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  • Winter Games (Epyx, 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Winter Games (Epyx, 1985)

    http://darth-azrael.tumblr.com/post/170527373501/retrocgads-usa-1985-winter-games-apple-ii

    As I mentioned in my previous post on the subject, the Epyx Games series were my favorite sports games of the 8-bit era. Of those, Winter Games was probably my favorite.

     

    Like Summer Games, Winter Games was developed first for the Commodore 64 and then ported to a wide variety of computer and video game platforms. This ad explicitly mentions the Commodore 64, Apple II and Macintosh so I suspect those were the first three available. Again, the events available varied slightly depending on which version you were playing but the original Commodore 64 version includes Hot Dog (freestyle ski jump where you do tricks), Biathlon, Figure Skating, Ski Jump, Speed Skating, Free Skating and Bob Sled.

     

    Though the events are different, the setup is just like Summer Games. One to eight players, practice, compete in some or compete in all events, etc. My favorite events were Hot Dog, Bob Sled, Biathlon, Ski Jump and Speed Skating. That’s most of them but then that’s why this is my favorite of the series. I like most of the events.

     

    Interestingly, the original Commodore 64 version of the game was released on Nintendo’s Virtual Console in 2009. Unfortunately, I believe it was a European only release. However, like Summer Games it was also available on the C64 DTV. If you can’t find on of those and don’t live in Europe and you want to give it a try, you’ll have to track down an original copy or an emulator and disk image. Make sure you are using a decent Atari style digital joystick for best results though!





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  • Compute! (September 1988)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    compute_issue_100_1988_sep-01

    Source: Compute! – Issue Number 100 – September 1988

    Compute! was one of the most popular computer magazines for many years. It covered a wide variety of systems throughout its life including the Commodore 64, Apple II, Amiga, Atari ST, and of course PCs among others. The 10th anniversary issue (issue number 100) from September 1988 includes the following:

    Features

    • Years Gone By – We chart the history of home computing by offering up covers and articles fro the last nine years of COMPUTE! magazine.
    • That Was Then, This Is Now – What were 15 movers and shakers in the computer industry doing nine years ago, and what are they doing now?
    • Milestones in Computer History – Our birthday present to you – the most important computer hardware, software, and publications on a collector’s edition poster.
    • Conversations – Epyx Grows with David Morse – Epyx’s CEO spells out what it takes to move an entertainment publisher past the $100-million mark.
    • Buyer’s Guide – Classic Software – Browse through these 70 classic programs from personal computing’s history.

    Reviews

    • The Three Stooges
    • The Graphics Studio
    • Ultima V
    • Wordbench
    • Stealth Mission
    • Twilight’s Ransom
    • Read ‘n Roll

    Compute! Specific

    • MS-DOS
    • 64 & 128
    • Apple II
    • Amiga
    • Macintosh
    • Atari ST
    • Hints & Tips

    Columns

    • Editorial License – Throughout its first 100 issues, COMPUTE! has been the magazine that always speaks first and clearest to the home user.
    • News & Notes – CES wears many guises, Nintendo faces great DRAM drought, and GEOS gets to two.
    • Gameplay – Comics on computers take on the columnist, and win.
    • Impact – The first 100 issues of COMPUTE! have seen the magic of a revolution’s first decade.
    • Discoveries – Writing, the key to success in school, can be fun and fruitful with a word processor.
    • Levitations – The Consumer Electronics Show sure isn’t what it used to be.
    • Letters – COMPUTE! helps take a bite out of crime!
    • New Products! – Zak saves everyone’s IQ, PC gets palm-sized, sports explode from Accolade, and more new products.

    …and more!


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

  • The Isgur Portfolio System (DOS, Macintosh, Atari ST)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    antic_vol_5-11_1987-03_inside_atari_corp_page_0108

    Source: Antic – March 1987

    This ad for the Isgur Portfolio System appeared in the March 1987 issue of Antic. This software is for managing a portfolio and was available on DOS based systems, the Macintosh and the Atari ST. Antic was covering the Atari ST at this point, hence why the ad appeared there.

    This kind of productivity software was not as common on the Atari ST or even on the Macintosh as it was on the PC. While each of those machines found their own niche (desktop publishing for the Mac and music and games for the Atari ST) other types of productivity, other than the basics (word processors, etc.) were not that common. It’s not that those machines weren’t capable, it just isn’t why people bought them.

    I’m not really familiar with this particular software but Batteries Included, the publisher, was known for making fairly high quality word processors and other productivity software for Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64 and even the Commodore 128. Isgur Portfolio System itself also got good reviews but it just isn’t the sort of thing home users were buying for their Atari ST.


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