Computer Games

Classic Computer Games

Everyone knows computer games. Compared to traditional board games like chess, computers are a new phenomenon, but there have been computer games back in the 1960s. About ten yers later, Atari brought the world its famous and simplistic two-player ball game "Pong". At the same time, Jack Tramiel who had survived the Nazi terror during World War II, had an idea that wrote history: computers for the masses. The Commodore 64 became a synonym for home computer and has been sold, without considerable techncal updates, for ten years (1982 - 1992). Tramiel left his company in the 1980s and started a new project, a more sophisticated machine with a graphical user interface (like Apple had just introduced) and a MIDI port for networking with other computers and electronic music instruments, the Atari ST, still used by musicians 20 years later.

Commodore 64 (1982 - 1992)

Classic computer games had comparatively simple graphics, with low resolutions like 320 x 200 pixels, a handful of colours, slow microprocessors (Commodore 64: about 1 MHz) and very little memory (64K or less). Still they were often fast, fun to play, and many had futuristic techno sound effects. That golden age of gaming saw games that you play on your mobile phone today, like Snake, Pacman, Stack Attack or Tetris. Adventure and role playing games mostly came in text format with some notable exceptions like Maniac Mansion, Zak McCracken and Pirates! Their successors for personal computers like Day of the Tentacle and Monkey Island also became very popular. Back in the 1980s, there were also a lot of sporting games like Summer Games, California Games, BMX Racers, Rollerball or Caveman Ugh-lympics, racing games like Pit Stop, Test Drive, Buggy Boy or Street Surfer, fighting and shooting games, flight simulations and many action, arcade and jump'n'run classics like Donkey Kong, Super Mario Brothers, Giana Sisters, Monty on the Run, TRAZ or Mr. Robot.

Celly Sellout: Classic Games for Mobile Phones

What games are available for your celly? Have look, then download a Commodore 64 emulator (like VICE) and see if you can spot the original ... Motorola has produced computer parts for Commodore and Apple back in time long before mobile phones became popular. Motorola, NOKIA, Siemens, Philips, Samsung and other producers of modern equipment are re-selling the old games to a new audience that wouldn't play any such game on a regular computer, but donwload even simple ringtones to their mobile devices. Classic games mean smaller file sizes and quicker downloads. Fast machines, modern 3D graphic cards and networking equipment have extended the possibilities for game makers. Besides brainless ego-shooters, there is a great variety of technically challenging games with excellent graphics and realistic sound effects.

3D and other more recent games for PC

Some recent games that don't require the latest expensive hardware include Worms, which has been one of the earliest and most successful action games on the internet since the 1990s, and Clusterball, a cult game where the players collect balls in a 3D landscape and try to snatch their opponents' balls. Donwnload and try it out if you are looking for a fast action game without killing involved. There are also loads of flash online games on the internet that you can play online without donwnloading, tricky stories with cartoon characters like Leo's Great Day, Samorast or Parapluesch, as well as modern versions of timeless traditional games like chess, card games or jigsaw puzzles.

Overview and Links to Online Games

Some C64 classics:

TRAZ - Transformable Arcade Zone (Breakout / Krakout / Arkanoid variation and construction kit) Ghosts'n'Goblins (Jump and Run), Gyruss (Space Invaders variation with circular movement),
Maniac Mansion (graphical adventure with nice and funny details), Zak McCracken (sequel to Maniac Mansion), Paradroid (robot shooting and logical puzzle game), Street Surfer (racing and collecting game on a skateboard), Impossible Mission, Pirates (adventure in the Carribean), Nebulus (jump'n'run on a circular tower), Giana Sisters (jump and run like Mario Brothers), Boulder Dash (2D emerald mine strategy game, one version also with construction set), Cauldron (Hexenküche) 2 (move a bouncing pumpkin in a castle).

Some more recent games for PC:

Worms (cartoon worms that shoot), Arkanoid Revenge of DOH, Sokoban (locigal puzzle moving boxes), Tetris, Blockout (3D-Tetris), Tomb Raider (the famous Lara Croft action games), Tony Hawk (series of skating games), American Alice (move Alice not through wonderland but through her nighmares in 3D), Civilization, Black and White, Clusterball (3D flying, collecting and snatching balls, remotely similar to Decent).

Some games that can be played online: