Games That Weren't^®

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

Dungeons and Dragons was a gaming phenomona that started in the 1970s when historial gaming enthusiasts, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, created their own rules to tabletop battlefield gaming and focused it on a small group of heroes sneaking into a castle.

The game proved popular and to this day remains a huge influence on popular culture, though few people realise it. All modern computer games owe something to Dungeons & Dragons. Any game with even a casual structure that involves hit points, experience or levelling, in fact owes it’s existence to the original RPG game that introduced these concepts.

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A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

The idea of making a computer game for The War of the Worlds seems obvious, aliens come to Earth and attack everything and everyone and a hero who is just trying to survive while Earths governments try to beat off the aliens (ooh er!), and several attempts have been made throughout the years. However, making a game based on Jeff Waynes The War of the Worlds struck me as a little odd. I dont know if theres ever been a computer conversion made of what is essentially a double album musical, even if it is based on a best selling sci-fi novel. Continue reading →

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1987/88 Avalon Hill game company

The only information we have on this game comes from a CES show in Chicago, USA in 1987. Basically the game was to be a chess game, with the background being shown as a landscape.

Avalon Hill made its name as a board game company, and is famous for its historical war games. They still operate today and are a subsidiary of Wizards Coast.

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A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1988 Firebird

In 1987 Firebird released Arcade Classics, a compilation of (wait for it) four classic arcade games, namely Space Invaders, Asteroids, Snake and Space Wars. It was neatly packaged with a front-end title screen with each game represented by its own arcade cabinet. It also featured excellent music from the legendary Rob Hubbard, who I saw a picture of just now and he looks freakily like one of the brothers from The Sparks. Not the singer, the guy on the keyboards who looked a bit like Hitler and seemed completely mental. Continue reading →

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1987 Diamond Software

Xtron was due to be released by Diamond Software, along with various other releases, Diablo, Hollywood Poker and Kaos. However, it seems only Diablo received a release, judging by entries on Lemon64 and the preservation site, GB64. That means that Xtron, Hollywood Poker and Kaos are all Games That Werent. Continue reading →

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1988 Firebird/Maelstrom

Had it found its way onto the 8-bit market, Whirligig would have been that rare thing for the time, a game released on all the major gaming markets, the 8-bit, 16-bit and the PC. However, although it was released on the ST and the Amiga, and then later the PC, the 8-bit versions never saw the light of day. Continue reading →

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1988 Gremlin Graphics

Combining comedy and, er, cycling, Tour De Force was due for release by Gremlin Graphics in 1988 yet never materialised on the C64, despite being released on the Spectrum and CPC.

Your objective is to cycle through various locations around the world, in an attempt to win the coveted yellow jersey. Various drinks are scattered across the road that you can pick up to keep your rider hydrated, (go easy on the wine though!), whilst sumo wrestlers, thugs, snakes and other riders will try to get in your way and stop you winning the race. Continue reading →

A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1988 Skyslip

Sabian Island seems to be yet another game that was advertised to buy through mail order from a software company, without actually having ever being released. I dont know how many games were released as such in the 1980s but it certainly provides Games That Werent a rich vein of material to search through!

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A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1987 Games Designers Workshop

Rommel: Battles for Torbruk by Games Designers Workshop (GDW) was planned to be a war strategy game, based around four battles fought between the WWII German commander Rommel and the British in North Africa.

Our evidence for the game comes from a full-page advert by the games designers, who give a detailed description of the game and the combat system used, detailing features such as hidden movement, tactical and strategic maps and details of your armies morale. An in-game screenshot is also present, suggesting the game at least reached a playable level.

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A highlighted review from the http://www.gtw64.co.uk archives

1989 Microstyle

Due to come out on the C64 in 1989, International Soccer Challenge was one of several games due for release by Microstyle in the 1989/90. ISC was also released on the Amiga, Atari ST and PC platforms, but the C64 version never came out why?

The game itself seems rather odd in presentation; the viewing screen of the game is a giant stadium screen, with information dotted around it on smaller screens. While an innovative attempt to stand out from the rest of the genre, it does seem to unnecessarily limit the screen space dedicated to actual game play. Continue reading →