Monster list of Amiga game remakes/tributes/clones

[dreamkatcha]

Well here we go again folks. The fans (the ones I conjured up in my head to make me feel important) demanded it, so who am I to deny them? This is the eagerly anticipated (snigger) follow up to my Amiga game flash remakes post.

Please let me know if you have any additions or other suggestions to help me to improve the list.

I've played very few of the entries so far (most of them being Windows-only doesn't help), but one which stands out for me is Derelict. It's a Gauntlet-'em-up / Chaos Engine-a-like shareware game with a sci-fi / alien twist. Right from the outset you're mobbed by hoards of baying slimers so the action is pretty relentless as in the original Gauntlet.

I completed the demo very quickly on the easy level and got slaughtered in seconds on the toughest setting so everyone should be able to find the right balance to suit their L33t 5k1LLz. I didn't see much variety in the range of enemies or weapons on my travels, but I suppose that's because the version I played is just a taster.

What it really needs is a two player online battle mode a la Extreme Violence.

Has anyone else tried it?

I had a quick go of Mutant Storm. It's a really flashy, show-offy version of Robotron where you use the keyboard to move your character around the screen and the mouse to aim your weapons - outright cheating if you ask me since it makes the game far too easy to master.

Ultratron isn't as impressive graphically (still very slick though), but much more fun IMO. I gather it's a more authentic rendition of the original Robotron because you have to use one key to fire left, another one to fire right and so on, as well as using the arrow keys for navigation.

[Aligarion]

Up ! Nice list, nice work.

[rodi]

I am really impressed to see how many remakes of Amiga games are in progress

It's a good summary of all these remakes

Good job, dreamkatcha

[CodyJarrett]

Excellent list, thanks dreamkatcha.

[Marcuz]

excellent indeed, very good job!

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for all your kind comments. I'll move Hazard Ball and remove the other two altogether.

[dreamkatcha]

Just thought I'd let you know that my list has now been turned into a proper searchable, manipulatable, filterable database.

I've still got a lot of missing info to enter, but the most important fields like the links are complete.

[lilalurl]

Good job

One comment though, based on the supposition you may not have tried all the games in the list:
That Speedball X game, although using speedball gfx is based on the Xenon 2000 engine and therefore plays like a SHMUP (with a crazy twist). I'm sure we could have a debate about whether it should be listed as a speedball remake (I think it should not) but without a doubt it should be listed as a Xenon remake.

[dreamkatcha]

You're right, I've only played a tiny fraction of these games - most of them are for Windows so being a Mac user I'm out of luck. This is one of the ones I've not played personally so I'll take your word for it and update the entry.

Thanks for the feedback.

[lilalurl]

Always a pleasure to help such a nice project.

Well, to give you a glimpse of the game, you play a Speedball player who can fire some balls and move in the vertical side-scrolling level (as in Xenon).

Now, the crazy twist is that the author used other Speedball items to make obstacles, survivors (other players who when touched become side pods) etc...
You can even get an extra arm (floating by...). I don't know what it does since I died just after getting it, the two times I tried the game.

Also you can 'dive' (sort of sliding) to go under some otherwise unavoidable barriers. However it requires an item that appears a few seconds before the barrier. I guess that in higher levels it becomes tricky to get that item while avoiding enemies and other obstacles.

Now for potential additions:

- On the DS, Bubble Bobble Revolution includes a full remake of the original arcade game http://www.mobygames.com/game/ninten...ble-revolution

- Since you mention Derelict (not a 100% remake/revival) in your first post, maybe you'll consider Get Medieval as a Gauntlet-inspired game http://www.getmedieval.com/shots/

- Same thing for Shadowgrounds http://www.shadowgroundsgame.com/, kind of Alien Breed inspired, especially with this mod installed http://www.shadowgroundsgame.com/for...opic.php?t=160.
Do a search on this board if you want to see a few comments about it by other EAB members. That's in fact how I discovered this game.

[Graham Humphrey]

That is superb work.

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for the insight. Sounds wacky enough to be just my cup of cha. I'll have to download it at work on my Windows machine and turn my monitor screen to face a wall for an hour or two.

I definitely reckon all those suggestions should be added. It's not as if I've got a very strict inclusion policy anyway. If you're seriously into a particular game anything vaguely reminiscent of it is worth a look if you ask me.

Thanks Graham.

[lilalurl]

Two/three potential entries:

- Glory days (GBA) and Glory Days 2 (DS).
As that review ( http://uk.ds.ign.com/articles/809/809996p2.html ) says it's 'Choplifter meets Rescue Raiders meets Wings of Fury'.

I stumbled upon the GBA game and immediately thought of Wings of fury since you fly in a zoomed view when close to the ground and unzoomed view when high in the air. It is a chopper you pilot though.
I didn't enjoy the game very much but I only played a few minutes so I guess I'll have to give it another try later. And of course test the DS game too.

- Racing gears advance (GBA) feels quite inspired by Supercars ( http://www.gamespot.com/gba/driving/...nce/index.html ). It is a racing game in some sort of isometric view, which includes some weaponry. I didn't play thoroughly so I could not unlock all of them (according to a FAQ, there notably missiles ) so I only could use nitro or oil slick. Seemed quite enjoyable, thinking of playing it further later on.
Of course, I had forgotten to tell you have to collect money so that you can get the many other than weapon upgrades to manage (tyres, engines...), repair your car etc... The only scenery hazard I encounterd (there are probably more) was falling into the water in circuits with a river, on unprotected sections of the road. There is probably some fun to have pushing enemies out...

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've added Glory Days 1 & 2 under the Wings of Fury umbrella since, as you say, that's probably the closest inspiration and Choplifter/Rescue Raiders weren't available for the Amiga according to the HOL.

I already had Racing Gears listed as a Micro Machines spin-off, though I can see how it could have been equally inspired by Supercars so I've updated the entry to reflect that.

[lilalurl]

Homebrew Supaplex for the DS currently under development (only some of the levels are playable):
http://forum.palib.info/index.php?topic=6491.0

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for pointing that out. I've added it to the list... which is now a fully fledged, searchable, re-arrangeable database by the way.

[lilalurl]

Although done with the Atari Lynx version in mind, there is a homebrew port of Chip's Challenge for the DS, titled Codename Hacker.
Tested it a bit, no problem found. Includes the original levels + fan made levels.

The author also made a GBA version.
I have not tested it, but it is likely to work.


Also, MethodGit mentionned a DS port of Valhalla Episode 1.
Tested it a bit too. Works OK. Don't know if the author thinks of doing the other episodes.

[dreamkatcha]

Great stuff, thanks for the tip off. I've added those to the database.

[lilalurl]

Not tried it yet, but I just read about this DS homebrew called BLOCKS MANIA Another Dream, strongly inspired by Puzznic.

Edit: Played something like 20 levels. Nice and works well.
Among other things, you can buy blocks that have the same shapes and colours as the blocks in Puzznic in the shop (you earn coins by finishing levels, notably when finishing a level with the minimum number of moves possible).

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for the tip off. I've added it to the database.