Games developed by Carry Lab
We provide a list of companies that developed abandonware games.
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Daidassō
Daidassō, released in 1985, is a highly engaging and innovative game for the MSX gaming platform. Developed by Compile, this action-puzzle game quickly gained popularity among gamers for its unique gameplay and challenging levels.
The premise of Daidassō is simple yet intriguing. The player takes on the role of a spacecraft pilot who is stranded on a deserted planet. The objective is to navigate through various levels, collecting items and completing tasks in order to escape the planet and return home. However, this is not an easy feat as the levels are filled with obstacles, enemies, and mind-boggling puzzles.
One of the standout features of Daidassō is its use of gravity. The player must constantly manipulate the gravitational pull in order to move around the levels. This adds an extra layer of complexity to the game, making it both challenging and addictive. The controls are smooth and responsive, which is crucial for a game with such precision-based gameplay.
The graphics of Daidassō are also worth mentioning. Despite being released in 1985, the game boasts vibrant and detailed visuals that are a treat for the eyes. The variety in level designs also adds to the appeal of the game, ensuring that players never get bored. From futuristic cities to abandoned spaceship wrecks, each level has its own unique aesthetic.
In addition to its gameplay and graphics, Daidassō also has a catchy soundtrack that immerses players into the game. Composed by well-known video game composer, Masatomo Miyamoto, the music perfectly complements the action-packed gameplay and adds to the overall gaming experience.
The game also offers a high level of replayability. With over 100 levels and two game modes - arcade and adventure, Daidassō keeps players engaged for hours on end. The adventure mode takes players on a journey through different galaxies, while the arcade mode offers a more fast-paced and challenging experience.
It is also worth mentioning that Daidassō was one of the first games to include a level editor, allowing players to create and share their own levels with others. This contributed to the game's longevity and popularity, as the community of players continued to expand and challenge each other with their custom levels.
Jelda
Hitachi S1 arrived in a crowded market of home computers during the mid 80s, a machine that carried the air of a pragmatic workhorse with a surprising playful streak. Jelda, released in 1984, arrived as a curiosity rather than a smash hit, yet it invites long memory among collectors. The game positions a distant heroine navigating a tiled landscape that mingles puzzle room design with platform action. Its rhythm mirrors arcade habits while leaning into the tighter constraints of the S1 hardware.
Developers faced a palette of technical limits on the S1 including a modest RAM footprint and a display that could only show a handful of colors at a time. Jelda ships with typical cassette loading, slow by modern standards, yet that cadence shapes how players approach exploration. Level maps rely on neat tile grids, with sprites sized to fit the memory budget. The control schema uses a joystick and a couple of action buttons, a configuration common to the era.
Players guide Jelda through a sequence of labyrinths that blend risk and resource management. A mix of enemy fauna, environmental hazards, and switch puzzles keeps pace briskly. Jelda wields a magic staff that shoots bursts, and players must time jumps and dashes to evade traps. Progress hinges on collecting keys and power ups, then unlocking doors that reveal the path forward. The design favors thoughtful routes over brute force, rewarding careful observation of each room layout.
Visually Jelda favors blocky sprites and crisp outlines that pop against a muted background. The color scheme sticks to a restrained spectrum, producing a sense of contrast that aids navigation. Sound is lean yet expressive, with short bleeps and thuds punctuating actions. The auditory mood matches the gameplay tempo, giving the player a small sense of triumph with each cleared chamber. Flicker effects and parallax are minimal, but the effect feels deliberate rather than accidental.
Today Jelda exists mainly in archives and museum rooms as an example of early Japanese home computing ambition. Its persistence among collectors stems from the quirky charm and the window it offers into how developers approached game design under hardware pressure. The title inspired later experiments in squeeze charting space and puzzle progression, even if it never achieved widespread fame. In the broader story of 8 bit bastions, Jelda marks a moment when elegance emerged from scarcity. Clever details in recovered materials still spark curiosity among retro fans.
Mad Rider
Mad Rider is a classic MSX game that was released in 1987. Developed by Compile, a prominent Japanese game company, it quickly gained popularity among gamers for its fast-paced action and challenging gameplay. As one of the first racing games to be released on the MSX platform, Mad Rider set the bar high for future racing games to come.
The game follows the story of a daredevil rider named Max who is on a mission to win the ultimate racing championship. Players take on the role of Max and navigate through different levels, competing against other skilled racers. The game's graphics, although not as advanced as modern games, were considered top-notch for its time. The vivid colors and detailed backgrounds added to the overall immersive experience of the game.
One of the standout features of Mad Rider was its soundtrack. Composed by renowned video game music composer, Yuzo Koshiro, the game's soundtrack was a perfect blend of intense beats and catchy melodies. It perfectly captured the adrenaline rush of racing, making the gameplay even more thrilling. In fact, the soundtrack gained so much popularity that it was later released as an album, further cementing Mad Rider's place in the gaming world.
What made Mad Rider truly unique was its gameplay. Unlike other racing games of its time, Mad Rider had a realistic physics engine that added to the game's difficulty. Players had to master the controls and learn how to maneuver their bike through sharp turns and jumps. Additionally, the presence of obstacles and hazards on the tracks added an element of strategy to the game, making it more engaging and challenging.
One of the most exciting aspects of Mad Rider was the endless customization options it offered. Players could choose from a variety of bikes and upgrade their performance with better engines, tires, and other parts. The game also had a split-screen multiplayer mode, allowing friends to compete against each other in real-time, adding an element of friendly competition to the game.
As expected, Mad Rider received rave reviews from both critics and players alike. Its captivating gameplay and high-quality graphics earned it a spot among the top MSX games of all time. The game's success led to a sequel, Mad Rider II, released in 1992. Although the sequel offered improved graphics and gameplay, it was never able to match the success and impact of the original Mad Rider.
