Classic shareware game ID
January 24, 2020 2:37 PM
A couple of half-remembered sound effects from a shareware game (or possibly two separate games) from the late '90s popped into my head the other day, and I can't place them. One sound effect was the main riff from Bachman Turner Overdrive's Not Fragile. The other was Darth Vader saying "impressive."
Beyond the sound effects, I'm afraid I don't remember much. Given copyright laws, I can't imagine that a "legitimate" company would have used these sound clips, so I assume the game was a shareware labor of love by some random developer. I would have played it in the late '90s; I'm about 70% sure it was on a Mac, though it's possible that it was on my parents' Windows 3.1 machine instead.
I think the game itself was a light arcade-style game, and the "impressive" sound clip played when you made a move that scored a lot of points. I'm about 60% sure these sound clips were from a single game, but it's possible that I've conflated two different games.
Can you help me have a Proustian remembrance of video games past?
Beyond the sound effects, I'm afraid I don't remember much. Given copyright laws, I can't imagine that a "legitimate" company would have used these sound clips, so I assume the game was a shareware labor of love by some random developer. I would have played it in the late '90s; I'm about 70% sure it was on a Mac, though it's possible that it was on my parents' Windows 3.1 machine instead.
I think the game itself was a light arcade-style game, and the "impressive" sound clip played when you made a move that scored a lot of points. I'm about 60% sure these sound clips were from a single game, but it's possible that I've conflated two different games.
Can you help me have a Proustian remembrance of video games past?
I'll need to check more closely later, but this reminds me of the Ambrosia Software games. Maelstrom, Apeiron, etc...
posted by kidbritish at 5:06 PM on January 24, 2020
posted by kidbritish at 5:06 PM on January 24, 2020
Pretty sure kidbritish got the riff. Sounds like Maelstrom, from Ambrosia Software. Random gameplay YouTube link here: https://youtu.be/UQeSnOUqx-M
Not sure if it's the source of the "impressive!" memory... (I think I have a memory of a similar sound clip, but not Darth Vader)
Looking at things like Lunatic Fringe and Spectre VR and Crystal Quest... that's going to bug me a bit.
posted by ffej at 6:24 PM on January 24, 2020
Not sure if it's the source of the "impressive!" memory... (I think I have a memory of a similar sound clip, but not Darth Vader)
Looking at things like Lunatic Fringe and Spectre VR and Crystal Quest... that's going to bug me a bit.
posted by ffej at 6:24 PM on January 24, 2020
You must be talking about Bachman!
Here's a video of gameplay. Along with the Ambrosia games, it was a staple in our house growing up.
posted by vitout at 7:18 PM on January 24, 2020
Here's a video of gameplay. Along with the Ambrosia games, it was a staple in our house growing up.
posted by vitout at 7:18 PM on January 24, 2020
Looks like I conflated two games after all. The riff is definitely from "Bachman", but looking at the gameplay video I don't think the "impressive" clip was part of it.
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:10 AM on January 25, 2020
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:10 AM on January 25, 2020
Even if Maelstrom didn't ship with "Impressive!" by default, it was ridiculously easy to swap out alternate sound effects in the game. Totally possible you had a copy that someone had already tinkered with.
It was the first thing I thought of based on your question, so it's possible I had a similar copy!
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:33 AM on January 27, 2020
It was the first thing I thought of based on your question, so it's possible I had a similar copy!
posted by SpiffyRob at 11:33 AM on January 27, 2020
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Johnny Assay at 2:38 PM on January 24, 2020