Back To The Future III...For Amiga

So here's an interesting one. Apparently, in the first stage, there were two sections where you are in vertical shooter mode and mow down Native Americans, soldiers and vigilantes in the first level. I want to guess they removed them from the Sega Genesis version due to memory issues, but at the same time, you're mowing down people's ancestors, which makes as much sense as the hunting scenes in Tintin in the Congo.

Hipoonios plays (and beats) WWF European Rampage Tour for Amiga

I saved the best for last.

Here's the manual, by the way.

Also, RIP Randy Savage, Hawk and Earthquake.

 

Even though this is a much older WWE game, it hasn't aged well compared to future games. It doesn't really seem exciting, even though there are a couple of awesome moves you can do such as evasive rolls to avoid attacks. At least the entrance music for the wrestlers, while looping samples that start over after a couple seconds, are really accurate. The biggest flaw is that the game feels monotonous, since most of time time, you're doing as much damage as you can before you have to tag your partner in. More often than not, this involves doing enough damage before the same happens to you, and then knocking your opponent down and running to your partner to tag them.

 

There are also some interesting things worth noting about this game. This is probably the only WWE game where you can pin wrestlers while they're lying on their stomach, and both characters have separate 10-counts in case both are out of the ring. You could have been outside the ring for eight seconds while the opponent would have only been there for five. Since there isn't one count for both players, this can prove frustrating if you're on the receiving end of the in-ring punishment. There also isn't much in the way of AI for the computer players, so you can win by pinfall very quickly simply because the opponent's partner refuses to budge from the apron. The game even goes so far as getting Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs confused. The blonde one is Knobbs and the brunette Sags, but the game mixes them up somehow.

 

Anyway, you pick two of four playable characters - Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Bret "The Hit Man" Hart - to make up your tag team. Then it's on to face your first team. You have to face three tag teams:

"The Nasty Boys" - Jerry Sags and Brian Knobbs

"Money Inc." - "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster aka IRS

"The Natural Disasters" - Typhoon and Earthquake

You'll have to do this three times in three different locations, neither of which look any different from one another: the Britannic Arena in London, England; the Deutsche National Arena in Munich, Germany; and the Palaise Omnisports in Paris, France.

It's pretty easy to beat everybody up. Just beat them down until their energy is low, then pin them. Simple enough. Just be prepared to do this until you're bored out of your skull.

When you beat the first nine fights, you'll finally take on the Legion of Doom, Animal and Hawk, at Madison Square Garden. Beat them, and you'll get the WWF World Tag Team Titles and an underwhelming ending involving Jimmy Hart. How wonderful.

Hipoonios plays (and beats) Thomas The Tank Engine for Amiga

Oh, no! A game featuring Thomas the Tank Engine! From the time Shining Time Station aired in America!

Okay, this one isn't so bad. At least this one's halfway decent compared to all the other games I've covered for this series.

Here's the game manual, for anyone interested.

Also, you can play the game with music only or sound effects only, and not both at the same time.

Deliver the tractor to the farm

This one's pretty easy...then again, the whole game's easy. Back into the train car that you see shortly after the beginning of the stage to pick it up, then take it all the way to the end. There will be other characters from the show moving across the tracks and slowing you down.

You don't have to collect all the items in the game, but it does bring your score up (what you need that for, I have no idea) and makes you a badass Thomas the Tank Engine player, assuming there is such a thing.

Be sure to watch your speed, otherwise you might come off the track on corners...or you'll run into other engines. If you crash into other engines or into obstacles, you'll be sent back a bit. (thanks VGJunk)

Believe it or not, there is a time limit. The sun rises up from the left side of what looks like a decorative panel at the bottom of the screen, and sets on the right side. You have about ten minutes to complete the mission or you'll get what appears to be a game over screen, and oh boy, is Sir Topham Hatt cross if you get it. (thanks VGJunk)

Take medical supplies to hospital

Yup, just another busy day on the Isle of Sodor.

If you see an orange arrow flashing above Thomas, you'll be able to turn the corner between two paths instead of going straight. To go diagonally, move the joystick diagonally. Be sure to slow down so the arrow shows up, so you can take it. (thanks VGJunk)

If you take the upper track first, you'll find the bell. The bell takes you to the bonus stage.

To win the bonus stage, all you have to do is make it to the end of track before the other characters do. Winning this gives you...nothing. Except points. Some bonus stage. (thanks VGJunk)

You'll find the tractor you need to take with you close to the end of the stage. Thankfully, the trip to the end with it is drama free. Remember, if you see a mound of dirt on top of the tracks, go slow so you won't derail.

Deliver coal to the power station

No, it's not a reference to Robert Palmer. Wish it was.

This one is longer than the last two, but it's still not much of a problem if you get out of the other trains' way. At this point, the levels will start getting longer and more complicated. (thanks VGJunk)

There is a bonus stage bell in the middle of the stage.

Take the mail to the next town

The car you need to take to point B is at the middle of the level.

There is a bonus stage bell near the end. Other than that, there isn't much in the way of strategy here other than to watch out where the track is disconnected in parts. Treat those like you would walls.

Take the children to the seaside

Oh, yes, another Isle of Sodor favorite for the children - going to the seaside. The car carrying them is at the beginning of the level.

The bonus stage bell is right at the end.

Deliver logs to the sawmill

The car you need to transport is at the beginning. Also, the bonus stage bell is near the end once again.

Take the crude oil to the refinery

No bonus bell here. Just get the car and bring it to the end. Finally, you've completed this easy yet somewhat decent game.

Memory Game

It is what it is. It's a card memory game where you can play with 12 or 18 cards. Whoever gets the most cards wins. You can play against the computer or against a friend. Music can be turned on or off.

Hipoonios plays (and beats) Way of the Little Dragon on Amiga

Just when you thought Shaq Fu was bad...check this one out.

Really, it's so bad, there's no strategy to it at all. The hit detection is awkward and it's four fights repeated twice. Just get the correct distance and start flailing. That's it.

First Stage

Oh, lord. You and your opponent (here, it's a ninja) move like old men. You basically have to hit your opponent and hope it deals damage. Thankfully, it's easy to tell. Your foot has to hit their body spot on, you can't just have your limb go through them.

When you deplete your enemy's life bar, you enter the next stage.

Second Stage

Now you're beating down on an old man. Guess what? It's not that much different.

Third Stage

Now you're beating down on some random loser. May the lack of variety continue!

Fourth Stage

Your opponent here is some old man who needs to put on a shirt. Or something. I dunno.

Fifth Stage

It's the same as the first stage. I don't even.

Sixth Stage

The second stage. Again.

Seventh Stage

The third stage. Again. If you're actually watching at this point, you're either hardcore, a masochist, deranged or a combination of all three.

Eighth Stage

The fourth stage. Again.

Enjoy your one-screen ending...and typos!

Hipoonios plays (and beats) Georg Glaxo for Amiga

I can't believe I'm even covering such a game. It's something in Danish that's an adver-game involving asthma. Fun.

Level 1

A day at the beach. From Hell.

You're running around a beach in swimming trunks carrying some sort of crossbow-gun hybrid while shooting down innocent animals. The orange, green and blue circles are crushable pills that go in your inhaler. When you touch enemies (or as time passes), the circle on the very left will start filling up, like a constricting bronchial tube. When you stop smiling and you become sluggish, you're about to die. You'll have to use those inhaler pills to refill your energy.

The enemies here are crap, even though they're all very well animated. Avoid the sharks and shoot everything else.

Be sure to get all the bullet pick-ups you can; you don't have infinite ammo, y'know. Also, the B blocks give you points at the end of the stage.

Level 2

Even though you're fully clothed and all the enemies look different (and you're in a city), there isn't much enemy variety. It's as simple as ever.

Level 3

Ah, cold air. An asthmatic's worst nightmare.

This is more of the same.

Level 4

Yay, a forest! A forest that's just like all the other levels!

Enjoy your one-screen ending.

Hipoonios plays (and beats) Neighbours for Amiga

No, you're not seeing things. It's a game based on an Australian soap opera. *sigh*

Here's the manual, by the way. It'll be able to explain stuff a lot better than I can.

Well, since I've got a few ideas running at the moment...let's do a short marathon of Amiga games!

Now, I've been lucky when it comes to picking those last two. I picked some games that were halfway decent. This time around, I picked five random Amiga games...and hit paydirt.

And by paydirt, I mean somehow randomly picking the worst games to possibly cover.

Robinson Garage

In case you can't tell, you start the game off in the Robinson garage. Here, you can turn on (and off) certain people from the show, past and present, to race against. To put the wildlife in the game, uncover the bag on the floor once. To put the RC car hazards in the game as well, uncover the bag twice.

The first board is the beginner board, the second is the advanced board, and the third is the expert board.

Ramsay Street

Oh, boy, an easy course to start the game off right.

Anyway, the Neighbours logo on the bottom of the screen is your energy bar/timer. When you crash into people or obstacles, you lose some time, and if you pick up trash on the street, you gain some time. When the entire logo has went from white to black, the game is over.

You'll be going between two cones every now and then for points. As you can see, some of them are place in really weird positions. You have to go through these in order to keep the Neighbours logo from going black as well as finish the race.

When you complete the first race, you'll run the course again in reverse. I know, there's not much variety here.

Lassiters Complex

This time around, the course goes from parkgrounds to pavement and back again. Avoid the wild animals and the pools of water here, they'll really slow you down.

There are less hazards on the reverse course. And I mean a lot less. There is a vehicle backing in and out, though.

Erinsborough High School

This course has nothing but people when it comes to hazards, and there's quite a few turns here. If you really know what you're doing, you can keep your energy bar/timer extremely high.

There are vehicles on the reverse course backing in and out at one of the straightaways, which can take you off guard if you're not careful.

Anson's Corner

Oh, boy. Not only are there more people stopping in the middle of their walk, you also have a vehicle backing in and out that will really slow you down as well as a few oddly placed sets of gates and a few narrow straightaways.

The reverse course is just as bad the normal one.

Enjoy your one screen ending.

Hipoonios plays and beats Wacky Races for Amiga

Well, that Gremlins Amiga game certainly wasn't going to be the last time I'd show something off from Hipoonios.

Also, this guide works for the Commodore 64 version of the game, since they're techincally the same despite the difference in hardware.

Here's the game manual, by the way.

Yay! Another Amiga game!

I came across this while making a guide for the Wacky Racers game on NES and thought I might go ahead and show it off. It's kinda hard to find playthroughs of Amiga games on the Internet...unless you know about cubex55, that is!

For some weird reason, the Turbo Terrific is renamed the Varoom Roadster while the Bulletproof Bomb is renamed the Roaring Plenty.

Stage 1

Time to take this game apart.

The races are all side-scrolling stages. You have to finish as high as you can in order to move on. Here, you have to finish in the Top 5. Jump your way to victory and watch out for all those pitfalls.

If you come across one of the other racers or if you're about to come in contact with an enemy, use the drill in front of your car. That'll teach 'em. Also, running into walls will cause damage just like running into enemies, so watch out.

If for some reason that another racer falls into a pit or crosses the finish line before you do, you'll see it on the top of the screen.

At two points in the race, you'll see an arrow pointing downwards. Drop down before making that jump, or you won't make it. Also, the arrows point where you should go at times, so following them is one of the best things in the game you can possibly do.

When you win the race, you'll be able to get a bonus stage where you'll have to make a trap.
Here's how they work: You'll be playing as Dirk Dastardly, you'll have to avoid enemies and follow the arrow at the lower-left corner of the screen to find out where to go so that you can find the trap on the picture that Muttley is holding. When you find one, go back and drop it to where Muttley is standing. He'll take it and do his thing, leaving you free to get the next trap. When you get all the traps before the timer runs out, you've beaten the stage. Now watch your trap at work.

Yes, that green boulder has a punch glove in it.

Stage 2

You have to finish in the Top 4 to continue here.

The satellites are indestructible, though you can use the drill against their lightning bolts to keep from taking unnecessary damage. Jumping over the bolts is faster, though.

If you're at the top of the level when you see an arrow pointing up, that's your cue to jump or risk losing a life.

Now that I've figured it out, the blue balls that bounce up and down fully replenish your health, while the hearts that bounce up and down give you extra lives.

Now it's time for some trap building again. This time, the birds make appearances in these levels. They're jerks; if they touch you, they'll take you all the way to the top of the level and drop you. Yeah, make it harder for me to reach Muttley, I dare you.

Stage 3

Another Top 4 victory is necessary here.

Watch out for those fish! Time your jumps at the edges right and you won't have to worry about being knocked into a pit and losing a life.

Once you finish high enough, you'll be able to make a guillotine. Nice. When you finish it off (as easy as the stage is), the Red Max gets his.

Stage 4

You'll have to get a bronze trophy for this one...Top 3 only!

If you know where to go, you'll be able to find not one...but two extra lives on the way towards the finish line. Also, you may have to slow down a little bit or time your jumps up the "stairs" and take down some enemies.

The snakes in the trap level are much faster this time around. Other than that, it's not really too hard.

Stage 5

Unless you can achieve at least the bridesmaid position, you're not gonna make it. Top 2 is required to finish this sucker off.

Don't let the gunk from the sewer vents hit you on the way down. If you can hit them with your drill before they hit the floor, do it. Also, avoid the glops of sewage on the ground. They'll slow you down in a New York minute.

The trap level is as easy as ever.

Stage 6

Leader position or bust.

When you somehow manage to make it past this level, congratulations! You've won!

Hipoonios plays (and beats) Gremlins 2: The New Batch for Amiga

Oh, god. I can't believe I'm actually covering this...but I am.

Game manual for your reading pleasure! 

Level 1: System Control

Yeah, this is one of those "one-hit-and-you-die" deals. From what I've heard, the controls on this version of the movie tie-in are awful.

You'll see a file cabinet with the cabinet drawers opening on their own in the second screen. If you jump on top of them, you can reach higher platforms and get some of the power-ups. The lockers next to the file cabinet will fall when you pass by them, and if you don't move away they will kill you.

When you reach the last screen (the one with the elevator doors), jump on the file cabinet drawers when they open. Jump to the top platform (the fifth tile breaks when you walk on it, so keep on moving and you'll be fine) and grab the golden circle with the G in it. You need these items in order to leave the levels and complete the game.

Head down to the elevator and go in. You're done here.

Level 2: Cable Studios

Right where you stand at the beginning when the first screen comes up, wait for the lift to come down and jump on top of it. Ride upwards, then when you reach the next screen, run all the way to the right and jump to the right from the edge of the platform. You'll be on another screen. Keep going right, and when the lift on the next screen lowers, jump to it and stay on it. When it comes back up, go left and jump to the left side of the screen. Jump to the left off the platform on your way back, and you now have the second game completion item.

The lift to the next to last screen will take you to an extra life. Take the lift, go right, and there'll be a life to pick up beyond normal jumping range on the final screen. Just be careful not to get yourself killed on the way down...or afterwards...

Get in the elevator, you're done.

Level 3: Splice O' Life

Oh, yes. The lab.

The female gremlins are a pain; their hearts move in a sine wave pattern and jumping over them is definitely not recommended. When you see them, start shooting when you're in range and kill her as fast as possible.

At the sixth screen, jump on the chair at the right edge of the screen, then jump to the right. You'll be on the table; jump to the top shelf, go to the next screen, and jump off the edge of the shelf to get the third game completion item.

High-tail it to the elevator.

Level 4: Clamp Offices

Why is the desk at the first screen bigger than Billy? That totally breaks the laws of perspective, if you ask me.

If you can jump on that cabinet, jump on the water cooler and jump on the file cabinets while on the second screen, you can get the telephone weapon, which is exclusive to this level. You must pick this up in order to get the game completion item here. Even though you can find it on other screens, the sooner you can grab this and get this out the way without getting killed, the better.

When you reach the fifth screen, wait a few seconds while killing off any Gremlins that try to kill you off. When you see an electric ball traveling on the ground, jump over it. It will turn into the electric Gremlin and try to kill you with electric shocks. Throw the phone at it until it dies, and you'll have the fourth game completion item.

Make your way to the elevator. You're almost done!

Level 5: Lobby

Keep moving to the right until you reach the sixth screen. You'll be shooting down a lot of evil Gremlins here, and dodging the occasional falling cigarette ashes from above from the Brain Gremlin, so be careful.

Wait for the stools to lower before jumping on them, then jump on the top of the table and jump to the left where the lift is. Take the lift up, then jump to the right at the edge of the platform where the lift stops. Jump to the right off the edge of the platform on the next screen to get the last game completion item, then go into the last door on the right.

Enjoy your one-screen ending!

Wait...this is just one blog entry, and it's over? What?

Don't question this just yet.

I'll be back next time with something...related. You'll see.