Birds and Beans (Atari VCS)

by “bluswimmer”

I'm Literally gonna spill the beans here. You are what looks like a duck minding your own business when suddenly green beans start falling down from the sky. You can sling your whip at the beans to destroy them. Higher beans are worth more points. Armed with this whip you're able to save.... well... er... the ground, which is more important than it sounds. Indy would be proud.

If a bean lands on your head you're squished. If it lands on the ground it makes a hole which your duck shall not pass, even with his passable Balrog impersonation. Stupid Gandalf! Other coloured beans also start to fall from the sky. shooting a white bean fills a hole in and shooting a blue bean fills all the holes in. The difficulty level ranges from zero to four.

 
This is a wonderful puzzler/shooter hybrid that's a great time passer.

Beeware (Atari VCS)

by Fehér János Zoltán

You are a swarm of killer bees, and so you must kill. Luckily for you as soon as the game begins a bunch of panicky looking individuals flood onto the scene, from various doorways, who you only need to touch to send them to an early grave. Well to turn them in an actual grave stone actually.

There are other swarms of killer bees around too which harm you when touched. But you do have an inexplicable secret weapon in the form of red lightning which can fired to wipe them out. You just need to line them up with the arrows on either side of the screen. After so many levels there's a boss in the shape of a giant bee. A few bolts of red lightning kills him and that's the end of the game.

 

It's quite fun while it lasts but a bit on the short side.

Sword of Surtr (Atari VCS)

by Jeff Stermer

This reminds me of the classic Adventure with a viking theme and better graphics. Rather than a square block you play Haldor the viking. He can choose either a bow or a sword from his crib and then go explore the impressive thirty plus flick screen landscape looking for The Sword of Sutr to complete his adventure.

Objects can be found such as boots, a horn, a key, armour, gems and gold. Foes out for blood range from ravens and wolves to viking berserkers and spirits. There's a Dragon boat for sailing but beware of storms and sea serpents. Some friendly faces also populate the land namely a priest, a wanderer, a merchant and dwarves, along with harmless bunnies, this isn't a Monty Python movie, and sheep, sadly neither Shaun nor Timmy.

 

Each screen looks unique and there's enough in this game to keep any adventurer happy and then some.

Plague (Atari VCS)

by Fehér János Zoltán

You’re a guy wearing a cloak and top hat traversing a bleak and barren landscape of black blocks, bushes and pits everywhere. So many that you start to think you're playing an even duller version of E.T. But it's not all doom and gloom. Well it is but that's just the atmosphere of the game. It's a typical platformer with shiny stuff to collect and a surprising array of creepy black thingies, all out to get you.

Some areas are in the dark and only the torch light around you reveals what's there. You have an energy bar and only get one life, but you can continue from the screen you inevitably fell down a pit on. Messages like 'No Hope', 'No Cure', can be seen along the way, just to cheer you up.

Quite a stylish game that plays very well once you get the hang of it.