Two Amigas side by side on the desk, a friend at the second one, and a single cable between the serial ports. A moment later you race each other in Lotus 2, hunt each other’s tank in Firepower or fight as rival gods in Populous II. Each player has a whole screen, a joystick and an Amiga of their own. Linking two Amigas through the serial port is one of the most enjoyable ways to play together, and the hardware it needs fits in your hand.
This guide is for anyone who has two Amigas, or a friend with one. It shows what a serial link makes possible, what you need, how to connect the two machines and four games that are made for it.
What a Serial Link Opens Up
- A full screen for every player. Each Amiga draws its own picture. Nobody squints at half a screen, and nobody can glance across at the other player’s view.
- Games that need two machines. Some classics have no split-screen mode at all. In Stunt Car Racer, the link is the only way to race against a friend.
- More players. Lotus 2 seats two players at each Amiga in split screen, so a linked pair of machines races four cars at once.
- Files between two Amigas. The same cable carries files from one Amiga to the other, for example with a terminal program on both sides.
What You Need
- Two Amigas with a 25-pin serial port, each with its own monitor or TV and joystick.
- The Serial Null Modem Adapter. It plugs straight onto the serial port and crosses the transmit, receive and handshake lines, so the two Amigas can talk to each other directly.
- A standard DB25 cable with a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other.
- The game on both Amigas: each machine loads its own copy.
- On the Amiga 1000 you additionally need the Serial Port Adapter, because its serial port has a different pinout.
Connecting the Two Amigas
- Switch both Amigas off.
- Plug the null modem adapter onto the serial port of the first Amiga.
- Connect the DB25 cable to the adapter and to the serial port of the second Amiga.
- Switch both Amigas on and start the game on each of them.
- Choose the two-player or link option in the game’s menu. Each game names it a little differently, for example “Link”, “Serial” or “Modem”. If a game asks for a speed, set the same value on both Amigas.
Plug and unplug the adapter and the cable only with both Amigas switched off.
Four Games Made for Two Amigas
Firepower
Firepower (MicroIllusions, 1988) puts each player in a tank on a battlefield seen from above. Your aim is to break through the other side’s defences and strike at their base before they reach yours. Over the link, each player only sees the part of the battlefield around their own tank, so ambushes and surprise attacks become part of the game. It is quick to learn, and a round with a friend rarely stays the only one.
Populous II
In Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods (Bullfrog, Electronic Arts, 1991) you are a god. You raise and flatten the land so that your followers can settle and grow, and you turn your divine powers against the other side: earthquakes, floods, volcanoes and more. Against the computer it is a fine strategy game. Against a friend on a second Amiga it becomes a contest of nerves, because behind every one of your plans there is a real person planning against you.
Lotus Turbo Challenge 2
Lotus Turbo Challenge 2 (Gremlin Graphics, 1991) is one of the best-loved racing games on the Amiga: fast, smooth and full of tight duels through changing landscapes. On one Amiga, two players race in split screen. Link two Amigas and up to four players race at the same time, two at each machine.
Stunt Car Racer
Stunt Car Racer (MicroStyle, 1989) by Geoff Crammond sends you round elevated tracks with jumps and steep banking, in 3D from the cockpit. A misjudged jump damages your car, so fast laps take both courage and control. The game has no split screen: the only way to race a friend is to link two Amigas, and many players remember it as one of the best reasons to own a null modem cable.
More Games for Two Amigas
The four above are only the start. The product page of the Serial Null Modem Adapter lists more than 50 games that can be played over a serial link, from Alien Breed 3D and Battle Chess to Super Skidmarks and Tornado.
Getting Started
Two Amigas, one cable and a small adapter: that is all it takes to bring back the evenings of linked racing and duelling. The Serial Null Modem Adapter plugs onto the serial port and needs no setup. Add a standard DB25 male-to-female cable, and on an Amiga 1000 the Serial Port Adapter, and your first linked game is only a few minutes away.