Rampart

[tyranthraxus]

I've been playing a lot of this one lately on the MAC PS2 set. Never

played it before but I had seen the numerous home versions over the

years. I wish the controls were more precise because I find this to be

one very well designed game! Its impressive that they managed to

pull off a successful strategy-arcade game. I'd like to see an updated &

expanded version of this game, I think it might make a good little

windows game to give solitare a rest.

[intvgene]

It's a great game... I loved how they mixed strategy and puzzle so well.

 

If you're looking for good versions, try the Lynx one. It's great.

 

There was a great PC one too. It had some expanded gameplay elements, but also had a classic mode. It's available for download here, if you're interested:

http://www.the-underdogs.org/game.php?name=Rampart

 

I never played the SNES one though...

[Saikyo]

I have the SMS PAL version (yes i know it's rare!) but the only problem is

that the cannons dont shoot quick enough to sink the ships!

 

Overall though yeah it's a great mix of tetris and strategy!

[kisrael]

I've always loved Rampart--

I first played the PC version. It was awesome, one of the few 3 players games except the player who got the mouse (and not the keyboard or joystick) had a huge advantage, since he could instantly move the cursor all over the screen.

 

Had a lot of fun with the SNES version, though it was only 2 player, desperately needed to be a multitap game.

 

Now I have it in two versions of the new Midway pack. The control seems much better on the Xbox than the PS2, except I think the primary buttons are in opposite places than they are on the SNES, so it really slows my piece placement down :-)

 

Always thought a DC version of that would be lovely.

[NovaXpress]

This was in one of my local arcades when I was in college and I played the hell out of it. I recently took on MegaManFan on the X-Box version and found it really didn't feel like the arcade. I like the SMS port (I can sink those ships with aplomb) but haven't played the SNES one yet. Sounds like I need to give that one a go.

[tyranthraxus]

Thx I'm going to check out that PC version. A mouse is whats really

needed. I know I could be doing better in the game with more precise

control. I've lost several games because I couldn't get that piece placed

properly at the last second to complete my wall.

 

I was trying to find a fan site for the game and there doesn't seem to

be one but I found this detailed review of the GC port of MAC and

it has long article on Rampart with a lot of strategy tips:

 

http://curmudgeongamer.com/article.php?sto...040220194825512

[SS]

haven't played the SNES one yet.  Sounds like I need to give that one a go.

 

There are actually two versions of the game on the SNES cart, normal and updated. I love the updated (psudo-3D, 3/4 view) one! It is by far the best version of the game released for any platform!

[joeybastard]

It is by far the best version of the game released for any platform!

 

Hell Yeah! Rampart on the SNES is one of my favorite games ever.

 

The arcade one ate up half my money for the week when i was in college too. We had it in the student commons. Between Rampart, Klax and Black Knight pinball I was always broke

[SS]

It is by far the best version of the game released for any platform!

 

Hell Yeah! Rampart on the SNES is one of my favorite games ever.

 

I wasn't home when I posted that but here's a screen shot from the SNES "Super" mode of Rampart.

[Saikyo]

Whoa! Mode 7 Graphics and a MASSIVE PLAY AREA!

 

That looks like one cool version

Is there music in this one? it would be cool if it had!

[Susuwatari]

If you liked Rampart, you might want to give Stronghold a try (PC only AFAIK) It's like Rampart on steroids with lots more option. Some scenarios do have limited time as well plus you'd have to control food so everyone can have something to eat, etc.

 

Actually it's more like Rampart on Steroid with a bit of Sims in the mix.

[Max-T]

I always thought Rampart (first played in the arcade, later owned for 4 systems) was a way cool tangent on Tetris. Spent load of coins on it, spent at least a c-note on the home versions.

 

Still a lot of fun. And I'm still really bad at it. But that's OK, cause, unlike Tetris, I can take my anger out on a couple of galleons before the game confirms, onscreen, that I am a loser.

 

Classic -- total classic!

- Carl (ATHF)

[vespertillio]

Hey guys, over at the Digital Press MAME game of the week club; Rampart was the pick (ok mine ) Anyway, I wrote up a little two player strategy guide. Here it is cut and pasted for those interested:

 

Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2004 12:35 pm Post subject:

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Hello all, what the other posters above have said is true. I found this game in MAME years ago. I never had a chance to play it in the arcade. While the one player games are fun for practice; it's the two and three player games that make this game stand out. I actually had problems with the ROMS frekaing out on my verison of MAME when I first played this game. After about 3 levels it would kind of lock up in multiplayer games. It pissed me off enough to track down a dedicated 3 player cab with the trackballs.

 

As far as strategy goes here are some tips: (this is for a multiplayer game)

1. Pick your 1st castle carefully. Do not pick one that is close to the outer walls or by the shoreline. You are setting yourself up for disaster. It may seem tempting to as you can build outer walls to reach more castles easilly. Don't do it.

 

2. During the first battle, take out your own walls. That's right, blow out the outer walls needed to extend to your other castles. This also leaves your buddy (if he is not doing the same thing) with more walls to deal with.

 

3. After the first battle, build out and try to get at least 3 castles surrounded. While doing this, extend the walls out as for as possible. By doing this you are able to gain more bonus (area covered) points.

 

4. Next battle; take out the other players castle walls. Don't go for the cannons. While it is possible to take out a player cannon with about 10 shots, it's not worth it. Don't focus fire on one area. Spread shots evenly. Move-shoot, move-shoot, move-shoot. If you notice an enemy castle where the walls are bunched up, shoot right for the middle. If your aim is right, they will be hard pressed to rebuild it.

 

5. After the battle, check your damage. If the other player was doing well, your castle is in shambles.2 thoughts here. If you built out your walls enough, you can rebuild from the inside. Forget about the small cracks, don't fill them. Just cover them up by building a new inside walls. If you build your walls a little more tightly, build a whole new set of walls on the outside.

 

6. Usually at the very least, try to get your original home castle walls rebuild. When you do this you are ensured of getting the most cannons the next round.

 

7. When you do get extra cannons, spread them out in nice clustered bunches surrounding your other castles. While it's great to bunch them up evenly, do so across your entire layout. The thinking here is that, when you are so badly damaged you can’t complete the whole rebuild of your walls, you can at least rebuild the walls around one or two of your castles and surrounding cannons. While you will only get 1 cannon for each castle you surround (that is not your home castle) you will still be alive and able to rebuild the rest after the screen cleans up excess clutter.

 

8. As your layout grows (and it will) resist the urge to place cannons all the way out to your walls. You need to leave space for cleanups as the game progresses. You may notice that there is a lot of space, but as the game progresses and the shapes get weirder, you need all the space you can get to rebuild. It is perfectly ok to leave cannons unused.

 

9. If you are losing pretty soundly and you feel it is a pain and chore to keep your walls built, go ahead and lose the round. THAT’S RIGHT, LOSE THE ROUND!!! "Why?" You start fresh the next round. This allows you to once again start form scratch and after the next battle build a mighty (clean) outer wall around your surrounding castles. By doing this you will also get the coveted 1000 point bonus' for surrounding large surface areas. Your buddy may be rebuilding to stay alive, but you just rebuilt as well and got a nice point bonus as well. Depending on how many castles and cannons your buddy has you may get anywhere form 3 to 8 castles to start with when you rebuild.

 

10. If you do rebuild from scratch, don't feel bad because you are sorely outgunned. You have clean walls and if you built out enough, they are quite easy to fix. I can tell you right now, if you rebuild and only have 3-6 cannons, but your buddy did not, you can win a round here. You will have to shoot precisely at his weak spots. Areas of his walls that are muti-walled, so when you hit them, they are screwed as they need the coveted 1 square block for reapir. Also go for areas along the shoreline or back outer walls. Spread out your shots across separate areas of his entire realm. I have taken out mighty realms with just 3 cannons thanks to perfectly placed shots.

 

11. As the game progresses, try to keep up your points with the other player. If you are losing use the technique in #9 to work up some points. Only do this two to three times though. If you do it too much, you will lose flat out as the game will deem you a pussy and declare the other player the victor.

 

12. Final battle: Ok, it's come to the end. You and your buddy are pretty close points wise. This is the battle where you have to inflict as much damage as you can on the other player. Make it so there is no way he can rebuild. Here's the thing, you may be behind on points, but if he can't rebuild a darn thing, you will win. To do this, surround just 1 of your castles. Forget the big picture here, just make it so you can surround 1 castle when the battle is over. If your opponent can't do the same, you will win. If on the other hand, he can surround one castle as well. Try to get the rest of yours surrounded. From here on, it's a point's game.

 

I guess that’s about it. I can post a strategy for the one player games if folks want. Just let me know. Enjoy the game.

 

Fred

 

P.S. One other thing: if you are playing a 2 player game and you're playing with the water option, shoot the other person's ships. Ships automatically shoot at the opponent's walls, and if you can remove his ships while keeping some of your own you can let your ships take care of your opponent's walls while you deal with his new ships. It's a lot easier than having to try and take care of both his castle and ships too. After a while you will have a load of ships because the game generates extra ones each turn. If you lose your ships you will only get a couple of new ones with each new turn and you'll really feel it when you start getting behind in ship count.

 

[tyranthraxus]

Please post the one-player tips. I'd love to play the multiplayer mode but

no one I know will play with me I can win two battles but the third

battlfield always overwhelms me with those catapult thingys.

 

I checked out the PC version and it is quite good. The game played

flawlessly with sound under XP. It was very faithful to what I played in

the MAC set.

[KaineMaxwell]

Wow, never knew the SNES Rampart had that cool feature. I just started playing this again in MAME(32) and having issues trying to set this game only for the mouse.

 

Any new features in the Genesis Rampart?

[SS]

Any new feautres in the Genesis Rampart?

 

Nope.

[KaineMaxwell]

Ouch, that sucks.

[SS]

Seriously, if you don't already own a SNES, "Rampart" is one of the real reasons to consider getting one!

[Gregory DG]

Here's a guide I wrote for the Lynx version. I'm sure it's applicable to all of them:

 

http://www.ataritimes.com/lynx/guides/rampart.html

[Shortly]

Lynx RAMPART is the definitive version!

 

Love the game. WHould woulda thought that a Missle Command / Tetris hybrid would work so good?

[kisrael]

Lynx RAMPART is the definitive  version!

 

Love the game.  WHould woulda thought that a Missle Command / Tetris hybrid would work so good?

How many players does the "definitive" version support?

[NovaXpress]

Alas, the Lynx only supports two.

[Saikyo]

Sega Master System version only supports two as well

 

Oh well i dont have a multitap thingy anyway

 

(Is there a SMS Multitap?)

[kisrael]

It's too bad, especially 'cause lynx was so connector-iffic...I wonder if a 4 player variation would work? Might be an interesting DC homebrew...things would probably have to be a bit smaller onscreen, but still.

[SS]

Lynx RAMPART is the definitive  version!

 

True, it is a great version of the game with the cut scenes and all. Still, I'd have to put it as the runner up behind the truly excellent SNES one. I'm not really a big fan of the SNES either (only own a total of 13 carts for the system) but Rampart is one of the must have classics for it.