After Dark Games

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

After Dark Games represents a unique entry in Sierra’s catalog - a collection of eleven mini-games based on the beloved After Dark screensaver series¹. Released in 1998 by Sierra Attractions in collaboration with Berkeley Systems², this CD-ROM compilation transformed iconic screensaver characters into interactive gaming experiences for both Windows 95 and Macintosh platforms³. The collection featured games modeled after previously released screensavers from the After Dark series⁴, including the famous Flying Toasters, Bad Dog, and Hula Girl characters that had become fixtures on office computers worldwide⁵.

The game compilation emerged during Sierra’s exploration of casual gaming markets in the late 1990s⁶, capitalizing on the widespread recognition of Berkeley Systems’ screensaver characters. As one contemporary reviewer noted, the “sheer simplicity of these games helped make them as engaging and addictive as the mega-selling 40-hour sagas with souped-up 3-D sound and state-of-the-art computer graphics”⁷. The collection maintained the “aggressively stupid” philosophy that made the original After Dark screensavers so memorable⁸.

Game Info

Developer: Berkeley Systems⁹ Designer: Angelo Laudon, Bruce Shelley, Rick Goodman, Tony Goodman¹⁰ Publisher: Sierra Entertainment¹¹ Platforms: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Macintosh, Mac OS (Classic)¹² Release Year: 1998 Series: After Dark Sierra Lineage: Sierra Attractions

Story Summary

Rather than featuring a single narrative, After Dark Games presents eleven individual gaming experiences, each built around the personalities and characteristics of beloved After Dark screensaver modules¹³. The games range from arcade-style action to puzzle challenges, united by the whimsical universe established by Berkeley Systems’ original screensaver creations¹⁴. Characters like the Flying Toasters, which originated from creator Jack Eastman’s sleep-deprived late-night programming session when “my sleep-deprived brain put wings on it” after looking at a kitchen toaster⁸, became the stars of their own gaming adventures.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The compilation features straightforward controls optimized for casual gaming sessions¹⁵. Each mini-game utilizes standard keyboard and mouse inputs¹², with “no complicated set-up” required - players can “just start playing”⁹. The interface maintains the playful aesthetic of the original screensavers while providing functional gaming controls¹⁶.

Structure and Progression

The collection includes eleven distinct games with “multiple levels of difficulty to challenge any player”⁹. Key titles include Toaster Run, an isometric Glider clone featuring Flying Toaster and Super Guy¹; Mowin’ Maniac, described as allowing players to “go crazy with Mowin’ Man and turn some pesky gardeners into fertilizer”⁹; Bad Dog 911, a word scramble based on Bad Dog modules¹; and Hula Girl, an endless 2D platforming game⁶. Other games include Roof Rats (similar to SameGame), Zapper (trivia game), Fish Shtick (word scramble), Foggy Boxes (dots and boxes game), MooShu Tiles (Mahjong-like game), and Rodger Dodger (Raimais clone)¹.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The developers took time to produce “sharp, clear graphics, and each game has original music”⁵. Players are warned not to “get burnt in the high-flying arcade action of Toaster Run”⁹, while other games offer varied challenges from puzzle-solving to arcade reflexes. The collection also includes “a free After Dark Games screen saver”⁹ as a bonus feature.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Publication	Score	Notes
GameSpot	5.5/10	”Unless you have an enormous crush on Hula Girl, you can do better elsewhere”7
Computer Gaming World	N/A	”If nothing else, it makes for a good time-killer”1
GameFAQs Users	Great (17 ratings)	User consensus rating9
Amazon	4.1/5 stars	Based on 51 customer reviews11
MyAbandonware	4.23/5	Community rating15

Modern Assessment

Modern gaming databases show continued interest in the collection, with RAWG users rating it as “Exceptional”¹⁶. The speedrunning community maintains active leaderboards for the games despite the small player base¹⁷, indicating ongoing appeal among retro gaming enthusiasts. However, compatibility issues have emerged with modern systems, particularly affecting Intel Mac users who report that “the new intel processor will not recognize these old games”¹⁸. GOG wishlist requests demonstrate preservation interest, with users sharing memories like “This was one of the few games that my mother had back when I was in elementary school”¹⁹.

Development

Origins

After Dark Games emerged from the success of Berkeley Systems’ screensaver empire, which began as creator Jack Eastman’s personal project at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory in 1986⁸. The Flying Toasters concept that became central to the collection came from a “sleep-deprived late night programming session” when Eastman looked at a kitchen toaster⁸. Berkeley Systems maintained a philosophy to remain “aggressively stupid” in their designs⁸, using “charm; creativity; non-repetitiveness; stupidity” as defining features⁸.

Production

The game collection was developed as part of Sierra’s acquisition and collaboration with Berkeley Systems⁸. Original After Dark creators Jack Eastman and Patrick Beard were involved in the concept, with later porting to Windows by Bill Stewart and Ian MacDonald⁶. The production took place during Sierra’s casual gaming initiative in the late 1990s²⁰, representing an attempt to capitalize on the widespread recognition of the After Dark brand.

Technical Achievements

The games featured original music compositions and “sharp, clear graphics”⁵ optimized for CD-ROM distribution. System requirements included at least 5MB of free RAM and compatibility with Mac OS 7.5 through 9.2²¹. The collection supported both 32-bit and 16-bit systems, though modern compatibility varies, with 32-bit versions working on Windows 10/11 while older 16-bit versions do not²².

Legacy

After Dark Games represents a unique intersection of screensaver culture and casual gaming that emerged in the late 1990s²³. The collection demonstrated how established digital characters could successfully transition to interactive entertainment¹⁴. Contemporary reviews in publications like The New York Times praised how the games’ simplicity made them as engaging as complex 3D productions¹. The Berkeley Systems founders, Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, would later leverage their success to create MoveOn.org⁸, while the Bad Dog character even inspired an animated TV series in 1999⁸.

Technical preservation efforts continue through various abandonware sites and community archives²⁴, though users report issues with corrupted game files where “the og programming for the game isn’t there”²⁴. Despite these challenges, the collection maintains nostalgic appeal, with players noting “This game brings back so many memories!”²⁴ when successful installations are achieved.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Currently unavailable on major digital platforms²⁵

Download / Preservation

• MyAbandonware - Community preservation site²¹
• Internet Archive - Digital preservation archive³
• Macintosh Repository - Mac-specific preservation²¹

References

Footnotes

1. [Wikipedia - After Dark (software)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/After_Dark_(software) – ) - General overview and game descriptions ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. Internet Archive - After Dark Games 1998 – - Release information and developer credits ↩

3. Internet Archive - After Dark Games – - Platform and release data ↩ ↩²

4. Encyclopedia.pub Entry – - Development history ↩

5. NeverDieMedia Product Description – - Background on screensaver origins ↩ ↩² ↩³

6. MobyGames Database – - Publisher and development context ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. GameSpot Review – - Contemporary critical assessment ↩ ↩²

8. Low End Mac Interview – - Creator philosophy ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹

9. GameFAQs Database – - Developer information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

10. The Digital Antiquarian – - Designer credits from related projects ↩

11. Amazon Product Page – - Publisher information ↩ ↩²

12. PC Gaming Wiki – - Platform compatibility ↩ ↩²

13. Games Database LaunchBox – - Individual game descriptions ↩

14. Old Games Download – - Gameplay overview ↩ ↩²

15. MyAbandonware – - Interface description ↩ ↩²

16. RAWG Database – - Interface details ↩ ↩²

17. Speedrun.com Leaderboards – - Competitive community activity ↩

18. Apple Discussions Compatibility – - Intel Mac issues ↩

19. GOG Dreamlist Memories – - User preservation requests ↩

20. Sierra Chest Database – - Sierra gaming initiative context ↩

21. Macintosh Repository Specifications – - System requirements ↩ ↩² ↩³

22. SuperUser Compatibility Discussion – - Modern system compatibility ↩

23. HandWiki After Dark History – - Cultural impact context ↩

24. Old Games Download Preservation – - Community preservation efforts ↩ ↩² ↩³

25. Steam Search Results – - Digital availability status ↩