Contributions > Descriptions by Retron (222)

A strategy game - your aim is to get to the far end of a large grid, filled with enemies, holes and walls. You have the ability to create and fill in holes, to stop the enemies reaching you or to reach new areas. The enemies vary in intelligence - some will just move towards you, while others will move around walls to reach you. The further forward you move, the more points you gain; if you have to backtrack you'll lose them again.

The final part of the Bolo Adventures trilogy, this game has updated graphics and only 30 levels instead of the 40 in Bolo Adventure I and II. The objective remains the same, though - escape from each level by maneuvering blocks to fill in water, shut off laser beams and avoiding monsters. A demo level is provided, with a walkthrough to help introduce the game concept for new players.

A continuation of Bolo Adventures I, this game contains 40 more levels. The objective is the same; escape from each level by moving blocks to cut off laser beams and avoid monsters. Other hazards include water and electrified grates which must be deactivated before you can cross them.

A puzzle game with 40 levels. Escape from each level by pushing blocks around to block laser beams, fill in water etc. There are no time limits, as the emphasis is on puzzles rather than action.

Wolf is an educational simulation game, in which the player takes control of a wolf. The game offers both a free-form simulation mode, and various scenarios where the player must complete a specific objective within the allotted time. The game simulates all the aspects of a wolf's life, including hunting, mating, and challenging the packmates. There are three different regions available, corresponding to three species of wolf: arctic, timber and Great Plains wolf.

Moving around is done by directing the wolf with the mouse cursor. Several movement speed are possible, with the fastest (running) depleting the wolf's stamina level. There are several senses available to the wolf which allow detecting nearby things, such as animals, water or humans. The senses include hearing, smelling, looking and following tracks. Using the senses show the rough direction, distance and nature of a given object of interest. The wolf also has a "sixth sense" which warns him about the presence of nearby humans.

Hunting (whether small game such as rabbits, or large beasts such as deer) is done by clicking on the prey animal to make the wolf pounce. Smaller animals are killed instantly if the wolf manages to grab them, while the larger ones need to be successfully worried to death, and the unlucky wolf can potentially get injured in the attempt. The chance of success is the greater, the stronger the wolf is and the more packmates are in the vicinity. After killing the animal, the wolf can eat to satisfy his hunger. A wolf's injuries heal automatically if he is well-fed.

Within his pack, the wolf can challenge other wolves in order to rise in the pack hierarchy. During the fight, the player's control is limited to changing the position of the wolf's tail, from raised (aggressive) to lowered (submissive, surrendering.)

After raising his wolf to the alpha status, the player can mate with an alpha of the opposite sex if conditions are favorable. After mating, the female becomes pregnant and eventually gives birth to cubs, which must be kept alive by bringing them food. Cubs can be named by the player, and become full-fledged pack members once they reach a year of age.

Humans are extremely dangerous and should be avoided. Many of them carry rifles which are guaranteed to kill in one or two shots. Sometimes, hunters in helicopters or planes (visible as shadows on the ground) also appear; the wolf must stay out of the shadow to avoid getting instantly shot to death.

Educational information about wolves is shown at certain points, and the game features an interactive encyclopedia with a variety of information about the wolves' biology and society.

A game that's very similar to Boulder Dash - the basic idea of collecting things while avoiding being crushed is the same. The protagonist of the game is a dwarf named Mosiek, who decided to marry Rachel. A necessary condition, however, is showing the cunning and skill. He goes to a magical world in order to collect all the hearts. Assisting in completing the task are bombs and balloons, disturb stones and walls. In each level player must collect all the hearts, in order to open a door-portal to the next stage. The game features 64 levels.

This is a platform game with puzzle elements. You have to guide Jacek, the Electroman, around the levels, using such things as teleporters, while shooting enemies and collecting weapon power-ups. This latter activity is essential - over a period of time, your weapon downgrades itself, until you can't actually fire at all.

The game features in total 8 levels, on which there are three microchips that must be collected in order to proceed to the next. The difficulty level is very steep, and each death sets you back to your previously visited checkpoint, but fortunately already collected microchips stay collected. Checkpoints also serve as an additional difficulty factor, as once touched, they remove all your weapons, leaving you unarmed.

Unlike many platformers, you can't control your jumping mid-air, and the main protagonist can only jump and fall at a given angle. This proves an extra challenge as when there are enemies above or below you, perfect timing is essential in order to succeed.

Apart from the title screen, only the last level, which really is just a credit to the producers, has background music.

Robbo is a side-scrolling puzzle solving action game, similar to Boulder Dash and Sokoban.

The player directs the robot, named Robbo. His goal is to collect all the screws on the planet needed to repair the ship and reach his flying capsule, avoiding alien forms of life and numerous traps. The players will encounter many obstacles on their way, for example chests that will have to move properly, closed doors requiring to find the key, deadly cannons or electromagnets attracting metal objects. Robbo can use the gun after finding ammunition, bombs placed on the board and travel through teleporters.

The original Atari 8-bit version has 56 levels, the DOS version added four additional levels for a total 60, and the Atari ST version has the original Atari 8-Bit levels plus an additional 80 levels for a total of 136 levels.

This larger than usual Kroz game (75 levels worth) has the same elements that were present in the previous installments: monsters, puzzles and plenty of levels.

The final part of the Super Kroz trilogy. Although the aims are the same as before (i.e. solve puzzles and kill monsters to solve levels), the ultimate aim of the Kroz series was achieved: to collect a certain amulet.

The second part of the Super Kroz trilogy is once again more or less the same as its predecessors - move your player through levels killing and avoiding monsters, while solving puzzles.

This is the first game of the Super Kroz trilogy. Despite the name, it's very much more of the same - more puzzles, more monsters to kill or avoid, and even more levels.

Dungeons of Kroz is the second installment of the Kroz trilogy - this game is very similar to the Kingdom of Kroz, only differing in level design and puzzles.

Caverns of Kroz is a continuation of Kingdom of Kroz, and the third game in the original Kroz trilogy. The same formula of puzzles mixed with action applies to this text-mode game.

A sequel of sorts to Kingdom of Kroz. Although the gameplay and most of the levels remain the same, there were changes made to 17 of the levels. The basic aim of getting to the exit of each level remains the same, as do the puzzles and monsters.

A text-mode action/puzzle game. You have to get to the exit on each level, which is made more difficult by obstacles such as trees (which can be destroyed) and monsters. Various puzzles (in the form of one-off objects) are also used.

Six months after the events of Pharaoh's Tomb, the young assistant-turned-treasure hunter Nevada Smith yearns for another discovery. Not willing to take his previous exploits as "beginner's luck" as accused by so called experts, Nevada has been determined to find another great prize.

One night while scouring old tomes in the university's library, Nevada finds mention of a band of Vikings who, after a large looting raid, had hidden their ship-full of ancient treasures somewhere in an Arctic cave. Being distrustful of each other, the band of Vikings tore up the map that lead to the cave into four pieces and hid them as well. Only by putting the map together again would they be able to return to their treasure, but as fate would have it after hiding their loot and map pieces the Vikings hit a powerful storm on their venture back and were lost at sea, taking with them their secrets.

Deciding that he must go in search of this treasure our determined hero asks his old professor Dr. Jones to assist him on his quest. Dr. Jones, though flattered, turns down Nevada due to his large workload but not before tossing Nevada a little parting gift to help him on his quest. There, inside a wrap of cloth is Dr. Jones' trusty old .38 caliber revolver. After running back to his apartment and quickly packing, Nevada hitches a ride on an Arctic bound freighter to start his Arctic Adventure.

In this sequel to Pharaoh's Tomb, players again control Nevada Smith. As opposed to the first game, the player this time around starts out on a map of caves. Some caves need keys to unlock them while others are accessible only by finding a boat first. In this way, the player has some choice over which level they'd like to tackle first. Control-wise Nevada can walk side to side, jump and shoot a gun, for which ammo must be collected on levels. Pick-axes must also be collected to break blocks of ice in your path. Along your journey the player will run into multitudes of enemies from Yeti to penguins, which can be either avoided since they are restricted to moving in strict patterns or dispatched with your revolver. There are of course traps abound in the caves and most will be found too late by players. Natural hazards and obstacles such as spike pits, rolling boulders, and piercing icicles are another thing to be on the watch for. Lastly another introduction in this sequel is the presence of icy cave floors. Players must judge their movements carefully to control themselves and predict the predicament they may find themselves in by stepping onto the ice covered platforms.

The entire game is split into four volumes comprised of twenty levels each with the first volume being the shareware version of the game. The volumes are simply titled Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 and Vol. 4. Keys and special items must be collected before advancing on to locked levels. The players have five lives but a save mode is available allowing the players to prolong their adventure. Saves can be made on the map screen and cannot be made while part-way through a level. A high-score table is available from the main menu displaying the top five scores.

The fourth in the Pro Pinball series, this game once again features only one table. The theme is Victorian technology - by building such machines as an airship and submarine and performing various tasks (such as completing 'adventures' by shooting ramps), the goal is to defeat the evil General Yagov. A multi coloured dot panel is the main new feature compared to other Pro Pinball games.

The first in a line of pinball games from 21st Century and Digital Illusions, with four tables covering themes such as the wild west for Steel Wheel, space rockets for Ignition, a haunted graveyard for Nightmare and pop music for Beat Box.

The portable versions for the Game Boy and Game Gear only have 3 of the 4 original tables with the removal of Beat Box.

The iPhone version includes updated graphics (optional) and gameplay in both portrait and landscape orientation.