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Mac Daniel's Advice
Seven Great Games for Mac Users
Korin Hasegawa-John - 2001.12.06
Q: I enjoyed your articles on first person shooting games, but those sort of games really don't appeal to me. I also don't have and can't afford a Mac that will run them. Can you recommend any other games?
A: Sure. There are lots of good games out there that are shareware or older retail titles. I've broken down a few of my old favorites into several categories. All the games are rated by number of stars. Unless otherwise noted, all games need a PowerMac and at least 32 MB RAM.
Strategy
Worms. Unsure as to availability. •••
This is a very fun game. You control a group of worms, which do battle with another team of worms on a second map. They can use any manner of weapons, from air strikes and grenades to pistols and shotguns. It also has a same-computer multiplayer option. Turn-based. Price: $30 retail if you can find it, maybe less.
Deathground. Freeverse Software. ••••
It's like Risk. You are a mob boss, whose aim is to conquer the city by taking over "hoods" from other players. Each turn you get more guys, and if you control a group of hoods, you get even more guys. Very fun, and voices are very funny. Uses same-machine multiplayer capabilities. If you want to get it, Freeverse has very generously made it available to Low End Mac readers for $10 including shipping. Just mention Low End Mac - and many thanks to Colin Lynch Smith for providing this. :-)
Civilization II Gold Edition. MacSoft. •••••
The turn based strategy game. You start with a small tribe and attempt to conquer the world or build a spaceship to colonize Alpha Centauri. If you accomplish either, you win. Along the way you build buildings and military units, found new cities and research technologies. Includes an Internet/intranet multiplayer option. Turn based. $49.99 retail, check DealMac for a good price. Still being published, and will run on 68040, but needs 32 MB RAM.
Alpha Centauri. Aspyr •••••
Civilization II's sequel. Includes multiplayer support (network or Internet). It's much more powerful and flexible, allowing you to design your own units. An added bonus: It takes place on an imaginary planet of Alpha Centauri (called Planet) which has much more realistic terrain modeling than Civ. II. (Squares have height, rockiness, and moisture attributes.) Groups, now called Factions, have their own specific agendas and bonuses. Needs 604e 200 MHz or better, 4 MB VRAM, 64 MB application RAM.
Action/Adventure
Escape Velocity. Ambrosia Software. •••••
Classic. Very fun, complicated, action/adventure/RPG game. You start as a trader in the midst of a galactic civil war. Choose sides or just watch to see what happens. No more said, at the risk of giving away a great plot. Its plug-in architecture allows for the game to be modified almost limitlessly when the original missions and scenario get old. It's big con is the lack of multiplayer support, but it's easy to waste months on the game by itself. Runs on any Quadra or better, 640 x 480 8-bit video or better. Price: $20 shareware.
Unprovoked. Cortic Software. ••••
A space-action game. It has many missions. You can choose various ships with different capabilities, from small, speedy fighters to big hulking carriers with lots of weapons. Plot is nothing special, but it's still a blast (literally). Needs 160 MHz, Mac OS 8, 800 x 600 and 32 MB RAM. Has a multiplayer option via intranet or Internet via Cortic's homepage. Price unknown.
Shooters
Marathon II. Bungie Software. ••••
No matter what Doom-heads say, this is the Mac FPS king. Published in 1995, it is still available in a boxed set with Marathon and Marathon Infinity. The source is now open, so many modifications are available. Has an intranet multiplayer support, but graphics are a little lackluster by today's standards. For good performance, you need a 100 MHz PPC with 40 MB RAM or better.
Not sure if you should upgrade your old Mac or replace it? Check the Mac Daniel index to see if we've already addressed your problem.
Recent Mac Daniel columns
- WiFi Hardware Compatible with Desktop Macs Running OS X, MetaPhyzx, 03.11. USB, ethernet, PCI, and other wireless hardware compatible with Mac OS X.
- WiFi CardBus Adapters Compatible with PowerBooks, MetaPhyzx, 03.11. CardBus hardware and drivers compatible with PowerBooks running Mac OS X.
- WiFi PC Cards Compatible with PowerBooks Running OS X, MetaPhyzx, 03.11. PCMCIA/PC Card hardware and drivers compatible with PowerBooks running Mac OS X.
- WiFi PC Cards for PowerBooks Running Mac OS 9, MetaPhyzx, 03.10. PCMCIA cards and drivers reported to be compatible with PowerBook running the Classic Mac OS.
- More in the Mac Daniel index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: iMac Core Duo, Jan. 2006 - The first Intel-based iMacs ran at 1.83-2.0 GHz, came with 17" and 20" displays.
- Group of the Day: Mac Pro List is for those using a Mac Pro.
- November 23 in LEM history: 99: Should I buy a USB card? - 01: Can a low-end Mac be an only Mac? - Palm Desktop without a PDA - CyberDog saves the day - 05: How Consumer Reports could compare Macs fairly - Speakers for your Mac - Living with the hi-res 15" PowerBook - Birth of the PowerBook - Daystar 1.9 GHz iMac G4 upgrade - 1.92 GHz PowerBook upgrade
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Recent Content on Low End Mac
- Apple's Tablet an End Run Beyond Netbooks, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 11.20. Whatever Apple has planned will leverage existing technologies while going beyond what its competitors can offer.
- i5 iMac Benchmarked, Mac mini 'Shouldn't Be Overlooked', Twitter Client for Classic Mac OS, and More, Mac News Review, 11.20. Also why Apple leaves the low end to others, 10.6.2 fixes video playback problem in 27" iMac, 3D Leopard and Snow Leopard performance, and more.
- Apple #4 in Reliability, Apple Tablet a Gadget for All?, HP's i7 Notebook Outdoes Mac Rivals, and More, The 'Book Review, 11.20. Also Flash 10.1 improves video on Hackintosh netbooks, thin-and-light notebooks impress, Windows XP finally on the way out, and more.
- NASA Chemical Sensor for iPhone, Smartphone Death Match, iPhone Earrings, and More, Ian R Campbell, 11.20. Also mobile phone dangers, new apps, GPS solution for iPod touch, new iPod and iPhone cases, and more.
- Replacing the Hard Drive in a Clamshell iBook, John Hatchett, Recycled Computing, 11.19. Yes, it is one of the most difficult Apple notebooks to disassemble and reassemble, but a 10 GB hard drive just will not do.
- IBM Model F: A Great Old Keyboard with an Outdated Layout, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 11.19. Although it used a different technology than the revered IBM Model M keyboard, the Model F was a great keyboard in its own right.
- Soft Touch Keyboards, Wireless Mouse Options, Loving SeaMonkey 2, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 11.18. Also the future of browsing with PowerPC Macs and the multiple mouse input bug introduced with OS X 10.5.8.
- More links in our archive.
Recent Deals
- Best eMac Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz Combo, $100; SuperDrive, $269; 1.25 GHz Combo, $119; SD, $319; 1.42 GHz Combo, $289; SD, $498.
- Best Mac OS X 10.6 and Mac Box Set Deals, 11.18. "Snow Leopard", single user, $25; 5 users, $45; Mac Box Set, single user, $139; 5 users, $180; Server, $414. Shipping included.
- Best Xserve Deals, 11.18. Used 1 GHz dual G4, $649; 2.3 dual G5, $795; 3.0 4-core Xeon, $1,899; refurb 2.26 4-core, $2,499; new, $2,888; refurb 8-core, $2,999; new, $3,449; more.
- Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, 11.17. Used 1.83 GHz, $750; 2.16, $800; 2.33, $900; refurb 2.4, $1,299; 2.53, $1,449; 2.66, $1,699; 2.8, $1,899; new 2.53, $1,579; 2.66, $1,799; more.
- Best Power Mac G4 and AGP Video Card Deals, 11.17. Used 400 MHz, $50; 933 MHz, $80; 500 dual, $60; 867 dual, $90; 1 GHz dual, $150; 1.25 GHz dual, $225; 1.42 GHz, $499.
- Best Mac OS X 10.5 Deals, 11.17. "Leopard" upgrade, $80; single user license, $135; 5 users, $173; Mac Box Set, 5 users, $230; Server, 10 users, $340; unlimited, $850. Shipping included.
- Best Mac mini Deals, 11.16. Used 1.42 GHz G4 mini, $379; 1.66 GHz Core Solo, $419; 2.0 Core 2, $450; new 2.26 GHz nVidia, $580; 2.53 GHz, $769; Server, $990.
- Best iBook G4 Deals, 11.16. Used 12" 1.07 GHz Combo, $210; 1.33 GHz, $298; 14" 1.33 GHz, $398; 1.42 GHz, $479; SuperDrive, $498.
- Best iPod shuffle Deals, 11.16. Used 1 GB, $35; 4 GB, $65; refurb 1 GB, $39; 2 GB, $59; new 2 GB, $55, 4 GB, $75. New and refurb prices include shipping.
- More deals in our archive.
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