It’s not a follow up. It’s a unofficial hacked version with the levels from this:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catrap
All the levels in real M&M were designed from scratch based on mechanics from that game.
Probably more in the console days than 8bit computers but the Olympic Games, Master System Robocod, some nice versions of Kick Off, World Cup '94 were all above average I'd say. And I'm not absolving the devs of all blame, we certainly got it wrong on many occasions.
They gave me a copy of Zeus64 at my interview as well. I was amazed, I’d only ever used an inline monitor to code before that.
I worked at Tiertex in the early 90s. They were very maligned, sometimes justifiably, but there were some talented people there. There are all sorts of reasons bad games were released and not all of them were down to poor development. Unrealistic deadlines, licences etc. are just as culpable.
When I interviewed for my YTS placement at Walking Circles I was given posters for all the Design Design games. The coder Simon Brattel had left by then and never wrote another game. I did meet him later and he was one of those savant programmers 80s UK game development seemed to have a surfeit of.
Mike's conversion of my Unity version of M&M looks to be coming along very nicely.
Really great game. As a kid I always thought John Machine was a contraceptive pun (we called the vending machines in toilets Johnny machines). I worked with Mark Dawson years later and asked for confirmation. I think he said I was right but my memory is bad.
Battling being old to stay up for the Artemis II #splashdown. Even though I’m 54 these events are few and far between. I flash back to my 80’s Space Shuttle bedroom wallpaper, and the Voyager II project we did in primary school. This stuff shows the best of humanity in a time of some of our worst.
I worked on both Skull and Crossbones and Spitting Image, albeit the #C64 versions. The former was an Atari arcade game which I don't think even had a UK release. It did OK though as mags liked the pirate theme so it got a few front covers. The game is bang average on all formats, including arcade.
That version definitely starts off tougher, how you’ve remembered your M&M skills!
Of course. It’s an unofficial version with the GB levels. I’m happy enough for people to play it.
We had separate developers for the Master System and Game Gear versions. I don’t know why. There are quite a few subtle differences between our versions though.
In the 80s Boots had little videos advertising upcoming games, like those JML things. I still remember the voiceover for this was quite blatant on where the inspiration had come from. Something like "You've got to hang on to succeed, if you don't hang on you'll lost the race. So hang on tight."
Think I’ve finished the extra levels and features for my #SpectrumNext conversion of my #C64 game Runn ‘n’ Gunn. The game is 80% bigger and there are a couple of surprises. Need to do the boring tidying now.
Who doesn’t love the glamour of a late 80s UK game dev studio? Google can keep their town halls and break out areas. Here’s Walking Circles at a similar time.
“AI, make me the most 80s game dev studio photo imaginable”
I think we knew it was a duffer so kind of expected. Also the release was delayed a long while so I was a hardened 17yo by the time it reviewed!
Wanderer on the #C64 was my first ever professional product. Coded when I was 16yo I basically converted the Speccy code and mostly didn’t know what I was doing. It scored 16% in Zzap and was described as a ‘vector graphics turkey’.
CRT is definitely the best format. Doesn’t mean we were willing/able to fork out for it back then. Summer Games II on Kung Fu Flash is like a different game. Insta-loading and saving of scores. I wouldn’t have paid the premium.
I recorded a Podcast with @retrotitans.com last night. As always good fun to ramble on about games development. Phil noticed I still play video games, something rarer than you’d think in the industry. I tend to agree, I’ve worked with loads of game devs who don’t actually play games. Wonder why.
Completed the excellent Öoo earlier. I wish I had the kind of mind that can come up with these kinds of concepts. Have to say you could probably make an excellent version of this for the #C64.
youtu.be/tSJyHEjyGuA?...
Went to a retro gaming market in Bolton today. Crazy busy and I didn’t manage to fill any gaps in games I’ve written but don’t own.
Picked up @merman1974.bsky.social ‘s book (signed!) and @jazrignall.bsky.social ‘s book though. Plenty of of reading there.
The rolling man on fire was a bit OTT though!
I don’t normally do politics on here but my word this man says everything I wish I had the nerve to. Let’s all be kinder to each other.
Straight out of the traps with an obscure classic!
Looking forward to this, some of my favourite gaming memories are playing against my friends on two player #C64 games. Rocketball, Kikstart, Hypaball and probably my favourite Pitstop II. I have no interest in online gaming and I miss playing games together like we did back then. I’m old.
Pretty sure the clip was on Ricky Gervais’ Rom 101 episode. So not even hidden away.
They certainly did work on it. One of three great soundtracks we had in the game.
Hardest lad in our school went on Jim’ll Fix It whistling with Roger Whittaker. Who’d have thought that wouldn’t be the most embarrassing part of that story years later?
Looks like the #C64 Black Mini Edition is 20% off on Amazon at the minute. Four of my best games are on there along with 21 other amazing modern 8bit games. I'm still playing through - and being amazed by - Sam's Journey.