1: Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe

Number 1
(290.2 points)
Speedball 2: Brutal Deluxe
1991: 3 (9.8)
1992: 3 (19.6)
1993: 4 (38.8)
1994: 3 (58.8)
1995: 12 (71.2)
1996: 9 (92.0)

There's little more that can be said: of the 310 total points that can be achieved in this list (first place in all six years), Speedball 2 got 290.2, or 93.6%. The numbers speak for themselves, that the Amiga Power team had such fondness of this game from beginning to end. It is, of course, the tenth of our six-time appearances, and it is this fact that meant it narrowly edged out the equally-loved Dyna Blaster for the top spot.

Following on from the popular futuristic sports game Speedball, this sequel improves on the original in almost every way. You control a team of nine players, and the team with the most points wins the game. You can score points in numerous ways: a goal will score ten points, while hitting objects in the arena will score fewer, but you can also get ten points from knocking out an opposing player, upon which they are replaced by a substitute. Not only that, but there are multipliers on the sides of the pitch, meaning all the points you gain will increase by 50% or 100%, not to mention the selection of power-ups that appear for you to use. The action is intense, brutal, yet still takes some skill to master - you can even train your players between matches. Whether playing through league, knockout or cup on your own, or battling against a friend, Speedball 2 is a game that few who played it at the time will forget.

How apt that the game at the top spot is one that I've spent a very long time playing. I do love a good sports game, and futuristic imaginary sports are just as good. Speedball 2 is one of those games I could pick up and play any day of the week. The variable throws, the slow motion replays, the seller shouting "ice cream!" - not to mention the exquisitely-drawn graphics that were a hallmark of the Bitmap Brothers games. There's a reason those guys featured several times in this 300, as they were one of the developers most associated with the Amiga. It may not have the depth of games like the Chaos Engine, but arguably, this was their finest moment: a visceral competitive action game, made to perfection. A deserved occupant of the number one spot.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Speedball 2 (1995)(Renegade)[!] (CD32)

So there you have it, all three hundred (ish) games have been played, snapped and reviewed. There's just a couple of things left to mention in this, the final entry of this blog.

First, I've made a video! Spend your next hour enjoying every game from this list, with occasional comments from me, adapted from my work on the blog. If you liked reading the blog but thought the screenshots were lacking a bit of movement and sound, you might as well give it a watch. Take a look here:

Finally, 2021 is at its end, and my work here is done. So, what now? Well... I'm starting a new blog, on a more primitive but no less iconic computer from the 80s. I'm talking about the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

I've taken the 159 games from both the Your Sinclair Top 100 Speccy Games of All Time (Ever) - yes, that is its title - and also the YS Readers Top 100, and added a single Honourable Mention, to create the Your Sinclair Top 160. Check out the new blog from the 1st of January 2022.

But for the Amiga, it's so long, and thanks for all the fantastic games. Cheerio!