In case you don’t get the reference:
https://macintoshgarden.org/games/if-monks-had-macs
Edit:
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most of my favourite classic mac games are more commonly thought of as DOS/amiga/scumm games.
idk if we have any big glider pro or marathon fans on here but the former’s source code was released on github not too long ago?
that’s a pretty great video compilation though
Dark Castle is a Mac game through and through because its aiming system was designed around the mouse, and artwork around early Mac monitors. Inexplicably it was ported to many other platforms that didn’t support mice without altering the game design at all – and in that ported form, Dark Castle is arguably the game with the worst controls of all time – but the Mac version is still relatively playable. The game’s still a bit cheap and unfair, but it has a memorable style and a great visual narrative.
Most players of Dark Castle spent 90% of their time escaping this fetid dungeon over and over – falling into any pit would not consume a life, but instead send the player back down into it – and never saw the cool levels with wizards, knights and dragons that are higher up:
EDIT: Dark Castle Color is indeed entry #8 in that video compilation, but the best version is the original black-and-white. The crisp high-resolution grayscale is what gives this game its character.
3 Likes
I have been trying to figure out why I like Jaunt Trooper so much and just can’t get into other rogue derivatives.
First of all it has sprites. I do not understand the necrophilia around ascii art.
It is science fiction so the tropes are fresher.
I think the biggest thing, however, is that the scope is perfect. It introduces new elements at a good rate and the depth is there but isn’t like an abyss like nethack. Nethack demands sooo much of the player and Jaunt trooper makes demands but they are the right amount.
JT is like an ‘arcade’ roguelike if that makes sense.
Then again, If I had started with nethack maybe I would feel differently.
Link to JT File: http://macintoshgarden.org/games/mission-thunderbolt
Thread in which the author declares it freeware:
http://forums.roguetemple.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=ubmm6envr6942ur45dju3hg5c7&topic=258.msg24394#msg24394
1 Like
I didn’t read this but I have used Basilisk in the past without issue.
Does it still need a propriety rom in order to boot?
http://www.emaculation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5282&sid=0051e3d91ba7c16739576a4b3e77ace2
Introduction
Basilisk II emulates up to a 68040 Macintosh. You can install up to Mac OS 8.1 in the emulated machine. This guide focuses on installation of System 7.5.3, which is available for free (and legal) download from Apple.
Installing System 7.5.3 (which can be updated to 7.5.5) is fun and easy! But before getting started, there are a few files that you will need to download:
Basilisk II itself. You should probably start with the release from February 20, 2015. Be sure to first download the 15-01-2010 build so that you have a complete package.
Basilisk II requires SDL 1.2 Libraries (just extract and put the file SDL.dll in the directory containing Basilisk II) and a GTK +2 Runtime (install before you begin). Note: The GTK version supplied here is recommended. Newer versions (available on the official site) may not work.
You will need a valid ROM file. You can get this from your old Macintosh computer as described here, or you can skulk around on the Internet and download one illegally. ROMs from Quadra and Performa machines work best.
HFVExplorer, a utility that allows you to read Macintosh disk images in Windows.
A System 7 Boot Disk. Extract this to your Basilisk II directory before you begin.
The System 7.5.3 software, which is available from Apple as a free download. Download these files to a single directory in Windows.
Note: If you experience the infamous “black screen” problem (i.e: when you launch the emulator you see only black), you can try setting up Basilisk II build 142, a much older (but perhaps more stable) version of the emulator.
Edit:
Here are the roms:
[quote=“Infernarl, post:4, topic:1483, full:true”]
I have been trying to figure out why I like Jaunt Trooper so much and just can’t get into other rogue derivatives.
First of all it has sprites. I do not understand the necrophilia around ascii art.[/quote]
It’s because almost all roguelike sprite art is absolutely awful, and abstractness beats badness. It seems largely only programmers want to make roguelikes, not artists. More fundamentally the large number of objects onscreen at once on a rigid grid layout simply do not provide the flexibility to make attractive art. The only good roguelike sprites are Chunsoft’s and they radically cut down viewing distance compared to Western roguelikes in order to achieve that.
Sorry to be offtopic from Mac, but I recommend Brogue if that’s what you like. It has the prettiest ascii art ever thanks to its dynamic lighting system (instead of trying to make individual objects prettier, this style treats them as atoms and makes the world prettier), and I also love its scope – each playthrough lasts a max of 2-3 hours. Your neologism “arcade roguelike” also fits Brogue.
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Glider Pro sort of predicts flappy bird a little bit i think.
I was very bad at Dark Castle, but I was introduced to it around age 6.
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this game is surprisingly dope as all fucking hell
old bungie, man, what a rush
3 Likes
I don’t have any screenshots on me at the moment, but I’m rather fond of The Fool’s Errand. It’s a puzzle game with multiple layers to it essentially, and has a lovely tarot influenced art style. It has a cool quest narrative structure too, with the eponymous fool trying to gather the treasures of the land to defeat the High Priestess.
So each of the initial set of puzzles you beat give you access to certain other puzzles, and more importantly, a piece of a map. As you assemble the map, stuff on the map are themselves solvable riddles and puzzles, until you finish the map and discover the treasures (more puzzles, naturally) to unlock the final level. There was a sequel released about a year or so ago, but I haven’t gotten around to it.
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AHEM 
Dark Castle was the first game to use the WASD + Mouse control scheme!!! You’re welcome FPS players!!
Also, the third game was finally released a while ago, after like a ten year delay. I still need to pick it up, it loosk cool though. This thread has reminded me to look into it. One thing I like about Dark Castle is that the difficulty level reduces the number of rooms you have to complete (at least in the colour one). See less of the game, but have a chance to actually finish it.
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wasn’t there a game that controlled/looked a lot like dark castle but starred a robutt on a wheel?
I suppose this is what I was thinking of.
Post can’t be empty.
One of these days I’m going to play Taskmaster for real.
[quote=“Sykel, post:14, topic:1483, full:true”]
Dark Castle was the first game to use the WASD + Mouse control scheme!!! You’re welcome FPS players!![/quote]
What’s hilarious is how long FPSes took to make it the primary control scheme. Except that the Mac port of Wolfenstein 3d did. That version of Wolfenstein 3d is hilariously easy because the whole game is designed around your glacial turning speed (what gets you killed is turning a corner without pre-facing that direction yet, or getting pincered from two directions). Unlimited mouselook breaks the game (which is somewhat true of Doom as well, but not nearly to the same degree).