Abandonware DOS retro gaming spotlight

Space simulations: combat, trading and exploring space

Space simulation games are part of a niche genre that appeals to specific gamers, not everyone like it. I think we can categorize two main groups of space sims players: the ones who only want to fight in space (no trading, no mining, etc) and the ones who like full ...

Flight simulations at dawn

For a game collector like me, flight simulators are something to look for. The original big boxes of flight sims published a few decades ago included all sort of items: keyboard layouts, maps, huge manuals. I own a few and I plan to buy some more.Anyway... I have to ...

Solving murders and simulating detectives

Pure and simple detective stories are hard to find in video gaming today. Everyone goes for fantasy, sci-fi, horror, but the good old murder to solve is not so popular. Back in the 90s (or the 80s) you could play some adventure games based on a detective story. There was ...

Text only gaming: it's not always about interactive fiction

Text only games are a curious phenomenon. Unlike other kind of old games, they survived to this day in one form or the other. Maybe that's because it doesn't take a huge team to develop a game completely (or partially) devoid of graphics. When I say text-only games, some of ...

Flight simulators: not for everyone

Personally, I never got in flight simulators. I tried everything: combat oriented flight sims, copters, planes, everything, but it's simply not my genre. I knew people who spent a lot of money to buy special joysticks, three monitors and other peripherals just to enjoy piloting a Cessna from one airport ...

Be a (simulated) manager: trade, trade, trade

The simulations genre (I'm not talking about vehicle simulations) wasn't that popular until SimCity and Populous came along. Both games started two genres: city building and god games.With this update I'm adding a different type of simulation: trading sims. I'm not sure of the appeal of trading in a ...

They made worlds: Space Rogue, by Origin

Space Rogue is a science fiction RPG developed by Richard Garriott's Origin and desined by Paul Neurath (Ultima Underworld 1 and 2). Space Rogue combines a rough 3D space simulation experience with a top down view RPG gameplay when in stations or on planets. As a space pilot you can ...

Keyword: god games (it's good to be god)

In the so called god games, the player takes the role of a divine entity (or something similar). Gameplay involves controlling people, units or even the environment on a large scale. God games usually show some artificial intelligence in the form of autonomous NPCs.

Abandonware spotlight: Hill Street Blues

Hill Street Blues is an old DOS "driving" game developed by Krisalis in 1991. The gameplay it's similar to a Grand Theft Auto clone (we're talking about GTA 1 or 2) in which you are the police and you have to apprehend criminals. Hill Street Blues is a rare example of game based ...

Developer spotlight: Origin

Origin Systems was founded in 1983 by one of the most popular game designers of all time: Richard Garriott. The most notable games of Origin Systems are the RPGs belonging to the Ultima series: Ultima from I to IX, Ultima Online, Martian Dreams and Savage Empire. Let's not forget the entire ...

Sid Meier's SimGolf on Abandonware DOS

SimGolf is a golf simulation different from other golf games. In SimGolf, the player is tasked with running a golf course, designing holes, taking care of golfers and even playing. It's an underrated game that deserves a place among the best of its genre.

Retro game spotlight: Star Wars

Star Wars is a coin-op conversion that, in all its vector graphics glory, made Star Wars fans dream of being Luke Skywalker. I remember using every drop of force I had left, in a local arcade, just to get past the AT-ATs.

Spotlight: games based on a TV series

Today, we're used to high quality TV series such as Game of Thrones, Daredevil, Madmen. This level of writing wasn't always the top priority of the producers of TV series aired a few decades ago. Anyway, lot of us old guys remember fondly series like The A-Team, Miami Vice and, ...