This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Stardust | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Bloodhouse |
Publisher(s) | Bloodhouse |
Platform(s) | Amiga, Atari ST, MS-DOS |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | Multidirectional shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Stardust is a 1993 multidirectional shooter video game developed and published by Bloodhouse for the Amiga. The game is an Asteroids clone with enhancements, such as power-ups, shields, a high-energy techno module soundtrack, vivid use of colors and the occasional tunnel section that revolves around a sphere. The game's graphics drew critical acclaim for the aforementioned tunnels and the liberal use of ray-tracing. The company has since merged with Terramarque to form Housemarque.
In a typical bout of Finnish humor, the developers gave several things ludicrous names in their own language, which were (and still are) highly obscure in the international market. The damsel in distress is named after a brand of margarine, and the final confrontation takes place over the planet Imatra.
The game was ported to MS-DOS, but not by the original programmers. This version was buggy, scant on details found in the Amiga version and severely lacking in both control and gameplay polish.
A conversion was made for the Atari STE by Aggression demoscene crew, published in 1995 by Daze Marketing. It is one of the few STE exclusive games, and uses the machine's updated capabilities.
An enhanced sequel named Super Stardust was released in 1994 for AGA Amigas, in 1995 for Amiga CD32, and finally in 1996 for the IBM PC compatible platform as well (the latter also known as Super Stardust '96). The Amiga CD32 and IBM PC compatible versions were released on CD and featured a CD soundtrack from Slusnik Luna, FMV cut-scenes, high speed gameplay and completely new levels and enemies.
In April 2007, Bloodhouse's successor Housemarque developed Super Stardust HD , released by Sony Computer Entertainment as a downloadable PlayStation Network game for the PlayStation 3. [1]
In February 2012, Super Stardust Delta was released on the PlayStation Network as a downloadable title for the PlayStation Vita.
Sony Interactive Entertainment owns the game and its sequels, as they had acquired Housemarque in 2021 through PlayStation Studios.
Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension is a platform video game developed and published by Gremlin Graphics. It was marketed as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. Originally released for the Amiga home computer in October 1992, the game was subsequently ported to Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Master System, Game Boy and Game Gear, as well as other home computers. A sequel, Zool 2, was released in 1993. A remastered version of the original game, titled Zool Redimensioned, was developed by Sumo Digital Academy and published by Secret Mode for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in August 2021.
Rise of the Robots is a fighting game released by Time Warner Interactive in 1994. Originally developed for the Amiga and DOS by Mirage's Instinct Design, it was ported to various video game consoles, including the Super NES, the Mega Drive, and the 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. The game includes a single-player mode in which the player assumes the role of the ECO35-2 Cyborg as he attempts to stop the Supervisor, who has taken over Electrocorp's facilities in Metropolis 4, and a two-player mode in which the second player controls a character chosen from among ECO35-2's enemies.
Pinball Fantasies is a 1992 pinball video game originally developed by Digital Illusions and published by 21st Century Entertainment in Europe for the Amiga home computers. It is the sequel to Pinball Dreams, which was released earlier in the same year on multiple platforms. In the game, players can choose between any of the four available playfields, both of which have their own thematic and main objectives in order to obtain the highest score possible.
Superfrog is a scrolling 2D platform game, originally developed for the Amiga and published in 1993 by Team17. Later releases were handled by Ocean Software and GOG.com.
Soccer Kid is a 1993 side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Krisalis Software in Europe for the Amiga. The player assumes the role of the titular main protagonist who travels across several countries around the world to repair the World Cup by retrieving pieces that were scattered by the alien pirate Scab, the main antagonist who failed to steal and add it to his trophy collection in a robbery attempt. Its gameplay mainly consists of platforming and exploration elements, with a main single-button or two-button configuration, depending on the controls setup.
Turrican is a 1990 video game developed by Manfred Trenz. It was developed for the Commodore 64 by Rainbow Arts, and was ported to other systems later. In addition to concept design and character creation, Trenz programmed Turrican on the Commodore 64. A sequel, Turrican II: The Final Fight, followed in 1991 for the Commodore 64 and other platforms.
Last Ninja is a series of video games published by System 3. The first game in the series titled The Last Ninja, was released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and was one of the most successful games for the system. In 1988, System 3 released Last Ninja 2, and in 1991 the third game in the series, Last Ninja 3. In 1990, Last Ninja Remix was released for 8-bit systems. This was Last Ninja 2 with new music, a new introductory sequence, slightly changed graphics and fixed bugs. Confusingly, the 16-bit versions of the original The Last Ninja game were also released in 1990 as Ninja Remix.
Jungle Strike is a video game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1993 for the Sega Genesis. The game was later released on several other consoles such as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and an upgraded version was made for DOS computers. The Amiga conversion was the responsibility of Ocean Software while the SNES and PC DOS versions were that of Gremlin Interactive, and the portable console versions were of Black Pearl Software. It is the direct sequel to Desert Strike and is the second installment in the Strike series. The game is a helicopter-based shoot 'em up, mixing action and strategy. The plot concerns two villains intent on destroying Washington, D.C. The player must use the helicopter and occasionally other vehicles to thwart their plans.
Housemarque Oy is a Finnish video game developer based in Helsinki. The company was founded by Ilari Kuittinen and Harri Tikkanen in July 1995, through the merger of their previous video game companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque, both of which were founded in 1993 as Finland's first commercial developers. Housemarque is the oldest active developer in Finland and has about 110 employees as of 2023. It was acquired by Sony Interactive Entertainment in June 2021, becoming a part of PlayStation Studios.
Super Stardust is a multidirectional shooter video game developed by Bloodhouse and published by Team 17 for the Amiga (AGA) in 1994 and CD32 in 1995. The game was ranked the 26th best game of all time by Amiga Power.
Tim Wright, known professionally as CoLD SToRAGE, is a Welsh video game music composer best known for his work on Wipeout 2097. His compositions for the game drew on 1990s UK big beat and electronic music trends, influenced by artists such as The Chemical Brothers. This style helped define Wipeout 2097's futuristic racing soundtrack and contributed to the popularisation of electronic music in video games. Wright has also contributed to the soundtracks of Shadow of the Beast II, Agony, Lemmings, and Colony Wars.
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe is a 1990 video game based on a violent futuristic sport that draws on elements of handball and ice hockey, and rewards violent play as well as goals. The concept of the game is reminiscent of the 1975 film Rollerball. The original game was developed by Bitmap Brothers, with various remakes for many platforms since being published. It is a sequel to the 1988 game Speedball.
Worms is a 2D artillery tactical video game developed by Team17 and released in 1995. It is the first game in the Worms series of video games. It is a turn based game where a player controls a team of worms against other teams of worms that are controlled by a computer or human opponent. The aim is to use various weapons to kill the worms on the other teams and have the last surviving worm(s).
Super Stardust HD is a 2007 multidirectional shooter video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It was released on the PlayStation Network, with a PlayStation Portable version titled Super Stardust Portable releasing the following year. A port to the PlayStation 4 developed by D3T was released as Super Stardust Ultra in 2015. In 2016, Super Stardust Ultra VR, a PlayStation VR-compatible version that contains Super Stardust Ultra, was released as paid downloadable content and a separate product in itself.
Microcosm is a 3D rail shooter video game developed and published by Psygnosis in 1993. It was originally developed for the FM Towns, and ported for the Sega CD, Amiga CD32, 3DO, and MS-DOS. Microcosm featured realistic FMV animation, with the graphics being rendered on Silicon Graphics workstations. The game is either in first-person or third-person view depending on the gaming system.
Super Stardust Delta is a 2012 multidirectional shooter video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation Vita. It is part of Housemarque's Stardust series and a sequel to Super Stardust HD.
Resogun is a 2013 shoot 'em up video game developed by Housemarque and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. Ports for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita developed by Climax Studios were released the following year. It draws heavily from the games Defender and Datastorm, and is considered the spiritual successor to Housemarque's previous shoot 'em up games Super Stardust HD and Super Stardust Delta.
Brutal Sports Football is a 1993 sports video game developed by Teque London and originally published by Millennium Interactive for the Amiga. It was re-published for MS-DOS and Amiga CD32, and later became the first third-party title published for the Atari Jaguar. The first entry in the Brutal Sports series, the game is a fictional style of football played against human or computer-controlled opponents. It features a different take on american football by emphasising the violent aspect of the sport.