Random Gaming Thoughts

[Anapan]

Here's some lists of PC games that were truly released by their creators as freeware (not abandonware/questionable/pirate).
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_ ... ware_games
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... s_freeware
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Kaernk/f ... legally__/

I was on the official forums of a few of these when they were officially deemed freeware back in the day - OMF2097 & The PixelPainters games.

GOG hosts a bunch of them for free with their own compatibility fixes applied already. It's cool that they talked to each creator of these and officially re-released them with full permission. I dislike the DosBox options they choose by default for the DOS-based games, but usually someone will have some suggestions in the review/comments section to configure it better.
https://www.gog.com/en/partner/free_games

To tie the other topic together; I just scrolled through the Wikipedia list and I completely forgot that Lode Runner Online: The Mad Monks' Revenge was released as freeware. I bought it boxed (discount) in the late '90s and totally loved every minute I played of it. The music and graphics to me at the time really made the game "Pop": changing environments and high definition hand painted backgrounds!. Before that I was playing Lode Runner on NES on a pirate 100-in-1 Contra Function 16 Famicom cart with a "Honey Bee" 60-72 pin adapter. That and the DOS CGA version. If you've never played the remake before I suggest you give it a try - someone has rebuilt it from the ground up for multiple systems:
https://mmr.quarkrobot.com/

There is a whole pile of open-source PC games where the full source-code was released for free, tho most of those don't need any fixes because fans have re-compiled them to work on modern hardware already, but that list is mostly different than the above lists and has another incredible library of awesome games.

[BoneSnapDeez]

There's actually an Odyssey 2 compilation on Steam. You wouldn't know it though -- it's European and uses the "Videopac" name.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2193 ... lection_1/

[RCBH928]

I am ashamed to say I have played an unhealthy 50 hours of vampire survivors. This game proves gameplay is more important than graphics.

On another note, when people see pixel graphics as a limitation of early console games I see it as a favorable art style even above some of then 3D animation ones.

[Anapan]

I almost bought that a few says ago! Purchased! Thanks.

[RCBH928]

Here's some lists of PC games that were truly released by their creators as freeware (not abandonware/questionable/pirate).
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_ ... ware_games
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... s_freeware
https://rateyourmusic.com/list/Kaernk/f ... legally__/

I was on the official forums of a few of these when they were officially deemed freeware back in the day - OMF2097 & The PixelPainters games.

GOG hosts a bunch of them for free with their own compatibility fixes applied already. It's cool that they talked to each creator of these and officially re-released them with full permission. I dislike the DosBox options they choose by default for the DOS-based games, but usually someone will have some suggestions in the review/comments section to configure it better.
https://www.gog.com/en/partner/free_games

To tie the other topic together; I just scrolled through the Wikipedia list and I completely forgot that Lode Runner Online: The Mad Monks' Revenge was released as freeware. I bought it boxed (discount) in the late '90s and totally loved every minute I played of it. The music and graphics to me at the time really made the game "Pop": changing environments and high definition hand painted backgrounds!. Before that I was playing Lode Runner on NES on a pirate 100-in-1 Contra Function 16 Famicom cart with a "Honey Bee" 60-72 pin adapter. That and the DOS CGA version. If you've never played the remake before I suggest you give it a try - someone has rebuilt it from the ground up for multiple systems:
https://mmr.quarkrobot.com/

There is a whole pile of open-source PC games where the full source-code was released for free, tho most of those don't need any fixes because fans have re-compiled them to work on modern hardware already, but that list is mostly different than the above lists and has another incredible library of awesome games.

I just realized I didn't reply to this. Thanks for all the links!!

[prfsnl_gmr]

There's actually an Odyssey 2 compilation on Steam. You wouldn't know it though -- it's European and uses the "Videopac" name.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2193 ... lection_1/

Awesome! We need a Switch port desperately. Physical, please.

[BoneSnapDeez]

There's actually an Odyssey 2 compilation on Steam. You wouldn't know it though -- it's European and uses the "Videopac" name.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2193 ... lection_1/

Awesome! We need a Switch port desperately. Physical, please.

Seems unlikely, sadly.

I can't remember if you ever got into Steam, but that publisher ("Pixel Games UK") is awesome. They've been releasing games on a regular basis (at least once a week for the past couple years) -- most of them are retro Euro computer games (ZX Spectrum, CPC, C64 type stuff) but they've also released most of the Epyx library as well.

[marurun]

Did they release SpiderBot? Horrible frame rate on Apple II and I never could actually get anywhere.

[RCBH928]

Nintendo switch will be 7 years old by end of the year, any news of next generation device?

[marurun]

Nintendo switch will be 7 years old by end of the year, any news of next generation device?

Yes, not being announced out this year.