Inside a room illuminated by the soft glow of a computer monitor, the sound of a muted dial tone breaks the monotony of the rhythmically humming computer systems. A poignant pause, and then the soothing sound of computer systems negotiating communication. You're in. The world is at your fingertips.

Uplink is akin to a more cerebral incarnation of Ambrosia's popular Escape Velocity series of games, with missions that interweave a threaded plot which is unveiled with each conquest. Only this time, you have only your intellect, hacking skills, and the computer systems you've compromised to aid you.

pop-pop has over 100 built-in puzzle levels if you want to play solo to sharpen your pop-pop'ing skills, or you can play against the viciously aggressive computer AI pops for a test of your mettle. The real challenge of your pop-worth, however, is when you enter the Internet arena to play against other pop-pop players all over the world!

Start by launching your battleships, subs and bombers in order to decimate your opponent's defenses. Scramble together your alliances, but remember only one can stand victorious. Prepare your pre-emptive strike before one of your supposed allies gets the same idea. Choose the perfect moment for betrayal, obliterating your opponents with an apocalyptic thermonuclear barrage, but get it wrong and their devastating counter attack will bring you to your knees!

Do you have what it takes to outsmart your opponent? Can you handle the pressure of global thermonuclear war? Remember - nobody wins. But maybe - just maybe - you can lose the least.

SketchFighter 4000 Alpha redefines "retro" by bringing together the imaginative pen and paper sketches from your youth with a killer resolution independent OpenGL graphics engine. SketchFighter also boasts a unique synthesis of exploration and action game play, which has you alternately blasting cute little lady bugs into oblivion and then puzzling your way through the hand-drawn challenges presented to you.

It'll take you plenty of time to defeat the nefarious obstacles and devious bosses that challenge you in SketchFighter, but once you do, there's no need to despair. SketchFighter 4000 Alpha's two player mode allows you to play with a friend at the keyboard, or play with other SketchFighters over the Internet for live action!

Gun the throttle, light up the tires, and hurtle down the track in any of the three racing modes Redline offers: the realistic Simulation mode, an aggressive Arcade mode, or kick it into high gear in the insanely intense Turbo Arcade mode. No matter what your pleasure, take your pick from numerous cars, tracks, and jump into a racing game that delivers adrenaline via digital injection.

El Ballo, the most unsanitary of them all, is sent on the quest to foul up the Doctor's sinister plans. With his faithful friends "Butt and Boobs" El Ballo's party is the last hope. In this story of the bare necessities, anything goes.

Open the door of many possibilities in this outrageous adult spoof of old-school platform games. Experience a mix of crazy action and puzzle-based gameplay over 28 action-packed stages. The game includes over 500 frames of hand-drawn character animation and full CD quality soundtrack.

Unfortunately, the systems of Darwinia have been overrun by an evil red Viral Infection. This Virus has multiplied out of control and must be stopped. Your task is to destroy the Viral Infection and save the Darwinians from extinction.

Will you heed the Darwinians' cries for help? Can you save them? Whether this digital dream is fulfilled or turns into a nightmare is up to you...

Be careful not to "fall out" over the edge of the world, pick up jewels along the way for extra lives, and have a blast as you roll and jump around like a wrecking ball in a china shop. Use the GooBall's "sticky" mode to slime up walls to reach otherwise inaccessible areas and goodies, or use it as an emergency brake when you start rolling too fast!

GooBall has a breathtaking 3D graphics engine called Unity, which creates the 6 distinct fanciful worlds -- with a gaggle of levels in each world -- for you to careen through and conquer. GooBall is simple to pick up and play, but only the truly skilled will master the game... and the immersive graphics, music, and sound will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

During a port through the looking glass, the mirror shatters and your ethereal energy (you know, the stuff that allows you to get up and go to work on a Monday morning...) is trapped within one of the crystal shards. Immediately, the residents of the mushroom patch sense your presence. Lead by the Pentipede, this motley crew of mushroom patch misfits relentlessly hunt the crystal ( You! ), intent upon sucking out the trapped energy. The Pentipede is a sinister creature that has the ability to divide. So, if you think your troubles are over when you shoot this sneakered psycho once, you are twice as wrong.

The principle is simple: you have a number of ivory tiles arranged on a beautiful Japanese backdrop. Your goal is to make all of the tiles disappear by matching them to similar tiles. The catch is that tiles can be removed only if they are unblocked on either side by other tiles, and you have the uncompromising ticking away of the time limit to contend with.

At each step in your path, you will encounter new challenges in the variety of tile layouts presented to you, and a variety of skill levels that ensure you'll always find the experience engaging

Bubble Trouble is a classic arcade game in which cutthroat fishies are playing hardball in a squabble over some very wet turf. Think of it as splatball for insufferably cute seafaring critters (hey, they need their fun too).

Bubble Trouble's world is filled with lusciously-drawn cartoony critters who give that cranky crab from "The Little Mermaid" a run for his money. But money isn't what you'll be running from: an otherwise peaceful fish bowl has been filled with bubbles that are being tossed around in an enthralling game of "Squish the Fish!"

It is into this maelstrom of territorial contention that you are thrust, like a pebble tumbling aimlessly between the tectonic fault lines that uncomfortably separate these divisions of humanity. Welcome to EV Nova. Will the pebble become an avalanche?

This sequel is about revenge. And not yours. Mars Rising's big brother is here, and he's pissed off. David Wareing has once again crafted a masterpiece of twitch gaming bliss that combines killer graphics, sounds, music, and action into an experience that'll leave you breathless.

Deimos Rising features gorgeous 16 bit graphics lovingly rendered with transparency, alpha masking, and motion blur into a whirlwind of pixelized chaos. If you thought the legions of enemies you faced on Mars were hectic, wait until you touch down on the menacing landscape of Deimos.

Ferazel's Wand - the most colossal game from Ambrosia to date - puts you inside the cloak of Ferazel. Jump, cast spells, and travel to the reaches of Teraknorn, enhancing your skill and learning new spells along the way. But each spell uses magic points, so use your magic wisely! Xichra is waiting for Ferazel in her lair - only with strength, wisdom, and experience can she be vanquished.

Ares' developer, Nathan Lamont, has crafted an exciting universe with 20 strategic missions for a single player to accomplish. But the fun doesn't stop there! Two players can go head-to-head via AppleTalk or the Internet. Ares even sports integration with Scott Kevill's GameRanger service, so finding an opponent should be a snap.

While the houses labor to increase their own power, the neutral mages struggle for a higher consciousness and the betterment of humanity. They envision a world free from treachery and deceit. These students of the magick arts anxiously await the return of Alaric's mystical powers, as well as the end of the land's deadly slide toward chaos. But even they are unaware of the underlying tragedy which prepares to strike the land.

Set in the backyard of the evil Dr. Funkengruven, Slithereens is an adventure that will satisfy your appetite for action. You are Luther, a peaceful snake who was surgically sassified and imbued with a hunger for snakemeat. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of other snakes like you, each wanting the same thing: to munch on you!

Override features a universe five times the size of the original game, and a slew of populated worlds within. Gone are the neverending wars which raged in the original game; instead, winning critical battles can change the face of the universe. Or, if you're happy with the existing balance of power, you can make a living as a humble trader. Just watch out for those pesky renegades, who want nothing more than to swipe the precious cargo from your holds.

Developed by David Wareing, Mars Rising is the hottest shooter to hit the MacOS this century. The vertical-scrolling game puts one or two players in the pilot seat of the prototype Vac-Fighter. Armed with a Wave Motion Gun and a bottom-mounted explosive payload delivery system, the Vac-Fighter is one hot piece of hardware - the perfect fighter-bomber for settling interplanetary disputes.

Join Harry the Handsome Executive as he scoots and kicks his swivel chair through the halls of ScumCo in this delightful action game developed by Ben Spees. The path to job security is fraught with many perils! Harry must avoid discomfort caused by dart-throwing middle managers, rebellious customer service drones, crazed chemists, and a host of other enemies. All the while, he must maintain corporate favor or risk the feared pink slip.

Bubble Trouble's world is filled with lusciously-drawn cartoony critters who give that cranky crab from "The Little Mermaid" a run for his money. But money isn't what you'll be running from: an otherwise peaceful fish bowl has been filled with bubbles that are being tossed around in an enthralling game of "Squish the Fish!"

Add to this Avara's networkability, and the game gets even more interesting. Avara allows you to meet and play against people from all around the world, right over the internet. Develop your skills and strategy in the many solo levels, and when you are ready, access the Avara Internet Tracker to locate worthy opponents. With Avara, you are also able to design your own battlefields. The only limiting factor to your gaming experience is your imagination.

Numerous sub-plots fill Escape Velocity's world; your choices affect the story's development, guaranteeing that each game will be different from the last. You'll have the opportunity to infiltrate hostile military bases, ferry emergency supplies to distant star systems, rescue passengers from stranded cruise ships, stop alien invaders, and more. In addition, Escape Velocity sports an open game engine. Future scenario designers will be able to create their own worlds for other players to explore...

Barrack features stunning artwork, intense action, vibrant 8-channel stereo sound effects, and the addictiveness that comes standard in an Ambrosia game.

Since the dawn of time, good people have always fought the iron glove of oppression. Never before has the fight been so desperate; never before have the stakes been so high. This time the fight is not over politics, religion, or territory. For now, the very survival of the human race hangs in the balance. The Swoopers have come.

Inside Mac Games sums it up by saying "Apeiron's astounding graphics and sound coupled with its captivating gameplay make it a joy to play and a worthy successor to a classic such as Maelstrom."

MacUser awarded this new definition of fun with their Shareware of the Year Award for 1994. MacWeek says "With the release of Chiral, Ambrosia is breaking its creative bonds...With repeated play comes an appreciation of the subtle beauty and elegant sophistication of its design." Inside Mac Games calls Chiral "a uniquely creative action-strategy game that is just as much fun to watch as it is to play."

With detailed color animation, four channels of digital sound, and smooth game play, Maelstrom takes full advantage of the Macintosh's multi-media capabilities. All the game needs is someone with guts and a thirst for glory in the pilot's seat.