ADAM Computer Game of the Week #11

[NIAD]

U-Match-Em & Super Parrot

 

by Phoenix 2000 (1990)

 

Once again I have decided to offer up multiple games instead of just one (will make all this go faster for everyone... including myself ). The two titles today are the programming efforts once again of Soloman Swift of Digital Express Inc. fame, but these games were released under his new comapany's banner named "Phoenix 2000"... this was one phoenix that flammed-out rather quickly although there were some nice programs released during it's existence. Both titles has their origins as Public Domain/Shareware programs and due to Soloman's need to raise some capital, he enhanced the public domain versions and released the finished products commercially. Also note that a security code form of copy-protection was used with both of these games that requires a code to be entered after every 16th boot. I, unfortunately, lost track of the codes over the years but this can easily be worked around in Virtual ADAM by using the "Run Copies" option or by simply using a copy of the disk image everytime.

 

U-Match-Em (aka Concentration) is a colorful, memory exercise matching game. Players alternate turns flipping two tiles on an on-screen play board consisting for forty tiles. If the two objects exposed by lifting the tiles match, the matching objects and two tiles are removed; also the player wins a point and gets to select again. If the objects do NOT match, the the tiles a replaced atop the objects thereby concealing them again. Try to remember where objects are located on missed turns. The player with the most matches after all the tiles are removed is the winner. The computer actaully plays a pretty good game!

 

Super Parrot is a colorful, memory exercise game similar to the SIMON electronic game. The computer will sound a musical note and flash a color arrow on the monitor screen. You, in turn, play the note back by tapping the corresponding arrow key on the keyboard (you may also move the joystick in the appropriate direction). For each correct human playback, one additional note is added making an ever-increasing sequence of notes. Play continues until you miss three times in repeating the same sequence of notes. After a sequence of 10 to 15 notes, game play becomes very challenging. The first and second times that you miss a particular sequence, ADAM will play it back for you (much slower).

 

SmartWRITER ReadMe documentation files are included on each disk image, but the games are very simple and shouldn't be needed. I did not try these in MESS for the obvious reason that the security code protection needs to write to the disk image and would therefore fail due to incomplete emulation.

 

Enjoy!

Super Parrot (1990) (Phoenix 2000).zip

U-Match-Em (1990) (Phoenix 2000).zip

[Pixelboy]

I didn't know these two games even existed before today!

 

Thanks a bunch, Jim!

[NIAD]

I didn't know these two games even existed before today!

 

Thanks a bunch, Jim!

That's exactly why I have been posting these games each week :!: There were a large number of 3rd party game titles developed for the ADAM from 1984-1996 and I'd like to bring as much attention to them as possible... even though many years after the fact and the programmers will not see any benefits from them anymore except some recognition.

 

Actually the largest majority of ADAM software that was developed by 3rd parties (homebrew) was of the productivity and utility type and I haven't even touched on any of these. Would anyone be interested in some of these down the road as well? Then there was a HUGE amount of CP/M software made available as well as converted to ADAM CP/M format, but I don't see there being much interest in these with the exception of some Z80 programming utilities and disassemblers.

 

It's unfortunate that back in the day, more ADAM owners weren't exposed to a lot of this stuff due to a lack of better national visibility. For short periods of time Family Computing ran small articles and some ads, then Computer Shopper picked up the slack and finally Vulcan Computing (think that was the name) as well as CompuServe supplying a couple of forums... but for the most part we were on our own. The Internet as we know it since the mid 90's would have really helped back then.

 

Anyhow, if the ADAM had succeeded, we wouldn't have developed the worldwide fiendships that we did and amazingly still do enjoy as can be attested to by the fact that ADAMcons are still held by a small group of hardcore fans/friends each and every year.