Developed by Greg Duddle and published by Mr Micro in 1984. Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u This is where it all began; one of the first games I ever played on my first ever computer, the Commodore Plus 4! Take control of Jim Hawkins as he scours the island for the buried treasure. The game map is one big maze and guarded by blood-thirsty pirates (yarrrr!) who will throw their cutlasses at you if you get too close. Most of the challenge involves getting the pirates to throw their weapon, run away until it eventually stops moving and picking it up. The only enemies that don't do this are the blue coloured pirates, which adds an extra challenge to the game. Once you find the treasure, Long John Silver comes to get you and you have to run back to the ship whilst remembering how to get there. Although this game was released on the C64, I feel this is the better version. The C16/Plus 4 TED chip had an improved colour palette (even though it had no hardware sprite support), so the characters look a lot better than the C64 version. The TED chip didn't sound anywhere near as good as the C64, but the sound in this game is so basic that you don't notice it. What's more, this longplay isn't tool-assisted (WinVice save state/history recording doesn't work yet for the plus 4 emulator). The sound lag was present in the emulator; it's not a problem with the video. Happy memories! #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE9ZZK6ISPk

Follow me on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro Get Great Retro Scene News @ http://www.vintageisthenewold.com Developed and published by Gaelco in 1991 Prior to playing Big Karnak, I'd never heard the name Gaelco before. This Spanish arcade games developer put out a number of coin-op titles between 1985 and 2005, before getting out of the video games market altogether in 2007 and started making electronic darts gaming machines. As for Big Karnak, this side-scroller takes inspiration from the likes of Ghosts 'n' Goblins and Rastan, although those games lack Big Karnak's distinctly odd-ball sense of humour. Players must progress through various levels based on ancient Egyptian mythology and similar themes, killing bad guys, beating bosses, and even solving the occasional puzzle; it's quite a bizarre experience, although sure to be of interest to anyone who has a passing interest in the history of coin-op games. The developers appear to have ripped off audio from various sources (the punching sound effect was clearly stolen from Double Dragon), and the second end-of-level boss looks suspiciously like Karnov from Data East's Bad Dudes vs. Dragon Ninja. #bigkarnak #retrogames #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTxY48NXRmE

Developed by Stephen Walters and published by Codemasters in 1990. Tilt is simply a game that involves guiding a steel ball around a maze to the exit hole by tilting the board. You're not allowed to touch any walls or obstacles, which makes it much more challenging. There are a total of 4 tables to beat before the game increases the difficulty level. Each difficulty level adds extra obstacles, such as energy gates that can only be deactivated by tilting the board, so you have to tilt just at the right time to get the ball over the trap. Pressing the fire button causes all the gates to open for a short amount of time and you must get the ball through before the they close. Further levels of difficulty increase the size of the ball and this is by far the most difficult challenge you'll face. The game has no ending and I played up to level 10 before the size of the ball became far too difficult to steer round the board. Technically, this is actually very good; the 3D board effect and tilting is remarkably realistic for the time. The only problem is the ball increases in size when you tilt the board, which means that if you are hugging a wall, tilting the board means the ball suddenly grows by 1 pixel in diameter and makes contact with the wall even though you were tilting away from it. The game was a budget title costing a paltry £2.99, so it was great value for money back then. It's a shame the game didn't even get a proper cover to the box; it only had Roger Frames from Commodore Format magazine, which gave you no clue about the game. Enjoy! #retrogaming ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tuNAGs1Pos

Game Info --------------------------------------------------- Developer: Infogrames Publisher: Infogrames Year of Release: 1989 Game Review & Impressions --------------------------------------------------- Based on the cartoon strip Les Tuniques Bleu, North & South is game which straddles the world's if computer strategy and traditional boardgames. Set during the American Civil War, players assume the command of Northern or Confederate factions, fighting for territory and attempting to defeat armies of the opposition to claim total victory. Having chosen various options from the menu, players are greeted by the campaign map, representing various American states. The starting year chosen dictates how many military units each side starts the game with, as well as where they're located. Players take turns to move troops into adjacent territories, capturing it for their side in the process. Each game turn ends once both sides have moved all their units. Players will then watch the railroad network come into play, as locomotives navigate the tracks running across state lines. Each territory held by an army through which the train travels contributes to the amount of bullion awarded to the player, which allows for the purchase of reinforcements. Capturing and holding key territories to increase bullion supply is vital to success, either increasing your own military powers, or cutting off the enemy's gold supply. Pitched battles can be initiated by moving opposing armies into the same territory. The game switches to a view of the battle, with players taking direct control of their units in a fight to the death. Cannons can be used to fire at units over long range, while cavalry and riflemen can be used to advance on enemy positions. Victory in battle is often down to luck as much as strategy, and each battle can be quite frenetic as you attempt to switch between units on the fly. The game also features random events and mini-games, such as hijacking a speeding locomotive to capture it's gold. These events have consequences, either robbing it rewarding a player with additional troops or resources. Even today, North & South remains an incredibly accessible and polished title. The presentation, artwork and audio effects are superb, and most importantly, the gameplay is excellent. Fast pacing and lack of complicated rules mean games take 15 - 30 minutes to complete, and the events and mini-games provide a additional depth and strategy, with becoming overbearing. If you're a fan of strategy-lite titles, definitely give North & South a try. Information & Trivia --------------------------------------------------- Video Notes --------------------------------------------------- - Features all 4 starting years (see chapters for time codes) - Native American & ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U80-09s6Pu8