# What Was This Computer Game/Desktop Screensaver?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [October 19, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769 "2021-10-19T16:26:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769/1 "2021-10-19T16:26:38Z")

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I saw this desktop/screensaver computer game back in 91 or 92, running on Windows 3.11 platform.

The game was basically Asteroids, but instead of black-and-white wire frame ships and rocks, it was colorized with comical looking ships, like the Planet Express ship from Futurama, and had comical sound effects as well.

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

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**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769/2 "2021-10-19T17:09:44Z")

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[Lunatic Fringe](http://mrglitchsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/lunatic-fringe-for-macintosh.html)?

I played it on a Mac around that time, but it looks like it was available on Windows as well.

You can play it [here!](http://fringe.jamescarnley.com/)

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**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769/3 "2021-10-19T18:32:43Z")

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> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#):
>
> [Lunatic Fringe](http://mrglitchsreviews.blogspot.com/2013/04/lunatic-fringe-for-macintosh.html)?

I played that back in the day. Wow that is a memory-jogger. That was really fun to me as a kid. Asteroids with much better graphics. Thanks for the reminder.

(I also played on a Mac.)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769/4 "2021-10-19T22:54:55Z")

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It’s been 30-some-odd years, but yeah, that looks like it! Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2021, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-this-computer-game-desktop-screensaver/952769/5 "2021-10-19T23:14:45Z")

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Looks like Lunatic Fringe is it, but another Asteroids clone I played around that time was Comet Busters!

> **[Comet Busters! | Play game online!](https://playclassic.games/games/action-dos-games-online/play-comet-busters-online/play/)**
>
> Comet Busters is an Asteroids-style game for one to four players. The player must blast all the comet chunks. Play Comet Busters! online!

Not so many comical sound effects, but the “asteroids” were often silly things like pool balls.