Matt's Old Gaming MAgazine Reviews
@mogmar.bsky.social
Space Harrier on the Amiga (ignore the Speccy, they're hooked up to the same TV) is a great conversion. Full screen and very fast. Seems like that wasn't always the plan though as C&VG expected it to be identical to the ST version, which had a large border.
October 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Space Harrier on the Amiga (ignore the Speccy, they're hooked up to the same TV) is a great conversion. Full screen and very fast. Seems like that wasn't always the plan though as C&VG expected it to be identical to the ST version, which had a large border.
Wowzers. Did E.T really cost £49.95 when it was first released on VHS in 1988? That's £137.61 in today's money apparently. From C&VG August 88.
October 9, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Wowzers. Did E.T really cost £49.95 when it was first released on VHS in 1988? That's £137.61 in today's money apparently. From C&VG August 88.
October 6, 2025 at 8:15 AM
What is this game? Ancient Mariner (Systems Architects). Previewed in C&VG #71 but no entry on HOL or @gamesthatwerent.com . But looks quite developed and ambitious. No hits on @mobygames.com for Systems Architects either. Looks cool though #amiga #Atari #retrogames
October 1, 2025 at 10:24 AM
What is this game? Ancient Mariner (Systems Architects). Previewed in C&VG #71 but no entry on HOL or @gamesthatwerent.com . But looks quite developed and ambitious. No hits on @mobygames.com for Systems Architects either. Looks cool though #amiga #Atari #retrogames
So cool that mags back in the day would commission actual comic artists to draw artwork for their pages, like this awesome Glenn Fabry piece accompanying the Slaine preview in C&VG October 1987. #retro #retromags #retrogaming
September 28, 2025 at 10:36 AM
So cool that mags back in the day would commission actual comic artists to draw artwork for their pages, like this awesome Glenn Fabry piece accompanying the Slaine preview in C&VG October 1987. #retro #retromags #retrogaming
Why was it quite normal to charge £1 more for the C64 (tape) version of a game than the Spectrum version in the mid 80s? Seems a bit pointless but it was pretty standard. #retro #c64 #zxspectrum
September 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Why was it quite normal to charge £1 more for the C64 (tape) version of a game than the Spectrum version in the mid 80s? Seems a bit pointless but it was pretty standard. #retro #c64 #zxspectrum
The October '87 C&VG news section has what I guess is the first news of a Robocop game? No mention of Data East license & says won't be out til late next year. Long development time for an 8-bit game & not sure if the very low-res digitised image is a still from the film or v early game concept.
September 22, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The October '87 C&VG news section has what I guess is the first news of a Robocop game? No mention of Data East license & says won't be out til late next year. Long development time for an 8-bit game & not sure if the very low-res digitised image is a still from the film or v early game concept.
First new delivery to Fort Mogmar for a while, 6 so far uncollected issues of C&VG from 87, 88 + 89. Plus two doubles to add to the swaps pile (not in pic). The late 80s C&VG era of my collection is getting quite full now. #retro #retromags #C&VG
September 22, 2025 at 9:45 AM
First new delivery to Fort Mogmar for a while, 6 so far uncollected issues of C&VG from 87, 88 + 89. Plus two doubles to add to the swaps pile (not in pic). The late 80s C&VG era of my collection is getting quite full now. #retro #retromags #C&VG
Oh! I think I finally found one that @gamesthatwerent.com hasn't got yet!
Did this Archimedes port of Hard Drivin' ever exist beyond this brief mention? Could have been pretty awesome at the time! "Four times faster than any other format".
#retrogaming #retro #oldmags
Did this Archimedes port of Hard Drivin' ever exist beyond this brief mention? Could have been pretty awesome at the time! "Four times faster than any other format".
#retrogaming #retro #oldmags
September 9, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Oh! I think I finally found one that @gamesthatwerent.com hasn't got yet!
Did this Archimedes port of Hard Drivin' ever exist beyond this brief mention? Could have been pretty awesome at the time! "Four times faster than any other format".
#retrogaming #retro #oldmags
Did this Archimedes port of Hard Drivin' ever exist beyond this brief mention? Could have been pretty awesome at the time! "Four times faster than any other format".
#retrogaming #retro #oldmags
My copy of The Games Machine #23 October 89 has this little unopened "Are You A Winner?" package taped to the front.
1. Why didnt the original owner open it?
2. Should I? Or preserve it?
#retrogaming #oldmags #retro
1. Why didnt the original owner open it?
2. Should I? Or preserve it?
#retrogaming #oldmags #retro
September 9, 2025 at 8:14 AM
My copy of The Games Machine #23 October 89 has this little unopened "Are You A Winner?" package taped to the front.
1. Why didnt the original owner open it?
2. Should I? Or preserve it?
#retrogaming #oldmags #retro
1. Why didnt the original owner open it?
2. Should I? Or preserve it?
#retrogaming #oldmags #retro
Chill adventure game locations that I enjoyed hanging out in despite getting very frustrated with the puzzles #2.
But where am I? #retro #adventuregames #amiga
But where am I? #retro #adventuregames #amiga
July 22, 2025 at 8:25 AM
Chill adventure game locations that I enjoyed hanging out in despite getting very frustrated with the puzzles #2.
But where am I? #retro #adventuregames #amiga
But where am I? #retro #adventuregames #amiga
TGM #25 and I think this is the first solid sign that the Konix project is not going to end well. A shame because it would have been great if it had been released, but with hindsight it was very different to the products that would go on to dominate the console market.
July 10, 2025 at 9:17 AM
TGM #25 and I think this is the first solid sign that the Konix project is not going to end well. A shame because it would have been great if it had been released, but with hindsight it was very different to the products that would go on to dominate the console market.
Wanted to compare how the title screen looked on Amiga/CRT vs DosBox/monitor. But for some reason @bsky.app adds scan lines to the Amiga screen that aren't there in my original picture.
June 24, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Wanted to compare how the title screen looked on Amiga/CRT vs DosBox/monitor. But for some reason @bsky.app adds scan lines to the Amiga screen that aren't there in my original picture.
Infocom's Adventure was an interesting one. Mixing RPG elements, a party and branching choices. I like it, but was it a disappointment at the time? Promised sequels never emerged. This seems to be the only coverage it got in UK games press, a deserved 87% in TGM#20.
June 24, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Infocom's Adventure was an interesting one. Mixing RPG elements, a party and branching choices. I like it, but was it a disappointment at the time? Promised sequels never emerged. This seems to be the only coverage it got in UK games press, a deserved 87% in TGM#20.
Oh cool, Thalamus is still active? Funnily enough I just literally read this item in TGM#23 before I saw your post:
June 21, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Oh cool, Thalamus is still active? Funnily enough I just literally read this item in TGM#23 before I saw your post:
Came across this advert for a game I'd never heard of, The Search For Sharla, and doesn't show up on @mobygames.com. Of course as always @gamesthatwerent.com has it covered: www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/search...
June 20, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Came across this advert for a game I'd never heard of, The Search For Sharla, and doesn't show up on @mobygames.com. Of course as always @gamesthatwerent.com has it covered: www.gamesthatwerent.com/gtw64/search...
Wow gamers were a lot more tolerant and progressive back in the 80s. This one whose letter is printed in TGM#24 even has a coloured friend he calls Chalky!
June 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Wow gamers were a lot more tolerant and progressive back in the 80s. This one whose letter is printed in TGM#24 even has a coloured friend he calls Chalky!
I just wanted to ask ChatGPT to draw one classic adventure scene as a realistic image. I was sure that whatever came out was going to be shit and not interesting. However it came out so creepy and weirdly homoerotic that I think I might have to carry on with a few more.
June 7, 2025 at 10:22 PM
I just wanted to ask ChatGPT to draw one classic adventure scene as a realistic image. I was sure that whatever came out was going to be shit and not interesting. However it came out so creepy and weirdly homoerotic that I think I might have to carry on with a few more.
Pete Cook won the Edit Ace For A Day competition in 1988 and got a job as a game designer at Elite Systems. From there he went on to have a pretty great career:
www.mobygames.com/person/17814...
www.mobygames.com/person/17814...
June 7, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Pete Cook won the Edit Ace For A Day competition in 1988 and got a job as a game designer at Elite Systems. From there he went on to have a pretty great career:
www.mobygames.com/person/17814...
www.mobygames.com/person/17814...
People probably looked at images like this back in the day, in the same way we look at AI art now. Digitised pics restricted by the power of the computer processing/displaying them, & manipulated with sw to create new kinds of images. This comes from a mag-in-a-mag in TGM#23 focusing on (cont)
June 5, 2025 at 9:03 AM
People probably looked at images like this back in the day, in the same way we look at AI art now. Digitised pics restricted by the power of the computer processing/displaying them, & manipulated with sw to create new kinds of images. This comes from a mag-in-a-mag in TGM#23 focusing on (cont)
Here's a chill location I enjoyed exploring while recently playing a classic adventure for the first time. Anyone know what game it is? #retrogaming #dos #amiga
June 3, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Here's a chill location I enjoyed exploring while recently playing a classic adventure for the first time. Anyone know what game it is? #retrogaming #dos #amiga
Anyone want to show off their esoteric 80s UK tech industry knowledge by taking on this Mel Croucher trivia quiz?
(Apologies for the poor image quality but should be legible depending on your screen I guess)
(Apologies for the poor image quality but should be legible depending on your screen I guess)
May 27, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Anyone want to show off their esoteric 80s UK tech industry knowledge by taking on this Mel Croucher trivia quiz?
(Apologies for the poor image quality but should be legible depending on your screen I guess)
(Apologies for the poor image quality but should be legible depending on your screen I guess)
What were the Codies talking about here in TGM#23? The CD unit seems the obvious choice but as noted has been done already. Can't think of anything else that fits the bill though!
May 22, 2025 at 8:18 AM
What were the Codies talking about here in TGM#23? The CD unit seems the obvious choice but as noted has been done already. Can't think of anything else that fits the bill though!
Nice 2-page review of Shadow Of The Beast in TGM#23. The game that really made people take notice of the Amiga, which so far mainly got ports from the less powerful but more popular ST.
If you didn't buy mags you probably first saw it in this shop demo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8o...
If you didn't buy mags you probably first saw it in this shop demo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8o...
May 21, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Nice 2-page review of Shadow Of The Beast in TGM#23. The game that really made people take notice of the Amiga, which so far mainly got ports from the less powerful but more popular ST.
If you didn't buy mags you probably first saw it in this shop demo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8o...
If you didn't buy mags you probably first saw it in this shop demo
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OC8o...
I don't remember this game at all which is unusual for an Amiga game of its vintage. Chariots Of Wrath sounds interesting, blending different game genres like platforming and break-out.
May 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
I don't remember this game at all which is unusual for an Amiga game of its vintage. Chariots Of Wrath sounds interesting, blending different game genres like platforming and break-out.