PC games flashback

Oh well, since I'm covering some of the flashback topics, might as well run through a list of PC games I used to play when I was a kid/teen.

Back when I was in Standard 6, I think Oto-san bought us a computer. Naturally Ototo-san and I were very excited for the computer could only mean one thing - Games! Most of the games here are mostly either during my childhood days, or at the latest when I was in high school.

Duck Tales

This is basically a platform game whereby one need to accumulate wealth for Scrooge by obtaining rare artifacts around the world within a limited time.

There are various levels and difficulties, and each challenge is slightly different. There's the platform version where the ducks will jump over branches, climb cliffs etc. There's the photo taking session whereby you need to capture shots of rare animals for sale. If I remember correctly there's also the maze which you need to figure your way inside the cave to obtain the treasure.

If worse come to worse, Scrooge can always dive into his money bank for a quick return!

This was one of the games I could play over and over again, because the result is not always the same, and sometimes it is by luck if you can beat the computer or not!

Prehistorik

Prehistorik is a very straight forward platform game. You are a caveman. I can't remember what is the objective, but I think is you will need to find your way home or something like that.

On the way throughout various levels, you will need to rely on your trusty club to hammer all sorts of creatures that come your way.

Then there's the final boss in every level - A gigantic monster in which you need to keep on hammering its toe till swollen while having to avoid it stomping you to death.

Easy-going game, non-stop fun and entertainment :)

Nuclear War

I remember cousin 'Toucan' Hean introduced us to this game. You need to select the leaders of a few countries, and their names are basically a parody of the actual political person. For example Ronnie Raygun, Mao the Pun and Infidel Castro.

The purpose is to destroy their country! You can do so by building weapons of mass destruction, or trying to lure their citizens to come over to your country to built a bigger base. There's lot of funny things you can do, such as propaganda, throwing a mad cow over, or just launch a missle. Sometimes aliens will come over to abduct your citizens, or a stork coming over signalling a baby boom.

At first I didn't quite get the game, but after a few rounds, it became very fun after all. I really do not like the propagandist such as Jimi Farmer and Ghanji, for they are anti-violence and would just 'sweet talk' the people instead. Usually I will try to destroy them first :)

I really don't think this type of game would be allowed in our society now, everything has to be politically correct, and not offend people.

Wolfenstein 3D

Wolfernstein 3D can be considered one of the first shooter player game I've played on the PC. You basically play the main character who is confined in Wolfernstein Castle and needed to escape. In the process you need to gather some food, ammunition, guns, treasure and medical kits in order to escape.

I can't remember how many levels were there, but in the process there are many secret rooms which you can press on and gather additional supplies. The graphic isn't that good, but i think it's a good thing, or else it becomes too gory if it's too realistic.

You need to kill off armed soldiers, dogs, some funny floating ghost that emits fire and of course the BIG BOSS himself, Adolf Hitler! As you can see Hitler aren't pleased with you and is all out to kill you with his machine guns!

I think I only completed this game only once and that was it. Shooter games gave me a headache back then, and my maneuvering skills aren't that good. I remember how painful was it to finish the last level because I kept on dying! It was a good feeling to finally beat the crap out of Hitler and then escape from the castle :)

Bubble Bobble

Bubble Bobble is a game with simple instructions - just kill off the bad creatures to go up the next level. The maximum level is 100. However, not all levels are that easy.

I don't think I ever got to finish this game, got stuck halfway as it was not that easy to play. It was since a while that I played it on the PC. I remember downloading it onto my handphone a few years back, but still can't finish it.

Rockford

Rockford was one of the earliest games that came with our first PC. I still remember the 5 1/2 inch floppy disk! It is a game whereby you need to collect all treasure while maneuvering yourself around those rocks. These rocks could serve as an obstacle, or as a helpful tool, depending on the situation. Simple concept but can be quite challenging at some levels!

Xenon 2

Xenon 2 was also one of the few games purchased. It is basically a shoot-em game set in space. You need to shoot all sorts of ugly critters while avoiding being killed. At certain levels you get to level up and purchase new weapons and restore health.

I remembered that I played so much of this game that I already could foresee which creature will be coming out at which time. Yet there are so many more levels that I could not finish. The squid monster above is the most memorable as to me it was the most difficult monster to beat!

Gods

My all-time favourite platform game. Great graphics (during that time), fantastic gameplay, and highly entertaining. The player is cast as Hercules, who must go through all obstacles to achieve immortality.

This is not any normal platform game. You need to remember to obtain certain keys or artifacts before you could proceed to the next level. At the same time, you need some strategy to fight off your opponents, as some may come in different directions in the same time.

Unfortunately I never got to finish this game, i think my last level was up to Alchemy. We could not save the game within certain levels, and it was too time consuming to complete it in one go. Oh well, I guess Hercules was not meant to achieve immortality after all.

There were many more games too, but not as memorable as the ones above.

However, there is one game worth a special mention - Maniac Mansion.

Supposedly an adventure game, Maniac Mansion allows the player to choose three characters to enter Maniac Mansion and save a kidnapped girl by the name of Sandy. The mansion belongs to to a Doctor Fred and his family, of which strange things began to happen when a mysterious purple meteor crashed into their lawn.

The game supposedly has many endings, but the reason why I wish to mention about it is that I am so frustrated I do not know how to play this game! Many times I was just stuck, and that time there's no such thing as the Internet to look up for tips, eventually I gave up. I really wanted to find out what happened in the end, but looks like I will never know as I am always lost at the kitchen, or the basement, or the bedroom! Never even had the chance to meet the purple tentacle, except once.

I didn't know Maniac Mansion was such a critically acclaimed game. You can read more about it here.


As much as I still want to play computer games, due to the lack of time and exhaustion, I resorted to mindless Facebook games such as Restaurant City and Mousehunt. Sigh......