Best Way To Play Amiga Games?

[lisalover1]

I'm interested in getting an Amiga gaming machine, but I want an opinion on what I should get. I am interested in the Amiga CD32, since it can apparently play Amiga Computer games as well, which also gives me easy access to backups, and I would really prefer to play on a console. However, it is a really expensive console, and I'm not sure if it is worth the price. On the other hand, an Amiga computer would be more authentic and cheaper than a CD32, and has the actual Amiga OS. But as far as I know, it doesn't have as easy access to backups as the CD32. So, given these factors, what would be the best choice for me?

[Ivo]

I'm interested in getting an Amiga gaming machine, but I want an opinion on what I should get. I am interested in the Amiga CD32, since it can apparently play Amiga Computer games as well, which also gives me easy access to backups, and I would really prefer to play on a console. However, it is a really expensive console, and I'm not sure if it is worth the price. On the other hand, an Amiga computer would be more authentic and cheaper than a CD32, and has the actual Amiga OS. But as far as I know, it doesn't have as easy access to backups as the CD32. So, given these factors, what would be the best choice for me?

Your question does not include emulation.

Amiga 500, 600 are not the computer equivalent of the CD32; the A1200 is. There aren't that many AGA games (with better graphics) either IIRC. However if you want to avoid the hassle of floppies you will need to either go for the CD32 (and burn compilation CDs with "floppy" based games) or get also a compatible hard drive and possible fiddle a bit with software that lets you boot "floppy" based games through the HDD (most floppy games weren't natively installable to HDD as not that many Amiga users actually had hard disks).
I think the software you would need to use is called WHDLoad, but I never used it.

Consider the need for the hard drive into the price, or the hassle of using double density floppies (720 K; you can use the 1.44 ones but I think the floppy images are 720 as those were the prevalent floppies around).

Ivo.

[lisalover1]

So, can you play Amiga backups off floppy discs? If I were to choose an Amiga computer, should I get an A1200? Can the A1200 play A500/600 games? Are there many CD32 games are available for the A1200?

[Ivo]

So, can you play Amiga backups off floppy discs? If I were to choose an Amiga computer, should I get an A1200? Can the A1200 play A500/600 games? Are there many CD32 games are available for the A1200?

Most non-AGA games will play on a A1200, but some older games are particularly picky.

You should be able to write floppy images into a floppy and just run them from there (although I never tried it from a PC) as many images are cracked versions of the game without copy protection etc.

A regular A1200 game will not be able to play CD games, you will need to get an Amiga compatible CD drive for that, but then I think you are better off with a CD32 for the vast majority of things.

There is also the option (that is possibly not interesting for you) of getting an expansion module for the CD32 to have a keyboard and external floppy drive.

Do you have some familiarity with the games you intend to play? That would help. I think the vast majority of Amiga classics will run on an A500. There are a few AGA-only games, some of which are remakes of classics with improved graphics, very few are exclusives. The CD32 itself has very very few exclusives, but due to the compilation CDs you can have a very convenient way of playing "floppy" games (apart from those that need keyboard controls).

If you know what games you REALLY want to play it would be easy to make a decision. If you really want to play an AGA game, then you can exclude A500 and A600. If you must play a CD32 exclusive (Flink, perhaps?) then either a CD32 or an A1200 with external CD.

Ivo.

[lisalover1]

So, can you play Amiga backups off floppy discs? If I were to choose an Amiga computer, should I get an A1200? Can the A1200 play A500/600 games? Are there many CD32 games are available for the A1200?

Most non-AGA games will play on a A1200, but some older games are particularly picky.

You should be able to write floppy images into a floppy and just run them from there (although I never tried it from a PC) as many images are cracked versions of the game without copy protection etc.

A regular A1200 game will not be able to play CD games, you will need to get an Amiga compatible CD drive for that, but then I think you are better off with a CD32 for the vast majority of things.

There is also the option (that is possibly not interesting for you) of getting an expansion module for the CD32 to have a keyboard and external floppy drive.

Do you have some familiarity with the games you intend to play? That would help. I think the vast majority of Amiga classics will run on an A500. There are a few AGA-only games, some of which are remakes of classics with improved graphics, very few are exclusives. The CD32 itself has very very few exclusives, but due to the compilation CDs you can have a very convenient way of playing "floppy" games (apart from those that need keyboard controls).

If you know what games you REALLY want to play it would be easy to make a decision. If you really want to play an AGA game, then you can exclude A500 and A600. If you must play a CD32 exclusive (Flink, perhaps?) then either a CD32 or an A1200 with external CD.

Ivo.

There were a couple games I really wanted to play:
Rod-Land
Cannon Fodder
Weird Dreams
The Sentinel
and a bunch of different Adventure games.

Now that you mention it, there are a couple CD32 games I am interested in, but I'm pretty sure almost none of them are CD exclusives.

I'm pretty sure these are A500/600 games. How much would a CD32+Keyboard Adapter+Keyboard run me? I think there are a few games I want that need a mouse and keyboard, and since I can barely find any CD32s for sale, I assume finding these adapters would be a chore, too.

[Ivo]

Hi,

Rod-Land I used to play on my A500, but you should be aware that it is and arcade port - consider running it on MAME instead.

Cannon Fodder I also used to play on the A500. There is a CD32 version with some exclusive video but you would need the MPEG adapter to watch it anyway. It is better played with a mouse, and the PC port is probably as good as the original.

I did not play the Sentinel or Weird Dreams, but given the release date (and the graphics quality) they have to be A500 compatible

Adventure games you may or may not be able to find SCUMM-VM versions.

You may want to browse this forum in order to check if you really want to get a CD32 or not:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=9137

One of the main advantages of the CD32 nowadays is that you can get compilation CDs with 100, 200 or even 444 or 888 floppy games.
Check older threads here as well, e.g.
http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6703

Ivo.

There were a couple games I really wanted to play:
Rod-Land
Cannon Fodder
Weird Dreams
The Sentinel
and a bunch of different Adventure games.

Now that you mention it, there are a couple CD32 games I am interested in, but I'm pretty sure almost none of them are CD exclusives.

I'm pretty sure these are A500/600 games. How much would a CD32+Keyboard Adapter+Keyboard run me? I think there are a few games I want that need a mouse and keyboard, and since I can barely find any CD32s for sale, I assume finding these adapters would be a chore, too.

[lisalover1]

So, because most of the Amiga's best games are on the 500/600, and because the A1200 is effectively going to cost as much as a CD32, I should just go for a 500?

[Ivo]

So, because most of the Amiga's best games are on the 500/600, and because the A1200 is effectively going to cost as much as a CD32, I should just go for a 500?

I can't answer that for you

But the vast majority of "Amiga games" are indeed floppy disk games that will run on an A500. I'm not up to date on the prices of A500 / A600 (the 600 may be cheaper, as despite the larger number it is actually slightly less powerful), A1200 or CD32.

Ivo.

[Niode]

I haven't found a game I can't run on my Amiga 600 that I want to play. I have the ram extension and a HDD for it. You can copy ADFs onto a blank single density floppy disk over a null modem cable. You can't just use any old floppy disk drive to copy ADFs, it doesn't work. You have to use the Amigas floppy drive. Please note that Amiga 500/600/1200 can't read Dual Density floppy disks. Only single density.

The utility you need to accomplish this is http://www.amigaforever.com/ae/

[Ivo]

Please note that Amiga 500/600/1200 can't read Dual Density floppy disks. Only single density.

Niode, are you sure about this? I think the drive can read DDs (720k), but not HDs (1.4 M). I think all 3.5'' floppies are at least DD (compared to 5.25'' ones).

Anyway as long as we are both talking 3.5'' 720k floppies there is no ambiguity.

Ivo.