Help identify “reader” game from the early '90s

Question

There was a rabbit and a factory, I suspect it had a name like Reader Rabbit.

Answer

Reader Rabbit was definably one. there was a "jump start" game.

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Looking for diamond-reflecting-laser puzzle / platformer

Question

I'm looking for an early 90's (perhaps late 80's) platformer / side-scroller game, where you solve areas (or rooms) by shooting a laser beam at diamonds that reflect from one another. The diamonds could be rotated and adjusted in order to solve the rooms. I don't remember exactly how the rooms were solved (probably by hitting a switch with the laser off diamond reflections).

I remember the game had an Egyptian / pyramid theme, but not much else beyond that. Hope someone has an idea what I'm talking about.

Answer

Super Solvers: Ancient Empires fits the bill, though the puzzles were not solely solved by reflecting lasers off the diamond things. The purpose of the game was to collect artifacts.

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Identify this 1990s PC racing game with white old-fashioned car

Question

Somewhere around 1997 I remember playing a fun racing game over and over again. I remember it was a shareware or demo version from a Computer magazine Cover CD. I remember playing it on something eqiuvalent to 486DX4 100 MHz CPU. I am pretty sure the game was older than 1997, much more probably around 1995. I believe it was a Windows 95 game, but am not 100% sure.

The gameplay was pretty straightforward. I remember driving a white, old-fashioned car (similar to cars from 1950s, such as Mercedes Type 300 or AC Cobra) all the time (I think it was the only car available, at least in the demo), around various rural-like courses, in a rally-like racing.

The graphics were generated quite similarly to Road Rash or Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, so the view was third-person perspective. The car was a sprite that moved only during turning or crashing, and everything was 2D.

Overall the graphics were rather colorful. I think there were two or more road types on one course (asphalt and dirt), but I am not sure about that. The surroundings were mostly some sort of village buildings, with maybe some rocks, hedges, ledges, bridges. I believe the course could go up and down, so at times could make the car jump for significant distance.

There were many static and moving obstacles on course that you had to avoid. I remember turns were not that difficult, compared to the amount of obstacles on course. There were also checkpoints, and probably there was also other folks that raced with you. Finally, I think the game features some happy-tuned music.

Not very informative I know, but it was my favourite racing game of that time and it would be great to play it again now :)

Thank you in advance!

Answer

Could this be by any chance Speed Racer? I know it doesn't exactly match you description but it does feature a white "old fashioned" car, sprite graphics and happy-tuned music

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Old PC side-scrolling time-traveling game, historical, educational

Question

This is going to be extremely vague, as I only barely remember anything about the game other than that it was awesome. I think it was a sidescrolling platformer, and I remember there was a set list of historical figures (it's possible you had to rescue them), including Marie Curie and Socrates (or maybe Aristotle, something like that). I think the protagonist was somehow time-traveling to save these people. It's definitely not Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego, although it bears some resemblance. I think this game was older though, and relies more on side scrolling a la Mario rather than point and click adventure.

Just seeing if anyone else has heard of or played this!

edit: I may be wrong, but I think it was around the mid-90s, 94-96. Definitely 2D.

Answer

Sounds to me like a video game adaptation of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure.

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Help me identify this old PC platformer with monsters and soda

Question

I've been looking for this platform game of a guy (teenager with blue pants and a cap I think) that collected soda bottles and there were lots of monsters around. I played it on pc when I was like 4 or 5 (+- 15 years ago). I'm not totally sure but I kinda remember these other aspects:

-There were executions (monsters killed you) and a funny animation showed up

-There was a world map Super Mario-like with locations that included: ice mountain, haunted forest, etc.

-The name of the game had "ken can" or something like that

Answer

Sounds like Commander Keen to me, though I wouldn't describe your deaths as "executions". He certainly had blue pants, and here's the funny death animation :P

CK 1-3 looked like this, note the pop cans and ice:

CK 4-6 were like this, with 4 having forest levels:

And the ice mountain level:

It also had soda bottles:

This was the world map:

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Help to identify old mid-90 sidescrolling “RPG” (PC)

Question

I played this game around 1996-1997. It was a 2D side scroller. It was possible to travel between some kind of cave areas, where there were monsters, and the "city" areas, where you could buy stuff, talk to people, etc.

The city looked like different buildings standing in a row, as you travel past them. It was a "medieval" game, you had magic and sword-type weapons. You could call it an RPG because there was some kind of inventory, and you were able to travel freely between areas. It was fairly combat-oriented, mostly melee, without too much jumping (though you could travel up and down).

The graphics were somewhere between Jazz Jackrabbit and Mario for the NES. The only vivid detail I remember is that there was a frozen area with a boss, which looked like a giant fridge that wobbled like jelly. And the protagonist had a big nose.

Answer

Zeliard is most likely the answer. Did your character look like a viking type persona?

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Early 90's Amiga or ST game with skeleton asking for disk

Question

The game itself possibly involved some sort of dungeoneering but what I remember is after the first floppy a skeleton head and or hand loomed up holding a floppy and a ghostly voice said 'Insert Disk Two' or similar.

Ring any bells ?

Answer

Maybe Dungeon Master?

Edit: Remembered another game with such a loading screen. Was it Babarian II: Axe of Rage? Check the insert disc screen:

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Searching for a medieval town management game from the '90s

Question

I'm trying to find this abandonware game where you play some sort of a medieval townsman and you buy all sorts of buildings, run for offices and marry your kids to other noblemen. I'm pretty sure that the title has a year in it and that it's from the '90s. Does anyone know what game I'm talking about? I'm going crazy over here!

Answer

The game you're talking about is called Europa 1400: The Guild!

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searching for medievel town management game from the '90

Question

I'm trying to find this abandonware game where you play some sort of a medieval townsman and you buy all sorts of buildings, run for offices and marry you kids to other nobleman. I'm pretty sure that the title has a year in it and that it's from the '90. Anyone knows what game I'm talking about? I'm going crazy over here!

Answer

The game you're talking about is called Europa 1400: The Guild!

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Identify a shooter game with mushrooms, snakes and lobsters?

Question

I played a game in the mid 90s that was on the Apple Mac (Power PC I think), which involved shooting a snake like creature that came down from the top of the screen.

The game had a static background, with your ship at the bottom. You could move it from side to side, and up and down as well I think. There were loads of mushrooms all over the screen which disappeared when shot, and powerups drop from them occasionally.

Lobster or crab things would appear near the bottom left or right of the screen, and move across, destroying mushrooms and trying to kill you.

Any ideas?

Answer

Sounds to me like you're describing a Centipede clone, which in this case might be Apeiron, released in 1995 for the Mac. Apparently it's still available for purchase, but the only images I can find are for the sequel, Apeiron X.

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What is the name of this Mega Drive (aka Genesis) side-scrolling shooter?

Question

I really hope one of you knows the answer to this!

Basically, I am looking for a name of a specific Mega Drive (aka Genesis) side-scrolling shooter. I can't guarantee accuracy in the following details, as it was a long time ago, but I would love to hear suggestions.

The "facts":

• Possibly mid 90s side scrolling shooter.
• Possibly had multiple facets - you would be in a ship (?) for some levels, shooting waves of flying enemies, and walking around for others.
• Had a boss either at the end of each level, or occasionally.
• Definitely had a snake boss in one level, where you would have to kill it by shooting different parts of its body as it circled around you.
• Most likely had a fish boss where you had to shoot the scales of the fish to defeat it.
• Definitely could have two players playing at the same time, in co-op mode.
• Possibly quite colourful.
• Possibly had Japanese origins.

Edit: Thanks for all the help so far guys!

Bio Hazard battle is a great game, and I actually did play it when I was younger. However, it is not the game I am trying to find! Thanks anyway Maneero! Also, Viewpoint is not the game either.

I appreciate your help SystemDown, and I agree that Darius is legendary amongst the genre, however it is also not the game I am looking for!

I'm starting to appreciate that this is quite a tough one to crack. I have spent about 8 hours this weekend looking for the game, to the point that I may soon actually believe it never existed!

I shall repeat an improved version of what I have said earlier, about my most vivid details:

The most vivid details I do have concern the snake: When the boss appears, it does so by slowly entering the screen in a circular fashion from the bottom and close to the right. The snake consists of several contiguous segments and it circles the player(s) while the player(s) shoot the segments of the snake. The segments would change colour, eventually to red, as they became more damaged. The snake is defeated by damaging all of the segments. If we were clever enough, we could disable the entire snake before it completed one complete move (ie: shoot all segments as they appear on the screen).

PS: By multiple facets, I mean "hybrid platformer and shmup".

Hope to hear more suggestions!

Edit: Still looking for the answer! Here are some more details:

• Forgot to say it before, but it is a horizontally scrolling shooter.
• It was available in Europe. Specifically, the UK. It's feasible that the game was never released in Japan and/or America.
• Not Bio Hazard Battle, Viewpoint, Darius, Thunderforce IV, Alien Soldier, Gunstar Heroes, Rocket Night.
• Not Blaster Master 2. It is a very close match, but it was only published in North America.
• Not Super Fantasy Zone, although elements like boss-changing-colour make it feel like it is remotely possible the game's developer could have written the game I am looking for.
• Perhaps it wasn't a Mega Drive game after all? I only owned that one console in the past, but am I correct in supposing the only alternative at the time would be a SNES? It isn't totally unlikely that a friend of mine didn't bring over a console to my house at the time.
• Perhaps it is a game that has not been successfully emulated? Is there a list of these games?

I'll see if I can get in contact with some old friends to find out the answer. I think it unlikely, but if I pull it off I'll post the answer here!

Nick

Answer

Could be Sagaia/Darius II indeed, but there is no multiplayer in that one.

Lucky for you, not many shooters on Genesis have co-op mode and fish!

Check out Bio-Hazard Battle:

Or Viewpoint:

(Awesome games BTW!)

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Help identifying a game involving very basic polygon ships and pod retrieval/defense?

Question

When I was very young in the early 90s, my father had this game involving space ships in very basic polygon form, barely shaded, in various colors attacking you and trying to destroy pods that you were trying to retrieve. The pods were octohedral and purple if I remember correctly. I asked my father about it a few years back and he didn't remember any such game, so it may have been shareware or a demo. I know it's a long shot but any ideas would be helpful.

Answer

Netwars. It had a multi-player mode, but the single player was exactly like this, and it came for free with Novell Dos 7 and netware.

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Please identify: DOS/Windows Shooter from ~1995

Question

I have another game I remember, but I don't remember enough. It could be a DOS game, but maybe it was a Windows game. I played it on a PC and I think it was about 1995.

All I still know is that the game begins at a subway station. It's taking place in the present and the player is in some kind of town. The weapon set are weapons from the present, no futuristic stuff.

On a wall at the subway station where the player starts, there is a poster advertising the game Witchaven.

I only remember the first few minutes of the game. You're in some kind of town, entering office buildings and shooting people. (I can't remember what the actual story was about.)

Okay, it's not much information, almost none, but I hope someone recognizes this game.

---

EDIT:
Okay, I just found out which game it was. I will wait a little bit, to give you a chance to take a guess, then I will post the correct answer. :) Oh, and I'm not sure if it takes place in the present, could be in the future, too.

Answer

William Shatner's TekWar

Mentioning the in game poster made the search MUCH easier!

:44 second mark shows the ad for Witchaven

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Find a RPG Game on PS One

Question

All I can remember is that the hero had a red bracelet with a bluish pearl on it that was from another planet (The bracelet). I can't remember the name but it was on PS One. His bracelet had special powers and can level up too.

Sorry for the poor description but that's all I can remember off.

Answer

Heh, this sounds like Legend of Legaia, one of my favorite RPGs of all time (despite never having finished it).

I actually opened this question on the off-chance it was this RPG, so if I'm right that's quite the coincidence :P.

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What is this single and multiplayer game from 1995 with both god and dog modes?

Question

I remember it had a singleplayer and a multiplayer components. There were weapons, i remember a baseball bat that had a special attack that launched baseballs. There were power-ups that gave you powers like god mode (shot energy balls that fried opponents) or dog-mode (you turned into a dog and ran around the map biting guys).
It was out around the heyday of hexen/heretic I think (released October 1995).

Answer

Sounds like Rise of the Triad (ROTT).

Video of the dog mode:

Video of the god mode:

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What was the name of this old children's computer game set in medieval times?

Question

I was born in 1996, and sometime when I was young, not sure what age exactly, I remember playing this cartoony point and click game where you had to solve puzzles and stuff. It was similiar to the "pajama sam" games. It took place in a castle and I think there were missing knights of the round table that you had to find. Does anyone know what the name of the game I'm thinking of is? I'd really love to know!

Answer

Do you know what platform is was on?

If it was on NES, it could have been Castle Shadowgate. Castle Shadowgate was a point and click that, predictably enough, took place in a castle. It was on the Nintendo NES.

Here are some google screenshots.

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A vertical scrolling shoot 'em up, where you can reverse the scrolling

Question

I'm looking for a game I remember playing as a kid on a PC (I think) and my Game Boy (early 90s), but I can't recall its name.

• It was definitely a vertical scrolling shoot 'em up, where you could reverse the scrolling a bit. In some levels you needed this in order to escape dead ends.

• The enemies where organic. Giant monsters instead of enemy ships.

• There was an ugly alien shopkeeper where you could buy power-ups between levels.

• Some of the power-ups would then show up as sidekicks next to the player ship.

Answer

Xenon 2 - Megablast.

Apparently its creators are offering a free download of a remake over at http://www.bitmap-brothers.co.uk/our-games/past/xenon2.htm

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Early '90s first person shooter

Question

I'm trying to figure out the name of an old first person shooter-ish game (although, I don't remember any actual enemies) from early-mid '90s. Here's what I can remember:

• First person
• Many vehicles, including at least a jeep that you could get into and drive
• I think you could throw a grenade of some sort
• Low polygon
• The name was similar to 'Flames of Freedom' I think
• I'm pretty sure I played it on the old 486 (probably in DOS)

Answer

Are you sure it wasn't Flames of Freedom (aka Midwinter 2: Flames of Freedom)? Seems to be exactly what you're describing, and was on DOS

You are a covert operative for the Atlantic Federation. Your mission is to conduct assassinations, enlist rebels and sabotage the Saharans operations in the slave isles. As you carry out these open-ended missions, the islands will rebel and aid your efforts when the Saharan invasion finally comes.

Flames of freedom uses the same engine as Midwinter for land, air, and sea travel (and combat) but now, you control only a single customizable character. A strategic map allows you to identify key islands for your cause and determine the mission objectives that will sway it's population to your cause. Then, it's up to you to head in and carry out the mission as you see fit (perhaps guns first, perhaps with a big bag of money, perhaps just relying on your charm).

Flames of Freedom mixes first person action with strategy, vehicle combat, and diplomacy for a unique gaming experience that carries on the Midwinter legacy.

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What was the Win95-era game based around floating cities and shield defense?

Question

Things I remember:

• It was a top-down view
• Windows 95 era
• I think you had to use Kali to play it online
• I think it was multiplayer-only
• Shields were important and people would layer them in front of each other

I looked through this list of Kali games but none of the names jumped out at me and it wasn't any of the ones that sounded vaguely familiar.

Anyone know it?

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Thanks sarmackie! I found a full download link (they released it for free, it appears).

Answer

Could it be NetStorm: Islands at War?

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