Can't Remember the Name of Certain Old PC Games

On 07/29/2013 at 07:29 PM by Super Step

So this isn't really a problem with consoles released in North America, cause Wikipedia tends to have pretty extensive and complete lists of games for them, at least for my purposes. However, there are so many various iterations of PCs/Macs that I have no damn clue where to start in some instances when looking for certain games I played on PC. Wikipedia has lists, and there are even forums dedicated to this topic,which are helpful, but even with those resources, the search can be frustrating, since it's not as simple as just plugging "list of NES games" into Wikipedia. Even with IGN's exhaustive list, the fact it's alphabetical and my uncertainty of the titles makes it a bit, well, exhausting.

So while I'll continue to look on my own, perhaps you all can help.

Games I am looking for titles for:

- A racing game with good graphics for the 90s that involved sports cars in exotic settings, including an underwater stage. Think like the Mall of America aquarium if it had futuristic sports cars racing in it.

- Something along the lines of Videomation for NES, but more in-depth. I remember it being used for students to animate stories in one of my mom's classes. Technically, it might not even count as a game, but whatever.

- A racing game on Apple IIe, or something similarly primitive ... yeah, that might not even be worth it. I just know it came on a giant floppy.

The list of games Iplayed for PC and know the titles of:

Gizmos & Gadgets (series)

Jump Start Typing (thanks Google)

Lemmings

Math Blaster

Metal Marines

Myst

Oregon Trail

Secret Island of Dr. Quandary (thank you transmet2033 and daftman)

Spectre (thank you transmet2033)

Street Fighter X Mega Man

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego? (also played on SNES, rarely)

Wolfenstein

And of course, maybe I'm even not remembering some of the games I played at all, but this is driving me insane enough. So if you know what some of the titles I'm missing are, chime in, or just chime in to talk about old PC games.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

07/29/2013 at 08:00 PM

unfortunately, there's a gazilion PC games out there, and it's hard tracking them down. But if you're searching for them, there's probably other people searching for them too, so try to do internet searches with descriptions of the games, asking what the title is, and you might be surprised and find other people trying to figure out the same thing.

Super Step Contributing Writer

07/29/2013 at 08:32 PM

I've already done exactly that leading up to this blog. I just figure maybe Pixlbit has ebough of a retro community that this might sound familiar to some people. Like I said, I have already done some digging, but as you pointed out, there are so many damn games it becomes exhausting.

SanAndreas

07/29/2013 at 08:06 PM

The tank game you're talking about sounds a little like Battlezone, the old arcade game. It did have a IBM-PC port in the mid-80s with CGA graphics, and I've played it.

You might search Abandonia for those games.

07/29/2013 at 08:34 PM

It actually turns out it was a game called Spectre, but thank you! Any suggestion is much appreciated!

transmet2033

07/29/2013 at 08:20 PM

The secret island of dr. Quandary?

Spectre was the tank game I remember from when I was younger.

07/29/2013 at 08:33 PM

Yes to both! Thank you so much!

07/29/2013 at 08:41 PM

I was doing the same thing as you are last year. I would have never been able to spit out dr. Quandary if it had not been on my list.

daftman

07/29/2013 at 08:21 PM

I think the island/doctor game you're thinking of is The Secret Island of Dr Quandary. All of your descriptions line up. We had that game when I was a kid. Lots of good memories I wonder how it holds up today?

I don't know, but that tire puzzle always stumped me. And you are right, thank you!

Travis Hawks Senior Editor

07/29/2013 at 09:40 PM

That driving game sounds like a Cruisin' game, probably Exotica. I would assume it got a PC port, but maybe it was just a rip off. Cruisin' Exotica had a level like that.

My PC game I would like to play? Big Top.

07/29/2013 at 11:16 PM

No, but I can see why you would think that.

The game I'm talking about had a sleeker, more futuristic look to it, though. Something called DeathKarz caught my attention when I was looking at Wikipedia's list of racing games, but I don't think that's it either, and it's definitely an incomplete list. I don't think I even saw F-Zero on it. Any of them! Of course, I did just find a list of futuristic racing games that does include that and Wipeout, so fingers crossed.

Never played it, but Big Top looks like Donkey Kong X Crash Man's stage from Mega Man. Mostly cause ladders. You would think Top Man's stage, but no.

07/29/2013 at 11:57 PM

Hmmm sorry I couldn't help. I like that screen of Big Top because it's in the pinks and blues I remember. Any screenshots I've seen lately had yellows and greens: colors I never saw on my IBM 8088.

Good luck figuring these out!

NSonic79

08/06/2013 at 10:54 PM

Sorry but I can't be much help with this. don't know many PC titles and am still in the dark with most past PC games taht will hardly work on current PC rig setups.

08/07/2013 at 11:47 PM

Ah, do not sweat it. Mostly, it's that damn racing game I'm having trouble finding.

PixlBit

Can't Remember the Name of Certain Old PC Games

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