by Tuncer Deniz, Hartley Lesser, and Pattie Lesser
Games . . .more and more the leisure activity of choice within homes throughout the world. Games present as varied an environment for entertainment interactivity as any other medium—perhaps more so. This is quite evident as the number of dollars and other currencies spent on computer and video games skyrockets. Today, more is spent on electronic gaming than on movie tickets or cable TV!
Another cause for electronic gaming’s substantial popularity is that . . .well, let’s face it . . .it’s not in a publisher’s best interest to produce garbage. The games that reach the market today are the most technically-advanced, most user-friendly software our industry has ever witnessed. No matter if you’re a Macintosh maniac, a PC/MS-DOS or Windows glutton, or a Sega or SNES aficionado—the games you have available for your selection are, generally speaking, top-notch titles. And note, most titles are now produced in a duality of formats. There used to be a time when a PC/MS-DOS gamer could gloat that such-and-such a title was only available on his or her 80-286/386/486 machine. Now, much game development originates on the Macintosh, with a Windows port to follow. Even the 3D0 games are developed using the Macintosh as the coding platform. This is not to state that the Macintosh is the finest game machine. What it does indicate is that the penetration of computers and video game platforms into the home consumer environment is reaching levels whereby it makes great financial sense for developers to produce for all platforms.
In the spirit of ensuring that the finest entertainments receive the notoriety they deserve, Inside Mac Games offers our applause to the following titles as the best Macintosh games of 1993. The decisions were not easily made. However, a title that sold well usually found its way into the final game award list. There had to be a general understanding of Apple’s human interface guidelines built into the entertainment—after all, it is the familiarity of a consistent interface no matter the title that is a leading cause of the Mac’s overall popularity. Additionally, the game had to present a solid game plot in conjunction with superior graphics and sound capabilities. You use the Mac because it can outperform other platforms in its graphics modes and sound output. The game also has to provide a unique experience or offer a fresh look at the technology built into the game. And lastly, the title should offer high replayability, meaning the consumer gets more bang for their buck. The ability to replay a game without a cloned experience is important to a title’s vitality and popularity.
Here, then, is Inside Mac Games’ list of the best Macintosh games for 1993. Our feeling is that every Macintosh gamer should purchase each title and enjoy them at every opportunity.
CD-ROM Game Of The Year
MYST from Brøderbund Software: A fantastically unique world with a deep and varied plot, superb graphics rendering, and delightfully appropriate soundtrack. The depth of the plot ensures hours upon hours of game play. What’s truly unique is that the developers could manage such an environment based on Apple’s HyperCard. The coders stretched and expanded this programming environment as no one else has, accomplishing a truly cinematic feel and experience with MYST.
Flight Simulator Of The Year
F/A-18 Hornet from Graphic Simulations is the winner of this category. The coders employ true polygonal rendering to provide quick, on-screen display of all flight elements. With multiuser, network play, and true flight algorithms, this title leads the pack as far as its playability and realism. For the single player, F/A-18 once again provides hours of game play with intense, true-to-life combat action. F/A-18 Hornet, for now, is the king of all flight simulators.
Simulation Of The Year
There is little doubt that SimCity 2000 from Maxis Software is the winner in this category. Certainly the title expands upon the company’s original city simulator with an astounding number of features. One of the most popular of these features is the fact that you can now build sub-city—water pipes, subways. Biospheres, the ability to improve the working class through education, and superior city management leads SimCity 2000 instantly into the classic title category. Replayability is unlimited! The graphics are super. The new, “A-Train”-like, three dimensional view may be rotated to afford the gamer a better understanding of the city’s relationship to terrain. And the newspaper affords you an understanding of some of the external influences that can affect your growth. Throw in disasters, pre-built scenarios, and the Maxis reputation for customer support, and you have a totally unique experience more than worth the cost of admission.
Strategy Game Of The Year
Whether Caesar or Ghengis Khan is your hero, Civilization from MicroProse is yet another Macintosh title that is well on its way in becoming a classic offering. Your goal is to build an empire that will survive the nuances of age upon age of progress. There are not only your citizens to worry about, but you must develop new technologies to withstand the pressures of competition from other would-be emperors. Wonders of the World may be built and territories conquered, including space. There is no limit to the enjoyment of this title, which also boasts a superior interface for ease-of-play and game learning. From survival in the early years, to development of superior weaponry that ensures success, to development upon a planet other than Earth, Civilization is ensures continued replayability. Playable on black and white or color monitors, this title opens new worlds and new wonders for Mac gamers and is a “must have!”
Adventure Game Of The Year
There was a time when Mac gamers were told they’d never have a game on their machines that could render three-dimensional graphics on the fly. Well, such nay-sayers are now eating their words! Pathways Into Darkness from Bungie Software accomplishes for the Macintosh what Ultima Underworld did for PC/MS-DOS gamers: the title presents a first-person perspective of what it’s really like to go adventuring within dank and dark hallways and corridors. The walls materialize before you as you meander through various locations—they conceal and then unveil the horrors and splendors of questing as you move through the game. Required are quick wits and quick digits as you learn how to annihilate those who would annihilate you! Pathways Into Darkness provides high replayability in that, even should you ever finish the adventure, you’ll forget most of what you learned on your previous quest when you re-enter this environment. Top-notch coding affords super graphics and fast, action play. Certainly a technology breakthrough for Mac gamers!
Role-Playing Game Of The Year
Although there have been very few role-playing games released over the years on the Macintosh, last year Macintosh gamers were rewarded with Might and Magic III from New World Computing, our winner in this category. This fifteen-plus megabyte game is jam-packed with wonderfully detailed graphics, animation, and color. Add some stunning music, sound effects, and addictive game play and you've got an instantly absorbing and challenging game. By the way, look for the next installment of the Might and Magic series on CD-ROM on the Macintosh later in 1994.
Arcade Game Of The Year
One of the most popular title genres for the Macintosh has been the pinball simulation. With at least two titles previously generating high sales, a new publisher has entered the fray. And they’ve entered with a bang! Crystal Caliburn from StarPlay Productions is as high a grade of pinball as we’ve ever seen for the Mac. The title features extremely smooth pinball action plus a unique and totally original table environment. With expert flipper control, awesome sounds, an underground tunnel, full nudge and tilt, and three multiple ball attacks, Crystal Caliburn will leave you sweating bullets as you constantly try to improve your score. Again, high replayability provides enormous value for this title as well as the “adventure” of acquiring the Holy Grail as you slam bumpers, run chutes, and tickle magics to work on your behalf. Of all the games available for the Macintosh, this offering always leaves you wanting more—more time, more time to play!
Network Game Of The Year
In a time where multiplayer, networked games are becoming the rage, it was rather amazing that so few developers decided to create modem-to-modem, AppleLink, or other network aware titles. Thank goodness one of the exceptions was Callisto, whose Super Maze Wars is an absolute thrill to play. And that thrill extends to both single and multiuser play, by the way. Your tank controls are uniquely centered on the screen and the ability to cruise through the mazes at high speed to both capture power-ups and to destroy enemy tanks is highly entertaining. As with all good games, you get lost in the game play as it becomes more and more intense. Super graphics enhance play—the deeper you get into the play, the more you lose touch with your external environment, so intense is your concentration. The speed of play is amazing—the sound effects are complimentary to play, and Super Maze Wars is another title that absolutely must be on every Mac gamers’ software library shelf.
Peripheral Of The Year
The key to success in any arcade or action game is the ability of your I/O device to adequately respond to your commands quickly and smartly upon the game itself. Yeah, a mouse is cool, but it’s far from the best tool to use when engaged in a flight simulator, pinball simulation, or frenetic arcade game. To the rescue comes Advanced Gravis, whose Gravis Game Pad is like a breath of fresh air for Mac gamers. Similar in design to the pads you’ve seen for Sega and Nintendo systems, the Gravis GamePad accentuates your reflex commands to the computer. You’ll find playing games like Crystal Caliburn and Super Maze Wars suddenly are easier to manage, your scores higher. What’s really cool about this peripheral is that it simply attaches to your keyboard’s ADB port. Also, it comes with an adapter that allows you to continue to use your mouse with the same ADB connection. The software also contains numerous drivers for the most popular game pads and you can edit any set to maximize any game you want enhanced with this peripheral. The Gravis Game Pad should be an automatic purchase for any Mac gamer!
Shareware Game Of The Year
Although there have been many excellent shareware games released in 1993, our winner is TaskMaker 2.0 from Storm Impact. TaskMaker, originally released in 1989, was upgraded to full-color and released as shareware in October 1993. Greatly improved from the commercial B&W release are the game’s color, graphics, sound, humor, and adventure, all for a measly shareware fee of $25. Taskmaker , in game content, customer service, responsiveness, and exceeding value -- is the epitome of what shareware games should embody.
