Prehistorik 2

Prehistorik 2, released by Titus in 1993, is the sequel that most people actually remember from the caveman-with-a-club series, and for good reason: it is a substantial step up from the original in almost every way. Once again you guide a hungry prehistoric hero through side-scrolling stages, clubbing enemies and, crucially, gathering enough food to satisfy the level's quota, but here the presentation is brighter, the animation smoother and the whole thing far more polished.

The levels are packed with detail and personality, full of cartoonish dinosaurs, comic hazards and hidden goodies to uncover, and the game has a cheerful, knockabout sense of humor throughout. There is a real joy to bopping creatures on the head and vacuuming up giant roast chickens and other absurd feasts, and the difficulty, while stiff, feels more fair and inviting than in the first game.

In the Czech and Central European scene especially, Prehistorik 2 achieved near-legendary status, passed around on countless disks and lodged permanently in the childhood memories of a whole generation of PC gamers. It is not a technically groundbreaking platformer, but it is a charming, well-made and hugely enjoyable one, and it remains one of the most beloved DOS platformers of its kind. It holds up remarkably well as pick-up-and-play fun.