Cardiaxx By Eclipse (UK) Design – Classic or Just Pants?
Return to first launchI caught it naturally (insert cracker).dms(?) file from a popular BBS over what should be an 800‑baud modem. It took years. I don’t remember all the details, but I’m sure it took a few hours – hours I couldn’t have paid for, because at that time we were paying. per minute. Phone line providers were absolute criminals in those days.
Of course, I he never paid anything. My grandparents did that. Of course, that arrangement didn’t last long when they found out what I was doing.
The modem wasn’t even mine. I had borrowed it from a boy at school – and the reason he lent it to me was simple: he was no longer allowed to use it after his parents nearly killed him over the last quarter’s phone bill. (Yes, every quarter. Imagine the shock of that envelope arriving.)
So there I was, happily spending the phone line budget, downloading a broken game for hours, and feeling like the king of the world. I was such a great friend, eh?
Classic Mixes and Tricks…
I will never forget the moment when he finally said: “download complete.” Writing it to disk was a nightmare at the time, but my older brother and I had found a decent method that avoided the disk shifting too much. This was just weeks before I got my first hard drive, so everything still depended on juggling floppies like circus performers.
We’ve had several external floppy drives piled up just to make the process safer — anything to avoid losing downloads if the machine crashes or the power goes out. Those were the days. And honestly, how we were able to pull off half of the things we did outside the hard drive is still confusing.
For years after that, I actually preferred getting discs by snail mail. Even when I finally had a hard drive, the whole process was – to put it mildly – a a nightmare until a proper GUI is called, Workbench-ready tools are common.
But somehow, we made it work. And looking back, that chaos is part of the beauty of the era.
Cardiaxx – An Orgasmic Audio Journey…
Cardiaxx finally uploaded, and like every snail mail delivery or painfully slow download back then, my expectations were very high. Single-disc games were still the norm, but we were entering an era where multiple discs meant more level (yes, we were kids, we knew).
Then came the intro – clean vector graphics, smooth art, and a soundtrack that I instantly fell in love with. It was because I had spent half a lifetime retrieving it what is needed do you like it? Or was it real magic?
It felt like a scene demo disguised as a game: amazing tracker music, smooth vector objects, an unmistakable Amiga “we’re showing off now” vibe.
And then – BOOM. A very piercing sound came in, layered over what sounded like an Iron Maiden track, and blew me away.
I was sold. Absolutely. Immediately. Cardiaxx wasn’t just an intro — it was a full-on, spine-tingling soundtrack.
And all this was before I tried the game…
Cardiaxx – The Game…
It didn’t take long before I realized that this was the case i game – one that ticked all my boxes and one I knew I’d be playing for days, if not weeks. It was very difficult, but at the same time, strangely accessible to a Uridium fan like myself.
It took me a while to fully understand how to play it correctly. Yes, very much a Uridium-sense of style – crazy scrolling speed, ridiculously big score counter in the background (yeah, I know…), super smooth motion, hot music, and beautiful graphics. And of course, horizontal graphics – my favorite genre at the time.
I just had to learn how it all works.
It hit me.
One of the most hated aspects of sports has entered…
Amazing timer.
AAAARGH!
Shoot to Pass…
Cardiaxx it’s at its core, a very straightforward game. Your goal is simple: destroy all the enemies to unlock the next stage of the level. Each stage is divided into several segments, and with all four (or eight) levels, this can feel like a very large game — especially for newcomers.
For many seasoned players of the genre, however, it’s a different story. You’ll probably be able to finish it in less than an hour — like I did last night.
As you progress, you will gain access to powerful weapons, and at some point, you will begin to feel almost like a god. It is a very complete practice case.
It’s not a great game by any means, but it’s a polished experience that deserves full recognition.
Cardiaxx, Two Launches = Still No Dice…
The irony of this game is that it fell victim to Electronic Zoo going out of business a few weeks ago. Cardiaxx presented.
Copies had already been sent to distributors, and although the number of box units was limited, some still went to stores and small distribution channels.
The game clearly sold and generated revenue – but none of that money ever reached the developer, Eclipse (UK) Design.
At that time, I never once saw this game in stores. I desperately wanted it – along with the other Electronic Zoo titles – because I really loved the game and wanted to own it.
Team 17 Presents Cardiaxx…
WTF? A few years later, I received a note from Martyn James Brown at a demo party (and later, a good friend—RIP). It showcased their upcoming Amiga titles, and towards the back was a section dedicated to the new budget range.
And at that stage? A re-release of several Team17 titles – as expected – but also a completely random selection Apidya again Cardiaxx.
How crazy is that?
In Greener Pastures…
I asked him how they suddenly started publishing these titles, he explained that they were expanding the company and wanted to focus on publishing non-Team17 games – especially those that were struggling commercially.
However, when Cardiaxx re-released under Team17, almost no changes were made without the publisher’s script. That, understandably, left a sour taste for many players and collectors out there…
There You Have It, 10 Games on Floppy, Later Lots of CD32 Games…
Anyway – happy days, right?
Cardiaxx it was finally accessible to everyone who had been chasing it for years. Budget prices, a powerful printer, and lots of copies produced – more than enough to go around.
I made sure to secure my copy during launch. There was no way I was missing out either – and judging by the sales, many others felt the same way. All budget ranges did well; it was clearly a success.
But then came the shock.
In an interview, one of the coders – Josef – revealed that they were reinforced. In this case it is the famous group17.
In other words, they were burned twice. Not a single penny went to the developers of Eclipse (UK) Design.
How that could happen is beyond me.
And honestly… No wonder the developer left Amiga game development after that one title.
Oh Wow, It Came…
Mission accomplished – I was able to secure the original boxed copy in the late ’90s. I actually stumbled upon it by accident, and at first, I thought it was a completely different game.
It’s not the most impressive box design out there – I actually prefer the Team17 version – but finally holding the actual release in my hands was something special. This is a game I would have happily paid full price for back when it launched.
Oh, and yes, there is a full story in the book that doesn’t appear in the T17 release.
The craziest part, though, is that I’ve never seen it for sale again. I belong to several collector’s groups, as well as a number of “want/sell” communities, which makes those finds feel even more special.
The decision…
Cardiaxx for me, a very special game. There are arguably better titles on the Amiga – I mean, until we found them Uridium 2another Amiga exclusive – but Cardiaxx still stands out in its own way.
The story behind the game is sad, although it wasn’t something I fully understood at the time. I probably read about it – I bought and read almost every Amiga magazine available – but I couldn’t understand why the game didn’t show up in stores.
Cardiaxx – and its developers – deserved better. As the first title, it made the most of the Amiga 500: running at 50 frames per second, featuring tight controls, solid presentation, and a great soundtrack. It was exclusive, polished, and carefully crafted.
Is it a game you should try? Definitely. But I can’t guarantee you’ll enjoy it like I have for the past 30+ years. After all, this is a game that has received review scores ranging from as low as 37 to 81 in major magazines.
Hate it, love it, enjoy it – or if you have something to say about my article – feel free to leave a comment below.
So, yes, is Cardiaxx by Eclipse (UK) Design – Classic or Just Pants?
