![]() Home of Retro PC Gaming
Currently hosting 9 Impulse Software games! |
| Argo Checkers 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Shareware (partial game) | Traditional | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Argo Games | Compatibility guide | |||||||||||||||||
| Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Argo Checkers is a VGA version of the ancient game known as Checkers or Draughts. Around the world, the game is played with different board sizes and capturing rules, but this version is played on an 8×8 board with the capturing rules commonly used in Britain and North America. That means that men can only capture forward, kings can capture in any direction, and men cannot continue capturing if they capture into the promotion row. Capturing is compulsory, and a piece can and must continue to capture if it is able to jump multiple pieces but, unlike some international variants, the player is not obligated to take the path that leads to the greatest number of captures. That is, if a piece can make two captures by jumping left, or three captures by jumping right, the player can choose which move to play. Black is supposed to go first, but in this game red goes first. The game is for two human players only. Registered users can play against Craniac, a powerful computer opponent. Downloads
AvailabilityI have found no ordering information for this game.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| God of Thunder 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: 9 | DOS Shareware-turned-freeware | Adventure | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by CSE Games | Compatibility guide | |||||||||||||||||
| Published by Impulse Software | ||||||||||||||||||
|
It is 927 A.D., and Odin has summoned you, Thor, to rescue Midgard from your evil half-brother, Loki. This is a very clever puzzle game with action and fighting thrown in for fun. You navigate the world screen by screen, with different obstacles at almost every turn. Your enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, can be thrown and will always return to you. It will kill most, but not all enemies. Some of the screens can be very difficult and require a lot of thinking, but they're very rewarding to solve. Even the graphics and sound are enjoyable. Version 1.0 was published by Software Creations before it changed its name to Impulse Software, which published v1.1. There are 3 episodes in this game, with only the first episode playable in the shareware version. Part 1: Serpent Surprise! DownloadsGod of Thunder v1.1 Registered Version (1035k)  Play online AvailabilityAuthor Adam Pedersen has generously released this game as freeware.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Hexxagon 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Shareware (partial game) | Traditional | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Argo Games | Compatibility guide | |||||||||||||||||
| Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Hexxagon is based on the board and video game, Ataxx, which itself was based on a board game called Infection. The board and squares are now hexagonal, with three spaces missing in the center. Both players start with three pieces, and your goal is to fill the board with more pieces than your opponent. Every move, you have the option of "moving" one of your pieces one space in any direction, which causes it to replicate into the new space, or to move it two spaces, which causes it to leap to the new space without replicating. In either case, any adjacent enemy pieces are converted into friendly pieces (switch color). It's a very simple game to learn, but is as difficult to master as most other traditional board games. Users can play against another human or a computer opponent that has three difficulty levels. Registered users get Hexxagon II, which features a new board, new graphics and sounds, and a slighter harder computer opponent. Downloads
AvailabilityI have found no ordering information for this game.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Jetpack 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Shareware-turned-freeware | Platform | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Adam Pedersen | ||||||||||||||||||
| Published by Impulse Software | ||||||||||||||||||
|
One of my all-time favorite games. Jetpack has similarities to Lode Runner, except that you control a character who has a jetpack that allows him to fly (when he has fuel), in addition to the ability to temporarily phase change bricks in order to trap enemies or move through walls, floors and ceilings. In every level various enemies try to kill you, and you must collect all of the green orbs and make it through the door to advance to the next stage. The levels and challenges are excellent, and make good use of stairs, barriers and different types of terrain. There is also an extremely good level editor, and hundreds of user-created levels can be found on fan sites throughout the internet. Originally published by Software Creations, the name changed to Impulse Software by v1.4. There are 100 levels in this game, with only the first 10 levels playable in the shareware version. DownloadsComplete version history:Jetpack v1.5 Registered (484k)  Play onlineJetpack v1.4 Shareware (337k) Jetpack v1.3 Shareware (441k) Jetpack v1.2 Shareware (299k) Jetpack v1.1 Shareware (280k) Jetpack v1.0 Shareware (296k) AvailabilityAuthor Adam Pedersen generously released Jetpack and Squarez Deluxe! as freeware under the Jetpack and Squarez Deluxe Freeware License on 17 December 1998. They are both in the same zip file.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Jetpack Christmas Special! 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Freeware (always) | Platform | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Adam Pedersen | ||||||||||||||||||
| Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c | ||||||||||||||||||
|
In this free promotional Christmas version of Jetpack, you play as Santa Claus! Instead of green orbs, you now need to collect all of the Christmas presents to move to the next level. Santa has a jetpack that allows him to fly (when he has fuel), and he can temporarily phase change bricks to trap enemies or move through walls, floors and ceilings. The levels and challenges are excellent, and make good use of stairs, barriers and different types of terrain. The Christmas edition still comes with a level editor, so you can make your own Christmas-themed levels. There are 10 levels in the game. Downloads
AvailabilityThis game was originally released under a freeware license.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Night Raid 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Shareware (partial game) | Arcade | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Argo Games | Compatibility guide | |||||||||||||||||
| Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Night Raid is a modern take on Missile Command. Airplanes fly by and drop paratroopers, and you have to shoot them down with your lone gun. If more than a couple (or so) of them survive, you lose. Sounds too hard, right? The good news is that you have "unlimited" ammo, although every shot costs you one point. When you shoot down airplanes and missiles, the debris will kill any paratroopers it hits, even if they already safely landed, which is a lot of help as the game progresses. The game ends instantly if a missile hits the ground, though. Quite a fun game. There are 9 extra levels in the registered version.
AvailabilityI have found no ordering information for this game.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Shih Dao 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | Win16 Shareware (partial game) | Traditional | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Digital Empires | ||||||||||||||||||
| Published by Arcanum Computing, Computers & Dreams Inc., Impulse Software, Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Screenshot | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Shih Dao is a clone of Ishido: The Way of Stones. Ishido included a story that claimed that the game was a recently rediscovered ancient Oriental game known by many names (including Shih Tao in Chinese), but it was actually designed by Michael Feinberg and first published in 1990. There are 72 tiles – composed of 36 pairs of tiles with six characters in six colors – and a 12×8 board. At the beginning of the game, six random tiles are placed on the board: one in each of the four corners and two in the center. Each turn, a random tile is removed from the bag and must be played somewhere on the board. A tile must be placed next to another tile that matches in color or pattern. A tile can only be placed next to two tiles if one matches in color and the other matches in pattern. A tile can only be placed next to three tiles if one matches in color and the other two match in pattern, or if two match in color and the other matches in pattern. A tile can only be placed next to four tiles if two match in color and two match in pattern. That's all there is to it, but it takes great skill to get a very high score. Shih Dao was originally published by Computers & Dreams, then Impulse Software as of v3.5, Software Creations as of v3.6, and Arcanum Computing as of v3.7. The installer from v3.6 will complain that it can't find a necessary bitmap, which is present but misnamed. Simply rename install.bmp to install2.bmp.
AvailabilityArcanum Computing still sells the registered version of this game, but their order form is down at the moment.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Shih Dao 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | Win16 Shareware (partial game) | Traditional | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Digital Empires | ||||||||||||||||||
| Published by Arcanum Computing, Computers & Dreams Inc., Impulse Software, Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Screenshot | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Shih Dao is a clone of Ishido: The Way of Stones. Ishido included a story that claimed that the game was a recently rediscovered ancient Oriental game known by many names (including Shih Tao in Chinese), but it was actually designed by Michael Feinberg and first published in 1990. There are 72 tiles – composed of 36 pairs of tiles with six characters in six colors – and a 12×8 board. At the beginning of the game, six random tiles are placed on the board: one in each of the four corners and two in the center. Each turn, a random tile is removed from the bag and must be played somewhere on the board. A tile must be placed next to another tile that matches in color or pattern. A tile can only be placed next to two tiles if one matches in color and the other matches in pattern. A tile can only be placed next to three tiles if one matches in color and the other two match in pattern, or if two match in color and the other matches in pattern. A tile can only be placed next to four tiles if two match in color and two match in pattern. That's all there is to it, but it takes great skill to get a very high score. Shih Dao was originally published by Computers & Dreams, then Impulse Software as of v3.5, Software Creations as of v3.6, and Arcanum Computing as of v3.7. The installer from v3.6 will complain that it can't find a necessary bitmap, which is present but misnamed. Simply rename install.bmp to install2.bmp.
AvailabilityArcanum Computing still sells the registered version of this game, but their order form is down at the moment.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Squarez Deluxe! 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: No rating | DOS Shareware-turned-freeware | Puzzle | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Adam Pedersen | ||||||||||||||||||
| Published by Adam Pedersen, Impulse Software | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Squarez is a puzzle game in which blocks of various shapes can enter the screen from the bottom corner of the screen and can be rotated and placed anywhere, provided that they can be moved through the blocks that are already sitting in the playing field. The goal is to place the blocks so that squares of at least 3×3 are formed, which causes them to disappear. There are also special blocks, such as bombs, missiles, and goo, that can remove blocks or hinder your ability to move or place blocks. The game ends when you can no longer move pieces onto the playing field. Originally known as just Squarez, the game was renamed Squarez Deluxe! and the version number returned to v1.0 when it began to be published by Software Creations, which was renamed Impulse Software by v1.2.
AvailabilityAuthor Adam Pedersen generously released Jetpack and Squarez Deluxe! as freeware under the Jetpack and Squarez Deluxe Freeware License on 17 December 1998. They are both in the same zip file.
|
||||||||||||||||||
| Tubes 1994 | ||||||||||||||||||
| User rating: 8 | DOS Shareware (partial game) | Puzzle | ||||||||||||||||
| Developed by Absolute Magic | Compatibility guide | |||||||||||||||||
| Published by Software Creations (Impulse Software) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Graphics: VGA 320×200×256c | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Dr. Lanny B. Brilliant had just created eight new elements (Redium, Greenium, Bluium, Cyanium, Purplium, Yellowium, Pinkium, and Flashium) which turned out to be highly unstable and scattered everywhere. At the most basic level, the game is like Columns in that the goal is to form molecules (chains) by getting three or more atoms of the same color in a row in any direction. That's where the similarities to any other puzzle game end. The atoms travel one at a time through six tubes. You have a test tube that you can move beneath the tubes to catch and hold up to five atoms at a time. If you fail to catch an atom by missing it, or trying to catch it while the test tube is full, you lose a "drop". You can dump one atom at a time into the beaker below, which can hold five atoms high in six columns. Atoms fall out of the test tube from the top, so the last atom in is the first atom out. You can manipulate the order in which atoms fall out of the tubes by speeding up one of the tubes. There are special atoms: Flashium is a wildcard that can used to create a chain of any color, Xenon won't react with any color atom, AntiMatter destroys the surrounding atoms, Bonus turns into Flashium when caught and gives you a bonus drop, Multiplier will fill your test tube with atoms, Evil Multiplier fills the test tube with Xenons, Convertor changes all of the atoms it lands on into Xenons, Blocker will fill the beaker column it lands in with Xenons, and Filler permanently reduces the number of atoms the test tube can hold by one atom (let this one drop if you can afford to). The game can be played in either Endurance Mode (play until you lose) or in Waves where you have to accomplish specific objectives. Developed by Absolute Magic, v1.0 was distributed by Software Creations, and v1.1 was distributed by its successor, Impulse Software. The registered version has 50 more waves, 5 new backgrounds, and adds the Anti-Matter and Bonus atoms. Downloads
AvailabilityI have found no ordering information for this game.
|
||||||||||||||||||