Games galore #36: Red 41 The Silent Death, LUMA, Cecconoid (and Eugatron), Grind, Aquabyss

Previously unreleased games, ported games, spin-off games, in-game games, original games!

Red 41 The Silent Death

"Red 41 The Silent Death" by Digital Warp is an unfinished game that only got a preview back in 1993. Roughly thirty years later, then-developer-team-member Daniele Pomposelli has dug out the latest available version from his private archives. 

Although incomplete - some fundamental game mechanics are missing in this alpha-version - it's a fantastic looking jump-and-run-and-gun game, somehow reminiscent of Turrican (of course) and maybe Breathless (if it had 2D side-view)?

Here's a video from Daniele Pomposelli's YouTube channel (2022-11-24):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNl-lhhzTNs

Want to know more? IndieRetroNews has all the details, including download links:
https://www.indieretronews.com/2022/11/red41-silent-death-another-amiga-game.html

LUMA

"LUMA" is an easy to learn, but increasingly challenging puzzle game. If you like this sort of game, this one will get you addicted immediately. It's a port of a C64 game by Shallan, in which you have to direct beams of light through tiled playfields containing obstacles.

A nice little tune is playing along as you push mirrors and the lights' power supplies around the playfield, graphics and sound are a nice Amiga-ish rendition of the original C64 game design, and somewhere around level 30 and up solving puzzles becomes genuinely hard brain-work. Very good!

Go to the game's itch.io website for more information and download:
https://zooperdan.itch.io/luma-amiga

Additional sources:
http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2022-11-00061-EN.html

Cecconoid (and Eugatron)

"Cybernoid" is a 1987 Hewson multi-screen shoot-em-up game that was released for many 8-bit platforms, Atari ST, and Amiga. "Cecconoid" is a 2019 game heavily inspired by "Cybernoid", available for Switch/Android/iOS/Windows/Linux, and should be ready for release on the Amiga quite soon!

According to the information available, it requires an Amiga with 1MB of RAM, will be distributed by Thalamus Digital, and will have a physical, boxed release.

Yeah, "Cecconoid" looks and sounds really nice, with its minimalist visual approach, detailed and dynamic mechanics, lots of action, and cool electro soundtrack. But not only that: another mini-arcade-game called "Eugatron" is included!

Here's a video from Hoffman's YouTube channel (2022-12-10):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT40WdfWySo

Go to the game's website for more information:
https://www.triple-eh.com/cecco

Additional sources:
http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2022-11-00055-EN.html
https://triple-eh.itch.io/cecconoid (Windows/Linux release)
https://www.thalamusdigital.co.uk/ (publisher)

"Dread" becomes "Grind" (and stays "Dread")

Certainly among the most spectacular news for Amiga gamers during the last couple of years was this new Doom-clone game called "Dread" that runs (well) on an unexpanded 7MHz Amiga 500.

Well, it still does - but behind the scenes, around Oct. 2022, things have changed a little bit, with a new name for the upcoming game: Grind!

"Dread" will be continued as a non-commercial project by KK/Altair, while "Grind" is set to become a full, patreon-backed game developed by John Tsakiris. 

Check out "Grind" patreon page for more information, and show your support!
https://www.patreon.com/Grind_Amiga

Additional sources:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/welcome-back-73947008
http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2022-10-00143-EN.html

Aquabyss

"Aquabyss" is a trading simulation set in the 19th century. It was released in Oct. 2022 by Aged Code, and is continuously being worked on. 

Tons of beautiful graphics make this game a joy to watch, and you'll need plenty of time to fully explore it. "Aquabyss" requires 2MB ChipRAM, 8MB FastRAM and 15MB of harddisc space, but a faster CPU is recommended. It is playable without internet connection, but if available, updates can be received, and high-scores can be shared via game server.

Here's a video from YouTube channel Alex Harkonnen75 (2023-03-05):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfx9pZHl23g

Go to Aged Code's website for more information, and purchase:
https://agedcode.com

Additional sources:
http://aquabyss.com (game server frontend)
https://www.indieretronews.com/2022/10/aquabyss-eagerly-awaited-amiga-game-by_22.html

 * * *

...and some bonus gaming news:

"Super Metal Hero" - alive!

It's been quite a long time since we've reported about "Super Metal Hero", but development certainly hasn't stopped - here's the latest preview video on Raster Wizards' YouTube channel (2023-04-06):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfIEBrtu-YY

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Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for "Games galore #37"!

Check out "Games galore" main page with all articles -
click here!

* * *

Support Amiga game development! Buy a game!

Games galore #33: Maria Renard's Revenge, Karate Champ 500, Spheroid, Farmiga, GermZ

Is this a coronavirus-lockdown effect? Developers seem to have become increasingly productive - in 2022, new Amiga games have been and still are popping up like mushrooms after a warm, rainy day.

 

Maria Renard's Revenge

Pretty much whenever you hear something French, you can be sure it has beauty and taste. ("French fries" ;-) ) This is certainly true for this outstandingly beautiful new game, which is currently under development by DomKid. 

As the title suggests, Mademoiselle Renard is a bit of a damsel-in-distress, meaning in order to get her revenge, she has to travel various dungeons and landscapes populated with dragons, skeletons, giant worms, and other such species, and of course avoid being harmed by the aforementioned. A friendly bird is at her side, but darkness, lava pits, falling stalactites and similar obstacles don't particularly make her journey easier...

Long story short: "Maria Renard's Revenge" is an exciting, and just gorgeous looking gothic platformer!

Here's the latest work-in-progress video from DomKid's YouTube channel (2022-05-23):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7jeh_pljRs

Go to the game's website for more information and releases:
https://z-team.itch.io/maria-renards-revenge

 

Karate Champ 500 (work in progress)

Jean-François Fabre never stops: After "Amidar500", "Scramble500", "Pacman 500", and "Ms Pacman 500" (!) we're about to get "Karate Champ 500".

"Karate Champ" is another classic arcade game, but there was never an official version for the Amiga - only a slightly disappointing public-domain version. 

Well, it looks as if this is about to change, and with Jean-François Fabre's productions you can be quite sure it's going to be yet another great Amiga conversion, which is more or less pixel perfect to the original.

Here's the latest demo video from Jean-François Fabre's YouTube channel (2022-10-02):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NWE23H0W78

Additional sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karate_Champ (arcade game)
http://hol.abime.net/6228/weblink (1987 PD game)

Spheroid (demo)

In "Spheroid", you have to guide a ball through increasingly complex maps made of tiles. Some of the tiles are switches, some are mined, others are transporters, walls, or break easily. On top of that, you only have a limited amount of steps your ball can make. 

So "Spheroid" is an arcade puzzler! It's a comparably simple, but challenging, well made game, with a fitting technoid soundscape, and lots of maps to get your little grey cells some exercise.

Here's a video from Saberman's YouTube channel (2022-05-26): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7jjGPyJ5k

Go to Arkanix Labs forum to download "Spheroid" demo:
https://www.arkanixlabs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1142

Additional sources:
http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2022-05-00096-EN.html
https://www.indieretronews.com/2022/05/spheroid-new-puzzle-game-for-amiga-via.html

Farmiga (beta v5)

Do you like the countryside and farming? Cows, sheep, chicken? Very good. "Farmiga" puts you in control of a little farming economy, complete with animals, crops, trading, and actual hog-shooting.

The graphics are mostly simple, but cute and effective, there's some enjoyable music playing along, the building and trading has enough depth to keep you occupied, and, well, occasionally you get to shoot some hogs. Oh, and the in-game currency is Polish zloty. "Farmiga" looks great and fun to play - if you like strategy gaming make sure you check it out.

Here's a video from Saberman's YouTube channel (2022-11-27):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0EzRf-0qmI

Go to the game's itch.io website for more information and download:
https://tukinem.itch.io/farmiga-wip

Additional sources:
http://amiga-news.de/en/news/AN-2022-06-00041-EN.html

GermZ

Beware, it's the... GermZ! A strategy puzzle game by the developers that brought us "Atarenium Falcon" (see also bonus "news" below). In "GermZ" you basically become a virus that wants to spread and win over other viri according to logic rules. 

"GermZ" is another simple, well-made arcade strategy game - and it has two great features seen too rarely in Amiga games: up to four players simultaneously (joystick and keyboard control), and a map editor - which means tons of fun for a long time!

Here's a video from Saberman's YouTube channel (2022-05-02):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtKt4_t3FPM

Go to the game's itch.io website for more information and download:
https://lastminutecreations.itch.io/germz

Additional sources:
https://www.indieretronews.com/2022/05/germz-brand-new-amiga-party-game-by.html

 

* * *

...and some bonus gaming news:

Atarenium Falcon released

We've reported about this game before. Meanwhile, more precisely on May 1st 2022, the final version was released. If "GermZ" sounds interesting to you, or even if it doesn't, why not check out "Atarenium Falcon"?

https://lastminutecreations.itch.io/atarenium-falcon

 

* * *

Thanks for reading! Stay tuned for "Games galore #34"!

Check out "Games galore" main page with all articles -
click here!

* * *

Support Amiga game development! Buy a game!

COVID-19 cancels RETROpulsiv 15.0

The University of Applied Sciences Hochschule Augsburg also takes measures against Sars-CoV-2 virus spread.

Another retro computing event, the "RETROpulsiv 15.0" to be held at the University of Applied Sciences Augsburg from 04. - 05.04.2020 has been cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19 disease.

With numbers of infections still rising, schools, day-care centers, kindergardens, etc. will be shut down in Germany from tomorrow. Several German regional administrations have extended the restriction on public events to 100 (Bavaria) or 50 (Berlin) participants at most, or are forbidding such events entirely (e.g. city of Kiel).

https://www.hs-augsburg.de/Binaries/Binary31607/shapeimage-2.jpg

Stay clean, Amigans! Protect the elderly!

Sources:
https://www.hs-augsburg.de/Informatik/Events/Abgesagt-RETROpulsiv-15.0.html

GoADF! - advanced ADF utility

Krzysztof "Bitplan" Donat from Poland has just released a nice tool to handle your ADF files, and do a bit more.

GoADF! is more than just your average ADF disk writing tool. It shows information about your ADF files, like filesystem type, used/free space on disk, and more, it can extract individual files from an ADF, it can mount ADFs as a logical drive to AmigaOS, of course it can write your ADF files to floppy disk, and it does a couple of other useful things.

It also has a nice Workbench GUI, and it's free. :-)

Get your copy of GoADF! at:
https://bitplan.pl/goadf/index.html
 

https://bitplan.pl/img/ss_splash.png

Sources:

facebook

https://bitplan.pl/goadf/contact.html

http://www.indieretronews.com/2019/05/goadf-fantastic-piece-of-amiga-software.html
 

New page: More of the best - Amiga games you must have seen, part 2!

When researching for our previous article "Best of the best - Amiga games you must have seen", a lot more games came to mind that excel in one or the other way, and need to be mentioned but didn't make it into the article. So here's part 2! Again, we're focussing more on technical or stylistic achievement, and less on mass appeal or nostalgia.

Have fun with our new page...

More of the best - Amiga games you must have seen, part 2

 

AMIGA alive 03: Juggler (1986) and BoingBall (1984) (Video)

"AMIGA alive 03 - Juggler (1986) and BoingBall (1984)" is out! The legendary Juggler and BoingBall demos, shown in the early days of the Amiga, and responsible for stunning the audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMy1CyJveKM

AMIGA alive 02: M-Tec Mastercard SCSI controller installation (Video)

"AMIGA alive 02 - M-Tec Mastercard SCSI installation" is out! This time we're installing a SCSI controller into our Amiga 1200. Hope you enjoy it, and as always comments are welcome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpAuV6Vdl-I