Notices

Paganitzu – a very fun puzzle action game from Apogee! You explore an Aztec pyramid as Alabama Smith, encountering traps, danger, and menacing creatures.



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode here.

Game Executable: PAGA1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 800
render frameskip 1
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
P – pause the action
F6 – play Al’s next life when he’s dead or trapped
Enter – exit out of dialog boxes
Esc – pulls up menu while in game to save, restore, quit, etc.

Positives: The game is perfect for the Nokia tablet since you mostly just use the directional keys. It has lots of action puzzles that make it fun to play. What more could you want?
Negatives: None!

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Mystic Towers – a very unique isometric-type game with action and puzzles…not another game quite like it. As old Baron Baldric you wield a magic staff against a wide variety of monsters and creatures.



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: TOWERS.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 1200
render frameskip 3
sdl sensitivity 95
mixer prebuffer 400
sdl autolock true
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctrl – action button
Alt – jump (short or long press to make a small or large jump)
Bkspace – pull an object
Space – scroll forward through spells

I found controlling the Baron much easier using the mouse (tapping on the screen with the arrow in the movement boxes at the bottom middle part of the screen). Be sure and read the Instructions from the main menu to learn all the intricacies of the game.

Important!! – Be sure and set the Sound Option to Digital-Lo and if you want the display brighter set Room Lighting as Extra Bright in the System Config menu.

Positives: This game is quite unique in that you play as an old warty man who farts and picks his nose, and that’s one of the things that makes this game fun to play. The animations of the Baron are fun to watch and the sounds he makes are hilarious. And of course there are lots of puzzles to solve and deadly monsters to fight and kill. It’s quite amazing that a game like this that was released in 1994 with its animations plus digital sound and music play quite well on the Nokia tablet.
Negative: Controlling the Baron using the directional keys takes a bit getting used to (the mouse is much better IMO!).

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Pharoah’s Tomb – a very early Apogee game starring Nevada Smith. You are exploring an Egyptian pyramid with lots of traps and enemies. Each level plays on a single screen (no scrolling) and is action-packed!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: PTOMB1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 200
dosbox machine cga
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Note: Increase cpu cycles to speed up the game and make it harder, or decrease cpu cycles to slow down the game and make it easier.

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Spacel – jump
Ctr or Alt – throw spear (if you have one)
P – pause
S – save game
R – restore game

Positives: The game is simple and fun. It’s one of those addictive games where you say, “Just one more time!”
Negatives: This might be too retro for some players. Also Apogee has discontinued the game, so this shareware episode is the only episode you can legally get right now.

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4 stars out of 5

Arctic Adventure – a very early Apogee game and is a sequel to Pharoah’s Tomb. You play as Nevada Smith trying to find Viking treasure in the Arctic. Each level plays on a single screen (no scrolling) and is action-packed!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: AA1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 250
dosbox machine cga
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Note: Increase cpu cycles to speed up the game and make it harder, or decrease cpu cycles to slow down the game and make it easier.

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Spacel – jump
Ctr or Alt – fire gun (if you have one)
P – pause
S – save game (only on map screen)
R – restore game (only on map screen)

Positives: The game is simple and fun. It’s one of those addictive games where you say, “Just one more time!”
Negatives: This might be too retro for some players. Also Apogee has discontinued the game, so this shareware episode is the only episode you can legally get right now.

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4 stars out of 5

Monuments of Mars – a very early Apogee game where you are an astronaut exploring the monuments on Mars (hence the name of the game!). The game uses the same game engine as Pharoah’s Tomb and Arctic Adventure. Each level plays on a single screen (no scrolling) and is action-packed!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: MARS1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 300
dosbox machine cga
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Note: Increase cpu cycles to speed up the game and make it harder, or decrease cpu cycles to slow down the game and make it easier.

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctr - jump
Alt - shoot
Esc – pause or quit game
S – save game (only on map screen)
R – restore game (only on map screen)

Be sure and select the correct key configuration in the Config Keyboard screen off the main menu.

Positives: The game is simple and fun. It’s one of those addictive games where you say, “Just one more time!”.
Negatives: This might be too retro for some players. Also Apogee has discontinued the game, so this shareware episode is the only episode you can legally get right now.

DosBox Issues: None!
Overall game rating: 4 stars out of 5

Monster Bash – a scroller with gruesome gaphics! You are Johnny Dash armed with your slingshot on a mission through the Under World to rescue all the dogs and cats so they won’t be turned into an army of undead animals by Count Chuck!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: BASH1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 1000
render frameskip 2
mixer prebuffer 500
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctr - jump
Alt – shoot

The controls can be reconfigured using Game Settings off the main menu.

Warning!!: Be sure music is turned off. The game can’t handle all the animations and play music at the same time in DosBox on the Nokia tablet.

Positives: The game is quite fun since you’re always using a slingshot to shoot. Not only can you shoot rocks, but rockets and fireballs! It’s simply amazing that this game plays so well with all the animation going on.
Negatives: The game’s animations in a few parts go too fast to correctly display. But that’s just a minor irritation in this fantastic game.

DosBox Issues: Fast game animations in some parts of the game don’t display properly. There’s also some sound hiccupping now and again in the game. Both are irritations so I’m deducting ½ point off the score I would normally give this game.
Overall game rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Duke Nukem I – This is the game that started it all! Duke is on a mission to stop Dr. Proton from ruling the world. Side-scrolling action at its best with fantastic animation, four-way scrolling, and lots of devious enemies. This one is fun, fun, fun!!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: DN1.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 600
render frameskip 0
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctr - jump
Alt – shoot
Up Arrow – action key
Esc – pause or quit game

You can reconfigure the keys by selecting Game Config from the main menu. Unfortunately you can’t do this using the XKBD keyboard. It just won’t recognize the key to get into that menu. You need an external keyboard to do it. Plus the keys to save or quit games won’t work using the XKBD keyboard either. So…
Warning!!: You can’t play through this game without an external keyboard!

Positives: This game is great blasting fun! There’s lots and lots to shoot and do…action everywhere! I love this game. If you have an external keyboard to play this game, I highly recommend it.
Negative: This game can only be played with an external keyboard since the game won’t recognize the key presses on the XKBD keyboard to quit or save games. Quite unfortunate! If someone knows of a solution, please post!

DosBox Issues: That darn XKBD keyboard problem with qutting and saving games (see above). Because of this irritation, I have to deduct ½ point off the normal score I would give this game.
Overall game rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Duke Nukem II – This is the sequel to the game that started it all! Duke is on a mission to stop the Rigelatins from ruling the world. Side-scrolling action at its absolute best with fantastic animation, lots of enemies such as aliens, robo-droids, guards, plus 4 different types of weapons. Like the previous game of the series, this one is very fun to play!!



Download Episode 1 (shareware episode) here.

Game Executable: NUKEM2.EXE

Settings:
cpu cycles 1200
render frameskip 9
sblaster sbtype none
sdl mapperfile /usr/share/dosbox/mappercsa.txt

Controls:
Arrow keys – move around
Ctr - jump
Alt – shoot
Up Arrow – action key
Esc – pause or quit game

You can reconfigure the keys in the Game Options/Configure Keyboard menu. Also you can speed up or slow down the game in the Game Options menu too. You can try turning the cool SoundBlaster sounds on in the Game Options menu (also set sblaster sbtype sb1 and cpu cycles down) but I think the game plays a bit smoother with just PC sounds.

Positives: This game is another game with lots of great blasting fun!
Negative: Sometimes the game might seem just a tad sluggish.

DosBox Issues: Because of a spot of sluggishness, I have to deduct ½ point off the overall score I would normally give this game.
Overall game rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

There you have it. No excuse not to use DosBox! Let’s get playing!!

Lack of Oregon Trail = failure. :P