This week, I look at the 8-bit computer classic, Archon. Developed by Free Fall Associates and published in 1983 by Electronic Arts, Archon is a hybrid strategy/action game based loosely on chess. Beloved by fans all over the world, Archon is still amazing fun today and well worth hunting down for its superbly balanced two-player gameplay.
#1 by vintagevideogamegeek on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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OK, the later versions you showed looked pretty good.
#2 by vintagevideogamegeek on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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This is 8-bit? It looks like 1-bit. Yuck yuck.
#3 by assfax on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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This is a game where an instruction manual is almost necessary to get into it. Took me quite a few plays to get into what I should be doing and why I would lose a battle.
#4 by JackiePaquito on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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I totally agree!
#5 by blacklily8 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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I’ve gotten a few things from them, but don’t remember what off the top of my head. Good safe download and everything worked as advertised. Everyone seems to be raving about it.
#6 by HardWarUK on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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I just saw Marks ‘response to Matt Chat No.22′
Please stay with computer games, whether 8 bit, 16 bit or 32 bit. There is enough console gaming news, console gaming history and console games on the ‘net. There is so much you barely see computer gaming news in comparison! This ‘multiformat market’ we are now in, wants to wipe computer gaming off the map, IMO! Check IGN’s ‘History of Gaming’ to see what I mean – 20 paragraphs on console yet only 1 sentence on PC and 2 on C64!!!!
#7 by FrauTech on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Another great one!
#8 by DeathAdder83 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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this game looks really fun, i’m always interested in these old school games.
#9 by e1doller on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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fantastic as always
#10 by Konuvis on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Great review Matt. I didn’t know about this game but I enjoyed the history lesson as usual
I appreciate what you said about EA, it balances all the bad rep they got in the early 2Ks.
did you end up getting anything on GOG?
#11 by nicholsml on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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It’s kinda cool that you have a game for the commodore 64 still sitting on the shelf, lol.
Get to it bro!!
#12 by ReplaceableHak on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Good review Matt! I have the c64 version of Archon sitting untouched in my shelf here. I have always wanted to give it a go, but I never got around to it. This review finally tips the scale, so here we go!
#13 by MrErnesto1982 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Good video Matt always wanted to play Archon; hopefully the NES version comes to the virtual consol. There was a game released on the original Xbox that was like Archon, cant remember the name thou.
#14 by PuppetXeno on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Yeah one of favorites of all time.. Strategy and arcade mixed together in a fantasy setting, what more can one want? I’ve seen Ultra gameplay, but I hear the gameplay was terribly out of balance (djinn owns all). But indeed, this is chess with a bite, a true evolution which doesn’t let itself revert back to board game format. Trust me, we tried!
#15 by markvergeer on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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I powered up my C64 and played a little Archon today and was amazed by the level of gameplay, but the battle sequences were difficult and the randomness of the outcome was what threw me off. As I do also own the 8Bit Nintendo version I put it in and played some of that afterwards and I must say I love the 8bit NES version. The battle sequences are fun and you feel you actually have more control over your creature and the outcome of the battles aren’t as random to me.
5/5
#16 by markvergeer on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Excellent show Matt, thoroughly enjoyed this week’s episode on Archon.
#17 by blacklily8 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Bill L. over at AA had the same thought, though he was thinking XLA. I could see it on Wii’s virtual console pretty easily too, since they already have a c-64 section. Just needs a programmer!!
#18 by bobsat666 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Heh, now I need to contact my friend, who still owns an Atari XE … maybe he got Archon in a collection – we brake the joysticks again
Good Job Matt
#19 by Hal566 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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never heard of this one, but your review makes me wanna try this game out!
#20 by marcusmalone on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Blue dragon (and Matt Chat 43) for the win!
#21 by tgaskill on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Great review! Nice again to have the Saturday morning Matt Chat back! Played the Atari and C64 version of this game back in the day. I credit this game in getting me to learn how to play chess. I think I would be neat if they did a modern console/computer version where you can play online. Anyhow, great memories!
#22 by interghost on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Yeah do it its a great game. ZX Spectrum is the original and one of the best versions ;o)
#23 by blacklily8 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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Hehe, everyone is asking about that CYA book. I haven’t gotten around to it yet, but am looking forward to it. I hope to find some more of them; I really enjoyed them when I was a kid and even wrote my own–”Time Police” mini-CYAs.
#24 by blacklily8 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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The Ultra version had potential, but just didn’t seem as polished as the earlier ones. Something must have gone wrong during production.
#25 by blacklily8 on กรกฎาคม 25th, 2010
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CHAOS, eh? No, can’t say that I have. I should check it out, because I’ve heard that name a few times now.