The A500 Mini is here, and for Amiga fans new and old there is a lot to celebrate! With 25 games built into the mini console, there are a lot of hours of games to get through. And whilst you can add more games to be played on the system via a USB stick, let’s hold our horses for a moment to go through and rank all of the included games which are built into the console!
If you haven’t done so already, check out our in depth review of the A500 Mini which is available as both an article and as a video on our new Gaming YouTube Channel.
25. Dragons Breath
Dragons Breath is a game filled with myth and magic and monsters. It’s also filled with map screens, books, and not much in way of action. For gamers who are used to modern games this may be the most jarring to play nowadays, but the music and graphics have a certain charm. A degree of patience and dedication will be required to see this through, but the reward of the talisman will make it all worth it.
24. Lost Patrol
A mostly strategy game which features limited action sequences. Learn the ins and outs of your platoon as you try to survive the Vietnam war. Action sequences include hand to hand combat, sharp shooting and dodging mines. The rest of the game is strategy of keeping morale high as you go through the jungle on a big map scene. There is fun to be had, but it’s less pick and play than most of the games on the A500 Mini.
23. Battle Chess
It’s chess, but with a twist. The pieces in the game are represented with people and not just the standard chess pieces. This means the characters get the chance to walk across the board and engage in combat when pieces are taken. It’s a cool idea, and the game of chess is as fun as ever if you enjoy a game of chess…but the game does play quite slow…even for chess.
22. F-16 Combat Pilot
If you are a fan of flight sims, or have nostalgia for this game from back in the day, there is a very good chance that you’ll get a kick out of F-16 Combat Pilot her on the A500 Mini. If neither of these apply to you then the chances are that you’ll find it harder to get into this game which for it’s genre does feel and play very dated in modern times.
21. The Sentinel
A 3D puzzle game where you have to dodge being seen by ‘the Sentinel’. Advanced for it’s time, the game has clearly aged poorly when compared to many of the games on the A500 Mini, but if you can get used to the graphics and gameplay style there is some fun to be had here.
20. Pinball Dreams
How much fun you get out of Pinball Dreams will largely depend on how much you enjoy pinball and pinball games in general. The game has great tables and graphics which make this a fun game to dip into and to return to to try to improve your skills and best scores.
19. Stunt Car Racer
A 3D racing game which is a bit like a less advanced Virtua Racer. The graphics don’t hold up, but do have an ultra retro feel which can be enjoyed. The game is still fun to play and although this may not be one that you’ll return to as often as the other racing games on the A500 Mini, the game is worth playing as part of racing game history to see how the genre has evolved.
18. Kick Off 2
Back in the days before Fifa dominated football games, Amiga owners were forced to pick sides between Sensible Soccer and Kick Off. Kick Off is easy to pick up and takes some getting used to. Unlike so many other football games, you have to get good at dribbling the ball as it doesn’t just stick to you all the time. Once you get into it there are hours of fun to be had and it’s amazing how well it holds up even to this day.
17. Paradroid 90
Paradroid is one of a few examples of top down shoot ‘em up adventure games on the A500 Mini and is a fine example. You play as a droid which has the ability to combine with and take over control of other robots. This is a cool feature and playing it in a modern context you realise that this Amiga game had you possessing and controlling enemies years before Mario’s Odyssey.
16. Cadaver
Starting in a dungeon you have to work your way past challenges and baddies in a long and involved game collecting items and solving puzzles. Created by the Bitmap Brothers, the game is played form an isometric perspective and you face off with trolls and other beasts.
15. ATR
ATR, or All Terrain Racing is a game which is sure to excite fans of racing games like Micro Machines, or other isometric racing games of the era. It’s not a perfect game, and the viewing angle does feel a bit jarring in a modern context as most games don’t use this view point any more. Still it’s a lot fo fun and shouldn’t take you long to get used to the handling of the vehicles.
