This classic should bring forth cozy feelings in anyone who was so fortunate to play it back in the days.
The graphics were great for its time, colourful and crisp, and the sound even better. The sound effects on the different monsters are really amazing, and play a big part in the games charming appearance.
Your goal in Crystal Quest is, like the title suggests, to gather crystals with your spaceship. Each level has a certain amount of crystals, and after you have gathered them all, you can return to your spacebase to go on to the next level. This all happens in space, so there are of course (!) lots of aliens who try to hinder you in your quest. The monsters are all very different and distinctive, something that breaks up the games repetitive gameplay. For example you have the fat, slimelike aliens, who are slow, but require lots of shots to bring down, or the aggressive, fast aliens who are very difficult to dodge. You first play through levels that introduce you to all the different kinds of monsters, and then go on to harder levels which combines them. After a while you will be literally swarmed by aliens, combining their abilities in their effort to bring down your spaceship. Along the way you will find helpful items to pick up, like the nuke-like bombs that immediately slay all aliens on your screen when launched. You move around using the mouse, and shoot using the mouse button - a way of control I don't think was seen before this game, and thus makes it extremely innovative.
The lasting value of Crystal Quest is mostly of the old-school style - to constantly beat your own (or your friends) highscore. You can not really "finish" this game, there are no ending boss or anything, you just play it until the swarm of monsters overwhelms you and you hopefully have made a new record.
Crystal Quest is a true classic, and really deserves recognition from the whole industry. Until this day it stands out as one of my really great gaming experiences. I really wish my dad had not rid himself of that old mac...