Developed and published by Synapse Software in 1983. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u I remember getting Blue Max on a Commodore Format Power Pack tape many years after the game was originally released, and I remember thinking what a fantastic little game it was. Playing the game again today, my opinion hasn't changed. Blue Max is set during the First World War, back when aerial combat was in it's infancy. As a flying ace, you must pilot your biplane over hostile terrain on a mission to destroy key targets behind enemy lines. Marked targets either flash, or have a target symbol painted on them to make identification easy. Your plane is equipped with a machine gun, which can be used to shoot down enemy planes and can also be used to strafe ground targets if you're feeling brave enough. Strafing can rack up some impressive points, although getting hit by one of the many flak emplacements is much more likely. Alternatively, your plane also has a finite supply of bombs which can be dropped on targets, although you will have to account for inertia and height if you want to hit your target. Getting hit by flak won't necessarily destroy your plane outright, but it will damage parts of the plane. For example, if your fuel line gets damaged then your plane will start to leak fuel and the fuel counter will tick down at a faster rate, while damage to your bomb bay will prevent you from dropping bombs until you can repair your plane. The ending of each level is denoted by a warning at the bottom of the screen to indicate that you are approaching an airfield. Landing will refuel your plane, resupply bombs and repair a portion of any damage currently sustained; it's quite possible to miss the airfield altogether and this means that you'll have to hope that you can survive on whatever resources you have available. If you destroyed enough marked targets, you progress to the next level. However, in a novel twist, this is completely seamless and the only indication that you have progressed at all is the difference in level layout and additional elements to the battle field. The game's finale involves a bombing run down a corridor of tall buildings where the objective is to bomb a series of white government buildings, each surrounded by a dense cluster of flak emplacements. Survive this ordeal and make it to the next airfield and the day is won, upon which you will be awarded a flying ribbon and title. Perhaps the main reason why the game is such a gem is the attention to detail. The isometric perspective affords and inclusion of elevation, which means some frantic dogfighting with enemy planes as you try to find the correct height from which they can be shot down. Wind also affects your flight handlin ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruCZm2wLcb4

Developed by Al Rubin and published by Datasoft in 1983. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u O'Riley is delving into the depths on a quest for treasure. Unfortunately, a stick of misplaced dynamite blows a hole in the rocks and the mine starts to flood. The player must help O'Riley cut a path through the Earth's crust and collect the valuables hidden therein whilst avoiding the onslaught of rushing water and monsters let into the cave system. Although simple enough in concept, the game is exceptionally challenging, particular on the later levels. The real danger in the game is the water, which will rise to the highest level that you have tunnelled. The best strategy that I found is to dig to the bottom of the mine as quickly as possible and work horizontally and then vertically whilst ensuring that you don't end up digging yourself into a dead end or touching the water. Having said all this, the game actually randomises the location of the valuables at the start of each level (and also if you die and have to restart a level). This means that a level can either be relatively easy or a complete nightmare; if the level places items either side of the shaft at the very top then the level becomes much tougher since the water will likely rise and fill the shaft before you can collect items from both sides (of course, I could just be rubbish at the game...). Another reason why the game is so difficult at times is due to the fact that playfield scrolls and doesn't fit on a single screen. This prevents the player from formulating a strategy on how best to collect the valuables. Couple with the fact that the level randomises on each attempt, this leads to a lot of trial and error. Audio-visuals for the game are basic, as is to be expected for a game from 1983. However, there is a certain charm to it and the water effect is quite decent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the game has no ending. If you make it past level nine, the counter simply changes to ?? and the game continues to infinity and beyond. Despite being tough, O'Riley's Mine isn't a bad little title and provides an hour's entertainment; don't expect to beat it any time soon though! #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encZBZCpCWg