The Amiga… a computer platform way ahead of everyone else out there. Released on July 23, 1985, the Amiga, released by Commodore International, was a multimedia powerhouse of a computer, offering colorful graphics, a graphic user interface, and four channel stereo sound, at a time when platforms like the IBM PC and Macintosh were only offering very basic graphics and sounds on their platforms; the IBM PC was only really thought of at the time as a business oriented machine, and the Macintosh had sharp graphics but only in black and white. It was a computer that mystified the public and befuddled Commodore, who even themselves didn’t quite know how to really market the damned thing.
Through the years, however, the Amiga found its footing, thanks especially in part to the 1987 release of the Amiga 500 and Amiga 2000 models. At a budget price of $700, the Amiga 500 became a popular computer, and of course, came hundreds upon hundreds of games for the platform!
The Amiga line continued officially until 1993, with the last unique Amiga system, the Amiga CD32, a 32-bit dedicated console based on the Amiga AGA chipset found in the Amiga 1200 and 4000 models released earlier. Commodore International, however, suffered from severe financial strain, and closed shop in April 1994. However, the Amiga lives on to this day, thanks in part to a strong, dedicated community of fans and hackers who continue to create hardware and software for the platform, through spiritual successor OSes like AROS and MorphOS, and through veteran Amiga engineers and advocates who have created new companies to create new, next generation Amiga computers for those who have stuck to that checkered Boing Ball logo through thick and thin. Only Amiga makes it possible!!
This episode will showcase the music of several popular, and even some obscure, Amiga games. As the audio hardware, with 4 channels of stereo sound, was quite advanced for the day, you can imagine that many Amiga games had mind blowing sound.
Make sure you have the right Kickstart ROMs installed and your copy protection codes ready, because we are about to go on a whirlwind tour of the sounds of the Amiga!
Download this episode directly HERE (right-click and choose “Save As”!)
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Game – Composer – Developer & Publisher – Track – Release
1) Defender of the Crown – Jim Cuomo – CinemaWare – Title BGM – 1986
2) Lemmings – Tim Wright & Brian Johnston – DMA Design/Psygnosis – Smile if You Love Lemmings – Feb 14, 1991
3) Xenon 2 Megablast – Bomb the Bass – The Assembly Line/The Bitmap Brothers – Megablast – 1989
4) Another World – Jean-François Freitas – Delphine Software – Opening – 1991
5) Zool: Ninja of the Nth Dimension (Amiga CD32) – Neil Biggin – Gremlin Graphics – Zool Rave (World 1) – Oct 1993
6) Turrican II: The Final Fight – Chris Huelsbeck – Factor 5/Rainbow Arts – The Desert Rocks – 1991
7) Jumpin’ Jackson – Stéphane Picq – Infogrames – Opening Theme – 1990
8) Shadow of the Beast – David Whittaker – Psygnosis – Opening – 1989
9) Batman: The Movie – Jon Dunn & Matthew Cannon – Ocean Software – Title BGM – 1989
10) Battletoads – David Wise – Rare-Tradewest – Wookie Hole – 1992 (Floppy), 1994 (CD32)
11) Fire & Ice (CD32) – Jason Page – Graftgold Software – Ice World – 1994
12) Superfrog – Allister Brimble – Team 17 – World 1: Magic Woods – 1993
13) Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe – Nation 12 – The Bitmap Brothers/Image Works – Main Theme – 1990
14) Parasol Stars – Keith Tinman & Matthew Cannon (original Noriyuki Iwadare) – Ocean Software (original Taito) – Main BGM – 1992
15) Aladdin – Tommy Tallarico & Andrew Barnabas – Virgin Interactive – Prince Ali – 1994
16) Fury of the Furries – Frédéric Motte – Kalitso/Mindscape – The Forest – 1994
17) Turrican 3: Payment Day – Chris Huelsbeck – Factor 5/Rainbow Arts – Wet Dungeon – 1993
18) Wiz ‘n’ Liz – Richard Ede & Mike Clarke – Lunatic Software/Psygnosis – Ingame BGM 1 – 1993
19) Dune – Stéphane Picq – Cryo/Virgin Interactive – Sign of the Worm – 1992
20) Cannon Fodder – Jon Hare – Sensible Software/Virgin Interactive – Narcissus – 1992
SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS:
Amiga Bill and Anthony Becker of The Guru Meditation
Ms Mad Lemon
Amiga Ireland
The Amiga Love forums
Amigos Podcast
Dan Wood and Ravi Abbott at the Retro Hour podcast
Everyone in the Amiga community!!
G E T B O I N G E D
