For those who remember the days of the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64, the launch of the Atari ST in June 1985 marked a major leap forward in home computing and was the successor to the Atari 8-bit family. Released in 1986, the 1040ST contained 1 MB of RAM and was part of the mid-’80s generation of computers that used 16- to 32-bit processors.
The original model, the Atari 520ST, was the first personal computer with a bitmap color GUI and was popular in Europe for CAD, desktop publishing and midi sequencing. But it was the advancement of video games for which the Atari ST will be remembered so well. Here are some of the best games launched on it.
15 Falcon (1989)
An impressively accurate flight simulator, Mirrorsoft’s falcon placed players in the cockpit of an F-16 fighter and was one of the first flight simulators that allowed the player to view the aircraft from any angle.
The game featured a number of difficulty settings, allowing players new to the genre to ease their way in with unlimited ammunition as a 1st Lieutenant, or as a Colonel, for those who wanted a challenging simulation experience.
14 Speedball 2 (1990)
This is how sequels should be. The original was a great game, so The Bitmap Brothers kept the aspects that worked and refined the areas that could make the sequel even better.
What stood out? Speedball 2 was how smooth and sharp the graphics looked. Not only the in-game graphics, where you knocked your opponents to the ground, but the team management interface was crisp; buttons and icons were well designed and a pleasure to work with.
13 Oids (1987)
Somewhere in between asteroids and lunar lander, Oids saw the player pilot a small spaceship across a planet’s surface, wipe out surface-mounted turrets, and rescue fellow Oids (whatever they are!) from various prison installations.
The gameplay was simple: shoot, destroy, land, take off and, whatever you do, don’t crash! But the game worked really well and was a joy to play.
12 Sensible Football (1992)
Perhaps one of the most influential football games of all time, sensible football featured a bird’s-eye view of the pitch, against the trend of popular football matches of the same time, opting for a top view or side view.
The greatest strength of the game was its simplicity. With customizable club and national teams, and a clear user interface, sensible football quickly became an iconic sports video game.
11 Captain Blood (1988)
Everyone who played Captain Blood will probably have the surreal experience etched in their minds, due to the unusual, but well executed sci-fi elements.
Set against a soundtrack by Jean Michel Jarre, players had to land on different planets in search of the protagonist’s clones; the only hope to save themselves from a deadly virus. By avoiding mind-blowing geometric terrain in the flight sequences and using a strange symbol-based interface to interact with aliens, this game was one of a kind.
10 Pious (1991)
Players of devout will remember three things: it was fast, it was smooth and it was immersive. 3D textures and detailed backgrounds made the game seem ahead of its time.
It wasn’t easy either; if drivers went too hard for corners, things would go bad. The game required a deft touch to the controls, so it was just as much about timing those turns just right as it was about putting your foot on the throttle.
9 Lemmings (1991)
A truly original, albeit insane, game that was executed so well that it quickly evolved from a “crazy idea” into an iconic computer game.
In lemmings, the player had to prevent their strange green-haired creatures from falling to their deaths from great heights by using a series of tools. This was easier said than done as the player had to spin a lot of records and the later levels got insanely difficult.
8 Turrican II (1991)
An alien invasion and a hero in a mechanical suit cleverly sum up the background of this excellent platform game. With a wide variety of interesting power-ups at its disposal, as well as a plethora of strange aliens to battle, the game was just right in terms of difficulty and pace.
7 Prince of Persia (1989)
prince of Persia gave an unnamed protagonist the goal of saving the sultan’s daughter from the clutches of the evil Jaffar, who plans to seize the power of the kingdom by forcing her into marriage. To achieve this, the player must first escape from the dungeons of Jaffar, fight guards and conquer deadly traps. Moreover, this had to be realized in just sixty minutes.
Set in medieval Persia, the game was the basis of several sequels, but what stood out about this game was the excellent animation of the characters and the simple but effective sword fighting mechanics.
6 Super Sprint (1986)
if devout represented a more immersive car racing experience, than super sprint was his cute older brother.
With an overhead view of a very simple race track, up to three players could race across the screen, collecting wrenches (which could improve traction, acceleration and speed), and dodging obstacles such as oil spills and mini-tornadoes.
5 IK+ (1987)
The sequel to International karate, I+ was arguably the best beat em up game on the Atari ST. Like with Speedball 2, this was about taking something that worked well and then raising the bar for the sequel. In this case, the addition of a third fighter massively changed the dynamics from a slow tactical battle to an all-out brawl.
4 Carrier Command (1988)
This game was another level when it came to strategy and real-time management of multiple vehicles. In Carrier Command, the player is put in charge of an aircraft carrier and must repopulate an archipelago of islands. The problem is that there is another (enemy) aircraft carrier trying to do the same.
Using the amphibious Walrus (on land), the aircraft carrier itself (at sea), and Manta planes (in the air), this was one of the first real-time games to allow simultaneous, instantly switchable control of multiple vehicles, and it was surprisingly seamless.
3 The Secret of Monkey Island (1990)
One of the most popular point-and-click adventures of all time, The secret of Monkey Island, puts the player in control of Guybrush Threepwood, a young and clumsy pirate wannabe, who has the gift of finding trouble.
Set in the Caribbean and packed with memorable characters, the Monkey Island game series has been extremely popular and its sixth installment, Return to Monkey Island, comes out on September 19, 2022.
2 Another World (1991)
Years ahead of its time, this remains one of the most atmospheric games ever made. An other world sees the protagonist show up for work in an underground lab when the machine he’s working on transports him to, well, the clue is in the title.
From there, the player must avoid poisonous caustic slugs, escape armed guards, and help a fellow inmate (albeit alien) escape from prison. The decor pieces. The animation. The detail. This was a gameplay experience that was totally unique.
1 Dungeonmaster (1987)
Revive yourself as a hero. Recruit three characters to join you. Find the fire department. That was (simply put) the basis of FTL’s 1987 masterpiece dungeon master.
To say that this game revolutionized RPGs is almost saying nothing. Not only was it the first real-time RPG to use 3D perspective with mouse control, but it was also unique in the immersive experience it offered. The user interface was simple and intuitive, the puzzles varied, the battles simple and the dangers lively and exciting.
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