In the latest episode from the UK Gaming Network, Brian “UK Jan Zoidberg” critiques 37 film-inspired Commodore Amiga games, expanding his ongoing ranking series. Titles are sorted into tiers: Essential, Recommended, Good, Poor, or Rubbish. Standouts include Star Wars (1988), praised as an Essential arcade-perfect port with addictive mouse-controlled dogfights. The AGA version of Jurassic Park earns Recommended status for its tense first-person sequences, while T2: The Arcade Game (1993) lands in the same tier for its cooperative light-gun action. Conversely, notorious flops like Last Action Hero and both Predator entries are dismissed as Rubbish due to broken mechanics, unfair difficulty, or tedious design. Brian’s blunt assessments balance nostalgia with modern critique, celebrating hidden gems while skewering lackluster cash-ins.
Mid-tier entries like The Lion King (1994) and Total Recall (1990) showcase the era’s mixed results. Despite vibrant visuals or solid gameplay, flaws like punishing difficulty or repetitive levels relegate them to Good. Licensed games often struggled with rushed design, exemplified by Platoon’s dull 8-bit port or RoboCop 3’s ambitious but janky 3D. Even decent titles like The Spy Who Loved Me (1990) suffer from steep learning curves. Brian’s rankings reflect the challenges of adapting films into playable experiences, where technical limits and creative missteps frequently overshadow potential. The list ultimately serves as a snapshot of Amiga gaming’s highs and lows, blending appreciation for retro charm with unflinching criticism of dated flaws.
