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North & South

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Lorenzo has written 23 additional reviews

AL Mobile

Screenshot of the site on a mobile phone

Did you know Atari Legend is fully responsive and mobile ready? You want this site to behave like an app on your phone or tablet? Simply open the site in your favorite browser and look for the 'Add to homescreen' button. In Safari on IOS, first press the 'share' icon, then the "Add to home screen" pop-up appears. In Chrome on Android, you press the button at the top right, and select 'add to homescreen'. Once you have done this, the famous Atari bee fits nicely on your homescreen and you can enjoy AL with the tap of a finger.

Written by Lorenzo

July 10, 2001

Comments

Based on a french comic, this is a simple arcade - strategy game set in the american civil war. Take the lead of the yankees or of the confederates and wipe out your enemy's army, but beware of the indians and keep an eye on the mexican bandits down south...


Graphics

Visually, this game is really one of a kind. Very nice, cute, colourful cartoon - style graphics. There are 3 or 4 different battlefields, a well drawn map screen and many other little features. Pretty good animations, too, even if the sprites move a bit jerkily in the Fort and train assault sub - games.


Sound

This game squeezes the ST's Yamaha sound chip to feature some excellent sound; wonderful intro and ending tunes, and lots of convincing fx. There are many funny noises, too: for example, try clicking the photographer's bottom on the options screen...


Gameplay

Move your armies around the states, conquer your enemies land and wipe out its armies. Try to capture his forts and look out for the nasties indians and mexicans that sometimes wake up and crush one of your divisions. As I said before, it's a fairly simple strategy game. You won't have to think too much about tactics and statistics as you would, say, in Powermonger, but it's still a good game in its own way, very absorbing and immediate to play. But...


...there' s one thing that' s really wrong with this game: it' s far too easy. You could play with the south in 1864, when their armies were extremely weak, set the computer's AI to maximum, lose a couple of battles on purpose, and still get to wipe out the yankees in 20 minutes or so. The two sub - games are funny for a while, but soon they get slightly repetitive. The best part, actually, is the battle, but once you' ve had a little practice there' s nothing your enemy can do to stop your advance.


Conclusion

If it was still a full priced game I wouldn' t really suggest anyone to buy it. Actually, it's great fun for about 2 hours, but then it becomes really boring. 2 players mode is much better anyhow, and playing it with a friend solves all those damn AI problems. Actually, the game gets harder this way even if your friend has the IQ of an amoeba...






Score
  • Graphics: 9
  • Sound: 9
  • Gameplay: 7
  • Overall: 8

Review Comments

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Zone Warrior

February 12, 2023 by AtariCrypt

Once again, pesky aliens are giving us Earthlings lots of grief. We previously fought them off but they managed to pinch a time machine so are using that to alter history and wreak havoc by taking crucial hostages from each period in an attempt to halt their influence. From the invention of the wheel in prehistoric times to England's King Arthur uniting Britain! And where would any of us be today without Japan and its technical wizardry? Yep, we cannot allow this - the fight is on!

Son Shu Shi

March 21, 2021 by ST Graveyard

What an accomplishment this game is. Created with such a small team, the result is really amazing. The game oozes creative passion. While the gameplay is really well balanced, it is a tough cookie, very hard from time to time with its moments of sheer frustration. As of level 3, timing becomes key. You will need to practice and learn the levels to complete this game, there are so many bad guys on screen it sometimes gets a bit hard to take.

Blood Money

April 4, 2020 by Morcar

Graphically, it's also nice on the eyes with well-defined graphics and animation. You really get the feeling that the developers put some thought and love into the game. Remember what I said about the large levels? Well these are wonderful and are very different to each other, they also scroll fairly smooth in all four directions.

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