Games That Started on the APPLE II

[@theyamo7219]

Choplifter also started on the Apple II. In fact, it was the first game to start on a computer to get port of sorts to the arcades. Loderunner also got its start on the Apple II as well Hope you do a future video on games that started on the Atari 8-bit computers as well

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, I'm sure there are loads more too! I'm not sure I'll do the Atari 8-bits, but we'll see.

[@IsaacKuo]

@@onaretrotip The Atari 8-bits originated so many games, especially a lot of games we often associate with the C64. They came out a couple years after the Apple ][, but rapidly attracted a lot of developers because of its more exciting hardware capabilities (being less expensive also helped). Of course, the C64 would eclipse the Atari 8-bits in popularity, but the first couple years of the C64 would be dominated by Atari 8-bit ports, such as Bruce Lee, M.U.L.E., and Jumpman. Perhaps the most influential Atari 8-bit game, though would be Star Raiders. It was a real time action variant of Super Star Trek but with exciting first person combat. It established the mold that combat flight sims would follow ever since.

[@slickrcbd9543]

Bard's Tale AND Might & Magic was based on Wizardry, which also spawned over 7 sequels over the '80s and '90s and was created on the Apple II but ported to other systems. Also Heroes of Might and Magic was more of a spiritual successor to a game called King's Bounty, also on the Apple II that was ported to MS-DOS and put out by New World Computing.

[@onaretrotip]

👍

[@dgmt1]

It's unlikely Kings Bounty was ported from the Apple II to MS DOS. While Might and Magic 1 was developed for the Apple II first (by Jon Van Caneghem before he founded New World Computing), New World computing quickly shifted their focus to MS DOS due to PC clones becoming so popular (they went from a 50% share of new computer sales in 1985 to over 80% by 1989). As a result Might and Magic II (1988) and King's Bounty (1990) both got concurrent Apple II and MS Dos releases in the same year and development for both platforms probably occured at the same time. From 1991 onwards they released for DOS/windows first then ported to other systems.

[@DirkDierickx]

awesome Elysium mod in the background!

[@onaretrotip]

😃👍

[@TheRetroCollective]

Really enjoyed this Pete, looking forward to seeing which system comes next

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Neil! This started off as a one-off for the Amiga, but morphed into a five part mini series. I'll leave you guessing as to which five computers will be covered ;)

[@GimblyGFR]

Man, those games look great for the time. So many awesome franchises began on the Apple II. Since the Apple II was never sold over here, our first experience with computers came in the form of ZX Spectrum, C64 or MSX. I would have love the Apple II, though. Excellent video, Pete. Looking forward to the next instances on this series.

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks! Yes, it produced some really impressive games for the time. Only doing a few more - C64, Amiga, Atari ST, BBC Micro. It started as a one-off for Amiga, but then I thought it would make an interesting mini series.

[@GimblyGFR]

@@onaretrotip That list sounds very interesting. Especially the BBC Micro one. Since the Beeb was not sold around the world (as much as the Speccy was) it is, at least to me, a fascinating subject.

[@onaretrotip]

@@GimblyGFR Yeah, I have a lot of love for the Beeb, and fond memories. Some really cool games started out on it!

[@GimblyGFR]

​@@onaretrotip You were really lucky to get the Beebs on your schools. Over here, computers started appearing on schools on the early 90s. And students couldn't touch them, as they were used mostly for administrative work. I was lucky enough to get a Speccy on the 80s, but most kids in my country got their first contact with computers halfway through the 90s.

[@timwald2498]

Enjoyed watching this. Seeing Wolfenstein still makes me sweat - those guards shouting at you in German when they saw you made my heart race all the time back in the day!

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Tim! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@davidzachmeyer1957]

"Achtung!"

[@DadLadsGaming]

Very interesting Pete. Looking forward to more in this series 👍

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Marcus!

[@lactobacillusprime]

Quite surprising how many games actually started out on Apple II, some I really had no idea originated on the Apple II! Thanks for educating me. :)

[@ericp631]

It took until the mid-late 80's for dos PC's to really take off as a gaming platform with the tandy, as the early ibm's were not good with graphics and sounds, so for early pc gaming the 2 and c64 were the go to, at least in the u.s.

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Mark! Yes, some really big names here.

[@datacipher]

@@ericp631and the Atari 8 bits. In fact i would argue the Atari far more critical to gaming than the apple or c64. It was the early leader in gaming. Personally i had/have an atari, a 2e, and then jumped to pc.

[@datacipher]

There’s actually hundreds of more games that “started” on the apple 2. I can name some more that went on to pc era but this video cited repton lol… so… at that level of standard… we are talking hundreds of games.

[@datacipher]

There were a LOT MORE than this - and prominent ones too. Can name 40 off the top of my head. Most home computer games at that time originated on apple 2 or Atari & bit.

[@ScottDuensing]

Great list but you missed a HUGE one that nobody ever expects was an Apple game... Madden!

[@onaretrotip]

Oh nooooooo! That would've been a superb inclusion. Damn.

[@thedoctor16]

Great thank you, others have mentioned that other games that started on the Apple II. The sequel to Castle Wolfenstein was Castle Wolfenstein II. Also, the IIe was released in 1982. Maybe 1983 was for Europe.

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks! Ah, yes, maybe the IIe was 1983 in Europe.

[@urlton]

Glad to see Repton again - I had forgotten the name

[@onaretrotip]

Good memories :)

[@dr.charlesedwardflorendobr3952]

I remember Wolfenstein or Beyond Castle Wolfenstein when I was in Grade 1. Im not sure which one I was playing. It used a different map every time I die and restart the game. I think the map was procedurally produced. What I used to do was insert a sheet of paper on the side of the disk drive to cover the write protect tab of the disk before I die so that it would produce an error and give me the same map when the game restarted.

[@onaretrotip]

Hahaha. That's ingenuity!

[@Retro_B8]

Wow so many games I had absolutely no idea! Informative and interesting as always mate!

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Paul!

[@DeviatingVapors]

weird to see these games (any games) on newer hardware. I had a //e, with a monochrome screen (green), a few friends had amber .. some B&W. no one had a color screen for ages (due to cost). the color choices (as seeing them here) .. were probably not chosen at all for the colors we see today. they came out as shades. and for many games were brilliantly chosen. Karateka, Choplifter, Lode Runner .. were marvellous to see on the Apple /// monitor in luminescent green. guess I need to pull my system out and show the world what it really looked like .. 1983-86. Only knew one rich kid that had a //GS system in high school.

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, good point. A lot of them were probably designed to make the most of monochrome displays.

[@youdontneedtoseehisidentif4939]

Less than five seconds into the video, and I recognise the _ShadowWraith_ music - this should be good :)

[@onaretrotip]

🔥🔥🔥

[@BlastProcessing]

Nice one mate, really enjoyed this one! We inherited an Apple IIe when I was a kid and I fondly remember powering through a bunch of games on there, including Bard's Tale. This was a good hit of nostalgia for the weekend!

[@onaretrotip]

Awesome! Thanks mate.

[@DaveVelociraptor]

Great choice of system to start with. PC gaming from 286 onwards has many roots in the Apple II instead of the XT

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you! The Apple II is definitely under-represented on KZbin.

[@vvhitevvizard_]

Montezuma's revenge, Boulderdash, Drol, Rescue Raiders are the best playable ones as I recall.

[@onaretrotip]

👌

[@tonyd6269]

We need more Apple II videos like this. Unfortunately the Apple II gets somewhat overlooked and downright ignored by many when it fact it was where home computing and home computer gaming really started. Aztec and Karateka were two other great games that started on the Apple II and was ported later to other popular systems.

[@saganandroid4175]

Nah, PET was doing PETSCII gaming in 1977.

[@tonyd6269]

@@saganandroid4175 Sure they did but how does that even relate to my comment? It doesn’t… the Apple II started home computer gaming period. And started a string of great home computer titles.

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, the Apple II is definitely underappreciated.

[@steinarvilnes3954]

@@tonyd6269 I would rather say that the importance of the Apple 2 is a bit overstated because manufacturers like Atari, Commodore and even Sinclair get more or less wiped out of mainstream history. These other ones were especially important in Europe.

[@joegahan7055]

Excellent

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks!

[@agentmith]

NES had Ultima 3, 4, and 5. Thanks for covering these games, I grew up with Apple 2 edutainment and never had much opportunity to play anything not in school. You should look at Prisoner 1 and 2, they’re very interesting.

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you! Will do :)

[@DocVolteer]

Interesting i do know some of the franchice but didnt their started all on Apple 2. I got to say it a interseting Idiea for a new series cant wait to see more content in the future

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks! It was intended to be a one-off episode for the Amiga, but sort of grew into a five part series.

[@TheJamieRamone]

PoP was also ported 2 the SAM Coupé, don't 4get the SAM coupé.

[@onaretrotip]

😲

[@Mightyguybrush2]

Sounds like a top series! Good start!

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks! Only doing a few - C64, Amiga, Atari ST, BBC Micro. It started as a one-off for Amiga, but then I thought it would make an interesting mini series.

[@michaelsmith7739]

Quality content. Nice one!

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks mate!

[@JigglyRuff]

Yes I remember the Apple 2 we had them when we was in primary school, the classic macs were the monsters back in the day... Nice one for doing an overview of these games, Might and Magic I've never played.

[@onaretrotip]

My only experience with them was at a mate's house in the 80s - they had an Apple II and a NES. Needless to say I spent a lot of time there LOL

[@mattmyers9351]

Very cool!

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Matt!

[@mattmyers9351]

@@onaretrotip your welcome!

[@youdontneedtoseehisidentif4939]

_Wolfenstein 3D_ was ported back to the Apple IIGS (relatively) recently, although it is apparently very slow on a stock machine…

[@onaretrotip]

Interesting!

[@steve36207]

Really like this idea Pete buddy. I've never played on one so its great to see what games started out on there. I learn something new everyday 😁

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Steve! Should be a fun little series.

[@nerdygeezer78]

I remember having Prince of Persia on a Amstrad PC at one point

[@onaretrotip]

Nice. Such a classic. Played it to death as a kid on my mate's 386.

[@terry-]

Great!

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you! :)

[@drakepirate]

Hi, excellent video, just one thing You forgot to mention the most important one which still is current on PC, Flight Simulator...

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks! Did they not release Flight Simulator on other platforms before Apple?

[@rager-69]

You forgot to mention the "s" in Apple IIgs - the sound. It uses an Ensoniq ES5503 DOC

[@onaretrotip]

Ah!

[@youdontneedtoseehisidentif4939]

Interesting video :) In spite of being a Mac guy, I've never so much as touched an Apple II, and I'm always surprised/impressed when I see footage of them running, as they seem to out-perform what *should* be comparable[1] 8bit computers; I'd like to pick up at least a IIc/Plus one day, but right now i. it's out of my price range; ii. I don't have the electronics skills to refurbish/maintain it; and there doesn't seem to be much of a retro scene for it outside of North America - I guess that's because it wasn't price-competitive compared to the Sinclair Spectrum, BBC Micro, Amstrad CPC, etc. back in the day, and so didn't sell well outside of N.A. [1]Ie. not the Commodore 64 with its hardware sprites :)

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, I only ever saw one, and that was my mate's Dad's. Other than that, everyone had the usual suspects (C64, Amstrad, Speccy, BBC).

[@michaelvau4818]

wow. great video

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you very much!

[@WeSombreGhosts]

Great video bro , look forward to more !!!

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you! A couple more in this little series coming soon.

[@rager-69]

Cool video.

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you!

[@m0nde]

Subscribed, very thorough, nice work

[@onaretrotip]

Thank you very much!

[@deckofcards87]

The Apple II! Jeez, to me, this is more akin to Archeology than retro gaming / computing. Such a different era in retrospect, and a very innovative era at that. Awesome video, mate, as expected.

[@onaretrotip]

Haha yes indeed. Thank you!

[@mightyb8679]

apple iie was at school hehehe I wish I had had more than number munchers and oregon trail, but we also have cross country canada and lemonade stand simulator lol

[@onaretrotip]

Oh, you had them at school? Cool!

[@neilthomas6042]

It shows that the Apple 2 was a games machine; npt sure if I ever used one.

[@onaretrotip]

Indeed. My mate's dad had one, but I hardly ever got to use it.

[@tempestfury8324]

Good video! It's great to see how surprised modern gamers are when they learn the humble roots of many game series. I'm surprised you mentioned Bard's Tale and Ultima but not Wizardry. Some other omissions are Lode Runner, The Oregon Trail, Karateka, Choplifter, and wait for it.... John Madden Football! Yep the greatest sports video game franchise of all time started on the Apple II.

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, I'm quite annoyed I missed John Madden as that's fascinating!

[@datacipher]

I think it’s fairly obvious that the guy didn’t live through the era but just tried to do a google search for research. You are right and he missed dozens of series.

[@veiled33]

Magic Candle, Phantasie too

[@onaretrotip]

👍

[@MaidenHell1977]

Wow, that was excellent. Is Ultima like not the first true electronic RPG ever?

[@belstar1128]

No there where a few before it but they where too simple or so old they where made for those giant "mini" computers or mainframes that existed before personal computers where a thing.

[@onaretrotip]

Thanks, Kevin!

[@MaidenHell1977]

@@belstar1128 Thank you, interesting stuff! :)

[@slickrcbd9543]

Wizardry predated it on the Apple II, and Bard's Tale was actually inspired by and partially based on Wizardry.

[@MaidenHell1977]

@@slickrcbd9543 nice

[@SevenCompleted]

Might and magic is the best. Jon van Caneghem rules.

[@onaretrotip]

🙂👍

[@saganandroid4175]

10:00 Oddly you somehow didn't like that Prince of Persia was ported to the C64.

[@onaretrotip]

I said "officially". It had several unofficial ports, including the C64.

[@themovietheatre]

You forgot Choplifter.

[@onaretrotip]

Damn!

[@neilthomas8070]

An interesting video, shows the Apple 2 could be a games machine. The only game I played on a system was The Prince of Persia.

[@onaretrotip]

Yes, it was certainly capable.

[@cwskbfan1456]

woo hoo ur back u haven't make videos in a long time

[@onaretrotip]

Only been three weeks LOL

[@jmp01a24]

Who made you think that Bards Tale was an original Apple II game? That guy did a number on you. It was first released for the Commodore 64 by HES software under the title "Maze Master", a beta release of sorts. Next he (Michael Cranford) went on to expand it into the game we all know as The Bards Tale I, first released for Apple II in september 1985. It was released a few months later for the C64. He did the programming & design for Maze Master, Bards Tale I & II. An epic RPG trilogy. You had been right claiming Bards Tale was first released for APPLE II, but you wrote "Games that started on the APPLE II". Well, it all started on the best home computer of the 80s: "The Commodore 64". So there... Feel free to edit the title, lol. I pickwiked the nit out of you there bro!

[@onaretrotip]

What a strange and patronising way to correct someone.

[@iamtheiceman]

Apple panic ?

[@onaretrotip]

@iamtheiceman Suppose so, but bit of a grey area as it's a clone.