With continuous advances in processor speed, and the tireless efforts of nostalgic programmers, the systems of yesteryear are living on through emulation. John Stiles' emulation.net is a site dedicated to emulation on Macs, while sites with a more PC slant include The Emu Xpress and, perhaps more suitable to Indy fans, Archaic Ruins.
The disk images linked to on this page aren't, strictly speaking, legal. However, these games have long ago ceased to be profitable for their respective companies, and it's highly unlikely that taking a peek into the past will incur their wrath. The squeamish are encouraged to scour flea markets and yard sales for a legal copy to sooth their conscience.
We will begin with the venerable Commodore 64. Future excavations are planned for other computers of the past, as well as consoles.
Which emulator is best for you depends primarily on your platform, beyond that, features versus speed come into play, unless your machine is a screamer. For a complete rundown of what's available, I defer to the "professionals."
Unlike the decided adventure game slant to recent Indy games, the games created for the Commodore 64 focus primarily on Indy's pistol and whip skills.
| About: | Temple starts out as a standard platform and ladder game where Indy must rescue children from ruthless Thuggees. I'm sure you must defeat Mola Ram and recover a Sankara Stone, but I wasn't able to adequately fill Indy's fedora. Perhaps you will be more worthy. |
| Source: | The Commodore 64 Web Shrine indjones.zip (90k) -- Local Copy |
| Demo: | Screenshots |
| About: | Crusade is a better game than Temple, where Indy must whip or shoot axe-throwing baddies, dodge flying axes and falling stalactites, while navigating a cave filled with ropes, water traps and stacks of barrels. Only problem is that it has NOTHING to do with Last Crusade. Who authorized this thing!? |
| Source: | The Commodore 64 Web Shrine indjone3.zip (53k) -- Local Copy |
| Demo: | Screenshots |
