Amiga Action Issue 74 is a very “play-it-now” issue built around two coverdisks (Timekeepers on Disk 1 and the 3rd/final part of Quik the Thunder Rabbit on Disk 2) plus a chunky Tips Special. Reviews are dominated by big-name action and A1200-friendly fare: Super Street Fighter II lands as a near-definitive Amiga conversion (91%) with the expanded roster (Cammy, Fei Long, DeeJay, T. Hawk) and strong playability, while Gloom earns 90% as a fast, grisly Doom-style shooter (praised heavily despite missing quality-of-life features like passwords). The issue’s “exclusive” Team17 RPG/adventure The Speris Legacy scores a solid 86% for a bright Zelda-like quest, Timekeepers (also the coverdisk game) gets 87% for its time-hopping, squad-puzzler structure, Approach Trainer hits 81% as a deep-but-demanding Airbus landing sim, and Top of the League brings the mood down with a weary 61% in the overcrowded footy-management genre. Beyond reviews, there’s a Worms-focused “Earthworm Andy” feature (including creator-origin details), a “Do a Game” competition update (deadline extension + entrant round-up), and a Wheelspin preview pitched as another Skidmarks-style racer.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Timekeepers (Disk 1) + Quik the Thunder Rabbit (Disk 2, “3rd and final part” of the full-game giveaway).
• Review – Super Street Fighter II: 91% (US Gold) — excellent port; big roster including Cammy/Fei Long/DeeJay/T. Hawk; called out as the sort of release the Amiga needs.
• Review – Gloom: 90% (Guildhall Leisure) — best-in-class Amiga 3D blaster vibes; ultra-high playability rating; complaints include no password system and a weak laser sound.
• Review – Timekeepers: 87% (Vulcan, £12.99) — described as a Valhalla/Lemmings crossbreed with time-era zones (e.g., 2M BC / 1245 / 1966 / 2001) and icon-driven squad control.
• Review – The Speris Legacy: 86% (Team17, £29.99) — Zelda-like adventure as Cho, tracking your brother Callus across the land of Speris; praised as big, friendly, and easy to settle into, with some “flat/confusing” visuals.
• Review – Approach Trainer: 81% (Thalion, £29.99) — serious Airbus landing/approach simulator with lots of real-world-style detail and a heavy learning curve.
• Review – Top of the League: 61% (Digital Warehouse, £25.99) — another football management sim; knocked for bland presentation and generally feeling outclassed by other managers.
• Preview – Wheelspin: early build compared directly to Skidmarks / Super Skidmarks; only 8 tracks but varied terrain/league options; preview build criticised for control/handling issues.
• Feature – “Earthworm Andy” (Worms): includes background on creator Andy Davidson, with specifics like the project starting as a solo effort (Aug ’93) and big claims about procedural levels.
• Feature – “Do a Game” competition: £250 prize, deadline extended to Sept 30, and a showcase of reader-made entries (including things like Rubik’s Cube, Conquest, Space Escape, Breakout 2000, and The Gimp).
• Regulars/Extras: Tips Special (“Get Your Tips Out for the Lads!”), Indy: Fate of Atlantis walkthrough (Part 17), plus Talkback/letters and Swap Shop.

Issue 73 is dominated by sport-and-stats gaming, with Player Manager 2 and Sensible Golf taking the top spots thanks to their “easy to pick up, hard to master” hooks (one blending management with on-pitch action, the other turning golf into fast, funny, hazard-heavy chaos across a big spread of courses). The other big review is Obsession, a slick four-table pinball package that earns strong praise while getting gently knocked for feeling very close to the Digital Illusions style. On the flip side, F1: World Championship Edition is treated as a dated re-tread, and Tactical Manager 2 is slammed for drowning the fun in menus and stats. Add in a coverdisk headline—Quik the Thunder Rabbit as a “full” commercial freebie spread across this month and next—plus chunky previews (Tiny Troops, Pole Position, and Hyboria: Conan…), and it reads like a busy, very mid-’90s Amiga mix of optimism, skepticism, and bargains.

Highlights

• Coverdisks (Disk 1 & 2): Quik the Thunder Rabbit (full commercial game, “worth £20”) — you can play well into the quest to recover the “Ultimate Seed,” with the final part promised on next month’s disk.
• Review: Player Manager 2 (Anco) — OVERALL 92% — hybrid football management + playable matches, with both overhead and side-on viewpoints; praised as a “pick-up-and-play” management game with lots of tactical control. (Graphics 91%, Sound 79%, Playability 92%; £19.99.)
• Review: Sensible Golf (Virgin) — OVERALL 90% — cartoon Sensi-style golf built around quick rounds, strokeplay/skins/matchplay, and tournaments up to 72 players; applauded for addictive feel and risk/reward recovery shots, but docked for limited stats and re-used holes. (Graphics 84%, Sound 86%, Playability 91%; £29.99.)
• Review: Obsession (Unique Developments) — OVERALL 86% — pinball sim with four themed tables (including Aquatic Adventure, X‑ile Zone, Balls & Bats, and Desert Run); big thumbs-up for presentation and “one more go” pull, with the main complaint being how closely it resembles the Digital Illusions formula. (Graphics 91%, Sound 90%, Playability 89%; £30.)
• Review: F1: World Championship Edition (Domark) — OVERALL 68% — criticised as a rehash that feels dated despite decent track presentation; you can pick teams/drivers and race with a more accessible style, but it’s said to lack real excitement. (Graphics 75%, Sound 60%, Playability 72%; £29.99.)
• Review: Tactical Manager 2 (Black Legend) — OVERALL 59% — hammered for confusing menus, thin long-term appeal, and a stats-heavy approach; it does have match highlights/commentary and lots of numbers to chew on, but the verdict is basically “avoid.” (Graphics 53%, Sound 47%, Playability 57%; £29.99.)
• Budget reviews pack (sports/strategy heavy): International Sports Challenge, Megatraveller 2, Subwar 2050, On the Ball: World Cup, World Class Rugby ’95, plus Ishar Trilogy and Team 17 Thangs.
• Preview: Tiny Troops (Mindscape) — a bright, icon-driven strategy game promising 72 battles, six end-level bosses, and missions that range from rescues to assassinations, with 30+ unit types and vehicles.
• Preview: Pole Position (Daze / Ascon) — Formula One team management: hire/fire, develop tech, test, then handle races with pit stops and tactics (presented like TV coverage).
• Preview: Hyboria: Conan the Conqueror (Monoceros Developments) — isometric action/adventure shown in an early state; noted as A1200 hard-drive installable (with 2MB RAM) and floating the idea of speech on CD later.

Issue 72 (July 1995) balances big-name strategy and a wave of upcoming games with the usual Amiga-scene reality check: the news section leads on the post-Commodore fallout (including Escom speculation) and a cover price bump to £4.25, while the reviews crown Virocop as the standout (a slick, fast, very tricky shooter that lands an overall 91%). Strategy fans are well served with Colonization scoring 87% for its deep New World colony-building and long-term push toward independence, and CD32 owners get a “revisited” look at Syndicate CD32, which is rated even higher than before (updated to 93%). Not everything shines—International Golf and Behind the Iron Gate both stall at 52%—but the previews are packed: All Stars Tennis, The Big Red Adventure, Star Crusader, Gloom, Timekeepers, and Limbo of the Lost all get substantial look-ins, and the issue is rounded out with guides (including Brutal, Ultimate Soccer Manager, Bloodnet, and Fate of Atlantis), reader pages, and league tables.

Highlights

• News & scene talk: Leads with Commodore/Amiga uncertainty and Escom chatter, plus a blunt note that the mag now costs £4.25; also plugs a SimCity 2000 cheats/strategy book.
• Coverdisks (3 games): Ultimate Soccer Manager (a two-disk A1200-only demo of the Impressions 92% rated football management sim), plus Ruffian (platformer where your “attack” is literally spitting) and the PD oddball fighter Mortal Kumquat vs Super Fruit Fighter II.
• Review pick – Virocop (91%): Warner Interactive’s HD-installable shooter earns 91%, praised for looking/feeling polished and staying tense thanks to its “very tricky” difficulty and constant on-screen chaos.
• Strategy heavyweight – Colonization (87%): MicroProse’s Sid Meier-era empire-builder hits 87%, built around founding colonies, managing resources/trade/politics, and grinding toward eventual independence.
• CD32 revisit – Syndicate CD32 (updated 93%): Bullfrog’s cyborg-squad classic returns on CD32 and gets an updated 93% (up from an original 87%)—still all about mission-based corporate takeover and tactical carnage.
• Disappointments: International Golf (52%) is criticised as clunky and low on spark despite basics like course selection and tournaments; Behind the Iron Gate (52%) gets slammed for sluggish, awkward play despite its Doom-ish first-person ambitions.
• Preview – All Stars Tennis: A bright, cartoony tennis game with 11 characters, multiple court types (clay/grass/indoor/cement plus a bonus ice court), globe-trotting tournament locations, and an unlockable “Power Play” mode featuring bombs/turbo/slow/multi-ball chaos.
• Preview – The Big Red Adventure: A comic-styled adventure set around the free streets of Moscow, boasting 100+ hand-drawn locations and multiple playable characters (including Doug Nuts, plus Dino Fagoli and Donna Fatale) with puzzle-driven conversations shown in speech bubbles.
• Preview – Star Crusader: A cockpit-and-command space war game mixing dogfights with strategy—pick sides in a larger conflict, manage multi-ship missions, and deal with several alien factions (the write-up calls out races like the Tancreds, Mazumas, Envies, and Nuubyans).
• Preview – Gloom / Timekeepers / Limbo of the Lost: Gloom promises A1200/CD32 Doom-style gore, weapon upgrades, 24 mazes, and optional split-screen play; Timekeepers is a budget time-travel puzzler about disarming nukes across themed eras (Stoneage/Medieval/Vietnam/Space); Limbo of the Lost sets its adventure on the Mary Celeste with Captain Benjamin “Spooner” Briggs, but the preview flags ugly loading/disk-access issues that need fixing.

Issue 71 is a very “keep the Amiga alive” mix of late-era big reviews + genuinely useful coverdisks: it leads with the quirky fighter Brutal: Paws of Fury and the management monster Ultimate Soccer Manager (A1200), while also stuffing in sims/tycoons like Pizza Tycoon, Voyages of Discovery, and High Seas Trader. The real practical hook is Disk 2’s Sensible World of Soccer bug‑fix/update disk, which reads like a maintenance release for people still playing SWOS daily. There’s also a solid CD32 “revisit” block (Pinball Illusions, Speedball 2, Shadow Fighter, etc.), a preview slate headed by Alien Breed 3D-style FPS hype, and a wonderfully odd AA flourish: the “poster of the month” is literally a goat.

Highlights

• Coverdisks:
  • Disk 1: Brutal demo (A1200-only; “not A500”) featuring Rhai Rat and Kendo Coyote, plus a full special-moves diagram page.
  • Disk 1 extra: Thinkamania (A1200-only memory-card matching game).
  • Disk 2: SWOS bug‑fix/update disk (all Amigas) + demo match Newcastle vs Man United.
• SWOS update fixes called out: Italian league = 3 points for a win, F10 crowd chants toggle works on A500, fixes a crash when the sub goalie dives, plus attacker/winger boost and slight home advantage tweaks.
• Top full‑price reviews (with scores): Ultimate Soccer Manager (A1200) 92%, Brutal 90%, Pizza Tycoon 86%, Voyages of Discovery 86%, High Seas Trader 81%.
• Big negative: Battle Trucks 17% (the issue’s outright write‑off).
• CD32 “revisited” scores: Pinball Illusions 89% → 92% (includes a ~60‑minute audio soundtrack), Speedball 2 92% → 92%, Shadow Fighter 91% → 91%, Kingpin Bowling 84% → 84%, ATR 89% → 89%.
• Budget standouts: Cannon Fodder (Hit Squad) 93%, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (Kixx XL) 90% (noted as 11 disks), Syndicate 87%.
• Previews that matter: Alien Breed 3D (the big FPS headline), plus Doom‑likes like Blood, Sweat & Fears, and other upcoming titles including Coala and Virocop.
• News/oddity: mentions the Commodore UK buyout failing; and yes, Poster of the Month: “Goat.”

Amiga Action Issue 70 (May 1995) is a very “three-disk, loads-to-play” package that leans hard into football and big-name hype while still keeping the magazine’s usual action/platform edge. The review section is stacked with a strong mix of new releases (from bouncy arcade stuff to darker, moodier titles), and the previews page is clearly aimed at the “next wave” crowd with heavyweight strategy/management and PC-to-Amiga conversions. The real hook, though, is the coverdisks: they’re built to keep you busy immediately, mixing an as-yet-unnamed beat ’em up demo, more Speris Legacy mission content, and a couple of “one more go” time-sinks (including a brutally silly footballer-flattening game and an addictive card game), with a side serving of editor/management tinkering for the obsessives.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Kwok’s Game (unnamed beat ’em up demo), The Speris Legacy (Part 2 mission demo), Demon (addictive patience-style card game), Sensible Massacre 2 (bulldozer chaos), plus a PM3 Multi-Editor slideshow demo.
• Full price reviews: Man Utd – The Double, Angst, Ruffian, Champ Man Italia ’95, Super Skidmarks, Superleague Manager, Ants, Soccer Superstars, Sword of Honour, Whizz.
• Previews: Player Manager 2, Colonization, Powerhouse, Lost Eden, Ultimate Soccer Manager.
• Big feature: “The End…?” — a reality-check look at the Amiga’s future via dev/company opinions and reader voices.
• Guides/solutions: Jungle Strike (Part 3), Sensible World of Soccer, Valhalla: Before the War, Zeewolf, plus Small Tips and Son of Boggit.

Amiga Action Issue 69 (April 1995) is a proper “bonanza” month built around a 4-disk Comic Relief special: you get an exclusive Turbo Trax racer demo, an exclusive early taster of Team17’s Zelda-style Speris Legacy (A1200 only), a bundle of classic arcade conversions, and the chance to unlock Titus’s Blues Brothers as a full game for a charity payment. The magazine backs the disks up with a busy set of reviews (ranging from sim/strategy to CD32 action), a forward-looking previews section, and a strong practical core—an exclusive David Braben chat plus chunky guides and tips for several big, time-hungry games.

Highlights

• Full price reviews: Turbo Trax, ITS Cricket, TFX, Extractors, Akira, PM3 Multi-Editor, Jungle Strike (CD32), Shadow Fighter (A1200), Dragonstone (CD32), Skeleton Krew (CD32).
• Budget reviews: B17 Flying Fortress, Tornado, Team Yankee, Ishar 2.
• Previews: Frontier: First Encounters, The Speris Legacy, Angst, Baldies, Final Over, Kwok’s Game.
• Features & regulars: David Braben exclusive interview, Public Domain, Superleagues, Talkback letters, Swap Shop.
• Guides/solutions: Jungle Strike (Part 2), Dreamweb (Part 2), Shadow Fighter, Lords of the Realm, On the Ball tips, Son of Boggit.
• Coverdisks: Turbo Trax exclusive demo; Speris Legacy exclusive early preview; classic arcade pack (Harry the Haddock, Space Invasion II, Dodge ’em, Galaxy Wars); Blues Brothers full game “Comic Relief” unlock offer.

Amiga Action Issue 68 (March 1995) is a big, confident “this is the one” month built around an Alien Breed 3D special, using the coverdisks and feature pages to sell the idea that the Amiga can finally do a proper Doom-style 3D shooter. Around that headline, it’s a classic Amiga Action mix: a strong run of full-price reviews spanning arcade platforming, flight/action, and CD32 conversions, a preview section stacked with upcoming curios (including more licensed and sports-heavy picks), and a healthy amount of player-support via solutions for some of the era’s more time-sink games. It rounds out with the usual AA personality—regular columns, PD scene coverage, leagues, letters, and swap shop—so the issue reads like a complete monthly “game night starter pack.”

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Alien Breed 3D (exclusive “massive 3D” demo), Kingpin, and Valhalla: Before the War (exclusive demo).
• Full price reviews: Benefactor (CD32), Dawn Patrol, Flink, Guardian (A1200), Kingpin, Roketz, Theme Park (CD32), X-It.
• Previews: Akira, Boo the Ghost, Extractors, ITS Cricket, Pussies Galore, Ruffian, Tactical Manager 2, TFX.
• Features & regulars: Alien Breed 3D special feature, Film ’95, “Get a Life,” plus the usual News/Public Domain/Superleagues/Talkback/Swap Shop.
• Guides/solutions: Jungle Strike, Dreamweb, Theme Park, Space Quest III.

Amiga Action Issue 67 (Feb 1995) is a busy, games-first issue that mixes heavyweight reviews with a lot of “stuff you’ll actually use,” especially if you’re into action and sports. The magazine leans on ATR coverage and a big Mortal Kombat II moves spread as its practical hook, backs that up with a strong review slate (from All New World of Lemmings to Shaq Fu), and keeps the hype machine running with previews of upcoming titles. The two coverdisks are a major part of the value this month—one built around an ATR demo that needs a bit of disk prep, and the other a shoot-’em-up-friendly bundle with another headline demo—while the features fill in the wider scene with show coverage, a “best of last year” roundup, and the usual Amiga Action attitude.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: ATR demo (with a decrunch/install process that wants a freshly formatted disk), plus a “shoot-’em-up special” disk that also includes a Base Jumpers demo and a handful of classic blasters.
• Full price reviews: All New World of Lemmings, ATR, Shaq Fu, Dragonstone, Base Jumpers, Death Mask, K03: Euro Challenge.
• Previews: Master Axe, Front Lines, Skidmarks 2.
• Features & regulars: World of Amiga show report, Top 20 of 1994 roundup, a piracy-themed rant/feature (“Ain’t Done Nuffink”), and a Reader Survey.
• Guides/solutions: Mortal Kombat II “all the moves” pages, Robinson’s Requiem (Part 3), and a Reunion guide.

Amiga Action Issue 66 (January 1995) comes out swinging with one of those “stacked reviews + stacked disks” line-ups: it’s anchored by an exclusive verdict on Shadow Fighter, backed by heavyweight releases like Sensible World of Soccer, The Lion King, Mortal Kombat II, and Valhalla: Before the War, plus a strong undercard of action and strategy. Beyond the score pages, it keeps the mag’s personality front-and-center—Chicken’s ongoing “Caught in the Net” internet quest hits part three, there’s a proper “end of the day” feature where a real football manager weighs in on Premier Manager 3, and the guides/budget sections are busy enough to feel like you’re getting both new games and help for the painful ones you already own.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Shadow Fighter (playable demo), Premier Manager 3 (generous multi-week demo), plus a Mortal Kombat II tie-in disk/competition hook.
• Full price reviews: Shadow Fighter, Sensible World of Soccer, The Lion King, Mortal Kombat II, Valhalla: Before the War, Bloodnet, Jungle Strike, Roadkill, Reunion, Cannon Fodder 2, Overlord, and multiple CD32 reviews (including Beneath a Steel Sky and Tower Assault).
• Previews: The Game, Pizza Tycoon, Shaq Fu.
• Features & regulars: Caught in the Net (Part 3), “At the End of the Day…” (Premier Manager 3 gets judged by a real-world football manager), plus the usual news/letters/public domain/swap shop/superleagues.
• Guides/solutions: Ishar 3 (Part 2), Robinson’s Requiem (Part 2), and Son of Boggit.
• Budget games: a proper “cheap stuff” chunk aimed at scratching the Desert Strike / classic compilation itch without paying full price.

Amiga Action Issue 65 (Christmas 1994) is a full-on holiday blowout built around its “4 Disk Christmas Special” covermount and a big stack of headline reviews, with the magazine leaning into arcade action, CD32 conversions, and blockbuster sports/management alongside a couple of oddball licensed curios. It also keeps the forward-looking hype rolling with previews of major upcoming releases, and rounds the whole package out with the usual Amiga Action staples—public domain picks, league tables, letters, and swap shop—so it reads like a proper end-of-year “everything and the kitchen sink” issue rather than just a review dump.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Skeleton Krew (exclusive huge demo), Sound the Space Cadet (exclusive), Bubble Gun + Fruit Mania, and a “1000’s of cheats” codes disk.
• Full price reviews: Sim City 2000, Alien Breed: Tower Assault, Zeewolf, Premier Manager 3, Powerdrive, Aladdin, Pinball Illusions, Super Stardust, Subwar 2050, Lords of the Realm, FIFA Soccer, plus CD32 reviews like Arcade Pool and Bubble & Squeak (and extras like Mr Blobby and Marvin’s Marvellous Adventure).
• Previews: Mortal Kombat II, Valhalla: Before the War.
• Features & regulars: Public Domain, Super Leagues, a Danny Flynn poster feature, Talk Back (letters), and Swap Shop.

Amiga Action — Issue 64 (December 1994)

This Christmas-leaning issue packs in a hefty mix of reviews, previews, and longform features, with a clear tilt toward big-name action and sports/management releases alongside a few more unusual picks. The reviews run from arcade blasts and shooters (like Skeleton Krew and Bubble Gun) through strategy/war and RPG territory (Fields of Glory, Burntime, Robinson’s Requiem), while CD32 coverage continues with titles like Cannon Fodder and Darkseed. On the feature side, it kicks off “Caught in the Net,” an accessible primer on computer communications (Internet/BBS basics), checks in on Krisalis’ Zelda-like Legends in a work-in-progress piece, and rounds things out with practical game help (including Universe guide part one) plus the conclusion of the magazine’s unsettling Dreamweb “Ryan’s Diary.”

Highlights

• News: notable update from Vulcan about what follows Valhalla, plus the usual industry gossip roundup.
• Big reviews: Skeleton Krew and Rise of the Robots get prominent attention as headline action titles.
• More reviews across genres: Guardian, Embryo, Burntime, Fields of Glory, Football Glory, PGA European Tour, Rugby League Coach, and Robinson’s Requiem.
• CD32 focus continues: includes reviewed coverage for Cannon Fodder (CD32), Darkseed (CD32), Manchester United (CD32), and Universe (CD32).
• Footy/management corner: Club Football: The Manager and Premier Manager 3 feature as key strategy/management picks.
• Previews / first looks: includes Aladdin as a “first look” preview slot.
• Coverdisks: a three-part cover package headlined by a Dreamweb demo, plus Ace Space Case and Charlie J Cool (with notes that the disks/load method are a bit different this month).
• Feature: “Caught in the Net” (Part 1): beginner-friendly entry into computer communications—great snapshot of the era’s pre-web/early-internet curiosity.
• Feature: “Legend in its own time” (WIP): a substantial progress report on Krisalis’ Legends and what it’s aiming to do differently on Amiga.
• Guides: Universe guide (Part 1), plus help for Robinson’s Requiem, Ishar 3, and Son of Boggit.
• Serial feature finale: the concluding installment of Ryan’s Diary tied to Dreamweb’s twisted tone

Amiga Action Issue 63 (Nov 1994) is a classic “loads of stuff in the bag” issue: a three-disk covermount sets the tone, and the magazine backs it up with an exclusive review of Dreamweb—sold as a darker, grown-up adventure with sex/death/rock ’n’ roll vibes—plus a strong spread of big-name action and CD32 coverage. Alongside the review pile, there’s a proper ECTS show report for the industry pulse, a diary-style feature tied to the issue’s headline game, and a generous helping of player support—most notably the final part of the Valhalla solution and several guides/tips pages. Previews keep the forward-looking hype alive (with several “next big thing” titles), and the usual reader/community sections round it out so it feels like a full-on monthly package rather than “just reviews.”

Highlights

• 3-disk special coverdisks: Valhalla Special Edition, Kid Chaos, plus extra games including Battleships, The Big Game, and Hydrozone (and additional disk bits like Wired Chaos).
• Flagship review: Dreamweb gets the big “exclusive” spotlight as a gritty, adult-leaning adventure.
• Other key reviews: Detroit, The Clue, Top Gear 2, Tactical Manager Italia, and Litil Divil.
• CD32 presence: Reviews include Jetstrike (CD32), Simon the Sorcerer, and Super Ski (CD32) alongside the main A500/A1200 mix.
• Show coverage: ECTS Show Report for what’s happening in the wider games scene.
• Previews worth noting: Sensible Golf and Sensible World of Soccer, plus upcoming adventure/strategy curios like Flight of the Amazon Queen and High Seas Trader.
• Guides & help: Monkey Island 2 guide, Valhalla guide (with the final solution part), plus cheat/tips pages and Son of Boggit help.
• Regulars: News, Public Domain, Reader Reviews, letters/Talk Back, and Swap Shop to keep the community side ticking.

Amiga Action Issue 62 (Oct 1994) is a packed, games-first issue that leans hard into big-name reviews (with a strong CD32 presence), a chunky previews section, and practical help for players via guides and a multi-part feature—plus a coverdisk lineup headlined by a meaty Putty Squad demo and other playable goodies, alongside the magazine’s usual mix of news, reader mail, public-domain picks, comps, and the league tables that keep the sports crowd fed.

Highlights

• Full-price reviews: Banshee (CD32), Putty Squad, Ruff ’n’ Tumble, Superfrog (CD32), Kid Chaos, Ishar 3, On the Ball: World Cup, World Cup USA ’94, Universe, and more.
• Budget reviews: Caesar Deluxe, Corkers Compilation, KGB, Supremacy.
• Previews: Cannon Fodder 2, Dreamweb, Jungle Strike, Litil Divil, Lords of the Realm, Megarace, Mighty Max, Mutant League Hockey, PGA European Tour, Sensible Golf.
• Features & regulars: Public Domain feature, “Secret Diary,” Pinball Illusions (Part 2), Talk Back, Reader Reviews, Swap Shop, Super Leagues.
• Guides/solutions: UFO, Heimdall 2, Valhalla, Theme Park.
• Coverdisks: Putty Squad demo spotlight, plus other demos and a bundle of extra games/tools.

Issue 61 is a “big releases and exclusives” month, led by major coverage of Bullfrog’s long-awaited Theme Park and a world-first review of Millennium’s heavily hyped Pinkie, then backed up with a packed reviews slate (including Battletoads, Test Match Cricket, and several football-heavy titles). Away from the score pages, it digs into dev/studio territory with an exclusive programmer chat about Pinball Illusions and a two-part look at Vulcan (the team behind Valhalla), plus follow-on coverage of All Terrain Racing. The guides section tackles multiple tough games (notably UFO, Heimdall 2, K240, and Out to Lunch), and the rest of the issue rounds out with the usual community staples—news, letters, PD picks, charts, swap shop, and big competitions.

Highlights

• Theme Park gets the “finally here” headline treatment as the issue’s big verdict moment.
• Pinkie is positioned as a major exclusive/world-first review, with lots of hype around the character.
• Full-price reviews include Battletoads, Test Match Cricket, Tactical Manager, Wild Cup Soccer, Vital Light, plus multiple football/soccer titles.
• CD32 reviews include Total Carnage, Ryder Cup, plus Beavers and Chuck Rock II.
• Exclusive “programmers talk” feature on Pinball Illusions for pinball fans.
• Two-part studio feature on Vulcan, makers of Valhalla.
• Additional coverage of All Terrain Racing (continuing piece).
• Game guides/help for UFO, Heimdall 2, K240, and Out to Lunch.
• Big competitions with headline prizes including a CD32 and an A1200.

Amiga Action Issue 60 (Aug ’94) leans hard into World Cup fever, putting football front-and-center with big coverage of FIFA Soccer and a headline-grabbing (and very tongue-in-cheek) verdict on Kick Off 3, while still packing in the magazine’s usual mix of hefty reviews, previews, and regular departments. Alongside the sport hype you get notable praise for standout arcade/platform titles, a look ahead at flashy A1200/CD32-era action, and the community staples (letters, reader reviews, PD scene, swap shop), topped off with competitions and a coverdisk lineup aimed at giving you lots to play immediately.

Highlights:

• Cover focus: “They think it’s all over…” theme with FIFA Soccer and Kick Off 3 as the marquee features.
• Coverdisks: Promoted as 8 demos including 4 full games, featuring a football-heavy mix (notably Wembley International Soccer and Sensible Massacre) plus quick-hit extras like D-Day, Missile Command, Simon, and Tic Tac Toe.
• Big review moment – Kick Off 3: Delivered as a parody “exam paper,” digging into the series history and the post–Dino Dini reality in a very skeptical, comedic style.
• Strong scorer: Bubble & Squeak is treated as a top-tier platformer—tight play, great presentation, and enough variety (extra stages/bonus bits) to feel substantial.
• Sensi remains king: International Sensible Soccer (World Cup-flavored update) is framed as basically essential, with only minor nitpicks.
• Shooter spotlight: Banshee gets positioned as a modern riff on classic arcade scrolling shooters (with 1942 vibes) and a proper “arcade rush” feel.
• Preview candy: Super Stardust preview hypes a more advanced A1200/CD32-only presentation (more colors, richer audio) and big set-piece tunnel sequences.
• Regular sections still intact: News, letters/Talk Back, Reader Reviews, Public Domain roundup, and Swap Shop keep the community/utility side running.
• Competitions/freebies: Giveaways tied to sports/World Cup vibes (sportswear) plus additional prizes from other publishers.

Amiga Action Issue 59 (July 1994) is a big, mixed “summer blockbuster” issue built around a flagship first review of Valhalla, sold as a speech-heavy, story-driven adventure with real atmosphere and personality. Around that headline, it leans hard into football coverage (including a chunky “Super Leagues” stats/info section and Sensible Soccer World Cup gossip), stacks up a strong set of full-price reviews (with a noticeable CD32 presence), and pads the practical side with long Player’s Guides—most notably a deep strip-down of Beneath a Steel Sky. The coverdisks go for immediate variety: a classic shoot-’em-up demo plus a puzzle game, and an exclusive platformer preview, while the rest of the magazine rounds out with reader reviews, PD picks, competitions, and the usual community pages.

Highlights

• Cover star: Valhalla — “world’s first review” of the “speech-littered spectacle” (main review starts p.18).
• Coverdisks:
  • Disk 1: Apidya ’94 demo + Gulp! puzzle demo.
  • Disk 2: Naughty Ones exclusive playable demo.
• Full-price reviews (highlights): Sierra Soccer (p.24), Empire Soccer ’94 (p.27), Impossible Mission 2025 (p.28), Traps ’n’ Treasures (p.30), Wembley Rugby League (p.32), Benefactor (p.34).
• CD32 focus: reviews include Fury of the Furries, Lemmings (again), Striker, Fire & Ice, Zool 2, plus Second Samurai (all clustered around the late-30s/early-40s pages).
• Features: May I Help, Sir? (p.44) shop-assistant knowledge test; Sensi Cup ’94 World Cup finals gossip (p.50); MysterX with “tough-but-nice guy” Neil Axe (p.84).
• Player’s Guides: Beneath a Steel Sky walkthrough (p.62), Naughty Ones guide (p.66), Innocent Until Caught guide (p.72), plus Small Tips (p.76).
• Football mega-section: Super Leagues — six pages of league info and stats (p.100).
• Regulars/extras: News (p.12), Reader Reviews (p.42), Public Domain picks (p.48), Swap Shop (p.108), Talkback letters (p.91), and multiple competitions (p.15 & p.80).

Amiga Action Issue 58 (June 1994) is built around a big-ticket reviews lineup and a strong CD32 presence, headlined by the long-awaited first look at Ambermoon (positioned as a potential “RPG of the decade”). Alongside that flagship review, the issue stacks up major coverage of Heimdall 2, Armour-Geddon 2, James Pond 3 (A1200) and more, while still finding room for a standout non-review feature: a profile of fantasy/sci-fi artist Danny Flynn (the man behind striking game-box/book-cover art) and a gritty multi-month piracy investigation. The two coverdisks lean into instant-play value with demos of Puggsy and Rugby League Coach, and the back half rounds out with walkthrough-style help (Blueprints/Player’s Guides), budget re-reviews, and the usual reader/community pages.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Puggsy demo (Disk 1) + Rugby League Coach playable demo (Disk 2).
• Big headline review: Ambermoon gets the “we asked, we begged…” spotlight and a full RPG-feature treatment.
• Other major reviews: Heimdall 2, Armour-Geddon 2, James Pond 3 (A1200), Team 17 Arcade Pool, Monopoly, Hanna-Barbera Workshop, and multiple CD32 titles (e.g., Chaos Engine, Brutal Football, Global Effect, Gunship 2000, Ultimate Body Blows).
• Feature: “Who’s Danny Flynn?”—an art/industry profile focusing on his box-cover/book-cover work (and his connection to Amiga game packaging).
• Feature: Piracy investigation by Brad Burton—an on-the-ground look at how swapping/warez culture worked and why it hurt developers.
• Blueprints (hint/strategy pages): includes games like Sim City 2000, Valhalla, Pinkie, and Impossible Mission 2025.
• Player’s Guides: includes Leisure Suit Larry 1, Labyrinth, and a tips section.
• Budget section: re-reviews/low-cost picks including Zool, Wizkid, Premiere (CD32), PGA Tour Golf, John Madden Football, Chuck Rock (CD32), and Lethal Weapon.

The zip file contains 12 PDF's generated from the PS.Processor examples on Side 2 of the Collette Utilities disk. These examples were created by Jeanine Cutler to showcase what could be achieved. Some print double-sided booklets, some tri-fold pamphlets. Some are sized for 14" legal paper. The rulers are really handy to have when creating/verifying your layout.

Jeanine, who wrote about her laser printing experiences in geoWorld Magazine #25 and #26, was instrumental in getting Jim Collette to write PS.Processor.

All the source and script files are on the disk. This collection makes it easier to see and learn from them in order to understand what PS.Processor can do.

enGEOy!

The geoSpecific PD/Shareware Collection V1.6 was created in 2004 and originally sold on CD.

In 2014, at the request of Glenn Holmer, the Collection became available for download on the lyonlabs.org web site where it resided until November 2025.

Holmer, owner of the lyonlabs web site, said about the geoSpecific CD “This is the ultimate GEOS collection”.

The zip file here is about 46 MB in size. It should extract to about 86 MB in size and doesn't have to be put on a CD.

There are over 270 disk images in the Collection and over 700 PDF pages of information (most in the Dick Estel Font Resource Directory folder).

You will find lots of wonderful software here which will surely increase your enGEOyment of using GEOS.

RBT - December 2025

Amiga Action Issue 57 is a bright, upbeat issue anchored by a big James Pond 3: Operation Starfish feature (and a full “career retrospective” on the fish himself), while the reviews section leans hard into glossy, modern, “console-quality” Amiga releases. The standout review is Mr Nutz, hailed as the closest the Amiga has come to a Sonic-style platformer thanks to ultra-smooth scrolling, parallax layers, flashy presentation, and clever map-based linking between stages. Alongside that, the mag digs into CD32-friendly party gaming with Trivial Pursuit (voiced host, loads of animation and a big question bank), and gives serious time to deep strategy with K240—pitched as a “Utopia evolved” empire-builder where you colonize asteroids, manage resources and morale, then expand into conflict with alien races—while Maelstrom lands as the “too dense to love” counterpoint: atmospheric and ambitious, but slammed for drabness and a painfully inaccessible interface. The overall vibe is classic AA: celebrate the genuinely excellent (especially platformers and polished CD32 titles), recommend the smart strategy stuff, and mercilessly call out anything that feels like hard work.

Highlights

• Cover + main feature: James Pond 3: Operation Starfish preview + deep-dive retrospective on the series and creator Chris Sorrell.
  • Fun backstory: Pond originally started as “Guppy” before the Bond parody identity clicked.
  • Pond 3 plot: Dr Maybe lures unemployed rats to the Moon to mine Moon cheese, aiming to monopolize the world cheese market; Pond gets new wall-walking boots, plus fellow agents Finnius Frog and Angel Fish; promoted as 100 levels and save points to reduce frustration.
• Coverdisks (2 disks) content:
  • Disk 1: Sierra Soccer World Challenge demo (England vs Holland, 1-minute halves; aftertouch passing and set-piece controls explained in a mini guide).
  • Disk 2: Brian the Lion (A1200 enhanced) first level demo, plus it’s promoted as a “real treat” for A1200 owners.
• Best-reviewed game: Mr Nutz — 92% overall, described as a true “console-style” platformer with smooth scrolling, parallax, gorgeous sprites, and a map section between stages where you collect key items before entering flagged platform zones. The review especially praises its speed, polish, and the fact it runs on any 1MB Amiga.
• CD32 party highlight: Trivial Pursuit — 86% overall, positioned as a slick CD quiz experience with a voiced host character (Russell, voiced by comedian Chris Langham), cameo question presenters like Albert Einstein and Mae West, and a question bank of 2000+; praised as perfect office multiplayer.
• Strategy star: K240 — 86% overall, framed as Utopia’s sequel-in-spirit: colonize and sustain asteroid bases (air/water/food/power, housing, entertainment), build defenses, then expand via ships/satellites to scout and conquer—choosing from six alien races as your opponent. Called addictive once mastered.
• The divisive one: Maelstrom — 73% overall, introduced as a Syd Mead–styled “planetary war” strategy epic with ministers, politics, and huge scope, but heavily criticized for being too text-heavy, drab, and inaccessible, aimed only at the hardest-core strategy fans.
• Charts snapshot: Full-price chart lists big hitters like Cannon Fodder, Frontier: Elite II, Premier Manager 2, Skidmarks, Winter Olympics, Liberation, plus strong showings for Championship Manager 93/94, Sensible Soccer, Chaos Engine, and Simon the Sorcerer.

Paul Murdaugh (DualTop, SuperValidate, Landmark Disk, HitchHikers Guide' to GEOS V2022,..) released this updated version of the Gateway update for GEOS 64 & 128 users after fixing some bugs and upgrading the device drivers.

Included in the zip is a .d81 for GateWay 64 and one for GateWay 128, a V2.5 manual, and a .d64 containing a GateWay Developers Pack from CMD.

Amiga Action Issue 56 is a very content-heavy, action-and-strategy-led issue built around UFO: Enemy Unknown as the clear headline attraction, promoted as a serious, PC-class tactical invasion game finally arriving on the Amiga. The issue doubles down on value with three huge coverdisks headlined by Liberation, and backs the cover story with a wide-ranging reviews section that deliberately mixes prestige adventures (King’s Quest VI), arcade excess (Total Carnage), sports management (Manchester United Champions, Ryder Cup), platform puzzling (Puggsy), classic strategy (Castles II), and old-school role-playing (Legacy of Sorasil). The tone is confident and blunt: deep games are praised for commitment and systems, while weaker conversions are called out sharply, reinforcing the sense that by 1994 the magazine expects readers to be selective and patient rather than impressed by surface flash.

Highlights

• Cover feature: UFO: Enemy Unknown — positioned as a landmark strategy title with base management, research trees, squad tactics, and escalating alien threats, clearly framed as a long-term obsession rather than quick-play fun.
• Three-disk covermount:
  • Disk 1: Liberation (exclusive)
  • Disk 2: Benefactor and Center Court Tennis
  • Disk 3: Assassin – Special Edition
    Emphasised as “proper games,” not throwaway demos.
• Adventure review: King’s Quest VI — praised for presentation, storytelling, and production values, treated as a premium Sierra release that rewards traditional adventure fans.
• Action overload: Total Carnage — reviewed as all-out, twin-stick-style arcade chaos, valued for immediacy and spectacle rather than depth.
• Puzzle-platforming: Puggsy — colourful, object-heavy level design built around carrying, stacking, and physics-style problem solving.
• Football management: Manchester United Champions — focused on tactical depth and league simulation rather than flashy presentation.
• Sports sim: Ryder Cup — realistic golf mechanics, weather effects, and course management, clearly aimed at patient players.
• Strategy criticism: Castles II: Siege & Conquest — judged harshly for weak Amiga execution and underwhelming depth compared to expectations.
• RPG coverage: Legacy of Sorasil — old-school party-based role-playing with strong atmosphere, positioned as niche but rewarding.
• Overall tone: Serious, selective, and system-focused — the issue assumes readers are choosing a few deep games to live with, not sampling everything.

Amiga Action Issue 55 (March 1994) is a very review-heavy issue built around a “winter sports” cover feature and a strong CD32/A1200 slant: the coverdisks lead with a five-level Super Methane Brothers demo (suck/blow-and-smash mechanics, with a Timekeeper chasing slow players), plus Jet Strike: Fantasy Missions (including oddball “vehicles” like a magic carpet and flying horse) and the arcade shoot ’em up Dithell in Space with co-op/split-screen and fruit/power-up collecting. The main reviews range from a timely Winter Olympics multi-event sports sim to the CD32 adventure showcase The Labyrinth of Time—praised for “stunning” high-res, ray-traced visuals and a big, moody soundtrack, even if the interface is called primitive—while other big-name coverage includes Cool Spot (luscious character animation, solid platforming), the flight-sim monster Tornado (huge manual, deep realism, and heavy hardware appetite), and a pretty brutal takedown of Batman Returns as a dreary budget-feeling scroll-beat ’em up. News and features include a piece on the fact-based MysterX / Cycle Ride game concept (cycling across America, charity angle, and the stranger real-life backstory), plus industry snippets about CD piracy/hologram countermeasures, a floppy release planned for Liberation, and a correction/apology for previously running Elfmania as a review too early.

Highlights

• Coverdisks: Super Methane Brothers 5-level demo; Jet Strike: Fantasy Missions; Dithell in Space demo (1P/2P/split-screen, “P” bubbles power up your gun).
• Big review showcase: The Labyrinth of Time (CD32) — standout graphics + soundtrack; interface criticized but overall treated as a major CD32 “system seller.”
• Topical sports: Winter Olympics — 14 events across 6 disciplines; strong solo play plus 2/4-player options; good “Epyx-style” multi-event vibe.
• Platforming: Cool Spot — over-the-top sprite animation and personality; gameplay good but slightly held back by level/backdrop polish and a laid-back pace.
• Hardcore sim: Tornado — extremely detailed flight sim with mission planning/tutorials; recommended hard drive/accelerator for best experience.
• Low point: Batman Returns — slammed for dull, repetitive action and weak visuals; essentially “don’t bother.”
• Charts snapshot: Mortal Kombat above Cannon Fodder, with Frontier: Elite II still high; notable new entries include Simon the Sorcerer, Cool Spot, and Tornado.

Amiga Action Issue 54 is a very review-driven issue built around the question posed on the cover: is Universe the worthy follow-up to Curse of Enchantia, or a disappointment? That debate anchors a packed reviews section that leans heavily into action, racing, and platform games, with prominent coverage of Total Carnage, Lamborghini: American Challenge, Fury of the Furries, Fantastic Dizzy, and Terminator 2: The Arcade Game. Alongside the reviews, the magazine continues its strong CD32 push (with features like “CD32: A Museum Piece?”), developer insight pieces (including The Making of Pinball Dreams – Part 2), and solid practical content such as player guides and charts. The overall tone is confident and selective: flashy arcade conversions and colourful platformers are judged strictly on playability and longevity, while ambitious projects are openly scrutinised for failing to live up to their promise.

Highlights

• Cover focus: Universe — positioned as a high-profile adventure release following Curse of Enchantia, questioned for whether its ambition matches its execution.
• Major action review: Total Carnage — twin-stick, all-out arcade chaos pitched as a coin-op-style adrenaline hit and one of the issue’s most immediate, high-energy games.
• Racing spotlight: Lamborghini: American Challenge — illegal night racing across the USA, betting mechanics, car upgrades, and emphasis on speed and arcade handling over realism.
• Platform standouts:
  • Fury of the Furries — praised for its inventive mechanic where creatures morph into different forms to solve platform challenges.
  • Fantastic Dizzy — reviewed as a return to classic Dizzy adventuring with puzzle-solving and exploration at the forefront.
• Arcade conversion: Terminator 2: The Arcade Game — evaluated on spectacle and gun-blazing fun, but criticised for shallow depth compared to the original arcade experience.
• CD32 focus: Features questioning the long-term value of CD32 software and positioning it within Amiga history rather than as a guaranteed future.
• Behind-the-scenes feature: The Making of Pinball Dreams – Part 2, offering insight into Digital Illusions’ design process and technical polish.
• Charts snapshot: Confirms long-term favourites like Cannon Fodder, Frontier: Elite II, and Mortal Kombat still dominating player attention.
• Overall tone: Energetic but critical — colourful, fast games are celebrated, but the magazine is increasingly blunt about missed potential and design shortcuts.

I copied the character ROMs from a selection of vintage computers and created custom character sets for the C64. These are perfect for VICE or the Ultimate 64.

The collection or ROMs includes character sets ripped from the Amiga 500, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, CPC, MSX, Sinclair, and TeleText. Also included are "fixed" character sets for the C64 and C128 (yes, there are a few mistakes in the original ROM), the Loadstar character set, and a custom character set used by the Speedscript 2.0 word processor.

Issue 53 opens 1994 with a very action-heavy focus, led by a major Beat ’Em Up Special that pits Mortal Kombat, Elfmania, and Body Blows Galactic against each other in a round-by-round showdown comparing fighters, arenas, special moves, and presentation, ultimately crowning Mortal Kombat as the overall winner. The reviews section is anchored by an enthusiastic, near-classic verdict for Cannon Fodder, praised for its deceptively simple controls, dark humour, and strategic depth despite (and partly because of) its controversy. Elsewhere, the magazine covers a broad spread of arcade, strategy, and CD32 titles, while the charts confirm Frontier: Elite II as the dominant force of the moment, sitting firmly at number one ahead of Premier Manager 2 and Alien Breed 2. Two substantial player guides round out the issue, offering practical help for popular, notoriously tricky games, reinforcing the magazine’s hands-on, play-focused tone.

Highlights:

• Beat ’Em Up Special: Mortal Kombat vs Elfmania vs Body Blows Galactic (deep comparative feature)
• Major Review: Cannon Fodder (Sensible Software) – standout score and “game of the year” contender
• Coverdisk Demos: Alien Breed 2, Disposable Hero, Dinosaur Detective Agency
• Charts Top 3: Frontier: Elite II, Premier Manager 2, Alien Breed 2
• Other Reviewed Titles: Bubba ’n’ Stix, Liberation (CD32), On the Ropes
• Extras: Player guides and extensive news on upcoming Amiga and CD32 releases

Amiga Action – Issue 52 (Christmas 1993) is a big “end-of-year blowout” issue built around heavyweight reviews and a proper festive extras pile: the mag leads with an enthusiastic verdict on Beneath a Steel Sky (p28) as a near-top-tier graphic adventure (helped by the included Steel Sky comic/graphic-novel style backstory in the package), backs it up with major coverage of Frontier: Elite II (p50) and Alien Breed II (p34), then rounds out the review section with a very “1993 Amiga” mix of shooters, platformers, and CD32-era curios—Space Hulk (p40), Globdule (p42), Prime Mover (p48), D/Generation (p52), Wiz ’n’ Liz (p54), Second Samurai (p56), Stardust (p58), Wonderdog (p62)—plus a “blueprint” style mini-section that includes King’s Quest VI (p70), Rabbit Thang (p72) and Snapperazzi (p74). Away from reviews, the feature “The Next Step” (p20–23) is a candid “what’s coming in ’94” Q&A with publishers (Team17, Psygnosis, Domark, MicroProse, etc.) and the charts page is basically a Christmas run-up snapshot with Space Hulk at #1 and big hitters like Championship Manager ’93, Hired Guns, Premier Manager, Syndicate, Sensible Soccer, Flashback all clustered near the top.

Highlights

• Cover feature + big review: Beneath a Steel Sky (p28) — positioned as a must-play adventure, with praise for its atmosphere/storytelling and the extra “graphic novel” flavour in the package.
• Other headline reviews: Frontier: Elite II (p50) and Alien Breed II (p34) as the other “main event” titles.
• Action/review stack: Space Hulk (p40), Globdule (p42), Prime Mover (p48), D/Generation (p52), Wiz ’n’ Liz (p54), Second Samurai (p56), Stardust (p58), Wonderdog (p62).
• Blueprint / lighter reviews: King’s Quest VI (p70), Rabbit Thang (p72), Snapperazzi (p74).
• Three-disk Christmas coverdisks:
  • Disk 1: Bob’s Bad Day (5-level demo).
  • Disk 2: Campaign 2 (Gulf War strategy demo) + Charlie the Xmas Chimp (PD platformer in a Santa outfit).
  • Disk 3: Jack the Ripper (guided tutorial demo) + a Goochy Classic Match scenario that loads via the saved-game restore method if you’ve got the earlier disk.
• “What’s in store for ’94” feature: publisher Q&A (p20–23) with specific mentions like Domark pushing a Championship Manager update + an “International” version, MicroProse talking CD32 support, and plenty of “sequels/next projects” teasing.
• Charts snapshot: Space Hulk top, with Championship Manager ’93, Hired Guns, Premier Manager, Syndicate, Sensible Soccer, Flashback all prominent—basically the era’s “most-played” list in one table.

Amiga Action Issue 51 (December 1993) is a very Christmas-leaning “two huge disks” issue built around T2: The Arcade Game as the headline spectacle, backed by a chunky in-depth “work in progress” look at Mortal Kombat / T2 Arcade and a review slate that mixes late-era action polish with a few deeper strategy/sim picks. The coverdisks are the immediate hook—Disk 1: Cannon Fodder and Disk 2: Brutal Sports Football—while inside the mag piles on reviews including Alfred Chicken, Micro Machines, Uridium 2, Perihelion, Theatre of Death, Overdrive, and CD32-specific coverage (notably Pinball Fantasies on CD32). The overall vibe is “here’s what to actually play over the holidays”: fast, replayable action and sports dominate, but the magazine still keeps one foot in serious tactics/strategy with things like Cannon Fodder and the war-game-flavoured Theatre of Death.

Highlights

• Big headline: T2: The Arcade Game — treated as the month’s major “arcade madness” arrival (gun-toting metallic chaos), with the issue also running a substantial behind-the-scenes style feature on Mortal Kombat / T2 Arcade as a work-in-progress.
• Coverdisks (the main value):
  • Disk 1: Cannon Fodder — the standout “proper game” inclusion, sold on squad-level tactics, dark humour, and mission-based replay.
  • Disk 2: Brutal Sports Football — positioned as chaotic, icon-heavy arcade sports (smash-first, rules-second energy).
• Key reviews (action-heavy core):
  • Alfred Chicken — the slapstick platformer gets a full review slot, keeping the magazine’s late-’93 platform focus alive.
  • Micro Machines — reviewed as tight, top-down multiplayer-friendly racing where handling and track gimmicks matter more than “sim” realism.
  • Uridium 2 — classic-style shooter intensity, judged on speed, patterns, and score-chasing replay.
  • Overdrive — arcade racer coverage continues the magazine’s interest in fast, immediately playable driving games.
• Serious/strategy angle:
  • Theatre of Death — reviewed as a tactical/strategy title with battlefield planning emphasis rather than reflex action.
• Sci-fi/RPG-ish oddities and depth picks:
  • Perihelion — reviewed as a “kitchen sink” sci-fi RPG/strategy hybrid (big systems, big ambition, not a casual pick).
• CD32-specific spotlight:
  • Pinball Fantasies (CD32) — CD32 review slot, treated as a premium arcade-style “forever score attack” game rather than a one-and-done.
• Charts snapshot (what’s “still king” at the time):
  • The top of the pile is dominated by long-term monsters like Championship Manager ’93, Syndicate, Sensible Soccer 92/93, and Pinball Fantasies, with heavyweights like Gunship 2000, Flashback, and Dune II still sitting high.

Amiga Action Issue 50 is a milestone-feeling issue that blends late-era confidence with a clear sense of transition. The reviews section is broad and authoritative, mixing serious simulations (B-17 Flying Fortress, Historyline 1914–1918, A-Train) with adventure and action titles like Abandoned Places II and Arabian Nights, while budget and reader reviews reinforce how deep the back catalogue has become. The magazine also widens its lens beyond floppy-based gaming, with prominent features on CD formats and multimedia (including talk of CD-i, Mega-CD, and the future CD32), signalling that the Amiga ecosystem is changing. Overall, Issue 50 feels reflective but not pessimistic: it celebrates depth, longevity, and value, while openly acknowledging that the platform is moving into a new phase.

Highlights

• Major reviews:
  • B-17 Flying Fortress — praised for deep crew management and long WWII missions rather than instant action.
  • Historyline 1914–1918 — turn-based WWI strategy focused on historical accuracy and scenario depth.
  • A-Train — heavyweight economic/railway simulation built around urban growth, finance, and long-term planning.
  • Abandoned Places II — large, party-based dungeon RPG emphasising exploration, mapping, and scale.
  • Arabian Nights — humour-driven platform adventure mixing set-piece action with light puzzles.
• Reader & budget focus: Reader reviews and budget titles get unusual prominence, underlining how much value now exists outside full-price releases.
• CD and multimedia feature: A substantial look at CD gaming and FMV, weighing hype against real usefulness for Amiga owners and setting expectations for CD32.
• Industry context: Articles frame the Amiga as mature rather than fading, with emphasis on depth, replayability, and serious games over quick arcade thrills.
• Tone: Confident, slightly reflective, and practical — the magazine assumes readers are curating a library, not chasing every new release.

Amiga Action Issue 49 is firmly anchored around the arrival of Zool 2, which finally moves from long-running previews to full release and is treated as the issue’s headline review and litmus test for late-era Amiga platformers. Around it, the magazine balances heavyweight strategy and action titles with a strong practical streak: reviews and charts are used to separate genuine long-term keepers from flashy also-rans, while previews continue to track ambitious upcoming games and A1200-focused releases. The overall tone is confident but slightly pragmatic—there’s enthusiasm for polished, technically strong games, but also an acceptance that the Amiga market is now about refinement, sequels, and depth rather than surprise reinvention.

Highlights

• Cover star: Zool 2 — reviewed as a major evolution over the original, with larger levels, multiple routes, dual characters (Zool and Zooz) with different abilities, tighter time pressure, and a heavier emphasis on skillful movement rather than simple speed-running.
• Action and strategy backbone: Continued strong presence of Syndicate and Dune II in reviews/charts, reinforcing their status as defining Amiga experiences rather than short-term hits.
• Platform and arcade focus: Other reviewed titles lean toward platformers and arcade-style action, judged primarily on control precision, level structure, and replay value rather than presentation alone.
• Coverdisks: A packed two-disk offering designed for immediate play, mixing high-profile demos with solid PD games to give readers something substantial to try rather than quick samplers.
• Previews and forward look: Ongoing coverage of late-1993 releases and sequels, with attention paid to how well they exploit the A1200 and whether they genuinely improve on established formulas.
• League tables: Used aggressively to reinforce a settled canon, showing that only a small number of games are truly shifting genre hierarchies at this stage.
• Editorial stance: Selective and assured—Amiga Action assumes its readers already own the classics and frames buying advice around replacement and longevity, not novelty.