This is PacMan. An exact clone of the original Atari game. It runs in 256 colors only. Requires a 8-bits only card. Didn't run on my GC card, but ran fine on my SI and my FX with an 8-bits graphics card. I am still unsure of its pd-status. But I feel such a great game deserves to float around. If someone discovers that it isn't pd or shareware, or can't be distributed, please email me. I will try my best to persuade the rest to remove their copies.
Exact replica of the arcade game Pacman. Period. Good Implementation. There is some question as to whether this game can legally be out there because it is exactly like the original arcade game Pacman. If you see it grab it while you can. However if you like the style of game that Pacman is try Bachman. Bachman is much more interesting game with better graphics and sound. Plus Bachman is more fun to play.
DAVE'S RATING **
9) Slime Invaders 2.01
Ingemar Ragnemalm
Plöjareg. 73
S-58330 Linköping
Sweden
Freeware
Once upon a time, the city Arcadopolis was attacked by the evil Slime people, who intended to enslave the poor citizens of the city. However, their evil plans were discovered by the Arcadopolis Special Intelligence. A special defense system, the Slime Defense Initiative, was organized. When the slimes arrived, the defense system was ready...
Stop it! Stop it! Please, what are you trying to tell us? It's just a stupid game, no science fiction novel!
Ahem... OK, I guess you are right. How about this, then. This is Slime Invaders, a shoot-em-up game for the Macintosh. The game is in the Space Invaders genre, with a gun at the bottom of the screen and various enemies attacking from the top. 8 different enemy types, fast enough to be enjoyable on a Classic (or at least a Classic II). Color or black-and-white graphics.
Much better.
Slime Invaders is very similar to the shareware game Solarian II. This is because they were both based on the arcade game Galaga. This is where the similarity ends. Solarian II is by far the better of the two. Slime Invaders is just a silly game. The interesting thing about Slime invaders is that was written by the same author as Bachman 2.0. That might be the only reason to check it out.
DAVE'S RATING *1/2
10) Starfleet Exam 2.0
Enterprise Technology
P.O. Box 62
Kodak, Tennessee 37764
Shareware Fee - $15.00
This is a Star Fleet Officers Examination. The purpose of this exam is to determine your qualifications for becoming a Star Fleet Officer. Questions are drawn from Star Fleet Records Hall located on Earth. Answering 5 questions in a row will merit a promotion, but if a question is answered incorrectly, a rank reduction will occur. The exam will end when you reach Fleet Admiral at level 5.
Star Fleet Exam V2.0 contains 800 questions and a higher resolution Quicktime file. When you register you will be sent a confirmation letter telling how to disable the shareware notice. You may submit Star Trek questions for consideration in the next version. If your questions are used, then your name will be listed in the credits. If I include 20 or more of your questions in Star Fleet Exam, then your shareware fee will be waived. Also, if you just want the latest copy, then send in a $5.00 shareware fee (You will receive a one time upgrade). Please send comments and suggestions to the address above.
If you are a Trekkie than this game is a must. You go through the game trying to answer as many questions as you can to try and gain rank. This is probably an easy task for those of you who have great knowledge of the Trek series and movies but for those of us who don't it is a great learning tool. After playing a few quick games you will easily be able to show off your new found wisdom among your friends. I especially liked the questions that included the pictures of the Enterprise and her crew. Overall I would rate this game a must for Trek fans. My biggest complaint would be that I am unsure as to what is the latest version. Version 2.1p on AOL was released at a later date but did not include the pictures or the movie file. There was no reason given in the read me file as to why these files were deleted. It is my opinion that these files added greatly to the game and there exclusion will be missed.
DAVE'S RATING **1/2
11) TechnoManiac 1.01
Joseph Fleck
1447 Burr Oak
Homewood, IL 60430
Shareware Fee - $10.00
The objective of TechnoManiac is to kill your opponent, and keep from being killed. Depending on the scenario, you may be competing to get on the high scores list, or be simply competing against another person. There are several variables you can change - Tank left - right motion, tank forward - backward motion, turret up and down, turret left and right, and the thrust of the bomb. You can also control the rotation of the world (up, down, left, right, forward, backward). You can play against the computer or against another person. There is a barrier in the center of the world that you must shoot over to hit the other tank. You can also set walls and ceiling to be reflective and get some very interesting shots. Finally, there is a grid that you are floating on, which disappears whenever it is hit by a bomb (yours or the other players). Depending on the setting you may either fall through that grid hole (don't break the ice!), or you may simply be restricted from going over it. So as play progresses, your grid slowly deteriorates. If you have the "grid-fixing demon" on, the grid will be repaired. The game can be played against the computer, but can just as easily be played against another person. You can configure the keyboard for each player (or have the green player use the mouse for most of their movement), and it works quite well. Try it out!
As I have mentioned, there are two modes of play. The first being the "Fast Play" I referred to already. But there is also a "Turn-Based" mode, which may be more reminiscent of the older 2-d games I referred to. In the turn-based mode, you each take turns shooting. There is a status indicator along the top of the screen to indicate how much turn you have left. The more you move your tank, the more you burn up your turn. There are tick marks that tell you how many shots you have left. Each person starts out with 2 maximum shots. You increase the tick marks (amount of movement and shots) for every kill you make on the other person.
The object of the game is to kill the enemy. You control your tank with the keyboard or the mouse (the keyboard is easier to control) and try to get into the perfect position to kill your opponent. The tank can be moved in eight direction and the turret can be moved up and down. This can has good graphics and great sounds. Overall it makes for a very good game.
DAVE'S RATING ***
12) Trek 1.4.6
Rob Koch
attn: Trek
625 North 116th St. Apt. B-3
Omaha, NE 68154
Shareware Fee - $12.00
Trek was started before there were choices of Mac CPU's (about 1985) and due to college was slooowly developed into what is running before you today. I cringe when I look at the old Pascal versions that I had thought of releasing back in those ancient times. Luckily school ended, UNluckily I had to go to work in a company where I don't get to use a Mac much. However, I continue my developing and you have what you see before you today.
Rob has taken the old computer game of Trek and improved upon it. This game has a Mac interface that makes it a better choice than MacTrek which is almost the same as the original. Versus MacTrek this game is slicker in both graphics and sound. Playwise is also much easier because of the point and click interface. On the downside, this game is crippled and you must register to get the uncrippled version. I am fully against the idea of crippleware and in this case it really ruins the game. Just recently a similar game "Rescue" was released. If you want a more playable game with more options try that game first. It is much better. Trek is included here because it is more like the original computer game.
DAVE'S RATING **
13) Verttice 1.1
Dreamlight Incorporated
50 Clifford Street
Providence, RI 02903
Shareware Fee - $24.95
Verttice‚Ñ¢ is a fact paced computer game that exercises your intellect as well as your coordination.
We created Verttice entirely within MacroMedia Director to demonstrate how far we can push interactice multimedia. We programmed it in Director's object oriented language called Lingo. We programmed all elements as intelligent objects that communicate with one another and the user.
Your goal is to contain the laser light reaction. You must close all four sides through a delicate energy transfer.
As simple as this game looks be forewarned that it is far from that. Yes, Verttice is a simple game, however, if your hand-eye coordination is not up to par you will have troubles. When the game starts you must guide the photon on the correct path to fill the proper power node. You can change the direction of the path by clicking on the correct vert node. As simple as this sounds it can be complicated following the path and getting the photon to that correct power node. As much as I have played this game I cannot get past level 1. This game was designed in part as an advertisement for Dreamlight and what they can do with Macromind Director. Don't let that bother you though. This is the type of game that will have you pulling your hair until you can unlock the secrets of the Verttice.
