Playstation: Magic Carpet

First released on PC way back in 1994, and then remade for the original PlayStation, Magic Carpet is in essence a free-movement FPS. Taking on the role of a magician on a magic carpet, you+óÔé¼Ôäóll run through around 50 levels, killing stuff with magic and then collecting its +óÔé¼+ômana.+óÔé¼-Ø Collect enough mana and the next level is opened up. The stuff being killed is not defenceless though +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ far from it. Enemies range from relatively harmless vultures, right through to swarms of undead, firespitting dragons and titanic wyverns. There+óÔé¼Ôäós also other mages to contend with +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ in some levels as many as seven - and that+óÔé¼Ôäós where the toughest challenges are at. Each mage possesses a castle. As long as the castle exists, the mage has a spawning point should he/ she die. The castle is upgradable provided the mage has collected enough mana, so levels quickly fall into a rhythm that is split evenly between fighting the wildlife to collect mana, protecting your own castle, and then attacking your +óÔé¼+ôhuman+óÔé¼-Ø opponents. So far it probably all sounds pretty standard, but Magic Carpet has a host of ideas that work so well, the game still remains relevant today. The maps are reasonably small (by today+óÔé¼Ôäós standards), but they really are open +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ each map is filled with secrets and dangers to find and avoid. The levels are also morphable +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ it is possible to destroy environments as it was possible to create volcanoes and gaping chasms. There is also a huge range of spells to collect and use +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ 24 in total +óÔé¼ÔÇ£ ranging from standard shield and health regeneration, through to more aggressive fireballs and the awesome destructive might of meteors.