Brian’s back with another Leander Amiga playtest, and this time, it’s personal—or at least mildly regretful. He’s still kicking himself for trading in his Amiga 1200 back in the ’90s, but at least he can relive the good times through games like Leander, a slick action-platformer developed by Traveller’s Tales and published by Psygnosis in 1991.
This Leander Amiga playtest revisits the debut title from a studio that would go on to create everything from Mickey Mania to Lego Star Wars. But back in ’91, it all started with a sword-swinging, armor-collecting adventure featuring parallax scrolling and two-button joystick support—a rare treat on the Amiga. The game’s chunky visuals, shifting armor colors, and MIDI-style soundtrack immediately stand out. Brian dives into platforming challenges, bat ambushes, and those classic “leap and hope” moments that made the Amiga era so… character-building.
While some magazines shrugged at Leander, Games-X gave it a perfect score and made it their cover star. Brian agrees with that energy—despite the puzzling decision to force players to choose between music or sound effects, not both. Still, he’s quick to praise its polish, presentation, and the clever use of color that defined many Psygnosis games of the time. And yes, the bat is still a menace.
Brian scores the Leander Amiga playtest a strong 8 out of 10. It’s not perfect, but it’s slick, fast, and packed with personality—especially with a proper joystick setup. If you’re feeling brave (and bat-resistant), you can grab it from My Abandonware and fire it up on the A500 Mini. Want more weekly Amiga goodness? Brian’s channel drops new videos every Friday, and he’s live on Tuesdays for even more retro chaos.
