For those of you who care about Sinclair ZX Spectrum emulation on Windows: Speccy is better than Fuse.
Speccy has a better UI, can go full screen, and has Xbox gamepad support that needs no additional configuring.
Whereas you will lose hours trying to get Fuse to work as you wish.
My theory about why Nintendo is overemphasized in the retro gaming community is because Nintendo is the one giant corporation that markets its history.
Microsoft doesn’t. They don’t even mention the MSX. You’d think they’d talk about how they incubated titles like Metal Gear and Dragon Quest—but no. They ignore this part of their history.
EA is more absurd. Shouldn’t they be bragging about bringing us M.U.L.E., Archon, Dr. J vs. Larry Bird, and Skate or Die? No—they won’t even re-release the first Madden game.
Warner Bros. Games owns the entire Midway and Atari Games library. And the only franchise from that library that they care about is Mortal Kombat. But re-release Paperboy? Only in your paper dreams.
Sword of the Necromancer has a killer pitch: mash up Zelda with Pokemon, then stir in a heartbroken lesbian necromancer on a dark mission to bring back the love of her life. You in yet? Because it gets better.
In this rogue-like action RPG, you don’t just hack and slash your way through dungeons. No, you resurrect your enemies and turn them into your personal, undead army. That moment when Tama, your character, sets her minions on a level boss while you hurl fireballs at it from behind – that is satisfying.
It’s a great idea. Wonderful. But – I hate that there’s a but – there’s some hiccups along the way.
For one, the character development. Koko, Tama’s beloved, is depicted as this angelic, untouchable person. Meanwhile, Tama’s got this brooding, anti-hero energy – which is great! But why not give Koko some layers too? It’s also hard to see Tama being mean to Koko. As in, it’s hard to root for her when she says harsh things.
Then there’s the visuals. Now that intro cutscene – that’s epic. And the pixel art graphics have a whole lot of style to them. But then you get into other in game cutscenes and you see little drops in quality that take you out of the immersion. It’s like the devs wanted retro charm but skipped on the polish. The result? More “budget title” than 16-bit cool.
The music is great. As is the sound effects. No complaints there, I was getting into it. But the voice acting is over-the-top. Whoever is playing Tama went full on melodrama, and really needs to take it down a notch – it sounds like she is ACTING! in community theatre.
The controls? They almost good. I love the different weapons and calling up the monsters to fight But that part where, right after you execute a combo, there’s a one second delay before you’re allowed to do anything else – that sucks. Just a complete mood killer.
Here’s the kicker: the game is “verified” for Steam Deck, but it decided to stop launching after the first run. I had to force compatibility with Proton Experimental to get it working again – not exactly something you want from a “verified” title.
Again, this game is a great idea. I know many people who are pining for just this type of game. You know how many lesbians want badass representation in video games?
Grimorio of Games developed Sword of the Necromancer, as well as its spin-off, Whispike Survivors - Sword of the Necromancer. And it looks like some more Sword of the Necromancer sequels are coming soon.
So believe me when I say this: I hope the next Sword of the Necromancer releases fix the problems that were apparent in this game. Because the truth is, with just a few fixes, this could be one of the best indie RPGs today. I would love to recommend this game but I just can’t. Just please, nail it next time.
Just want to point this out. It’s a silly achievement, but still an achievement – and I’m going to brag about it.
Every single one of the most researched games this week on Moby Games are games that I, personally, reviewed.
People are looking at these games because I talked about them, and folks checked them out. I see this as validation for what I do.
Freshly Frosted is the consummate girl game – and I don’t mean this in the old school, Barbie-fied way.
But don’t take it from me, I’m not an 11-year-old girl. My daughter, on the other hand, her eyes lit up when she saw Freshly Frosted. It’s everything she loves in a video game.
We’re talking about a game where you’re managing a donut factory, slathering your pastries with frosting, sprinkles, and cherries. If that doesn’t sound satisfying, I’m not sure what will. Because let’s be honest, anyone who doesn’t love donuts might be a puritan surviving on flavourless gruel, believing life is a test of endurance. In which case, what are you even doing here?
Now I’m not saying all girls love baking. Let’s rephrase: everyone with a soul loves dousing donuts in sprinkles. There I said it.
Seriously, this is a game that girls can love, and that’s meaningful. Why? Not every game is friendly for young girls. And girls deserve to play video games.
It’s not just the donuts in this game that have girl appeal. It’s the cute graphics, the whimsical music, the narrator who is both encouraging and teaches you new things about how donuts are made. But oh yes, the donuts, they inspire.
Don’t let the frosting fool you, this is also a logic game. Ever heard that stereotype about girls not liking math? Total nonsense. For example, the young donut enthusiast in my house is more than willing to do math when it involves optimal sprinkle distribution. Give kids a tasty reason, and they’ll solve puzzles all day.
Look at those soft pastel colours and fluffy backdrop. This game isn’t making GPUs sweat, but for its intended audience, it’s inviting.
The controls are super easy. This is entirely a mouse-driven game. With the left mouse button, all you have to do is drag the conveyor belt from the fryer to the delivery bay. Then once your done, hit play and watch the magic happen. Make a mistake? The undo button’s got you covered. It’s as comfy as it is addictive.
Quantum Astrophysicists Guild developed Freshly Frosted. Usually, they’re a publisher. This time, they decided to make this game in-house.
My daughter’s final word? A 10/10, with the honest takeaway it makes her hungry.
So yeah, just to be clear, these reviews do have commercial aspirations: they’ll be compiled into a book.
And I will sell that book – for money. It will have a nice cover, and be decently edited in a nice paperback. There will be an e-book edition too.
Why? Because this all takes time and effort. And it’s nice to have everything in one volume.
But what you’re seeing here? You’re getting the first draft for free.
God damn, some people are stupid.
Someone just accused my Lychnis for DOS review of being an advertisement.
An advertisement for a 1994 Korean game that’s not being sold anymore, is pretty much abandonware, and hasn’t been localized into English?
Who would pay for such an ad – especially since my review was so negative?
Hero of the Kingdom II is a task management game disguised as an RPG.
But what is a task management game? Consider it the cousin to the time management game. You still have to do stuff in order but you’re not held to a clock.
In other words, you’re going to be doing errands. Lots of them. Want to fix a leaky roof? Better find a saw. Want a saw? That will cost you. Now get out there, forage for some mushrooms, sell them to a merchant, rinse, repeat.
It’s a delightful little hamster wheel. And believe it or not, it’s fun. Like, addictively fun.
Why do all this stuff? To save your sister, kidnapped by pirated! But forget about a showdown – you’re one lone, roof-fixing hero, and they’re a whole squad of sword-swinging scallywags. So you’ll take the scenic route, harvesting and haggling your way to victory.
The graphics have a charmingly isometric that are cozy and whimsical like a quaint village. They certainly won’t strain your GPU.
The soundtrack has a Renaissance flair to it. The songs are hummable, and perfect for a quest like this. And the crunchy sound effects add the right “oomph”.
Controls? As simple as clicking a mouse – really that’s it. Inventory management is there but minimal. It’s as accessible as it gets.
Lonely Troops developed this game. They’ve also made the rest of the Hero of the Kingdom series which has been their bread and butter for 12 years now. Prior to that, they worked on a few city building games.
Bottom line, Hero of the Kingdom II is low commitment, high satisfaction – a bite-sized RPG that’s as charming as it is addictive. And who doesn’t want to save a sibling from pirates?
Testing out the Steam Deck’s screen capture function that just rolled out today.
If this works, this will be what I use for many of my reviews.
Me: “I like to review obscure retro and indie games.”
Gamers: “Oh, so you’re a hipster who’s trying extra hard to be non-conformist against what’s trendy and popular.”
Me: “No, I just think games that aren’t AAA deserve a conversation.”
I am not hopeful. I am quite sad.
Elon Musk essentially bought the election when he bought Twitter.
Journalists could have left Twitter, and had it go the way of MySpace. Instead, they continued to legitimize it, thereby giving it life.
For the next four years, decentralized social media will be needed – if only as an alternative to the faux-progressive media that seek to control the public square.
The world is becoming more and more authoritarian, and we need an antidote.
For me, Anzu Castle Gracula isn’t just a game. It’s a much-needed reckoning. A justice-delivering, wrong-righting DOS miracle made in 2024.
First off, yes, this is an actual DOS game made in 2024 and programmed in QBasic. You’ll need DOSBox or something similar to run it on anything that wasn’t retired when Bill Clinton was President. But hey, the dev bundled it with all DOSBox settings pre-configured so you don’t have to fiddle with the emulator beforehand. Or, if you want, you can download it solo and run it on the emulator of your choice.
But here’s the kicker: this thing runs on legit vintage DOS hardware too. You will need DOS 4.1, an Intel 386DX-33 (if you want to achieve a consistent 70fps), and 3MB of RAM. Sound is optional, but if you have at least a SoundBlaster 1.5, your ears will be in for a treat. The colour palette looks like it’s for EGA, though it could be early VGA instead.
This means that Anzu Castle Gracula is playable on DOS hardware released in 1990. Now that specific year is very important to me. You see, that was the year of Castlevania – or rather, the shambling horror that was Castlevania for DOS.
The DOS port of Castlevania is an insult. Castlevania for DOS has graphics that resemble a morning hangover, sounded like a cat stuck in a dishwasher, and controls meant for extra-terrestrial arms. It’s an embarrassment, and it’s no wonder Konami wants to bury it.
Konami didn’t bother porting it themselves. Instead, they contracted it out to Distinctive Software – sure, a good reputable developer – who put minimal effort into the port. The product speaks for itself.
But imagine Christmas in 1990. You tear open the wrapping paper and are overjoyed – it’s Castlevania for DOS! Euphoria! Then you install it on your computer, load it up, and… tears.
Now some people have asked, “Why not just emulate the NES version on your PC?” Yeah, I’ve done that – but that’s not the point. When I was a child, I wanted a good Castlevania for DOS and that is what I should have got.
Well, Anzu Castle Gracula is the Castlevania that should have been. You got the whip! Break the candlesticks,and goodies rain down. The iconic stairs are there, and they work as they should.
Except, with Anzu Castle Gracula, you’re not playing Simon Belmont. Instead, you’re a bird. I’m fine with this – Simon had his chance, and let’s face it, he blew it.
Take a moment to bask in those graphics. Fully-detailed sprites, lush backgrounds – it’s the DOS Castlevania that I dreamed about.
We got glorious music, and the sound effects don’t interrupt. Running on a Sound Blaster, it sounds like heaven. Not like the DOS Castlevania that sounded like an arcade cabinet left out in the rain.
And the controls – oh, the sweet, glorious controls. They are actually ergonomic – unlike Castlevania for DOS which assumed you had two right hands. Arrow keys are for movement, <Z> is for jump, <X> is for whip, and <C> is for secondary weapon. You can switch secondary weapons by pressing <D>. Oh, and there’s gamepad support too. Move over, Belmont, the bird is taking over.
Did I mention save points? Yep, we have those too. Take that, NES Castlevania.
And overall, it’s just a better metroidvania. Anzu Castle Gracula is tough by fair. You move through the map, picking up items that enhance your abilities, which unlock parts of the game you couldn’t previously access. Classic stuff!
@rainbowcemetery developed Anzu Castle Gracula. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you! In many ways, you gave a part of my childhood back! This was the Castlevania that nine-year-old me dreamed about!
Anzu Castle Gracula isn’t just a game. It’s justice, it’s nostalgia, it’s what 1990 should have been. So if you’re a kid who got a disappointing Christmas, take it from me – go get Anzu Castle Gracula.
In 1983, action games for DOS were rarer than ninjas popping out of your closet.
Text adventures were all the rage, along with some RPGs. If you were an action fan, you had to really hunt down games that broke the mould. One of them was Bushido: The Way of the Warrior – an experience so exclusive, it’s still only available on DOS.
The goal of Bushido is brutal and simple: eliminate everything that dares to move. No, don’t just kill them – smash them into a confetti of pixels.
Bushido doesn’t waste any time on trivialities like back story. Who are you? Why are sword-wielding ninjas popping out of nowhere while you’re calmly drinking your tea? Who sent these assassins? We don’t know. Just kick, punch, and ask questions never.
Bushido is Karateka‘s older, scrappier cousin. I mean, tell me if this doesn’t sound familiar: at the beginning of the game, you – a lone martial artist – approach a temple. An adversary blocks your path. With only your bare fists, you must defeat him.
Also like Bushido was a graphical marvel for its time. Yes, this game only uses CGA graphics, which was the best graphical mode for DOS at the time. However, it uses two CGA palettes: palette 0 with the orange and green colours, and palette 1 with the cyan and magenta colours. Few games did this. Even deep into the 80s, most CGA games stuck to one palette.
As well, the sprites are big and detailed – there’s no sticks and blobs here. The background displays many things, such as slippers and steaming tea on a table. And while the animation has all the fluidity of wet concrete, there were primitive particle effects. By the standards of DOS – a platform outclassed by the Commodore 64 in the visuals department – these graphics were impressive.
In the early 80s, sound on the DOS was beyond awful. Actually, they were a crime against ears. But surprisingly, Bushido squeezed every bit it could out of that lone tinny, tortured speaker. It actually had music and sound effects. Shrill? Definitely. Appreciated? Strangely, yes.
Now if you’re planning on playing this on period-correct hardware, I have to warn you. Anything beyond an IBM PC/XT is going to be unplayable. If you have a CPU more powerful than an 8088, this game will turbocharge through so fast, the game will be over in seconds. You’re better off playing this on DOSBox and emulating an XT.
Bushido also uses a strange control scheme. This game requires a Numpad, and if you don’t have one, it will be unplayable. Basically, there are three modes:
When you press <F2> you have nine varieties of punches at your disposal, all executed with a number on your Numpad. For example, <3> is a forward upward punch. <F3> is not combat mode, but moved you back and forth across the screen. For example, you can duck by pressing <8> or do a backwards flip by pressing <1>. And of course, <F4> gives you access to an arsenal of kicks.
By modern standards, this is an odd way of control but when you consider that even consoles like the Colecovision used Numpads, it makes sense. And when you get used to it – in a finger gymnastics sort of way – it’s a whole lot of fun.
Ebenel Enterprises developed Bushido. John Lee and Robert Lee are credited with working on this game. This is the only game they ever made.
Is it basic? Sure. Frustrating? If you don’t know the bizarre controls. But not only does Bushido demonstrate what DOS was capable of doing in 1983, its great CGA graphics, strange control system, and timeless simplicity make it worth visiting even now. It’s 1983 in a nutshell – weird, wonderful, and yet still compelling.
I’m weird out by the backdrops in the Apple announcements.
They’re going for utopia and futuristic but the general absence of life makes it look like the apocalypse happened and they’re living in a bunker.
I think there’s a lot of hunger for conversations about DOS games.
This is an era many people remember but few talk about.
But yeah why haven’t people learned how to do research on the Internet? No, don’t answer this question – it’s rhetorical. As in, “We live in 2024, you should know how using the Internet for research works.”
Google is easy. I know people say it’s “hard” – but it’s really not. In seconds, I can find accurate sources for information then cross-reference them for further accuracy.
It is not rocket science.
Never say, “Nobody has ever said that.”
This is the bloody Internet. It’s ground zero for every wacky opinion that’s ever existed.
Here’s just a sample of silly beliefs people have about video games:
I’ve read every single one of these opinions on the Internet. They’re all wrong. Just a cursory bit of research debunks those myths.
And you know what, while wrong, these are comparatively mild compared to more offensive beliefs people have. Perhaps the worst one is, “Back in the 80s, women didn’t make video games.”
Looking at the credits for Centipede, River Raid, and King’s Quest should change that opinion very quickly. Hell, in my opinion, the greatest game developer of all time is a woman. I’m talking about Roberta Williams.
I even made a review yesterday for a game made by a woman. Kings of the Beach was coded by Nana Wallace. And she still makes video games to this day!
People genuinely believe this stuff. When these opinions are refuted, it’s not helpful when you say, “Nobody has ever said that.”
I’ve been writing about video games for a solid year now, usually about indies and obscurities.
Something strikes me as true: the usual narrative about video game history is wrong.
And the reason it’s wrong is because our culture doesn’t see video games as a significant artform. There’s therefore little inclination to preserve history.
Of those people interested in video game history, they’re not giving us an accurate picture because they have specific tastes and preferences.
Released in 1987, Crazy Cars for DOS has exactly one redeeming feature: its graphics. Specifically, the DOS version.
Let’s be honest. Who remembers the Amiga, Atari ST, or Spectrum versions? It doesn’t stand out on other platforms. Those were fine, I guess, but they didn’t give us the true Crazy Cars experience: that eye-searing fever dream of DOS CGA.
The devs leaned hard into the four colour glory. That’s a whole aesthetic. Or as the kids say nowadays A E S T H E T I C.
The sprites are big. The background is minimalist. It borders on existentialism. Look at that use of colour. Is there anything more 80s than that electric blue and magenta palette? It’s practically a Miami nightclub in your monitor.
Certainly, in 1987, EGA was possible. But who needs 16 colours when you can make a statement with 4? The devs decided to keep things simple, and as a result we got something that looks pre-vaporwave album cover. That is, if that album also happened to simulate the frustration of driving a too-big car down a too-small road.
Most people remember 80s racing games for their looks—not their handling. It’s certainly not because of gameplay. Stuff like Pole Position is too basic and unsophisticated for modern tastes.
OutRun might be one of the few exceptions. The driving is nice. Yet would we be half as interested in OutRun if not for the red Ferrari, the blonde girlfriend in the passenger seat, and the fancy sprite-scaling?
Which brings us back to Crazy Cars. Man, is it crazy to control. Handling this car is a nightmare – like trying to wrestle a feral pig covered in grease. Everything moves too fast, and when your car launches into the air, you’re doomed to crash into something. Plus, your car is huge and the road is too narrow – it certainly shouldn’t allow two lanes of traffic.
If this were just another racing game, I’d probably quite in two minutes. But then… those colours!
Yet, as much as I want to tear my hair out, Crazy Cars’ unique style keeps pulling me back in. I want to hate it, but it’s got so much charm.
Sometimes, less really is more. At least, more fun for a laugh.
The Immortal is a quirky isometric hack-n-slash action RPG released by Electronic Arts for DOS back in 1990.
It’s tempting to compare this to Diablo since that’s the standard for the genre. However, The Immortal is very different.
For one thing, there’s no mouse control. Everything is driven by keyboard: arrow keys are for movement, Enter and Shift are the action buttons. The game actually controls pretty well once you get used to it.
When you’re up against enemies, you don’t just fight. Instead, you must learn to dodge their attacks, then hurt them when they’re vulnerable. The combat system is easily my favourite part of the game.
What’s not so fun is that you can’t save your game whenever you want, deaths are sometimes cheap, and you have to go back to the beginning when you die. Back in 1990, this was par for the course. Nowadays, it makes for a tedious experience.
Succeeding at this game requires rote memorization. Everything is quite predictable. Once you know how things happen in one room, you can blow past it quite easily. Again, this can be tedious.
I really enjoy the art style. While it doesn’t look all that great on a big monitor, on a small screen like the Steam Deck, it’s an enjoyable experience. I quite like the pixel art, which is quite in keeping with the CRPG style back in the day.
The music and sound effects are quite nice, and this especially made a difference back in 1990 when not everyone had a Soundblaster card. I wouldn’t call the soundtrack a toe tapper, but it is quite atmospheric.
The Immortal is not a terrible game by any means. In spots, it can even be fun. But if it were less tedious, I’d love it even more.
To me, this is more interesting as a piece of history than a game to be enjoyed today.
