QUESTION OF THE MONTH: WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE GAME...AND WHY?

My favorite coin-op game is "Tempest" without a doubt. What a cool game! Simple, yet still challenging, and with no real pretensions of fancy graphics or background stories. Just an abstractly-shaped playing field, abstract bad guys, and one purpose--shoot anything that moves.

As far as home video games, I'd have to say "Space Taxi" for the C-64. Now there was a riot of a game--one that definitely deserves to be rewritten for modern computers. I lost endless hours trying to complete each series of boards with the most cash, then complete them as quickly as possible, and then just flying like a maniac with no thought of completion because it was fun.

Honorable mention goes to "The Cosmic Balance," which was a starship design and tactical combat game from SSI. It didn't use Newtoniasn physics, but it was set up to accept orders from each side and then execute them simultaneously. You had to worry about power, weapons charging, ranges, protecting weak spots in your armor/shielding, and a lot of other things. It offered more complexity and challenge than any five current space-combat games I can think of. Another game which should be updated--in fact, I'm seriously considering doing so.

Ballblazer, without a doubt.

Futuristic graphics. Futuristic Music. Good storyline. Depth of strategy. Intensity. Fun factor. Human one-on-one competition. Speed. Insanity.

STAR RAIDERS Atari 1979.

The first game I played on a computer. Featured 3D space combat in 8K ROM + 8K RAM.

M. U. L. E. (C-64 version), that is if we have at least three human players. I can hook a C-64 in three minutes in our second TV anytime. So I Know this is not just a nostalgy thing. I like it because intence and mercyless business and you get really rob somebody blind --). One game takes about 1,5 hours so its *very* playable. Sounds and messages are awesome even by todays standards.

Thanks for a *GREAT* Magazine!

Knights of Legend

A role-playing game, that does have the most marvellous combat system around. Allsou having multiple miniguest allows you to solve problems freely. (If only the craphick could have been better.....)

The second most must be ELITE.... The first, the best, the one and only.... (if Frontier will have extra disk, it will beat ELITE (maybe) in the future.....)

My vote would have to go to Civilization..Plenty of things to explore, and always keeps you striving for something new or better (such as new technologies, continents, etc). It is a bit hard to say that is my _best_ game of all time, since there are many that come very close. Dune, Doom, Ultima Underworld - all would be just as close in my opinion.

What I think really makes a good game is something that provides a lasting challenge. Always something new to explore or do, plus goals that are attainable, but not too easy (or impossible either). This tends to be mostly strategy games in my experience, however flight simulators and RPG's usually come very close..

there's my 6.023x10^23 electrons worth :)

My favorite game of all-time: SINISTAR (Williams, coin-op)

Sinistar was the only game in which the computer transcended being a mindless controller of asteroids and abstract spaceships and became a real, live, frothing-at-the-mouth opponent that you had a personal stake in defeating. That game was *mean* and it knew it and rubbed your face in it.

Mine is a new game. Actually and old game, but new now. Tempest 2000. I was a huge Tempest fan and still pop quarters in if I run into a machine somewhere. I also bought Microsoft Arcade (and a faster CPU) to run it on my PC. When it hit the Jag and got rave reviews I bought a Jaguar and Tempest 2000. It's the best game I've ever played. It is the most mind numbing shoot'em up around. Minter's psychadelic show and the slick techno-track keep me coming back for more. This one is a classic.

I have to personally cast my vote for Final Fantasy II. This game still holds me riveted to the screen as I search for the more challenging items that are not usually found in a quick quest. The versatility, number of weapons, spells, and characters, graphics, user-friendliness, and overall longevity of the game credit Square with what many term the greatest RPG to ever be made for Nintendo or Super Nintendo!

I've been reading Gamebytes since about issue 10, Great Work!!, I hope you keep it going.

As for my all time favourite game, I think I would have to say Civilisation by Microprose. I remember playing Lode Runner on my old apple II and quite enjoyed it at the time, but computer AI seems to have come along way since then and I reckon you can't beat Civilisation. Every game is different. There are so many different tactics to choose from each time you play. I almost said Doom because of the great sound and the realistic action, but I don't play doom anymore because I've solved all the levels. I still keep coming back to civilisation however, even though I've completed the game hundreds of times. So there you go, my vote goes to Civilisation.

Regards

My favorite coin-op game is "Tempest" without a doubt. What a cool game! Simple, yet still challenging, and with no real pretensions of fancy graphics or background stories. Just an abstractly-shaped playing field, abstract bad guys, and one purpose--shoot anything that moves.

As far as home video games, I'd have to say "Space Taxi" for the C-64. Now there was a riot of a game--one that definitely deserves to be rewritten for modern computers. I lost endless hours trying to complete each series of boards with the most cash, then complete them as quickly as possible, and then just flying like a maniac with no thought of completion because it was fun.

Honorable mention goes to "The Cosmic Balance," which was a starship design and tactical combat game from SSI. It didn't use Newtoniasn physics, but it was set up to accept orders from each side and then execute them simultaneously. You had to worry about power, weapons charging, ranges, protecting weak spots in your armor/shielding, and a lot of other things. It offered more complexity and challenge than any five current space-combat games I can think of. Another game which should be updated--in fact, I'm seriously considering doing so.

It's a hard call, but X-Wing gets it. It had great graphics, good sound, good story line, and fast action. I don't know what made it so much better than the rest, but I do remember being bored for months with other games after I finished it.

The arcade game "1943", best shooter ever. It was the only game you could play for over an hour on a quarter and it still kept getting harder. More things to see and overcome. It also had the benefit of your craft taking damage, versus absolute death. That way, if you couldn't avoid all of the flak, at least you could choose the spot with the least.

What a game. If only I could find it around here!

Easy. Star Control II

Why? It can be played for long periods of time whenever you want, and it's a great time waster.

What makes it good? It can waste time, it's easy to play, it's relatively difficult, the graphics and sound are great, and it's bug-free!

Wonderful game...how many answers of this type are you getting?

The best game I ever played (for its time and hereafter):

Well, I actually can't decide. However, it's a coin toss between The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Infocom/Doug Adams) and Beaurocracy (Infocom/Doug Adams) both brilliant and VERY difficult games!

I loved 'em!

Can't answer with just one....

Robotron

Nothing ever matched this game for pure sensory overload (although I understand T2K does.)

Sinistar

Great, multilevel theme wrapped up in a completely playable scenario.

M.U.L.E.

Best multi player strategy game - fast paced, still required coordination, great isolated moments of tension.

Star Raiders

Has anyone ever packed more fun in 8K of ROM?

Falcon for the Atari ST - it did more in 1 MB than any other computer since.

As for as PC games: Max. Overkill and TFX. TFX has to be the best jet flight simulator around. Which brings me my question; where can you get the patches for TFX?

This is a very tough question, but I would have to say NETHACK 3.1.3.

It was very difficult to choose because there are many other games that I would give a perfect score (e.g. Star Control 2), but many games such as this and other adventure games have very little replay value (well, in Indy 4: Fate of Atlantis, there were 3 alternative paths). Nethack has a very high replay value due to randomly created dungeons. It is very complicated in that certain things you do add/subtract from your strength intelligence constitution, luck, standing with your god, etc. Not all of the objects you find are identified immediately, and there are random effects (like quaffing from a fountain sometimes gives a wish but sometimes unleashes a water demon ...). Even how you eventually die in this RPG is often amusing (like that little cave spider stepping onto a polymorph trap only to turn into a minotaur which kills you instantaneously)(well I have a twisted sense of humor). I have played it for about 6 months, whereas most other games are lucky if they last on my hard drive for a month. Also you can't beat the price :-).

I hope this answers your question.

Autoduel by Origin on the PC

Basically it was the first game that really made me spent many days and nights completing it. The gameplay was excellent. There was a good mix of strategy and action. I was really involved in the game. Really wished there is be a new version with SVGA, new graphics and sounds on CD-ROM!

This is a tough call between Out of this World, DOOM, Jumpman, Deadline (the Infocom game) and Ultima III. However, Jumpman edges out the others as my all-time favorite computer game. This game is by Epyx, it's over a decade old and it's the most addicting, thrilling game I've ever played. It has just the right amount of action and puzzle solving, and each level had unique doohickeys that made you go through hell, just so you could earn the right to go through hell again on the next level. Ahh, those Commodore 64 days.... An era came to an end when Commodore went under.

Ultima IV

Quite simply the most captivating game I've ever played. I spent literally hundreds of hour playing and replaying this game. The storyline and the focus on something other than killing the "ultimate evil" made this the most enjoyable gaming experience I've had. Later Ultima's have been good but nothing like this one.

My ALL-TIME favourite computer game was : Pinball Construction Set by Bill Budge Electronic Arts

It was one of the first pinball games to have a decent physics model, and most importantly it was *completely* customisable and had great *replay* value. And for it's time it had good graphics and sound on the Commodore 64.

Pinball Construction Set heralded the start of other like-minded games and it's principles can be seen in games nowadays like SimCity etc.

Thanks for listening,

Captain Goodnight, Apple ][.

Simply because you could travel in about 8 different craft, for hours on end, and eventually save the world.

Fool's Errand from Miles Computing circa 1986 - This games was the first "puzzle quest" game I ever played, and deeply addictive. Just difficult enough to keep you scratching your head, but just easy enough to keep playing it for hours. The star attraction, though, was the simple but fine artwork, basically black silouhettes on white background, and the sense of whimsy throughout. Anyone with a Macintosh should try to find this one.

My favorite game is ermmm... Get Dexter !

I had it on the Amstrad 464 and it was also available for the ST.

Why ?

It was funny, very funny ! It was innovative. Great Animation ! Puzzles ! Action ! Whacky ! Strange ! Wild !

Wow ! What a game !!!

Rather recent, but anyway.......

SEALTEAM by E.Arts - intense "I am there" feeling with adequate sound and control. Best (only?) small unit operation simulator and worked well covering the subject and scope of the program. Good change of pace from "kill all you see" syndrome as well... nice that a "combat sim" mission can be successful without even firing a shot at times! :) Good mix of strategy/action/role-play.... hell it's got just about everything!

Just wish EA would allow S.Eberts to make the patch he so dearly wants to release for it, damn buracracy!

My favorite game of all time is Prince of Persia, which I played on the SNES.

It combines skill and strategy as well as playing against the clock. The graphics are excellent and the play is quite challenging. I hope that Prince of Persia II is developed for the SNES.

I might have sent this twice, sorry:

My favorite computer game of all time is Boulderdash! for the Atari 400/800. It was released in 1983-84 by First Start Software. I've seen a shareware remake for the PC and it stunk.

Boulderdash! is an action game with puzzles. It stars Rockford, a dirt- digger with an attitude before having an attitude in a video game (like Sonic the Hedgehog) was cool. Rockford has to dig his way through dirt and around rocks and monsters, picking up diamonds along the way for points.

This game had well-done graphics and sound considering it ran in 32K of memory, but what made it a great game was the puzzles. The closest thing I've seen to it is Crystal Mines II for the Atari Lynx, a handheld portable. Crystal Mines has the same basic premise but many more kinds of treasure and monsters.

Computer:

I would vote for Defender of the Crown (CinemaWare I believe) It seems to have found a good combo of simple strategy and action. When you get good at it you can win around 90% of the time, but there is always that 10% chance you can lose. It keeps me going back for more and more. I have been playing the game off and on for over 8 years now (MUCH longer than any other computer game I have played)

Video:

Activision sports games for the 2600, head-to-head, especially hockey & tennis. Wonderful in its simplicity, but a tremendous amount of fun and competition. Been playing these guys for over 15 years!

Honerable mention: Dracula X, Japanese game for the Duo. It may be the best home video game I have ever played. The levels were actually thought out and fun to do. This may be my all time favorite, but it is to new to call it a classic, ask me again in a year or so...

I've gotta agree with you on this one - LODE RUNNER. My dad, brother, and I spent weeks on this one. Hell, my dad is still looking for another copy for the Apple IIE (somehow destroyed his old disk.) Know where I can get a copy of this or Championship Load Runner?

Wing Commander, from Origin (the OLD one, which the designer write the program).

and why??

It's the first game I own, great graphic (even today's standard), good music, good plot, good feeling! This game made me buy a 386DX-33+4M instead of 386SX-20+2M.

It still look impressive today. When I play it, I can feel that the programmer really did something for the player, not for himself.

It have some minor bugs: a few out of memory under DOS4.01, and divided by zero when flying Rapier. But compare with the new products from the same house, it's very bug free.

What made it so good?

Some good programmer really write a good game, NOT some good designer try to push the good (but tired) programmer to write a expensive game. (Pacific Strike...)

Games that come close are: X-Wing, Red Baron, F-19, Gunship 2000, Rise of the Dragon, Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, Super War DOS V (A Chinese translated Japanese modern war game, I don't think you know it.), and of course the all time classic: TETRIS. Oops almost miss Wing Commander II.

BTW I think you have saw the gifs of "Wing Commander Armada". Since Game Byte have many friends in Origin (I guess, since they write articles for GB.), I wish you can give use some news about this game in GB #20. And please tell them most of their customer DON'T have a 486DX4-100... Unless they make something as revolutionary as Wing Commander, don't expect gamers rush to upgrade their PC for a game AGAIN.

And GB #19 now work well under DESQView, thanks!