Ready for another binge of Axe Parser programs?
Posted by Xavier on 23 November 2018, 21:49 GMT
Color screens and higher-powered processors are definitely nice, but we can keep featuring programs for older calculators, right? At least we hope so :P
Today's software archeology will let us visit three mostly B/W Axe programs from the peak Axe Parser activity timeframe, last updated here in 2011 or 2012, by squidgetx, a relatively productive programmer using TI-Basic and Axe on the monochrome 83+/84+ family. As shown by the animated screenshots, squidgetx paid special attention to nice little details such as transition effects when losing the game. The source code is provided, as often happens for Axe programs.
StickNinja is a 2D smooth scrolling platformer. Therefore, as you'd expect from a platformer, in order not to lose the game, the player needs to run and jump around the set of levels and rooms (without falling out of the platforms), smash enemies, and collect bonus. The game worked without a glitch on my 84+SE running OS 2.43.
Embers: Phoenix is a relatively complex ARPG, with a storyline, a bunch of characters (both friendly and unfriendly), various tile types with specific properties, the combination of which will give you hours of fun. Be sure to have a glance at the readme, it contains several interesting tips which should ease your way through the game... unless you'd rather discover everything by yourself the hard way, that's an equally valid way to play games :)
Gravity Guy is a side-scrolling game, reimplemented from the popular smartphone game of the same name. Here, no complex bonuses or movements... your only move is to invert the direction of the gravity, in order to hop between platforms which prevent you from falling above or below the screen, or could trap you onto the other edges. As you'll see, when the platforms' characteristics have boosted your speed, it can require good synchronization. Unlike the two other apps creations featured here, which are both FlashApps, this one is distributed under the form of an ASM program.
