When my pre-teen eyeballs got visual access to the mind-blowing graphics of the Commodore Amiga, I had a hard time believing it. Seeing what I considered to be the pinnacle of gaming artistry, Psygnosis' Shadow of the Beast, for the first time nearly made me faint from the pure pixelated ecstasy.

Witnessing the arcade port of Dragon's Lair, which required multiple floppy disk swapping and loads of patience, was nearly enough to send my young mind reeling. But the Amiga was more than just a mid-eighties graphics showcase, it had some genuinely totally awesome games.

Wired's retrospective, edited by GameSetWatch overlord Simon Carless, highlights ten classic Amiga titles that made pre-Windows gaming memorable and, more importantly, innovative. From Lemmings to Speedball 2, the list of Commodore-era classics might be considered an old school education.

It's a good read, one that will make you want to find a copy of Defender of the Crown. Michael McWhertor

Top 10 Most Influential Amiga Games [Wired]

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