Babylonian Twins - Amiga Version

The Babylonian Twins story began on the Commodore Amiga, a revolutionary computer that was ahead of its time in graphics, sound, and multitasking capabilities. This page is dedicated to the original Amiga version that started it all.

Development History

Babylonian Twins was developed between 1993-1994 in Baghdad, Iraq during the difficult economic sanctions period. The game's author, Rabah Shihab, programmed it on an Amiga 500 with only 512KB of RAM and no hard drive.

The development was a team effort with artist Murtadha Salman creating the graphics and Mahir AlSalman composing the music. All programming was done in 68000 assembly language with direct access to the Amiga's custom chipset.

Due to the challenging conditions in Iraq at the time and the eventual demise of Commodore, the game was never commercially released on the Amiga platform.

Original Amiga gameplay footage

Technical Achievements

Advanced Programming

The game featured impressive technical achievements, especially considering the hardware limitations of the time:

  • Written entirely in 68000 assembly language
  • Custom-developed map editor for level design
  • Efficient memory management despite the 512KB limitation
  • Direct programming of the Amiga's custom chips
  • Smooth parallax scrolling and character animations

Artistic Design

The game stood out for its unique artistic direction:

  • Authentic Mesopotamian architecture and art style
  • Detailed character animations
  • Historical accuracy based on authentic history books
  • Original soundtrack composed specifically for the game
  • Color palette optimized for the Amiga's OCS/ECS chipset

Amiga Demo Release

In 2008, after a video of the game surfaced on YouTube and gained attention from the Amiga community, Rabah prepared and released a playable demo of the original Amiga version.

The demo received an enthusiastic reception with thousands of downloads from over 70 countries, demonstrating the enduring interest in both the Amiga platform and unique game concepts.

This positive response encouraged the team to reunite and develop the enhanced versions for modern platforms that we know today.

Download the Original Amiga Demo

Experience the game as it was originally designed for the Amiga.

Download Amiga Demo (RAR format)
Babylonian Twins Amiga Screenshot

Legacy and Recognition

Babylonian Twins is considered by many to be the first commercial-quality game developed in Iraq, representing an important milestone in gaming history.

The story of the Amiga version's development has been featured in numerous publications. Visit our Press page for more information.

View Press & Media Coverage

Amiga Emulation

To run the Amiga demo on modern computers, you'll need an Amiga emulator:

Note: You will need Amiga Kickstart ROM files to use most emulators. Please ensure you legally own these files.

Experience the Enhanced Modern Versions

While the Amiga version shows the game's roots, the modern versions feature enhanced HD graphics, improved sounds, and additional levels.

See Modern Versions