My Favorite Amiga Games

Here is a list of my favorite Amiga games in no particular order. I’d love to hear if you’ve played some of these games. Which is your favorite? There’s some cross over with the PC DOS games and many of the links to play the games are run on DOS box. I missed out on the PC DOS years not getting my first PC till the mid to late 90s. I believe the operating system was Windows 95.

Sensible Soccer

Sensible Soccer has to be one of the all time greats. I used to play this with my best friend and he still has an old Amiga that he brings out when we go to visit. Goals from the half way line, diving header goals and dribbling into the net were some of our favorite goals. If you’ve never played this game try it. Still playable today.

Sid Meier’s Colonization

If you only play one game on this list make it this one! I still play this today in its newest form Civ IV Colonization. This list took a few hours longer to compile as I got stuck playing the classic version. Travel to the new world and build your colony then declare independence. It is a successor to Civilization and I prefer it as it has a very good back story and is very immersive. My memories of this game centered around the wood cut pop ups when you discover something new. Discovering the new world, making land fall, meeting the natives, building your first colony, finding the fountain of youth. I was hooked for life.

Championship Manager

For fans of the Football Manager franchise, this is where it all started. This was a classic game that I often played with my Dad. Paul Warhurst was a great Striker DMA C. Used to score me loads of goals and could play all over the pitch. The match was text based with bar charts showing the battles for defense, midfield and attack, but it was a gripping experience non the less. This was one that was also played by my school friends as we shared achievements, strategies and tips. Memories of my Dad screaming “It’s programmed to make me lose!” as he lost during injury time.

Wing Commander

I’m still searching for a modern up to date equivalent of wing commander. The game play and story were excellent. Completing your mission and earning the plaudits of your peers was very rewarding. Destroying enemy fighters and mother ships, avoiding asteroids and scouting were some of the things you were commissioned to do. You had different wingmen for different missions, each with their own personality and style.

Frontier: Elite II

Another space game but with a different focus. Trading across the vastness of space. You could trade many different types of goods and even smuggle weapons or slaves. Docking with space stations and the musical score were some of the highlights. You can buy this from Steam in its latest form Elite: Dangerous. I haven’t really got into the new game as I find the combat is a little difficult and tedious.

Moonstone: A hard day’s knight

This is a game I have often come back to. I never completed this as it often crashed. You play a knight who travels around the map and battles various creatures in real-time battles. The atmosphere and action was gripping.

Ishar 2: Messengers of Doom

One of the first graphical RPGs that I got hooked on. Another one I have come back to due to the atmosphere of the game. Whether it be the misty moor, insect infested marsh, bustling cities or snow capped mountains you will be immersed in a rich world from the start.

Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon

Another party based RPG that has made this list. Similar in style to the Ishar series.

The Secret of Monkey Island

An excellent series of point and click adventures. The humor and puzzles kept you hooked. I remember being stuck for ages at a huge door covered with locks and chains and bolts. Spoiler alert: you click in the middle of door and choose open! Play the whole classic series and then buy the updated version on Steam. You won’t regret it!

Beneath a Steel Sky

Another classic point and click adventure. This time set in a cyberpunk world. You can play this game for free on Steam.

Syndicate

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6553282

Squad based, real time tactical game. This was really ahead of its time.

Lemmings

A classic save them up. The game play was addictive and the sound track hooked you in.

Dune

It’s really hard to define what kind of game this was. It was a brilliant mix of adventure and strategy. Well worth a try. Its sequel Dune II was one of the early great real time strategy games. This was very atmospheric and compelling for a strategy game.

Another World

Essentially a platformer, the animation set this apart from other games of the genre. I remember going to my local game store which, was on the corner of what is now Hampton shopping center, Wolverhampton, and seeing a demo of this. It looked visually spectacular and left a lasting impression.

Flashback

Sequel to Another World and another great platformer. Still playable today!

Speedball 2

This was an excellent take on football with power ups and violence.

Jimmy White’s Whirlwind Snooker

One of the very best early snooker simulations. Ants crawled on the screen if you left it too long and the balls would taunt you! My brother-in-law enjoyed this game. We had to kick him off the computer so we could play Sensi though!

Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge

This was a great two player game that the whole family enjoyed. The lasting memory of this game was my dad screaming at his car to “Get OVER!” as he tried to corner, nearly snapping the joystick and calling the other cars “B@st@rds!” as they bumped into him and slowed him down.

Unfortunately you’ll need an emulator and the original Amiga ROM to play this one. Here’s a link to the download: lotus-esprit-turbo-challenge

Formula One Grand Prix

Another racing game the whole family could enjoy. You could take it in turns to control your car for a period of time before moving over for the next player. I remember coming off the track then executing a perfect hand brake turn to right myself and continue the race getting first place. An excellent sim and one of the first with real world physics.

Sabre Team

One of the great turn based strategy games in the likeness of Laser Squad and X-com.

Supremacy

A space based strategy game where you had to conquer the solar system planet by planet.

Populous

A real time strategy game that was brilliant in its day.

Prince of Persia

Another platformer that was set apart by its excellent animation. This series is still around today and can be found on Steam.

Street Fighter

“Hadouken!” an excellent fighting game that kept me and my best friend bashing away at each other for hours. My friends from school would be at the arcade in Broad St playing this on the arcade machine. I enjoyed it from a comfy sofa with out the threat of being mugged! “Lend me 20p no?”

Road Rash

A motor bike racing game where you can punch kick and bash the opposition. Need I say more?

Micro Machines

An excellent little top down racer with fantastic courses. The graphics and game play were ace as you raced micromachines on the kitchen table and in the bath.

Desert Strike

A helicopter sim that lives in the memory. Was very good in its day.

SimEarth

One of the most enduring series of game. SimEarth was more simulation than game but could still have you hooked for hours,

SimLife

Very similar to SimEarth but with an emphasis on the creatures living on the planet and their evolution. Check these out if you are in to Sim games!

Conclusion

Congratulations if you made it this far! The Amiga was one of the greatest computers of its time with a plentitude of top class games. Fun for the whole family and memories to treasure forever.