one we'll ever see. As far as I can tell, the only omission is that the game never moves up to the next level after a certain number of loops (like Tetris). Ideally, players should advance to the next level after a certain number of spaces have been cleared; several small loops, or one big loop. If someone has the means, they could hack into the program and make the change. Speaking of hacks, I would also change a second thing, and this game would be perfect. I would remove the large "S" block -- not the normal Tetris-sized block, but the larger one. Most of the puzzle pieces are well balanced, but this one isn't; it's way too damn big, and never fits anywhere when the playing field gets filled up. You need the tension of running out of space, but this is a bit much. I suggest only removing this piece from the main "match" game, and leave the side-game (where you reassemble the broken loop) alone. Finally (please bear with me), is Loopz available on a card anywhere? Has anyone had the opportunity to play a versus match? My hunch is that this game could really come alive with some competition. Anyway, my two cents.