By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions. We in turn value your personal details in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Because I am old, some of my targeted Facebook content seems to be retro computer games, which does actually bring up some nice stuff.
For those of similarly advanced years, share the obscure/low budget/forgotten games that entertained you before consoles too over.
Here's one from me. Rockstar Ate My Hamster. Sort of like football manager but with pop bands. Had this on the spectrum 128k, but also played a lot on a mates Atari ST.
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 23:28 - Oct 5 by WicklowBlue
Funnily enough I am getting flooded with retro games on FB too!
From affluent friends of mine having BBC micro, to my family graduating from a 16k spectrum (yep the cheap version of thr 48k rubber keyboard sleccy) to a C64, Amiga 500 and into the 386sx PC's and beyond.
All the Ultimate Speccy games (Sabrewulf, Underworld etc need a mention), the later games Lemmings (awesome split screen 2 player), Sensible Soccer (spent a weekend playing this with 8 friends!), then into PS1, PS2 etc.
The best preconsole game that caught my 8 yo attention was this:
(Tried to avoid all the AI etc vids on youtube, the above is what I remember Elite being)
PS evidently can still play it today...
Elite always comes up when these sort of threads do, and it really was ahead of its time. I had the line drawing version on the Acorn Electron, and then the filled in one on the Amiga. TBH I think I preferred the line drawing one.
I loved those big old boxes you got the 'official' Acorn games in. A couple of fave games that stick in the head were Killer Gorilla (basically a Donkey Kong ripoff) and Millionaire - a text based role playing game buying and selling businesses.
Then I moved onto the Amiga 500+. First game I had was Blood Money - a side-on shooter. The music and graphics blew me away following the Electron. Then there was the hilarious By Fair Means Or Foul - a boxing game where you could cheat if the umpire wasn't paying attention, with a knee or punch below the belt! There would be uproar if that was released today!
I had a rubber key 48k Speccy, which I upgraded to the proper-key Spectrum+ myself.
As far as games go, the ones I remember were the Joystick killing Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Alien 8, Fairlight, Spy Hunter, Spy vs Spy and my personal favourite Turbo Esprit.
1
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 10:38 - Oct 6 with 778 views
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 09:35 - Oct 6 by Tractor_Buck
I had a rubber key 48k Speccy, which I upgraded to the proper-key Spectrum+ myself.
As far as games go, the ones I remember were the Joystick killing Daley Thompson's Decathlon, Alien 8, Fairlight, Spy Hunter, Spy vs Spy and my personal favourite Turbo Esprit.
Spy Hunter!
That was superb, totally forgot about that one.
SB
Avatar - M101 - Pinwheel Galaxy
2
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 11:18 - Oct 6 with 728 views
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 08:53 - Oct 6 by MJallday
Im somewhat of a c64 geek. see if any of these tickle your memory cells
Barbarian Jet Set Willy (2) Monty on the run Bubble Bobble The Great Giana Sisters Buggy Boy Spindizzy Pitstop 2 Kickstart 2 Pirates! Elite The Bards Tale (1 or 3, 2 was rubbish) Impossible Mission 1 / 2 Paradoid Uridium Calafornia Games/Summer Games/Winter Games International Karate +
Paradroid is one of the greatest games of all time.
1
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 12:08 - Oct 6 with 674 views
When parents moved they emptied the loft and still had my spectrum +2 with about 100 cassettes. Bought back lots of memories. I haven't fired up the original but I did download an emulator to play them on my PC.
The +2 and games sit proudly in my gaming/TV/junk/hide stuff when visitors visit room
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 19:28 - Oct 5 by bluester
I remember buying that game for the title alone.
Not really niche but great low key games - Skool Daze, Super Scramble, Auf Wiedersehen Monty, Dynamite Dan.
I loved Scramble, one summer my Dad was living in a small village right by the sea, the cafe next to the beach had a Scramble machine and a huge number of 10p's went into it I could clock it about 5-6 times usually killed by making a silly mistake.
0
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 13:16 - Oct 6 with 616 views
I used to play on my Amstrad PC1512 which was a gift from Sir Alan Sugar himself no less!
Rogue was my go too. So basic that that the adversary’s involved were just a letter of the alphabet, no graphics at all. The whole thing was ASCII based
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 13:53 - Oct 6 by Dubtractor
My lifelong* addiction to football manager games started on the Spectrum too, after buying Football Director 2 from the Ipswich Software Centre.
*Until the most recent edition.
The original football manager game, by Kevin Toms, had a very limited player pool but was heavily ipswichy. I recall thinking as much when me and my brother beat it, I think at Xmas time, on a black and white telly in the living room.
Pretty sure about gates and talbot. Sure there were others too but the Internet is not offering a list.
Twtd deserves to know. I will see if I can load it up and break into the program tonight to get the full list of players
Anyone else have an Atari ST520? All my mates had.ega drives or Snes. Not me, I got the 520. I think my parents thought that would somehow result in me getting "into" computers and become some sort of tech wiz.
Much like when they throught the guitar (with no lessons or even books to accompany it) would result in me becoming Jimmy Page.
I sound ungrateful and to an extent I am. I wanted to play duck Hunt with an actual gun, not James Pond
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 14:56 - Oct 6 by redrickstuhaart
The original football manager game, by Kevin Toms, had a very limited player pool but was heavily ipswichy. I recall thinking as much when me and my brother beat it, I think at Xmas time, on a black and white telly in the living room.
Pretty sure about gates and talbot. Sure there were others too but the Internet is not offering a list.
Twtd deserves to know. I will see if I can load it up and break into the program tonight to get the full list of players
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 23:28 - Oct 5 by WicklowBlue
Funnily enough I am getting flooded with retro games on FB too!
From affluent friends of mine having BBC micro, to my family graduating from a 16k spectrum (yep the cheap version of thr 48k rubber keyboard sleccy) to a C64, Amiga 500 and into the 386sx PC's and beyond.
All the Ultimate Speccy games (Sabrewulf, Underworld etc need a mention), the later games Lemmings (awesome split screen 2 player), Sensible Soccer (spent a weekend playing this with 8 friends!), then into PS1, PS2 etc.
The best preconsole game that caught my 8 yo attention was this:
(Tried to avoid all the AI etc vids on youtube, the above is what I remember Elite being)
PS evidently can still play it today...
For anyone with a nostalgia craving and time on their hands, Elite emulator and handbooks here:
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 16:13 - Oct 6 by MJallday
i actually spoke to him a few months ago. Nice chap
Also i cant believe i forgot the below from my list...
Gauntlet (and G2) R-type Tetris Pacland spy hunter lotus esprit turbo challenge Zork 1 I-Ball Bounder Thrust (and thrust 2) Airwolf Barbarian Bruce Lee The Sentinal Krackout
As im moving soon, the c64 may have to come out of the loft...
I believe he is coming along to Crash Live in Coventry next weekend. I am looking forward to a weekend of beer and nerdery.
Just managed to find a TAP file and load it onto the next. Line 9030 confirms the players data as Parkes, Watson, Neal, Martin, Sansom, Mills, Osman, Foster, Robson, Rix, Hunt, Mcall, Regis, Withe, Morley, Barnes, Gates, Reeves, Keegan and Shaw.
A point for anyone who can offer all the first names without googling.
Not quite as Ipswichy as I recall- but the presence of Mcall Gates Osman Mills is probably a fair share.
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 14:58 - Oct 6 by BlueandTruesince82
Anyone else have an Atari ST520? All my mates had.ega drives or Snes. Not me, I got the 520. I think my parents thought that would somehow result in me getting "into" computers and become some sort of tech wiz.
Much like when they throught the guitar (with no lessons or even books to accompany it) would result in me becoming Jimmy Page.
I sound ungrateful and to an extent I am. I wanted to play duck Hunt with an actual gun, not James Pond
[Post edited 6 Oct 16:34]
Yeah I had an ST too, it had midi and I was going to be the next big thing. I remember the original Championship Manager game, I had enough memory for about 10-11 seasons then that was it end of game, often mid season.
Of course it would take me 9-10 seasons to assemble my world dominating squad. Speedball Brutal Delux was another big favourite on there for me.
No idea when I began here, was a very long time ago. Previously known as Spirit_of_81. Love cheese, hate the colour of it, this is why it requires some blue in it.
Niche computer games from the pre console era on 17:42 - Oct 6 by redrickstuhaart
I believe he is coming along to Crash Live in Coventry next weekend. I am looking forward to a weekend of beer and nerdery.
Just managed to find a TAP file and load it onto the next. Line 9030 confirms the players data as Parkes, Watson, Neal, Martin, Sansom, Mills, Osman, Foster, Robson, Rix, Hunt, Mcall, Regis, Withe, Morley, Barnes, Gates, Reeves, Keegan and Shaw.
A point for anyone who can offer all the first names without googling.
Not quite as Ipswichy as I recall- but the presence of Mcall Gates Osman Mills is probably a fair share.
Phil, ? Doc ?, Phil, Alvin, Kenny, Mick, Russell, ? Dr. ?, Bryan, Graham, ? Roger ?, Steve, Cyrille, Peter, ? Tony ?, Peter, Eric, Kevin, Gary...
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
