[ Fuzzy Memory ] MS-DOS Space Game
May 4th, 2010 by Benj Edwards
Every once and a while, I receive emails from people looking for a certain game, electronic toy, or computer from their distant past. I then pass it on to intrepid VC&G readers to crack the case.
The Clues
Corrado writes:
Hello there. I’d like to take advantage of VC&G’s collective genius to identify this game I used to play (or try to) a lot back when my bulky, monochromatic 286 laptop was the greatest computer I ever owned. This should place us in the mid-nineties.
Anyway, it was a dos game, a space fighter simulator with wire frame graphics. One of the toughest enemies looked for all the world like a ROTJ walker- yes, walking about in space. Your ship had a laser and three “boosters”-activating them would make a second hud slide in the game window and make you zoom around, to absolutely no use.
One pretty remarkable thing about this game, and my favorite feature really- you could fly into a wedge-shaped mothership, connect to its computer and get a slideshow of all the enemies. I remember getting pretty psyched when I found out that. Of all my old games this is the one that always eluded me, so I’d be grateful for your help.
Thanks,
Corrado
The Search Begins
It’s up to you now to find the object of Corrado’s fuzzy memory. Post any thoughts or suggestions in the comments section below. Good luck!
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Have a memory of a computer, video game, computer software, or electronic toy you need help identifying? Send me an email describing your memories in detail. Hopefully, the collective genius of the VC&G readership can help solve your mystery.
May 4th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
http://www.mobygames.com/game/space-rogue? Just trying 🙂
May 4th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Accepted Answer
It has to be Starglider. I played it alot on my old Atari ST. However, I think it’s not set in space at all, but seeing as the graphics are crude I guess a young imaginative mind could percieve it to be in space when it’s actually on a planet.
Anyway, here’s a video of the gameplay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5QOupzInU4&feature=related
About 20 seconds in you see the ROTJ “walker”…)
May 4th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Holy–! it really is it! Thanks, guys, that was lightning fast 🙂 I had to have a pc port, since I never owned an Atari. I’ll be on the lookout- props!
May 4th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
They make Atari ST emulators if you find the Atari version. 😉
May 4th, 2010 at 9:37 pm
There is a PC version, the version shown in the video is the PC version, you can tell because it is using the limited CGA colour set, (pink, cyan, white, black). The colours at the start are graphics created in ANSI art.
There are two CGA colour sets, the other is (black, green, red brown)
In text mode CGA can produce 16 colours which is what you see the ANSI art use.
May 5th, 2010 at 3:28 am
Corrado, if you want to try it out (and risk ruin all those good memories :p) it’s available here: http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/788/Starglider.html
And can be played in DosBOX, available here: http://www.dosbox.com/
Me, I’ll stick with the Atari ST version which you can find here: http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-st-starglider_s10220.html
And an Atari emulator is here: http://steem.atari.st/download.htm
As the history buff that I am I’ll leave you with a little trivia: It was developed by Argonaut (but ported to PC by Realtime games), responsible for such fine things like Croc(PSX) and the Super FX chip used in titles such as Star Fox for SNES. Starglider was (I think) the first game out from the company.
May 5th, 2010 at 6:37 am
Excellent work, Thomas! I’m very impressed. You guys made such short work of that one that I’ll probably post another Fuzzy Memory soon.
May 5th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
The ST version is definitely the best. I remember getting this game in the mail (mail ordered from some outlet in STart magazine) on Halloween of 1986 and having the _best_ time playing it on my new-ish 520ST, with the windows open, hearing the kids outside trick-or-treating, nice evening breeze. It’s one of my fondest memories of gaming. And the game just blew me away. As did the digitized audio on the intro!
I’ve setup a nice 520ST system recently and have revisited this one on the real metal a good number of times of late.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blakespot/sets/72157604329654261/
May 7th, 2010 at 1:49 am
Thomas-
it wasn’t Argonaut’s first game. that would be Skyline Attack for the C64.
but by and far the most impressive game they ever made (well, in my opinion) was X for the Game Boy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_%28handheld_game%29
it’s what would eventually lead to developing the Super FX and then all that wrought.
May 8th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
I cam in late but I was also going to suggest Starglider. I have to give props to the Amiga version which is the one I have (still have a copy and an Amiga to play it on!)
I remember talking with the developer (Jez Sans is the name I recall) on one of the old networks. He was very proud of Starglider and its speed.
I’m going to have to bust out my copy and go on a mission…