C64 Zone :: Old news

After nearly 3 years of development soon we'll be able to enjoy a "remake" highly anticipated by CEZ regular visitors.

It all dates back to 1987, when Hewson Consultants published "RanaRama" a game produced by Graftgold Ltd. and programmed by Steve Turner on the platforms Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. Perhaps it went unnoticed by many because it had a somehow confusing gameplay, incorporating elements of Gauntlet and a bit of RPG in terms of the evolution and improvement of the main character.

The remake resembles the original in terms of basic gameplay but reinterprets not only graphics and sound, but also other elements to enhance it. In general there are many changes and some surprises.

On the technical side we must mention the importance of checking the requirements of the computer. This is a game programmed in Java, therefore needs the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) preinstalled. This, although it might be a problem for some, results in the advantage of the program being multiplatform without changes, and therefore will work on Windows PCs, Linux and Mac in their 32-bit versions (64-bit OSes aren't supported). In advance to the installation of the game, we invite you to go check and prepare the environment with the procedure shown at the end of the article.

We won't tell more details at the moment and until the day of publication, enjoy the pictures, the original game in any of its versions and we also invite you to participate in our forum.

REFERENCES:
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World of Spectrum
Wikipedia


SET-UP:
------------------------
+ Check that JVM is installed:
    - Open a commandline tool.
    - Write the command "java - version" without quotation marks and followed by ENTER.
    - Check the response:
      - Program not found or so: you need to install Java.
      - A response like this:

            java version "1.6.0_05"
            Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.6.0_05-b13)
            Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 10.0-b19, mixed mode, sharing)

       Check that version 1.5.11 or newer.
       Check that the client brand is "Java HotSpot", others are not supported.

+ Getting JRE (Java Runtime Environment):
   - Open an internet navigator and access this link.
   - Choose the option "Java Runtime Environment (JRE)" and the button labeled "Download".
   - In the next page, choose platform and language, check the checkbox "I agree..." and click "Continue".
   - In the next page, choose the way to download and install.

+ Updating Java (only if you have a version lower than 1.5.11):
   - Normally JRE updates automatically, if it doesn't you need to get and install a new JRE as above.

From now you can make comments on the game cards. We've added a new tab in which you can leave your views on the games, without having to register (as opposed to the forums).
Time has come to say if you are in agreement with our views, if we have committed any mistake or if you have some material not yet available on the card in question.

You can read the last comments at the games stats page. We are waiting for you.

Now, you can enjoy  iLogicAll, the new  CEZGS production. By the moment, on Spectrum 128k, but you'll can play it too in your CPC or C64 very soon.

Help Maribip in her hard mission, and become to hive's Queen. A 100 level challenge, only for Picross lovers.

Play it, and tell us about it in theforum

We've added the following extra content:

Adverts:
-After the War (UK version)
-Army Moves (UK version)
-La Aventura Espacial
-Mot (two adverts)

Map:
-Gremlins 2

And here we go, with another update. We've added MicroHobby reviews of La Abadía del Crimen, and Camelot Warriors.

And, in the case of La Abadía del Crimen, we have a little surprise as well: A 25 page .pdf file with original sketches from development, scanned and packed by Juan Delcán, original graphist of the game, who send it us when we interviewed him.

Finally. Waiting is over. You can now enjoy on your PC one of the most awaited games in the last years: Phantomas Saga #0: Uprising.

The Definitive Game to every Phantomas lover, and, also, the genesis of this peculiar heroe history.

¿Where? Of course, here at CEZGS. If you have any problem in order to view the game card using IE6, you'll have success through the CEZ card.

You can, also, tell us your opinion about the game at the forum, here.

We've added the following extras to these game cards:

-Game Over II (french and british adverts, map)
-Livingstone Supongo (pdf and typed manual)
-Mad Mix Game: The Pepsi Challenge (typed manual, advert)
-Toi Acid Game (typed manual, advert, maps)

The weekend begins and it's necessary to rest a bit. Nevertheless, here you have a little update, with three gave adverts.

-Aspar GP Master
-Cozumel, La Diosa de
-Gremlins 2: The New Batch

More tomorrow.

Today we bring to you a new interview with one of the best Spanish musicians for videogames.
We are talking about Gominolas, creathor of the most known compositions from Topo soft.

You can click here to access the interview, sadly in Spanish only for the moment.

Today we bring you a small update:

-La Guerra de las Vajillas
(manual & advert)
-Megacorp
(advert)
-Turbo Bike (Turbo Girl en UK)
(inlay scan)

-After the War (scanned manual)
-Camelot Warriors (scanned manual)
-Defcom 1 (scanned manual)
-Don Quijote (scanned manual)
-Drazen Petrovic Basket (advert)
-Emilio Butragueño ¡Fútbol! (advert)
-Ke Rulen los Petas (scanned manual)
-Meganova (scanned manual and advert)
-Metropolis (scanned and typed manual)
-Mike Gunner (scanned manual)
-Navy Moves (scanned and typed manual, advert and cheat)
-Turbo Girl (advert)
-Whopper Chase (typed manual and advert)

We continue adding adverts to the game cards of our site. Today we've uploaded 18 ads in 14 cards... Enjoy them:

Basket Master, Camelot Warriors (spanish version, 3 ads), Camelot Warriors, Chicago 30's, Don Quijote, Fernando Martín Basket Master, Freddy Hardest, Game Over (spanish version), Game Over (2 ads), Jai Alai, Livingstone I Presume, Misterio del Nilo, El, Mystery of the Nile, West Bank (spanish version, 2 ads), West Bank.

You can view all the game cards with adverts clicking here.

We've added the following extras:

Cheats:
-Chichén Itzá
-Templos Sagrados, Los

Media (advertisements):
-After the War (french)
-Aventura Espacial, La
-Grand Prix Master
-Gremlins 2: The New Batch (spanish)
-Narco Police
-Navy Moves

We've added the following seven manuals:

-Army Moves (english version, typed)
-Aventura Espacial, La (typed)
-Gremlins 2: The New Batch (english version, typed)
-Megaphoenix (scanned)
-Narco Police (scanned and typed)
-Navy Moves (english version, scanned and typed)
-Satan (spanish version, typed)

We've added the following maps:

-Camelot Warriors
-Metropolis
-West Bank

You can view all the available maps clicking here. In order to view some other lists (cheats, manuals, etc.) you have only to click the links in the statistics of the right column.

We've added the following 4 maps:

-Emilio Butragueño ¡Fútbol!
-Freddy Hardest
-Game Over
-Livingstone Supongo

In this update we've added:

One game:
-Freddy Hardest in South Manhattan

Two game cards:
-Keops
(manual, review and screenshots)
-Othello
(coverscan, manual, review and screenshots)

With them all the available C64 games have their reviews..

We present you the new layout. The design has changed in both CEZ and the Zones.
We've decided to simplify it, making it more similar to the forum. Moreover, it will be easier for us to update the page, and we think it has a better style.
All without losing our identity: we maintain the header, the colours and the place of almost everything...

The news with the new layout are::
-Search box: now you can seek for games, developers, etc. directly in the page, without using Google.
-Now you're able to leave comments in articles and interviews sections.
-#downloads in the game cards: now you can compare and know wich version of a game is more popular.

Finally, let's take a look to the evolution:

Days ago we presented you the promo video of "Captain 'S' Remake".

Pagantipaco viewed it and decided his star project, Ranaremake, must have a presentation too.

In a few months you could play it, but now enjoy with the video of this fantastic "Ranarama" remake.

We've added to our database the following maps, all of them made by Pavero:

-Army Moves
-Guardian Angel
-Hammerboy
-Navy Moves

We've also modified one:
-After the War