• Category Archives Apple ][
  • Apple ][

  • ActionSoft (1988)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: The Games Machine – February 1988

    This ad is sort of odd in that it is more of an introduction to the company making the games than an ad for the games themselves. This ad appeared in the U.K. based magazine The Games Machine in 1988. ActionSoft (or Action Soft…it is written both ways in the ad) was a U.S. based companies and their first two games, Thunderchopper and Up Periscope were originally released in 1986. As far as I can tell, these are the only two games released by ActionSoft though here they are two years later selling them in the U.K.

    Both of these games are simulations and that seems to be what ActionSoft was going to be all about. Thunderchopper is a flight simulator. The ad says that it “simulates the flight characteristics of high performance scout/rescue/attack helicopter”. In addition to being grammatically incorrect, it’s also sort of vague. This doesn’t appear to be a simulation of a specific helicopter. I never though flight sims worked very well on 8-bit or even 16-bit computers. The graphics weren’t really good enough and more importantly the frame rates were usually pretty abysmal. Having said that, there were a number of pretty realistic ones at that time given the hardware that was available. This one seems to have been a pretty average one overall.


    Thunderchopper (Commodore 64)

    Up Periscope! is a World War II submarine simulator. Like Thunderchopper it is kind of non-specific in terms of what is being simulated. It is a generic World War II sub that has the equipment and weapons of subs of that era but if it is simulating a specific sub, it isn’t specified. This game is somewhat similar to the earlier Silent Service. It isn’t a bad game and I think this kind of simulator works a lot better than flight simulators on computers of that era.

    I don’t really know what happened to ActionSoft. I remember their ads in the U.S. for these two games but I don’t remember any other games coming from them nor can I find a reference to any. They seemed to have milked these two for a while and even marketed them internationally (at least in the U.K.) but they just sort of disappeared after that. I did find a reference that says ActionSoft licensed the graphics for Thunderchopper from subLogic. Also, there is a later DOS version of Thunderchopper that seems to have been released by subLogic and is compatible with Flight Simulator scenery disks. So perhaps subLogic acquired them….


    Up Periscope! (Commodore64)

    Thunderchopper was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II and DOS. Up Periscope! was available for the Commodore 64 and DOS. The screenshots above are from the Commodore 64 versions of Thunderchopper and Up Periscope! If you want to play either one you’ll have to find original copies or resort to emulation. While it matters less for Up Periscope!, DOS is probably better for simulations during this time. At least you will get better graphics and frame rates.


    Apple ][ Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Crossword Magic (1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    USA 1985

    https://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/184619637574/retrocgadsusa-1985

    Today you can find any number of online apps that will let you generate your own crossword puzzles so it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. However, if you wanted to do such a thing in the 1980s you would have had to do it by hand or use a piece of software like this which made it a whole lot easier.

    I remember using a crossword puzzle maker in English class when I was in 8th grade (1988 or 1989) but I can’t remember for sure if it was this one or not. It would have been on an Apple II.

    Anyway, it does all the basic things you would expect to be able to do to make a crossword puzzle. I suppose there is probably a limit in terms of size but unless you are trying to do something crazy it’s probably not a big deal.

    Crossword Magic was released by Mindscape and was available for the Commodore 64, Apple II, DOS and Atari 8-bit computers like the 600XL and 800XL. Other than nostalgia, there’s probably not much reason to seek this out today as there are more convenient ways to generate crossword puzzles. However, this was a neat tool to have back in the day if you wanted to do such a thing.

    The ad above is from circa 1985.



    Apple ][ Atari 8-bit Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (Commodore 64, Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, DOS)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment


    Source: Computer Gaming World – Issue Number 52 – October 1988



    Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is a game based on the movie of the same name. Versions of this game were released for a wide variety of platforms. There were really three different games produced by three different companies. The first was released in 1988 for various home computers including the Commodore 64, Apple II, Amiga, a and DOS. The second was produced by Rare and released by LJN for the NES in 1989. The final version was released by Capcom for the Game Boy in 1991. The ad above is for the first version of the game.

    Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is a pretty mediocre action/arcade game. Considering the fact that this is a game based on a movie license, it’s terrific. Most such games are truly abysmal and this one is at least okay. This game consists of four levels, each of which has a specific goal and is really a subgame unto itself. These roughly follow the plot of the movie. In terms of gameplay, there is not a huge difference between the various versions though the Amiga and Atari ST versions will have the best graphics.

    If you want to play this variation of the game, you will have to track down an original or resort to emulation. It has never been nor is it likely to be re-released. In order, I would chose the Amiga, Atari ST or Commodore 64 version of the game. Originals aren’t too hard to find on eBay though it’s anyone’s guess how long original disks will continue to function. Alternatively, disk images for emulators are also easily found.

    The ad above is from the October 1988 issue of Computer Gaming World. The screen shots above are from the Commodore 64 version of the game.


    Amiga Apple ][ Atari ST Commodore 64 Computer Arcana DOS Retro Games 📎and tagged