The Making of Karateka
The Making of Karateka
Game
Game2024
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story
Developer Digital Eclipse
Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is an interactive documentary and compilation video game developed by Digital Eclipse. The release chronicles the software of British developer Jeff Minter and over 40 of his programs developed between 1981 and 1994. It is the second release in Digital Eclipse's Gold Master Series that began with The Making of Karateka (2023) and was succeeded by Tetris Forever (2024). Like Digital… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
210 reactions from 4 sources (Bluesky, Steam reviews, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 3, 2026 · last updated Nov 4, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
87
LovedLoved
65 positive · 10 negative
95% range 77–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluesky * | 30 | 2 | 71 |
| Steam reviews | 65 | 10 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 10 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
69 of 79 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
87% recommend · 66 yes, 10 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 76 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (79 of 89 positive).
Players praise the interactive documentary format and historical context. [1][2][3] Many appreciate the extensive game collection, especially for fans. [4][5][6] Some criticize the use of inferior Atari Jaguar ports instead of original versions. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
This could have been a great interactive documentary, but it lacks on to many fronts. While the presentation is spot on (just as in ATARI50), the games are the problem. First of all the games advertised as Atari ST games are in fact very inferior Jaguar ports made by a fan. These versions have terrible sound and don't do the original justice in any kind. It is not understandable why this decision was made. Digital …
- [20]
Pinch me, I'm dreaming. Atari 50 was an amazing package and everything, but I had little emotional connection to the games featured. This, on the other hand... I'd had a Commodore 64 for a few months, and was still getting a feel for what it could and couldn't do. Seeing the huge camel sprites in Attack of the Mutant Camels for the first time - then already a pretty old game - completely blew me away. I read a …
- [2]
I got this out of loving Digital Eclipse's docu-games, but this is an incredible, and informative game. Following the 40+ year journey of Jeff Minter through not only through his growth as a game developer, but as a vertical slice of the entire industries history from his perspective. I really loved this, and found many of his games that are playable within to be really delightful, and the live action interviews are …
- [3]
"He writes 'em to play 'em." is displayed in black as you open the game. A tagline from an old ad, but it slowly dawns on you that this is the thesis of Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story. The second of the Gold Master series from Digital Eclipse that are less retro game collection and more digital museum exhibit, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story invites you into a comprehensive of the first twenty years of Jeff …
- [1]
First of all, I will always show up for the Digital Eclipse interactive docmentaries, regardless of the topic. The timeline format is a genius method for archiving and communicating history in a logical, entertaining, and informative way. I've played Tempest 2000 before, but otherwise I was not very familiar with Jeff Minter because I am not a 60 year old British man. I really only knew him by name and reputation. …
Summarised from 34 of the 208 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story talk about excellent interactive documentary with rich history; those who didn't talk about atari ST games are poor Jaguar ports. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 210 · most liked firstNew game announcement day! LLAMASOFT: THE JEFF MINTER STORY will be here soon. Get ready to get weird in this all-new interactive documentary from @digitaleclipse.bsky.social!
neutral · AI labelView post →Today in press releases: - Someone sent a pitch for a game where the first bullet point was that will boost your gamerscore because it has Xbox achievements. - They’re making a physical version of I, Robot and they misspelled “Llamasoft” in the subject line.
neutral · AI labelView post →Out now! Download for free at worm.net Thanks to @stinkyox.bsky.social for letting us do a Llamasoft level. It’s been an honour, and my favourite level in the game!
positive · AI labelView post →This could have been a great interactive documentary, but it lacks on to many fronts. While the presentation is spot on (just as in ATARI50), the games are the problem. First of all the games advertised as Atari ST games are in fact very inferior Jaguar ports made by a fan. These versions have terrible sound and don't do the original justice in any kind. It is not understandable why this decision was made. Digital Eclipse could have used an open source Atari ST emulator (e.g. Hatari) to present…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A true lost game: Jeff Minter's Attack of the Mutant Camels '89 was supposed to come out for the Konix Multi-System, but when the hardware disappeared, so did the game. We rescued the demo so you can finally play it in #Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, due out 3/13.
neutral · AI labelView post →Pinch me, I'm dreaming. Atari 50 was an amazing package and everything, but I had little emotional connection to the games featured. This, on the other hand... I'd had a Commodore 64 for a few months, and was still getting a feel for what it could and couldn't do. Seeing the huge camel sprites in Attack of the Mutant Camels for the first time - then already a pretty old game - completely blew me away. I read a feature in Commodore Format about Minter and Llamasoft. At school the next day I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Worms x Eric W. Schwartz Dual-layer custom level by @ericwschwartz.bsky.social, part of the free Worms DC Expansion Pack. Includes Llamasoft, Turrican and many other levels, as well as new landscapes and sample-sets. A 1.1 update to the game itself is also in the works. Details soon.
neutral · AI labelView post →What does it take to make indie games for 40 years without compromise? Our interactive documentary #Llamasoft: The #JeffMinter Story explains, with 40+ innovative games as playable proof.. Coming to PlayStation, Xbox, Switch & PC on March 13!
neutral · AI labelView post →First of all, I will always show up for the Digital Eclipse interactive docmentaries, regardless of the topic. The timeline format is a genius method for archiving and communicating history in a logical, entertaining, and informative way. I've played Tempest 2000 before, but otherwise I was not very familiar with Jeff Minter because I am not a 60 year old British man. I really only knew him by name and reputation. My experience with The Jeff Minter Story followed something of an upside down…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story is the only game I've ever played that makes fun of Margaret Thatcher AND you can play as a masochist who likes to get hit on the head with hammers. 10/10
positive · AI labelView post →It's the game you were fated to never play: Attack of the Mutant Camels for the canceled Konix console. But with Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, the very playable demo is finally within your grasp. Sod off, fate! Play AMC '89 & 40+ Llamasoft classics on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch & PC tomorrow!
neutral · AI labelView post →Wow, awesome to see Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story nominated in the @nyvgcc.bsky.social New York Game Awards!
neutral · AI labelView post →Somehow, Akka Arrh has less than 50 reviews on Steam. Take one scrapped Atari shooter, modernise it with Llamasoft design sensibilities, get a game that is super cool for anyone who appreciates arcade game design. It’s on sale for about £5 right now, so check it out and see if it tickles your fancy.
neutral · AI labelView post →This 40-year-old Llamasoft ad is really cool. Great illustration - I assume by Steinar Lund - plus an excellent lineup of classic games makes for a visually striking image that's mercifully devoid of the walls of text that often plagued game ads during this period.
neutral · AI labelView post →I just paid £24.99 for the pure nostalgia that is Llamatron. I have no regrets.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Unlock your inner Minter during the I, Rebel Game Jam. 🦙 Dive into Minter's work with a complimentary copy of The Llamasoft Collection & develop your own Minter-inspired game 🏆 Have your game played by Minter & get a shot at a mystery prize valued at over $500! Sign up: link.atari.com/gamejam
neutral · AI labelView post →OK, this makes me very happy. Evercade has just announced the Llamasoft collection. 27 of Jeff’s classic games on a single cart, including VIC Gridrunner, Ancipital, Batalyx, Voidrunner, and Llamatron: 2112. YASSSSS. I hope the big man gets a few quid out of this. evercade.co.uk/cartridges/t...
positive · AI labelView post →All the included “Atari ST” games are crappy Jaguar ports instead. For example Super Gridrunner is missing the wonderful mouse/analog controls of the original game, which allowed fine control of the player ship, making it unplayable in my opinion. Llamatron is missing many of the iconic sound effects and so on. Why not include an Atari ST emulator to show the original versions of the games? For me, this is a fake collection because of this.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Oh snap! Roguecraft DX won Cart of the year from @totalvideogamers.bsky.social Not sure how the game managed that going against massive carts from NeoGeo, Rare and Llamasoft, but wow. Thank you guys!❤️❤️❤️ Link to video: www.youtube.com/live/88qZr4H... #evercade #amiga
neutral · AI labelView post →As someone who didn't grow up with any of the Llamasoft games, I wasn't really aware of Jeff Minter until maybe around the time of Space Giraffe getting released on XBLA. I had heard of Tempest 2000, but it just wasn't something I had really grown up around. And then I finally played TxK, Minter's attempt to make a new Tempest game without Atari, and I fell in love. I've always loved the sort of Vectrek style of using lines against black bacgrounds, and the sounds and effects made it feel…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Their gold master series of video game compilations, which are really just interactive museums - Tetris Forever, Llamasoft: The Jeff Minster Story, The Making of Karateka? That's dream shit, right there, blessings from a better dimension.
neutral · AI labelView post →frankly if an action game wants you to fully get into the magic flow zone then it probably won't have boss fights showing up to smack you out of it. shoutouts to Llamasoft
neutral · AI labelView post →Just saw that Heart of Neon, the documentary about Llamasoft by @d0kk.bsky.social, is now out. Of course I was going to love this, it's about my favorite game dev. But it's a well made film too. There's moments where you see an indie dev community that loves and supports each other and it's the best
neutral · AI labelView post →I loved I, Robot back in the arcades of the 80s, and Llamasoft getting a crack at a sequel wasn't a pairing I'd have imagined but certainly one I was happy to see. The new game is 100% I, Robot and 100% Llamasoft, so that's 200% of classic gaming excellence. hardcoregamer.com/review-i-rob...
neutral · AI labelView post →El Paso, Elsewhere review - hectic monster blasting with killer style. El Paso, Elsewhere is beautifully simple. It's a third-person action game in which you fire guns and dive through windows, triggering bullet-time as you whittle down ranks of converging foes. Its levels are labyrinthine, its hunger for carnage is nearly endless. It's a thrilling challenge at the standard difficulty and thoroughly cathartic if you drop down the damage you receive, set the ammo to infinite, and just thrash…
neutral · AI labelView post →It’s random game Saturday! What is left to say about Tempest 2000? It’s a brilliantly intense shoot-'em-up. I prefer the cartridge soundtrack to the CD arrangements. Is that controversial? I dunno. Play it on a Jaguar, play it on Atari 50, play it on Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, just play it.
positive · AI labelView post →Happy New Llamasoft Game Day to those who celebrate
neutral · AI labelView post →"Throughout, Minter describes making games from the perspective of someone who loves to play." @gamerswithglasses.bsky.social considers the similarities between games and light synthesizers while evaluating #Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story: www.gamerswithglasses.com/reviews/llam...
neutral · AI labelView post →We released a new Llamasoft game today! All the flashing lights, particle effects, and animal noises you want out of a Minter game with an addicting gameplay loop! Lots of little objectives to go for in each stage that encourage replays, very fun, especially in VR if you have a PS VR2!
positive · AI labelView post →If Llamasoft can reuse some of the same sound effects for the last 20-30 games, then it’s ok for you to reuse assets for your game too. I just wish a lot of people didn’t act so weird whenever they saw it.
neutral · AI labelView post →We're up for Chumley’s Speakeasy Award for Best Hidden Gem for #Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story! Thank you to @nyvgcc.bsky.social for the nomination! nygamecritics.com/2025/01/06/a...
neutral · AI labelView post →Attack of the Mutant Camels is a 1983 Centipede style video game published by HesWare (better known as Matrix: Gridrunner 2 Publ. by Llamasoft Ltd.) It was coded by Jeff Minter and is the sequel to his 1982 game, Gridrunner. #Commodore #VIC20 #retrogaming #retrogames
neutral · AI labelView post →Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story by Digital Eclipse is coming to Switch & PS5 in a physical edition! Explore the extraordinary history of one of Britain's best-known and beloved game makers with 42 classic games, rare artifacts, and new video features. Stay tuned!
neutral · AI labelView post →The game industry has never seen anything like Jeff Minter -- 40 years independent & still going strong. Hear his story & rediscover his highly personal games in #Llamasoft: The #JeffMinter Story today! youtu.be/4uIW8Qd-7rE bit.ly/yakxbox bit.ly/yakswitch bit.ly/yakps bit.ly/yakgog bit.ly/yaksteam
neutral · AI labelView post →I was double checking something about current Atari and I noticed that the Llamasoft collection is currently $9 on Steam. It's an excellent look at a single developer's career in the 80s as he feels his way through learning game development. Also, Tempest2000 store.steampowered.com/app/2236680/...
positive · AI labelView post →It doesn't get any more retro than this. Yes, you can outdo even that one guy on Rumble with the Intellivision gameplay videos and play something even more obscure and precious. Vic 20, Commodore 64, Atari, and all the weirdest games including grid shooting and ruminating animals. I enjoy trying the different versions of Grid Runner from all the different systems. Llamatron 2112 is cray. Hover Bovver is weird and hilarious. There is another game that starts with a B that is five other games…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Keep up the good work, Digital Eclipse! As someone who's getting into college to learn how to make games, these documentaries are really inspiring. Tempest 2000 is one of my all-time favorites and I'm a huge fan of Jeff Minter's work, so this compilation was a day-one purchase for me. I do wish Tempest 3000 was included, though. Hopefully, we'll get it in an update.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Deep diving The Llamasoft Collection on the Evercade VS-R and I just played "Llamatron: 2112" for the first time. Apparently this is an Atari ST game and it is absolutely fantastic! Did you know the 8Bitdo joysticks 100% map to the Evercade controls? They do! #Llamatron #JeffMinter #Llamasoft
positive · AI labelView post →🕹C64 Game of the Day🕹 Hellgate (1984) by Jeff Minter and published by Llamasoft. Fast, frantic and fantastic! This game is devilishly hard and spine chillingly eerie. Do you have what it takes to be guardian of the gate? #Commodore64 #RetroGames #C64GameOfTheDay
neutral · AI labelView post →Simple graphics and straightforward rules hide surprising challenge in Deflex V, an abstract ball-and-paddle game available in Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, which is out now on Switch, Xbox, PlayStation & PC. You'll also get Superdeflex for the ZX Spectrum!
neutral · AI labelView post →Today's random #Commodore64 game from my collection: HOVER BOVVER 👨🌾🐕🏡 Programmed by Jeff Minter Published by Llamasoft In 1983 It’s still a fun game to play… even after 41 years! 😱 FREEZE64.com #C64
positive · AI labelView post →Iconoclastic game designer or hooved ungulate? Maybe a bit of both. Explore @stinkyox.bsky.social's incredible 40-year indie-gaming legacy with the interactive documentary #Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story this weekend! bit.ly/yakxbox bit.ly/yakswitch bit.ly/yakps bit.ly/yakgog bit.ly/yaksteam
neutral · AI labelView post →Gridrunner freezes randomly, and the developer/publisher looks like they're never going to fix it.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →@atari.com's reimagined I, Robot just released today, and we'll be trying it out LIVE this evening at 5:30pm EST with Llamasoft legends Jeff Minter and Ivan Zorzin! Join the fun and get your questions about the game answered straight from the Llama's mouth! 😉
neutral · AI labelView post →I think the Llamasoft Jeff Minter collection by @digitaleclipse.bsky.social is the most made-for-me video game product I've played in 45 years of life on this planet.
positive · AI labelView post →2 versions of Metagalactic Llamas: Battle at the Edge of Time, I had no idea there was a 2nd version. This can be said of the entire collection really, whatever games you know Jeff Minter for there are dozens more you had no idea existed, and they're pretty much all here.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been playing Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, and it really proves how strong and vital Digital Eclipse's interactive doco format is. I was all in on Making of Karateka, but I love the game. I knew *nothing* about Minter, now I completely understand why he's so important.
positive · AI labelView post →Whether or not to buy the bundle of games depends on if you want a bunch of older / classic videogames that have some bugs in the games that may never be fixed, There are a nice spread of games for various systems. But modern and younger games who never played 8 bit computer games may not be as excited or interested as Gen X gamers who enjoyed the games. I picked it up for under $10 after tax and am happy with what I purchased. There is a 2 hour 2 week refund policy if players are unsure and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun at the Play Expo today in Blackpool. Got my Llamasoft Spectrum game signed by Jeff Minter, checked out some indie games, bought Xeno Crisis on GBA, caught up with Brenda & John Romero & and narrowly beat Charles Cecil at Galaxian!
neutral · AI labelView post →Digital Eclipse Announces Physical Editions for the Critically Acclaimed Gold Master Series. > The titles are praised for pairing best-in-class emulation of games from the '80s and '90s with a narrative exploration of the creative process behind them. Standard editions for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 will be available for $34.99 (€34.99). Deluxe Editions for The Making of Karateka and Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story, featuring special packaging and unique collectibles, will be…
neutral · AI labelView post →If you're an indie game designer, consider getting Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story. It's a playable, interactive museum exhibit -- a fascinating look at game design and the philosophy behind it. Just make the thing you want to play, no matter how weird it may be.
positive · AI labelView post →Xbox Series X|S will get 12 new games from Sony's latest State of Play. >Just because the latest games industry showcase has PlayStation at its core, that doesn’t mean there won’t be a bunch of Xbox Series X|S games at it. In fact, there were 12 big Xbox games at the Sony State of Play for July 2025 that you definitely want to keep your eyes on! > >• 12 PS5 games shown off at the latest State of Play will also launch on Xbox > >• These include massive titles such as Capcom's Pragmata and IO…
neutral · AI labelView post →Enjoying my place under the world's best 30 I, Robot players while it lasts. Amazing game so far, another great Llamasoft joint. @atari.com @stinkyox.bsky.social #irobot #llamasoft
positive · AI labelView post →Another triumph from Digital Eclipse. These Gold Master Series titles (plus Atari 50, which was basically one) are essential. Having started my Llamasoft journey with Tempest 2000, it's a bit of a let down that it's the most recent game included. I had hoped it would at least include the flawed, but still interesting, Defender 2000. But really, the games themselves are secondary here. The experience is the history, and as with Making of Karateka and Atari 50, it's a joy to go through. And…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was hoping this would include more of Jeff Minter's newer games, many of which were digital releases that are now difficult or impossible to obtain legally. It has Tempest 2000 at least, which I quite enjoy, but I find myself questioning the value of this collection even at the discounted price I paid for it. I'd say Llamatron 2112 (MAJOR seizure warning if you look it up) would be worth getting this collection for as well, but instead of the DOS version with its crisp samples, they instead…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just played 3 straight hours of @stinkyox.bsky.social new game, the remake of I, ROBOT. It's so good!!! It's like every stage is throwing something new at you. Lots of fun small mechanical callbacks to other arcade and Llamasoft classics too :D store.steampowered.com/app/2932910/...
positive · AI labelView post →UK fans, Amazon has Gold Master Series physical editions available for preorder! Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story Switch: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DXQ8B11G PS5: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DXQ6FKDM
neutral · AI labelView post →I got this out of loving Digital Eclipse's docu-games, but this is an incredible, and informative game. Following the 40+ year journey of Jeff Minter through not only through his growth as a game developer, but as a vertical slice of the entire industries history from his perspective. I really loved this, and found many of his games that are playable within to be really delightful, and the live action interviews are all both entertaining, and very enlightening as to what development was like.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The @d0kk.bsky.social documentary dives into the history of legendary video game developer @stinkyox.bsky.social & Llamasoft! Panel, signings and more at the 2024 Portland Retro Gaming Expo! youtu.be/jQ1-ZU8qXg8 Get tickets at tinyurl.com/26jawrkt #prge #prge2024 #retrogaming #Llamasoft #HeartofNeon
neutral · AI labelView post →"If you like shoot'em'ups, or just want to know more about a crazy British dude that makes games about llamas, the exhibition is already open and you don't want to miss it." -- @gabtoschi.com on #Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story www.gabtoschi.com/blog/review/...
neutral · AI labelView post →
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