illumined: I've noticed Duke games are on Zoom platform, has anyone got them from there? What was your experience? I really wish GOG would carry them again, I missed out on my chance to get them here and I'm seeing if there's a non-Steam alternative. Thanks.
Seeing the price as $5 USD for Duke Nukem Atomic Edition (with extra's*), I took a shot and purchased from this new digital storefront. The website is simple, reminding me of the early GOG website from years ago. Find and buy a game, paying with Credit Card or Paypal, then presented with the usual downloads (Installer, PDF manual, Artwork, Avatar and Ringtones). The installer is fine and does appear to be DRM free as there was no Zoom Platform Client to log into. The installer unpacks the DOS game with DOSBOX in a directory created on the Root of C: (c:\Zoom Platform).
As sad as it was when Gearbox and publishers felt the need to cleanse digital storefronts of any Duke Nuken 3D releases that wasn't the World Tour release, seeing the original classic show up again for legal sale is refreshing. Here is hoping that Gearbox joining the Embracer Group will again encourage the return of the classic versions of Duke back on GOG.
Atomic Edition on Zoom does include the mentioned Duke 3D, but also "unofficially" includes Nuclear Winter, Life's A Beach, Duke It Out In DC, Duke Zone II, and Penthouse Paradise. The Zoom purchase page warns that you are only "paying" for Atomic Edition, but the others are included "as is". Zoom created a nice icon launcher on the desktop, featuring a drop-down containing the below-mentioned additions.
Atomic Edition includes LA Meltdown, Lunar Apocalypse, Shrapnel City, The Birth.
Nuclear Winter includes Nuclear Winter and User Map (E2L2.map)
Life's A Beach includes Vacation Dukematch and Life's A Beach
Duke It Out In DC includes Duke It Out In DC
Duke!ZoneII Includes Arctic Assault, Alien Abby, Monkey Shines. Not sure if the 500 "user" created levels are hidden somewhere.
Penthouse Paradise includes Penthouse Paradise (Apparently an officially sanctioned ADD ON by Penthouse Magazine.)
A pet peeve of mine is that in many classic retro games they are removing the Red Cross symbol from games such as Doom and Duke. I understand the reason, but retro titles should be left alone. These Duke Nukem games sold by Zoom still preserve the red cross medkits.
When Duke Nukem 3D was released from GOG back in 2015, there was hope it would be back "soon". Playing Duke It Out In DC has been a blast, so here is hoping that Gearbox and GOG work to bring it back to the store again.
