The Games Machine Magazine Issue 03

NOW MONTHLY!

A NEWSFtELD PUBLICATION
TX: 003 FEBRUARY 1988

£1.25

DM 7.50

^

o

c*

38 PACK

OF THE LATEST

GAMES FO

AMIGA, ATARI S
L COMMODORE 64/128
SPECTRUM 48/128
AMSTRAD CPC/PCW
SEGA CONSOLE
PC COMPATIBLES

COIN-OP
CONFRONTATION

The latest great arcades
to hrt town

RACIAL ABUSE

Discrimination

in computer games

We take scissors to games
in need of

CENSORSHIP

GRAPHICS

OE-LUXE PAINT II
gets splashed around

MUSIC

Towards a tapeless studio

'-■m. 'I.'

€

1*1.1

Mb

Ul

a

S55

9

^-

<%&>c*

SIGN ON FOR COMPUNET - 1 6-BIT NOW TOO!

\-^r.

CASSETTE
SPECTRUM AMSTRAD

A>

SPCCTRUM

COMMODORE

From Denton Designs comes a

gross reincarnation of those

freaky head-bangers - WAD

BALLS. With really spooky

graphics and a game -play that

wifl split your sides. Featuring

Freaky FuJI Back, Slobulus,

Screamin Meemie and more,

much, much more !

MADBALLS

-'*=< , " , 1 X!

GRYZOR

Infiltrate the Alien Rebels
headquarters in KON AMI'S
coin-op hit Negotiate efcctnc
force fields and overcome wave
upon wave of fanatical guerillas
An essential game for alt you
arcade addicts '

DISK

COMMODORE AMSTRAD

£12- 95 £14-

mm mmm iach mm m ■ each

COMMODORE SPEQRUM +3

COMBAT SCHOOL

MATCH DAY II

Enlist to become a captain, if

you've got the guts, in COMBAT

SCHOOL. Work your way

through seven gruelling events

in this, KON AMI'S arcade

blockbuster, and if you don't

make the grade there's a

penalty event or you're OUT !

This NEW Match Day is the result or all
the customer feedback and advice
on how to create the pinnacle in
computer soccer. Jump, head, volley
and kick (using the kick meter) with
automatic deadb all set ups and
goalkeeper control. DIAMOND
DEFLECTION SVSTEm Tj " ensures
realistic ball ricochet with full music
and sound FX. The very best in
football Tor your micro.

I n rtie regiiiared trademark of
Ocean Software Linn h h I

©B11TE ROTOR

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OBLITERATOR

You are Drak Itie Last of the
Or.Uerators. a genetically enhanced
and ewefcune righting intern*. b»o-
engmeered lor theenecuUon el
mcr edible tasks, the ultimate solution

ID l*e most catac>y6mic Of
predicaments.

n VOld-S 01 Federal 10" SpflC* An

ahen cruiser hasmaleriahsed. It's a
th p nl sinister and Foreboding
power Federation defences have
b*»n smashed. Earth IM exposed,
Own is only one hope arid you d'e il!

Summoned by the Federation
council, your 4SSi-gnmenr li to use •
frotolype matter transport** to
nf Iterate the alien cruiser. Armed wilh
a particle beam disrupter lasers and
whatever the alien hactat can
tt'oviHB, you iriuil efippte the alien
vessel ihuf enabling us destruction

What a*a rs'' Whai technolog-cal
penis and strange diabolic
adversaries *.n try lo thwart vou in

your minion?

Can you become Drak the La.i1 of the

Oct reraisr*-"! Can you survive'? Can
you overcome sucn unthiinKa&i* odds*

COMING SOON

TERRORPODS

US Been ■ long watch . . As the sun
disappears ever the horizon, the
uninviting, grey bleakness of Col»an
becomes apparent. Following tfia
•ntense heat or i he day. the onset ot

night adds the bitterness o( sub-zero
temperatures to an a: ready hostile
environment and [he aiark interior 01
the D.S.V. appears utmost homci

Deep melancholy is suddenly
smashed by Ihe shrill scream of a
siren, the status panel has gone
crazy, an extraordinary array of lights
flash uncontrollably. Godc gr-et

what's happening?

Frantically, you turn to look hi ihe
command Scanner, hunting through
ihe marts ot information before you.
lit a cesper ale attempt to HBCi p her
what haa happened.

Your whole bang freezes . . It can't
baf The Terrorpods

AW4W.iA0LE.MOW

BARBARIAN

Can you become Hegor the lemou*
dragon-slaying, monster -mangNng
Bafber'iHn?

Are you tne warrior who can enter
the feartul realms of '
underground world of Our gan, a
world lerronjed by the evil Neeron?

Can you handle ihe adveniure, ihe

frenzied attack s, me h idder i •
Ihe gruesome death dealing
monsters?

Vour quest; lo destroy thfi I
accursed heerort Your prize, Ihe
kingdom's crown.

Your task it awesome 1 f Ou must live
on your v.o» conquer your innermost
lur S, usa every *k<H a nd weapon
Hviitablel'

Hideous perils nwart Can you
Survive''

Are yog Hegor the famou* dragoh-
gliytng. monster -mangNng
Barbarian?

AVAILABLE NOW

Psygnosis
FREEPOST
Liverpool L3 3AB
United Kingdom
Tel No: 051 236 8818
Pax: 051 207 4498
Telex: 629474

ACCESS

VISA

Et^ n^i

OBLITERATOR

— £24.95

TERRORPODS

— £24.95

BARBARIAN

— £24.95

DEEP SPACE

— £24 95

ARENA
BRATACCAS

— £24.95

— £24.95

ARENA/BRATACCAS

— £29.95

Ait available for 5t2k colour.
Atari ST, Commodore Amiga.

M11TERATOR

A

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w ww^otT?U\ w «' "

I I I I I

mi?.

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tKS3tt!¥ : W

OBLITEflATOH

n-tiiak inn I, a*l rjl the-
Obliiaretert a gcnoticalty enhanced

ami nwfiicflio lighlirtfl machprvt. blQ-
cr»a.ii rwred lar I he mimii'im £'
includible tajKS. Ihe ull<mate K>\<
U> tr»e moji caJKlyemic ot

predicaments

in m 9 vwd* of Feflflf ation f pace an
alien er vlffir has malitiaJited H it i
ship of sinister end lof«fro<tnifl
po*er Federation detent** have
bntffl smsshHd, Earlh lies exposed,
thsf a is only one hop* arid you tti

SumfflCfled ov the Federation

Cou> ^nnmanl it IQ use R

•.porter la
e alien cruiser Armed will*
.-i pi'ifClO tj^a m divupier laser* and
*ria:<f«r :no oiler) habrfai can
provide, you mull cripple th> sJkin
veisol Itiui eneblinu us desirocikan

What awattrf What toehnoloq cai
peril* and strange diabolic
advertorial win try ici thwnrT you In
your n^selon?

Can you become Ora* the ls.it el the
OblitoraloriT Can you surviw? Can
you overcome such unthinkable odda^

COMiNG SOOrV

TEBROHPODS

iti CB«rv a lo-ig watch As tn*> ■
^iiflppnafi ovrK ina no'-tori, ih*
uninviltng, gr«y ttfaaknero ol Co!

Smxime? appa'en! PaHOwingi lhG
imwtMt h«al til (tie day, inn onset ol
iijnr adds Ilia bihomew ol aub^Hro
'eifiperaiurcn Id an already hortie

■ -inmflnl. and the ttark interior o(
iha D.S.V. apowrt almost homelike

Deep meianunory is su a &■ •
smashed by itve shun scream o< ■
siren Trie statu* oanei hajgon*
v'wv an extraordinary array of light*
flash unecmlrollably. Good one*

*flj|r. « nappon Ing?

Fiyip Ucalty, yoj turn lO 100^

command scanner , huniifto through

i ne mas.5 o' informalion before you
in a dPiDeraic ailampt to dscipher
wh.ai ha* happened
Your Whole b«nfl freezes 11 C*nt
be 1 rr.e terror pods

BARBARIAN

Can you tBtomu Haojar 1h« iu"icvt
Qfii(]on<ilaying. monsler-majiflltnai

Am you (ne war* lor *ho can ewer

the feaMni ' ealms ol ihe
undo rgTOUffd *or'rJ oi Durgan. ■
iBfratried by trie evil Neerc

Con you i n n t: i i inn adventure, the

iremied artac*s. ih* hidden <rap»,

ihe cruoaome death d«aNng

nTGniwa?

Vour aue*t lo rjestrcvy Ihe Wr ol »»•

■ecura»dN«ron. Y&ur pri^o; (he

klnodom'i vtmn.

Yetirtas* BiwtHirf 1 Ynu >nuarl

on your wn« cemquor your mn«

iaar». vw -evary skill and *"■

awailabloloyou

Hi[J*out (wrils a*ai! Crin ynu

survive? ,

Are yO«J Hegor Ine fflrflOu* draoflrv

slay.no. monaler-manflling

Barbarian?

AVAILABLE NOW

AVAIL

Psygnosis
FREEPOST
Liverpool L3 3AB
United Kingdom
Tel. No: 051 236 8818
Fax: 051 207 4498
Telex: 629474

OBLITERATOR

TERBORPODS

8AABARIAN
DEEP SPACE

ARENA

— £24.

— E24.95

— £24.95

— £24.95

— £24.95

ACCESS

VISA

E3 S

BRATACC AS — £24.95

ARENA/BP.ATA C GAS - £29.95_

A If available tor 512k colour.
Atari ST, Commodore Amiga.

coMPi/rsRseL
ENTERTA/i

tWwFfsy

" Mr Nik Wild
Software Co-ordliwlor Richard EdrJ,
StariT Writar Room Hogg
Editorial AisHtanfc Frances Mawe
Photography? Cameron Pound, Michael
Parkinson ;As5istarrl|
Ctntrttatin.- Jon Bates Rodin Evans.
John Gilbert, Robin Candy, U;\
Coxhead Mel Croucher Martyn Leslsr.
Mark fiomweii nod Steel. John Woods

EdltDrUI Director: Roger Kean
Production ConfruJbr David Western
Art Director: Marme Kendriek
OMlgn/layoaft Wayne Allen
Pi utai /afai p lm nhiii Jonathan Bign^i
•SopHvtsafi, MattlKwUfllnoell. Nick.

Onntd

!,?*wrjSfr«f, iLMftJw. &lrv0sinre SMff
M0«O58a5451

UnrttsamMitMuuflw: Roger Benneti
Saan Exacuthra: .Andrew Smales
>mlilaaf Jackie Morns
'.-' -'4 46CJ OH I05&4! 5B5Z

Carol Kmse>
SUBSCWPTIONS

DtojHMMrti

FO tor 20, Lti&ow. Shropshire SYS JOB

typeset by tn« Tortoise Shdl Press

LutHm. Colour origination by Sea*
Stadias. Wa^re Rani, London Hi
Pnmed in England by Cat Hilt Wad

Offset VftWow.7 ITatfi,- mfWa,

Cammm CAP ?HR - a member of me BPOC
Group Distrirwt.0n Dy COMAS. rawslwA
flwtf. West Dnytm, Middlesex.

LunniummuLEs

Tha EdUor s Oecismn a 'mil in ill madari
rtullng Id *0|v4«Itlvn *n<T wMI* Wff 0«Bf

prizes in good liriH, beileming Dvxn la Us
ireibblv. i| jomelhing untoward naptens
INke j fame Hut hsi been ofletMl u t prlrt
Mng aaaaaad) wa rnarn tha rtyril In
*4wMiia» prlza* at «amftnH* MM, Wt'H
do our vary best to despatcti ikibi as soon as
ptHUHe aft** the (kiblithtd 'vleting dale
Monars names wilF ap**a' in a laler usue Df
THE GAMES MACHIMf Ha tsmnuwuitflca can
be entered into regar*i>o; the CDinpelrtwni
lt»m*» n«>? mflm (o irou Hating thel y«i
Mm mo a prize and it ffioean'l turn uf , In
•McD oh drop Frmcw Malria a line el the
PO Boi io iddreu} Ho perwii wh» n» any
rjliUomnai. mi matte* Mm remote, to etiyone
*t» works lor titer Nrws field or in* mt tha
ewnpanwaorlanncj prizes, nuy atrtcr an* el
aw i

No roatenai may be reprcdiiced ir part or in whole
mrnoui the written comnt «f the coimigfit-
notders Me- ramiK undertake to return iinwtlwio
SMI! Iftu) THE GAMES MACHINE - iKkiflaig wnflan
end prntigraphic maternal, rtarnwaf* or wrtwtrt
-wn»««44ICCtfn0an«)lrya5WUt>>'slarnped.
addressed envelope Unsolicited *rrnen v
phoay a crw : matanal is welcome and * used in
tie aiapaanca paid 1w at «ur Cuff Btfralt*

i Newsffeld Ltd. 1988
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY QLWEH

rcmowc
fENT

FEATURES

STEREOTYPES IN

SOFTWARE

Mel C Toucher accuses the
industry of racism

PAGE 19

COIN -OP
CONFRONTATION

Robin Hogg lakes a trip dawn
arcade lane to feed some of (he
best. latest slots

PAGE 69

DYNAMIC BRUSH
GRABBER

Robin Candy finds the Amiga's

Deluxe Paint II is a utility to
recommend

PAGES6

TGM ON-LINE

Comms facility Compunet is no
tonger the sote preserve of
CBM 64 users Richard Eddy
finds out about the 16 -bit side

PAGE 89

THE CENSOR STRIKES
BACK

Is it time the software industry
wielded the censor's scissor:;
over computer games'' asks
John Gilbert

PAGE 93

WEENY MIDI MODE

Mel Croucher helps Jon Bates

cut the tape by reviewing low-
cost multi-track recorders

PAGE 97

REGULARS

NEWS

What's been happening lately

PAGE 10

READERPAGE

Simon N Goodwin answers his
critic, plus some more of your
letters

PAGE 7

PREVIEWS

In our midst, a British software
house is one of the biggest
Nintendo licensers; and some
games to expect next month

PAGE 14

REVIEWS

32 pages of multi-format games
reviews, For details, see the
review contents on . . .

PAGE 27

GETTING
ADVENTUROUS

Rob Steel's back with reviews of
new adventures on all formats
PAGE 7S

FEBRUARY 1988

THIS ISSUE . . .

FANTASY GAMES

John Woods becomes a
paranoid psychotic for Paranoia

Wand The Fury Of Dracula

PAGE SO

BOARD GAMES

THE GAMES MACHINE learn
get out dice and folding toy
money for a round-up of some
new products

PAGE 82

MERCY DASH

She's mad, she's bad, she's
Robin Evans's industrial
heroine

PAGE 96

MUSIC MATTERS

As he moves closer to the
'tapeless sludiu'. Jon Bates
reviews some 1 6-bit utilities

PAGE 1 1 1

ENDPIECE

More of Mel's trivial questions,
plus some astonishing news for
next month . . .

PAGE 114

WIN!

A PORTABLE CD/RADIO/
CASSETTE PLAYER

ThatanrJ50cop«esol He w son "s
new arcade compilation -
Zynaps. Exoiun, Undtum and
Plana Rama - 8-bil only

PAGE 22

TERR AM EX AND HOME
ESSENTIALS

Copies of Grand Slam's tad
hilarious game and a glut of daft -
but -useful bits and bobs

PAGE 79

A PORSCHE 91 1 TURBO

Well. 3 couple of super radio
controlled models anyway, and
copies of Tiers' Drive from
Electronic Arts

PAGE 109

Issue Four of THE GAMES
MACHINE is on sale
everywhere from February 18,
Don't miss W If you would like
to subscribe, check out Page
110,

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 5/1 16

,,.,-

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m*"**

rt*«*

NO* ^S

Britisln

tail p^ {

see your ^

P5S

LETTERS

Thank you evwyone who has written to READERPAGE with such
a great variety of views. Of course, there's never enough space
to fit them all in , b ut don't let that disc ou rage yo u ; we wil I expand
the space in future issues. A common complaint has been the
lack of a prize incentive for writing, but, unlike nearly every other
magazine going, we decided no* to offer one on the grounds that
you really want to express your views and not just provide an
excuse for a possible freebie! Are we wrong?

READERPAGE, THE GAMES MACHINE,
SHROPSHIRE SYS 1DB

PO BOX 10, LUDLOW,

WRITES

Dear Editor

Paul Hanson of Hampstead should
check his own fads before rushing to
criticise my carefully-researched
article in THE GAMES MACHINE Issue
One. His letter, published on page 13
of Issue Two, contained a number of
'corrections' to my article that were
uniformly wrong, and defamatory in
tone.

I admit to one error in the article; I
got part of the title of Nolan fl ushnell's
first game wrong. Computer Space
was the first ever arcade game - not
Pong, the follow-up which Hanson
remembered. 2,000 fibreglass
Computer Space consoles were
produced and sold in 1972.

As Martin Amis noted in his early
history of the genre {invasion Ot The
Space Invaders, Hutchinson, 1962),
Computer Space was much more
significant than florin: 'The prolo-
game | Computer Space : wasn't
ping-pong; it was a game which
anticipated with astounding precision
the more elaborate video consoles ol
the tuture."

■tflHMT

Jack Tramiel resigned from
Commodore,, under protest, with his
sans in tow, after a long and public
row with other members of the hoard .
I summarised this by saying, 'Jack
Tramiel and his family were thrown
out of their own firm', and so they
were.

Uncle Jack tries to give ttie
impression that the parting was
amicable, but only Winston Smith
(and, apparently, Paul Hanson, Atari
ST owner] would believe that after
studying q uotes a nd reports o( the row
as it happened,

GEM was implemented on the IBM
PC before it was converted for the ST,
so \ was quite right to say, 'a friendly
front -end, GEM, was imported from
IBM systems ... n . In the very next
sentence I made it clear thai Digital
Research wrote GEM I

And finally, IBM is the largest
shareholder in Intel, and yes, Intel -
among others - goes make processors
for clone manufacturers; isn't
capitalism wonderful?

Hanson seems to be trying to defend
the Atari ST, where no defence is
necessary. If anything is bad about the
ST, it's the fad that Atari's rather
hysterical marketing policy seems to

appeal to a minority of vociferous hut
ignorant people like Paul Hanson. Still,
It takes all sorts to make a market.
Simon N Goodwin

AM OLDER VIEW

Dear Games Machine
Well done on your first two issues It is a
very interesting idea and is being
executed well. As one of your older
readers fl am 25), I would say it is more
readable than a lot ol the alternatives.

i have i suggestion i have just
upgraded from a Spectrum, which I
bought four years ago, to an Atari ST I a m
very pleased wdh it and I'm sure many
others are in the same position.

The difler&nce from (he early days of
Sir Clive's machine is that a software
base gradually built tor the Spectrum -
an d I kept up with the best of 1 1 - but with
new com puters such as Atari and Ami ga,
there is an existing software base from
the United States coming in and
conversions from other machines. II is
therefore not only the new software that
needs reviewing, but also the ties! ol the
older stuff.

Well I look forward to reading more and
more outstanding Atari reviews in the
coming months

If you reel you need an older view on
some of your software reviews I would be
happy to help in that direction, I feel the
type ot software en|oyed by adults with
less available time can vary a lot irom
even older teenagers
John Vincent, Reading, Berks

This is ot course the benefit tor new
Atari owners (and Amiga is catching
up with its new found predominance
in America), that there is a forge ready-
made American software base.
However, it is only now beginning to
arrive in the UK ami stilt can't match
that tor the Spectrum or
Commodore 64.

OtSLLOYDAL

Dear Games Machine
What 1 1 don' i believe ill i must have
missed a bit. No, it's true: Newsfield have
actually produced a magazine without
Lloyd Man-gram's name appearing
somewhere or other. Standards are
slipping. Badly. It won't be long before we
haira Ftoger Kean doing Ihe artwork or
even, perish the ihought. Oliver Frey as

Editor

Anrl this Mel Croucher He's (airly
getting around. He'll soon be appearing
as often as old Lloyd used to. Wait a
minute, wait a minute A thought is
torrnmg here. LM and Mel. Mmmm Ask
yourself this readers: are these two
people in fact separate identities? -or is
it a cunning ploy to cut down on staff
costs on the pan of Oh. Obviously there
are some differences. Lloyd's dictionary
has disappeared, (to be replaced by the
Heu Mel's Bible), bul I think there's
something in this Mel's slory m CRASH
vanished a bn suddenly, didn't it.
Overwork, perhaps? Or underpay? The
plot thickens.

I'm ahaid I missed Issue One. Any
chance of a back number''
John McKinlay, Fife

Lloyd says he can t work en THE
GAMES MACHINE, because he finds it
contusing that the disks go In on the
side of an ST and the Amiga
(disktexla?}, whereas Met has a
voracious bank manager to support
Back Numbers are available, although
we haven't put an advert in vet. Just
write to: SACK NUMBERS, THE GAMES
MACHINE, PO Box 20, Ludlow.
Shropshire SYS 1DB, saying what you
want and enclosing a payment of
£1.45 (includes P-P}.

GENERALLY PLEASED

Dear Games Machine
THE GAMES MACHINE has arrived at the
nght hme tor me , as I am beginning to use
my Amstrad after a period of qu iel . I used
to gel AM1W. until it folded . I already had
a high opinion of Newslield magazines,
having read CRASH in the days when I had
a Spectrum, 88 well.

THE GAMES MACHINE could prove to
be the best yet There are far more
articles lor one thing, and not page after
page of reviews You have managed to
gel the number and style of reviews just
right. Congratulations I am glad toseean
Adventure Section in evidence, bul may 1
request a regular Strategy column -you
appear interested in Role-Playing - 1 think
this would be good, besides 1 like
strategies

Speaking of Role-Playing games. I'm
glad to see your writers are wel I - i nf ormed
and obviously qualified to write on this
topic. An awful lot of rubbish has been
spouted about them.

I hope the letters page expands since
one page is nowhere near enough for one
ol the best pans, of ihe magazine

Wouldn't it be a good idea if you colour
ceded the computer format section, in the
reviews, thus making it easy for readers
to find the relevant review at a glance? I
suppose this might prove a bit garish, but
worth a try 7

I hope THE GAMES MACHINE proves
successful, as it is the best magazine on
the stands ai the moment.

In the Shades competition is MUG a
printing enor? You mean MUD surely?
J Pengelly, Cardiff

Thank yon for the kind comments!
Actually there does seem to have been
page after page of reviews, but that
was more due to the bi-monthly
status, and should ease off on a
monthly basis. Colour*coding them
might make it all took a bit military,
and besides, the idea is that every
review (as tar as possible) Is of
interest to every reader because most
games cross ail formats, including
coin-ops more and more. We didn't
want to create any 'format ghettos '.
Strategies will find their place - there
are a couple In this issue - don 't
worry! And MUG was not a printing
error, it stands tor Multi User Game.

MSX USER GROUP

Dear Games Machine
First I would like to congratulate THE
GAMES MACHINE on Ihe emphasis given
to MSX. and for once publishing a very
enjoyable computer maga/ine II seems
lhal some magazines just don't want to
offer anything to the 200 ,000 strong MSX
users in the UK

I know your magazine can't provide
MSX-ers with all the i nformalion th at th ey
require. SO I would appreciate it if you
would let them know of MSX Link
International we are currently the
biggest MSX user group m the UK, and the
Scottish office publishes a separate
monthly magazine dedicator) to. the MSX
user, It costs onry E8 per year to join , this
includes a monthly eight' to ten - page
newsletter packed with useful
information and: advice H anyone is
interested and would tike further
information then please contact the
address below, and please send a SAE

MSX link International, f/orth
Lodge, Cairnhilt Road, Airdrie,
Lanarkshire MIS 98 J
Craig Bell, Lanarkshire

To be honest with you, we suffered a
setback mis issue, when our MSX
machine was takenf But that will be
put right soon.

WHERE ARE THE MUG
GRAPHICS?

Dear Games Machine
I have |ust recovered enough 1o write tfe
letter having visited The Adventure
Players Convention that was held in the
Europa Gallery at the Civic Centre. Sutton,
November 2ft.

Just what this convention was
supposed to achieve baffles me What a
badly organised affair it was. Yet another
example ol a brilliant idea gone wrong for
lack of understanding on how to
Implement it From the almost total lack
of signs pointing out how to reach and
enter the Civic Centre to the equally
missing demonstrators on most ol the
displays, the whole thing was a mish-
mash of incoherence

Where were the champions of the
MUGS? The MUDs? Who wanted tn enroll

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 7/1 16

LETTERS

me into the Stories dominion? The stupid
kids who were sending swear words to
each other by modem? The stand owners
who all seemed to have found another
location with Ihe words 'Voungs
Breweries' written over Itie entrance
portal? i was no1 impressed 1

l was also somewtiat disenchanted by
the rather m isleadmg and spurious words
pot across as a serious lecture by one
Peter Killworth! Before commenting on
older people's parsers, this man should
gel the Topologies parser to understand
just a couple more words than it does His
attempts at me destruction of other
companies does not make bis
contribution better And what does be
nasty know of ma/kel forces and their
requirements?

I have read interminable letters as to
the need or otherwise of graphics in
adventure games. Some want Idem,
others do not. One argument that is put
aver repeatedly is that graphics are
memory-hungry in the extreme. They
take vast amounts of RAM from our home
micros that is more usefully used In the
plot or story-fine. Okay! Point taken! I
agree. Ekit I like graphics H they can be
switched on and oft as in Level 9 and
Mag rielic Scrolls even better, but I WANT
THEM. For me ihey add to the game.
Memory- hungry' SO WHAT 7 1 am not
talking about home micros!

T^is watf tde convention tor the M u Iti-
User Same. Trie mamlranie-d riven
mega-adventure tbal can cope wild the
demands of dozens of players
simultaneously 1 More RAM than you can
shake a Wand ol Annihilation al.
(Acknowledgements to inlocom Ire for
use Of the Wand i RAM and RAM to spare.
Where are the graphics? When 1 am told
m a MUG lhal I can see a Huge Green
Batrog with slavering pwis and
putrescent iodor emanating from hisloul
and puirttt body, I WANT TO SEE I? At this
convention I left sore (bat I was going lo
be shown such things. Did anyone else
see the graphics on Ide Ataris running
Defender Of TTre Crown? If a relatively
limited dome micro can produce that,
why not a DEC 10 Of Dec 20? Am I to
believe that soon the Multi-User Games
will be run on text-only Dray
Supercomputers' 3

We DO want graphics desprte what a
lot of text-only writers would have us
believe. I know all about the I buy a book
without pictures because I would rather
use my imagination' school of thoughl.
But would you really have gone to Itie
cinema to bearsomeone READ Battiestar
Galactica, Star Wars, Star Trek and Ctose
Encounters, or would you have rather
seen the special effects and slunnmg
graphics'*

So come on you MUG controllers , get
with it' Move with ihe limes and lets gel
some pictures in idere
Yours very Sincerely
Ron J Handy, London SW6

There must be a lot of readers with
simitar, or very opposed, views. So
let's hear from you!

CROUCHER ANTI-VIOLENCE

Dear Games Machine
Having just read Mel Croucber's
admittedly tunny feature entitled Where
There's Yuk ThAR'S Brass in your Dec/
Jan issue. I leel i must write in to winge.
gripe moan and generally complain

Now obviously I realise that Mr
Croucber adopts a light-hearted, flippant

approach when wielding his pen for
entertainment-based organs such as

yours and I wholeheartedly confess IhaM
enjoy his various ramblings very much
But I can't help feeling thai the issue dealt
with in the aforementioned piece
demands a lol more thought and depth of
investigation For instance. Mr C
reiterates m his article Idat he does not
wish to stand on any personal soap-box.
but intends lo convey the attitudes ol
others. How journalistically noble
However. I hardly think Ida! anyone who
read the piece - and since you're going
monlbly then there must be quite a lew
of them , congratulations - couhl d isagree
that Itie notion thai Mr Croucher Is dead-
set against violenl computer games really
came across in the piece. A seemingly
small gripe this, but because of it. the
reader's attention is gradually drawn to
the fact thai he obviously dad no intention
ol presenting us with a balanced
argument and has instead opted for a
biased, pro-censorship stance when
confronted with me issue.

Nowhere, for example, does he
mention the (act Idat there is absolutely
no evidence to suggest that there is any
(ink whatsoever between that and-sociai
actions certain sick members ol our
society perform, and the images people
see on screens <ot any kinds, which is
especially surprising when you consider
exactly how much time, effort and money

'concerned' parties have spent
attempting to forge links between ihe

two. In fact the two biggest studies into
this would-be phenomenon have reached
the verdicl that there is no connexion'

Sorry to bring up Ibis again, but what
happened in Hungerford was indeed a
tragedy. And il's undoubted that
particular elements of the Eighties society
are to blame. But lo see people so
obviously out of touch with the world that
I -and practically everyone I know - Irve
in, looking around lor a scapegoat, I can
hardly be surprised lo see them singling
out manufactured images, designed to
entertain, as Ide cause. Can you see Mary
Whitehouse renimg oul A Nightmare On
Elm Street lor her Sunday afternoon's
video entertainment' Or plugging Into
port two for a lew missions of Airborne
Hanger alter the pub 7 Millions of people
do, and enjoy the experience But people
have always been afraid ol what ihey
don't understand . . .

I could, but won I go on for ever But
one last point I'd like lo bring up is this-
why. in the whole four pages, does Mr C
not even mention the fact that rnsifle
everybody there's a certain amount of
aggression (and yes, that does include
Mrs Whitehouse) Human beings the
globe over experience Ide same basic
drives and emotions in greater or lesser
degrees. Aggression is perhaps one of the
most problematic ones and il an

individual has too much, or can't tLiutrul
the amount they have, the results are
often disastrous. My point is thai playing
violent games, and watching violent
films, can help to satiate these devils
within us all The (act Is. lhal provided no
persons or animals are in any way
exploited in ide manufacturing of these
images, they could actually help lo
prevent an ti-social behaviour (TW
Seem a little too extreme to grasp nghl
now, why not go away and check up on
the sen-crime figures pertaining lo
countries where hard-core pornography
is - and isn't -freely available i

Personally , I'd li ke lo see mgre energy
expended in investigating the issue
looking from this angJe. Censorship is
negative. Crack down on tee snuff -movie
makers and throw the book M etrM Bui
■et 1he equally concerned film-makers
and games programmers continue to
work their magic

Besides all that, great mag. rad
reviews, neat attitude and all m all the
Phoeninlrom LM's ashes
Steve Shields. London N15

Having been told about four tetter,
Steve, Mel expressed a serious
interest is seeing, and probably
replying, to it personally. But because
the Christmas break intervened, it was
not possible for htm to do so in time for
this issue - sp watch out!

r

IS IT EUREKA?

Dear Games Machine
It's nice to see a change to computer
mags and THE GAMES MACHINE shows
all that is happening. Your reviews are
good as well, showing other mags how to
rate games.

How this >s what I want to know Is Ihe
Archimedes computer any good, and how
much memory das it got and has it got
good sound' Whal rs the price, is it better
than trie ST or Amiga?

One mare guesiion, why isn't there an

arcade section in THE GAMES MACHINF''
I dope you keep up your high standard,
which no one can beat.
Ian Robinson, London N17

The Archimedes is stilt a bit ot a dart
fiOrse it you are considering an
upgrade. Sales are reported to be stilt
in - only four figures (less than 10, OOO
units in other words} which means
that the software base is small- latch
is the only game, The 300 Series has
0.5 Mbyte and 1 Mbyte RAM machines
with 512 Kbyte HON! and tMbyte 3W
disk drive. Top of the 400 series, the

Archimedes 440, has i Mbyte of RAM.
512 ROM and a 20 Mbyte hard disk
drive. But the computer's power lies in
its new BtSC processor - reputedly
making it the fastest home computer
available, capable of executing 4
million instructions per second. The
sound capacity is huge: two-channel
with eight-voice digital stereo through
tiie internal loudspeaker, or to an
amplifier or headphones sources
through a jack socket, ft isn't cheap
though, the most basic monochrome
package wilt set yov back £700, and
you can easily spend o ver F2, OOO.

S/116TGM TX DATE: 02-88

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DESERVES THE BEST

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m^Jv^y£W'T?eoM>Q££€r?us4n ~\ferran \

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IN DUBIOUS BATTUE?

THE DiFF£ffENT PL AV - BY - MAiL GAME

W*ll. raw's your chance" IN DUBIOUS BAT T Li is a unique computer
rriodVraied strategy/ war game quite unlike anything you ha»e e*er
P'Oped before in which each player lakes on the role of a warring god
Unique became your Druggie for supremacy tak*l ploco in two tdaHy
separata oritnos One is Ihs di mension in which the gads dwell named
Elysium, the other is a world of over 500 regions with over 100 ntjtiorni To
win you mull boflt* your way <o dominion o*rJr your feilow aods. On the
path to this goal you will wield powerful magic m individual combat, huH
armies of elemental* agoing enemy hi>vli <.sn thr plains of Elysium, vie for
control of molcvofenr daemons and meddle in <he destinies ol tribes and
empires foiling up "hose who worship you and costing down iha-iC who
pay homage to your enemies IN DUBIOUS B ATTIC has oil this and
m«r»i IN OUBIOUS 8A7TLC con be placed as o simulation or as o
tactical/strategic war game. Features include

- Players design 1h«i • ri*n god's attiibules

- Compie* rr»acro-5iiTiulalion of mortal wortd

- Over 40 type* 01 player option each move
- Approximately 1 00 pfayef 3 per game

- Compuier-oenerated maps ot Elysium

- 'Special Action' option available

- Individual combat between gods

- Two separate playing areas

- UrtliTTmled movement option

- Nation to nation warfare

- Glossy 55 page mlebook
-Army [0 army combat

- A3 map of the wortd

- today turnaround

- 1 day turnaround
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- Each 1urn highest scorer plays 1or FREE 1

Startup cosls £ 6 for rufettook, A3 map, attributes chart and TWO Tree ii
Each [urn costs- £1 50 thereafter including postage

Nome
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PA NO EM GAMES

POBO* m
BELFAST fiTf! 5ED
N IRELAN0

MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR
MONTHLY COPY OF

Circulation is rising rapidly as computer owners throughout
the c o untry catch on to THE GAM ES MAC H I N E , which means
your newsagent may sell out before you get there to buy your
copy. So the be s t thing to do is pla ce a regular order . Just ft II
out this coupon and hand it to your nearest newsagent!

Name

Address „....■.,■■„■,.■........,.».,.

TO THE NEWSAGENT:

THE GAMES M ACH I NE is publ i shed in the m iddte of every month
by Newsfield Ltd, 47 Gravel Hill, Ludlow. Shropshire SYe iQS.
Tel: 05a4 5851 , and distributed to the Newstrade by COM AG
{08954 44055). Please check with the publishers if you have any
trouble in obtaining supply.

L

TGM TX DATE: 02-889/1 16

NEWS

PCW SHOW
TO MOVE

For computer leisure seekers,
more events than ever before are
in the early planning stages, and
the 1908 PCW Show should be
the best ever held. During
forthcoming months THE
GAMES MACHINE will be
bringing you details and items of
interest about the show as we
bear them. Stay tuned.

philosophy of a leisure hall and a
closed business section. The

1988 show will be clearly divided
into three distinct sections
covering business, general
computing (serious but not
and leisure. The
aimed to meet the
both visitors and

business)

change is
needs of
exhibitors

AFTER four years at its Olympia
venue, Britain's computer
leisure showcase is changing
exhibition halls. The Personal
Computer Worid Show moved
to Olympia in search of more
space for its growing list of
exhibitors and visitors, but the
halls there have now become
too cramped for comfort. The
19S8 show - to be held from
September 14 to 18- will be in
the main hall at Earls Court.
London.

This move has been predicted
for some time, but still came a
year earlier than expected. With
space bookings already running
at a new high, and an expected
upsurge in the number of visitors
over i he next few years, it is like ly
that the show will have to move
again before long, although only
next door to the new Earls Court
ll P which opens this year.

After last year's abortive
attempt by EMAP, publishers of
C&VG, Sinclair User and
Commodore User to create a
games only show in direct
competition with PCW for 1988,
PCW has responded by re-
examining their basic

Att»f the IBth PCW ShOW t Olympia became too smalt

A YEN TO MAKE
PROFIT

NINTENDO, the giani Japanese

computer and game console
company, saw its profits for the
year to August 311 987 rise by a
massive 26%. They forecast that
shipments to the US of their
family consoles will reach 4.6

million units for the next year.
Already there are reported to be
15 million machines worldwide,
and we now await, with baited
breath, the arrival of the latest in
the line, the PC Engine.

THE 9th
AMSTRAD
COMPUTER
SHOW

DOORS OPEN on February 19
for the ninth Amstrad Computer
Show organised by Database
Exhibitions, The venue has been
changed from Alexandra
Pavilion to the much larger larger
Great Hall at Alexandra Palace,
due, Database claim, to the
demand from both the public
and exhibitors. The show will run
from Thursday to Saturday as
opposed to the previous Friday
to Sunday period to cater for a
growing business interest in the
Amstrad market.

HEAVY

MATTEL

SOON to hit our TV screens is a
new cartoon series called
Captain Power And The Soldiers
Of The Future from the
Landmark Entertainment

Group, an American company.
Mattel has gained the licence to
produce the subject related
toys. However, these promise to
be somewhat more interactive
than many that have gone
before.

The purchaser will be supplied
with a hand-held Future

THE

ALTERNATIVE

REALITY

ALTERNATIVE SOFTWARE

has obtai ned the rights to gam es
titles from Piranha, Audiogenic,
Incentive and Bubble Bus to
rerelease them at the budget
price of C1.99. Piranha's
contnbution am id the plethora of
titles will include Trap Door,
Popeye, Rogue Trooper, Strike
Force Cobra and Nosfarafu.
Alternative's future budget
rereleases are to include
Mooncresta (Incentive) and
Psycastria (Audiogenic).

Getting the taste for software,
Alternative** managing directat,
Rogst Mutiny

Phantom Striker jet which
interacts with the broadcast
programme. For between three
to five minutes each episode,
owners of the toys may
participate by blasting the
deadly Bio- Dread robots which
appear on the screen. The jets
shoot invisible infra-red rays at
the robotic enemies of Captain
Power and when they hit a
target, signals given out from the
screen score points for the jet.
If the targets are missed

points are deducted, and when
the points reach zero the jet's
pilot Is ejected onto the carpet.
The jets - which may be used to
tight each other - can also be
utilised with Captain Power
videotapes, allowing up to 15
minutes of interactive play.

Only available in the States at
the moment Captain Power (the
cartoon, the videos and the |ets
fighters) will be released
worldwide within the next few
weeks.

10/11 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

BOARD WITH TANKS

TANKATTACK is a new board/
computer game to arrive on our
shores from Irish -based
Anderson Electronic Ltd. It can
be played by two to four players
and the general aim is to capture
the enemy HQ or destroy all
enemy forces using plastic
moulded tanks, a game board
and a computer program,

Computers have had an
unhappy association to data
with board games, usually
relegated to acting as nothing
more than a pair of dice. In
Tankattack trie software.

although it does perform the
same function as dice, also has
more to do; the players input
moves, select their targets and
the computer informs them of
the results of their actions. It is a
game of strategy where good
judgement and" planning is
rewarded and bad |udgement is
punished, Presently available
only for the Commodore 64. it is
soon to be released on
Spectrum and Amstrad formats.
Look out for a full review of Tank
Attack in Issue Four of THE
GAMES MACHINE.

TREASURE HUNT
WINNERS

AT LAST years PCW Show,
visitors were invited to take part
in a treasure hunt, searching for
cryptic clues among the stands,
which could help them win a first
prize of £1000 There were four
pint sponsors, each of which
had a clue posted somewhere
on their stand, and they were
Mastertronic ("Arcadia"),

Newsfield ("Games"),

Euromax ("Professional") and
Domark ("Archer"). All entries
were posted on the Domark

stand, and after judging
Commercial Artist John Jarratt

was declared the winner, He
visited the home of Domark in
wildest Wimbledon to collect his
pnze, There were also 44
runners up who have already
receives either a Euromax
Joystick, a copy of the Domark
game Sfar Wars or (worth much
more than the measly thousand
pounds) a year's subscription to
THE GAMES MACHINE. Here
are the lucky winners

A FairtmraL Wtgwi WW 1UT

Martin Ellis, Warrington

B Taytor. London Es BPf»

J K Martin. London E8 3HB

J$hn Swanson, Stough 5L1 QLU

Qntmi Taylpr, Brtgo, DNaO BAG

C VUhUay, Leigh On Sea SS9 t EB

ftafa a rl &ausman. London SE9 4TG

Lesley Gnmnldby, Folkestone CT19 4A*

DK Hamm. Reading H03 7BO

Stephen Knight. Clifton SGTT SEJ

Nfchcriae BecKitl, prr, Shalt oni CB2 *AY

D**d Brown, Reading HG4 8UG

M Hantay, CMstartleM £42 flUU

Mark Richardson, NWstonhMd SL6 3HO

Manual. Hempstead NW3 9SX

JV Rymsr, arlohlon SX

J tounseil, Crawfaorough TN6 2UR

DE Don*, Miirlow SL7 ZAR

a Hamiett. London 5W2

Ken JOT**. Ayimbufy HPSl TJK

Richard Mann, lllqrd Ifit 4AL

P Barber Wells BAJ5 1JX

Marlin Robinson. Bicester OKA SSL

Karen HnMn, Swansea SA1 SCD

Ian Thompson, Hew Bamat EMS SAP

Sandra James, Bridgend CF3S tBG

Teny Larkln, WMHon Oft Iruwnaa KT 1 2 3HH

A Limln. Chelmsford CM3 UN

Ian Airtlfl. Kingston. KT1 SUP

JO GarttEm, Tofley 917 1FD

DJ Mitchell, Blelchley MK3 «DE

Owen Thorn**, West Ealing Wl3 SEF

Aft Dicey, Bradgar ME9 BCB

3 Rtitwni. London SW7 2DD

RA Hunwkks, Gsinvay I*

OM Jones , Colchester COS 3*15

RN A/mwsmlth, Rochdale QL12 7JG

M Gale, Guildford GU2 5LJ

GDW Lewis, Croydon CRO 5AJ

PJ Carter. Benflaat 5S7 1NH

Q Scobie, London SE27 QR5

Jeremy Brown, London SW 13 3EN

Jamas Byrne, PelvrtwOwgh PE1 20 w

Seated between Domark's Mark Strachan (left) and Dominic Whearley, John
Jarratt coiiects his C10OO in the form of a giant cheque (probably written on
tablecloth from trie fnDin - fie software Industry's Christmas dinner/- The
prize was jointly sponsored by Oomark, Euromax, Newsfield and Mastertronic

Able to afford a shirt again, Paul Cooper of Thalamus

OOPS!

IN THE review of Quedex last
issue it was stated that Hagar
the Horrible composed the
game's music, This was an out-
and-out lie. It was of course
Maestro Matt Gray. Obviously

we included this error on
purpose and were secretly
willing to give a copy of the game
to the first lucky reader who
spotted the mistake. We only
had one entry (you unobservant
lot?) and a cassette vefsbn of
Quedex is now winging its way
to Paul Cooper of Thalamus Ltd.
Well done Paul.

ELITE WITH A FRENCH
CONNECTION

DURING the 1987 PCW Show,
Pans-based Lo hotels signed a
long-term agreement giving
Elite Systems Ltd the rights to
market the French company's
games in the UK. Although not
all Lonciels products will be seen
over here (some of them have a
content that is too French tor the
British taste) they expect to
release at least 14 game titles

during 1998: these will include
50Qcc Grand Prix, Sapiens, a
compilation entitled Straight Six
and an arcade adventure Bob
Winner. Most of the games will
cover the 8-bit formats as well
as the Atari ST and IBM- PC
Compatibles. Elite foreseee the
agreement lasting at least two
years.

KONIX MOVING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION

FOLLOWING a very successful

twelve- month penod in which
Konix has more than doubled its
turnover, the company has
moved from their factory at
Tredegar in Wales to a new site
in Ebbw Vale (pronounced Ebbw
Vale). It would appear that the
Konix joystick has proved so
successful that demand

eventually outgrew the old
factory's production capacity.
The new, larger site will allow
Konix to recruit more staff and
consequently produce more
joysticks, An opening ceremony,
performed by the Rt Hon Peter
Walker, Secretary of State for
Wales, was held on January 15.

QMPUCiiGRD

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T

MB

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 11/1 16

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CwiwKKlOfe 64/128 Cassette (£9.W) and Disk (£12.99) IX Spectrum 48k/t28W+ {£9.99) Amslrad CPC Cassette {£9 99) oixl
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mMmi^d

R! 64 'ANOTHER

► Officially licensed from the greatest
motorcycle racing game, the thrills are so
real we considered making o helmet
compulsory.

► Four skill levels.

► Four music trades.

► Push your turbo charged racing machine
into 18 progressive stages racing across
Asia, Africa, America and Europe.

(fH«) Amiga Disk (£W.W)

on,NN8 4SR. Tel: (0933) 76?68

Copyright 1986 Seoa Enterprises Inc. (USA)- All rights reserved.
Electric Dreams Software. Authorised User,

H?

* , **y* J

^

V

ELECTRI

i^J

SOFT

A RARE TREAT

The Nintendo lives! With 15 million worldwide sales of Nintendo machines, the
Japanese games giant could well revolutionise the European games scene soon . . .

ASTERTRONiC with its

■ m Arcadia label is not the only
lfl British company with its

!WI e V es on ,|ie coin-op

market- Spectrum-owning
Ultimate (Play The Game)
watchers will have noticed in the
past that some Ultimate games
carried the enigmatic sub-credit
Hare Ltd. and may have
wondered who they were exactly.
Next month THE GAMES
MACHINE reveals the secret for
the first time. But the name Rare is
about to emerge from obscurity in
a rather spectacular way, and one
Of the products likely to pop your
eyes is a new coin-op arcade
board based around the Z80
processor. But Rare also designs
Nintendo machine games of a
quality that has made the
company's name something to
reckoned with in Japan and
America (whereas they are almost
unknown in the UK). More details
in nexl month's issue, for the
meantime we'll just tantalise you
with a screen shot . . .

A collision at SSmph cairra ttte your
gums -a common occurrence in

Pro- Am Race, onm of the fastest and
funniest road games you're ever

likely to See on the Hintendo - and
it's a British product

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES

THOUGH PIRANHA s Judge Death game is slightly delayed through
being rewritten, their other 2000 AD licensed character, Alan Moore's
inimitable future-girl -next-door. Halo Jones is well on the way. A young
woman born in the 50th Century on The Hoop - a special section of the
city for the unemployed - Halo, the poor girl, just wants to do some
shopping for her monthly supplies, but it isn't as easy as that. The Hoop
i s I ittered with villainous ga ngs like the Dangerous Dru m mers , Proximen
and the Punks, The shopping centre is at The Hoop's other side from
Halo's quarters, but armed with her trusty Sputstieks and continual
messages from Switty Frisco her job shouldn't prove to difficult.

Wei I . certainly not as difficult as the job Rran ha has lined up for you in
Coven, a game devised by THE GAMES MACHINE'S John Gilbert.
Playing a witch - in a sect of 1 3 who serve Lucifer - you alone have broken
the faith and begin a quest which will destroy several covens before the
Forces Of Evl takeover the world. We should have some more details
on that in the next issue.

The Dotation forecast >sn 1 tooking too good - shopping could he a dirty
business - Spectrum scr«MT

inifc&_

ru-s-a-.

T

ALL MUSCLES

« . . MORE muscles really. But
isn't that Schwarzenegger all
over? Arnie's just about to be
dropped into the jungle after some
unexplained things happened, but
his helicopter lets him down with a
bang, and there he is slap-bang,
so to speak, right in the middle of
Activision's latest film licence,
Predator. The unexplained soon
becomes commonplace, as Arnie
and his fellow military hunters
discover their adversary is a hairy
alien hooray Harry who's dropped
in on Earth for a spot of big -game
hunting, and having filleted and
eaten the easy locals, Amie'sthe

The AmstT&d Predator and him
c ho ppe r

biggest game around.

Graphically. Predatorlooksfme,
so all that is needed now is some
adrenalin-filled action lo top n off
We should be seeing Predator
soon on the Spectrum,
Commodore, Amstrad and ST.

It 'a that nice Mr Schwarzenegger starring as a pixel in Activiston 'a Pradator -
Atari ST screen

PREVIEWS

ANOTHER

DEADLY

MISSION

AFTER what seems an eon since
Epyx enjoyed a cult success with
Impossible Mission on the
Commodore 64 (remember the
speech?), the American software
giant is set to repeat the exercise
with Impossible Mission It. Very
much likethe original, it is set over
a series of five towers, wtiich act
as difficulty levels - the gym. the
garage, canteen, warehouse and
finally a large high-tech office
block. Planned for the sequel are
loads of different robots, each with
individual characteristics. Mission
the first was marketed in the UK by
US Gold, but the sequel goes out
under Epyx's own name, and is to
be released soon for the
Commodore 64/1 2 B , Spectrum ,
Amstrad and ST.

Lofw-i u- ttttt **qu* to tt» Spy*

v*»ST

ARCADIA ARCADE

WE'RE BEGINNING to see the benefits of Mastartronic s offshoot

Arcadia, a new branch of the coin-op industry Based around the
Com modore Amiga board with an u pgrade in memory of 1 . 5 megabytes,
the new arcade games simply slot into existing cabinets, For the arcade
operator it means fast, cheapchanges, and far the Amiga owner it means
real arcade conversions in the home at the flick of an eye. The first Arcadia
com -op release last year was Road Wars, and Mastertronic have it ready
now for release under their Melbourne House label on Amiga and ST,
closely followed by Spectrum, Commodore 64/1 28 and Amstrad

The act ion takes place on a never-ending 3- D future h igh way and i.s a
forced two-player game Each player controls a ball-shaped vehicle
equipped with laser?, and the idea is to bl ast everyth i ng that comes your
way In gun-mode the vehicle opens up to reveal the laser to blest
oncoming hazards and roadside generators which hurl lightning at you
In shield- mode the craft returns to a sphere so it can resist impacts as
you bash others off the road. With both players side by side, the game
can get very rough, especially when, on later levels, instead of two exits
1o the next levef, there is only one -After you . . , Mo, after you please , , ,

Road Wars conversions are in the capable hands of Binary Design,
and if you attended last year's PCW Show, you may have noticed
Mastertronic's big gamble, displaying the Amiga and Spectrum demo
versions one above the other on their stand - incredibly, the Spectrum
compared extremely well because, forgetting the lack of colour of
course Road Wars is exactly the Spectrum's type of gamel

Also set tor an early Melbourne House release is Xenon, anolher game
from Arcadia and basically a challenging and very attractive vertical scroll
srtoot-'em-up using a double-mode craft, This one's for the Amiga and
ST only - at the moment,

in attack- and shieM-mode: Wazfl fAar frail in tfw ST wrswn offload Ware

Not ofccurse as colourful, but rrw Spectrum fl oad Wars piay* pretty much i
weft

ALIEN
SYNDROME

ALIEN SYNDROME is a Sega
arcade conversion from The
Edge, which attempts tD incorpo-
rate all the original's features for
the home computer.

Played by one or two particip-
ants (one male, one female), the
aim is for the her o{es) to enter one
of five progressively dangerous
ai ien spacecraft , blasti ng t hei r way
through the com dors to find and
rescue their incarcerated crew.
Once all the humans have been
rescued it's time to blast a way out
again before the inevitable meet-
ing with the ultimate, all-powerful
alien indigenous to each level, On
level one, for example, this rather

nasly piece of work is apparently

similar to a semi -deflated hot-air
balloon, complete with two heads
which spit poisonous venom at our
heroes. It takes a lot to kill, but
when it goes it explodes into a
mass of venom and lire . . . very
tasteful.

The corridors of the various
spacecraft are depicted in a similar
way to the ma2es in Gauntlet and
are viewed from the same r
head point, Maps are dotted
around the screens to help the
player(s) find their way about nnri
weapons may be picked up to
enhance their arsenal. Rescued
team members may be utilised to
help with the rescue mission.

Alien Syndrome is out for the
Commodore 64 in January,
closely followed by the Spectrum.
ST and Amiga versions.

Another stashing rescue attempt awaits you m Alien Syndrome ■
Commodore 64 screen

WHEN YOU
WISH UPON A
STAR . . .

WE 'RE N OT supposed to say t h i 5
yet , but as we go to press Gremlin
Graphics are trying to obtain the

rights to market Mickey Mouse -
the computer game. All we've
seen so fat are some blurred
screen shots {try and hold the
camera steady next time,
Richard), but Mickey looks like a
very good blur. Wore news on that
soon. Meantime get ready for
North$tar& fly -around/platform/
shoot -the-aliens game set aboard
an orbiting space station which is
under attack. That's for the
Spectrum, Commodore 64/1 26.
Amstrad and STsoonish.

By the time you read this
column, Stood Vatfey, after a
delayed- release, should be on the
shelves. From what we saw of the
preview version it did not look to
be up to Gremlin's normal
standards but hopefully they
should have sorted it out by now.

Big graphics on the Spectrum look promising in Gremlin

Not so hot whan we sav
provide tun in combat

■mo, by the time if* tint shed dlood Valley should

CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX
FORMULA ONE SUPER
SIMULATOR SPRINT PLUS . . .

. . , THE SEQUEL, It's really just Championship Sprint- the sequel to
Electric Dreams's Super Sprint ol last September. What's new then?
Well, you can design your own courses, race new cars, design more
courses, set new records, design even more courses and so on. It's
bagger and better, they say, that's what, Exciting news just coming in
though , is thai Activision have I icen sed the very big co in -ops Afterburner
and Lock On from Sega. Cheek out page 69 where THE GAMES
MACHINE reviews Afterburner and get an eyeful of the graphics (if you
haven't done so in an arcade already), They'll have to work hard to
capture the effects on the fl-bits and it won't be too easy on the 1 6 -bits
e«ther.

ALL BLACK

ONE from Firebird and the other

from CHL, and at first both 16-bit
products.

Stock tamp on the Firebird label
takes the form of a cutesy
platforms-and-ladders game set
in the Dark Ages, so called
because King Maxim had all his
enchanted in nt ems stolen. Playing
Jovial Jack the jolly jester, you
ragingly romp round screen upon
screen of glorious graphics,
amazing animation and annoying
alliteration. Black Lamp, set for

release on the ST in the early
Spnng, is currenlly being written
by Steve Cain and Graham
Everett (part of the team behind
Star Trek).

Black Shadow from CRL on the
Amiga is another arcade-quality
shoot- ern-up. To be honest we
have seen little of it so far, apart
from an early running demo. It had
little gameplay in. but the graphics
are most impressive - as is the (in
all affection) glonousty corny film
studio style "Welcome to the
World of CRL' credit card.

PREVIEWS

mmm

XA3IER

CHUNNEL IMPORTS

DON'T take a wager on your Gary Lineker T-shirt that 1 6-bit owners
are not jealous of Match Day W at the moment, But if you hop over the
Channel to France you may just bump into someone from new
software house Satory; they are releasing Hotbatf. a great -looking
football game for both the ST and Amiga, However, if you can'l wait
for the Channel Tunnel to open, you should shortly be able to pop
d own the h igh street and pick up a copy thanks to Active Sales And
Marketing who are releasing it over here.

Have you avmr asert siren a perfect pitch ? STHotbal! - due through the Channel

SOOft

RflCrl y*m^KWJULL/ i

^K , \v L

1

UBIIHil

\

v -"' 1

I

■

DESTINY

FRANCIS LEE. ex-Beyond/ex-
Stariight person now running new
software house Destiny, has a

mountain of interesting games
lined up for 1&88.

He kicks off with two original
Spectrum games; the first, written
and created by Nick Eatock.
whose previous titles include
Greyfefl and Sordemn s Shadow,
is called Teladon, It com bines two
separate parts - beginning with a
horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-
up as you guide a hoverbike d own
a valley with enemy weaponry
blazing at you. Get though that and
you are plumped right into the
middle of an isometric world for a
separate adv&nlure.

Scrolling towards Nick Estock's Tdadtm in tf» firslpart Qt (he game

The second, Yefi, written by
Spectrum veterans Christian
Urquhart and Mike Smith, who
together form theCybadyne
team, is set in the snow-covered
peaks of the Himalayas in search
of the fabled Big Fool. Fearing for
the creature's safety the locals are
hot on your trail, eager to prevent
you from succeeding in your quest
by using both material and arcane
means. Graphically it looks pretty
spectacular - what thegameplay
is like, we will find out sometime in
the Spring.

J( is your Destiny on the
Spectrum

POWERING IIP

(AGAIN)

BUDGET software company
Power House has a semi-
relaunch this year with a new look
and a host of new product as well
as some old American favourites
whose titles you will undoubtedly
recognise.

The line up includes
Dambusters, Fight Night, 8C's
Quest For Tires, Grog's Revenge,
Desert Foand many more. On the
value front Power House have
released eight Commodore 64/
12B double-disks each disk
consisting of two games. Probably
best of the bunch is the Hercules
and Gods And Heroes disk. Both

games are really simple, but
amazing fun to play.

Aftd Power House is also
launching its own record label
starting with American rock band
The C oath angers. The discs (spelt
with a "c' and not a "k'| are pressed
in dynamic red vinyl tor that added
j'nesaisquoi, They probably won't
get reviewed in THE GAMES
MACHINE, we'll leave that to NME
and MM.

However, If you fancy winning a
copy of the record and your choice
of three Power House games
here's your chance in this bijou
Comp. Simply tell us the title of the
recently released Computer
Nasty ' that caused such a stir. Pop
the answer on the back of a
postcard or seal ed e n velope along
with your name, address, which
computer you own and your
choice of three games and send it
to I HAVE THE POWER COMP,
THE GAMES MACHINE, PO
Bo* to, Ludlow, Shropshire
SYS 1DB to arrive no later than
February £5, or we'll crush your
cuddlies ! First out of the bag wins

And finally THE GAMES
MACHINE would like to take this
opportunity to say bon voyage to
Power House person Jo Meads.
who flies oft soon to Auslrailafor a
few months. Don't stay away too
long, Jo, we'll miss you.

TGM T* DATE: 02-88 17/1 16

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TEL: 0600 4611

OPINION

IT'S GONNA

ALL

THE NIGHT!

ON

Having steeped

himself in

steaming

sexism and

ripped the guts

out of gory

violence, the

third of Mel

Croucher's

Industry

analyses

shines the

spotlight on

racism in

software.

Jack the Nipper picked hit

nose: Gremlin GraptitCa's
Isn Stewart

id you hear the one about the

D South African piano? Nobody
could play it because all the
black keys were kept under the
white ones, Earlier this year,
there was a call From within our
computer industry to boycott hade
with South Africa as a protest against
apartheid, the system of treating
people differently on the basis of the
colour of their skin. Several British
software houses went public on their
business dealings with South Africa,
none more so than in CRL's Clem
Chamber's famous ' all South Africans
are bastards' press statement, but
many others refused to comment , and
certain companies exploited the
situation by increasing their supplies
to fill the boycott vacuum,

According to the Commission For
Racial Equality, racist attacks have
increased by over 25% in the past 12
months ... not in South Africa, but in
Britain! Nationalist and Nazi
organisations are actively recruiting in
school playgrounds and at football
matches, and even in towns like
Bournemouth the Ku Klux Klan has
announced a membership drive,
Perhaps you don't think that this has
got much to do with computer games.
Maybe the fact that there are only a
handful of non -whites in British
computing seems natural to you.

To live anywhere m the
world today and be against
equality because of race or
colour, is like Hiring in
Alaska and being against
snow. '

William Faulkner, 1965

There is no such thing as a genuine
British race, except for a few Celts
who speak Welsh and the Isle of Man
TT. The rest of us are made up from
mongrel matings of Scandinavians.
Saxons. Romans, Normans, Gypsies,
Jews, Huguenots. Irish, Germans.
Poles. West Indians, Pakistanis,
Vietnamese, you name it. We are still
foreign scum living on a little island off
the North-West coast of a tired old
continent called Europe. Some of us
have got black skins, and there have
been large numbers of British- born
blacks living on th is island for well over
300 years. A generation ago the
British Minister of Health, a man
named Enoch Powell, was one of
those Government Ministers who

encouraged foreigners to come to
Britain to make up for labour
shortages in the health service,
transport, industry and

manufacturing. Many of them had
black skins, Vet in this generation the
stereotyped Computer Game Hero is
almost always a musclebound white
guy, who looks like something out of
a Nazi propaganda poster for the
perfection of a Germanic master race
of mindless pale veal steaks, In certain
games, the fact that you come across
a wog, gook. nigger, slope, kaffir or
coon is sufficient reason to kill him

LUTHER DE GALE

... is boss of Konami. Because I am
not very British I asked him what being
a British software mogul was like for
him,

MEL - Are you racially abused?
LUTHER - All the time. But I've
become oblivious to racist
comments. People who insult me like
that are to be pitied, they suffer from a
bankruptcy of thoughts, they're
making up for their own deficiencies.
It's the scapegoat syndrome. It used
to be the Jews, now its us. But I can
avoid that now, I've got status and
position.

MEL - You're a successful man,
you've got some muscle in the
software industry. Why don't you go
in for positive discrimination? I mean
why don ' t you make the hero of one of
your games black?
LUTHER - I don't believe in positive
discrimination, no. I wouldn't feature
a black hero for the sake of it, it could
affect safes.

MEL - Are you kidding! Do you really
mean that?

LUTHER - I always mean what I say.
but you misunderstand me, Frank
Bruno's Boxing, yes. That's highly
appropriate and very successful,
otherwise Til take each game on its
merits.

MEL - But that's what happens all the
time to black kids, they get sent to the
sports field to play soccer or do a bit
of boxing, while the whites train to be
accountants.

LUTHER - Look, a lot of black kids
accept the path of least resistance. At
15 or 1 6 they stop being 'British" when
morons tell them that they're not,
Some decide to fight.
MEL - And did you fight?

LUTHER- 1 knew what I wanted when

I was 16, 1 planned it. My schoolmates
hadn't got a clue what it was all about.
They were into playground status, and
when they lefl school they helped their
dads on the street market barrow, or
became bus conductors. You see
there was no family or generation
connection then with business,
careers, not like the Asians, their
whole culture is a network of helping
their kids get on,

MEL - So you fought to get where you
are now?

LUTHER - Sure, I had to fight, so I
fought,

MEL - Why don't we see black faces
at computer trade fairs, why don't we
see black faces in the magazines?
LUTHER - It's funny really, the
stereotype thing. You know, the best
players in our simulator at the last
Olympia show were all black. A black
guy was the only one to get all the way
through it. Bu! you're right, a black
face at one of those shows is about as
common as a ruby in a bag of beans.
MEL - Are you offended by racist
games? Personally offended -
LUTHER - 1 don't live in a tree Mel, I
don't have a bone through my nose!
No. I don't gel offended. There was
that one about Livingstone, by
Alligata I think, it used every stupid
colonial prototype there is. Cannibals,
white supremacy, pathetic. The
artwork was just so dated, and surely
we've moved away from all that by
now. Games like that just reinforce the
younger generation's image of blacks
vis-a-vis status, but it's not funny. Like
Irish jokes, they're not funny, It's
obsolete.

MEL - In your latest game, Jackal, one
of the four main characters. Bob, is a
negro,

LUTHER - Sure, there's always at
least one black in any good war him,
except Hamburger Hill, where they're
ail blacks But to tell the truth, it's a
coincidence, Jackal came from
Japan.
MEL- Ah so,
LUTHER - Racist!

There are no white' or

'coloured' signs on the

graveyards of baWefietd$- '

John F Kennedy, 1963

Alligata's Doctor Livingstone
stereotype lives on in games like Jack
The Nipper II; Coconut Capers from
Gremlin Graphics. I mentioned this to

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 19/11 6

II

. there are
e lot of Ignor-
ant people In
computing."
KEVIN WILL-
IAMS

Gremlin's . . ,

IAN STEWART

IAN - We had lo deport Jack The

Nipper to Australia; he picked his

nose! II just happened that be bailed

out over the jungle.

MEL - Where the natives are a bit

thick, and live with the monkeys in the

trees, and I Blink they even wear

bones for decoration. That's racist

IAN - No.

MEL -Why not?

IAN - Because it's only a game. It's a

piece of fantasy.

MEL - But the game is set in the

prasent time, why have you used old

racial cartoon images like this?

IAN - 1 will not be drawn into- anything

other than that it's total fantasy.

There's elephants with saxophones

for God's sake!

MEL - And I'm saying that you use

racist artwork.

(AN * And I'm not prepared to rise to

your bait. Let me tell you about our

'Alternative Games'. They feature

'going up the wall', or in the case of

your sense of humour 'going to the

waif, and 'the sack race'. Maybe I

should have made that one about

sacking computer magazine Staff!

'Goer is white '

Jean Genet, 1958

KEVIN WILLIAMS

... is the Development Manager for
Andromeda, he wears a suit but he
also wrote the storyboard for Judge
Death, perhaps he suffers an identity
crisis:

MEL- What colour are you, Kevin?
KEVIN - I call myself 'shaded', I think
I'm number 16 on the Dulux colour
chart. When I go running I get paler,
when I'm relaxed f turn darker.
MEL - Are you relaxed now?
KEVIN * I feel quite dark at the
moment, now you mention it, But as
lor racism in the computer circus, if
you're black but your pocket is full of
money, you're exempt. I'm half black,
does that count?

MEL - You only need a half-full
pocket. Forgetting fantasy games for
a minute, why are all the 'simulation'

type computer games about white
guys?

KEVIN - Stereotypes and prejudice.
Do you know in Football Manager
there wasn't one black face, not even
in the crowd! And then there's the
rubbery lips and spiky hair bit in
certain artwork, This industry covers
it up well, by sweeping il all under the
carpet, but racism underlies
everything. They don't call ma names
to my face, but I hear the snide
comments. When they get into their
alcoholic stupors their tongues loosen
up, and then a II the racism comes out ,
MEL - Are you a racist?
KEVIN - Yeah. I loath all Americans!
Only joking you guys, I honestly think
that EA are wonderful people, at least
they're taking Brrtigh software
seriously. Everyone is a racist to some
extent, everyone fears people that are
different from: themselves, and it gets
twisted into stupid prejudices, If you
happen to be an .Irish programmer you
get a continual stream of garbage
poured into your ears, because the
British are afraid that the Irish have
outgrown them. Software houses
down South are prejudiced against
Northerners. I see it all the lime. In your
Without Prejudice columns in
Computer Trade Weekly you never
stopped making fun of minority
groups, and your Under The
Baudwalk bits of Z2API64 are full of
digs at people with foreign names,
MEL - Guilty, but I'm trying to get my
readers to question their own
attitudes.

KEVIN - I wonder how many of them
realise that. You might also be feeding
their ignorance, and there are a lot of
ignorant people in computing.
MEL - So it's not just colour prejudice
in the computer business?
KEVIN - We use Hungarian
programmers, they hate the
Yugoslavs, and the Yugoslavs hate
the Poles, and the Poles hate the
Germans . . ,

MEL - And everyone hates the Jews
right?

KEVIN - 1 don't hate you, Mel.
MEL - Maybe I hate myself. When will
we begin to see a realistic percentage
of non-whites in computer games?
75% of the world is black, brown
yellow, red . . .

KEVIN - There is one red, or at least a
half-breed Indian who's the hero of
Mattel's Lonestar, and I am beginning
to see the occastonal tinted person in
games adverts, California Games,
and that Street Sport Baseball from
US Gold/Epyx has got a shaded
catcher squatting by the trash cans
But to be honest, there's one hell of a
long way to go , Anyway , where do you
come on the Dulux colour shades
chart?

MEL - Me? I'm equal quarters
German, Irish, Polish and Portsmouth,
That makes me a 57, I think.

'There are many humorous
things in the world, among

them the white man's
notion that he is less
savage than the other
savages. '

Mark Twain, 1897

Mind you. my pedigree is nothing
compared to the lady over at

Headlines . . .

NADIA LINDA
GAJADHARSINGH

... is a Latvian, Trinidadian, Italian,
Russian, French. Estonian. Austrian'
I'm impressed.

MEL - Have you come across such a
thing as a racist computer game?
NADIA - Yes, computer games can
be racist in the stereotyping of
characters. it's obvious thai
relegating norr-white people to certain
roles wtir influence kids eventually.
MEL - So what can be done about it?
NADIA - We have to decide what the
computing industry sets out to
achieve. If we want it to be
educational, then we would have to
follow the lead of children's books,
These days they've made real
progress, and they seek to increase
awareness of other nationalities,
depict them as they really are. and
treat them with the respect they
deserve. But l think the computer
industry sets out to entertain rather
than to educate. And racial awareness
is just not happening.
MEL - There's talk of censorship
abaut. What do you reckon to that?
NADIA - If we want to make moral
decisions about which games kids
should play then sure, we would have
to bnng in censorship to deal not only
with racism but also sexism and. more
importantly, violence, Exactly what
you were tackling in your previous
GAMES MACHINE feature.
MEL - 1 still hope that self -censorship
is the answer. Once you begin by
censonng ideas, you end by rounding
up all the undesirable elements ' ana
having them shot. But suppose it
comes to censorship, what would
happen then?

NADIA - 1 can't help thinking that this
would leave some software houses
fumbling for ideas for games Not that
that's a reason why it shouldn't
happen. But as minors do make up
the majority of the market really we do
have a mora! responsibility towards
them.

MEL - You told me yesterday that
someone called you a little
piccaninny. How do you handle
racism personally?

OPINION

NADIA - Racism in my life? Well, a
bigger problem for me is whether I get
taken seriously as a woman, and not
seen as someone employed merely to
brighten up a male-dominated
software i ndustry, or to do the typing .
MEL - Who does the typing at
Headlines?

NADIA - Simon Harvey.
MEL - H aha. Why did you change your
name, that really puzzles me?
NADIA - I sometimes wonder how
people who don't know me personally
react to my name, I've simplified and
shortened my name to cut down
bamers, that's all, it's no big deal. I
want to make Sure I'm more
approachable. To answer your
question about racism in my life, I'm
blissfully unaware of any racism
directed towards me by people in the
software world. Maybe I have an
easier time because no one can pin a
nationality to me.

MEL - What nationality are you,
Nadia?

NADIA - I see myself as a globe with
a little flag on mosi continents. I'm
very proud of my hotchpotch
background.

' The nggro is superior to the
white race, if they don't
amalgamate with the richer
blood of the blacks they wili
die out and wither away, in
skinriness. "

Henry Ward Beecher,
1866

CHRISTIAN PENFOLD

, , . is best remembered in his guise
of The PiMan hurling abuse at the
crowd during computer shows, often
as not sprinkled with sexist, ageist,
classiest and especially racist
epithets. He was my partner in
Automata for five years,
MEL - Hello PiMan. Why did we see
few black Kids at the computer fairs?
CHRISTIAN - They were all off black
market eerirvg. I do remember one
though, total nutter, he look over our
stand and started blowing a bugle, I
put him on 10% commission and he
was bloody fantastic, worked like a
black

MEL - If I didn't know you better, I'd
say you were deliberately trying to be
provocative, as rt is you are a very
wonderful human being and a racist

"We never

looked at the

colour of their

skin, ft was the

colour of their

money that

counted."

CHRISTIAN

PENFOLD

Thm grmst Ocman
whitewash job? Ottoy

I f JUf l^pBfl KM CM t&Vwy aft

white on th* ntght in trw
Spectrum version of DT-s
Dwcathton 199* Or was if m
p r o g r a mming convention?

bastard, aren't you?
CHRISTIAN - Don't blackball me,
that's blackmail. Just like those lousy
wholesalers who I upset so much that
they blacklisted us.
MEL - Ah. I see, What you're saying is
that even in our colloquial language
we use words like black market,
blacklist, blackball and blackmail
when we are talking about antisocial
behaviour, and that this enforces
racial prejudice even as we Speak.
CHRISTIAN - What the bloody hell
are you on about, you old bugger.
MEL - Maybe not then. But we were
just like all the other software houses.
weren't we. We never had any non-
white characters in our games,
CHRISTIAN- Of course we d id ! Don't
you remember Rastapiman, he was in
every advert we ever did for over two
i\ Mind you,, he was only a token
black. I had him fed Into a slot
machine. Seriously mate, when we
were in the business together we
never looked at the colour of their skin,
it was the colour of their money that
counted. Tight -fisted bastards. Do
you want lo know what me favourite
game is 1 ?
MEL-No.

CHRISTIAN - Black To The Future.
Well laugh then you miserable sod.

The biggest computing jamboree of
the year is undoubtedly the PCW
Show, formerly held at Olympia, but
next September moving to Earl's
Court, The man who organises it is
named . . .

MIKE BLACKMAN

MEL - Don't you get a lot of idiots like
me taking the piss out of your name?
MIKE - The odd person will have a
crack at my name, like you, you're
very odd, l think it's an advantage,
nobody ever forgets who I am.
MEL - When you put on your annual
show, there are only a handful of non-
whites among the thousands that
participate.

MIKE - Yes. And I don't know why, I
really don't. It's down lo the individual
when it comes to success in running a
software house. People like Luther de
Gaie will always succeed, it's nothing
to do with their colour,
MEL ■ I'm not suggesting that, but is
it in spite of the prejudice that their
colour might evoke?
MIKE - I am an ambitious person, I
make plans and set objectives and go
about achieving them, it's nothing to
do with colour. I'm lucky.
MEL - Do you mean to say that you
have never been discriminated
agai nst in the software world because
of your colour?

MIKE - II has never even occurred to
me. really, it's never come up. To be
honest with you I don't feel very
strongly and this is the first time that t
have ever discussed it with anyone.
MEL - Really?

M I KE - Real ly! I've never been abused
in this industry. I wouldn't put money

on the fact that there are no racists in
computing, all I'm saying to you is that
I have never experienced racism.
People like Luther and I want to gel on
in life, we don't make a big thing about
our colour, and we expect the same
from anybody else.
MEL - Fine, you have made that very
dear, and I find it very encouraging to
hear you say that you have never run
across a racist in this business. What
about racial stereotypes in (he games
themselves 9 Do they matter?
MIKE - It doesn't bother me.
MEL - No, but does it matter"?
MIKE - The companies thai go in far
that sort of thing have taken
advantage of a media image,
cannibals in the jungle and so on. I
don't believe that they have done it
deliberately You always meet bigots
in any walk of life, but I think that the
image of black people in games is only
a reflection of cartoon stereotypes.

I wanted to have my final interview
with computer journalist Tama Yates,
who contributed so wisely to my
analysis of Sexism in Computer
Games. Unfortunately. Tania is
visiting her family in South Africa as I
write this. Alternatively I thought about
using one of my litt le chats wil h J eftr sy
Archer, when he laid me: 'The other
day I said to my son, ' David's driver is
a black'. I said it because I was in a
hurry to describe the man. My son
turned round to nne and said: 'If you
can tell me off for labelling people by
their colour, I can (ell you off tor it'.'

He was right of course. We are all
still guilty of that sort of thing to a
greater or iesser extent. But I decided
not to give little Jeffrey any more free
publicity after all, Then I contacted my
old friend Anil Gupta, formerly of
Anirog and now of Anco, but Anil
never ever goes into print. So I must
respect his request for privacy, and I
cannot print what he laid me about his
experiences in the industry of racism
against him and his family except his
last sentence; I detest all these
things, but I'm not a hero like you I try-
to survive my friend, it's a hard job.'

So I invited freelance programmer
Colin Jones to have the last word.
MEL - You say thai you're working on
a socially aware game at the moment.
COLIN - That's right. It's non- violent,
antl-sexist, and against all forms of
racism, I'm Calling it Let's All Watch
The Paint Dry . . .

Two things have become clear lo me
while putting this wee piece together
for you. First, as in every of her aspect
of living in Britain today, racism exists
in the computer business. Secondly,
the vast maiority of wh ites I know deny
it, and the handful of non-whiles in
computing dismiss it. Both of these
facts worry me, So I'M ask the same
question that I started with, gentle
reader. Do you think it's natural that
computer game heroes and the
people that run the industry and
attend the computer shows are nearly
all while? Well, do you?

Next month Croucher rakes some real Industry muck
when ha dives into Hie issue of underage child abuse.
The kids who made it as software writers but lost their
souls. The kids who were ruined by success and nearly
lost their lives. Don't miss It.

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 21/1 16

COMPETITION

GET SMASHED
WITH HEWSON!

WIN A PORTABLE CD
RADIO CASSETTE
PLAYER!
AND LOADS OF
GAMES!

Hewson have enjoyed a
run of successes for many
years with a wide variety of
game types, culminating in
more recent months with
some of the toughest
arcade games available -
and all big hits. Now the
company is bringing out a
compilation of four of their
very best - Zynaps,
Exolon, Rana Rama and
Uridtum Pius. To celebrate
the release, Hewson are
offering a top prize in this
competition of the latest
portable Compact Disc/
radio/cassette player from
Phillips, plus a copy of the
compilation suitable for
your 8-bit machine, and for
50 runners- up there are

copies of the new
compilation too.

Spectrum and Amstrad
owners should be
especially excited because
Uridtum Plus has never
had a soius released on
those computers - and it
has translated very well
indeed.

To have a chance of
winning the competition,
you will have to put your
historical brains in gear,
and correctly identify the
four Hewson games
pictured on the page, When
you think you have the right
answers* put them down on
a postcard or the back of a
sealed envelope, together
with your name, address

and most importantly, the
machine you own
(Spectrum. Commodore
64/128 or Amstrad CPC),
and send it to SMASH IT
UP WITH HEWSON

identify the four Hewson
below

PICTURE t

COMP, The Games
Machine, PO Box 10,

Ludlow, Shropshire SY8
1DB to arrive no later than
February 25,

games from the pictures
PICTURE 2

HP

22/1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

[f ijoa've ipkpitk ciginal from €P/)C ^cjourtt (c^e ik spoof from CfiBW.

Why be serious when there is so much fun in taking an alternative

view of things? This ingenious but hilarious spoof will have you in

stitches, not to mention the river, canal, sack ...

You'll be racing in Naples, Boot Throwing at the Colosseum, Pole

Climbing in Verona and Running Up Walls in Venice! If you can still

stand the pace, try your hand at Balancing Plates, Jumping Rivers,

Pogo and Pillow Fighting.

Recapture the very essence of competitive spirit in this comical

collection of ALTERNATIVE WORLD GAMES!

. i kui ks

GET TO &R1PS WITH A GAME FROM

k

a sffwatfwo & rose

rnniin n™nh™ Software Ltd.. Aloha House > 10 Caxvet Street, Sheffield SI 4FS. TeL (0742 J 753423

Introducing ActionSoft!

Colonel Jack Declares War to Improve Strategy /Action Software

Colonel Jack Rosenow, President of ActionSoft, is out to turn the
simulation software industry upside down;

□

'Most current simulations are little more than games," says the
Colonel. "They're a far cry from what can be done with modern state-
of-the-art graphics technology. They have limited strategic depth and
a limited sense of realism. That's why ActionSoft was created. We're
going to redefine the state of the art in simulation software.

"My own area of expertise is military helicopters - their flight
characteristics, and their deployment on the battlefield. We've assem-
bled a collection of experts in other fields (combat strategists, Fighter
pilots, submarine commanders) to help us develop the most realistic
strategy/action simulations ever seen.

ActionSoft puts you at the center of the action. We take you from the
depths of the Pacific ocean to the infinite frontiers of space. And with
the incredible 3D graphic/animation technology provided by
SubLOGIC, our products draw you into the simulation like never
before. Up to now this type of relism has been available only on the
most expensive military simulators. We're making it available to
everyone.

Our first Two products are Up Periscope! and ThunderChopper. Up
Periscope! is a WWII fleet class submarine simulator.
ThunderChopper simulates the flight characteristics of
high-performance scout7rescue/attack helicopter.

"ActionSoft simulations are generations ahead in strategy , action, and
technology. Why pay for a second-rate simulation when you can have
the best. ActionSoft simulation software sets the new performance
standard against which all other simulations must now be judged, But
don't just take my word for it. Try ActionSoft - you'll be convinced."

W^

Colonel Jack Rosenow. L.S
Force (Ret.)

. i

Kit

j

Captain John Patten's years of
U.S. Navy experience provide the
realism and submarine combat
strategy of Up Periscope!

1

Action Soft

35 Piccadilly
First Floor
London WIV 9PB
Tlx; 259102502695
ACTIONSOFT UQ

Colonel Jack's 9000-plus hours of
flight time are put to good use In
ThunderChopper!

WE'VE BLOWN THE COMPETITION
RIGHT OUT OF THE WATER!

Up Periscope!, the new state of the art submarine simulation that's conquered the U.S. market! Blowing Ihe competition

out of the water with superior combat strategy and tactics courtesy of Captain John Patten (Ret), United States Navy.

With true animated 3D graphics from SubLOGlC. Up Periscope!, generations ahead of the pack!

cmfaai r^«a
***** ******
■vli t**m

Itlllllt ■01»«(

» II 111 ■■•1*11

r«Il 1IH

■" TM'II* 'KHI I»»mt

See Your Dealer.,
Up Periscope! is available on disk
for the Commodore 64 128
computers (suggested retail price
£19.95) and for IBM PC-compatible
computers (£24.95). For direct
orders please include 55p for ship-
ping. Visa, Access, and Personal
cheques accepted.

- 1967 AclwnSorti Gcuporaixxi

30 graphics and special effects c 1967

SubLOGlC Corooralton

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REVIEWS

Sap***'

As traditional as Turkey, the

ortsfaught of software over the
Christmas period is legendary.
The Christmas lead up 1967 was
no exception with a lot more
software than anyone expected -
unfortunately a good percentage
proved to be far from satisfactory.
There are 37 review pages in this
issue (including the adventure
pages), examining 44 games.
Obviously this does not cover all
the games released over the
recent Christmas period - we
could not give every single
product a review due to the sheer
volume released. However, what
you wHI find are detailed,
informative and intelligent reviews
qf products launched in the latter
part of the season.

LAUNCHING
INTO

So, what of the year to come?

We're all placing our bets on the
Atari ST computer series to do big
business this year with a lot of new
and innovative 16-brt software
releases. The general standard of
Amiga games should improve, end
we have already seen a growth in
the number of games. To date,
very few Amiga games have really
taken the machine's potential very
seriously, That ought to be put
right in 1988. Where does that
leave the 8-bit market 7 Probably
much the same as last year -
providing a solid base for games
development, and one on the
Spectrum that should prove
interesting as the rumours of a real
alternative Spectrum, clone grow.
In the review section next monlh
we should have finished versions
of ST Buggy Boy and Space
Harrier. Road Wans on nearly
everything, Rsstan Saga from
Ocean, and something really
special to look forward to is
Rainbird's 16-bit Carrier

Command, with a look m on the
Spectrum version too.

LEAD
REVIEWS

PLATOON

The gamesplaying highlight has to
be Ocean's film licence Platoon -
a superb combination of of action
and adventure scenes. Excellent
packaging, and probably the best
thing to emerge from Ocean since
Wtzbali

PAGE 59

UMS

From Rainbird comes the most
exciting advance in strategy
software. Universal Military
Simulator can create any battle,
anywhere (or anywhen} with any
weapons. Why it was worth 96%.
highest TGM rating yet, can be
discovered in the extensive review

on

PAGE 40

JINXTER

Magnetic Scrolls do it again with
their third release through

Plain bird The Story revolves
around the search tor pieces of a

charm scattered throughout a land
smitten by bad luck - fortunately
you can't die, which should please
a lot of people.

ADVENTURE PAGES

HUNTER'S MOON

Fourth release from Thalamus
again only for the Commodore 64/
1S8. takes greai shoot- env up
action into psychedelic space.
Written by Martin Walker the
stylish graphics and fine gameplay
make it a worthy 90%.

P AGE 59

MATCH DAY II

Jon Hitman and Bernie
Orummonds sequel to the highly
popular Match Day, released
nearly three years ago. Featuring
new moves and a diamond
deflection system, this is the best
football game devised yet.

PAGE 50

REVIEWS SUMMARY

COMMODORE 64/128

Airborne Ranger 30

Bone Cruncher 51

Deja Vu Adventure

Flying Shark 54

Garfield 62

Guadalcanal 36

Hunter's Moon 59

Jack the Ripper Adventure

Out Run 60

PHM Pegasus 48

Platoon 56

Match Day II 50

Jack The Ripper

Adventure

Backlash 47

The Jade Stone

Adventure

Bard's Tale 36

Match Day II

50

Blue War 43

Out Run

60

Bubble Bobble 63

Slame

35

Chamonix Challenge 29

Terramex

64

Deja Vu Adventure
Dt Livingstone 1 Presume 41

Eeo : >.4

AMSTRAD

Jinxter Adventure
MoetMus €7
Phoenix 46

Blue War

46

The Hunt For Red October 33

Chamonix Challenge

29

Star Trek 28

Dan Dare II

49

Terramex 64

Gryzor
Match Day II

52

50

Tanqlewood S3
UMS 40

SPECTRUM 48/1 28

California Games
Dan Dare II
Flying Shark
Gryior

fifi

49 ATARI ST

54

52 Academy

65

AMIGA

BMX Simulator
Crazy Cars

Deja Vu Adventure

Insanity Fight 34

Into the Eagle's Nest 61

Jinxter Adventure

Moebius 67

Test Drive 42

PC

Academy 65

Dark Castle 55

Deja Vu Adventure

The Hunt For Red October 33

SEGA

Action Fighter 39

68 Secret Command 39

66 Out Run 60

TGM TX DATE: 02-8827/1 16

WHOOPS
SCOTTY'S

STAR TREK

Firebird

ATARI ST ONLY

S

tar Trek first appeared on American TV on 8

September 1 966 and ran lor three seasons - a total

of 79 shows in all. It never really died, thanks to

innumerable reruns, tremendous fan adulation and

its promotion to the big league of feature films of which

there have been four to date. Now a new TV series has

been completed, though it won't be seen on British TV for

several years because the buy-in cost is too high, instead

you will be able to hire the programmes on videotape. Star

Trek was a natural for computer games and there have

been many unofficial attempts, especially on the

Spectrum. Shortly before Christmas 1986, Firebird

announced they had secured the official licence and work

had begun on the game. However, as John Gilbert detailed

in THE GAMES MACHINE Issue 2 (Licensed To Knock 'Em

Dead), Firebird ran into delays, and only now can we

assess the results of their efforts.
The Federation has designated a

region of space (turn left at Saturn
and cruise in warp eight for 20 Nghl
years) as a quarantine zone. Their
reason is a well guarded secret,
but it appears that ttie crew of any
Federation Starship entering the
zone mutinies and turn s renegade.

Tq no-one's surprise the
Kiingons are involved; up to their
usual unfriendly antics, they have
been experimenting with a
particular type of Diirthium crystal
which can act as a telepathic
amplifier when hooked up to a
major power source (such as a
Starship warp drive}. Any sentient
beings within the thaughtwave
range soon find themselves open
to Klingon telepathic suggestion,
even from a distance of light years.

Voor mission, Jim, should you
decide to accept it, is to enter this

zone, seek out and destroy the
Klingon Psimitter within a time limit
of five years and avoid upsetting
too many RomuSans in the
process.

BEING LOGICAL

The very first noticeable effect in
Star Tr&k the game is the speech
a! the start of the loading
sequence, it's Kirk's digitised
dulcels ringing aut with 'Space,
the final frontier . . . ' etc. Then
there's Dave Whitteker's music -
a rather dubious rendition of what
is obviously the TV theme, but
quite jolly nonetheless,

Once loaded, you are presented
with a multivision screen, the
primary display area consisting of
very attractive representations of
Kirk, Spock, Scott, McCoy, Sulu.

Can th* anginas take it? Can your ST take it?

The Enterprise is now in standard orbtt around the plan«t Atari ST - at last

Uhura and Chekov all at their end-
of-episode stations on the
Enterprise's bridge. The L-shaped
border to the right and below <s
filled with seven secondary
screens which either depict
individual crew members or some
of the Enterprise's systems. To
change the primary display you
simply move the cursor (mouse or
joystick controlled) to one of the
available twelve secondary
screens required and click.

Each crew member has a
different function, for example
Spock keeps you informed about
the state of the Enterprise at any
given moment and also offers
details on planets and enemy
ships within ihe zone. He, too, has
sampled speech and announces
that he Will never understand
humans, usually just when the life
support systems fail due to a
m isfudgement on the player's part-
When you are still a novice at the
game, this message begins to
irritate after hearing it for the eighth
or ninth time, and doubtless the
kind of language directed back at
the verbose Vulcan is unlikely to
aid his understanding one iota,

KLINGON BOLDLY

There are no cast surprises in tact,
so it's comforting to discover good
ol' Scotty in charge of the 'She'll
noo take it cap'n' engines, Sulu m
the navigator's chair, Chekov
'Locked on target' as weapons
officer, Bones in the Medical Bay
and Uhura relaying any messages
she may pick up.

Captain James T Kirk controls
the important bits of the game
such as the pause button (very
necessary for those panicky
moments when the E nterprise w itti
only 50% power is confronted by
sis Klingon Birds Of Prey . . . the
player is given the opportunity of
making the ultimate cup of tea
before dying), the load/save
option, the time and the contents
of the stores. He is also in charge
of the transporter for those all-
important landing parties.

Star Treflr the computer game is
enormous, comprising many
enemy ships, hundred of planets
to visit and various ways of

defeating the nefarious Klingon
plans. To go into too much detail
about how the game works and
what Is possible within it would
take up far too much of the final
frontier ; suffice to say it is chiefly a
game of strategy wrth a pinch of
shoot- 'em- up and includes all the
elements of the Sfar Trek we have
come to know and love, warp
speed, photon torpedoes, the
transporter and so on. It should
keep any player prepared 10
persevere busy for weeks

When Sfar Trek first beamed
aboard THE GAMES MACHINE
we have to report that lethargy
ruled; it .appeared rather boring
and, presentation aside, a
disappointment However to
review it fairly, extensive playing
was instigated. We soon found
that once some achievements
within the game had been
accomplished a spark of interest
ignited urging us on. The deeper
into the game one travels Ihe
better It gets until, eventually, in
the same way that Elite grabbed
the games-playing world, Sfar
Trek grips the player by his
Kiingons and drags him through
many sleepless nights to the
ultimate goal of bringing peace
and harmony to the universe once
more.

ATARI ST

Diskette: El 9.95
There are no plans for other
versions of Star Trek, which
makes you wonder how
Firebird ever intend getting
their huge investment back;
ft is strange that they are not
contemplating at least an
Amiga Star Trek, With six
different ways to complete
the game and with the
massive universe created in
it, Star TrBk provides plenty to
do. but we did th m k that after
several hours play the variety
Of do-able things began to
look a bit thin. However, it is
certainly a lot better than
than tts first impression
Implies.

OVERALL 71%

It should keep any player prepared to
persevere busy for weeks,"

28.116TGM "DC DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

FORD

EVERY

STREAM

CHAMONIX CHALLENGE

Infogrames

Irrfogrames are releasing 16-bit software thrck and
fast lately and while doing so are beginning to
encompass many and \Jaried subjects for their games
to tackle. No longer can the company be thought of
as having an adventure bent, especially taking into
account one of their latest releases, Chamonix Challenge.
This simulation promises to take the player to breathtaking
heights as a daring mountaineer. Imagine it; the
experience of climbing the peaks of the French Alps
without the physical drawbacks of freezing conditions,
vertigo, hidden crevasses or blind panic. All these features
are included in the game and may be enjoyed from the
comfort of home.

At the start the game presents
several climbing routes of varying
difficulty and one or more may be

chosen, so may the starting time
and whether the climb is~ta be
attempted in summer or winter.
Climbing in wintry conditions is far
more dangerous than in
summertime, and the same is true
of nighttime, Choice selection is
icon-dnven (joystick or keys).

Every mountaineer must pay
close attention to equipment
needed for an ascent and
Chamonix Challenge has a wide
choice from which to select. Care
must be exercised during this
phase to ensure that you have
everything required to ensure
success whilst at the same time
not loading yourself down with
unnecessary items such as the
microwave (?) or Walkman.
Chosen items are automatically
stored in the rucksack except for
the main climbing gear - pilaris,
ropes and karibiners (a device for
retrieving losl ropes) - which is
held m the hands ready for use.

Once the player is happy with
(he route, time and equipment he
may begin the climb.

UP, UP AND AWAY

Vour experience of a lifetime
begins in a Suitably easy way on
(he relatively flat and picturesque
glaciers, the most difficult part of
which <s the walking - and it's the
first time you encounter what
becomes the central concern of
Chamonix Challenge . . . rhythm-
It is difficult to establish the
rhythmic control required to get
the mountaineer going and to keep
him moving. One mistake in the
l&ft'nght rhythm and the guy
falters and slops; this rather odd
control for such a simple task is at
first very frustrating, then it
becomes tedious and eventually

(when eager to get onto the slopes)
just plain annoying.

However easy the glacial
landscape may took there are
dangers. The player is given
warning of the presence of
crevasses either by a small dip in
the snow or a very precarious-
looking ice bridge. When

Tackling the vertical tockf&ta: nearly
Own , . . ST screen

confronted with a suspicious
section of snow a quick prod with
a walking stick determines
whether it is safe to walk over or
not - if it isn't the ground collapses
and a deep crevasse is revealed.
This has to be jumped and pixel-
perfect accuracy is required if an
unnecessarily long climb or a
quick death are to be avoided.

The next stage is usually a
snowy slope, these are generally
quite easy although they do vary
greatly i n length. The gradients are
not too sleep and again rhythm is
the way to success, Never leave
your man in a state of insecurity on
these slopes, do not take a rest
unless his feet are well dug in and
his ice picks are secure or he falls,

ON THE FACE

The third and most difficult stage
of Chamonix Challenge is rock
climbing. Viewed straight qn. it
shows the climber, back to the
player, clinging to the rockface
he's ascending. First problem here
is to avoid the falling boulders
which descend as soon as the

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95

AMSTRAD CPC 61 28

Cassette; £9.95
Diskette: £14.95

Chamonix Challenge is very pretty to look at and extremely difficult
to play. The only rea I differences between the ST version and that
of the Amstrad CPC are the quality of sound and graphics, the
order in which the Items are arranged in the rucksack {last in first
out i n die Atari version), the option to speed t i me up when a sleep
and the appearance of the climber's face (rather than just a text
message as on the Amstrad version) suffering from each
dilemma as it occurs. Putting aside these elements wfiich have
been added to the Atari ST C'lar-xsnk Challenge, both versions play
similarly with the same number of climbing options and amount
of difficulty. The ST graphics are the better by a margin, largely
because of more detail.

ATARI ST OVERALL 75%
AMSTRAD CPC 6128 OVERALL 72%

Mountain climbing in ttw Amstrad version of Chamonix Challenge
ling not permitted on those long stop**

yodBi-

scene appears which requires
some nifty left/right footwork Its

really a randomising device and
can be unfair inasmuch as once
the climber has moved to one side
he cannot move back and is stuck
with that Starling point to begin
climbing. However if you are lucky
enough to have a decent start (and
you are wearing the ngh| shoes)
the actual climbing is extremely
time consuming. addictive,
interesting and even exciting,

The climber's four limbs may be
moved one at a ti me and if they gel
a decent hold a fittle hand or foot
icon appears, if the grip is unsafe
the icon flashes, When at least
three holds are secure you can
move up and look tor further holds
to continue the ascenl. Whatever
is held in inventory may be used to
assist, theprton. chocks, karibmer
and rope ate especially helpful.

Throughout the game items may
be taken from or returned to the
rucksack if the climber is in a fairly
secure situation - such as on a flat
surface or strapped to a slope -
and most of these are needed
during the climb to combat phases
of hunger, tiredness, cold - even
heat - that are encountered.

The game is mu Hi -load (which
will result in some ledium for
cassette users) wrth a thoughtful
save/load position option, A
particularly nice touch ss the
climber's face in closeup where
his goggles show what obstacle
he will come across on the next
screen so that he may prepare
himself.

First reactions |q Chamonix
Challenge may well be of
frustration and perhaps even
boredom but perseverance is the
name of the game and once all the
tdiosyncrasies are mastered that
little blue sprite will be climbing.
sliding and falling to his doom with
l he best of them.

COMMODORE 64

Cassette: £9.95
Diskette: £14.95
Cassette owners should be
aware of mufti -load
problems when the

Commodore version arrives,
which Infogrames tell us
should be soon, so watch out
for an Update. They also
insist that it will be every bit
the same game as the
versions we've reviewed
here - but failed to say
whether that would be closer
to tfie ST or the Amstrad . . .

(i

. the actual

climbing is

extremely time

consuming,

addictive,

interesting and even

exciting."

TX DATE: 02-88 29/1 16

M^^^M^M

BORNE TO KILL

AIRBORNE RANGER

MicroPros*

MicroProse are generally better known for their
realistic, high-quality simlulations (Silent Service
and Gunship to name but two), but Airborne Ranger
is a departure from their traditional releases and
introduces arcade game elements. Described as a
combat action simulator', Airborne Ranger\s also easier
to get into than the manual-bound flight simulations as,
pJaying an American Ranger, you are dropped deep into
enemy territory on one of twelve dangerous missions.

■
■

J*

■J*

.-. .-. ■*- .r.

■-» »-« »*.

- ■ —

X-'-

A-

■■»■ »"■ '^■ -

A-

..

A

*

Jt.

weapons (including time bombs)
being used to eliminate larger
defences. The Ranger can crawl
along ditches, walk around
hazards and nun across
wastelands, although, realistically
enough, the distance you can run

depends on your health and the
amount ol supplies carried. A
weapons sight for accurate firing
constantly points in whichever
direction the player is facing.

Stepping on mines, drowning in
rivers or getting hit by
flamethrowers inevitably results in
death, but bullet wounds are
slightly less serious; the supply
pods carry first-aid kits to provide
vital treatment for any damage
taken. As it only takes three enemy
bullets to kill, careful use of the
medical kits is essential.

A map i$ available to assist
navigation of minefields and other
defence obstacles- Once the
northern target has been reached
and the . mission objective
achieved, the Osprey craft can be
recalled, boarded and the mission
is complete. Successful Hangers
can be saved to disk, any Rangers
no longer needed being retired
from duty (wiped from the disk in
other words).

SPECTRUM
48/128
AMSTRAD CPC
ATARI ST
AMIGA

Versions for all these
machines are being worked
on, but as to release dates
and prices, MicroProse are
being unhelpfully vague -
sometime in 1 988, they say.

Any of the twelve missions listed
can be attempted, and in any)
order, but if you are feeling
particularly brave, selecting
Campaign gives you the chance
to try all twelve in sequence, The
missions in Airborne R$ng&r,
which include rescuing prisoners
and hostages, stealing a code
book, and the more
straightforward destroying of
enemy installations, provide a neat
mixture of strategic thinking and
Shoot-'em-up, although sheer
speed is not the point of the game.
Upon selecting a mission, an
Osprey transporter plane flies over
the combat area towards the
distant dropzone. Once the
dropzone is reached, pods
containing equipment and
supplies are dropped first, then
you parachute into the enemy
camp and the mission begins!

A TANGLE

First task is to collect your

supplies, as long as you dropped
them carefully so they didn't fall
into a ravine for instance, From a
bird's-eye viewpoint, you move
around the four-directionaliy
scrolling enemy base with various
defences and hazards coming into
view. Machine-gun posts, turret
bunkers and robotic defences fire
at anything that moves, whilst
enemy soldiers patrol the area,
mercilessly pursuing your
character if he is spotted. The area
is a tangle of tank traps, barbed
wire, snipers and minefields which
hinder movement, while ditches,
walls and trees provide cover from
enemy fire.

Rocket launchers, grenades,
knives and a rifle provide the
firepower, the more potent

COMMODORE 64/128

Cassette: £1495
Diskette: £19.95

Airborne Ranger has similarities to the coin-op Commando in ft*
g raphic s and play abi lity. The good use of colour, effective sound,
neatly defined and nicely animated sprites provide a highly
realistic atmosphere. The gemeplay may seem repetitive from
time to time, but the variety of tasks to be performed and tactics
to use give the game considerable depth. You may find the
missions aren't too difficult to complete, but the game itsetf Is
playable, a challenge, and has a lot more scope than your
average shoot- 'em-up.

OVERALL 82%

"Airborne Ranger provides a neat mixture of
strategic thinking and shoot- 1 em-up ..."

30/11 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

uw pmoE

Odlff * CHlf/ / / / /

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URGENT NOTICE nont be m^ied by adverts ihowtng Petween prices ' A rweni
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32' 1 1 6TGM TX DATE: 02-88

DEFECTING

THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

Grand Slam Entertainment

om Clancy's thriller novel The Hunt For Red October

T^is a best-seller, has been the cause of a NATO
embarrassment, a film is in the pipeline and, not
surprisingly, the computer game rights have been
snapped up. Bought by Argus Press Software, the game
was included in the sale of all Argus computer game rights
to Stephen Hall, managing director of Argus Press
Software, who bought the company from his employers in
mid -November and renamed it Grand Slam
Entertainment. Red October's coders, Oxford Digital
Enterprises {ODE) have been responsible for the many
computer versions of Trivial Pursuit, the Adrian Mole saga
and, more recently, Yes, Prime Minister.

The story revolves around the
highly advanced Soviet attack
submarine. Red October. Its top-
secret Caterpillar drive enables the
sub to become virtually
undetectable by sonar or radar.
Red October's captain, Marko
Ramius. intends to defect to
America, taking the submarine
with him. The Americans want her,
the Russians want her back and
they'll try anything to stop the
defection, even if it means sinking
the sub.

A row of icons control all the
sub's functions (sonar, engines.
weapons, periscope and maps)
selected by using a hammer and
sickle pointer. Sonar provides
both plan views and a contour
layout of the immediate area
around the submarine, assisting in
ttie navigation of deep-sea ravines
and valleys. Enemy targets can be
accurately positioned with sonar,
although they are alerted to your
position in the process. An on-
board library of ship sonar
Signatures allows accurate
identification of any contacts
made,

SLOW BITT SURE

Red October's drive systems
include standard nuclear drive, a
dteset system and propellers.
These provide faster speeds but
are easier to detect by enemy
sonar. The Caterpillar drive is
extremely quiet but its use entails
reducing speed to a third.

Amongst the weapons on board
are 26 SeaHawk nuclear missiles
(which, oddly, can't be launched -
they have a place in the book, but
presumably the programmers fett
they had no part to play in the
game) and the standard
torpedoes. Torpedoes can be
computer controlled or guided
manually to their target by setting
the torpedo's heading and
elevation before firing.

The periscope icon offers infra-
red or night views Of surface
activity, with the attack scope
giving information on a target's
heading, the data being fed into
the sub's targeting computer.
Whilst on the surface. Electronic
Surveillance Measures allow ypu
to intercept radio messages
between enemy ships. This also
updates the Atlantic Ocean map,
displaying Red October's position
and those last reported of the
American and Russian fleets.

Changes in heading, depth and
speed are made by pointing at the
relevant icon. Once selected, the
sub's course, depth gr speed is
altered to the new setting.

EVADING THE LAW

The Atlantic Ocean floor is coated
with highly sensitive Captor M i nes ,
which launch torpedoes al
unidentified, fast-moving vessels
such as Red October. Avoiding
them involves laying flack as a
decoy, changing to the Caterpillar
drive (causing the torpedo to lose

No, I said DOWN peris cope.' ST scrawl

REVIEWS

The s&abed map on the ST

your signal) or the simple, but more
dangerous, method of outrunning
the torpedo.

Under maritime law. Red
October would be instantly
reclaimed by the Russians if it
entered a US port. To avoid this,
there's a secondary task of
rendezvousing with the American
fleet off their coast, where the
submarine can undergo a change
of identity, enabling you to enter a
US naval port and complete the
final phase of the defection.

As the submarine traverses the
treacherous deep sea ravines and
valleys, strategic thought comes
into play in avoiding sensors and
deep probing anti-submarine
vessels. Take too long to reach the
Atlantic and more hostile vessels
will arrive in the area, move too
quickly and run the risk of
activating the deadly Captor
Mines.

The Hunt For Red Oct ooer won 't
appeal to those seeking fast
action, a shame really as it is a
neatly constructed, polished

release. The game can get very
tense (as in any submarine warfare
engagement) when the Russian
Fleet is approaching fast and
you're trying to negotiate deep sea
hazards. Unfortunately, the
beginning 15 immensely hard, just
getting out into open sea is difficult
enough due to the sheer number
of Captor mines littering the sea
bed. But despite the arcade
appearance, it is placed firmly in
the strategy game field, hence the
lengthy periods of inactivity whilst
sailing the Atlantic, Once out into
the Atlantic, player interaction
reduces to a minimum, just set the
sub on its way and leave it to itself.
This does spread the game's
appeal somewhat thinly, even for
strategists.

ATARI ST

Diskette; £24.96

The icon system works well, the graphics are detailed and
realistic (If a bit flickery) and the sound effects are highly
convincing - the engine sounds in particular are varied and well
done. Oddty, saving your present position to disk and reloading
it removes any enemy vessels from the immediate area. A useful
bug for getting out of tricky situations I Apart from the main task
of reaching the American coast whilst avoiding enemy ships an
route, there isn't enough to the game. Great presentation, and
neatly executed too but with not an awful lot to ft.

OVERALL 67%

IBM PC

Diskette: £24.95

The standard PC colour
scheme of pink, purple and
various shades of blue gives
the game a fuzzy, peculiar
look, especially when using
the sonar underwater
display, and it can be a touch
unpleasant on the eyes after
a long game. Otherwise it is
neatly and effectively
presented within the PC's
restricted colours. With its
high-speed operation the PC
is the fastest version af the
lot, responses to icon
selections being both swift
and accurate. But as is to be
expected, sound effects
aren't too varied, with beeps
and a low growling noise
(representing the sub's
engines) being the order of
the day. A word of warning:
mouseless owners WON'T
be able to play the game,
which limits it in the already
limited PC entertainment
software scene.

OVERALL 62%

AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

SPECTRUM 48/
128

COMMODORE 64/
128

AMSTRAD CPC
Cassettes; £14.95
Diskettes; £19,95

Ml other versions should be
released by the time you read
this, but were just too Late to
go into the review. Game
elements are expected to be
Identical, with graphic
representation appropriate
to each machine's

capabilities. Watch out for
version updates next issue.

"The Hunt For Red
October Is a neatly

constructed,
polished release."

Levelling at 9 ne'
Periscope depth SLi»f

tin DMiiccnopt

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 33/1 16

MADNESS

INSANITY FIGHT

Microdeal

Programmers Christian Hi Her and Jinn Six are
members of Line), a Swiss software company about
which it is very difficult to glean any information. Even
the people at Microdeal knew little about their
previous endeavours. Watch these pages, though, for
more information about them. Insanity Fight appears to be
Lin el's first program to be released in this country, and for
their first venture into the 16-bit market they have chosen
the very safe subject of the vertically scrolling shoot- em-
up.

White loading the game you are

presented with a very nice
digitised picture of the Starfighter
yon are about to pilot,
accompanied by a sound track
reminiscent of a mid— European
discotheque. It the ship reminds
you a little of the Parallax aircraft,
is that a bad thing? The next visual
delight is a picture of the pilot's
head in full battle regalia, who
proclaims in sampled speech, as
the visor drops down over his face,
that the Start ighter is ready.

The m-game screen uses the
cockpit controls as a border to the
action, including indicators for
alarm status {how close an enemy
is), Starfighter's energy, lives
remaining, enemies destroyed,
the score, how much time is Jeft for
the current level and the craft's
speed. There is aFso a radar
system at the top of the panel
which turns from blue to orange
when a Mothership is about to
attack, it also indicates from which
area of the screen rt will appear
and al lows the cowards among us
to get out of the way, although the
headstrong can attack.

The mam aim of the game is to
Survive. Starfighter controf is via
joystick. and everything

encountered must be either
destroyed or avoided. Icons
dotting the terrain, contain

are more useful to collect than
oihers.

insanity Fight's speed is not for
the squeamish - especially in
turbo mode - and the enemy
fighters attack in ever greater
waves of ferocity. Each level
increases in difficulty but not to the
extent of persuading the player to

give up and go home.

Shoot-'em-ups are ten -a -penny
on the 8-bit machines and rt looks
like it's going that way for the more
powerful computers: however,
Insanity Fight is slick enough to
keep its head above the
competition for the foreseeable
future at least.

bonuses which are collected by
flying over them. Some, such as
turbo- speed, supershoi

weaponry, energy and mirroring.

AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

Many would instantly recognise the Undium genre In insanity Fight.
The bas-relief graphics prove highty effective, the colours
attractive and the sound FX punchy. The speed of the action can
be breath -taking, and what with the enemy fighters and
installations firing at you, the lethal forcefields, tall buildings and
giant mother-ships, it's a fire- button -finger exercise in stamina.

OVERALL 74%

ATARI ST

An ST release is imminent, although Microdeal are not prepared
to commit themselves to a price as yet. With the exception of the
digitised speech, Insanity Fight on the ST will behave and look like
its Amiga counterpart

"Insanity Fight's speed is not for the squeamish . . . "

34/11 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

HAND

SLAINE

Hartech

When the software industry gets its teeth into
licensable material it doggedly hangs on to the
theme until only the bare bones remain. Just when
we thought they had probably squeezed 2000 AD
dry, along comes another character in his own computer
game; this time its Clint look-a-like Slaine and his side kick
Ukko. Martech have delved into the Dredd world before
with Nemesis The Warlock, which did quite well for them
even though comic fans were disappointed by the game.
Melbourne House burned their fingers with Judge Dredd
and Piranha pulled theirs out of the fire smartish by
withdrawing Judge Death for a rewrite. Earlier still,
Strontium Dog and Rogue Trooper also proved to be
weaker than their characters. What of Slaine?

Lyonesse has been in the grip of
evil Dnjne Lords for many years.
Now ttie last of them has been
defeated in brattle near the village
of Tautega. Lyonesse warts and
watches, wondering what powers
will rule its destiny in the absence
of the mighty Prunes. To this land
awaiting a new balance of power,

LWk

travels the wamor Slaine together
with his companion Ukko. thereto
team what he can of Tautega's
history. The game offers only & hint
that you need money to be able to
get information from the locals.
Only then will the obscure plot
thicken sufficiently to discern an
objective.

■ " i 1

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character

Steine displays a very different

style of game to the more usual
graphic adventure software. Top
left and right are the bounds of
Siaine's imagination, within which
his thoughts enter, and leave. The
idea is to move the cursor (via
joystick or keys) onto the chosen
command (move, status, attack,
actions and so on) and click to
capture it. The cursor itself is a
severed hand, but with the
unfortunate trend of trying to
shock and revoit increasing in
popularity this should perhaps
come as no surprise, especially in
dealing with a character as
Supposedly barbaric as Slaine.

SLIPPERY
THOUGHTS

Choosing the thought Move, for
example, presents exits available?
trom Seine's current location,
after which you can then click on
the choice of direction. Choosing
Examine results in a list of objects
available which may be looked at
closely. The reasons and uses of
the choices available are fairly
straightforward throughout the
game ... if only the same could
be sai d of the control method used
to access these options. Slaine is
obviously a quick thinker, and all
thoughts enter his head and leave
it quits rapidly and in a very
antagonistic fashion. It states
within the packaging that this so-
called Reflex system is confusing
at first but should soon become
second -nature. The idea smacks
of gimmickry and is decidedly
dstnmental to the gameplay.
Ratner than becoming second-
natu re , it runs the ri sk of becoming
more annoying as inspiration
arrives on how to gam progress in.
the game, and precious seconds
are irritatingiy wasted while trying
to catch the 'thought' required to
carry out an action.

Sine's graphics are very good
indeed, captunng the ongmal
bravura black-and-white comic
drawings with great feel. But the
game's depth is limited, probably
because so much memory is eaten
up by its flashy design, reportedly

s AfTrStrso incBtiiMttoti of Cfie 2DO0 A.0

a problem with Judge 000th
version one And there are one or
two eyebrow-raising idiosync-
rasies present, such as the ability
to pick up the long oak bar but not
take the food or ale off it. and the
presence of the Thorm- style Kikko
whose little messages grate
before very long even though the
option to hit him is mildly
satisfying. Sl&ne is professionally
presented and it is a shame
that the mode of play lets it down

AMSTRADCPC

Cassette: £9.99
Diskette: £14,99

SPECTRUM 48/
128

Cassette: £8,99

There are few real
differences between the two
versions other than the
positioning of Siaine's
'thoughts'; On the Amstrad
they are placed at the top of
the screen and on the
Spectrum version they're at
the left. The feel of the game,
its shallow depth and diff i cu it
control method are similar in
both versions.

OVERALL 45%

COMMODORE

Cassette: £9.99
Diskette: £12.99

Expected at any moment, no
significant differences are
expected, certainly not
graphically as the licence
depends heavity on the
comic-style drawings.

it

. the Reflex sys-
tem smacks of gim-
mickry and Is
decidedly detrimen-
tal to gameplay."

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 35/1 16

REVIEWS

WAR IN THE PACIFIC

GUADALCANAL

Actmsion

Alan Bird and Alan Steel are no strangers to
wargames f having previously produced the best-
selling, chillingly realistic nuclear wargame Theatre
Europe. Now, moving away from the modern day
environment, they've turned their sights back to World
War It and the Pacific island of Guadalcanal for their
newest release.

A year after the 1941 Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbour, America
launched its first invasion of
Japanese -occupied territory on
the island of Guadalcanal. The
invasion was a accounted a
success with U S forces rectai m i ng
much of the island and its vital
airstrip. However, the Japanese
counter-attacked, sending In a
large seaborne task force to
support their remaining troops and
oust the Americans. US carrier
groups and battleships were in the
area and large scale conflict
quickly followed. You can take
command of either the Japanese
or US forces as the Battle For
Guadalcanal begins.

Either Commander's task is
similar, the American's to prevent
Japanese from retaking the island,
the Japanese commander's to
prevent the Americans from
holding on it. At the commanders'
disposal are aircraft carriers
providing air offensive and escort
capabilities, battleships and
cruisers giving naval support, as
well as transport ships carrying
vital supplies to the troops on
Guadalcanal itself. Hidden
movement is catered for with
scouts on land and seaplanes over
water providing the

reconnaissance capability for
detailing enemy movements-

The Japanese need to destroy
all US battalions to reach the
airfield, or destroy most of the US
fleet thus forcing the Americans to
withdraw. The Americans need
only to hoid off the enemy long
enough. Two Japanese bases are
sited on the east and west sides of
Guadalcanal, a pincer between
which sits the American
advantage - the island's airfield
from which they can launch air
patrols and air attacks.

MILITARY
IMBALANCE

Commands to units are issued
through icons; moving the map
cursor over a unit and selecting it
brings up the standard icons for
movement, combat and extra
options available to specific units
only (such as the dig-in option for
land forces, or the recall -to-base
option for aircraft).

Units can be set to follow
damned patrol routes

automatically while you

manipulate other units. Icons
along the top control extra
features for accelerating game
time, using espionage to crack
and intercept coded enemy
messages, selecting scouts for
reconnaisance. as well as bringing
up status dispiays of your current
force, weather conditions (neither
fleet's aircraft can fly in stormy
weather) and any ships sunk.
Aircraft fuel levels need
monitoring, as running out of fuel
forces a plane to ditch.
Ammunition is limited, and once
used up the plane has to return to
base to rearm,

As the game progresses, more
and more enemy units land on the
island and aircraft attacks
increase, Any vessels taking
damage can be slowly repaired
where they are or repaired
instantly at a supply port, any
critical hits taken will sink the ship.
Direct ship confrontations are
quick and bloody, the best tactic
being to use aircraft to strafe
enemy shi-js.

The game is won if the enemy
suffers major losses and is forced
to withdraw from Guadalcanal.
Three scenarios are available,
giving the player the chance to

13:32 STORMY MCATHER

BIB

Hi n -

r

a"

4- *

OIO-IM

command either side or try the
trainer mode to get used to the
game. Games can also be saved
to disk or cassette for later play.

Guadalcanal was a particularly
ferocious and bloody fight with
Americans fighting a Japanese
force virtually double their
strength. The program realistically
captures this immense difference
between the opposing forces,
giving the Japanese distinct
advantage in ship numbers. The
ability lo define patrol routes tor
ships and aircraft and then leave

COMMODORE 64/

128

Cassette: £9.99
Diskette: £14.95

The lack of further scenarios
or selectable skill levels does
limit the game. The icons
themselves work well and
prove easy to use, having to
confirm movement orders is
a pain though. The end-game
is drawn out and stows the
pace of the game down con-
siderably. On one occasion,
the enemy forces on Guadal-
canal were wiped out
entirety, yet still the opposi-
tion refused to withdraw
from the island.

OVERALL 63%

them to rt ts neatly done. Computer
intelligence is on a high level of
efficiency, using " hidden

movement to attack under cover
of darkness whilst retreating back
to port when seriously damaged.
But Guadalcanal is a somewhat
disappointing release, it has the
skeleton of a great game but lacks
sufficient substance,

SPECTRUM 48/

128

Cassette: £9.99

AMSTRADCPC

Cassette: £9,99
Diskette: £14.99

Nothing as of yet, hopefully
the Spectrum 12B machines
will load in ell the missions In
one go. Attribute problems
won't be in evidence with this
type of game and It should
prove to be b faithful conver-
sion. The scrolling map
might not work too well on
the Ametrad but there
shouldn't be any problems
with the payability and use
of Icons. Improvements to
the general gameplay and
unit graphics would be
appreciated, but this might
not happen if it is a standard
conversion from the Spec-
trum,

"Guadalcanal has the skeleton ef a great
game but lacks sufficient substance."

VERSION UPDATE

Bard from

BARDS TALE
VOLUME ONE

Electronic Arts

Atari ST £24.95

THE 6-BfT versions of this were
released in the Autumn of 1 986, so
a short resume may be in order.
Small country town Skara Brae lies
under Mangar The Dark's evil grip.
his deadly demons stalk the

streets of the once-happy

community and no outsiders may
enter and help the hapiess hamlet.
Sards Tate is an RPG with the
player taking the role of one of a
team of freedom fighters made up
of young, inexperienced men
whose task is to explore Skara
Brae searching for people and
objects which may aid their quest.

36/116TGM IX DATE:Q£-88

The team's individual's fighting

prowess is initialised at the start of
the game when team members
can be chosen from an available
list or created by the player.

The display is split in three. Top
left depicts either the current
threat to the party or the location
(when moving around the town the
movement is very fast and
beautifully smooth). Top right
displays messages about present
predicaments and information
concerning individual team
members. Below is a list of the
team and their current status.
Character control uses the move

Cursor and click mgcfe, and
movement ophons appear in the
location window as directional
arrows.

COMMENT

The graphics are very
attractive, even impressive
here and there, with suitably
ambient sound effects
throughout On the Atari ST
Bards Ta.e looks, sounds and
even plays better than H ever
did on an 8-bit machine.

ATARI ST
OVERALL 65%

aawiaaa

loncTels

"A thousand centuries ago the human adventure began". At that time, survival
depended on hunting, finding sources of water, medicinal or nutritional plants,

and making arms from flint.
Your tribe is sick and hungry Each day, some of your companions die in terrible
pain, and the drought is spreading and yellowing the pastures which used to be
green. Big game has disappeared and food is becoming more and more scarce.

The law of the survival of the fittest replaces the ancestral

rights in violent combats between neighbouring tribes

and particularly with the blood-thirsty mad hyenas.

The number of hunters diminishes every day, and many

youngsters have to Jeave prematurely for the hunt In

order to win, you have to become a valiant hunter and set

off to conquer new lands where terrible trials are awaiting.

Can YOU survive?

-*

LORICIELS LTD

Elite Systems Limited. Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, Staffs WSlS GRX

ATARI ST 5CHEEN5HQTS

GRAND SLAM

ENTERTAINMENTS

PRESENTS

THE CARTOON ANIMATION GAME .

[IGA £19.95.

HANG ON
HUNTER

ACTION FIGHTER

Sega

Mega Cartridge: £19.95

Sega can, perhaps, be forgiven for using old ideas in
Action Fighter because at least they are their own old
ideas. Pinching the base elements of that ancient
Sega coin -op Spy Hunter, and using the bike from
Hang On,, they have incorporated the bits into a vertically
scrolling shoot -em -up with a difference . . .

Action Fighter takes place over
five stages, Top secret
instructions at the beginning of
each level detail which targets
need to be destroyed - the levei
one objective is to destroy throe
nuclear submarines, en two it is si x
missile tanks, followed by mystery
craft on later levels.

Starting off on the Hang On bike.
you travel along a twisting road
avoiding other cars, bikers and
ambulances travelling the same
route- A helicopter flies over the
road, dropping a mine ahead of
your vehicle. Signs flash by,
indicating bends in the road, and
crashing into the kerb or colliding
with other vehicles is, naturally
enough, fatal,

A timer ticks down from 999,
during which time the bikar is
invincible and this is the best time

to amass enough points to get
extra lives, because upon

reaching zero the player is
vulnerable to knocks and
collisions, and with only two start
lives some careful driving is
required.

The vehicle is equipped with
twin-cannon, upgradable to air-to-
air and air-to-ground missiles
simply by entering a Sega
weapons truck (a la Spy Huotio).
As the biker roars along, letters
from A to F float down -screen;
collect four letters and the bike can
transform into a Porsche providing
added protection (useful for
ramming other road-users),
Collect ell six letters and the
Porsche turns into a flying car
(don't ask) and takes to the skies

Once above the clouds, enemy
planes, helicopter gunships, and

spaceships missiles swoop in to
the attack. The action continues

until either you lose all lives or the

task on each level is completed,

Once the enemy at the end of each
stage is destroyed, If a onto the
next level to destroy a different,
deadlier set of opponents,

COMMENT

Action is the name of the game as the bike moves along at a fair
old speed. The control pad is a pain tp use, the slightest
movement causing the bike to career off the road - a prime case
of a game warranting a Sega joystick. The instructions are
translated from the Japanese and they look it. Driving along the
rqarJ Is enjoyable and marginally more fun than the sky sequence,
which is a very standard shoot-'em-up. Action Fighter is not a
demanding game, with its fairly basic graphics, limited appeal
and simplistic gameplay. but it is enjoyable, reasonably addictive
and provides a good few hours distraction.

OVERALL 63%

ASHURA AND
BISHAMON

SECRET COMMAND

Sega

Mega Cartridge: £19,95

The pace of Sega
cartridge releases
continues with one of
the latest, Secret
Command {at least, that is
what it says on the
packaging, although the
game itself insists on
Secret Commando, which
we feel is the more likely) -
an Ikari Warriors clone with
some oddly named main
characters.

The players step into the shoes of
Ashura and his buddy Bishamon
(from Japan no doubt) with two

players playing simultaneously,,
laying waste to all that stands in
their way. Snipers, infantrymen,
foeketlauncher- and

flamethrower-wielding soldiers,
tanks and a host of other heavily
armed enemies charge down the
screen In an attempt to shift the
players from their mortal coil. To
get the bad guys out of the way
both players are provided with an
M-6Q machine pun (unlimited
ammo of course) and bow-
launched arrows with explosive
war heads (shades of Rambo).

Barracks either side of the
pathway can be blown open to
reveal power-up items. Collect
these to receive extra arrow-
bombs, a stinger bomb (for the
player who needs that extra bit of

destructive power! or a special

secret item which, as the
instructions (torturou sly translated
from Japanese) point out, "will
surely increase your power'.
Destroy a specified number of
enemy infantrymen and extra
items appear to improve your
range and power of fire.

Not everything is easy to kill.
Tanks prove tough customers,
requiring several hits before

exploding, and the enemy
equipped with flamethrowers can
prove hot opponents. Reach the
end of each level and destroy a
barricade to progress to later
scenes. At this point, a small force
of enemy soldiers {and the Odd
tank) makes an appearance at this
point, so some frantic fire button
bashing is needed to survive
through to the next level.

A second player can enter the
game at any time before round
three, After thai, any player still in
the game is on his own. The
warriors fight their way through
lungies. forests, deserts, a.
mountain region, a town,, through
to the final objective - the enemy
tortress protected by moat of the
opposing army.

COMMENT

Secret Commands . is graphically very pleasant; the scenery In
each level is attractive, varied and has made great use of colour
- why then does the game use pathetic yellow sprites when the
enemy gets blown away? The rest of the game is fine, it's
playable, enjoyable for shoot-'em-up addicts, and the twin-
player option with its partnership aspect is great fun. There's no
doubt that the game is addictive, challenging and the difficulty
level is about right (although it does seems a bit harsh not
allowing another player on after the second round as the later
levels aren't exactly a pushover). It won't appeal to everyone's
tastes, but tf you are looking for a bit of carnage on your Sega,
then Secret Command is well worth considering.

OVERALL 74%

TGM TX DATE; 02-88 39/1 16

MILIT ARY STIMULATOR

SIMULATOR

Rainbird

Rain-bird continue their 1 6-bit machine support with
the release of the Universal Military Simulator (or,
mercifully, UMS for short) - a quality wargame
construction kit of un pa railed flexibility and power.
When it was given a showcase preview on the British
Telecom stand at last year's PCW Show it stirred up much
interest from wargamers, especially as its author, D Ezra
Sid ran, was there to demonstrate its capabilities at a
bewildering speed.

The UMS main menu gives a good
idea of how powerful this program
is You are faced with four
immediate options:

1. DESIGN MAP; probably the
most flexible facility of the
program. Using this option
battlefields of any conflict from the
past, present, or future, from
fiction, fantasy Or from the depths
of the user's imagination can be
created. Terrain features such as
hills, depressions, ridges, woods
and level ground can be added to
give the battlefield that authentic
touch. The LfMSdisk also contains
five maps of historical battles
(including Hastings. Waterloo and
Gettysburg) which may be loaded
and altered. If you tire of designing
maps there is a map function
which places features randomly
on the battlefield for you. Once
created, maps can be saved to
disk for later use.

2. DESIGN ARMY: once a map is
designed, it needs populating by
an army. It is possible to amend
the ten armies UMS provides, or
create entirely new armies
(anything from a group of dwarves
to a squadron of X- Wings) to suit
the created battlefield. Everything
about a unit, its strength, speed.
efficiency, moves per turn and
name can be edited. Wildcards
provide the basics of a unit (its type
and value) and the rest is user-

definable, Up to twelve types of
wildcard units can be used on the
battlefield. FuH Save/Load options
are available for storing and
recalling created armies for
inclusion in any defined conflicts.

3. CREATE SCENARIO - the
heart of UMS. This facility provides
limitless possibilities of conflict;
you can bring armies from any
different time together on any
defined battlefield. First step is to
place all units of both sides on the
map, although anything over a
thousand units on screen and the
map gets rather crowded . Once all
units are pi aoed , a II that rem ai ns i s
to define the conflict duration and
range of fire of any ranged
weapons m the game. It can be
saved to disk before being put to
the test through Hun Simulation.

4. RUN SIMULATION - the
wargame itself. Here the chosen
armies are pitted against one other
on the user defined battleground.

BATTLE PHASES

The whole battlefield can be
viewed from any compass
direction, while a zoom option
allows closer inspection of the
action. Extreme zoom presents a
close quarters view of Skny
localised fights. If Automatic Zoom
is selected, the computer

automatically 200ms in on any

battles occurring.

The wargame itself is split into
two phases; Command Phase, in
which movement commands are
issued to units, and Movement/
Battle Phase, which is when units
execute their commands and
enter into combat with opposing
forces. All movement is made
through the command box,
displaying the current unit to be
moved, its current status, number

the player's army whilst olher units
are user-controlled.

Once all commands have been
issued and the computers Battle
Logic determined, the Movement/
Battle Phase is entered: all uniis
move to their selected
destinations and eombat takes
place if opposing units come
within one square distance of each
other. Ranged weapons can fire at
any time during this phase, The
outcome of any confrontation 15

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fact each artier for tho battia that changed English history - ST screen

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Cheeking the unit status - arrowed •

Of moves remaining and the
directions possible. A unit is
moved by pointing to the desired
compass direction and selecting
it, whereupon an arrow marker
from the unit indicates the chosen
route for the unit to follow in the
Movement/Battle Phase. Each
unit has to be moved individually
as there's no option to move units
en masse.

If the 'Computer is the opponent,
then the Battle Logic menu can be
used to define the computer's
tactics in the following Movement
Phase. Using this option the
computer can be forced to
perform attacks, defensive
manoeuvres or the computer can
be allowed to determine its own
strategies. The computer can also
be made to move selected units of

of a group ot untested Norman knights

determined by comparing each
unit's current strength, morale.
strength of weapons, efficiency,
weaponry accuracy and general
unit status, the losing unit being
forced to retreat, A marker
appears where the battle
occurred.

Hidden movement can be
induced by toggling the options
used to display the black and
white army positions, their
movement arrows, battle markers
and landmarks. The game can also
be put into demonstration mode
with the com outer control 1 1 ng both
sides and all game functions.

Ail great commanders need a
rest at some time, so thoughtfully
Save/Load options are provided to
suspend battle until another lime
Further, both Afan and Epson

An Attractive extra for PC owners is tits row of soldier pictures shewing the
period garb

Tint 7imwnrs liw' ttwtlwm actm : lulU* (failed

40/11 6 TGM TX DATE 02-88

REVIEWS

printers are supported by the
program so hard copies of battles
car be made for posterity. In the
near future Rainbird intend
releasing further data disks
containing new maps and armies
of other historical battles.

STIMULATING

Wargames have never had the
mass appeal of arcade games
and, to a lesser extent, adventure
games, but UiUS should change
all that in one fell swoop, UMS has
the core of a construction Kit, the
rest of it is open to manipulation
and redefinition. The program's
open-ended nature means it is
limited only by the user's
imagination. UMS isn't perfect
though: a minor omission is the
facility to define the effects of fmng

ranged weapons, and it would
have been n ice to be able to move

multiple units at a time - although
much the same thing is done
anyway by placing the units under
computer control via the Battle
Logic menu.

Each part of the program works
tremendously well. The map
designing facility is simplicity itself
(pity though, about the lack of
water or rivers for extra realism}.
Defining units is great fun and it is
a tremendous thrill to see
everything come together to make
impossible conflicts a reality
(Napoleon versus a B-52
Squadron, for instance. You can't
actually fly in UMS, so you can
imagine Napoleon's surprise
when he saw these giant machines
lumbering over the terrain towards
his lines ... 1.

VERSION UPDATE

Another fine mess

LIVINGSTONE, I PRESUME

Alligata

Atari ST £14,95

DOCTOR LIVINGSTONE has
gone missing while performing
missionary work deep In ihe
Afnean jungle. The intrepid news

iTiretliBB Uiev: Southeast (zoon) Active; topolwn tblack)
Auto-Zow ON Fast fade OFF UaUfloo Juie ll f 1815

thMst East South***. South Southwest West *™«jt

jgoM K Zoon E Zow SE 2w S Zwi 91 ow H Zoo* *

Extrwt I Autozwn End Turn FTtb Ji towards ffitoK |i*laj

Print tartars Amjtis Iwns Hute Black "

UntikettnSTwrsion. UMS on the

base for cursor selection, nrtfw

ATARI ST

Diskette; £24.95

UMS is unique in setting new standards in the Raid of wargames.
Words fall to describe the possibilities and sheer power of the
program, and with the backing of further data disks to be

_ (containing other historical battles} it is set to become
a classic prog ram . The Universal Military Simulator \a slmpty brilliant
-enough said.

OVERALL 95%

Where SOB oaqies dare

reporter Stanley, has determined
to enter (his deadly jungle and find
Livingstone. The -0-bit versions of
this game appeared in June 1967
to reasonable acclaim.
Treasures and secret temples

discovered are merely icing on Ihe
cake in the search far the great
man, a search beset with
difficulties. Stanley has to deal
with poison darls. p't hammers,
Spears. man-eating plants,
snakes, bats and many more.
Using keyboard or keyboard and
joystick, he can leap and duck
from danger or employ one of four
useful items he carnes with him,
These comprise a pole for vaulting
over particularly large problems, a
boomerang, a knife for the more
straightforward kill and grenades
for attacking from above. Food
and waler. dotted around the
seven game levels, maintains
Stanley's energy, and there are
five gems to collect which enable
a safe passage through the secret
temple at the end of the savenih
level. A map of the first four levels
is also included, showing the
dangers and secret exits within
each.

L

OTHER FORMATS

The PC UMS (£24,95) will be released just after this iaaue hits the
Stneta, but was not quite ready in time for review. The only
differences to tha ST are the period selection graphics (s«
screen shot) and the on-screen command selection rather than
using windows. The Amiga (back to ST-style) is released in March
at £24.95, as is the Macintosh version (E34.95). Ra Inbird say there
are no plans for the 6-bit machines, but rumour has It that
Matthew Stibbe, who is converting UMS far the Apple, would I ihe
to tackle a Spectrum version afterwards. Further scenario and
battle data disks are intended for periodic release, but no dates
or prices at the moment.

"UMS is a quality wargame construction kit
of unparalled flexibility and power."

Livingstone, I Presume is quite a tough game to complete, requiring
pixel-perfect positioning to counter some of the dangers. The
packaging even contains infinite lives POKEs for the Spectrum,
Amstrsd and MSX versions - just to give the player a fighting
chance perhaps? But even with the maps, none of this makes the
Atari St version any easier to play. Attractive to look at and listen
to, Livingstone contains lots to do and has just enough toughness
to ensure self -anger and lasting interest. A pleasant game which
should entertain for some time, and with its price tag of under
£15, it should find its way into many software collections.

ATARI ST
OVERALL 69%

TGM TA DATE: 02-8841/11 6

PEDAL
TO THE
METAL

TEST DRIVE

Accolade/Electronic Arts

From a team of some ten prog rammers, comes
everyone's dream of test driving the fastest cars in
the world. There's a steep climb ahead, vertical
rockface to the right and a sheer drop on the left. The
traffic's slow, the cops mean - and don/t forget, drive on
the right, you're in America . . .

Five gleaming dream-machines
await your purchase: a Ferrari
Testarossa, a Lotus Turbo Esprit.
a Porsche 91 1 Turbo, a Chevrolet
Corvette and the ultimate four-
wheeled monster - the
Lamborghini Countach, All the
specifications are at your behest
with a short disk access for each,
and once a vehicle has been
chosen, it takes a tew seconds to
load The Rock.

The Rock is one of those
torturously twisting roads winding
precariously up a mountainside so
beloved of cheap American TV
series, and a test drive on it is
perfect for putting the car - and
the player - through their paces.
The view is from inside the saloon,
showing road ahead, complete
with hills, dips and hairpin bends,
but you have to keep an eye on the
rear- view mirror as well. Direction
and speed-limit signs flash past
and there is plenty of traffic on the
road with you. Other cars and
lorries move quite slowly so
overtaking is essential - it risky,
what with traffic coming in the
opposite direction as well.

Joystick control is simple:
forwards and backwards to
accelerate and brake, steer left
and right, change gears up with
the loystick forwards and press
fire, backwards to change down.
When you press lire, a window
appears snowing the gearshift, so
you can see what gear you are in,

THE JOY OF FELONY

The police are not too pleased to
see speed limits ignored by fancy
cars burning up the road, so they
have set up radar speed traps
along the route. To counter these,
a radar detector i ngtalied i n the car
provides vital warning of any
police traps ahead. When all three
of the detector's LEDs are lit the
police are coming up behind- The
choice is yours: either stow down
to a law-abiding speed or try and

outrun the smokies and run the risk
of being caught.

Stopping at a gas station along
the way provides fuel and records
the car's average speed. Points
are allocated based on the car's
performance so far. Ego-boosting
comments like ' Pass any low flying
planes back there? ' reward the
fast drivers whilst snails must
content themselves with; 'You
dnve (ike my grandmother'.

Colliding with other vehicles,
running off the road or simply over-
rewing the engine costs a life, And
with only five to play around with,

Test Drive is the ultimate wtsh-fulftilment simulation - Amiga screen

some careful driving is needed.
Although the controls have been
greatly simplified, the specific
performance factors of each car
have to be mastered and the gears
used skillfully if the car is to stand
arty chanoeof reacting the top of
The Rock in one. piece and your
smugness remain intact,

In fact the front-end with its
quality speech and graphically
excellent car specification
diagrams hides a relatively
simplistic first-person car racing

game. Rather than opt for
lastability in providing several
courses, Accolade have gone l he
different car route, and so while
the single mountain road is
interesting and enjoyable at first, it
soon becomes repetitive simply
due to the lack of variation in the
gameplay. Nevertheless, in the
Shorter term Test DrvVeisaddictive
and there's a great deal of fun to
be had in racing expensive, world -
beating cars around twisting
roads.

COMMOOORE 64/128

Cassette: £3.35
Diskette: £14.95

The 64 version is Imminent and judging by the demo we have
seen, it plays very similarly to the 16-bit versions with a good
match on the graphics. Test Dnve access the disk a tot, so
cassette owners will probably find themselves with long warts
tor the mufti-loads. No other fl-bit versions are planned.

Other romd users arm enough to sSrivm you round rfm bend

AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

Oncoming traffic, though fast, moves in animated jumps, which
isn't exactly realistic. However, in simulation terms the behaviour
of your car is about as realistic as it could be without having the
steering wheel in your hands. The colours used are sparse,
considering what the Am iga is capable of, and they don 't improve
much as the game progresses. The sound FX of engine notes in
different gears and squealing tyres as you take sharp bends and
dips in the road add excitement and give a reasonable
impression of high-speed driving. But lastability is a fragile
commodity with there not being enough to do in the game.

OVERALL 69%

ATARI ST

Diskette: £24.95

Ng sightings of the ST
version as of yet, but
previous conversions of
Accolade titles (such aa Hard
Ball ) have mostty been
successful. Graphical

depreciation may occur in
the car selection screens
and the sound may be
simpler, but there shouldn't
be any problems with the
game itself. Inclusion of
extra tracks on disk or more
things for the player to do
would Improve the game
immensely, but as it is a
conversion this doesn't
seem likely. ST Test Drive is in
the capable hand* of
Accolade themselves so the
results should be worth
waiting for.

"Test Drive Is perfect

for putting the car -

and the player -

through their

paces.

ii

42/116TGM JX DATE; 02-88

■ Twin firebutton* poisoned
right uncter your trigger finger

H Solid steel shaft and robust
construction.

■ 12 month guarantee.

■ Auto-fire to give instant

and even firepower.

■ Start and select buttons
(Nintendo on<y).

■ Micro- switches allow you to
not only feel, but hear each
move of the stick.

nly the Konix Speedking joysticks can give

you the power you need to take on the
unknown - and win.

Ultra fast responses to every command,
unbeatable autofire power and complete control.
Right where you need it- in the palm of your hand.

Trade or export enquiries welcome on
049525 5913.

To: Konix Computer Products, Units 12/14 Sirhowy Hilt Industrial

Estate, Tredegar, Gwent NP2 4QZ. U.K.

Please send me: Speedkings with Game at til 99ea

Speedkings with Autofire at E12 99ea. .

Segas at £1299ea..

Nintendos at E12,99ea.

(Including Postage and Packing)

I enclose Cheque/ Postal Order for

(Made payable to KONIX)- Or charge my Aceett/Viu

No._ Signed

Name rslo* £ipxt*ln

Address

Postcode

Ptaiw allow 14 day* for dtdvery ■ Cf rfIT card holdm nvny tdrptim* Mi OI452S 59TU

'J

ALL GAMES AVAILABLE FOR:

SPECTRUM COMMODORE AMSTRAD

7.95 ea. 8.95 ea. 8*95 ea

CASSETTE

fn the knife-edge
world of the vigilante there
is no place to rest, no time to
think - but look shai p - there is
always time to die! From the city
subways to the gangland ghettos you
will always encounter the disciples of evil
whose mission it is to exterminate the only
man on earth who dares to throw down the
gauntlet in their path - the Renegade. A
breathtaking conversion of the arcade hit by
Taito now for your home computer With all
the original play features.

PLAY RENEGADE . . . PLAV MEAN!

m

1 M A fc f hi f c: o c t \aj 'ads: i i A/f \ t r n

f- c hi t n A t

ALL GAMES AVAILABLE FOR:

COMMODORE SPECTRUM & AMSTRAD

12.95**a. 14.95 ea,

DISK

- / A

cv?

7

7

7*V

More arcade
magic from the
SNK Label. Psycho
soldier is tipped for the
top as her thirst for action
and adventure takes her to even i

re strange ■

>-

?&

-<

Having survived the
bloodsucking monsters of the first
phase, you progress on to the actual
Road itself.
This is where the fun really begins. You will meet
vampires, two and three headed monsters - the
head will fly at you on its own, just when you think you
are gaining the upper hand.
Collect icons to build up the firepower necessary to fight
off your aggressors.

Action and excitement all the way with thib
macabre and unusual game; which has that
elusive extra something to keep you
coming back for more.

I'M

IT

fa

(B) Imagine! is a msten*) trademorlfc -

STANDARD

BLUE WAR

g* ince its recent inception GO! hasn't fared too well -
w the Commodore Captain America and multi-format
^ Trantor both suffered, despite the fatter's excellent
graphics. Blue War is a World War II submarine
simulation and the first GO! release on the ST - it is also
for the Amstrad CPC - from the oddly named Game Blot,
a French software house. The player takes command of
an Allied submarine patrolling the Pacific, hunting and
destroying Japanese shipping.
Starting out from the main Allied i operation for accurate close-

base, the submarine receives its
l-D code (without which il canned
reenter port} and manoeuvres out
to sea to begin its patrol. A row of
icons are used to control the sub's
movement and combat functions.
The Map icon is used to calculate
a heading towards enemy vessels,
the Sonar icon comes into

range navigation, and the radio
icon displays any messages from
base as well as reconnaissance
plane reports. Movement drains
the sub's batteries, so recharging
and Oxygen replenishment on the
surface has to be performed from
time to time, making the vessel
vulnerable to attack.

Counting the

batm

Attacking Japanese cruisers,
destroyers and aircraft carriers
simply involves lining up the target
and firing a torpedo. The enemy
does not sit by idly white this
happens, however, and they fire
their guns if the sub moves within
range. Damage from enemy fire is
shown on the engine room display
(via the Engine icon) as a red
square highlighting the

submarine's affected area.

Repairs can only be made by
either returning to port or by
making a rendezvous with a
supply ship, when refuelling and

rearming can also lake place.
Consulting the Records icon
brings up detailed information on
all the ships in the game, along
with a diagram of each. Hazards
Other than direct enemy
engagement include running
aground and vessel collisions.

As the submarine destroys more
and more enemy shipping, the
player's naval rank increases -
although sinking Allied shipping
brings about a swift demotion by
several ranks. Referencing the Log
icon shows your current rank, with
the Jog recording the number and
type of ships destroyed.

If all enemy ships are sunk, head
back to port and enter the correct
submarine l-D code to complete
the mission.

OTHER FORMATS

GO! have no
converting Blue v
Other machines

plans

War t

for
an*

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.99

Don't be fooled by the impressive graphics, the game contains
little to maintain interest for long. The ships do look good, but the
torpedo sequence itself is graphically horrendous. Realism
seems to have been left in port too, since when can you see other
submarines under water? The game is too simplistic to be
classed as a simulation, and contains none of the tense
atmosphere normally associated with submarine warfare.

OVERALL 43%

FROM
THE

ATARI ST ONLY

The two authors of Phoentx are ST mad. Paul Cuisset
was bom in Saigon, is very well travelled and, when
not working as an analyst-programmer, spends every
waking moment on computer games. His partner,
Patrick Guillemot, was bom at Coulommiers and is
apparently a PEEK' n* POKE maestro. He, too, is an
analyst- prog rammer but splits time between twanging his
guitar and programming games for the Atari ST. They
joined forces to write Phoenix for Ere Informatique in
France and Infogrames grabbed and shipped it to dear
oid Blighty for our delight and delectation.

Don't be fooled by the title, as the
screen shot shows, this is an
entirely different game to the old
arcade favourite that also bears its
name. However, like its namesake,

Phoenix is quite a simple idea, but
it is fast, unusual end very
addictive.

Sitting at the controls of a
Phoenix AY 2 1 rt feels as though

nothing could harm the pilot, yel
the task before him could well
prove to be beyond the
capabilities of even this amazing
craft.

As space travel Improved so the
extensive need for hyper space
routes waned. The pathways fell
into disuse and were left alone u nti I
now when a new need for them
has arisen and the authorities want
them reopened. But in their
dereliction they have become
unsafe, booby traps and laser
stations infest the routes and black

Cosmic Causaway in » 3D tunnet?
Phoenix on the Atari ST

holes are a commonplace. And
that's your job, in the Phoenix, to
clear them up.

PRETTY REDUNDANT

The screen displays the hi-tech
and von/ pretty, but nonetheless
largely redundant, Phoenix control
panel which acts as a border to ihe
action viewscreen. In fact the only
relevant information contained in
the border is the player's current
level. In the viewscreen the
hyperspace routes are seen,
represented as vector graphic
wire-frame lines of near

46/116TGM TX DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

DRtlHGE

Disappointing seafaring warrant wrth GOt's Blue Wur

AMSTRAD CPC

Diskette only: £14.95

Blue War on the Amstrad is identical to the ST version (apart from
the ship graphics which are much simpler line drawings},
keeping the extremely simple submarine controls, the lack of
game variety, almost non-existent sound and the needless
constant disk access. Thankfully, the tedious end message of
the ST game has been taken out. As a simulation, it is barely
average and as an arcade game it fares little better. The sluggish
responses and BASIC -style graphics make this very poor value
for money.

OVERALL 33%

"As a simulation, it is barely average and
as an arcade game it fares little better."

continuous blue tiles hawing
varying properties, arid the basic
game objective is to steer a course
that ensures non-destrvdive tiles

are below the Phoenix at all times.

To the right the player's energy
level, which sleadily decreases
whilst travelling, is shown. Most of
the game's features stem from
reactions caused by the different-
coloured tiles, affecting the
Phoenix in varying ways when
touched. Red increases the craft's
power, light blue drains it, green
sends the Phoenix temporarily out
of control and purple destroys it,

Laser stations (green cubes) fire
al the Phoenix - it can be returned

but only at the expense of the
power level - black holes,
depicted as two rotating yellow
mangles, are instant death if
entered, but they loo can be shot.
To get through the increasingly
difficult levels, FhoerrrJf demands
fast reactions (with either joysiick
or keyboard) to turn the ship, fire at
the laser stations and black holes
and steer clear of the less friendly
tiles,

Because of the games speed, it
is useful that pressing the R key
after an untimely demise,
instigates an action replay mode
lo show you where you went
wrong.

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95

Phoeri . really Is a simple game, but implemented very well
(although the sound is rather basic). H is therefore easy to get
going, but its speed and the increasingly hard levets makes it
very addictive. Phoenix is only planned for release on the Atari ST
but it works so well on this machine that perhaps conversions for
different formats would be a mistake.

OVERALL 71%

" Phoenix is quite a simple Idea, but it is fast,
unusual and very addictive."

ENEMY
AHEAD

BACKLASH

Novagen

ATARI ST ONLY

Backlash is by Paul Woakes of Mercenary fame and is
proclaimed, by some, as the ST version of his old
Commodore 64 game Encounter. It says at the top of
this review: 'Atari ST only 1 , and that is certainly
Novagen 's plan for the game at the moment . . . but they

said that about Mercenary.

Backlash is a high-speed shoot -
everything- in- sight game

sometimes reminiscent of the old
Baffrezone. Here, you control
planet-skimming craft, armed to
the teeth with a never-ending
supply of ammunition, and face
waves of aggressors (or is the
player the aggressor?) each more
deadly than the last. They hurtle at
you in varying forms such as flying
saucers walking drotds and
spinning tops, but whatever their
shape, your task is to annihilate
each and every one before they
return the favour.

The screen shows a pilot's-eye-
view of the terrain, Its obstacles
and inhabitants, with a circular
head-up display for sights and
radar. Control of the craft is by
joystick with eight- directional
movement available, forward,
reverse right , rotate left and so on.
with the fire button activating
missiles. A quit option is provided
for wimps and a pause key for
pinky recharging. Backlash gives
the player five lives to start with
and awards an extra life for every
10,000 points scored.

Backlash - much like THE
GAMES MACHINE'S reviewers -
is fast, mindless and noisy. The
persistence of the alien attack
certainly separates the men from
the boys when it comes to joystick
dexterity.

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95

There are some drawbacks:
the music is completely out
of context with the game,
tedium arises after playing
for any I ength of ti me and the
radar display is placed dead
centre in the screen which is
where all the action takes
place. There are times when
you may not be able to
determine where alien ships
are due to all the flack flying
round the screen. Having
said that, Backlash is very
fast, well implemented and
with plenty to aim at. so it
should do well for those
likable mercenaries at
Novagen.

OVERALL 67%

— fast,
mindless and noisy

- certainly
separates the men
from the boys

B ati ng *r* to mym with abmrragmoftlak-STs crw mn

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 47/1 16

FLYING BOAT

PHM PEGASUS

Lucasfilm/Electronic Arts

LucasfiJm Games, offshoot of the George {Star Wars)
Lucas company and creators of such programs as
Rescue On Fractalus, Balibfazer and Koronis Rift
change tack with their newest release and take to the
seas with what is a mixture of simulation and arcade
action. Previous UK marketing of Lucasfilm games has
been through Activision, PHM Pegasus is the first to go
through Electronic Arts.

More of an aircraft than a ship, the
Patrol Hydrofoil Missile (PHM)
Pegasus sails across the water on
raised skis, the ship's hull hovering
free of surface resistance, Armed
to the teeth with anti-sh I p missiles,
a deck gun and anti-missile chaff,
you take PHM Pegasus through
eight progressively difficult
missions ranging from seek-and-
destroy to escorting convoys and
the simple all-out Combat mission
against incoming patrol boats.

Pegasus can accelerate up to 50
knots Dn its foils, using its 40-mile
radius radar to locate ships.
Binoculars give a view of any
vessels in the surrounding area

a time limit or they will destroy you.
Two seek-and-destroy missions -
Terrorist Attack and Search for
Terrorists - involve chasing
terrorists across the

Mediterranean and eliminating
thern before they reach safety in a
distant base. Two helicopters give
extra radar coverage to detect the
high-speed attack craft,

In A Better Part Of Valour',
Pegasus's presence is required in
South American waters, which
means taking the ship from the
Key West naval port through to the
map's southern edge. Time is
Severely limited, so try avoiding
time-consuming combat

feet of the ships to photograph

them. Matters are complicated
through your not being allowed to
fire upon the tankers, and great
care must be exercised when
patrolling missile boats attack,
Two SeaBawk helicopters give
assistance in locating the slow-
moving tankers.

Surprisingly, PHM Pegasus has
a lot of atmosphere, mainly due to
the realism of the missions, and
especially the last two, Supply
Convoy and Jihad- Of all the
missions, these are the most
dangerous. In the first Pegasus is
given the task of protecting a

convoy as H makes it s way throug h
a Caribbean warzone towards a
safe port. Jihad is the most topical
scenario, set in the dangerous
Persian Gulf, protecting a supply
ship winding its way through the
war-torn Gulf waters and out into
the Indian Ocean, While guarding
the convoy at all limes, you must
keep retaliatory action to a
minimum. Two helicopters are
provided to scan for potential
threats.

In the past mixing simulation
and arcade action has not always
worked, but m PHM Pegasus the
combination has paid off.

" [

COMMODORE 64/128

Cassette: £9.95
Diskette: £14.95

As is to be expected with a game from Lucasfilm, I- 1 * IV
is a polished product, The graphics are nicely detailed, sound is
effectively used and the general presentation is up to the mark.
Including some comprehensive game instructions. Quite why
the view oui of the ship i s so narrow i sn t explained , but whatever
the reason Nt looks awkward. The complex algorithms used in
manipulating the ship sprites work particularity we il, the patrol
boats maintaining their shape and a ppea ranee as they dra w nea r
with virtually np jumps in animation. Action and gameplay may
seem limited but the game is fun and the eight missions, though
relatively easy (and a real bind on cassette), provide a worthy
challenge.

OVERALL 76%

SPECTRUM 48/
128

Cassette: £0.95

AMSTRAD CPC

Cassette: £8.95
Diskette: £14.95

Unavailable for review, both
versions should be released
before this issue hits the
streets . Cassette m u it i - loa d s
(for the different scenarios!
may be a drawback, but
allowing for a

monochromatic view screen
on the Spectrum version,
hardly a detraction in this
sort of game, both are
expected to play very
similarly to the Commodore
version. Watch out for
version updates.

This binoculars above show the enemy craft targetted. white in {he ru> view, a shall explodes dangerously <; fose to
Pega*ua

OTHER FORMATS

There are no plans for any 16-
bit conversions.

(both friend and foe), and accurate
vessel identification is needed to
prevent firing at your own side.

The first two missions {Battle
Training and Graduation Exercise)
pit Pegasus against Similarly
armed patrol boats, All enemy
boats have to be destroyed within

engagements. A SeaSprite
helicopter is made available for

locating incoming enemy missile
hoats.

In the surveillance mission.
Pegasus is chosen to photograph
eight suspected arms-carrying
tankers. Approach to within 1500

it

PHM Pegasus has a lot of atmosphere due
to the realism of the missions ..."

48/ 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

MEEK 'N' WILD

DAN DARE II

Virgin Games

he cleverest move Virgin ever made with the 1986

Dane Dare (apart from securing the licence in the first

place to one of Britain's greatest hero characters),

was to provide each of the popular S-bit machines

with its own discreet game, thus avoiding invidious

comparison and ensuring that each was a success in its

own right. Now, two years later, Dan's back in a second

adventure against his bitterest enemy, the Mekon, from

Virgin's in-house programming Treen-team, The Gang Of

Five.

Once again the evil Mekon, aided
by his Venusian Treens, has Lurried
his baleful attention towards Earth
and its Spacefleet forces. The
attack is under way. Inside the
Mekon 's new and sophisticated
battleship the "littte green horror"
has mucked around wrth genetics
to create a rage of Supertreens.

Supertreens. housed in
plexiglass life support bubbles in
embryonic form, are scattered
around the battleship's tour levels.
The Mekon 's plan is eject the
hubbies from each level in turn - at
which point the level self-
destructs, providing trie game with
time limits -and scatter them into
Earth's atmosphere. where
presumably - the scenario does
not make this clear - they will
eventually land, grow into full-
Sized Supertreens and take over
the planet.

Playing Dan Dare - spacepilol
of the future, your objective is to
explore the ship and destroy
Supertreens when you find them.
The countdown begins as soon as
the first Supertreen control box is
destroyed. Advancing a level can
only be achieved when all
Supertreens from the current leveJ

have been destroyed.

Bui if you prefer to be evil for the
day. there is a second option to
play the Mekon. The object is
Similar, witti the important
exception that you are releasing
the Supertreen life bubbles to
continue their evil mission, but the
game is harder because Dare's
incursion has triggered the
destruct sequence, leaving with
with much less time to complete
each level and escape to safety.

Both characters are provided
with the ubiquitous Mekontan
letcar which is tricky to control due
to its high inertia, The Mekon has
his supporting Treens for
protection and offense, but Dan is
not alone, a force of Spacefieet
pilots has boarded the battleship
with him. The laser crossfire,
however, can be become
dangerously furious

The continual effect of gravity,
combined with the jetcar's inertia
means that controlling it is tricky at
first, and getting into tight spots
can be Irustraling. On the other
hand, this in itself lends the game
a first level of play, just mastering
the machine and explonng the
multi- layered decks of the snips

levels. It is probably best to get to
grips with the ship's layout before

attempting to kill or rescue
Supertreens because the ii me limit
is tightly calculated.

Dan Bars ti could have stood
alone without the licence, but the
Dan Dare characters help to
provide an extra sense of depth to
this fun blasting game, it should
already be clear that Virgin have
not followed their earlier scheme,
and the Spectrum and Amstrad
games, at least (the Commodore
version is 'behind schedule"), are
identical in play except fc-r the start
screen positioning.

COMMODORE 64/

128

Cassette: £9,95
Diskette: £12.95

The schedule having slipped,
we will have to wait to see
Dan Dare N on the
Commodore, but Virgin say
the gameplay elements will
be identical to the other S-bit
versions.

Two Supertreen embryos (already dead} #rt on their platforms either side of Dan in the very colourful Spectrum voraion

DAN DARE JJ

SPECTRUM 48/
128

Cassette: £995

Dan Dare II makes a pleasing
sequel, with plenty of appeal
but somewhat less depth
than the first one. The
Spectrum version is a touch
more playable than the
Amstrad, mainly because the
graphics (by Martin Wheeler
who gave Virgin their first big
hit with So'Cf^ryj are a lot
clearer, though not as
immediately stunning.

Colour has been well and
liberally used without
attribute problems and the
sound FX are above average,
even In 4fiK mode. A neat
piece of programming with
enough entertainment to
make it a worthy purchase.

OVERALL 76%

AMSTRAD CPC

Cassette only: £9.95

The impressive graphics have
one smal drawback - the
scenery tends to look very

similar from deck 1o deck and
room to room, making exits hard

to find ; otherwise the characters
are detailed and well animated.
The general sound FX. are not
sigTHftcantry better than those on
the Spectrum version, but the
explosions are nice and thumpy.
A good seek and destroy shoot-
'em-up.

OVERALL 74%

. . . the Dan Dare

characters help to

provide an extra

sense of depth to

this fun blasting

game,"

Mt»,

TGM TX DATE: 02-8849/116

NEVER WALK ALONE

MATCH DAY II

Ocean

Early in 1985 Jon Ritman and Colin Clarke coded a
football game called Match Day and, as these things
happen, it went on to become as big a hit on the
Spectrum as international Soccer had been on the
64. Later on graphical designer Bernie Drummond
teamed up with Ritman to bring us the computerised
caped crusader Batman and the wacky Head Over Heels.
Now, due to popular demand, and having worked night
and day, they bring us the new, improved Match Day \l

The sequel features 3
considerable number of changes,
most prominent being trie vast
number of kicks and kicking styles
available; the Kickometer allows
you to perform backheels, soft-,
medium- and hard-power kicks,
volley shots or set to one type of
Shot power for the entire game.

the computer. When a match is
going badly, it's possible to
manually change the score (cheat
in other words).

The difficulty in recognising
which on-field player you were
controlling in the original Match
Day (the footballer's socks
changed colour} has been sensibly

control the power of the kick.

If you feel the urge to see your
favourite team win the League,
then all the team names and learn
colours (and even the pitch colour)
can be changed to whatever takes
your fancy-
It looks as though Ritman and
Drummond have come up with yet
another classic computer game. In

general there is little to choose
between the three versions in
structure or gameplay The two-
ptayer and twm-player options
provide immense fun and make for
highly addictive play, and the
incredible number of options and
redefinable features will keep
armchair footballers happy for
ages.

AMSTRADCPC

Cassette: £8.95
Diskette: £14.95

Match Day was good - the sequel is even better. Payability and
all-round game reel has been considerably improved. Although
the speed of the game isn't exactly fast (the Amstrad is the
slowest version), the action is furious and the computer team
gets very tricky Indeed on higher levels- To prevent further loss
of game speed the graphics are semi-transparent which
produces a few odd effects at times but it works. Miss this one
and you will be sick as a parrot!

OVERALL 87%

SPECTRUM 48/128

Cassette: £7.95

Since the original Match Day numerous football simulations have
failed to better it - until now. This must be the definitive Spectrum
action football game. The graphics are functional rather than
superlative, though better defined than the original's. What
makes Match Day II such a great game is that it is instantly
playable, and the twin-player option adds an extra dimension
with team cooperation absolutely necessary. Watch Day II is a
must.

OVERALL 91%

AbMMpttchm9ykn>tst>dtl r tHlt(tsttQ>vSup the ptayars better than the green
5p#cf mm screen

Extra realism is provided
through inclusion of the Diamond
Deflection System, whereby the
ball deflects off a player at a variety
of angles dependent on the
player's speed, direction of
movement and the ball's
approach angle.

A comprehensive front-end
allows you to select a human or
computer goalkeeper, different
skill levels, the degree of game
sound, length of play In real time
(5, 10 or 15 minutes per half) and
team tactics (offensive or
defensive). Taking corners, goal
kicks and heading the bait are all in
the game, whilst unsporting teams
can even resort to barging the
opposition.

OTHER FORMATS

In keeping with their 'Joyce'
versions of Batman and Head
Over Hee r 5, Ritman and
Drummond are doing an
Amstrad PCW version, but
white visiting THE GAMES
MACHINE, Jon added that ha
would like to code Match Day
n for the PC compatibles as
well- fingers crossed.

RECOGNITION

League and Cup matches present
challenges for either one player
against the computer, two players
head-to-head or two players
together on the same side versus

COMMODORE 64/

128

Cassette: £8.95
Diskette: £14.95

The wealth of moves and
tactics available put this
game in a league of Its own.
The graphics are clear and
realistically animated, It's
quite a joy to see the players
running around dribbling,
heading the ball and barging
each Other. Occasionally, a
pair of feet might appear in
mid -air, and some of the
colours selected make the
score line invisible, but these
are minor quibbles. The
computer team is virtually
perfect, the speed of the
game means you're kept on
your toes for the full 90
minutes. The great music
plays along merrily and adds
to the game's addict veness
and high level of payability.
Compared with International
Soccer, Match Day II is in a
league of its own.

OVERALL 90%

Tftf Amstrad action

rectified by identifying him with a
small version of the Kickometer
above his head. Even more

helpfully, this keeps time with the
actual Kickometer at the top of the
screen, making it much easier to

"Ritman and Drummond have come up
with yet another classic computer game.

50 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-&8

REVIEWS

IT JUST WON'T WASH

BONE CRUNCHER

Superior Software

Apart from some ancient excursions onto the
Commodore 64 and the within -living -memory
Repton, Superior are best known to BBC owners,
including the elite few who own the newest model,
the Archimedes, for which they did Zarch. Bone Cruncher,
therefore, represents the company's most significant
release for the Commodore 64/1 28 - it's out for the Amiga
as well, and of course the BBC.

H would be easy to accuse Bone
Cruncher's scenario of stinking.
but only because it's all about filthy
dirty dragons and one particular
yuppie dragon called Bono, who
makes soap from skeleton bones
to gives to his less clean
neighbours. So much for the
storyline, in this game, strongly
reminiscent of BouldBrda&h, it is
the geography which is important.
Bono resides in a castle
surrounded by the sea, and it is in
the sea that the much larger and
much dirtier dragons live. The
maze of castle halls and corridors
are packed with earth through
which Bono 'digs' to reach the
skeletons. To make a bar of soap
he needs to collect five bone- p iles
and then go to the nearest
cauldron to boiJ them down into
soap, The resulting bar can then
be taken to adjacent steps leading
up to the sea's edge and given to
a dragon: neighbour for its toilette.

So far, SO good, but there are
problems. Hollow squares of earth
within the castle contain Glooks,
Monsters. Spiders and trap doors.
and all except the first can kill
Bono with a touch, Wits are
Bono's only weapon, although he
does have a friend called Fozzy
who accompanies him through the
daily tasks and who helps with
some dangers - he can grab green
monsters, for instance, and hold
them while Bono goes about his
business in relative safety,
Unfortunately Fozzy is a bit of a
doom brain and gets lost or
trapped without constant
guidance from Bono.

The Glooks - often in groups -

VERSION UPDATE

Silver ST

act as mobile maze elements,
mostly by sitting in Bono's way
(though they can be pushed
around it the path is clear), hulthey
have a soft spot tor the aroma of
soap, This means that whenever
Bono has successfully delivered a
bar of soap to a sea dragon, a while
after his return (watch the timed
countdown on the status- panel) all
Glooks in the vicinity move as far
as they can in the direction of the
aroma. This soap propensity can
be used to Bonos advantage, but
it can as well be a hindrance,
blocking off doors he may later
need to use.

Each game level contains one
area of dirt which explodes into a
volcanic eruption of Glooks if it is
dug into, spelling disaster for soap
manufacture. Keys, dotted around
the castle, are used to to unlock
doors barring Bono's way allowing
access to further areas of the
castle maze . Once a level has been
successfully completed you are
presented with a password for the
next. New games may be started
from any level for which a
password has been gained.

A status panel - rather bland in
design - shows lives remaining for
Bono and Fozzy. numbers of keys,
skeletons and soaps earned, last
aroma direction, soaps required to
complete a level and a Fozzy
indicator which shows whether he
is dead, active, trapped or holding
a monster (useful as Fozzy is not
always visible).

The action is depicted with
larger than life, nicely detailed and
animated creatures. Successful
deliverance of a bar of soap to a

DEFENDER OF THE CROWN

Mirrorsoft/Cinemaware
ST Diskette; £24.95

IMPRESSIVE on the Amiga,
harder gameplay on the 64,
Defender Of The Crown has taken
its time appearing on the ST, but
it's here and it boasts some very
attractive screens and a stirring
soundtrack. Set in the age of
knights, jousting, castles and fair

w W

'- -

ST A - a '

B,. IVJ\

i*-^^^^^ O^M

M***

^\ t

■>»

maidens, the objective of your
chosen Lord is to conquer rival
Lords' domains, fight off attackers
and loot castles in a quest to
control medieval Britain. The
action lb viewed through linked
series of cinematically animated
scenes.

>sbouJ to t» grafted Oy the Gtoota . -- Onctt'CommodoraM

FoiMyantH
screen

dirty sea dragon rewards you with
a full-screen, animated sequence
of the creature enjoying a jolly
good scrub.

Bone Cruncher is an old-style
game and its general aim is a little
tired by today's standards,
However, it is cleverly designed,
presents sufficient challenge for
worthy gameplay and the
creatures' representation adds
considerable charm -the annoyed
look on a Glooks face as Bono
touches it,, is a particularly nice
touch. Bone Cruncher begins
easily enough to ensure some
perseverance from the player, A
nice game but nothing to get
lathered up about.

COMMODORE 64/
128

AMIGA

Diskette: £14.95

The Amiga version is
Imminent but eluded us
before going to press.
Considering the nature of the
game, a 'budget' price has
been suitably set. Superior
Software say there are no
significant graphic changes
are expected, but the sound
will be better than on other
versions.

Cassette: £9.95
Diskette: £11.95

The two versions are to all
Intents and purposes very
similar, except with the BBC
Bono may only be controlled
using the keyboard but
joystick control is available
with the Commodore
version, and there is a music
volume control on the Beeb
version so that Michael
Wintefberg'a Jolly

decomposition need not
deafen you.

OVERALL 70%

"Bone Cruncher - an

old-style game -

presents sufficient

challenge for
worthy gameplay,"

comment

Considerable effort has been made to emulate the high quality
graphics of the Amiga original with the result that moat of the
screens are virtually identical. The ST*» in-game tunes are
probably the best, rf a touch tinny. A few omissions have bean
made, (Robin Hood no longer makes an appearance) but to make
up for this, features like spying on other Lord's armies and rebels
plotting mayhem throughout the lend have been added. The
Amiga's play ability has been improved upon, making more of a
war game than the other versions. However, it still suffers from
being too easy to get through.

ATARI ST

OVERALL 79%

L

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 51/1 16

SAVE THE LAST
LANCE FOR

GRYZOR

Ocean

Konamis colourful, popular coin-op has taken
Ocean's programming teams several months to
assimilate the graphics and pack them into 8-bit
machines - a job difficult to succeed in well, and one
likely to be a bit of a curate's egg. Maestro David
Whittaker has written the music, code by Paul Owens
(Spectrum) and John Brandwood (Amstrad), Mark
Jones did the graphics for both versions, and Colin Porch
did the Commodore coding and Steve Wahid the
graphics.

multi-load - one load per section.

RAMBALIENS

Beginning in the heart of a
horizontally scrolling jungle
infested by the alien army of bullet-
pumping Rambos, the first
objective is to race along across
the scenery, making use of
platforms, to destroy the entrance
to a tunnel maze. The 3-D maze -
displayed graphically in proper
vanishing-point perspective - is
negotiated one screen. To get
through wall targets must be
destroyed which breaks down the
force field blocking your path.
Alien troops roam the tunnels
intent on killing you by finng well-
aimed bultets and roiling canisters
down the alleyways - any coflision

Ine&rporahng graphics vary ttirntiar to that of the arcade game. 7T» Amstrad

Gryior biasts Ns way to success

it ^ —

The name's Gryzor . Lance Gryior.
Lance? r What kind of a name is
that for a soldier of fortune, a lone
killer and a rather gutsy Konami
Com -op conversion? As Ocean's
second major New Year licence
{Platoon being the other), Gryzor
has fared very well cm the Amstrad
(less so on the Spectrum) where it
produces a challenge to test fast
reactions and manages to contain
considerable depth.

A bunch of si imy al ierts have set
up base in an uncharted part of
Earth from where they plan to
control the weather, eventually to
bring about a new Ice Age and in
its freezing wake, take Control of
the planet. Gryzor plays over three
sections, each with a series of
scenes, and, unless you are using
a 128K machine, the game is a

proves fataL

Having cleared the four-screen
maze Gryzor plunges into a
vertically scrolling Gorge,
compiete with more troops.
Careful precision when jumping is
essential if you are to make it
I hrough to the I n ner M &z;e - a more
difficult version of the first.

The final conquest of the aliens
themselves takes place along a
long horizontally scrolling
backdrop - additional fire power
which may have been collected
along the way will be of use - the

* mK*Mmw *to i*mi#* Ms&!m

A bit ttat on the Spactrum, Lance
girds his fains to face the uitimata
chailefjga

aliens here are no wimps. And
that's all there is to it ,

Tne compendium or actions and
skiKs required to play through the
different sections are not going to
be quick to ieam, and on the
Amstrad at least. Gryzor is just as
tough and exhilarating as the
arcade original, but the inlay
provides some useful tips - first;
keep moving, and second: shoot
everything.

tUM 48/128

Cassette :£7. 95

It was to be expected that the Spectrum Gryzor would be forced
to opt for monochromatic Ime drawings for the sprites, with a
resultant lack of colour. This is a definite hindrance to payability
when the furious activity becomes confusing due to the
transparent characters and bullets. However, the bullets don't
come so thick and fast as to make it completely frustrating. More
annoying, for 46K users,, is the serious tack of sound FX - It
become* a real problem in the maze sequences when so much
Is going on and a few hit or fire noises would have been a help
No problem, however, on the 12SK because there are plenty of
bells, whistles and tunes to kmp ears lubricated, rf the Spectrum
Gryzor fails to rise into the major league it is probably because the
coin-op is too difficult to suit the machine's capabilities. That
said, there is enough in tt to keep you going for several weeks,

OVERALL 63%

AMSTRAD CPC

Cassette; E8.95
Diskette; £14.35

Graphically superb, Gryzor Is highly colourful, but occasionally
the amounts of colour used obscures some of the aliens and they
don't stand oirt enough. Music and FX are not apparent on the
64 K version, but 6128 owners will find it is all one load and there
are plenty of aural delights. Of the two e-bit conversions we have
»an so for, Gry/pr on the Amstrad is certainly the most action-
packed and difficult, in fact a very powerful conversion which
should not disappoint hardened arcade addicts wrth Itchy trigger
fingers.

OVERALL 82%

COMMODORE 64/128

Cassette: £8,95
Diskette: £14.95

We have only seen a static demo screen so far, which indicates
that it wont be as colourful as the Amstrad version, but in most
respects payability should be similar. Watch out for a version
update soon.

ii

"Gryzor is just as tough and exhilarating as
the arcade original . .

REVIEWS

THE MORTIFICATION
OF ARTHUR

TANGLEWOOD

Microdeal

icrodeal's 16-bit output is increasing healthily;
Tanglewood-code by Ian Murray- Watson- is one

IVI of several imminent Atari and Amiga releases which
includes the commando-action Leatherneck,
Soccer and (at long last) a licensed version of the cult
horror film Fright Night Tangiewood is an all-graphic
adventure boasting over 700K of pictures, by Pete Lyon
Uncle Arthur buys the mining '

Arthur buys the
nghts to the planet T'ngl-y-wd
from a large company with a poor
cash-flow situation, one probably
occasioned, as Arthur discovers,
by the Tact that the planet is not
particularly ore-rich- Uncte Arthur
decides to cut his losses and is
about to abandon plans for
becoming nch, when a dog (type),
disorientated by an earthquake,
attacks a local whom Uncle Arthur
rescues in one of his mining
mobiles. The inured inhabitant
turns out to be the planet's
greatest sage. In appreciation of
his service, the local people let
Arthur into a secret and tell him
about the existence of precious
gemstones.

When the large company (the one
with the cash -flow problem) hear
about this, they muscle in,
sabotaging Arthur's mobiles and
then stealing the mining rights

sales agreement documents.
Uncle Arthur wants them returned
to prove his ownership. However,
due Tngi-y-wd's inhospitable
atmosphere, all searching and
recovering must be done by his
mining mobiles from the relative
safety of the computer control
room, He needs help from

someone capable of controlling
his outdated mobiles, someone
with some expertise in
computers ... but who can he
turn to? Gol it in one.

A TANGLED WEB

A primary screen depicts the
current mining mobile under
control and its present location.
Bordering this is a control panel
from which information and
actions are accessed, Most
systems are controlled by flicking
switches. For example the panel's
left side is lined with switches
representing on/off modes for
each of five mining mobiles - only
one may controlled at a time. Four
switches for saving/loading a
game position, quiting a game.
pausing and turning the sound on

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95

The ST graphics in Tangiewood are slightly biased toward purple,
though nevertheless they remain pretty, and everything within
the gams worts quite well, sound, animation and the overall feel
of rt. Unfortunately this ts a case where the mobiles' control
method becomes sufficiently frustrating as to detract from the
gam splay and discourage the player to continue.

OVERALL 65%

A mining mobile being not so me&te - STscrv*n

or off are situated below the main
screen,

To the screen's right an icon
indicates which mobile is currently
being used, its inventory and any
objects in its vicinity. Various
gauges on the panel depict heat,
time and energy remaining to the
mobile (energy may be
replenished during daylight hours
by the simple act of non-use or the
more complex routine of findmu
and recharging batteries). The
game is pointer-and-mouse-
controlled, clicking on the desired
action.

In fact mobile movement gets
annoying. Steering is

unnecessarily difficult as the
mouse has to be pushed from a
central starting point in the
direction required. This may not
sound too bad. but as mobiles
have their own paths and the
amount of 'push' in any direction
is the dominant one (to counter a
move a push on the mouse is
required which is at least the same
length as the original move}, you
soon find yourself running out of
desktop as you push the mouse
farther and farther from the central
starting position in an effort to gel
the mobile to change direction.

Each mobile has a function - one
is an ancient mining model, live
travels on water, three has anti-
gravity properties, and so on -and
they have to be used cooperatively
to complete the game. At the very
Start you discover that mobile four
is actually unserviceable, so the
lirst task is to repair it using those
that are working,

Items dotted around the
landscape help or hinder
progress: telephone booths,
churches, Dog Crystals and Ice
Emeralds are all there either to
provide information, resources or
death for the player. A time- warp
function is also available to
mobiles although it should be used
with some restraint as it drams
energy at a drastic rate.

AMIGA

Diskette: £19.95

Microdeal promise an Amiga
version will be released
shortly.

" , e . tiie control
becomes
sufficiently frustrat-
ing to detract from
gameplay and dis-
courage the
player ..."

TGM TX DATE; 02-8853/1 16

L

REVIEWS

A NIP IN
THE AIR?

FLYING SHARK

Firebird

■i irebirds conversion of the arcade hit has a first

L Telecom Soft appearance by Dominic Robinson

(ex-Hewson), as the Graftgold prog rammer who did

the Spectrum conversion, while Catalyst Coders

took care of it for the Commodore. The packaging

confuses by its (excellent David Rowe) picture of a World

War 1 1 Kitty h a wk aero p I a ne t when t he g ame invo Ives Worid

War J bi -planes. Never mind, the story tells of a one-man

fight through hell and licensing deals from Taito arcade

machines.

This is a respectable rendition of
the original vertically scrolling
Taito coin-op, which basically pits
a single player against hordes of
Other fighter pianes, tanks, guns
and seaborne craft, killing
everything that flies or scrolls
along the ground towards you.
Flying low over enemy territory
(which could be Japan, but is
probably a fantasy land!), the
objective is to get through all five
levels of increasing difficulty.
learning the strategies required to
survive.
Extra weaponry is collected - a

la Nemesis - as the game
progresses and dependent on the
amount of enemies shot -doubled
firepower and a wider field of fire
are two earlier additions.
Destroying an entire squadron of
yellow planes earns 1Q00 bonus
points, destroying the red
squadron provides extra fire
power through a collectable
symbol, and blue squadrons give
an additional plane.

Little more than an out-and-out
scrolling shoot -'em-up - maybe
what Elite's 1942 should have
resembled last Christmas - Flying

The Spectrum version may iach colour but its gMnepiay a
itjB Commodore

Shark does not attempt to
innovate over past shoot-em -
ups, but represents some of the

i par with

best around. And it is a good
conversion, if a little tricky to get to
grips with

SPECTRUM 48/128

Cassette: £7.95

As you would expect from Dominic fiofcinson, the Spectrum
Flyirtg Shark la a firw and very playable conversion. Although the
playing area is monochromatic, the drawing is so highly detailed,
usmg effective shading, to highlight the different terrain, that rt
wins out. A problem with other mono scrolling shoot-'em-ups,
that of the bullets blending with the background so they become
hard to see. is overcome in F lying Shark by making them large and
so simple to spot. It is also more playable than the Commodore
version, with mora fair levels of difficulty.

OVERALL 83%

KNIGH

1

DARK CASTLE

Mirrorsoft

Silicon Beach Software (those responsible for Dark
Castte) is an American company which specialises in
business programs for the Macintosh. This step into
" games software is unprecedented for them, although
they appear to have been bitten by the bug as there are
rumours of a sequel, Beyond Dark Castte, whispered in
the halls of the Mac User. SB Software's claim to fame is
the eponymous graphics package Super Paint, available
only on the Macintosh. This art bent helps to explain the
attention to detail present in the backdrops used in the
game.

fireball magic required to defeat
the Black Knight. There are also
stones of a magic shiefd hidden
deep in trie Knight's domain,
which gives the bearer limited
powers of invisibility - some help
against the poisonous bats, rals,
deadly vultures, mutants, dragons
and vicious rienchmen of the Bi ach
Knight. These are to be defeated
or avoided if any progress through
the 14 levels is to be made.

Each scenario lurking befiind
trie four doors requires the player
to t hrow rocks at adversaries (until
such time as he controls the
fireball magic and his rocks

Four doors to ctroosm from . .

transform into balls ol fire (very
painfull). There are ladders,
platforms, steps, swinging ropes
and trapdoors to negotiate before
you reach the goal al the end of
each level, be it a magic weapon
or the key to get out into the greai
hall again.

Positioned throughout the
castle are bottles of an elixir, which
fights the effect of the rat/bat bites,
and plenty of rocks are avajlable
for throwing at the evil creatures
which constantly attack
Character control is via mouse and
keyboard, keyboard or joystick
and keyboard.

The drawbridge slowly closes
behind the adventurer and he
siands alone in the great hall. Four
doorways beckon to him,
challenging him to enter. He
knows that he must pass through
each of these doors i n turn in order
to defeat the Black Knight and his
legions of evil, thus restoring
peace and harmony to the land
once more , Many have tried before
him, all have failed, yet tales of

their attempts include morsels of
information which may aid our
adventurer. This would be just as
well; Dark Castle may be a very
attractive looking game, but the
Character control the designers
have decided to employ, makes it
very difficult, and ultimately
frustrating, to play.

It is rumoured that Merlin
resides within the Dark Castle and
is believed to have mastery of the

54/11 6 TGM TX DATE; 02-88

■■■ -# - - m. ' —'- m — ",

GOItf»(IQORE 64/
128

Cassette: £8,95
Diskette: £12.95

The attractively coloured
graphics make Flying Shark
pleasing to play at first But
after a few attempts,
frustration seeps because
payability la sometimes
unfairly tough, and new
enemy squadrons appear
infrequently enough that
bunding extra fire power Is
difficult. A shame, because
the competent programming
means the graphics and
sound work to good effect, tf
only the play ability could
have been tweaked to match
the quality of the Spectrum
version, Flying Shark could
have made an first-rate
game.

OVERALL 74%

Mine's
-Com

} Shark, wtmt's Jaws?
screen

OTHER VERSIONS

Amstrad CPC and Atari ST
versions are planned but
nothing has been seen of
them yet The often slow and
jerky vertical scroll of the
Amstrad is likely to be a
se 'ous drawback, making it
less impressive than the
other. However, if the
play a bill ^' is pitched just
right on the ST, there is no
reason why it should not be
best of the bunch.

"Flying Shark does

not Innovate, but

represents the best

of shoot-'em-ups."

PC

Diskette: £24.95

Visually Dark Castle looks realty good; the background and
character graphics are among the best on the PC. It would be
wise to opt for joystick control because the keyboard controls
for jumping, throwing and generally moving about are unfairly
difficult and complex to use, taking into account the speed
required to act In some situations within the game, The mouse
control rs virtually redundant as its only use is for aiming and
throwing rocks, movement still requires the keyboard. Sound
throughout Dan\ Castle Is of the usual PC standard, and there Is
an option to turn it off.

OVERALL 53%

AMIGA and ATARI ST

Diskette: £24.95

Available any day, we did not receive the Amiga and ST Dark
Castles in time for review, and speculative comparison with the
PC adaption is dangerous to say the least! Watch out for version
updates.

► (

Dark Castle, an attractive looking game, is
very difficult, and ultimately frustrat-
ing .

ii

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□

REVIEWS

PLATOON

Ocean

The film, starring Charlie Sheen, was a fair critical and
box-office success. Ocean's licensed game appears
at a timely moment, as the hire-video rekindles
interest. Platoon takes five raw recruits through five
sections of original gameplay, based on sequences from
the film, created in-house at Ocean. The Commodore
version reviewed here is programmed by Zack
Townsend, graphics by Andrew Sleigh and Martin
Mac Donald, with music and sound effects by Jonathan
Dunn, included in the package is the large film poster, and
an audio cassette with the film's theme music.

The Vietnam war was a filthy
business: muddled, ill-led, drug-
ridden, soul-destroying and
ultimately pointless. It is to
Ocean's credit that they have
produced a game that, given its
need to entertain and thrill,, still
manages in some degree to
convey the film's sad feeling, and
the claustrophobia of the dense
Vietnamese jungle where the
enemy was as often as not the
incompetence of the American
officers.

The first section, set deep in the
Vietnamese forest, is a maze of
bushes and trees swarming with
enemy soldiers, viewed from the
side. First objective is to locate a
box of explosives well -hidden in
the tangled undergrowth and then
Dattle through traps, avoid snipers
and assassins until the bridge
leading to a village is found and
destroyed Each of the five recruits
can take up to four shots before
they are killed in action, however,
if caught by a booby trap rt means
instant death.

Across the bridge lies a village
now overrun by v*C {the Viet Cong
were Worth Vietnamese guerilla
soldiers). Three objectives here:
collect a map, torch and trapdoor.
The village huts are all accessible
and when entered the outer walls
disappear revealing objects inside
which can be examined.

BUNKERED

J ungle warfare is normally thought
of in terms of huge trees and dense
undergrowth, but the VC Created

entire underground cities of maze-
like bunkers, burrowed out of the
very earth between the tree roots.
They were lethally booby-trapped .

56/116TGM TX DATE: 02-88

The third game section takes place
in such an underground tunnel
maze. The platoon has been left to
guard the village, SO one 'life' is
available, although the standard
four hits can be endured before
death, However, there is a second
chance but it means beginning the
section all over again.

The tunnels are displayed in 3-
D, looking forward; to the right of
the action window is a map to
guide you around. Bunker rooms,
concealed at the end of tunnels.
hold vital supplies - medical
supplies are invaluable to restore
health, ammunition is also
available to combat the enemy
who spring from comers or rise
from the water-flooded tunnel
sections- When a VC is
encountered, fire comes under
your direct control, and once the
enemy Is disposed of control
reverts back to movement around
the tunnels. Before you can exit
the maze, two boxes of flares and
a compass are needed to help in
the fourth section.

^n&snt4

stutus ooi

tiiiiMiiim

HITS

ODOOOOO

(Aft pictures from the Commodore 64 version): Dwp in the jungle something
blurred - Unit level.

1

s

ENEMY MINE

On emerging from the maze, night
has fallen. You are trapped in a

Searching the Wet Conp c**pitj) tor equipment necessary to complete the
tunnel sequence - second level

Down in the VC bunkers, atay alert, the
enemy attack irom ell aide* -
third total

foxhole surrounded by Viet Cong.
To provide enough light to see the
hidden troops in the undergrowth,
one of the limited supply of flares
can be sent up, but its light only
lasts for a short while and soon the
screen returns darkness once
more.

In the fifth and final section,
back in the jungle, the action is
viewed from slightly above.
Avoiding the bombs, trip-wires
and enemy fire, the object is to
locate a safe foxhole m which to
take cover from an imminent
American napalm strike. But
Sergeant Bames blocks your way
- the man responsible for the
death of the platoon's leader,
Barnes, equipped with machine
gun, tries to gun you down. The

only way to combat him is by a
frontal assault with grenades. Five

direct hrts are needed to take him
out before you can enter the
foxhole, fake cover and complete
the game.

Platoon has all the hallmarks of
a highly polished game, It has
been well thought out to provide a

variety and depth of gameplay well
above the normal glut of film
licences Each section offers
something different - from: the
arcade/adventure of the
u ndergrou nd maze to the out -and -
out shooting gallery of the bunker
scene.

Haras show off your tarytts . - but not tor iottgt Fourth Sosml

COMMODORE 84/128

Cassette: E1 0.95
Diskette: £12.95

ft is a tough game, demanding a lot of practice and perseverance
to get through to the later, immensely difficult screens. M this
seems frustrating at first, it onry adds greatly to the challenge.
The scenas ar« varied, playable > graphically detailed and capture
superbly the harsh atmosphere of the tunnel fighting and jungle
combat that dominated the Vietnam war. The use of dark, murky
colours doesn't always work, but In Platoon they add to the
game's dirty, grimy realism. Really successful film tie-ins have
been few and far between, Platoon is one of the few. A sure-fire
winner from Ocean.

OVERALL 92%

SPECTRUM 48/128

Cassette: £10.95
+3 Diskette: £14.95
AMSTRAD CPC
Cassette: £10.95
Diskette: £14.95

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95
AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

The other 6-brt games are almost ready, and should be on sale
by the time this issue hits the streets. Although we've only seen
bits of the Spectrum version, it is looking good (surprising in
comparison to the Commodore with its heavy reliance on murky
colours). The 16-bit conversions are in the hands of Choice
Software, should be ready during January, and we will have
version updates hopefully for next month.

it

. dirty, grimy realism, Platoon has all
the hallmarks of a highly polished game."

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ON THE SEVENTH
DAY . . .

ECO

Ocean

F

rom so simple a beginning t endless forms most
beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are
being, evolved.' - The Origin Of Species, Charles
Darwin 1859. So begins Eco. another game from
Denton Design {Shadowfire, Mutants, Frankie Goes To
Hollywood, the forthcoming Where Time Stood Stiff etc),
a surreal program and their first on the 1 6-bit machines.

Eco, the game of survival, takes
you into a pri mondial world filled
with evolving creatures and
lifefonms where only the fit survive,
Starting off as a lowly fly or spider,
your ultimate goal is to become a
mare complex being, reproducing
more capable offspring (such as
man or a similar lifeform) in the
fight for species domination.

The more immediate task,
however, is to locate food and
prevent starvation, For flies and
spiders food corner in the shape
of plants and worms: selecting the
food icon sets the currently
controlled creature off In the
direction of the nearest foodstuff,
The player's meal isn't always
willing to be eaten and often

reproduce, a further gene can be
unlocked for manipulation, the
more genes unlocked., the more
species become accessible. Once
a species is chosen, you can then
reenter the Eco world in a new,
stronger, hardier form.

Al the beginning, the genes of
man and other complex- structure
creations are not accessible and
only through subsequent
generations, as further genes are
unlocked, can you reach the level
of man and beyond, A skull on a
pedesial indicates the player's
expected lifespan; flames
representing death slowly climb
the slem and, upon reaching the
skull, the current creature dies. Eat
food and the skull rises from the

scuttles off or flies away (plants
merely wither away). Higher level
creatures, naturally enough, prey
on larger creatures.

MULTIPLICATION

Once food has been eaten, a
reproduction icon appears; use
this m conjunction with the radar
to locate a similar creature which
whom you can mate, following
wh»ch the gene manipulation
screen appears. Each time you

flames, get injured or stay without

food for any length of time and the
skull falls into the ever burning
flames below,

HUNTER HUNTED

Movement is controlled through
the standard Denton icon system.
the mouse control, as usual,
working well. Special icons are
used to search for food and for
reproduction. For winged

'«k ■ b» r

D? B12D

creatures there are take off and
land icons, The jworld of Eco is
viewed through animated vector
graphics, and the more complex
creatures are highly realistic in
their movements, Watching a
human run across the landscape
is a beautiful sight to behold, and
especially breathtaking is when
the player's viewpoint pans
around the running figure.

Sometimes the tables are
turned; you are not always the
hunter, more complex creatures
are out tor food too. Your life is
over i f you get eaten or trodden on
by a predator, starve to death or

simply die of old-age. A
subsequent post-mortem lists the
number of generations survived,
amount of food eaten and the
reason for death.

There is an extra bonus lor MIDI
owners in the form of a further
soundtrack, although the standard
tune accompanying the game is
very good in itself. Eco is brilliancy
innovative, and a lot of work has
gone into the game's appearance,
character animation and unique
graphical techniques, but
unfortunately it has suffered as a
result, being let down by a lack of
real challenge.

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.95

Denton Design's trademark seems to be the use of icons at every
available opportunity. A3 well as the mouse, a joystick option is
provided, but it is pretty difficult to control the creature once it's
on the move. The game has everything that shows off the ST to
rts best, but lacks the essential ingredients of 9a me pi ay and
content Wandering around the world of Eco is interesting at first,
but even with the multitude of species to choose from, most are
either of no use whatsoever or are simply minor variations on
existing creatures (does it really make a difference if a man has
a slightly larger nose than in a previous generation?). The
process of reaching a higher level is rather simple, just select a
creature with a large number of mates and an adequate food
supply and the player should find ft pretty easy to get through to
the human stage. Fca is an interesting game with some notable
effects, but little in the way of game foundations.

OVERALL 78%

AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

Should be ready about now, and be simitar to the ST Eco. We will
do an update if we see a copy in time for next month's issue.

11

. . brilliantly innovative, Eco is let down
by a lack of real challenge."

Sa/116TGM TX DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

HOME OUT OF
RANGE

HUNTER'S MOON

For their games to date, Thalamus have relied entirely
on Stavros Fasoulas s creative programming and
the three games Sanxion, Delta and Quedex. Now,
with Stavros tied up in compulsory National Service
for his mother-Finland, it's the turn of Thalamus newcomer
Martin Walker to bring us something special. Martin's
previous credits include Rupert And The Toymaker's
Party, Back To The Future (neither were received
particularly well) and Chameleon for Electric Dreams,
which did do well. Hunter's Moon is a very different kettle
Of insects from any of his previous releases

Travelling through space in his
ship the Hunter, the hero of the
game plunges into a black hole
eventually emerging in

Loopspace, a desolate region
containing crystalline structures.
hive-like space cities inhabited by
worker- and soldter-aliens who
maintain and protect each city.

To escape this nightmare
universe the Hunter has to collect
vital SlarceHs from each of the four
planets within each of the 16 star
systems (are your maths good? -
that is a grand total of 1 28 levels to
decimate?}. Each space city is
protected by workers moving in
continuous circles around each
network, constantly repairing any
structures damaged by the
Hunter's lasers. Worker-aliens,

though indestructible, pose no
offensive threat: the soldier aliens
on the other hand, fire laser bolts
at any moving thing. Contact with
aliens or the city structure itself is
fatal, losing the pilot a life in the
process,

The number of starcells to
collect is incremented with each
subsequent tevel in the star
systems, On the first level of each
system the Hunter needs only
collect one Starcell, on level two it
is two, level three, three and level
four of each system. Hunter
collects four Starcells to escape
the system. Collect a Starceii
within a brief starting time and a
coordinate is gained, collect all
four and the Hunter can skip
harder levels to move straight onto

the next star system.

Once out of a system, Hunter
enters a bonus game where the
ship remains* stationary while
soldier-aliens encircle it, firing
from time to time. To successfully
complete this screen and gain the
reward of an extra life, you need to
destroy all" eight of the orbiting
aliens. Once through this screen,
it's onto the next, tougher system
with its four hive-cities,

Hunter's Moon is deceptive in
that beneath the simplistic
gameplay there lurks a very
decent, interesting, addictive
game with plenty of challenge.
And the extras within the game
add to its immense appeal,
features such as. the Loopspace
trainer - basically a relaxation
screen for battie-weary Hunter
pilots (in a similar vein to

Llamasoft's GoJourSpace, with its
joystick -controlled lights and neat
patterns) and a respray facility for
pilots who want a change of
paintwork in mid -game,

Thalamus have come up trumps
again wrth their latest release.

Far from tfw nmnsi hamburger joint, battling through crystals in space in
seiirett o f Hunlar' s Moon

*~»

:« &

COMMODORE 64/
128

Cassette: £9,99
Diskette: £12.99

Thalamus products are
always, highly polished and
thoroughly playable, and this
applies to Hunter's Moor as
well- It isn't exactly original -
yet another shoot-'em-up -
but rt oozes payability and is
pure, unadulterated (and
unashamed) arcade action,
tar' 9 Moon has been put
together with a high degree
of skill and professionalism,
the graphics and sound
effects, coupled with stirring
music, testify to that. This la
a game requiring the
dexterity of Quedex and the
shoot-'em-up skills of
Sanxion and Delta combined
in order to succeed. A great
game standing head and
shoulders above the masses
of shoot- "em-ups currently
on the market.

OVERALL 90%

OTHER FORMATS

Your guess is as good am
ours! But probably not . . .

r^i

. . a very decent,
interesting, addic-
tive game with
immense app-
eal ... "

TGM TX DATE02-88S9/116

US Gulds brave attempt at
outrunning an arcade hit

OUTRUN

Masteftronic/Sega and US Gold

Mastertronic are marketing the Sega cartridge
conversion from this very popular coin-op hit, while
US Gold deal with the popular micro versions. US
Gold claimed well before Christmas that Out Run
was selling like hot cakes long before any reviews were
written, for the copies were in the shops to meet the
Christmas sales period before review copies were
despatched. Was it worth the purchase? The main section
of this review deals with the official Sega version.

around 170 kph). There are five
landscapes to be raced through,
each with its own check point. An
BQ-second lime limit is allowed to
reach the First, 65 seconds for the
next and so on, decreasing as you

Aren't you a lucky chap: a nice
sunny afternoon, at the wheel of a
Ferrari Testarossa, girlfriend al
your side, out for a pleasant drive.
Well actually you are about la
participate in possibly the most
gruelling race of your life, as you
sit tensely at the starting line
waiting for the chequered flag

Hold on though, you forgot to
switch on the radio and there are
three in -game tunes to choose
from. Magical Sound Shower,
Passing Breeze and Splash Wave,
Having selected music to drive by,
you are presented with a view of
your car at the starling point - the
chequered flag drops, and you are
off. Control is simple, pressing up
on the direcf ion button puts you in
low gear, pressing down selects
high gear, button one is the brake.
button two the accelerator, and
pressing left or right on the
direction button steers the car,

As the race starts, it is wise lo
seled low gear until you have
gained sufficient speed to warrant
the Change to high (usually at

Perhaps not unsurprisingly, it works beat of all vn thti Sega

go along; however, crossing a
check point within the time limit
adds those remaining precious
seconds to the next stage's time
allowance. Failing to reach the end
of a route within the limit means
disqualification and an end *n the
game.

At various points along the
track, forks in the road appear.
These allow you to choose which
of the goal lines you wish to

], ' r ' - in ,'.■.. . > ■ . ■

- 3 1 AR I

* ^fl

pursue, and there are live m all: the
Vinyard. Death Valley, Desolation
Hill, Autobahn and Lakeside But
whichever path you choose to
reach your goal, there are plenty of
people on the road trying to stop
you, so good luck, you will
probably need it.

Of alf the versions, the Sega
cartridge comes closest lo the
Original coin-op in appearance.
feel and addictive qualities, but
nonetheless, it does suffer in
comparison. The home micro
versions have all had to make their
own compromises with memory
size.

60/11 6 TGM IX DATE: 02-88

iimij 75 1 -aaaa*

^——— — ■ — ■ _ i

.. ■■— -

H

»•■* 4*' '-f W

SEGA

Two-Mega Cartridge:
£24.95

Out Run Is instantly very

playable, with good sound -

although the three tunes do

rather resemble each other,

they do add a nice

atmosphere. Tha graphics,

however, are a let down; the

backgrounds are well drawn,

but on the racetrack things

are not all good. Passing rival

ears often causes them to

judder violently or disappear

totally, and the same fate

occasionally afflicts your

own car when spinning or

flipping in an accident.

Equally, the overhead

gantries fail to work and

appear to jerk forwards and

backwards rather than pass

overhead as they should. But

despite the tacky graphics

it's not all that bad-

OVERALL 72%

SPECTRUM 48/128

Cassette. £8.99

Nearly all the features of the arcade machine have been
squeezed into the Spectrum, but at the expense of speed and an
arduous multi-load. At the end of each track, the action freezes
while another level is loaded, and depending on the course taken,
waits can be teeth-gritting ly long. The sound is surprisingly good,
and even though tha road stops a little short of the hon*on, the
3-D effect is convincing. Payability is unfortunately poor as the
car is often sluggish to respond to joystick or keyboard
command, and when things get busy, the action seriously slows
down, which can be very frustrating. US Gold still have yet to
prove that you can squeeze a gallon into a pint pot!

REVIEWS

OTHER FORMATS

The promising-sounding Atari ST version should be released
during February (£19.99), and the Amstrad conversion (C9.99
cassette, C14.99 diskette) should be available at tha time of
reading. At present, an Amiga version is unannounced.

. . . the Sega cartridge comes closest to
the original coin-op, but nonetheless,
suffers in comparison."

VERSION UPDATE

Birds of a feather

INTO THE EAGLE'S NEST

Pandora

j OVERALL 61%

COMMODORE 64/1 28

Cassette; £9.99
Diskette: £11.99

Initial impressions are very favourable, with the Commodore
version of the classic Sega race game seeming to sport nearly all
the features of the original, including two reasonable renditions
of the arcade soundtrack, hills, and some colourful, if rather
blocky graphics. The 3-D is fast and convincing, and generally
the game is playable. In fact, the only things missing are the
intersections, which have been removed and replaced by five
different tracks, one of which la loaded at the start to represent
a possible course that could be taken on the arcade version. All
this sounds good, but unfortunately Out Run has a serious flaw,
which only becomes apparent on playing. It's far, far too easy,
and completing a course within a few goes is a task even the
most novice of budding Testarossa drivers won't find difficult.
Consequently, lasting appeal is severely lacking.

OVERALL 67%

Amiga, Atari ST £19.95

FIRST RELEASED at the

beginning of 1987. the game was
reviewed excellently on the
Com mod ore 64 and Amstrad, and
received 82% overall in the
CRASH April issue,

Eagles Nest, a highly fortified
German garrison, poses a ma|or

The game is a Gauntlet done,
with an overhead view of the
numerous and various castle
rooms. The mam character
green so as to be easily idenlifiaple
amidst the teeming grey of
German soldiers. Traverse (he
maze of rooms and corridors

From overhead, even the pnwies
too* attractive
threat to the advancing Allied
army. Your task is to enter the
stronghold. rescue three
imprisoned leam-mates and
destroy Eagles West before the
forces within can launch a counter
attack against you.

picking up food, medical supplies,
"keys, ammunition and elevator
passes to gain entrance to further
floors in the castle, and avoid
being shot by the enemy. Three
missions may be chosen: blow up
the fortress, rescue the prisoners
or both.

COMMENT

All the gameplay that existed in the &- bit versions of Eagles Nest
is stilt present, including the extra rewards to be received tor
recovering stolen art treasures. Although obviously neither
machine has been utilised to its full capabilities for the
conversion, there are some nice graphics and sampled sound
throughout. A thoroughly competent Gauntlet style game, Eagles
Nest is large in scale and provides stacks to do.

AMIGA/ATARI ST
OVERALL 78%

TGM TX DATE; 02 -88 61/1 16

REVIEWS

IA

GARFIELD

(IN THE BIG, FAT HAIRY DEAL)

the Edge

Cuddly toys, cards, stickers, badges, mugs, shirts,
pillows and millions of other things ... not only
things Garfield has eaten, but Items Garfield has
been, featured on or starred in. Now Jim Davis's fat
feline gets his own computer game, pampered by Martin
Sneep (Mat) on the Commodore and ex -M el bourne
House programmer Steve C argil I is taking care of the
Spectrum version. Programmers for the 16- bit versions,
due later in the year, have not yet been appointed, but as
Mat said, We may be doing them , . . when we learn
68000 code!"

Arlene, Garfield's girlfriend, has
been taken to the Pound and for
once Garfield decides he had
better do something about It.
Making use of his two faithful
Chums, Odie (the worlds
stupidest dog) and Nermal (the
won d ' s cutest k itten) , Garfield sets
about his task. The adventure
begins in the house with the
graphics of cartoon quality -
everything is taken from the comic
strips drawings, from Garfield
himself to the trays of essential
lasagne- and animated superbly.
Neturally Garfield' s favourite
pastimes are eating and sleeping:
he gets hungry from time to time -
well, all the time - and to keep
track there are two status bars
showing how tired he is and how
hungry. Should either run out the
game is over (Garfield is not
allowed to die by order of the
licence holders). If hungry enough,

he will eat anything he is holding -
making a light snack of the table
lamp for instance - and
unfortunately this may prove to be
an object vital to solving a puzzle.

The puzz le solving has the same
air about It as Mastertromc's
Magic Knight trilogy, only without
the windows, and revolves round
making use of a series of objects
scattered throughout the flip-
screen maze. Some of the puzzles
are rather obscure, odd
connectJOns are made from
disparate objects, which can be
confusing.

What makes Garfield special is
the humour writ large in Garfield's
expressions and in details such as
the way he kicks Odie around and
smashes up the furniture. The
graphics and the nature of the
game capture the original cartoon
very well, and in this lies its main
appeal, but under its high level of

VERSION UPDATE

Bearing the brunt of

BUBBLE BOBBLE

Firebird

Atari ST £19.95
Spectrum £7.95 Cassette

REVIEWED on the Commodore

64 in THEGAMES MACHINE Issue
One to the tune of 93% . Software
Creations continue their
conversions of the h it a rcade coin-
op with the release of the ST and
Spectrum games. Bubble Bobbie
i$ one Of those games which uses
basic graphics and a simplistic
idea, but yet contains an
unsurpassable amount of
addictiveness mixed with
immense payability .

Stow me rt 's a Brvnlcmaurus

Bub and Bob, two bubble-
blowing bronfosaurs, bounce

presentation, Garfield hides a
relatively simple collect and drop
game which is playable bui

perhaps not of long lasting appeal.

G.irfieid eyes the goodies on the
tabte while Jon and Odte do what
they dv best of-

Commodoro 64 screen

COMMODORE 64/128

Cassette: £9.39
Diskette: £14.99

No doubt W you are a Garfield fan, you are going to find the game
Immense fun to play, and on the Commodore the colourful
images make it a delight. Little has been spared in presentation
- the appearance of Odie is marked by a ridiculous fanfare as he
bounces madly around the screen, and in general the music is
high quality and of a suitably jolly nature. Garfield, due to its linear
puzzle-solving nature, Isn't going to appeal to everyone, but ft
captures the characters" essence and makes an entertaining, if
limited, game.

OVERALL 79%

around platforms through 1Q0
screens, trapping nasty cave
dwellers inside bubbles which
they burst to kill them, whilst
collecting fruit and special objects
in a quest to rescue their

brontosauri girlfriends- Packed to
the brim with entertain menl.
Bubble Bobble is a classic just-
one-more- go game with its

irresistable appeal and extremely

cute characters.

COMMENT

Bubble Bobble is fantastically playable and this is graphically
better than the coin-op arcade game itself! The onry comparative
criticism that can be levelled against it concerns the music, it's
very much the basic, tinny ST sound, although Us a remarkably
faithful rendition playing away merrily throughout. ST Bubble
Bobble is amazingly close to the arcade original, everything from
the introductory screen to the extended jingle is there, and the
two player Bub/Bob partnership captures all the fun of the cute
coin-op. Cliche or not, Bubble Bobble Is easily one the best coin-
op conversion on the ST so far.

ATARI ST
OVERALL 94%

62/11 6 TGM "DC DATE: 02-88

ORDER NOW - ORDER NOW - ORDER NOW

1

Down tn the basement - bow:

AMIGA/ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.99

No work has started on 16-
bit versions, but The Edge
are aiming to have games
finished in the Spring. The
more powerful machines
should allow great scope for
programmers with the
graphics and music, but
bearing in mind the typical
market represented by
current Amiga and ST
owners. The Edge might do
well to aim for more complex
end interlinked puules, and
give the game a more adult
feel.

SPECTRUM

48/128

Cassette: £8.99

THE GAMES MACHINE has
seen a near-finished copy,
and it looks to be just as
enjoyable as the

Commodore version.

Actually the style of game is
far more suited to the
Spectrum market. The
graphics, though

monochromatic, are more
detailed and cutesy than the
Commodore's. Spectrum
Garfield should be on sale
now,

ider its high level of presentation
eld hides a simple game

COMMENT

Firebird could hardly fait - Bubble Bobb is probably one of the
easiest coin -ops to convert to the Spectrum with rta definite
platform shapes and restricted use of colour, and Is ideally suited
to the machine 1 * capabilities. The limited colour scheme does
make some screens look rather dull, but the majority are pleasing
to the eye and professionally put together, keeping attribute
clash to a minimum. Bub and Bob and the cave creatures have
lost very little of their detail in the transition, and the overall effect
works very well indeed. On the 128 the arcade tune plays
continuously, suiting the game perfectly- One of the better coin-
op conversions for the Spectrum.

SPECTRUM 48/128
OVERALL 88%

Bub and Bob on the STfOb

BUBBLE
OBBLE

ft m

215590

HE

DOUBLE

THE LEAGUE & FA. CUP

Howard Kendall says...

This must be the ultimate

of all strategy games... Excellent

NEVER - EVER ■ HAS a 'aolball managemEJil game been available 10*66 TEAMS

of which 65 AHE COMPUTER MANAGED wnrk GENUINE MATCH RESULTS (nOI random)

using lhfl INDIVIDUAL ABU ITIES or 1DO0 PLAYERS WITH AN INTELLIGENT METHOD

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NEVER - EVER ■ HAS a lombali manaoemem game allowed youtne CHOICE OF

ANY FIXTURE Irofn ANY DIVISION *Hh ALL gosl scorer 5, ALLt**ult* 'or ALL match**

plus League Tables and UMtlnW for ALL divisions *ilh ALL galea individually

Calculated

PLUS Policing, Gale income, Full *dmmls«ra|ion, Stall, Injuries. Physio. Crowd

cotil ml. Match programmes, league enquirl**, Ground improvement*. Squad del ails

Field positions. Hotel. Travel expenses. League <ir.es. Promolian A relegations. Banking

With ml era sis. Sackings, Manage! approacn, Save laciMty, Primer oplion

HOW HAVE WE DONE IT? By two years ol 'esea'Cl and planning plus using

1hs most sophisticated dais com pad ion methods QUA AIM i**5 Ig produce 1he

uil i ma! a i n a tool bal I si ral eg* game - we think you' 1 1 agree, we have

WARNING - This is a. »nou$ managemenl strategy game |No S*Ml levels

gimmich3, or random simulation)

HOWARD KENDALL SS^s: "This must t>* t»e ultimate o> Mil strategy games erctlltnt '

COMPUTER GAMER says: "TJW* 'Soy '»r me mosr ttaltsttc game Otlti **rrd thate UnV

CO/ne acnost . '"

YOUR COMMODORE says: "On 6*ence frr* gam* t* streets iAeatf ol Fooffcarr

Manager- "

* NOW AVAILABLE ON SPECTRUM •

O RDE R NOW ... ORDE R NO W ORDER NOW . .

£10.95 Including V.A.T. Plus 50p post & packing

ACCESS RING:

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LIMUbU 0934 2204^1

COMMODORE 64, SPECTRUM

TGM TX DATE: 02-8863/1 16

PLEASE SEND CHEOUES/P.O. T0>

JOHNSON

SCflNflTRDN

INTERNATIONAL

TERRAMEX

Grand Slam

mi hen he fi™ shecl mak ' n 9 The Devils, film director Ken

[ Russell turned to The Boyfriend - a light-hearted

f musical set in the Twenties. His reason for the

change was that the gruesome horror of The Devils

had upset him so much. A similar reason has been given

by the designers of Terramex, who having finished Death

Wish III, wanted to do something of gentle fun. They are

Pete {Monty Mole) Harrap and Shgun Hoi ling worth -

for several years associated with Gremlin Graphics, but

now part of Teque Software Development.

Doctor Albert Eyestrain, Of

renowned eccentricity, has pre-
dicted that a large and rather solid
asteroid is on a collision course
with Earth - and it seems he is
right. An international band of five
intrepid explorers are meeting to
stop this calamity. The five all
agree that if one explorer can
locate Doctor Eyestrain, maybe he
can save Earth, But the odd doc is
a recluse, hidden in a secret labo-
ratory in the wilderness.

One of the explorers (chosen at
the beginning of the game) needs
to scour the wilderness, collecting
all sorts of objects ranging from
umbrellas and unicycles to
vacuum cleaners and even a party

manifesto (!). All these servg some
purpose in the game, but there are
some red herrings around too. So
the first task really is to look for
whatever there is and find out just
what it does for your mission.

The wilderness is a vicious
place, infested with venomous
rock snakes that leap out at you,
acid rain clouds and the Terramex
of the title (strange Reradactyl*
hke creatures). Running into any
means losing the explorer one of
three lives. Sheer drops also lie in
wait for careless explorers to fall
down (although a certain object -
no prizes for guessing which -
does help by softening the
landing),

Mr Wu-Pong flips down the ladder into the caverns in searvh of further objects
needed to H«t fh# world -Atari ST screen

MEAN TRICKS

Objects collected are carried by
bearers (more cause for Mel
Croucher in his battle against
racial discnmination . . . ),

pygmies who appear in the status
display carrying the objects
collected. As the game
progresses, hazards and
obstacles are overcome by using
the correct object - the flute
charms some snakes, but what
about the Acme suit case?

A lot of the evident humour in
the game is familiar in strain as
being pure Pete Harrap, and
Terramex is full of the mean tricks
which characterised the Monty
Mole series. For instance, there is
a Think option for those awkward
moments when the explorer is
nonplussed, but it isn't always
right! The five explorers are slightly
different in behaviour, some refuse
to do a particularly dangerous
task, standing firm and shaking
their head. But try persevering.

Eventually reaching the Doc's
secret laboratory; where he paces
up and down, checking diais and
twiddling knobs, a Positronic
Asteroid Deflector (PAD for short)
must be constructed. Doc
Eyestrain requires several items
including cups of tea , a battery and
your average atomic pile. Collect
the items in the correct order and
the PAD slowly takes shape. Once
complete, it is up to you to ti se your
pinball skills and deflect the
asteroid away towards some other
hapless planet,

LOST HUMOUR

Even if on completed, there are si ill
four more routes to take, as each
explorer needs different methods
and different objects to pass
obstacles and achieve goals. The
Frenchman Henri Beaucoup has
to use a unicycle at one paint
whilst the German, Herr Wolfgang
Schmuck, has to engage in bier
drinking competitions. The arcade
adventure has been played to
death over the pas) few years but
Terramex brings back the long-
lost humour (last seen m Jet Sef
Willys.

Across the various lormats and
reviewers, we have to report, there
have been serious disagreements
as to the game's merits, and it is
only tair to add here, that the
ratings given must inevitably
reflect personal prejudices for or
against the notion of a platform-
style arcade adventure, Terramex
is intended to be fun. it is very
much of a cartoon nature, with
humorous graphics and some
neat effects (try loading the
cannon with too much
gunpowder). Trying to conquer
puzzles that pop up and finding
out what objects do is an
adventure in itself. Most are
relatively straightforward but
some are positively obscure. It is
hard to avoid invidious
comparison, but for players who
enjoy the Monty Mole/Jet Set Willy
game notion with some fiendish
puzzles, Terramex should prove
highly popular,

Edgar J sucking up to the clouds in an attempt find the umbreHa that wilt gel
him down again . . . sound* Okm helping the Prof divert the asteroid from
Earth 'a path is going to be a barrel of laughs - Commodore 64 screen

64 116TGM IX DATE: 02-88

REVIEWS

SPECTRUM 48/128

Cassette: £6.95

The Spectrum is Hdrrap's and Hotlingworth's main medium, arvd
as a result Ten-amex works extremely well, albeit without the
colourful appearance of the ST version, The drawback of a multi-
load for the five characters is diminished since it doesn't affect
the actual game, unless you want to re-play or change character.
In many respects, Ternamex is ideally suited to the Spectrum and
its only real detraction is that the machine has seen many similar
games in the past, but this one is very involving and playable.

OVERALL 84%

COMMODORE 64/128

Cassette: £9.95
Diskette: £14.95

It sometimes seems hard to credit that there are games which
suit one machine better than another, but it's true, and Terramew
does not suit the Commodore, Some of the puzzles are
intractably difficult to the point of frustration. The graphics, while
attractive enough, are not particularly outstanding. By and large
Terramex is a very run-of-the-mill platforms-meanie-dodging-
collecting- puzzle game, whose originality lies only in the
deviousness of some of its conundrums-

OVERALL 65%

ATARI ST

Diskette: £19.96

The ST has been starved of the platforms and ladders style
games - whether that's good or not is debatable - If you can put
up with the unoriginality of it all, you should find the ST version is
playable, funny, has great colourful graphics and a suitably
quirky tune running throughout, It is a thoroughly good romp in
general,

OVERALL 80%

AMSTRAO GPC

Cassette: £8.95
Diskette: £13.96

Sitting somewhere between the ST and Spectrum versions, the
Amstrad's graphics are well detailed and colourful. Payability is
high if you are partial to the sort of game it represents and there's
the advantage of a reasonable tune.

OVERALL 81%

OTHER FORMATS

We haven't seen the version yet, but Tr-aramex is also due for
release on the MSX system, price £8,95.

. for players who enjoy the Monty
Mole/Jet Set Willy game should

prove highly popular."

VERSION UPDATE

House of learning

ACADEMY

CHL

Atari ST and PC £19,99

TAU CETt was a big Spectrum hit
for Pete Cooke , as was the sequel ,
Academy. Both games found their
way onto most popular formats,
with Tau Ceti recently released on
PC and Atari ST. Now Academy,
too, hits the 16-bit market.

Given the colour differences, th* PC
version's graphics took vary similar
to the ST^s

The Academy is a training
ground for star pilots of the future
presented in tilted- in 3-D vector
graphics, To graduate

successfully, each star pilot has to

attempt 20 increasingly difficult
missions designed to test their
combat and flying skills to the limit.
Missions range from

Straightforward alien blasting to
ha It ing a n uclear reactor melt down
(shades of Tau Cefy. If pilots
desire, their skimmer ship
specifications can be redefined,
me craft's armament, shields,
engine rating, defence systems
can be altered and evert the main
display rearranged to suit the
pilot's tastes.

Th& ST Academy shows little
i mp t ma mmnt graphically over the
Amstrad version, ami compare*
badly with the Sp&ctrum original

m

COMMENT

Great things were expected of this conversion, but surprisingly,
the graphics, sound arvd general gameplay have not been
upgraded. The front-end, with its attractive graphics and
excellent use of the mouse, gives a deceptive idea of the game
itself. The design-a-shlp feature is a particularly neat effect,
allowing endlass skimmer combinations. The bad news is that
graphically and sonically there has been little improvement over
8-bit versions. Use of colour is limited, as a result the screen
looks rather bland. Excellent use has been made of the ST's
faster processor and the game now plays at a ferocious speed,
combat with robotic defences is swift and deadly. The lack of any
major Improvements or extra features In this conversions is a
great shame considering its ST potential.

ATARI ST
OVERALL 61%

COMMENT

Something of a disappointment on the PC too, as yet again, little
has been added to the game. The graphics keep to the PC's
standard colour scheme which means the game looks unimpre-
ssive, although the shadowing effect of buildings at dusk and
dawn works better on this version than on most other formats.
Speed is well up with the ST, the game belts along st quite a rate,
the screen update and enemy movement working effectively and
realistically. Due to the limited colours and simple sound
capabilities of the PC, expectations were lower for this conver-
sion, so in that respect It has worked reasonably welt.

PC

OVERALL 67%

TGM TX DATE: 02-8865/1 16

ROAD
ROARS

CRAZY CARS

We know little about Titus beyond the fact that they
are a French software house from Montfermeil. But
their first product to be reviewed in THE GAMES
J MACHINE deals with what is becoming a genre of
its own - automobile wish -fulfillment. These are the
familiar words: have you ever wanted to drive a Ferrari or
a Lamborghini, but find that around £50.000 is a bit out of
your price range? Fear not, Titus brings you the next best
thing; four cars, rising in power and performance, starting
with a Mercedes Benz, followed by a Porsche, a
Lamborghini and finally a Ferrari.

The game is spirt into four
sections, one for each car, each
section consisting of six challenge
races, namely Florida. New York,
Space Shuttle, Mountain, Arizona
and Maiifau.

As you progress through each
car. the section starts with a
picture of the vehicle perched
above 3 list of its technical data,
especially shown for the budding
mechanics among you. A click of
the joystick fire button informs you
of the challenge track to be raced
upon, and another cttcfc puts you
Onto the starting line.

As with most race games your

enemy is time; 75 seconds is

aliowed tor the Mercedes and,
needless to say, the time limit
decreases tor each successive
car. Conversely each new car is
also much faster than the last, 257
kiJometers per hour is the top
speed of the Mercedes (we did say
' perform a nee cars ) , and every erg
of power is needed to complete a
course. But be warned, at
increased speed road handling
becomes progressively more
difficult.

TRICKY STEERING

Playing Crazy Cars inevitably

Trad-Bin your Mere fortfte toveV two car- none othwthan a PorsetwSII Turbo

fiH competition on pstge 109)

SCORE
156668

HIGH
13618790

o

T T #*f I

epai*€

66 116TGM TX DATE:02-88

Your Mercedes frres to overtake the sluggish Lamborghini - Amiga screen

brings to mmri the arcade Out Run.
although it is less expansive, 8u1
great fun is to be had zooming
around in cars that most of us will
never be able to own. Crazy Cars,
like Out Run, has hill effects, but
they are far more exaggerated and
graphically amusing - more
effective too. The only real letdown
of the game is the control . which is
tricky- there is no diagonal
movement, so it becomes near-
impossible to steer found corners
and accelerate at the same time.
Ttie fun elements, combined with
unusually bright and oddly
designed courses, makes Crazy
Cars a decently addictive and

entertaining game of modest
pretension,

Part of the fun comes from the
cither road users, lor you are not
alone on the track: other
contestants are doing their best tg
bump, |Osfle and be generally
obnoxious, causing much
gnashing of teeth and toss of
valuable time. Once a course is
completed withinthe time limit, the
game continues onto the next
course, and so on, until all six are
completed. Only then is the car
upgraded to the next model, and
the process starts over again. Will
yw be lucky enough to dove the
Ferrari?

AMIGA

Diskette: £24.95

The Amiga graphics are very nice with large, well defined cars
whizzing around a solid looking racetrack, while the sound is
also good, going from a twangy guitar solo on the intro screen,
to qu ite realistic engine roars a nd tyre squea Is in the actual game.
Of special note must be the Game Over screen, a French
Impressionist painting of the famous Chicago car graveyard with
the cars nose down in the grass, sat among trees while a bird-
song effect plays-

OVERALL 78%

OTHER FORMATS

Graiy Cars is al so being released for the Atari ST , PC at E1 9,95 and
Amstrad CPC (C9.95 cassette, £14,95 diskette) by the end of
January, and Spectrum (cassette E9.95) during February. Version
updates when we get them.

. . unusually bright and oddly designed
courses, make Crazy Cars a decently
addictive game."

VERSION UPDATE

Martial arts
for martial

MOEBIUS

MieroProse

Amiga, Atari ST £24.95

ORIGIN SYSTEMS INC,

publishers of fantasy rote play
software Such as the Ultima series
and Ogre, now release the 1 6-brt
Moebtus for Atari ST and Amiga.

To retrieve the Celestial Orb Of
Harmony, stolen from rvtcebius.
courage, cunning, ingenuity (and
an almost ruthless devotion to the
Pope) and some knowledge of an
intricate magic system are
required to make any progress
whatsoever in the game. Four
differing planes, (fire, wind, air and
water) each with their own

Moebius la obviously babbit forming

obstacles and variables, need to
be completed before the final
confrontation is reached and the
Orb successfully returned to its
rightful owner, Before the chosen
one embarks on the quest,

sufficient mastery of barehand and
sword fighting and mental self-
control must be mastered, No
game advancement may be made
until the player is thoroughly
competent in these skills.

The look and feel of Moebius
on the Amiga and ST is very
similar. Although graphics,
animation and sound are
considerably enhanced

compared to the

Commodore 64 version,
sadly the gameplay is still the
same. The training

sequences are slow and
tedious, most adversaries
are dealt with using only one
or two repeated moves. The
game is large but, again,
lacks the grab factor which
should encourage the player
to enjoy Moebius and strive to
get somewhere within it,
Nice to look at but naff to
play.

AMIGA/ATARI ST
OVERALL 53%

TGM TX DATE: 02-8867/1 16

REVIEWS

VERSION UPDATE

Summer Charleston

CALIFORNIA GAMES

US Gold/Epyx

REVIEWED in the first issue of
THE GAMES MACHINE, California
Games was rated at 92% on the

Commodore 64, and considered
as one of the most impressive
events games to dale. We have no
new?; of the Amstrad version, and
those for Amiga and MSX owners.

slated tor October 1 987, still have
not materialised. The Spectrum
version, however, has The gams
consists of six events: Half Pipe
Skateboarding, Foot Bag. Surfing,
Roller Skating. BMX Bike Racing
and Frisbee.

Spectrum £8,99

COMMENT

With the possible exception
of Winter Games, Epyx
Spectrum conversions have
in the main been pretty. The
graphics in California Games
are monochromatic, poorty
animated and with little or no
attention to detail, while the
sound is limited to
unimpressive spot FX, This
does not bode well for the
rest of the game, which uses
a multi-load system for each
of the events. This can be
tedious, but borne with if the
game is compelling.
Unfortunately the events
themselves are boring to
play and not a patch on the
Commodore. A very

disappointing conversion of
a-once excellent game,

SPECTRUM 48/128
OVERALL 45%

L

Looks a bit itke a Charleston dnnce demonstration ,

VERSION UPDATE

Recycle

BMX SIMULATOR
Code Masters

Amiga £14,99

IT HAS taken its time arriving or
the Amiga, having first appeared
on the Commodore in November
1986 (ZZAP! 64 gave it 83%), and
in fact the Amiga game is really
only an upgraded version, as the
gameplay remains the same.
Selection of the options

available is made on the title
screen, consisting of keys (which
are displayed at left and right hand
of the screen), joystick and a
choice of competing against a
friend or computer rider, The view
is from overhead . At the beginn i n g
of each track you are placed on

Code Master* first 18-ttit product is pretty but essentially the seme 8-bit game

the starting grid. The computer
then sounds three high -pitched
nates, displays: Riders n
pedals ready, go 1 " Then it is all up
to you to beat your opponent in
the frantic race against time.

COMMENT

Graphically, the Amiga BMX
Simulator is superb, Every
jump, barrel, flag etc Is
excellently detailed. Sound is
improved over the 64 on the
title screen, but is scarce on
the racing. Colour is well
implemented throughout
even though fairly dark
colours are used for the
tracks themselves.

Movement of the riders is
continually smooth

throughout the whole game.
If you complete a track in the
allotted time, you have the
option to see how well you
have (or haven't) managed to
overcome those obstacles
by pressing the A key when
prompted. In this mode, if
you hold down the S key, the
action replay goes into slow
motion. When the track is
completed it's on to the next,
except this time the going Is
a little bit harder.

AMIGA
OVERALL 76%%

68 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

ARCADES

COIN
CONFRONTATION

Setting out at dawn, fearless GAMES
MACHINE coin-op commandos ventured
deep into occupied Manchester on a do-or -
die mission to bring back vital data on the
latest arcade scene. Robin Hogg wielded
the joystick and Cameron Pound took the
pictures. Thanks to Avrll at SunSpot for the
use of the machines.

ing. These prove lough oppo-
nents, but they're Ghicken feed
compared with the Mega-Baddy
waiting at the end of each zone -
these can be anything from an
immense fire-spitting dinosaur to
a massive rocket-launching tank
literally taking up half of the
screen 1 Survive long enough to
destroy this and the captured
comrade is released, and entering
a futuristic time travel machine
takes you on to the next tune-zone
and even greater hazards.

77me Soldiers bears more than a
passing resemblance to Ikat f War-
riors in its style and general
gameplay, but that's where the
similanties end. The high quality
graphics are rich m detail, varied
and interesting, atmospheric and
suit each zone perfectly, In fact it's

Time Said isr : a Roman god. One
of thm larger baddies, goes
up in smofce

TIME SOLDIERS

Producers: SNK

TRAVEL BACK and forth through
time wreaking havoc in the new

release T7me Soldiers. The evil
being Glyned has trapped com-
rades of the Time Soldiers and
they need resc u i ng pronto: not the
easiest of tasks considering they
are scattered throughout different
time-zones, with each zone
guarded by an army of soldier-
warriors.

One or two players can take the
role of the Time Soldiers as they
battle their way through the land-
scape of each zone, fighting cave-
men in a prehistoric age, blasting
at centurions inthe Roman era and
subduing many enemies through
time right up to the present day
with its tanks, helicopters and
flamethrowing infantry.

Occasionally, a red warrior -
appropriate to the time period -
comes on screen, if you shoot him
extra weapons, such as lasers,
mega-lasers (double the width and
double the firepower!), npple-fire
guns, rockets and more are
awarded. The weapons are only
effective for a limited time so
before they run out of power it is a
good idea to destroy as many of
the enemy as possible,

Progress through a zone causes
further, larger foes to appear, that
require several hits before explod-

A Tim* Soldier razes guard towers with rockets in the Modem Age

Tim* SoWiorr fighting through the Roman Age - note tfw tn^utitulfy dotaiied
floor graphics

extremely difficult to find fault in
the graphics and general appear-
ance. Right from the start the
game is playable, with a progres-
sive difficulty which makes later
levels very tough going indeed
(thankfully 3 cpntmue-play option
is included). Unlike Ikari Warriors,
it is not immensely difficult in one-
player mode and is a challenge for
novices and experts alike. Of all
the games in this genre (and to a
certain extent this includes
Gauntlet) this is the most playable
and enjoyable to dale, ikan War-
riors fans will fall for this hook, line
and sinker 1

XYBOTS

Producers: Atari

AN ALTERNATIVE title for Xybots
would be 'A Vastly Reworked
Bezerk Meets Gauntlet In 3-D'
which is probably the best possi-
ble description for this new two-
player game.

An alien race, the Xybots no
less, have invaded, and con-
structed an immense mufti-level
fortress patrolled by deadly laser-
bolt -tiring robots. Only Major Rock
Hardy and Captain Ace Gunn are
macho enough to enter the for-
tress, fight through to the lower
levels and exterminate the Master
Xybots themselves. The players
run down the 3-D corndors and

TGM TX DATE: 02 -88 69/1 16

passageways, rotating the joys-
tick to face other directions and
using a hand-held laser to dispose
of attacking droids. Pressing the
stun button harts the robots
momentarily but costs ten percent
of the player's energy - energy
capsules, found lying around,
restore the ebbing life-force. To
reach the next level, a lift platform
is provided for transportation,
stopping off at a supply centre
where extra armour, speed,
strength and firepower can be
bought in readiness for the battle
tocome.

SimpFy running down a corridor
towards a distant, shadowy junc-
tion brings out the incredible
atmosphere of the game. The
excellent shading and colours
used combined with the frantic
pace of the action, add enorm-
ously to the game's superlative
play and high quality. Mystenous
passageways invite players to
explore further, not qmte knowing
what lies in the darkness ahead.

The twin-play er/partnership
facility of Xybots works so much
better than the four-player chaos
that often occurs in games like
Gauntlet More emphasis is

k<m;k

84'

ROOK

96XEM£RGV

SCORE i

^ I r-f- ■

4 CREDITS

QXEUZf

p
S C D R E
1700

LEVEL 1

O CREDITS

INSERT
COIN

TRV TMO PLAYERS

* MORE COINS ^_.

* MORE STRATEGIES

* DOUBLE FIREPOWER

* P LA VERS CANNOT^
HURT EACH OTt«

Who knows what turks round that cornar? T7m Xybots dare you to look!

RCtu

i i kihi i

42GOO

LEVEL

O ClfEDITS

^

i

B * lL

l.i

i

INSERT
COIN

rurosr

placed on strategies and team-
work, which adds a new dimen-
sion, and two players working in
unison make for a deadly force.

The game's addictive qualities
are immediately obvious and the
temptation to play on and on is
impossible io resist. Xybots is
immensely playable, highly addic-
tive, and most important of all, it is
thoroughly enjoyabie.

Entering the forfnos of the Xybots
- *w lata to turn bach now!

Arriving at the. ground floor supply
centra toraxtra Xybot-smnshint)
squipmmnt

A.P.B.

Producers: Atari

ENTER THE crazy and wacky
world of the American Police (the
world of Police Academy
perhaps?) in Atari *s cop coin-op
AP.8. (All Points Bulletin). Al I man-
ner of criminals are Out on the
streets and it takes an expert cop
to round them up,

To fill his quota, the player needs
to patrol the avenues and free-
ways chasing speedsters, litter-
bugs, road hogs and other ne'er
do welis in a vein attempt to
enforce the law - even the litter-
bugs can be pains in the butt I
Sirens will do for most of the offen-
ders but some downright stubborn-
criminals require a rear-end shunt
before they give themselves up.
Crashing your car, or colliding with
another vehicle, results in
demerits - too many of these and
it's resignation lime.

A policeman's lot is a hungry
one so stopping off for doughnuts

Stopping off for ona of Don'*
Honuts (sic), yov wallop a vehicla,
and that's another demerit for A.P.B.

boosts the time allowed on each
level. Later levels mean more and
more to do in. less time with some
real tricky characters to
apprehend. Fortunately goodies
like a turbo accelerator and a set
of nifty brakes can be bolted on to
give those big-time crooks a run
for their money.

What with the plethora of 'seri-
ous' shoot-'em- and bash-'em-
ups around at the moment, AP.B.
is like a breath of fresh air. Totally
original as an idea, it is a laugh-a-
minute coin-op with some excel-
lent touches which proves you
don't have to have fancy graphics
and non-stop violence to make for
an enjoyable game.

70/11 6 TGM TK DATE: 02-98

AFTERBURNER

Producers: SEGA

HOTTEST SEGA release so far.
Afterburner, is an air combat coin-
op of awesome proportions. The
game objective is simple - take out
as many enemy targets as possi-
ble whilst f tying through a mul-
titude of land- and seascapes. Trie
simplicity of the task is con-
founded, however, by the sheer
Speed of it all - Afterburner's
action is the fastest and most vio-
lent to date. Enemy aircraft, their
incoming missiles and ground fea-
tures flash past at a horrific rate.

ARCADES

Afterburner: stopping off at a trmndh/ airfield tor fuai t weapons and. what's
that 'Hang On ' biker doing on the runway?

almost certainly repeat the suc-

Use the afterburner, and the
opposition become mere blurs.
Although the layered graphics are
extremely detailed and a joy to
behold, they're impossible to
appreciate at the speeds they
move,

To provide an offensive capabil-
ity, the fighter is armed with alt
manner of missiiesand a devastat-
ing cannon. Landing on friendly
runways to rearm is vital if the
plane is to survive through the fol-

Goodneee gracious,' Great balls of
fa*/ Banking herd fight in
Afterburner to avoid the Inferno of
another exploding baddy

iowing stages. Refuelling tankers
regularly fly overhead to top up
thirsty tanks.

Controlling the plane isn't easy
at the best of times as it lurches
wildly (even performing complete
rolls) at the slightest movement.
The game's pace makes it look vir-
tually impossible to progress more
than 50 feet without losing a We.
but m play it all boils down to the
rather simplistic process of rapidly
banking left and right and firing the
guns an awful lot. Afterburner will

A happy moment in flashback - the start of Wardner before evil enters the
happy couple's Ufa

cess of Out Run due to its fantastic

graphics and estremely fast blast-
ing action, but the ridiculously high
cost of a game (up to El a go) will
put many people off.

WARDNER

Recipe: put in base ingredients of
cute graphics, mix in a good dose
of platform s-and-ladders action,
and with some fiendishly addictive
gameplay and you have Wwdner.
Walking through a forest with his
girlfriend one day, the hero Of the
game is most peeved when his
beloved is spirited away by a nasty
piece ot work known as Wardner.
To rescue her, he has to enter
Wardner's. There's a small matter
of dark forests* swamps, lava pits
and other hazardous areas littered
with platforms and ledges to be
navigated first. Inhabitants of
these regions include bat
creatures, mutants, spinning
blades, tanks, witches, wyvems
and even stranger and wonderfully
detailed creatures intent on ending
our hero's rescue attempt once
and for all. Thoughtfully, a
flamethrower is provided for
protection, and it can be upgraded
to rapid fire by collecting crystals,
Gold chests and other currencies
lie around awaiting collection and
by an incredible coincidence
there's a shop at the end of each
level where extra weapons and
other goodies can be purchased
to aid in the quest. No money'? -
No purchase!

Some pretty nifty footwork and
accurate timing is required to
avoid the wandering creatures,
shoot back at them and stay on
the high-up ledges at the same
time. It gets real tough on later
levels, with some screens being
very unfair, crammed full of nasties
and sheer drops requiring perfect
timing to cross, whilst others
prove deceptively simple.

Wardrwr is infuriafingly
addictive, highly playable and a
prime example of a just-one-
more-go game, it scores no points
for originality {very few games do
nowadays) but it has brought
together the best elements of
Ghosts And Goblins and other
games of the ilk and played on
them to great effect.

HI-££3R£

HEVI ! TWO FRIENDS*!
IL TAKE VOU TO
ASIA.
FOLLOW ME!

I

L

■ - - -- ' - ■

Down in in Wardner's deep dark woods ktrk platforms, sheer drops and ail
sorts at unpleasant thing*

wmm

SOMETHING HORRIFYING AND IN

\

\

\

\

\

IACTIVISION.I

© 1987 Twenhetti Gentry Fo* Film Cap .M rights reserved
Trademata a*ned by T^enheih Cenluv Fox Film Gap
ard used bv Activdon Inc. Under Ai/ftxjnsaton,
Gome concept, design end graphics bv System 3.

§

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ATADI" New Year Special
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1040 STF yvrih SM125 mono monitor ,.,,„,. £499.00

Mega ST2 with mono monitor , £869.00

Mega ST4 with mono monitor ,, £l 169.00

Atari SLMB04 laser printer, great value at £1 199.00

Atari SM125 mono monitor , £134.00

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[Alio iL nS6 Pentiore Rd., Cottendgje, RiFminghjm, h$i 3BH Tci- P2I *?8 4S64

COMPETITION WINNERS

From Issue One of THE GAMES MACHINE

Mastcrtromc's Sega
Competition *

Jeremy Murphy, Avon BA3 1 DW
wins the Sega Master System

with Light Phaser and the choice
of Six games from those released
by mid- November, plus a TGM T-

Shirt. And the l en runners up. each
receiving a TGM T- Shirt are:

Chris Abbott, Beeslon, Notts, (MQ9 2BD.

Marcus Tumor. Nottingham, NG21QO;
Siu.irt Frasai, Holyhead, Gwynedd, LLfiS
2HF Andrew Davis. Bet kenham. Kent, BP3
1TF; Mr Hon Cheng, Hertford, Haul*, 3Gt4
3 AY. Michael Cook, Enfield, Middx. EMI
3AQ; H Brown. Nnw Maiden, Surrey, KT3
3HP: Juhn Ruddick, Northumberland. NEA2
5 J 5: S Singh, Handsworl h , Birmingham,
BZ1 DAT, Neil Ciena, London. NW2 ILL.

Mattel UK's Nintendo
Competition

Robert Collier from Leominster,
Herefordshire wins the Nintendo
Deluxe Set and six cartridges, and

we're throwing in an ubiquitous
TGM T- Shirt as well. And then
there are a further ten runners up,
who each receive a TGM T-Shirl:

M Easlon. Weslerham, Kent, TN16 1 LIB:
Brian Dick, flovinqton, Dorsal, BH20 6HY
MilPE Ruherl &tirt , KirirjSwmlOrd, Wesl

Midlands, DYfi ARK; T Patterson, Harborne.
Birmingham. E1 7 9JT; Stephen Left
Otlewall, Chaddenden, Derby, DE2 6TE : K
E Ripoon. Preston, Lanes, PPJ4 DYD;. Jason
Brown. Mellon, N Yorks, YOIT OrVQ, Luke
GietiiniBrenchJey Gardens, London. SE23
30N; Chris Matthews. Sl.Neols, Cambs,
Pti9 1UJ; Tim Cutler, SheHiflld, S Yorks,
57 1SF.

Infocom petition

Courtesy of ActivisionUK, the full
range ot superb Intocom
adventures wg 5 up for grabs, and
the winner is Miss J Hewett from
Upper Norwood. London SE 19. A
Copy of Nord And Bert Could Not
MakeHeadNor Tate Of if acts as a
fine consolation pnze for ten
runners up, and they are:

nana Bismjlt, London, N14 SPT; JP Shell.
Tyrte A Wear, NE26 3AS; Peter Chalcraft,
W BUUHH, BN4 3LN; E Wi^on.

Cambridgeshire, CBS 2TQ; Alejiander
Kclls, Livrrpnnl, L?1 'AIJ; Simon

Harrowing, Norfolk, PE31 8ST. Jan Heinde
Vrov. Blaricum , The Netherlands; Jason

Quest. Leicester shir e, LEE 5TD. Rofa«rt
Pocock, Derbvitrira. SK1T9BG: Mark

Topping, Bath, HA1 3RL

Ocean's Athena
Competition

CJ Finnie from SqlihuH,
W Midlands wins the exciting
Ocean-made, custom-built
portable Athena arcade
machine, with leads. Tatung
Monitor and a" Qutckshot IX
[oystick, 50 runners up gel a copy
of Athena (or Renegade if they are
Amstrad owners), and they are

Michael Nicholson. Wirral, L49 SMF;
Mahmood Sultan, Wurt ester. WFU 9PQ;
Michael MUchell, N Number side, HUB 'J t'H
Rabin Cavill, W Yurks, WFT2 TBE . Jnhn
Parchment. London. E5 OAD. Andrew
Holmes, S Hun-ibs. ON32 9QJ J Brjimh.im.
S Yorks, S3i OWG. JSimmomle. Sheifield.
S1 1 STD; J Temple. E»**t. COS *PE; S
Gulamalr, Wills, SPilAT Oavid
MacLauc hlan. Somursst. BA22 9LF;
AMhofly S Burke, Lanes, WNS SSW, John
Pnjntice, SurNolk. IPU 2HQ; Howard
Thorpe, Souinamptan; Chris Taylor,
Co Durham, DHJ 2JP:. Daniel Owen.
Swindon. Wilts; Philip Guudwm, Eisei.
SS1 1 7EL; Daniel Henderson, Dublin: C

Boyle, London, N22 4 YJ; Diiirrrvuirt
McGowan, Derr>. BT4S9JE, Chris Garbult,
Essen, SS1 3 1 HR; H Morlhonsen,
Co Durham: RM Thorpe, Co Durham. SHT
7JD; J;imes,Hcntlrio, London NWl 9AK. Tim
Patterson, Birmmghatn, B1 7 9J1. Ddminn
Lunny, CO Fermanagh. B774 6HB; Greg
Shea, Kent; Nicholas Henitutk, S York*,
S«1 2UJ; Jon Rose. WSusseH. POZl WZ;

Al.in MlHer. Carluke, MLS SOD: K
Wohnenhotnre. Manchestn M3 ZNH.
Kevin He N am.-irji.. Lanes, OL6 4SY; M
Ashcroh. Aberdeen. ABE flBZ. Lewis
Cohen. Cambs. P^7 IMP; Jon Dawson,
Notts. NO 1 S 6HW; Andrew Surteirs
Cleveland, TSS7 *£Z. Shane Hassan,
Co Derry,aT474Tn;MatBrooktielr] •
SSI S «LH: R ic hard J Hole, Devon. PLfl rON ,
Amhinvy Qoddard, OnPorrl. OX? 7TE. CM
Lee, London. Ei 7 SUt; Clive Peedell,

Onfard, DXZ 9HQ, Paul Mnrrl*. HerU. WDZ
1HH; Martin O'Connor, Derbys. S41 JHA.
Stephen Flo«l, Co Down, BTM 3HA; Mo*
Gr altie, Chesfur e. W A 1 6 9QU .John McNeil,
Co Durham, DH3 3SD: Neil Dearie. StaWe,
ST 14 SOH; Russell Bird, S Yolks, 565 1UL,
Mark Thompson, Soythamp| n. SO! SON.

Electronic Arts and
Chessmaster 2000

Ten winners each receive a copy
of 1 he Chessmaster 2000

program:

SJ Cooper, Clwyd, LL 1 2 BJF , O Of osun,
Staff* ST1 300: John Watson. Perthshire.
PH1&2AT; Paul Brattan, Hull. HU6 00U,
Thomas Hrisbeneen, 3420 Farum,
Denmark, Andrew Hirst, M.mchcrtlrr, M2a
SSW: Alislar May, Moray, IV30 10T; Robert
Lines. Hants. P012 2QW; C*t
Kuttehvascher. Surrey. GL» 11 1 E G. Brian
Neilson, Lenerke, ML6 bow

ADVENTURE

ROB STEEL'S

GETTING
ADVENTUROUS

JACK THE RIPPER

CRL

COMMODORE 64/128 Cassette: £9.95 Diskette: £14.95

SPECTRUM 48/128 Cassette: £3.95

AM5TRAD CPC Cassette: £9.95 Diskette: £14.95

J

oint authors {you can decide among yourselves in
which context you wish to view the word joint!) of
Jack The Ripper, the latest adventure release from
CRL. are none other than the St Brides ladies - or
more specifically - Marianne Scarlett and Priscilla
Lang ridge These writers' previous claims to fame include
Bugsy, The Secret Of St Brides and Tine Very Big Cave
Adventure, none of which impressed me very much.
However, it seems that the ladies have matured somewhat
in their approach to the adventure world (even if they do
still behave strangely in public) and Jack The Ripper is the
first of their games which has actually held my interest for
more than 20 minutes.

Sel in the year 188fl, when olde
London Towne was in the grip Of
the evil Ripper, the player is put in
the unenviable position of being
suspected by the Peelers as
having more than a passing
interest <n the recent horrific
murders. They do in fact seem to
think the player is the Ripper and
are intent on both catching him
and putting an end to his
gruesome vocation.

at them) but also two scraps of
paper and a bloody, knife. Taking
the weapon is a dumb move so
stick with the paper and don't
forget to pocket it before leaving
the scene of the crime.

The adventure begins as you
discover the horribly mutilated
body of a young woman,

examination of which not only
produces one of the many
tasteless pictures to be found
within the game (as Mel Croucher
discovered in THE GAMES
MACHINE Issue 2, even the St
Brides ladies couldn't bear to look

Events at the start of the game
tend to lead the player through
without much interaction but the
prose is very readable and quite
descriptive- Once control of the
hero has been gained there are
many problems to solve, mostly in

* -^ — la

the form of covenng your tracks.
The general atmosphere created
within Jack Thg ftjopier smacks of
Rod Pike (adventurous author of
Pilgnm, Dracula and Fr$rik$ri$tein)
although this is by no means a bad
ttiingandStBrldasdOllverywell-

Putting aside the censorship
hype and the less than agreeable
topic of the adventure. Jack The
Ripper is professional

implemented and quite exciting to

play, the three parts included also
add to the package by making it
value for money ... a must for

those of us over 1 S!

ATMOSPHERE 82%
INTERACTION 73%
OVERALL 78%

JINXTER

Rainbird/Magnetic Scrolls
AMIGA Diskette: £24.95
ATARI ST Diskette: £24.95

ichael Bywater wrote

Jinxter, He's the

gentleman

responsible for

Punch magazine's 'wild
invective', so if you are a
reader of this mildly
amusing mag you will know
what styie of humour to
expect from the game. The
award-winning team

Magnetic Scrolls also had
quite a lot to do with the
program, you remember
them, they're the bods
(except for Anita Sinclair

who is definitely un-bod-
like) who brought us The
Pawn - winner of twelve
international awards - and
Guild Of Thieves - winner
of the British

Microcomputing
Federation's Game Of The
Year award 1987.

The story opens with the player on
the local bus on his way home.
What could be more innocent?
The only worrying thoughts on the
player's mind at present concern
the general level of good fortune
within his country which has been

I

TGM TX DATE: 02-83 75/116

decreasing rapidly of late

The reason for this is somewhat
abstruse to say the least. It
appears that a secret masonic
society of Green Magicians (here
we go!) has been working behind
the scenes subverting society and
changing the land's fortunes and
that of its inhabitants. To counter
these nefarious dealings, a
Guardian from beyond the realms
of time has chosen the player to
undertake the great quest and
save civilisation as he knows It
(Stop yawning!). However, this
particular Guardian is not what
one might expect, he wears a
herring-bone overcoat, lends to
forget words and his main aim in
life appears to be avoiding his wife
and kids (not as daft as he looks
perhaps).

Jfhxter's cast of supporting
characters include a

megalomaniac gardener, a
postmistress who thinks she's
Caiamity Jane and a dim-witted
postman who goes by he name of
Poor Bloody Lebling (nothing to do
with Infocom's David I trust?).

Whilst being crushed at the last
PCW show. Anita Sinclair took me
on whirlwind tour of an unfinished
Jmxter. she demonstrated the
pretty graphics and the general

Like a red rag fa a buli - take
nothing at face vaive becauaa thin
is the first Magnetic ScroHs
adventure where objects
m the pictures that don 'I appear
in the text m*y be EXAMiNEd

A bndge nor ter enough -don't dally, staring alihe towi/r^f landscape, thermSmuvh tobadone. (AN three pictures arm
from the Amiga)

feel of the game She also told me
that the player cannot actually die
within Jinxter. This was music to
my ears as it meant I could be as
careless in the game as I am i n real
life and no harm would come to
me. It appears to be true, as on-
coming buses, rampaging bulls
and the like do thetr very best to
end your enjoyment without
success. This approach may at
first seem a trifle wimpish, but
within the game's context it works
very well and allows the player to
get full enjoyment from playing

without fear of death , And what are

you doing in this deathless
existence? The basic aim is to find
a n umber of ch arms and a bracelet
(that needs reassembling) with
which the evil wizards/witches can
be defeated, and peace and
harmony restored be to the land,

Jinxter has everything that its
predecessors had and more. The
system used to create Magnetic
Scrolls adventures has obviously
been tightened up. and works
extremely well in this game.
Graphics on both ST and Amiga

versions are very attractive and
seem to get better as the game

progresses. The prose is

In pale, sunlit hues, the
C onservfll ory where may
a tabte-clom be found

exquisite, full of ambience and
often very amusing. 1 particularly

OTHER FORMATS

No clear indication yet as to release dates, but other machines
to be covered are Macintosh £34.96, Apple II £19.95, Amstrad
PCW £24 .95 and CPC 61 28 £ 1 9.95. Atari BOO £t 9.95, Spectru m » 3
£15.95, Commodore 54/126 E 19.96 and PC £2495 (all diskette
prices)

76/116TGM TX DATE: 02-88

- —

ADVENTURE

enjoyed the path joke but won't
ruin potential players' enjoyment
by revealing it. What else can i
say? It is Magnetic ScroliS"S best
adventure to dale and with a
record like theirs, how can you
resist . . . go and buy it.

ATMOSPHERE 93%
INTERACTION 91%
OVERALL 92%

THE

JADE

STONE

Martin Games
SPECTRUM Cassette: £2.95

Every so often an adventure comes my way which,
although haying been written using a utility such as
GAC or the PAW, stands head and shoulders above
the rest of the normally non-inspirational efforts I get
to peruse. One such game is The Jade Stone by Linda
Wright of Martin Games, if this lady's name sounds familiar
it is probably because her previous adventures include
Black Fountain and Sharpens Deed, both of which were
written with GAC and both achieved some success for
Incentive Software. Linda has decided to market this
particular game herself and so far it is only available direct
from her company - the address is at the end of this
review.

Text The Jade Stone - a PAW
adventure - tells the story of a
Princess and her attempts to
rescue her lover (Amanton} and at
the same time (probabfy during
lunch breaks) save her father's
kingdom of Nulorn. It transpires
that the evil sorcerer. Mallumo of
Kradoom, is about to declare war
on Nulom and, wishing to impress
the princess's father, Amanton
sets off m an attempt to thwart his
dastardly plans. Unfortunately it is
not long before news of
Amanton' s progress ceases, and
indeed all knowledge of his
whereabouts is lost. The reason
soon becomes clear; Mallumo
sands a ransom note to the king
demanding an exchange: either
give up Nuiom or the princess in
return for Amanton's freedom.

The king is enraged. He
immediately orders his army to
venture forth and put an end to the
evil sorcerer's insolence.
However, the princess does not
quite share her father's confidence
in the army and decides to lend a
helping hand. She learns of the
existence of the Jade Stone, a
magic gem which may have the
power to stop Mallumo . . . if only
she can find it.

The first element in The Jade

Stone to impress me was the
obvious thoug ht that has gone i n lo
its creation. Most inputs have
been anticipated and the player
usually gets some sort of coherent
answer to valid commands. The
parser on the PAW is fairly
versatile, and Linda appears to
have used it extensively so that
quite complex sentences may be
input and understood. There is
also a speech-mode which allows
you to talk to most of the other
Characters - and there are many -
you may meet during the quest,
and a reply is often forthcoming
for most commands-
Location descriptions are a Utile
sparse but are well written, and
obviously memory, or the lack of
it, must be a factor to be taken into
consideration. It's no good having
dripping prose if there is nothing
to actually do in the game h while
on the other hand plenty of p Lizzies
and no atmosphere (which seems
to be the norm with adventures
created on this type of utility) can
make a game very dull to play. The
Jade Stone has the balance about
right, although from a personal
point of view I think the graphics
within the game are wasted space,
they add nothing to the game, but
from the marketing angle

adventures with graphics lend to
sell better than those without. Why
this should be is, and probably will,
remain a mystery to me.

AFOUL

While in winge-mc-de I'll |ust
mention* the swearing syndrome;
if you input a four-letter word mio
The Jade Stone, the game replies
by quitting and restarting, I've
never understood why people do
this - by making the game react to
a foul input surely the aulhor is
recognising, even hoping, that
players will try out these words
when playing, after all authors
obviously go through the effort to
input the wofds into the
vocabulary in the first place and
then program the game to react
appropriately. Why nol |ust ignore
the fact that these unnecessary
words exist , , , al least >n the
world of adventuring. Before any
clever dick writes to ask why I
don't ignore such wofds myself
and nol input them, every game
has to be thoroughly playtested,
and ail avenues must be
attempted to get a fair idea of how
they work.

The Jade Stone comes in Iwo
parts and consists of some clever
puzzles and some obscure ones,
sufficient ambience and lots of
user-friendliness. For the meagre
sum of under three pounds this
game is s must for adventurers
who fancy being a princess for a
while, and are fed up with being
ripped off by over-priced, utility
written games.

The Jade Sfonemay be purchased
from Martin Games. 19 Briar
Close, Naitsea, Bristol BS19
roc

ATMOSPHERE 71%
INTERACTION 72%
OVERALL 76%

1

TGM "DC DATE: 02-88 77/1 1 6

ADVENTURE

DEJA VU

Mindscape/Mirrorsoft
AMIGA Diskette: £29.95
ATARI ST Diskette: £24.95
COMMODORE 64 Diskette only: £14.95
PC release is imminent

I'm sure Tve played this adventure before but I cant
remember when.
From behind a grey empty mist, reality shimmers into
focus as consciousness slowly returns. The bump on
your head and the blood stain on your clothes indicate that
perhaps the events leading to this predicament were
somewhat nefarious- If only you could remember . . .
everything around you is vaguely familiar and yet you
cannot actually recall where you are or, perhaps more
worrying, who you are.

The mystery begins in thejohn of
Joe's Bar, A coat and gun are
hanging on a peg here, they will
probably be of some use later
especially as there is money in the
Coat pocket and bullets in the gun.
An examination of the mirror
above the sink results in a face,
which you feel you should know,
staring back at you with a variant
gaze. Is this you? Exploring the
immediate surroundings reveals a
number of small clues including,
on the landing wall, a poster of a
once famous boxer whose face is
the same as that of the guy in the
mirror, so you now krvow what you
took like and even what you are or
were. Now all you need to do is
discover why you have a bump on
the head, blood on your clothes
and no memory.

After finding the secret elevator
and various odd objects (i r>cl ud ing
one dead body) tying around it is
time iq leave the bar and venture
forth onto the streets of Chicago,
Buying a newspaper loosens the
vendor's tongue and he informs
you that the police are currently

investigating a murder and the
man they are looking for fits your
description exactly. It looks like
your task is obvious; find out who

and what you are and clear
yourself of murder in the process.
Nothing to it.

IN A HURRY

P£j£ Vy (French for 'seen before')
is an icon -driven adventure, a
genre which seems to work much
better on the IS-bit than B-bit
machines, although the

Commodore 64 version tries very
hard to disprove this theory and
indeed is at least as playable as
the ST game if a little slower and
with less impressive graphics. The
screen is dominated by a
representation of the player's
surroundings, with windows to
one side depicting the inventory
and any items which may lurk
inside opened objects. Below is a
text window filled with location
descriptions, messages and
results of actions taken by the

77m face staring back from the ST at you looks familiar .

Let's open this corpse end 9*9 what its carrying - ST screen

p»?MHI!U of eh KlC*l * UTTWlWAd '

■•i'j;n'ji» m t r.vj •§

Office

the desk. His left hand
still grips the phone
receiver. in tho background
there is « wail safe, a
window, and a telephone.

f~^ttlT*'

77» GommodorB 64 graphics are no match tor the 10-bit machines but the the
gamepiay is aH thwe

player. All graphics are very nicely
done and are enhanced here and
there with suitable sound effects.
At the top of the screen is a
command box. This includes all
the actions available to the player
at any particular time, such as
EXAMINE, OPEN. OPERATE and
SPEAK. The idea is to click the
cursor on, for example, OPEN in
the command box and then click

M File Special

_^

*

Click to Continue

I

It's a nan who appears to Ee lacking
sonething; nanely, life. There are 3
bullet holes in nin. He suggests a
ienory, The face rings a sour bell.
Vou feel as though you should be ablj^

on the desk within the location
graphic and voila. if there is
anything In the desk, a window
opens with the contents of the
desk pi Claris I ly displayed. If you
want any item then you can click
on its pictographic and then drag
it into the inventory window.
Without going into all the game's
little idiosyncrasies I will just
mention that by moving the cursor
onto closed doors and double-
clicking the button {mouse on 16-
bit, joystick on 8-bit) the program
understands you want the door
opened and will do it, The same
double-Click technique goes for
examining items and going places,
very useful for those of us in a
hurry.

D£j& Vv includes a few oddities
(such as having to open the corpse
to find out what it is carrying!) and
can be a mite slow where
movement from one location to
another is concerned, but overall fi
is a well -implemented, polished,
graphical adventure. It succeeds
in involving the player from ihe
very start and slowly dragging him
deeper into the world
of ... er ... oh, what is that word
used to describe loss of
memory . . . ?

ATMOSPHERE 84%
INTERACTION 78%
OVERALL 81%

COMPETITION

TERRAMEX THE

WORLD GO

ROUND!

FROM GRAND SLAM ENTERTAINMENT
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS TO BE WON, PLUS

THE GAME TERRAMEX!

FROM DEEP within the COlel
emptiness of space a spinning
ball of death hurtles on an
unknowing path of destruction.
Its place of origin may be
unknown, but its destination is clear:
Earth. Only on© man has the the
power to stop its destructive course,
a mad professor who resides deep
within a mountain complex. His plan
to deflect trie asteroid by constructing
a massive bat, which wilt hopefully
knock the rock ball safely away, relies
on finding several vital items with
which to build the crazy construction
This is where you come in. Whilst
viewing the title screen of Tef7^mt?x
you may choose to be either a Ger-
man. English, French, Japanese or
American explorer - and your choice
affects whiGh objects you need to
complete the game (for more details
see the review elsewhere in THE
GAMES MACHINE).

Grand Slam Entertainment and
THE G AM ES M ACH I NE h ave put their

Terramex is
available
for: SPEC-
TRUM, COM-
M0-
DORE 64,
AMSTRAD
CPC, AMIGA,
ATARI ST
and MSX.

heads together (not a pretty sight) and
come up with a crazy clutch of
goodies for the lucky winner of this
Terramex competition. First prize is a
list of the items which may or may not
be found in Grand Slam's Terramex.
These every -home-should-have-one
items consist of: a cricket ball, a mini
vaccuum cleaner, an umbrella, a cup
of tea (mug and teabags). a flash gun,
a six-pack of beer, a uni-cycle and a
silvery coin. For 1 2 runners up we shall
be awarding a copy of the game Ter-
ramex, so don't forget to include the
particular make of computer you own
{the Terramex formats are listed here).

All you have to do is correctly ans-
wer the five questions below and write
them down on a postcard, or the back
of a sealed envelope, together with
your name, age, address and com-
puter, and send your entry to TER-
RAMEX COMPETITION. THE
GAMES MACHINE, PO BOX 10,
LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE SYS 1DB.

The first correct entry pulled out of the
hat will win. Entries must reach us by
February 18 Please note that as one
one of the prizes is an alcoholic liquid,
entrants under eighteen years of age
cannot be considered for the first
prize, otherwise our standard com-
petition rules apply - see the masth-
ead for details.

TERRAQUESTIONS

1 ) What are cricket balls trad it ton-
ally made from 7

2J What do suction carpet cleaners
and the FBI have in common?

3) Which famous nanny (the one we
see every Christmas) can fly with
an umbrella?

4) Which American seaport is
famous for its tea party?

5) Who invented the camera?

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 79/1 16

PARANOID
PSYCHOTICS

Stay Alert! Trust no one! Keep your laser
handy! John Woods reviews two RPGs -
one a rules system, the other a board game
- likely to keep the winter cold at bay but as
likely to chill the spine.

Two Games Workshop products feature this month - hardly
surprising since the prolific Nottingham-based company are the
only sizeable British games manufacturer outside the family'
market. There's been some debate as to whether this is good for
jrthe industry, and I for one would be glad to see a little more
competition. Whilst Games Workshop have had deserved successes
with British printings of American games, some recent home-grown
releases have been less thrilling. In particular, I felt Warhammer Fantasy
Ftoie-Play (featured last issue) and the boardgame Stood Royaie- full of
good ideas - were let down by patchy overall design and irritatmgly bad
proofreading.

This month's two offerings are a refreshing contrast - both excellent
m their very different ways.

PARANOIA 2nd
EDITION

Role-Playing Rules
Games Workshop/West End
Games Inc
Hardback 160pp, £12.95

"SERVE THE COMPUTER

THE COMPUTER IS YOUR

FRIEND!

The Computer wants you to be

happy. If you are not happy, you

may be used as reactor

shielding,'

Mmdn»nin*poit-tiolQCSU»tCttyttpra*nf*dtn ttt*updmtmdm»condwdttfoft of

West End Games describe
Paranoia as 'A lighthearted game
of terror, death, bureaucracies,
and scientists, mutants,

dangerous weapons and insane
robots', which just about says it
alii Set in en underground, post-
holocaust city - Alpha Complex,
players take the role of
Troubleshooters chosen by the
insane ruling Computer to carry
out special missions for it: such as
terminating a group of heavily-
armed Traitors within the
Complex, making safe a melt-
down reactor, or even travelling
out of Alpha Complex to the
mysterious. Outside.

No other RPG otters
gamesmasters a better chance to
indulge in sadistic and
megalomaniac leanings, as. they
become the all-powerful

Computer and its vast
bureaucracy of faithful minions,
sen-ding unfortunate players into
ludicrously dangerous situations
with hopeiessly unsuitable
equipment (expenmental Plasma
Generator anyone?) and
misleading or impossible

instructions. And if by same
chance the players survive the
dangers the GM has in store for
them, (hey still have each other to
reckon with; in this paranoid world,
wherR a single ill-considered word
or deed is proof of treason, player
characters are liable to be instantly
executed by quick-thinking
'comrades' if they give so much
as a hint of disloyalty to the
Computer,

Characters drop like flies, with
the rules recommending a typical
casualty rate of 50-100% per
adventure. Fortunately, each PC
has several clones ready to
replace him or her in ihe common
event of an early demise.

The Second Edition of the
rulebook is attractively set out,
with heaps of cartoon illustrations
adding nicely to the game's darkly
humorous atmosphere, A tew
changes have been made, most
noticeably the streamlining of the
PC skill system. There is a section
on converting characters from old
rules to new. bul few PCs are likely
to be around long enough to be
worth the effort! The rulebook' s
layout and organisation has
improved greatly, with tables and
charts - that cluttered the first
edition - moved to a pull-out
reference section, Most welcome
are the new introductory sections
tor beginning players and GMs -
Paranoia is a more difficult game
than most to GM well, so the new
hints and lips make a real
difference. The book aiso includes
a complete 25-page adventure to
get you Started.

Paranoia is a lighthearted RPG,
ideal far a group fed up with over-
complex rules and players who
take their characters too
seriously . . , and for GMs who
want to get their own back? The
new edition is tar more suitable (Or
those with little or no RPG
experience, and is excellent value
for a complete system (just add a
20-Sided die). First Edition players
should consider moving up too -
t he nj le changes aren 't drast ic, but
improved book organisation
makes the GM's life easier,

' Remember: Stay Alert! Trust no
one! Keep your laser handy 1 '

THE FURY OF
DRACULA

Board Game, 2-4 players
Games Workshop £12.99

The atmosphere of gothic horror
that pervades this boardgame
began to have a strange effect on
me as soon as I opened the box.
As I thumbed through the arcane
lore in the sinister black rulebook,
gingerly assembled the four-part
parchment-coloured map and,
with shaking hands, examined the
dozens of event cards with their
marble-look backs and playing
counters covered with strnnge and
horrible designs, I knew it could
not be long before I was
transformed . . . mto a vampire!

11 is 189S. Count Dracula is
terronsing Europe. Only Lord

BO/116 TGM TX DATE; 02-88

ROLEPLAY

GorJalmmg, Doctor Seward and
Professor Van Heteing dare stand
against bim. Tfiey must battle
against Dracula 1 s evil henchmen,
destroy vampires he has created,
and finally confront the dread
Count himsett The action ranges
over ihe whole of Europe as the
fearless hunters use every means
at their disposal to find the trail of
the Prince of the Undead, track
him and finally, with luck, rid the

world forever of this terrible fiend.
But the Count is devilish
cunning . . .

One player takes the role of
Dracula, who moves around
Europe m secret on a chart hidden
from the view Of the others, leaving
traps, hoaxes, henchmen and
vampires in the cities he passes
through. The other playerfs)
control! the three Hunters who
must move around the map on the

Count's trail. They have the
advantage of superior numbers
and occasional assistance
provided by the results of Event
Cards, but they must be sure to
obtain suitable weapons or they
will be no match for Dracula in
combat.

Tension builds early as the
Hunters pass through city after
Ctty with no trace Of Dracula.
Suddenly, one stumbles upon the

ExcaHent quality component* adit to thm gottiic Horror at tttm fury Of f> acuta

Count's trail and has to deal with
whatever nastiness has been left
lying in wail. If the Hunters survive
encounters and finally trap and
confront the Count, the game is by
no means over! Dracula is more
than a match for an ill-prepared
Hunter, arid combat may result in
the Count escaping, leaving the
Hunter bitten. Another bite and the
unfortunate victim himself
becomes a vampire? Hunters win
as a group if they destroy Dracula,
with the individual Hunter who
gamed the most Valour Points
(awarded for courageous deeds)
being overall winner. Darkness
(and the Dracula player! triumphs
if the Count infests Europe with his
vampire minions, A typical game
might last up to three hours.

The game's physical

components are of excellent
quality, even including metal
miniatures to represent the four
protagonists. The rules take a
couple of caretut readings to
digest, but after that the pull-out
reference section and the tables
on the Strategy and Movement
screen that hides Dcacula's
actions from the other players,
make the rulebook largely
unnecessary dunng play.

Great fun and good value at the
price. The gradual build -up of
tension and the sudden and
dramatic confront at ions make the
game a real, er, scream to play
Just the thing to while away the
long. dark, sinister winter
evenings , . . Heh heh tveh 1

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TGM TX DATE: 02-8881/1 16

BOARD GAMES

GOING

The success of Trivial Pursuit two years ago
made board games trendy again and has
returned them from the loft to the coffee
table. THE GAMES MACHINE reports on -
and evaluates - four recent releases for
kids aged eight to eighty, plus the new
office toy.

GAMES
NEWS

hile Legoland and

If Transformers still rank

I number one and two

f respectively in the Toy

charts, the highest entry for

an adult board game is at number

1 1 (in December) for Trivial Pursuit

And that's the only adult game in

the top 25.

San Serif have new range of
games they hope will reach the
heights of their Trivial Pursuit, The
boards open up on an adaptation
of Central TV's quiz show Sporting
Triangles. Later in Spring comes
(he relaunch of Ubi by Home-
Abbot, creators of Triviat Pursuit.
And thai will be followed by
Seaside Frolics. Back words, I-
Ouesi, Veroostts and The Antiques
P,oads to* game. Licensing in the
board game market is as big a
business as it is with software.

Milton Bradley Ltd, better
known as MB Games, have
squandered further moral
considerations for a sequel to the
best-sellmg Scruples, due early
this year, Scrupfes JJisn't really any
different from the original but
provides the pi a yers with a new set
of moral dilemmas and
embarrassing situations.

AJso from MB Games js a rather
amus'ng offering called Game Of
Games, incorporating a standard
board which the players move
around, each square having a
different sporting event on it such
as golf , skittles , r m g toss a nd many
Others, all made in miniatures.
Having landed on a square,, the
player plays one of the 14 game
and then moves on. Good family
fun.

A favourite which came in too
late to be fully played was Kenner
Parker's Spitting Image game.
Playing the world leaders, Maggie,
Gorbyand Ronnie, the objective is I

to uncover secrets about the other
leaders whilst keeping yours
hidden. And their other newie is a
great party- play. It is called Dare
and, like Trivial Pursuit the object
is to move around a board
answering general knowledge
questions- but should you get one
wrong a forfeit must be paid in the
form of a dare, All the dares are
silly and can cause an awful lot of
embarrassment - not for the shy
games players by any means.

from your guests as possible.

The game plays like an
elaborate version of Monopoly*
and the more players the better,
Moving around the board, players
landing on unoccupied squares
may buy and thereafter build
hotels. Buying involves stumping
up cash for the plot of land from
the reserves given at the start or
from profits made during the
course of the game. Building
requires planning permission -
granted by the roll of a die, which
let you build free of charge, at the
double the cost, or not build at all.
The bigger the hotel, the more
value it has.

Entrances, placed around the
board force other players who Sand
on them to stay in the hotel. The
size of the bill depends on the
number of nights stayed - chosen
from the roll of a die - and how

mill

H _

$hck packaging ami Dallas ■ styte
hotels add up to a game aimad to
improve 9hill% in graad and meanness

HOTEL

MB Games, £17.99,
2-4 players

Although Hotel itself has been
around for some time MB have
done an excellent rerelease for it,

giving a stylish new look lo the
packaging and adding a beautiful
collection of 30 model hotels

which you build from cardboard

kits.

The objective is to join trie ranks
of the stinking rich by building
hotels and taking as much money

large the hotel is.

Playing Hotel can lead to
making enemies because as soon
as one player begins to make s lot
of money and gains control of the
board it is very difficult to hit back.
Like Monopoly, the game can last
for several hours if played until
compietion.

THE VERDICT

Hotel, although armed at eight-
years-old and up, can become

involved' and time consuming. It
proves immense fun to play, and
ihe board and accessories are
such an attractive sight it is quite a
disappointment when the whole
thing gets packed up in its box
again. Concentration is a must.

although actual brainpower is not
over-used, A worthwhile game to
play with friends and a good
supply of food n 'drink.

THE
GAME
OF
QUOTATIONS

MB Games, £20.00,
2 players and more

After an extensive advertising
campaign, MB Games have finally
released Quotations - and to our
Surprise, it is very good and highly
entertaining.

Quotations is played with
nothing but the actual question
bards themselves, several
hundred in ail, each containing
four questions. The cards are
divided up into five categories -
Who Said That? (straightforward.
a quotation is read and the
author's name has to be given),
Quote Vote (iike Who Said That?
but with muflipie choice answers
given). Buz* Words (which makes
you guess what quotation is

82 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

DINGBATS

Waddingtons, £10.99
2-4 players

The Dingbats series of puzzles
began in ttie Daily Mail years ago
and now creator Paul S&Uers has
devised a board game around
them which draws its origins from
the age-old classic Snakes And
Ladders. The object is to get from
one end of the board to the other
by rolling dice. As in Snakes And
Ladders, you can fall down the
board or move up - or sioeways
by landing on a directional arrow.
The Dingbats are encountered
when a player lands on a Dingbat
or Diabolical Dingbat, square, and
If you haven't seen a Dingbat
before, they can be tricky. I mean,

hidden in a story). True or False

(Did Princess Anne really say
PeopJe expect me to neigh, grind
my teeth, paw the ground and
swish my tail' - yes she didl) and
Missing Words {guess the word
missing from a given quotation),

Each player is given seven cards
and has to get hd all of them by
answering the questions correctly ,
Quotations is not very difficult to
play - even if you don't think you
know any quotations it is amazing
ho w many sudden ly come to m ind
when playing the game.

THE VERDICT

Without a board Quotations
appears to lack a competing
element, but still manages to
provide plenty of enjoyment.
Although you probably won't be
playing it oay-in. day -out, it is the
sort of game to return to often
when you have friends around.
And H has a rather nice designer-
type box to boot!

Who said what, if anything?
QUOTATIONS

what does a card with STEP PETS
PETS mean to you? One Step

forward, two steps back - that is
what it should mean anyway. And
so it goes on.

THE VERDICT

We didn't really think a awful lot of
the game, it has a tendency to get
annoying because of

inconsistency in the difficulty of

DINGBATS

Snakmm And Ladomrw for

the atymoiQ^ist

the puzzles - but good marks for

effort and decent packaging.

GARY LINEKER'S
FOOTBALLER OF THE
YEAR

Gremlin Board Games, £14.99, 2-4 players

Gremlin Graphics have spread
their proverbial wings with their
first board game release -
unfortunately it's a bit of a half-
hearted effort. Playing Mr Lineker
{a rather wobbly bit of while
plastic), the object is to move from
the Fourth Division up to the First
and become Footballer Of The
Year.

Players automatically move a
square per go, throwing a
combination of five dice (one for
skill and two each for home and
away scores) to determine the
outcome of the square's matches,
thus gaining or losing status
points- SLalus points are also
affected by the outcome of
random incidents, picked from a
pile of Incident Cards when on an
appropriate square. Additionally
there are squares for League Cup,
UEFA, Winners Cup and World
Gup matches involving up to a
further six dice, and doing weli

EGGZILLA

MB Games, £5.99 Or less

Eggzilla is really just a small toy,
but one that has entertained us
GAMES MECHANICS and guests
for many an hour. You press the
baby Godzilla down onto a
secured spnng released by a
timer, and attempt to reconstruct
the shell from several fragmented
pieces which only fit together in
one way. The object is to complete
the shell before Godzilla pops up.
Simple and highly amusing, it
makes a rather nice shelf
ornament waiting for some
unsuspecting guest to play with.

Tha vary imtmtt m &gg-tim*n

here raises the player's status
.considerably. The game ends
simultaneously for all players

when they reach the last square
on the board,

THE VERDICT

Very young football fanatics may
enjoy it, but it is too repetitive and
too slow moving to hold any
serious interest. This is entirely a
game of luck with no skill elements
involved , and with 1 1 dice there is
hardly any need for thought,
Ail dive rolls and incidents: a gam*
mora tor tha yovnaur football fmti

~v

Commodore Screens

■■■■ <

-fE

-*T?i

They called International Karate the best beat-em-up so far. And who are we to argue?

But Archer Maclean has come up with a stunner: A Third Fighter,

Amazing animated background. New moves- Re-mixed music.

And Balis!

Commodore 64 128 Cassette (£9 99} and Disk {£12 99} Coming soon tor Spectrum and Amstrad home computers

Mail Order Activisen (UKJ Ltd, Units 3 & 4 Lloyds Close Fmedon Road Industrial 1 Estate Welti ngborough. Northampton NN9 4FR Tel (0933) 76768

Access. Visa and American Express Cards welcome

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N^£ ^^^^1^1

1

1

THE DYNAMIC

BRUSH

In the second of our reviews on state-of-the-art
graphics utilities, Robin Candy reckons Deluxe
Paint II is the program by which other art utilities
should be judged.

Explaining thefacilities of a complex art program such as Deluxe
Paint //is a bit like being a tour-guide on a seven-centre package
holiday lasting a few minutes - it can leave you breathless and
bewildered! And yet there is so much to this utility that it is
probably inevitable reading this that you will end up feeling like
a guest who has eaten too much at a vast banquet. Meanwhile,
I should sit back comfortably and study the menu,

elvx& P&inl II is an updated and pixel to the whole work area can be

designated as a brush'. Situated at
the screen's top right- hand side are
ten preset brushes varying in size and
shape, two consisting of dot patterns
which are useful when airbrushmg.
Below them are ten functions which
tan be used in conjunction with the
currently selected brush. Selections

One of the most
exciting fea-
tures in Deluxe
Paint II Js the
Brush Grab
function.

Dvery improved version two Of
the highly successful Amiga
Deluxe Paint, Written by Dan
Silva and marketed in the UK by
Electronic Arts, Deluxe Paint /'makes
creating sophisticated, high quaJity
graphics on the Amiga simple. The
program operated in a full WfMP
environment, negating the need for
screens fu I! of text

The first requirement is to select a
working resolution; Deluxe Paint II
caters for four: low. medium, interlace
and high. The number of on-screen
colours available at any one time is
dependent on the resolution selected
and the Amiga's memory size. Low-
res accommodates up to 32 colours;
medium-res 16 and high-res 16 with
the pixels occupying a quarter of the
space taken up by low-res pixels.
Interlace represents the middle
ground between medium- and high-
res while still allowing a maximum of
32 colours. A drawback to interlace
and high-res is that the screen is
subject to flicker because it updates
at a slower rate (every 30th of a
second as opposed to- every 60th in
low- and medium-res),

TEN LITTLE ICONS

The basic drawing functions are all
available on the main screen. This
consists of a work area with the
drawing functhons down the right of
the screen and another bar across the
top from which further functions can
be accessed. Both bars can be
switched off to reveal the entire work
area.

Every utility has its own jargon and
preferred working style; with Deluxe
Paint If the brushes are the whole
program - everything form a single

The Colour Palette
Requester, showing both
the RQB and HSV mixing
panels, animation cycle
range below end cycle
speed controller

are made by pressing the left mouse
button, and each function is
represented by an icon which is
highlighted when in use. While this
cuts out the need for text, the Icons
are not always indicative of the tool's
function , which can be very confusing
at first, in most cases, clicking the
right mouse button on an icon
produces a window with modifiers for
the current tool. Here's a brief look at
the tools-

The Dotted and Continuous
Freehand tools have obvious
functions, but Dotted is fast and
keeps up with the cursor - useful for
roughing in shapes. They both follow
the cursor's path. Continuous
drawing a solid line behind it.

Straight Line draws straight lines
trom one specified point to anothef
with the click, drag, release method.
Curve operates similarly; having
specified the curve's start point and
dragged to its end point, the arc
between the two points i$ created by
moving the mouse. The potential
Curve is shown, and once the desired
arc is achieved, clicking the left button
fixes it on screen. With both Straight
Line and Curve, the right button pull-
down sub- menu - Spacing
Requester - allows you to create
spaces, giving a broken line effect.
The spaces can be absolute -
specified pixels - or relative - a
specified number of spaces along the
length of the line.

GRADED GRAINS

Deluxe Paint //starts to come into its

86.-11 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

GRAPHICS

own with the Fill fool . At the basic level
you can fill any enclosed shapes with
either the selected foreground (left
button) or background (right button)
colour. Over the icon the right button
pulldown sub-menu is the Fill
Requester, with which fills can be
customised Under this menu Pattern
provides tor the creation of user-
defined pixel patterns, and is used m
conjunction with the Brush Grabber
(more of that later).

Gradient is one of the most
powerful fill options I have ever seen.
It is used in conjunction with the
Colour Palette Requester [and more
of that later) to fill areas with a range of
colours that gradually fade from one
to the next. First the desired range of
colours is specified from the palelte.
Then returning to the Fill Requester

A picture takan tram th* P*t
Shop Boy*, fl«ni.
rapidly tiand-Ktrawn by
Robtn Candy. The icon bar*
top and right fravff bwrr
Reared to show the srttira
work area

HSV, provides
a flexible,

alternative col-
our-mixing
system . . .

D»kuic» Pfrltrt II fwJs vary
profession at m&gritfiC8tion
and loom facilities,

reaching up to 40C timet

t<at pirei nze

the graduation between colours is
defined by using the Dither slider; the
further rl is to the right, the greater the
mining of colours, when set to the far
left colours do not mix at all but appear
in bands. The next stage is to select
one of the three possible fills. These
are Vertical, Horizontal and
Horizontal Line. Vertical and
Horizontal fill with the colour gradient
going up/down or left/right
respectively. Honzontal Line
calculates the distance between the
left and right borders of the area to be
filled and fills each honzontal line
individually so that each line receives
the full complement of colours in the
colour gradient; so if something is
drawn in perspective, the fill will follow
the edges of the shape so that it is
filled-in realistically. An excellent
function! Effectively realistic spheres
become easy - draw a circle then use
a graduated Horizontal Line fill. The
end result is pleasing and has taken
virtually no time at all.

SPRAYING AND SHAPING

The Airbrush tool in Deluxe Paint tt is

equally excellent, reproducing a
random effect with the current brush
shape. The longer the left button is
depressed the denser the effect
becomes. The right button sub-menu
over the spray can icon allows for
alteration of the distance from the
cursor that the airbrush effects,
catering for a range from very coarse
to extremely fine airbrush! ng in small

areas - a function which many art
utilities neglect to include

Shapes are not skimped either
there are four icons dealing with
drawing shapes and each can be used
m conjunction with the Fill Requester
to give either filled areas or outlines-
Options available are Rectangles
Circles. Elipses and Polygons
tmulti- sided irregular shapes}. They all
work in a similar manner to the Curve
and Line functions by clicking the
shape's start point, dragging to the
termination point and releasing.
Polygons are not complete until the
final line meets the start point

GRABBING

One of the most exciting features m
Deluxe Paint it is the Brush Grab
function, which lets you pick up any
section of the screen and paint with it.
This can be used to create a pattern
for the Pattern Fill command. Brush
grabbing is the equivalent to the block
commands found on many other art
Utilities, but in Deluxe Paint W the brush
manipulation commands have been
developed to a high level so thai
complex effects can be easily
achieved. Taking an already 'painted"
bit of the screen, grabbing it and then
smearing it rapidly over the work area
in swirls, creates a dazzling effect in
seconds! Brushes can be rotated
through any angle, flipped, stretched
to any size, recoloured and bent
through either honzontal or vertical
planes to give a distorted image. Any

TGM TX DATE: 02-3887/11 6

GRAPHICS

brushes whtch may have a use at a
later date can be saved out to disk.

Further dazzling effects can be
rapidly created through the
Symmetry tool; with this in operation
the brush is made up of a number of
mirror images of itself. As it moves, the
mirror images move, producing
effects similar to those seen in a
kaleidoscope. The nght button sub-
menu is the Symmetry Requester
through which the default values may
be altered, including the number of
mirror images that appear and the
central point of the symmetrical
pattern. Mirror gives each brush a
reversed- twin which mirrors its
actions. Cyclic draws around a point
but without the mirror images - the
end result is not necessarily
symmetrical. Tile lets you draw with a
number of brushes at the same time
but without mirroring them around a
central point, creating a definable
number of identical images on a
selected grid. The distance between
tile points can be specified in pixels so
thai the size of the pattern can be
altered-

SETT1NG THE PALETTE

Picture is a pull-down sub-menu with
a host of options including loading
and saving routines, screen
resolution, page ssze and quit. It is
here that you find colour control
options, through a further sub-menu
which accesses the Colour Palette
Requester.

You mix your own palette of up to
32 colours from a possible 4096-
There are two methods to colour
mixing. Thefirst uses the RGB method
- that is mixing red, green and blue in
different proportions. This popular
method is used on other art utilities
such as Degas Elite (reviewed last
month). The second,. HSV, provides a
flexible, alternative colour-mixing

The Fill Requester, which
demonstrates the way
Deluxe Paint II funis
anything Into a 'brush'.
Spheres, using Horizontal
line fill, are simple to creale
with the gradient and dtther
slide* setting the
parameters. Than part of
the picture can be grabbed
(centre inset panel) and
used fust like a brush to
create the smearing effect
seen on the screen's tower-
leftside

Stencil is an

innovative tool

which soon

becomes

essential with

use.

system that has identical end results.
HSV breaks down each colour into its
hue. saturation and value. Hue refers

to the colour's position in the colour
spectrum; saturation refers to the
hue's strength - whether it is relatively
pure or contains some proportion of
white; value refers to the amount of
black in a hue and how much light it
would reflect.

Deluxe Paint II can produce a tight
palette spread between two colours.
The first colour is specified, Spread is
selected and the last colour defined.
The program then works out the
intermediate shades between the
two. It is in the Colour Palette
Requester menu that the colour
ranges for the gradient fills are
defined, and different speed ripple
animation effects created by cycling
through a colour range.

MESSING ABOUT

Mode covers various brush effects.
They are Shade. Blend, Smear and
Smooth Shade and Blend depend on

colour ranges being defined within the
Colour Palette Requester. Blend
creates a blending effect between the
two colours beneath the brush, if they
are in the colour range, by adding
intermediate shades from the same
colour range. Shade is similar bul
paints with the next higher or next
lower colour in the range depending
on which of the mouse buttons is
pressed, Smooth and Smear do not
depend on colour ranges being
defined. Smooth uses the entire
palette as its range to derive an
average of the colours under the
brush. Smear takes the colour unrifir
the brush and smears it into the
adjoining coiour to get rid of harsh
boundary lines. All of these effects
woik well producing airbrush effects
in a fraction of the time.
The Effects menu lets you make

stencils, fix the background and
define planes for the purpose of
perspective drawing - all massively
powerful features. Stencil is an

innovative tool which soon becomes
essential with use; it creates masks to
protect areas defined either by their
coiour or for defined areas - so the
foreground of a picture can be drawn
followed by the background without
the latter erasing the former. A simple
example: if you have taken care over
painting ragged mountain peaks and
now want to airbrush a sky
background (or use a gradient fill right
up to the broken -line edge of the
peaks), making a stencil of (he
mountain shapes means you can
airbrush or fill to your heart's content
without damaging the already painted
mountains. Useful stencils can be
saved to disk,

When Fix Background is selected
the current picture is 'locked', so you
can draw other elements over it but
when CLR is selected the 'locked*
picture is not erased - very useful
when you want to modify a picture but
would rather see the effect that has,
without the risk of losing Ihe Original
drawing, before committing yourself
to adding the new element.

Perspective Only operates when
using a custom brush . The brush ' s X,V
and Z coordinates can be altered so
that it occupies a new plane. A brief
description indeed of what rs an
extremely powerful command which
makes the creation of pictures in
perspective as simple as pi\o master!

AND THE REST . . .

Deluxe Paint It also offers all the
standard ad utility functions you
expect, Undo last command, erase
screen CLR), addition of Text (with
several fonts, styles and sizes, all
brush- grabbable for repealing and
manipulation) and x,y-definable
invisible Grids through the Gridding
Requester menu,

Magnify allows examination of any
section of the screen in greater detail,
which is used in conjunction with
Zoom - and it is a real zoom,
continually enlarging the

magnification up to an amazing 400
times original size. When magnified,
the unenlarged area is shown on the
left, duplicating the changes made in
the enlarged area, and tools can be
used m both areas.

JUDGING OTHERS

Deluxe Paint I! is an art utility which
others should be judged by. The
options available speak for
themselves. Not only can
complicated effects be achieved
easily but the program produces them
at breath-taking speed. My only
niggle is that the utility is not instantly
usable; the icons aren't always clear
and it isaiJtooeasyforthebegtnnerlo
get bogged down m the deiailed
manual, though the 'tutorials'
provided do give a good guided tour
of the program's capabilities. Deluxe
Paint SI is a marvellous utility with
features which were previously only
available on computers costing much
more t h an an Am iga. In fact it ' s almost
worth buying an Amiga just to use (his
graphics package,

38 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

TGM

Compunet, a thriving comms Industry, has been
up and running for the Commodore 64/1 28 for
three years. How it is ready for ST and Amiga
users. First timer Richard Eddy (l-D TGM)
previews the Amiga and ST sections and gives
a tour of the existing Commodore 64/1 28 net in
the first of an occasional series.

Compunet is a modem network offering communication with
thousands of other micro users down the phoneline. Its ever-
growing facilities include private mail, free programs, graphics,
demos, music and scores of bulletin boards all controlled
through one large mainframe computer.

t began in 1984 as an alternative really,' comments Jane Firbank,

I to Preste! and Micronet — which
were then merely on-line
magazines - the Compunet
organisers wanted to offer
entertainment and a high level of
interaction with its subscribers The
mainframe system and Compunet
software took two years of
development - originally using a Deck
10 (very large and now obsolete)
mainframe borrowed in the evenings
from the Business Bureau,

As the system grew, Compunet's
organisers f ou nd it a necessity to have
their own. and more advanced,
mainframe - a VME System, which
they now use. Almost everything
accessible on Compunet is under the
general heading of Jungle, It was first
designed tor small advertisements,
educational features and a bulletin
board system. However, as the user
base expanded so did the use to
which the net was put by its
subscnbers, who proved to be no
respecters of Compunet's originally
modest early intentions. Graphics
began popping up. just done for the
sake of it, and suddenly the
Compunet crew discovered a file
called Toany Poonz, created by The
Mighty 8ogg {GM3) - it was the first
music program, something they had
never anticipated would be available
on the net.

Today the net flourishes -
sometimes almost drowns — in music,
graphics and combined demos all
created by its7,000-plus subscribers,
The beauty of using the net is the
power of creation. Anyone can form
another branch to the Compunet tree
by adding new directones

COMPUCENSORSHIP

Compunet rs capable of constant
expansion and alteration as people's
tastes shift; it may appear extremely
busy on the surface, but behind what
is already there, the net is still an
empty wilderness waiting to be
cultivated by your uploads (UPLOS).
You can actually put anything up. type
anything you want.

With such freedom for
irresponsibility, does Compunet have
to censor subscribers' UPLDs? "Not

comments Jane
Compunet's Editor, although when
things get out of hand we put people
m ' solitary' whereby they can still view
the net but are unable to UPLD or
download (DNLD). -

However, in three years of
operation, Compunet has only
expelled two people for crimes of
vulgarity, racism and general
stupidity. It is a testament to the
regard in which subscribers hold the
net. and ostlers tend not to abuse a
system that was created for them

COMPUCOSTS

After paying the quarterly Compunet
subscription rate of £15. all you have
to worry about is your phone bill, In
most areas you can use the local call
rate to log-on to the net through one
Df 66 pick-up points around the
country, British Telecom's unit charge
is subject to alteration of course, but
currently, the local rate is about 60p
per hour off-peak (after 6.00pm) and
around C4 per hour during the day -
one of the reasons why you'll find
more activity on the net in the
evenings. A notable cost exception is
Hull where, through a privately owned
telephone company, calls will cost
you |ust the 5p connect charge.
Compunet has a lot of users in Hull.

But there is a major saving to be
made by paying Compunet an
optional £3.00 (exc VAT) quarterly
charge for continuous off-peak
connection, effectively a prepaid
subscription that entitles you to free
off-peak phone time. They then make
the arrangements with British
Telecom to adjust your bill when you
dial one of the the 66 local Compunet
stations.

COMPUSIXTEEN-BIT

Having earned their spurs among
CBM 64/128 users, Compunet has
moved into the 1 6-bit field and
previewed services for the Atari ST
and Amiga at last year's Personal
Computer World Show. Both services
- GO AMIGA and GO ST (more detail
m the Compuguide section) - should
be available for use by the time you
read this. And soon, PC users ' will be
able to log -on to their own Compunet

LINE

section too.

The Amiga system looks most
promising - by using the Amiga's 80-
column display and muiti -tasking
routines the Amiga nel can handle two
independent windows

simultaneously. One window displays
the directory while the other shows
text frames - making it possible to
UPLD or DNLD while editing.

The ST system remains in 4Q-
column mode like the Commodore
64/128. The Compunet ST software
was written by John Marshall and is
full GEM operated. The system has
taken three months to write and has
some advantages over the
Commodore system, such as
logging -on to Partyime takes only a
few seconds. As a special bonus
when using Compunet with an ST
there's a free ultility allowing the ST
and Amiga to exchange full colour hi-
res pictures - something never done
before.

COMPUSETUP

To get started and log -on from home,
you will need more than just a
computer - although that is definitely
an essential: a Commodore 64/128,
Atari ST, Amiga or a PC (when that
Starts). You also require a suitable
modem, a Commodore Modem or a
Hayes compatible modem such as
Pace, Miracle WS40O0 or Astrocom,
Compunet hopes to offer modems at
cheaper prices, around the £125
mark. At the moment the net uses a
1200/75 baud rate, but Compunet is
looking to offer a 1200/1 2 rate, which
Should UPLD and DNLD tiles 1 5 times
faster.

Then of course you need a standard
modem British Telecom phone wall
socket m which to stick your Modem
plug - you can use the same one as
your phone uses. If that sounds rather
obvious, remember the chap who
wondered why his Compunet system
wasn't working correctly until
someone told him he was supposed
to plug the modem into a phone
socket! If your phone goes through an
internal exchange, such as you find in
many offices, you will need a splitter,
which costs around C2- That's
because with an internal exchange,
the modem can't autodial, so you
need to dial out first with the phone,
then the Modem can log-on when the
connection is made.

Finally. of course, there's the all-
important Compunet SubSCnption.

The beauty of

using the net is

the power of

creation

TALK TO US!

Yftu can MBX THE GAMES
MACHINE by using our l-D fTGM)
-any comments you would like to
make about the magazine, and
suggestions for ideas for the On-
line page. We'll try and repry to
you!

TGM TX DATE; 02 -88 89/1 16

ON-LINE

COMPUGUIDE

A whistle-stop tour around the net . . .

INDEX

Like a contents page, the Index is the
complete guide to the net, and to all
telesottware - which is anything you
can DNLD (GOTO INDEX).

NEWS

Compunet Editor Jane Flrbank's own
section informs natters about the
latest happenings on the net — how
the continual debates are raging,
whether any regional connection
points are not working, and generally
anything which is new. Updated two
or three ti mes a week , News i s a good
section to GOTO as soon as you log
on.

MAIL

Direct and personal communication is
achieved on Compunet by sending
other subscribers electronic letters in
the form of Mailboxes (MBX). After
selecting GOTO WWL from the main
options you are asked who you want
to send to. You enter their l-D and a
reference to inform them what the
communication's about. That refer-
ence then appears when they check
their mail directory.

From there you can do what you
want using a text frame which can also
incorporate low-res graphics. Next
time the person logs on, the MBX will
be waiting. And if you are using Par-
ty line (see below) a message pops up
informing you that mail has arrived at
your MBX.

TALENT

The main heading tor seven sections

which cover the majority of subscrib-
ers' 1 creative inpvt Into Compunet
HALL OF FAME represents a selec-
tion of the best of art on the net for
three years - a sort of permament gal -
lery. You can't UPLD Or DNLD, it's
only there tor viewing. Hall Of Fame
actually incorporates three of the Tal-
ent sections within three sub-divi-
sions: (GOTO ATRH'I - graphics, {GOTO
MLGCH) - music, and demos (GOTO
DEMOH). The 'exhibits' are changed by
Compunet officials, who take con-
tributions from the next three direc-
tories:

ART is a free netting space for sub-
scribers who enjoy an artistic bent.
MUSIC is similarly a free area for
funky bop made up by contributions
from natters.

DEMOS acts as a combination of
music and art - usually with a serolry
message - based around games or
derived from pure inspiration. Sub-
scribers a re free to UPLD or DNLD any
items from these last three sections.
ART AID speaks for itself, offering

help with creating pictures for the Art
Directory.

BIZ

A free-wheeling, newsy round up of
Demo highlights compiled by Jason
Firbank, Jane Firbank's brother.

HOTBED

Compunet' s alternative comedy sec-
tion hosted by the in finitely peculiar Dr
Fogg of Whoooosh Laxatives Ltd.
Offerings such as Breast Mounted
Joysticks for the bored housewife
illustrate the good Doctor's sense of
humour. One of the oldest sections on
the net.

PEOPLE

Fanatics comer with text input spec-
ially designed for clubs catering to
interests such as Ice Hockey, Photo-
graphy and Radio - at a random
selection!. If you think the directory
could do with another which appeals
to you, you can always create your
own.

COSMOS

A directory containing specialised
interest subjects such as astronomy*

(GOTO ART) - as displayed
on tfw Amiga, whiio a sltghtiy
eomp t ae*ed to w-ras Pooh
desr leaks on, The ONLINE
pull-down menu givas
accBS-s to options which
normalty scroll along the
bottom Una on the
Commodore 04/129

science fiction, comics and the like.
Very popular at the moment.

CHATUNE

Chatline provides an example of
Compunet democracy al work; rvet-
ters vote with their fingers. Once a
highly popular section in which test
frames could be UPLDed so that other
subscribers could respond, Chatline
has lost many of its attractions as
people have turned more to Partylme.

MULTI-USER GAMES

MUGs operate in a similar way to Par-
tylirte in that several people can use

the system at the same time - this is
interaction for real

As I write, MUD, the famous Multi-
user Dungeon game, is off the net for
a while, but it Should be lully function-
ing again by the time you read this.

A new M UG is a Iso joining the ranks
- called Federation. Wntten Alan
Langton, Compunefs Manager, it's a
'economic' adventure which takes
players around the universe explor-
ing, hunting treasure and trading -
and it will be on free-play for one week
just to entice you. Currently being
developed on Atari's Mega ST, THE
GAMES MACHINE'S Rob Steel
should be bringing you a Compunet
column full review soon.

90/116TGM TX DATE 02-88

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GO ST and GO AMIGA

Two new sections for the specific

machines. This reaNy is your section
to fill - and without your input Go
Amiga (GOTO AMIGA) and Go ST (GOTO

Partyline, (GOTO PARTY) installed on
Compunet in early 1986, is an easy
and enjoyable way to talk directly with
other Compunet subscribers. The
screen displays two windows, the
lower used for typing in your mes-
sages while the larger one at the top
acts as the main drsplay area where
the actual conversation appears.

When Partyline was first launched it
was slow and lacked atmosphere. But
over the years its response speed has
improved, now there's no waiting time
at ail. But Partyline is more than a
keyboard multi-user telephone, a
fictional element has been added by
the means of setting the action in a
house. Yes, it's a real party In an imag-
inary home,

The party begins in the lobby of the
house a/id from there extensions can
be built in the form of rooms such as a
toilet, bar or anything which takes
your fancy - simply achieved by typ-
ing "ENTER followed by the name of the
room you want to create Eight rooms
can be created with a maximum of
eight users in each room; giving a
theoretical total of 64 people all on line
at the same time, it can get noisy!

PARTY POOP6RS

Like any party you have to be careful
with whom you mix. There can be a
very vaned selection of people party-
ing at any one time, and, as in real life,
there's a fair number of troublemakers
who just come on and begin abusing
people. Their favourite targets are
programmers - especially the well-
known ones, a lot of whom use the
system - and people like myself.
Sometimes they can combine their
daggers: You! Your last game wag
RUBBISH and as for the TGM review,
wetl . . ' That kind of thing. And so it
goes on until everyone ignores them.
Luckily the doesn't take long,

It's not difficult to find people m the
party house - typing "WHERE followed
by their name reveals which room they
are currently in. Or If you can't be
bothered to go tramping after some-

ST) could degenerate into an empty
wilderness. However, to get things
moving the Compunet crew have
already put up some directories.
There's an Amiga user group, prog-
ramming hints, programs to DNLD
and help with modems

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The Amiga Ctub directory {GOTO AMIGA) display*
a Hurt Aim* Overlay of the latest from Jartt Firban

ii

The front-end screen at
PBrtyiine before you
actumlfy go to the aoftwmre
ami start chaffing

one, you can use the command 'CALL
to give them a shout.

PARTY PRINTOUT

if you want to keep records of who
you've been chatting with (or insult-
ing), a printout may come in quite
handy. Approximately one hour's
worth of partying tan be stored up in
the buffer and then dumped out to a
printer using the PRINT command en
the selection reef. If you can't wait for
everything to be printed, it is possible
to save a conversation out to disk in
the form of an ASCII file. However, to
do a printout from that afterwards you
will need to run the file through a word

processor first.

Keeping track of a conversation can
be difficult depending on how many
users are in the same room. By using
the up cursor a third window appears
at the top of the screen displaying
roughly an hour's-worth of conversa-
tion.

Partyline costs C1 per hour to use,
and In a strange way it is has the same
disgracefully addictive powers asaTV
soap opera, Just as you think it is
about to log-off, m comes a new l-D
and starts nattering away. And
because the best parties don't start
until late in the evening, there - s a ten-
dency to finally log-off by falling
asleep at the keyboard

liue i.iur nrrcr

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TGM TX DATE: 02-88 91/1 16

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martial-arts simulation "Yie Ar Kung Fu", Wouldn't that be sensational?

f*2

SPtCTRUM,

AMSTRAD,

COMMODORE

CASSETTE

it on
December 1st

'OIUIl.TAlrty AAOO~7"7

OPINION

THE

CHAINSTOR

MASSAC

Jack The Ripper Is the first computer game with
an 1 8-certrficate. In Germany and Australia
many computer games, fre el y published In the
United Kingdom, are banned for their violence.
Are wra going to have to go the same way? John
Gilbert talks to cult horror novelist Shaun
Hutson, among others, about the future
of violent games.

Mark Keaton's intestines gushed between the torn strands of his stomach.
His body jerked and bucked against the hard floor. His mind rolled like
white paper looping continuously against the black barrel of a typewriter's
roiier. in and out, black and white. The kilter stood above him, a shuddering
black outline, white the outstretched clever flashed a sharp picture of
frozen steel through Keaton's dying eyes . . .

the body lies broken on the ground, Hs head bent back, the gash in its
stomach red, a pool of blood on the dark floor beside it. The knife, eerie
white in the blackness? tuts towards the horribly scarred man who 's widely
distorted eyes seem to register the moment of his potential death ■ , .

ef ore you rush off in disgust and

B start to compose a long letter
about the evils of such gore as
contained in the two
descriptions, stay your hand a
while. They're included because they
illustrate some points about
censorship better than any diatribe
could do, and they also pose some
questions wtiich I w«ll endeavour to
answer later.

Take the first scene. It is a slightly
censored extract from one of the
Fnday The 13th movies. It is from two
camera angles - ttie victim's and the
killer's - and, more importantly, it
shows detail and movement.

The second sequence is a
description from a so-called horror
computer game - of graphics, not
text. It is static, so once the initial
impression is cvef there's nothing else
to come - no more shocks - and the
graphics are distorted because of the
comparatively low resolution.

The horror in this type of sequence
is more implied than that of a film, but
nevertheless it is still there. Movement
on the parts of killer and victim are
replaced by a greater degree of
participation for the viewer/player
who may be cast in the role of Victor
Frankenstein or a thug killer in Death
Wish 3.

Censors of computer software are,
therefore, dealing with a different,
cruder, medium than films or videos
but they have a greater responsibility
Id the public because of the places in

which the products may be bought -
WH Smith. Boots, Woolworths - and
the buying habits of the pubiic. You
may make an impulse buy of a
computer game but going to see a film
or taking out a video is a more
regulated business, Cinema and
video shop managers are more like
publicans in their attitudes towards
under-18s. but shop assistants have
so far had no experience in dealing
with X-rated products - cigarettes
and porno magazines excluded.

Jack The Ripper, from CRL, caused
such a furore last year because it was
the first gamete carry an 1 8 certificate
from The British Board Of Film
Censors. The dealers didn't know
how lo handle it, retailers were
worried about the effects on
customers white MPs, Mary
Whitehouse and the 'if it's not Andy
Pandy censor it' brigade had
something new about which to
complain.

BIRTH OF CENSORSHIP

To see how Jack The Ripper has
started a new trend in computer
software which could lead lo the
classification of all computer games,
let's take a look at how the film, video
and book media are controlled.

Jack was certified by The British
Board Of Film Censorship because
there is no general government
censoring body - yet. The BBFC has

"Friday The
13th was like

any other

game, player

against the

machine, and

In most arcade

games you've

got to shoot

something."

- Mark

Strachan,

Domark

no legal powers but was set up by the
film industry, and any films which are
not registered with a certificate do not
go on release through the big
distributors like Cannon EMI and
ABC. As those companies have a
virtual monopoly on cinemas m this
country a film must be certified
to go out for big - or small-screen -
showing.

The same is not true in the United
States. Movies over there are
submitted to The Hays Office, named
after its first president, Will Hays, The
US's cinema industry is a much looser
body than in Britain, There are more
independent movie thealres, and, r(
you "re offered nothing but an X-rating
for your film, you can try to sell it to
individual cinemas for general
showing without fear of legal action.
The audiences will, however, be small,
and if you want to put a film out to
general release you will have to cut,
cut, cut, because the US censorship
lobby at the Hays Office is stronger in
its views than our liberal BBFC.

During the British censorship
process a film is taken as a whole
product with soundtrack, music and
image linked. We also have the notion
of artistic expression which the Hays
Office doesn't.

The Hays Office takes a film apart,
counts the number of swear words,
the number of sex scenes and violent
episodes and awards points against
these black spots. For instance, you
will score different points for different
swear words, win more points for
bondage rather than normal sex, and
a note to cut an impaling whereas a
stabbing may only get you an X-
certificate.

The US censorship procass seems
so logical and statistical bul your
certificate can also depend on your
prestige as a film maker. Certain
sequences in Steven Spielberg's
Gremlins should have made it an 1 El-
equivalent in the US, but it was given
a 15-equivalent, Similarly, Luke
Skywalker's hand ampliation in The
Empire Strikes Back should have
picked up an IS -equivalent. But, the
people involved. Spielberg and Lucas
- and the types of film these features
were meant to be - made sure of the
15-equivalent.

Neither censorship body deals with
books, plays or even computer
software, but they will look at and
classify any material which is thought
to include violence against women or
animals.

In late 1985 Clement Chambers,

TGM TK DATE: 02-88 93/1 1 6

managing director of CRL, decided to
have his first so-called horror
computer game, Dr acuta, classified.
It received a 1 5-certificate, as did the
Frankenst&n follow-up, but when the
Board saw the script and screen shots
fw the Jac* The fl'pper game, it
thought CRL had an IB-certificate
product.

WITHIN THE LAW

Many members of the press dub
Chambers efforts to get an tS-
certificate as a cheap publicity stum
to drum up business and draw
youngsters who will even break the
law to see what's inside the gory
packaging.

Clement, however, sees the deal
differently: I onfy want to obey the law
of the land, The British Board Of Film

"Any game
which shows
mutilation, pri-
vate parts, or
private func-
tions should be
censored."
- Clement
Chambers, CRL

Gfuasome images in CRi-'s
Jack The Rippsr ms-uited in
its being given an 18-

Censors is interested in all matters of
censorship. Any game which shows
mutilation, private parts, or private
functions should be censored.
Dracula and Frankenstein got >5-
certificates while Jack The Ripper got
an 1 8, If it had been in high resolution
we might have had to cut it.

We're onry following statute and I
think the real criminals are the people
who wouldn't submit if they thought
their product had mutilation in it and
who think we're only doing it for cheep
publicity.'

Chambers also believes there are
ame software products which
should have been submitted tor
i classification to the BBFC. The
controversy started in the earty
Eighties with some sex games from a
company called Silver Fox," he says.
■Then Artir came along with Ship Of
Doom, {a text adventure), where you
could type in RAPE ANDROID and the
game would respond. You had to
know about that response before you
could use it. but it was still there.

'There are hundreds of games on
the market which could be classified.
Take Outrun (the Christmas arcade
smash from Ocean), there's a woman
thrown out of the car in it.'

I asked Clement whether he'd had
any trouble with retailers, particularly
WH Smith, with the Ripper game.
'We've had no trouble with the shops-
WH Smith are pies sad that a piece of
software has been taken so seriously. "
Now, that's odd, because shortly
after my conversation with Clement it
was time for the retailers to have thmr
say, WH Smith, for instance, decided
not to stock the game because of
some of the screen shots - gory in the

"What I do
object to is
pornographic
software, such
as these strip-
per games/'
- Ian Stewart,
Gremlin
Graphics

extreme - and certain passages in the
text.

WH Smiths buyers have always
been careful with games they feel are
on the fringes of good taste, and
rightly so, Their customer audience is
wider than any of the other retail
chains and independent retailers.
Anything that is controversial is not
allowed into the stores.

Boots has a similar moral policy and
an even tougher line on technical
excellence. The company also takes
very few adventure games, favouring
arcade and strategy simulations
instead, so the Ripper censorship
issue is not as hot for the company as
it is for WH Smith.

Woolworths has not made a
decision about Jack The Ripper
because its stores stock only the top
20 chart hits and Jack, as an
adventure game, is unlikely to make it
to those heights.

Independent dealers, supplied by
distributor Electronic Arts, have the
most to worry about. During initial
release Electronic Arts thought it was
a game in line with Dracula and
Frankenstein and sold it as such. The
packaging looks harmless enough,
but there is that IB-certificate
displayed on the front - which is all
that's required - and any independent
retailer selling it to an under- 18 could
face a fine of £2,000.

CRL's next 'horror' release is
Woftman, which Chambers says is m
line with the old film series. Jack The
Ripper was never a monster in the old
Universal horror film series. Maybe
that's why the game stands out like a
slit throat.

ARCADE VIOLENCE

Adventures are not the only games to
have caused controversy during the
past five years. Arcade games, and
the packaging used to promote them,
have had morally-outraged running
for the Obscehe Publications Bill -
which has yet to be fully ratified by
Parliament.

Veterans of the home computer
world will no doubt remember
Domark's Friday The TSfhsaga. while
newer citizens may still be surprised
at Death W,sh 3. from Gremlin
Graphics, but the first horror arcade
games were produced in the United
Stales three years ago,

A company called Wizard Video
Games, from Los Angeles, bought the
rights to Halloween and The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre The games,
which were little more than stalk and
slash in mazes, had very low
resolution and were only available on
cartndge tor the Atari VCS games
console and Sears Video Arcade. That
did not stop angry parents berating
the company for selling uncertified
games to their children which
contained links with two of the most
notorious movies in US film history.

The packaging caused the most
concern about the Wizard video
games and the same held true when,
a year after the US horror launch,
Domark announced Friday The 13th,
The arcade game, in which you have
to stop mass killer Jason from hacking
your high school buddies to bits,
involved no on-screen gore. The
computer graphics were lousy, but
the packaging - which showed a

bloody 'hockey mask with a knife
through one eyehole - had computer
magazines refusing to carry the ads or
put the pic on their front covers
(except CRASH). H also had the
retail stores looking io their
IslicsIs

Eventually WH Smith and Boots
took the package without alteration
but John Menzies was not so
accommodating. Mark Strachan of
Domark explained: 'We had to do a
specially redesigned package for
Menzies before they would take it.

'Friday The 73(h was a reasonably
non-violent game, after all you play
the hero, not the killer. It was like any
other game, player against the
machine, and in most other arcade
games you've got Io shoot
something. '

Domark is unlikely to do anything
like Friday The J3th again, although
Mark thinks the package, with its two
blood capsules, was exciting. You
can take a look for yourself as it is
being rereleased as a budget package
from Prism Leisure ^ minus the blood.

ARCADE SEX

Mark's also quick to give his views
on computer censorship; I think
shops shouldn't stock anything wHh
an 18-cerlificate rather than having a
separate shelf for it, But, I also think
general censorship would be bad for
the computer industry. It would be
bad if 75 percent of the games
released were banned, '

Ian Stewart of Gremlin Graphics
holds a similar view, although he
thinks that it should be up to the
individual software house to draw its
own boundaries Of good taste. ' I think
Clement's 18-certrticate is just a
cheap form of promotion. I mean, it
has got everyone talking and writing
about the game, and the magazines
that give it editorial are giving it more
exposure and playing straight into his
hands. There's nothing wrong with
that, though, it's all to do with
marketing. '

Asked about Death Wish 3. which
WH Smith and Boots are stocking, he
replied: "Yes, it is a bit gory, isn't it.'
Ian is obviously referring to the little
old ladies who you can baiooka into
mounds of biood and the white-
coated ambulance men who cart the
lumps from the street and oft the
screen. But. he has no qualms about
the game's UK or export sales, What
1 do object to is pornographic
software, such as these stripper
games. '

However, lan also points out that
sex is being used to sell products:
'With Barbarian, Palace is selling
Maria Whrttacker not the game, but
that's what marketing's all about, and
I only wish I'd thought ol the idea first. '
The big companies , mastheaded by
Ocean, have all used sex to sell dunng
the past year - though, I must stress,
not in the pornographic sense, so no
lawsuits please. Ocean's Game Qv&r.
with its picture of the vdlainess and
her nipple had artists at Newsfield
running for their airbrushes and other
magazines refusing to publish until
thingies were covered Up.

Gremlin is also using a coved
sexual angle in its Masters Of The
Universe - The Movie, with Dolph

94/11 6 TGM TX DATE; 02-88

■

OPINION

Lundgren's pecs in prime position, as
well as selling the macho image Bui.
as Ian Stewart so nght ly says, it's all in
a day's marketing.

OBSCENE
PUBLICATIONS

When the latest Obscene Publications
Act passes through Parliament such
normal advertising practice as using
nubile young women on ads, book
jackets and in magazines will be
called into question.

The act's aim is simple- To outlaw
anything which is thought to be
distasteful by a 'reasonable' person.
The act will most surely affecl
computer games, such as Jack The
Hipper, and Sam Fox's Strip Poker.
but rt could also be taken by the likes
of Mary Whrtehouse to remove all
manner of products from shops. You
may, for instance, never see another
Stephen King book in vVH Smith, not
be able to by Beverly Hills Cop II over
the counter because of thestnp show
and swearing scenes in K. The same
goes for any other similar products
which involve sex, death, or fighting.
We could end up with a media like ttial
of Australia a few years ago where
even murder scenes were banned on
TV. and you had to guess when a
person disappeared from a film
whether he had d>ed or had just

77m faafy cover of Shaun
Hutson '* Victim* - a nmet
about a film special effects
make-up man wtto finds 9
psycopath can better his
e m tt wi using
slaughtered human
flesh

(i

. if I had a

kid of 15 I'm

not sure I'd

want him to

see some of the

things around,

I'm fairly puri-

tancial really."

- Shaun Huts on,

novelist

vanished.

The censorship campaigners have
had a wide platform on the media but,
very often, those in the business of
fantasy or horror production, in films,
books, or computer games don't have
their say. Maybe the attitude — as
shown by the press towards Clement
Chambers and Jack The Ripper - is
that someone who creates fantastic
horrors cannot be \r\ favour of sensible
censorship.

To test the case l went to meet
Shaun Hutson. a horror writer who's
been labelled The Grand Master Of
Gore and The Emperor Of Excess, in
London.

He's the archetypal Iran Maiden
fan, with an incredible sense of
humour -to rival Stephen K i ng 's - but
a very logical outlook on life. His views
on censorship are surprising for a 29-
year-old who deals in mulilation
during his work day: I do think there
should be censorship in some form.
maybe in f ilms, but not in books. To be
quite honest with you, if I had a kid of
15 I m not sure I'd want him to see
some of the things around. I mean,
have you seen The Untouchables. I
reckon that could have-been an 18
without any problem, t'm fairly
puritanciai really. '

He is not, however, m favour of
censoring computer' games. 'With
something like that you need a certain
amount of intelligence to appreciate
it, whereas with TV and film that
interpretation is there whether you like
it or not, So, I certainly wouldn't
censor anything like that. 1

AFTER THE MASSACRE

We passed on to the Hungertord and
Bristol massacres and their
ram m ideations on the Rambo-iype
films and their computer game
conterparts. ' I feel very, very sorry. It
was terrible what happened, but l just
don't know how ihey can say it was
because he watched Rambo or it was
because he watched horror films. I'll
tell you one of the most giaring
examples about Hungertord. Three of
Hie reasons given for the way that he
{Ryan) was were that as a kid he read
Mein Kampf, went to see Judgement
At Nuremburg and liked horror films. I
mean I did all those things as well.

' Hungertord was terrible but many
people are just looking for excuses. I
mean the first thing on Ihe front page
of The Daily Mirror today was 'There
was a startling similarity between this
(the Bristol killings) and Hungertord -
he liked Rambo films'.'

We then talked about the definitions
of horror and thriller fiction where
there seems to be a case that the
moral brigade are looking in the w ro n g
direction as to what they should
censor. Horror media seek to unsettle,
scare and often repulse. Where's the
killing impulse there? - unless a player
already has an attraction towards
mutilated corpses and goes to the
seamier side of horror to try and fulfill
his baser instincts.

Psychologically, the thrilba-mmute
gun -toting games where Ihe only
mission is to kill, kill, kill are the most
likely to prove harmful, and look at
some of the titles that are included in
that category. Rambo, Miami Vice.
Gunboat, and Renegade.

As Shaun Hutson sees ii the
fascination with horror and fantasy in
computer games «s based on a need
for the unknown and for new,
unnatural experiences, as far as the
'ordinary' player is concerned. We
should, rather, be concerned with the
potential murderers who seek out
such games because of a need to be
satiated. "Some people may find
something disgusting while some
people may laugh. A classic example
is somebody who fails down the
stairs. Now, you know people who're
going to laugh, while someone else' II
think ' poor sod' and go over to see if
they're alright,'

THE FUTURE
PROPOSES

So, It's all a matter of personal
reaction rather than some innate evil
within a computer game. Many would
agree, many not care, while others
wourd start to argue against all forms
of violence in entertainment and the
media, But. what's worse, a dead
body in a thn I ler or the blood spattered
bodies we're constantly shown on the
news but no one complains about
because they're real 7

The questions will go on forever, as
will the permutations of answers, but
someone will have to decide
eventually on^some form of action as
computer games become more
realistic.

Three workable systems of
censorship were put to me by
members of the software industry,
while I was preparing this article. The
first suggestion is in line with the top
shelves of newsagents and video
shops: put all the contentious games

- not necessarily the 1 8-rated ones -
on a separate shelf behind the
counter. Thai puis the onus on the
shop assistant.

Alternatively, you could classify tH
computer games through a software
review body, but that's something
none of the people I talked to want.

Finally, you could ban all
pornographic, horror or gore-related
games tram shops, or perhaps
relegate them to places such as video
hire shops where the counter staff are

- usually - expert at dealing with
under-agers,

From the views expressed from "the
ban', don't ban' and "don't care
camps', the answer may lie
somewhere between the suggested
solutions, with some form of
censorship - reliant on producer and
retailer. The system appears to be
forming well enough, with the careful
watchdog eyes of WH Smith and
Boots on ihe lookout for anything
distasteful - though, no doubt the
censorists will want more.

Let me leave you with two pieces of
information, both of which I hope will
encourage a considered and
constructive response from you. In
Germany computer game violence is
banned, as are other forms of fictional
media violence. The same is true of
Australia and the British government
wants a similar form of legislation in
the UK,

Since the placement of those acts
the violent crime rates of both
countnes have shown no significant
decline.

TGM TX DATE: 02-8895/1 16

HUMOUR

96, 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE; 02-88

MUSIC

WEENY
MEANIE MIDI

MODE

(multi-track home recording)

Man of many parts (most of them purchased
second-hand), Rial Croucher complements the
efforts of Jon Bates by sampling some budget
recording machines

any years ago, in a galaxy far
I away, after he had shed his
nil rocker's leather but before he
I had grown his hippy
innocence, a young Mel
Crqucher first blundered into the
recording studios: whether it was by
good judgement or unbelievable
ignorance, Mel got involved with the
likes of PAUL SIMON: '/ paid him
fifteen quid for a two-hour session in
1964, he was crap. PtNK FLOYD:
m we were all student architects,
when Syd Barrett did his pastoral
bit the Teds began chucking beer
glasses. ' IAN DURY: 'he used to go
for physiotherapy with my friend's
Mum. During 'Deu$ ' he couldn't even
light his own fag he was that iti, ' T

fl EX: ' Mark Bolan just sat there, cross
legged, with snot pouring out of his
nose, trying to read a poem about his
dick. ANDTHE LEGENDARY ALEXIS
KORNER 'he knew ail there was to
know about music, that's why I lasted
about an hour and a half as e bass
player.'

After 25 years in the music business
you would have thought that a sane
man would have given up. but while
he's still fending off senility (just), we
decided to tap his recording
experience, the only condition is that
he sticks to home cassette recording,
and gets the whole lot down on the
one side of a C*30! take it away
M«J

Mat Crowchar taking i
nonMAM from
Vocoder

■fteen minutes? No problem*

Are we on? Right then. 'The
Definitive Guide To Multi4rack
Home Recording', what's the
pnce limit? CSOO, are you
kidding? - you don't have to spend
half that. Do you know that MICHELLE
SHOCKED laid her first album down
on a Walkman! Do you know that
DAVE STEWART recorded the whole
of the first Eu rythmics on a three
hundred quid Teac Poriastudio?
What I'm saying is that anyone can
produce an acceptable demo
cassette in the piracy of their own
bedroom. Is this for THE GAMES
MACHINE, yes? Well that's a good
start, the reader is going to be
intelligent, articulate and have access
to some sort of micro, so the chances
are that anyone who reads this will
know how to link up their computer to
a MIDI or a Casio keyboard or a Sooty
Xylophone, some might even be able
to sing a bit. or play guitar.

First write your thrash metai
anthem, or your radio jingle. Or
symphony. Or answerphone

message, whatever it is you're into.
then choose the correct father;
someone with the surname Wklde or
Lennon should do. Finally cut your
music down to the bare mi nimum , you
, can always ponce it up afterwards
When you're testing your recorder for
sound fevel please don't say "One,

TGM TX DATE: 02-8897/1 16

Two . . . ", that's what the roadies do
just to make sure they've plugged the
amps in. A test recommended by the

SBC is the phrase, 'Papa had
cornflakes for breakfast'. This lets you
hear if your Ps are popping, Fs are
eMmg and so on. (Actually, Barry
Norman taught me that, but one so
hates to be a name dropper, doesn't
one).

Start me at the cheapest end of the
market and work upto your price timit.
above that you would do well to read
the specialist, magazines like Home
And Studio Recording and comb the
small ads in the music press and
Exchange & Mart- they're full or more
advanced gear at knock-down prices
from people that are upgrading to
open-reel machines and digitals, OK,
what's the first one?

STUDIOMAN (£39)

This is a poxy little machine by
Turnkey; about the size of a small
packet of tampons, with about the
same dynamic range. Lay your rhythm
and melodic tracks down on your
computer, or into your keyboard
memory, or record it on your
Walkman, and feed it into the
Studioman, which mixes the input
with a 'live' track of you singing in the
bath or force feeding the budgie your
sax. The bath tub bit can be faked up
on the Studioman, as it has a very
basic reverb unit built into it. I don't
recommend that you use it for
synthetic inputs, but it enhances a flat
voice very nicely. When you're happy
with the mix, lay your master tape
down on your cassette recorder,

PERSONAL STUDIO (£40)

Voice Over's Walkman -sized answer
to the Studioman, with a very similar
spec, except the reverb/echo sounds
more realistic to my waxy ears. All
these cheapo machines do is to
provide the sort of ping-pong effect
that certain tape recorders have built-
in. You build up tracks by bouncing a
mix and adding to the result lime after
time. Trouble is every time you
bounce, your earlier tracks will
degrade and the tape hiss will build
up. That's what 1 mean about keeping
your ideas to a minimum,
POCKET STUDIO

(Arbiter £00)

i don't really see the purpose of this
machine, It's simply a Studioman with
a cassette recorder glued to it. If
you're going to spend a hundred quid
you may as well buy a half-decem
mixer/fader and a cheap Walkman
and plug them into your existing
cassette player, That would give you
much more flexibility. You can get
some excellent echo effects and
phasing just by rerecording your
music alongside itself, with a slight
delay between the two tracks. The
pocket studio is a compromise
machine I don't like compromises.

VESTAFIRE MR-30 (£229)

Aaahl Take it away! Pass me the
garlic! This is the cheapest 4- track on
the market as far as I know, and it's
about as useful as a chocolate kettle.
There's some sort of a fixed routing
system which . . . nah, don't bother,
gel it out of here!
FOSTEX X 15 (E299)

Great! The ZX Spectrum of 4- track
recording, make that the ZX-81, you
can play f ootbal I with it and i t w ill wo r k .

(the last sentence is not applicable

under the Trades Description Act). An
inspired piece of kit, see, about the
size of a paperback book, battery-
powered and a doddle to use.
Remember those Graf pads you used
to get for jotting down pixel graphics?
It's like that, an instant musical
notepad. You can onty use two of the
mixer inputs at a time, but l he quality
is superb, not bad for a Dolby-B.
Definitely my tasst buy far under three
hundred quid, and because they're so
robust, second -hand cheapos are not
to be missed.

VESTAFIRE MR- 10 (£320)

Hmm. This one does everything that
the X-15 can do, and it has stereo
inputs for a CD player, or record deck,
but golly. I mean, that might
encourage people to sample
copyright material! I suppose it's
useful if you've got these prerecorded
backing tracks, and you want to add
your own stuff over the top, but I don't
see the fun m that, and besides, you
may as well use a far cheaper system.
Wo, I'B stick with the Fastex X-15.

TEAC PORTA OS
(Tascam, £329)

I used to have a mobite toilet called a
Porta -05, when I lived in a caravan,
but don't let that put you off. Tascam
machines are bloody marvellous!
They invented the portable studio as
far as I'm concerned. The main thing
about this 4 -track model is that it can
play standard cassettes. I mean al
normal speed and with a traditional
stereo format. With most other
portables of this standard you get
one-side-only recording, that is to say
all four tracks banged down in the
same direction, and the cassette
flashing through at double speed. If
you're into MIDI, this has got to be the
one. i he synchronisation is as near as
you can get to error-free, and they've
included a DBX noise reduction unit.
Some people will tell you thai DBX
mucks up your computer's sync code.

but I've never found that a problem as
long as you record your MIDI signals
completely flat. Leave all your lone
and effects controls set to zero. On
this machine they've solved the
problem, by including a special sync
socket, and all the garbage
frequencies that normally confuse
yo u r computer get f i Itered o ut What ' s
more, each of the four channels has
got its own effects control, so you can
start up each track at any stage in the
recording, and not fust when you are
ready to master. The dinky little LED
console is practically idiot-proof.
Yeah, it I had to choose a machine for
my desert island, this would be it.

POSTEX X-30 (£340)

I've got a Fostex 8-track system at
home, for my demos, and I love it, so
I have to admit that I was disappointed
with the sound quality of this d-track,
especially as it weighs m as more
expensive than the Tascam. I have an
idea thai the designers went in for
style over content with this one. Just
look at it! Horrible! Control knobs like
some sort of an art deco suspender
belt, and the way the panning controls
are laid out is crap compared with the
Tascam. Also it only works at
standard speed, so you immediately
lose a lot af quality ihere, and biggest
crime of all is that you can only record
two tracks at a time. Well, that's fine if
you're playing with yourself behind
locked doors, but if you are part ot a
siring quartet, two of you are going to
have to fake it up In other words, it's
useless for live recordings. On the
plus side, banging in FSK time codes
can be done via a Sync input, here in
the backside. The manual is really
terrible about this, but I think it means
that you lose everything on track Fgur
far the privilege of communicating
wi th your computer . Finally , no battery
option, only a mams adaptor, which is
stupid for anyone who's ever tried to
record in a garage without a power
point, or in the street to get some
sound effects, In a word, "shove It'

"... chances
are that anyone
who reads this
will know how
to link up their
computer to a
MIDI ..."

98/1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

II

. don't

expect to be

able to afford

to go digital for

a long time

yet."

TECZON 4X4 (£439)

A pig of a machine, Hornblf? to look at.
aod the tracks are permanently
routed, like input Two always goes to
Track two, and so on . Th is sort of thing
went out with the ark. It only runs al
the standard speed, but it's got Dolby
C, and the sound isn't bad at all.
Teczon are revamping it, and it will
weigh in at about £479, maybe they
will provide a blindfold so you don't
have to look at the revolting layout.

TEAC PORTA-ONE
(Tascam, £409)

The only advantage that I have found
with this one, over its little brolher the
Porta- 05 is thai you have a separate
Eq for each channel. This means that
you can record your MIDI (or FSK or

SMPTEJ sync pulses flat onto your

first Irack, and then your computer-
generated sound. Or drum machine or
synth can automatically sync up while
you're still fiddling about with the
arrangements before you record a
thing, but with all the tone and effects
modulation in place. So what you hear
►s what you master. My biggest
crit ic ism >s t h at the Vu * meters a re very
slow to respond. The 05 's littte pillars
of light are instantaneous.

How much tape have we got left 7 30
seconds 7 Alright , to su m up: if you are
serious about interfacing with your
computer as a MIDI controller, the
TASCAM PORTA-05 is the one. The
data filter gives absolutely error-free
synchronisation, even wheh you use

the pitch control to about plus or
minus 15%. The sound quality is as
good as you axe going to get without
spending an absolute fortune. Unlike
most hardware, you won't have to
keep hanging on for prices to fall, and
new technology to supercede
everything you've got after a few
months. This is state-of-the-art-stuff
for the next few years. The digital
machines are coming in now. AKAIare
launching a fantastic 1 2-t rack in about
three months time, based on the
Video- 9 format, and expandable up to
36 tracks, but don't expect to be able
to afford to go digital for a long lime
yet. Finally, here's how to get your
demo tape published, and into the
charts. All you have to do is , . ,

{Unfortunately we ran out ot
tape ai this ponntf

MACHINE

Studioman
Personal Studio
Pocket Studio

MR-30
X-1S

MR-1Q

Porta-OS

X-30

4X4
Porta-One

MANUFACTURED

Turnkey
Voice Over
Arbiter

VestaFire
Fustex

Vestafire

Tascam

FosteK

Teczon
Tascam

PRICE
E39

E99

£225
£299

£320
£329

£340

£439

£449

SOUND

QUALITIES

*

* * * +

* * +

* * * * *

* * * +

* * + 4

* # * *

EASE Of
USE

* *

* *

* *

*

* * * *

+ * *

* * * *

*

* * *

VALUE FOR
MONET

* *

* *

*

* * # *

* * *

* * * * *

* * *

+ *

* * *

TGM TX DATE: 02-8899/11 6

WOK*

Introducing four pages of great mail order
shopping for your home entertainment All the
software you could want, plus joysticks, con-
soles and clothing make this a selection worth
browsing through! Check out our special
offers for those extra savings and remember,
all prices include VAT and postage & packing.

Join in ori the fun everyone's ^v I w ^^^^

having with Domark's Trivial £ gj;

Pursuit with this pursuable
deal

Buy a copy of th© Trivial Pur-
suit start-up 'Genus' cassette
(Spectrum, CBM 64,Amstrad»
BBC} al £14.95 and get both
add-on packs of questions
FREE -Save £15.90!

If you already own the TP
Genus Edition - then buy both
add-on packs for £7 .95 : A sav-
ing of £7 95 !

Get other versions of TP
Genus - Cassette or isk - at
HALF the normal pries - saving
up 10 £12.45!
Atari ST Disk

Amstrad PCW B256 DrsK

Atari a- bit Disk

All normally £19,95 -HOW

EMM

Atari 8- bit cassette down from

E14.95toE7.45

IBM Disk hatved from £24. 95

to£lZ.45

LED LIGHTS FOR
ELECTRONIC TUNING

PERMANENT ADJUSTING KNOB

ACHIEVES 100% LOADING SUCCESS EVEN ON THE MOST
OB

LOAD IT GIVES YOU:

■ 100% LOADING SUCCESS

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■ GUARANTEED FOR ONE YEAR

APPROVED BY COMMODORE AND LEADING SOFTWARE HOUSES

YOURS EXCLUSIVELY FROM

£39.99

FOR ONLY

100/1 1GTGM TX DATE: 02-88

Please send me a LOAD IT cassette deck, as fast as you can! I have
tilled out the coupon and enclosed a chsck/postal order for £39.99
made payable to Newifteld Ltd.

Name .

Address .........

IIIIIITlH>">*

■MMMl ■+>■■"*■

IPf.l- LJ J1JI

......ilr. + 4 * + !*•-•-• ■-«■ i.nriilHIHfH .........

■H..--1-"

'iiHIHI1*ML

Postcode

:-TSM

LOAD

oo

LOAD IT OFFER,

PO BOX 20, LUDLOW

SHROPSHIRE SYS 1 DB

* v *

1/

ft

Stop vacuuming your machine with

TGM COVERS

One day they'll ban dust, but in

the meantime it's one of the
biggest single keyboard killers
around. But don't worry! We've
had somesupet quality covers

made specially for your
keyboard.
Amiga 500 £6.00
Atari 520 ST £0,00
Amstrad PC 6250 Set
(Monitor, Keyboard and
Printer) £13.00

SHOPPING

writable m twn ov*»_3S 1P a

£5.30

I •K.iitabJein two siZBs-tJLJth
1 <»*>** MWpJr&Sj*

JOYSTICKS GALORE

Don't let those aliens get at you - tool up with a brand
new joystick from our selection to suit alt needs

KONIX

SPEEDKfNG

The joystick that actually
fits your hand, with a tire
button angled for your

trigger finger to ensure
accurate high-speed
action. Solid steel break-
proof shaft with neat
clicking sound for every
precision move you
make.

Normal pncettt.99 - OUR PRiCEj

TERMINATOR

Built like a hand grenade

and just as fethat in action,
this totally new Danish
design packs top Quality
micro switches for top-
notch control and koot
high-scores.

Normally £19.95 - TGM PRICE £14.95!

Two winners from Euromax . , .

EUROMAX

PROFESSIONAL

STANDARD

High durability, rapid
response and ultra sensi-
tive movement accuracy
from this advanced
ergonomic design, Ideal
for left or right hand play.
1 .5m cord
£15.95

EUROMAX

PROFESSIONAL

AlfTOFIRE

AJI the quality of the stan-
dard, with the added
bonus of the Auto Fire
Option for when (he going
gets tough 1
£18.95

n

For Amstrad owners

EUROMAX JOYSTICK
AUTOFIRE INTERFACE

Specially made tor the
Amstrad 464, 664 and
6128, this interface pre-
vents continuous use of
Autofire Joysticks caus-
ing equipment malfunc-
tion.
£5.95

55£

p&s*"" r

Score tike a pro with Dynamics.'

COMPETITION
PRO 5000 (Normal)

Features arcade quality
microswitehes, dual fire
buttons, robust steel
shaft and rubber return
for smooth control and
longer life. Extra long
1.5 m cord-
Normally £14.95 -TGM
Price £13,50

COMPETITION
PRO 5000 (Clear)

The designer joystick has
arrived! All the features of
the Normal PRO 5000 but
with the added thrill of its
unique see-through cas-
ing which offers a tantalis-
ing peek at the hi-tech
innards.

Normal priced 5.95-
Our price £14.00

Ultimate cursor control wiz zee

EUROMAX

WIZ CARD

This neat little box of
tricks offers two fire but-
tons an d left o r n grit h and
8-way directional control
through hypersensitive
graphite contacts with
minimised moving parts
for added durability
£4.95

PLEASE NOTE: JOY STICKS AND DISKS ONLY A VAILA-
BLE IN UK AND EIRE!

Interactive Video Entertainment with

THE SEGA MASTER SYSTEM

Put an arcade machine In your living room with this great new
extra to your exsisting computer. It's the ideal gift tor yourself
Or a friend, and the collection of games cartridges is growing
steadily?

Sega Master System: The complete and ready to use system, AH
you need 15 a TV. Package includes games console (to run card or
cartridge, a free copy of the hit arcade game Hang On, 2 control
pads, a TV aerial f ixtu re to let you watch TV even when the console' s

still connected and a 3-pin plug already fitted. Plus a built-in mystery

game!

£99.95

Sega Light Phaser; Take aim and fire at your target with ease and

accuracy. Comes with free game. Marksman Shooting/Trap Shoot-
ing.
£44.95

3-D VISOR GLASSES

Glasses plug into the card port ■
playing the special 3-D games'
£39.99

and you get extra realism when

AND THE GAMES
CARTRIDGES!

Mega Cartridges - alt at
£13.95

Choplifter

World Grand Prix

Action Fighter

The Nmja

Black Belt

Pro Wrestling

Wonder Boy

Quartet

Fantasy Zone

Enduro Race**

Alex Kidd in Miracle World

Zillion

Secret Command

Sega Cards - all at £14.95

Super Tennis
F-1 6 Fighter
Ghost House
TransBol

My Hero

Two-Mega Cartridges with
twice the power - all at
£24.95

Space Harrier

Rocky
Outrun

Mega Cartridges for the
Light Phaser at £19.95 each

Shooting Gallery
Gangster Town

3-D Games (only for use with
glasses} - £24.95 each

Missile Defense 3-D
ZaxKon3-D

Enter the world of

NINTENDO HOME
ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

Enjoy the amazing 52 colour graphics and arcade quality sound
of this great new system from the top ma kers of coin-op arcade
machines!

Nintendo bnngs you the control deck, mains transformer, two hand
controls, and one free Super Mario Br osGame Pak -only £99.99!

Super Nintendo Oeiux aJao gives yoo the amazing Zapper Gun.
which lets you shoot moving targets on screen from up to 1 6ft, and
your very own Robotic Operating Buddy (R.O.B), plus two free
gasmes. Gyromite and Duck Hunt, All lor £159. 9 A

Or choose to complete your set in stages:
Zipper Gun at £19.99

R.O.B. at £44.99

And now for a selection of game*

Wrecking Crew £28.50
Excite Bike £28.50
Mach Rider £28.50
Coif £19.99
Soccer £19,99
Kung Fu £19-99
Urban Champion £19.99
Super Mario Bros £19,99
Donkey Kong £19*50
Popeye £19-60

Zapper Gun Games

Duck Hunt £28-50
Wild Gun Man £28,50
Hogans Alley £28.50

Gum Shoe £28,50

R.O.B. only Games

Stack Up £31.50

Please note that Games C onsoles and Ca rt ridge s are only ava il -
able for the UK. Also Cartridges and Hardware are NOT
included in our Special Software Discount Offer elsewhere on
these pages!

1 02 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

PLACE
YOUR

ORDER

HERE!

UMSjRambirdj
Platoon /Ocean) Jinxter jRainbirdj

Terramex (Grand Slam) Match Day II (Ocean)
Hunter's Moon (Thalamus) Gryzor {Imagine)
Flying Shark /Firebird) Eco (Ocean)
Dan Dare II /Virgin) Test Drive (Electronic Arts)

Bone Cruncher /Superior) Action Fighter (Sega)
Garfield /The Edge) Secret Command /Sega)

Crazy Cars (Entertainment international)

The Special Software Discount Offer Prices do not apply to
software bargains highlighted in the previous pages, nor do
they include Console Cartridges, blank disks or any hardware
listed.

htf0&

SPECIAL

OFFER

CITA^

PR!

Bfif OFFEB SA*

4.99

5.9&

7.95

8.95

9j 95

9.99

12.95

14.95

19.95

23.00

24.95

26.95

29.95
34,95

3-99

4.75

6.40

7.20

7.95

7.99

10-40

11-95

15.96

1&4°
19.95

23 15

23-gt

27.95

1.00
1.20
1.55

1,75
2.00
2.00
2.55
3,00
4.00
4.60

5.00
5,80
600
7.00

THE MEGA CHOICE:

Apart from our highly recommended Jwm
list, you tin Order any game released by the
major software houses to dale on any ot the
following format*:

SPECTRUM 4B& 1 2GK COMMODORE C64.t 1 28.
AMSTSAD CPC. MSX II. ATARI 51 AMIGA IBM PC/
XT

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Please note that Hardware, Consoles and
Cartridges are available in the UK only

j

TGM IX DATE: 02-88 103/1 16

fo

ION.

W)

its 00

>

l^r

f-

-id

M

*m

<

CYBORGS AND

ANDROIDS
VIDEO

In the last of their articles starring computer
technology In film, Martyn Lester and Martin
Coxhead don sterile gloves for some gory bio-
micro-chip surgery,

This month we look at both cyborgs and androids in movies and
on video, and again some definitions have to be established.
For our purposes an android is a purely robotic creation which
is meant to pass as a human, while a cyborg is part-organic and
part- mechanical. The Oxford English Dictionary might not
agree, but we're writing this - so there!

he cyborg idea forms the basis
^P of the current international box-
office hit, Paul Verhoven's
Robocop - a violent, thrilling
and often blackly funny look at
law enforcement in the future.
Directed with an eye for violent action
and stylish design, the plot is set at
the turn of the century, where the
Detroit police force is about to come
under private owenership. The first
plan is to have hulking robots,
codenamed EO-209, as the police on
the streets, but the idea gets put on a
back burner after a prototype blasts
one of the multi-national's executives
to death while malfunctioning.

The alternative plan is used: to
encase what is left of a wounded
officer in an armoured mechanical
suit, computers interfacing with what
is left of his pared-down brain. When
a young cop called Murphy (Peter
Waller - also seen in the excellent and
off-beat The Adventures Of Buckaroo
Bartzat) is blown to bits by a gang of
cop-killers, it is the perfect
opportunity to try out the Robocop
project.

The movie is truly entertaining.
while offering some witty asides about
the perceived society of the future.
Two ex -Presidents are killed when an
orbiting peace platform goes berserk
and strafes Santa Barbara with lasers,
and the TV commercials of the future
offer the latest in mechanical
replacement hearts, including a
Yamaha sports model.

On a technical level the film is
exemplary, from the Rob Bottin-
designed Robocop armour to Phil
Tippett's stop-motion animation of
the ED-209 robots, Director Verhoven
throws m advanced technology
subtly, rather than making it too
upfront. CD Video is used to deliver a
death threat via an assassin, who
happens to tote a hand grenade with
an inset LCD timer.

The performances also work,
including Nancy Allen as Murphy's ex-
partner. who realises just who it is
under the metallic helmet, and Waller
himself, slowly regaining his memory
and trying to re-establish his Own
h u inanity. I n all , and u nderstan dably a

smash, although the violence is
sometimes truly upsetting.

TERMINATE FOR THE
FUTURE

Ever mindful to spot a trend, Italian
producer Fabrizio De Angelis. maker
of the Bronx Warriors movies, is
currentry preparing Cy~ Warriors:
Special Combat Force, which he
admits to be a RobOCOp imitation.

Rather less humane than Waller's
Murphy was Arnold Schwarzenegger
in another cyborg hit of a couple of
years back - The Tgrminator (Rank
Video), a clever and breakneck SF
tale directed by James Cameron, who
went on to direct Aliens (CBS/Fox
Video)

Cameron's plot broke the accepted
rules of time-have! by having a cyborg
travel from a future lime where robots
rule in order io kill the woman whose
son, should he be born, would lead
the uprising against the robotic
dictators- It you think about it long
enough there's a definite flaw in there
somewhere.

A soldier from the future in the form
of Michael Biehn follows Big Arnie
back to 1986 in order to save the
woman - played by Linda Hamilton -
but the battle against the seemingly
mdeslructable future warrior is a
tough one.

Again pace and action carried the
film through the gaps in the logic of
the script, and running jokes with the
Terminator's computerised, data-
filled point-of-view (le written VDU-
style options superimposed over his
own visual images of his
Surroundings) and his running repairs
to himself added the levity the movie
needed-

Interestingly Stan Winston's
running repair special effects were
repeated almost shot for shot by
Italian technician Sergio Stivaietti in
Fisfs Of Steel {Veatron Video), a
surprisingly intelligent little tale known
in some countries as Atomic Cyborg.

Here Daniel Green played the
cyborg, Paco Quertak. created for a

106/1 16TGM TX DATE; 02-86

political assassination, but who goes
haywire. Director Martin Dolman
(Sergio De Martino) raised some
interesting ideas about a cyborg's
identity (would it remember its human
origins 9 ) before settling for a final laser
shoot- em-up.

De Martino. again under his Dol man
disguise, ail offered us the odd cyborg
or two in his extravagantly named
2Q19 _ After The Fait Of New York
(VTC Vkteo} a post-apocalypse
ihriHer with a ione fighter called
Parsifal (Michael Sopkir) fighting a
cyborg regime in order to find the test
fertile woman on Earth. Still, it was
fun . . -

VILLAINS AND HEROES

Cyborgs in l he movies usually turn out
to be untrustworthy. Take your eyes
Off them for a moment and they'll
defect.

Action star Robert Ginty finds this
to his cost when terrorist Sandhal
Bergman is reconstructed with robot
parts in Relaliator (Imperial). Saved
from the dead in order to work for the
power of good, she soon turns out to
be even meaner than ever.

Occasionally they see the light, as
in The Humanoid (RCA/Co* umbla}
where Bond movie star Richard Keil is
a space pilot, robotised by the
baddies, who switches to the aid of a
little lad and his dog,

Wes Craven, director of the
excellent Nightmare On Elm Street
(CBS/Fox Video), rather blotted his
copybook with Deadly Friend
[Warner Home Video), a limp tale of
a boy genius reviving his dead
girlfriend with a robotic brain implant
in order that she can get revenge on
the father who abused her.

Apart from the fact that she looks
like an extra from Night Of The Living
Dead, nobody seems to notice
anything different about her.
Occasionally hilariously inept, the film
proves that Craven should stick to the
Elm Street vicinity and not dabble In
semi-negrophilic teen -love stories,

Michael Ironside made a
memorable villain in Spacehunter
(RCA/Columbia), playing Overdog
McNab, a cyborg pitched against the
heroic Peter Strauss. McNab was
virtually a prisoner in a large metal ic
web of hoses and pipes, but
Ironside's snarling presence was
memorable as was David Warner as
The Evil One m Time Bandits (Thorn
EMI Video), the Devil in disguise, and
having such handy qualities as
whirling blades which emerged from
his head . . .

Other cyborg oddities have
included Ming The Merciless's
minions in the Dino De Laurentiis
version of Flash Gordon (Thorn EMI).
Michael Renniem the very low- budget
Cyborg 2069, Katherine Ross and the
secret of Ira Levin's The Stepford
Wives (VCL Video) and the lead
character in the hit D-A.R.Y.L (RCA/
Columbia}, the acronym standing for
Data Analysing Robotic Youth
Lifeform. Here a young boy with
amnesia astounds his foster parents
and friends with his strange abilities -
he turns out to have a computer for a
brain. Scientists are looking for their
lost creation to dissect him. but Daryl
has developed into a virtual human.

Even Darth Vader of the Star Wars
series (C8S/Fox Video) was a
cyborg, being hooked into that
curious breathing apparatus.

CHEAPOBORGS

Low-budget King Roger Corman
introduced a few man/machine
combinations into his enjoyable Battle
Beyond The Stars (Warner Home
Video]' while the heir apparent to his
throne, Charles Band, has had a few
brushes with the subject in several of
his Empire and Wizard productions.
The best was the very entertaining
Eliminators (Entertainment In
Video), in which Patrick Reynolds
gave a very good performance as the
Mandroid, a man/machine, heavily
armed and complete with a tank track
base should the going get rough,

He escapes from mad scientist Roy
Dotrlce and with three companions -
a scientist (Denise Crosby from Star
Trek - The Next Generation), an
adventurer (Andrew Prine coming
over like a low-life Indiana Jones) and
a Ninja (Conan Lee . . , honest)- and
they set out to stop Dotnee's mad

. . , the Ter-
minators com-
puterised,
data-filled
point-of-view
added the lev-
ity the movie
needed.

Possibly the
most imagina-
tive Idea of

organic/

mechanical

mayhem came

in the Dutch
thriller The Lift.

scheme. Very much live- action comic
book, it's a delight - highly
recommended,

A villainous cyborg also featured in
Metalstorm - The Destruction Of
Jared Syn (Entertainment In Vkteo).
a space opera directed by Band
himself, which was bearable in
cinema 3-D but just mundane In 2-D
video Although called mutants,
cyborgs were Ihe villain in Mutant
Hunt (Entertainment In Video} from
Band's subsidiary Wizard

Productions. Some goad Ed French
"melting - effects aside, it was dross.

Sounding interesting is Robojox,
believed to be Band's biggest-
budgeted production yet (which may
not be saying much}, which shows a
time whan wars are fought by having
each nation's supreme champions
battle each other in massive
Transformer- style robots, controlled
from within,

Although it has been completed for
some time now, Robojox has yet to be
released anywhere in the world, but
the direction presence of Stuart
Gordon (maker of Re-animator, From
Beyond and Doffs) is reassuring.

Possibly the most imaginative idea
of organic/mechanical mayhem came
in the Dutch thriller The Lift (Warner
Home Video}, where the menace was

an office block lift that seemingly had
a mind of its own. trapping and
suffocating passengers and luring
blind men down the shaft Director
Dick Maas resolved the tale by having
the fiend exposed as organic memory
chips in the lift's control system which
had developed a form of intelligence
and turned against man.
intriguing . . .

DISGUSTING DALEKS

TV cyborgs have been relatively
plentiful if not always obviously
apparent. Dr Who's Daleks were ratty
cyborgs, their rather disgusting forms
- resembling animated spaghetti
Bolognaise — inside the cybernetic
shell. We still remember the outcry in
the early Sixties when all taste was
thrown to the wind in The Evil Of The
Daleks series, where the finale was an
epic of the Daleks bursting and
showering everywhere The BBC
switchboard was jammed with
calls . . .

The senes also gave us the Autons.
sinister looking cyborgs disguised as
tailor's dummies. If we remember
rightly they also had, in the same
senes, plastic daffodils which sprayed
your face with poison.

One of the most memorable, and
recurrent, foes of The Avengers were
the Cybernauts. who appeared in at
least three episodes, including the
revived New Avengers, while on the
side of the good guys were Lee Majors
and Lindsay Wagner as The Six Million
Doitar Man and The Bionic Woman,
Available on video are the original TV
pilot for The Six Million Dollar Man and
The Return Of The Six Million Dollar
Man And The Bionic Woman (CIC
Video), Ihe title of which says it all.
The end of this sees Steve Austin's
son m his dad's heroic mould after
being mangled in a car crash and
bionicaiiy patched up. So far the
series has not been taken up in the
US,

Even the martial arts genre has
given us an ottering with Bionic Ntnja
(VPD)

ANDROID TOO

Androids have generally had a lower
profile m the cinema, although
theoretically they are much simpler to
portray. No complicated make ups -
just say in the scripl that the guy is an
android and the audience will believe
you.
A naive switch of character came in

TGM TX DATE: 02-88 107/11 6

VIDEO

the Alien/ Aliens pairing |CBS/Fox
Video) In the original, Ian Holm was
Ash. the member of the spaceship
crew who was a little different from
tha others. When Ripley (Sigcumey
Weaver) discovers that Ash's purpose
is to ensure that the Nostromo picks
up the Alien of me title, she's nearly
killed for her pains, Yaphet Korto
saves the day by beaning Ash with 3
fire extinguisher taking his head off
and revealing him as a droid.

Come the return Paul. 57 years later
in Aliens. Ripley is perturbed to tind
out that Bishop {Lance Hendnksen) is
also an android, although he prefers
to call himself an 'artificial human'. By
the rousing finale. Bishop is the hero
! of the day, Hendriksen gives a very
good performance, in a very subtle,
almost doll-like make-yp, and with a
touching sense of near innocence. A
very delicate performance in a
situation in which acting was
secondary to the frights and tension.

Another interesting

characterisation came from Don
Opper as Max 404, the title character
of Aaron bpstadfs Android (Af E
Video), a fascinatingly clever
independent production featuring
Klaus Kmski in one of his mosl
controlled performances as a robotic
scientist working on creating a female

the cast list. Max 404 1$ designated as

being played by 'Himself.

MAKING A MAN

Androids were the potential source of
amusement in Michael Crichton's
Westward (MGM/UA), where
androids took over from Redcoats as
the entertainers at the Theme Park of
the future. Choose from Roman
World, Medieval World or Western
World. Everything seems fine to
vacationeers James Srolin and
Richard Benjamin, but when a
malfunction sets the robots against
the humans - especially in the form of
android Wild West gunman Vul
Brynner, slyly sending up his
Magnificent Seven role - the action
starts.

A sequel, Future World (Video
Collection), with Peter Fonda and
Blythe Danner. was also interesting,
putting forward the androids m a
political takeover conspiracy headed
by Arthur Hill.

In the classic SF movie, Fritz Lang's
Metropolis, the mad scientist
Rotwang makes an android who will
lead the masses against their
masters. Interestingly the movie is
available in two versions - the original
1926 print on Thorn EMI

android. Max 404 is fascinated with
the details of life on Earth, having
never left Kinski's space station, and
the chance to escape comes when
three interstellar freighter robbers
arrive on the station while on the run.
Lipstadt's film is fast -spaced, good-
looking and actually quite charming.
with Opper's performance being
memorable. Interestingly Opper, whD
co-wrote the movie, isn't credited on

accompanied by a piano score, or on
Vestron disco composer Georgia
Moroder's adaptation, incorporating
a loi of footage previously believed
lost and with a new soundtrack
including songs from Bonnie Tyler,
Freddie Mercury and Jon Anderson.

To be released later in the year is
Making Mr Right, directed by Susan
Siedlemgnn {Smithereens,

Desperately Seeking Susan), a

. . . studio
interference,

including
recutting and
the addition of
a limp voice-
over, under-
mined Blade
Runner.

romantic comedy in which scientist
Anne Magnuson creates an android
for a space flight. Inevitably she falls
for him, and ends up with an awkward
choice. Complete the mission and
send him into space, or make him a
permanent lover?

The Mr Right of the title is played by
John Malkovich. the quirky actor from
Sen;. The Hilling Fields and Empire Of
The Sun, and whose performance has
garnered a lot of praise. We should
see it around June-
Ridley Scott's Blade Runner
{Warner Home Video) bnngs us a
whole new sub-division - Replicants.
These are seemingly organic psuedo-
humans whose existence can only be
detected by intricate psychological
tests. Shedding the clean-cut image.
Harrison Ford played Rick Deckard, a
Chandleresque private eye on the trail
of some escaped Replicants.
including Daryl Hannah and Joanna
Cassidy and led by Rutger Hauer
(from L&dyhawke and Wanted - Dead
Or Alive). The style and visual impact
of the film was superb, aided by a
strong Varvgelis score, but studio
interference, including major
recutting and the addition of a limp
voice-over, undermined the etfect of
the movie.

Androids are few yn the catnode
tube, the only notable example being
the android butler In the kid's series
Luna, whose eccentric speech
patterns were amusing.

Totally forgettable was the
mercifully short-lived US TV series
Holmes And Yoyo, taking the basic
concepl of Isaac Asimov's The Caves
OfSteetby having a human cop paired
with an android.

It was meant to be a comedy . . .

It was grim . . .

PROSTHETICS

There seems to be one indespensibie prosthetic used
when the scriptwriters on a production either run out of
ideas or want to make their baddie even badder - the
multi-purpose and very deadly false hand,
Joseph Wiseman as Or No (Warner Home Video)
merely had two solid black ones, handy for hitting people, but
James Bond's adversary eight years later in Live And Let Die
(Warner Home Video) had a large, stabbing mechanical clew.
Tee Hee. played by Julius Harris, was a baddie played with
manic glee and a terrible taste in suits.

Roman Geer in I he aforementioned 201$ also had a
useful for putting out eyes, while Chuck Conn&rs in 99 And
44/1Q0% Dead (CBS/fox Video) - unsurpnsingly also known
under the less cumbersome title Call Harry Crown- was Claw
Zucker man , with an appendage onto which many attachments
could fit. including a corkscrew, a cleaver and, for those
intimate evenings at home, a. cat o'nme tails

Director John Lanriis toon this idea to its zany conclusion
with his Oriental megalomaniac in Kentucky Fried Movie
(Replay Video). Based on the similarly-equipped Han in Bruce
Lee's Enter The Dragon (Warner Home Video), Landis's
despot has a vibrator nad electric toothbrush attachment for
his false hand, a joke ripped-off for Joe Dante's current
Innerspaca.

A bionic arm was one kid's weaponry in Joe D'Amato's Mad
Max rip-off Exterminators OF The Year 3000 (Medusa), very
handy for lobbing rocks at the speed of sound

But the last word belongs to Charles Sand, whose Infinity
Piclures arm makes even lower budget movies than erther
Empire or Wizard, In Maximum Thrust (unseen in this country
and unlikely to be so either), the hero is a spy who has weapons
built directly into him - gun barrels and rockets built into his
fingers, toes, elbows, etc. Consequently, when he is
ambushed by a horde of bad guys in the gents, we suddenly
find out where they put the machine gun , . .

1 08 1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

COMPETITION

ANY PORSCHE
A STORM

TWO RADIO-CONTROLLED PORSCHES TO
WIN!

Plus 25 copies of TEST DRIVE from Electronic Arts

Fancy yourself behind the wheel of a
Porsthe? Who doesn't?

Suitably inspired by Electronic
Arts's posh car driving simulator Test
Drive (the review's on page 42). we
are offering as a purnng first pn2e in
this cruising competition a Porsche
911 Turbo. Sadly neither Electronic
Arts nor THE GAMES MACHINE (even
combined!) could actually afford a real
Porsche lo give away, so we got the
very raxl bast thing . . . well, not
quite; the VERY ne«t best thing would
probably be a Lotus Esprit or an Aston
Martm DBS. But. though it is a little
smaller and not perhaps quite as fast
as the real thing, it «s nevertheless a
Porsche - a radio-controlled model
which lets you do nearly everything
the real car will except sit in it . Oh, and
it isn't a German Porsche, this one's
from Japan,

From the neat radto remote unit you
can control the car in two forward
speeds and one reverse. The
headlamps operate, and in turbo-

TEST DRIVE is

available for

AMIGA

CBM64/128

Cassette

and Disk)

ATARI ST

PC

mode the roof Kips up to reveal
flashing red lights and a police siren
sounds.

And it doesn't end there. For a
second prize there's another radio-
controlled, silver replica of a Porsche
959 with working headlamps, We
couldn't photograph it because
before the session, it turned left at the
junction and hasn't been seen since.
We will get it back in time though I

To each of the 25 runners up
Electronic Arts are giving away a
copy Tesr. Drive. Check out the list of
formats Te$l Drive is available for and
let us know the make of your
computer. To have a chance of
winning these great prizes you musit
correctly answer the seven motoring
questions set out below. Send your
entry complete with your name,
address and computer (state disk or
cassette where applicable) on a
postcard or sealed down envelope to;
PORSCHE COMPETITION, THE
GAMES MACHINE, PO Box 10,

Ludlow SY8 1D0 to arrive no later
than February 1S. First correct
answers drawn win, and Our standard

competition rules apply - if you are in
any doubt, check out the details in the
masthead.

3)

4)
5)

6)
7)

In what make of car was Mrs

James Bond killed?

What was the name of the

famous vintage Car which

successfully finished the London

to Brighton run thanks lo

Kenneth Moore and Co?

In what make of car was the gold

stolen via the sewage system in

the film itaiian Job?

Who won the 1 987 RAC rally?

What was the name of the very

special car that Mike Mercury

used to pilot?

On a car, what do the letters OT

stand for?

On some makes ot car,, what

does the name Ohia come from?

TOM TX DATE: 02-68 109/1 16

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MUSIC

IHOW TAPELESS
CAN YOU GET?

Following last issue's Falrllght thrills, Jon
Bates conies down to earth to look at some
cheaper options In the quest for the Tapeless
Studio, and examines how far along the road
you can go to kick the magnetic tape habit.

If you're semi-serious about setting up a studio at home or an
area where you can mess around with music if you like, it would
be to your advantage to know where to start. This is not a Best
Buy guide but a plethora of hopefully useful advice, much of it
gained by having gone through the hoop of acquiring equipment
and software to set up two such places, one at home and the
other at a local college. The last issue considered the rnulto
expensive Fai flight Not as a buyers' guide but as an example
of state-of-the-art. But as we are not about to shell out for one,
on with the business of the humble home studio.

You don't have to have a degree
in acoustic physics to know thai
if you copy tapes the sound
degenerates just a little bit. It
can be likened to recopying
photocopies. The more you do it. the
worse the quality becomes, until the
result is a rather splintered and faded
image of the original, And until the
introduction of sensibly priced digital
home recording (HDat or whatever),
that is where things must sadly
remain.

So where does that leave us?
Follow the sound chain backwards
from sound that has ended up on an
ordinary stereo cassette: before that
it may have been on a four-track
cassette machine, maybe a reel-to-
reel two-track machine or even the
luxury of a greater number of multi-
tracks; but where was it before that?
The most likely option, if you are using
a four- track machine, is that you
bounced tracks together on the
machine to give you more room . , .
and inevitably suffered a lack of final
control over each instrument and a
drop m the quality. There are several
options left open for us. Each involves
a little brt of investment bul there again
you don't get anything for nowt

FLAVOUR OF THE
DECADE

First a preface about the actual bits
that create the sound, then onto how
we can control and record it.

The basic dilemma is the recording
machme itself, Any copying process
degenerates the quality so long as it is
made in analog - electrical/magnetic

impulses. Enter MIDI, very quickly.
MIDI is a universal standard that
allows music information to be

transmitted digitally between different
instruments and processors so Song
as they all are equipped with a MIDI
pod. Thus keyboard A can hook up to
keyboard B and not only access
sounds but also sustain, volume and
other peripherals, and change the
voice programs in parallel with the first
keyboard. New additions to the very
open areas of the language appear on
a regular basis, and consequently it is
the thing - flavour of the musical
decade. There are articles galore on
MIDI m other specialist magazines
and so I don't propose to go into it in
great depth here. If you knew all that
before, please carry on reading now.
Okay, Good.

One of the
boons of MIDI
Is that you can
update equip-
ment without
having to trade
in.

One of the boons of MIDI is that you
can update equipment without having
to trade in. Imagine a world where all
micros had the same common
language and you will see why it is so
useful. You retain your anginal
instrument and purchase another to
go with it. Or more to the point, ygy
purchase a port with another set of
voices, as you won't need two
keyboards unless you are really
greedy. MIDI can receive and send on
up to 16 separate channels, In theory
this means you can hook up 16
individual instruments and control
them from some sort of central
service. In practice this >s a lot of
expense! In terms of our tapeless.
cost -conscious studio we would do
better shopping around for a tone
module thai wiU work on two or mora
channels simultaneously with a
different sound for each.

LOW TO MIDI COST

From the correspondence I've had it
seems that many of you have spotted
that the humble Casio CZ101 is a
device worth investigating. A rather
weedy looking synth with only mini-
keys and a lousy set of factory voices,
it has been around tor nearly three
years. But It will receive on four
separate Channels at once, although
only sonophonically - one note at a
time - and it has a lot of sonic
capabilities. From this you can
generate four separate music lines,
each with a different tone. Shop

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around, they are available second-
hand.

The next stage up is the C3QQ to
£500 bracket, which includes Yamaha
tone modules and one from Roland.
Eight simultaneous channels.
performance set-ups and lots more
sounds. The Roland, by the way, has
on rt percussion voices which may
save you purchasing a drum machine.
And while we are talking about things
like thi$. it is worth bearing in mind
that several of the upmarket single
keyboards can be persuaded to act
as mutti-channel tone- modules -
drums and all - with variable control
over the voices and channels
individually. Technics have always
been good at this, and the Yamaha
PSR 70 is a very good exam pie of an
instrument that will do tar more than
its appearance would suggest. If you
get one of the latter, write away for the
special MIDI guide to the PSR from
Yamaha - they neglected to pack one
into the original documentation and it
is quite an eye-opener. Whatever you
choose, the more channels it will
respond to the merrier.

KEEP THE SPECTRUM

Even if you have only taken a passing
interest in the music side of
computing it cannot have escaped

your notice that there have been a fair
few programs and associated
hardware with the MIDI acronym to
the fore. From the humble Spectrum
through to the more powerful 16-bit
machines, there are programs that will
record and playback MIDI data, edit it,
and generally sequence blocks of
musical data to form song patterns.
The input is usually from a MIDI
keyboard, although there are some
that will <nput data from the QWERTY
keys.

if you own a Spectrum and are
thinking of upgrading to a 1 6-bit. don't
throw the Spectrum away, because
there are several sequence and edit

I give M

« thumbs-
up as a real-
time recorder
anil man-
ipulator of
data.

programs that can be MlDl'd up with
a more powerful big brother program
to give you even greater power. By
combining your existing set-up with
the new, thanks to a common
language, you can expand and
update, not only with sound
capabilities but also with controlling
possibilities, at a far lower oosl than
totally upgrading the system by
throwing it away and starting all over
again. The more information you can
Confine to MIDI the more tapeless
your home studio will be.

It will probably be the case that you
will be able to record and sequence
on more MIDI channels than you have
available Dn modules. This means
more expense in buying another
module, or pooling resources with
friend, or you can go for the third
option which is to have a four-track
that can take a Sync track. A sync
track lets you put a synchronisation
pulse onto one track whilst you record
some of your sequences. You then
record the other sequences on
another track, but driven by the code
pulled off the sync track - most
decent sequencers respond to an
external clock (MIDI also transmits its
own clock pulses). Howevertodothis
you will need a device that converts
MIDI pulses lo tape sync pulse -there
are various ones about marketed by
Yamaha and XRI systems, to name
but two. Using a sync track does
reduce you down to three tracks of
sound but there are advantages.

THREE TRACKS AND
SYNC

Let's take an example to see how this
could work, The equipment is a
CZ101, a computer sequencer, a
sync-to-tape box, drum machine and
a four-track tape machine, First, you
can record four separate lines on the
sequencer and check these. Next, set
up an additional four lines {remember
they can ail have different sounds) on

the next four tracks of the sequencer.

By using control codes and program
change numbers, you can flip
between your first and second set of
four lines and compare By careful
manipulation of the relative volumes.
either by MIDI control or by attermg
the actual voices used on the synth.
you can achieve an astonishing levei
of smooth sound. One set of four is
recorded on one track. Then you set
the sequencer to work to an external
clock, and let the tape sync track
govern the speed so thai the second
set of four voices is perfectly
synchronised and recorded on a
separate track. Depending on the
sequencer, you could either have a
completely separate drum track or set
the drum machine to chain its own (or
your) patterns.

Three separate recorded tracks so
far, and eight lines of music plus
drums all individually controlled. As a
final touch you can wipe the sync
track and add some chords as fillers,
or maybe an acoustic instrument. Mix
down on to stereo cassette, and you
have a final recording that has had
control over every line played, and the
facility to after each one. More to the
point, only one tape copy has been
involved so there is going to be very
little loss of quality.

ATARI ST SOFTWARE

A decent sequencer gives you lots of
Control over MIDI peripherals, and

should let you chain phrases together,
edit out bum notes, and should be
generally easy to use, It doesn't take
a lot to work out that the Atari 520/
1040 ST has more music software
available for it than any other 16 -bit,
due mainly to its built-m MIDI pods,
Inevitably there will be more programs
reviewed for this machine than any
other at present. The following three
are representative of real- time
sequencers available, two from the
lower pnce range and one from the
mid- to upper-price range,

Superconductor from Microdeal is
a E49.95 package that lets you record
sequences, name them and assemble
them visually into song type formats -
assembling them on 16 tracks running
horizontally across the screen. Blocks
can be copied and ordered anywhere.
Individual tracks can be turned oft or
on and the MIDI channel il puts out on
specified. To edit n otes (as is often the
case with real- time sequencers) is a
laborious process whereby the screen
flips to a list of the MIDI data stream
and you have to do some head
scratching lo work out which note is
which, as well as which code does
what.

SuperConductor can also control
the woefully inadequate internal chip.
(Why bother! - unless you haven't got
a MIDI keyboard and want to play the
Demo tunes, in which case why buy
the program, as you can't enter notes
other than via MIOP). Recording is
very simple: choose your tempo, click
on record and it gives you a four- beat
count-in. Having finished, you name
the block/sequence and place it
anywhere on any track. Blocks can be
copied, split, mixed and merged - this
is very useful for putting a control
track on separately, say for pitch bend
and program change, and then, when

112/11 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

MUSIC

perfected, merging it with the note
track, Slocks can also be transposed,
codes referring to aftertouch filtered
out, and quantized, rounding up your
rotten arhythmic playing id something
that sounds m lime.

There are a tew reservations
though, it asks you to define the block
length before you start, which is
sometimes rather difficult, especially
as <t demands that you tell it by the
number of beats. 11 automatically
strips off the channel code, so that in
effect it records in what is known as
Omni mode. Okay for single-channel
instruments, but not so good for
transferring from other sequencers
and multi-channel instruments; te the
single keyboards referred to
previously. Moreover it will not
respond to an external clock pulse, so
any Slave options are well and truly
scuppered. But it does use the
sophisticated Song Position Pointer,
so that if you want to stad recording
half way through a song, some drum
machines can work out how far you
are through the song and Jump ahead
accordingly lo the correct point - very
clever, but not found on the low-
budget products that you might
associate with the market for a low-
buriqet sequencer.

The MIDI send commands are quite
good and let you kill notes that hang
on - why they should have i ncl uded a
system reset and MIDI tuning function
I'm not sure- they are very rarely used
except on the most upmarket of
packages that control myriads of
synths al once. Perhaps these would
have been worth sacrificing, along
with the internal voice and song
position option, in favour of a little
more practical flexibility for the home
user - a bit like equipping a 2CV with
anti-lock brakes but at the expense of
a heater!

What I was very impressed with was
the Systems Exclusive code writing
part. This is realty useful for talking to
your synth in its Own language and
getting it to stand on its end. You will
have to pillage the owner's manual, or
pester the manufacturers for info, but
it does giv& access to functions that
are usually unavailable to the average
user. There are very few packages
that have this function - one not as
hard as that to include - and it
certainly makes up for some of the
packaged oddities. It is well
documented and comes with the full
spec of MIDI protocol.

SINGING ALONG

Add an extra tenner to your

. the Sys-
tems Exclusive
code is really
useful for talk-
ing to your
synth in its
own language
and getting It
to stand on its
end.

If you own a

Spectrum and

are thinking of

upgrading to a

16-blt, don't

throw the

Spectrum

away .

purchasing power and you can have
the EZ-Track sequencer from Hybrid
Arts. This will play back up to 20
tracks, each track being a song. Like
many sequencers it emulates the
controls of a tape recorder. All
operations take place on the one
screen which is split down the centre:
track display and control to the left,
recording and playback control to the
right. All other facilities are pulled
down. Looking at the track control on
the left you have track number, name,
arrow, on/off. end of track maker,
defined MIDI channel and whether or
not it is write/record protected and
how much memory it has used up.
When a track is playing a set of
symbols flash, showing you how
many notes are playing at any one
time, and a protect marker, Pit very
straightforward.

The right- halt of the screen shows
the record/play, stop and pause
buttons, tempo can be altered and the
song transposed- There is also a
metronome to keep timing
reasonable, MIDI in can be routed
Thru to the out port if you are using
sounds from another module.
Quantizing is pulled down and
displayed in notes rather than
numbers. To correct tracks like this
you copy from one to another and thus
retain the original. It will work on either
internal or external clock pulses and
recording is a very easy process.
There is step-time option but it is very
slow. Editing is where this program
falls down as there isn't any, but there
is the promise of an editing update.
Certainly it is a very painless and easy
introduction to sequencing.

QUANTIZING POWER

Masterpiece from Sonus is a much
bigger and more comprehensive
program, dongle protected ; without
the dongle it runs in demo mode only.
It records and plays back on 32 MIDI
tracks. Up to 24 sequences can be
recorded and chained together.

Where it scores over the previous
two programs is that you have
complete manipulation and control
over every feature that you record.
You can jump to cue point in the
sequence and record by punching in
at predetermined points. All tracks
and sequencers can be named. The
clock facilities are much more
thoughtful - you can choose internal
or external, whether or not it will start
from your first note or not, wait for the
start byte from a drum machine,

specify mtro count etc. etc.

Trades can be copied by dragging
the track icon to the track you wish to
copy lo . Tracks can also be appended
toothers, transposed, and quantized
As you might expect, the latter two
options are very comprehensive. You
can transpose just a single note, a
defined set of notes, or the whoJe
track. Quantize will also allow a
tolerance range so that a degree of
'feel' is possible. There is an offset for
time values so that you can offset for,
say, the slow attack of a synih
perhaps, or if you want a specific drum
to 'lean' on or off the beat. You can
alter volumes gradually or Suddenly
and edit the velocity sensitivity. A
whole track can be shifted backwards
or forwards in time. Any track can be
sent on up to four MIDI channels and
you can run two sets of 16 channels
(hence a 32-track recorder) if you
purchase the optional hardware thai
splits between MIDI A and MIDI B
outputs (it uses the modem port)
These are all playback features that
don't alter the original recording
unless a 'harder' option is selected.
There is full MIDI filtering and control,
and the reset features are definable
so that certain parameters can be
reset at any given point. There is also
a Mapping control that will turn any
control parameter into another, so
that pitch bend could become a pan
control {if you have stereo module that
is).

Step-time is not well catered for
though, but really this is more of an
afterthought than a main feature.
Editing is a brt of a pain as you have to
store yourfile and boot up another edit
disk; this is no doubt because Of the
large area that the main program uses.
Editing itself is reasonable: you can
search for specific events, playback
the displayed section and edit any of
the displayed notes and parameters
by clicking on them.

I haven't covered Masterpiece in
mega -depth as it is a very
comprehensive program and one
which could take an awful lot ol space
to describe in full. Personally I give it a
fairly large thumbs-up as a real-time
recorder and manipulator of data. It is
designed on professional standards
and as such, at a mere touch under
E200, the price reflects this. The extra
MIDI port is another C50 It will also
import and export data to Sonus's
SuperScore score writer which is due
for review in a later issue.

For all three programs I used the
same test: interfacing it with a Casio
CZ. and also a Yamaha CX5 Music
Computer with a large and complex
progam on it which I wanted to edit in
full The Sonus Masterpiece would fit
the bill for the latter, but
Superconductor gives, systems
exclusive control, and the EZ '-truck is
a very fast and watertight storage and
playback program.

Next month Jon continues on the
sequencing front plus a look at
other music utilities, and offers help
and info. If you have any ideas or
queries send them to Jon Bates.
THE GAMES MACHINE, PO Box JO.
ludtow, Shropshire SYS 108. Jon
cannot guarantee a personal reply
but the most useful and usual
queries will get answered in these
pages.

TGM TX DATE 02-88 113/1 16

END

UNCLE MEL'S TRIVIA QUIZ

1) Whwe would you find an

AZERTV keyboard?

2) Which of the foilowing fruits is
not a computer: Apricot, Apple.
Acorn, Peach, Prune?

3J In the classic science-fiction film

The Day The Earth Stood Still what
were the only words that could

stop the robot from destroying the
world?

4) Whkch software houses can be
found in the folio wrng insults:
DIRER FI8, SLUG DO,
TOSSER C DAME, RICE TRAM
SNOT?

5) In 1 702 a 3^D ClocKwor k
computer was invented to predict
planetary movements. What was
it caJled?

6} In the movie Demon Seed, what
did the computer do to Julie

Christie?

7) Amstrad wordy process

advertymold geriatric sillisodde's
namey?

B) Edgar Varese invented the
sound sampler in 1916. True or
false?

Fresh from tramping the streets in search of
stereotypical computer industry figures desperate
for press coverage in tits famous TGM columns, Mel
Croucher has some more tricky questions for you. If
you can get more than 17 questions out of 20 right,
consider yourself a Person Renowned In Computer
Knowledge . . ,

9) In 1 900 the theme from The
invaders, called Computer Game

was a Top 20 hit. Name the band.

TO) What have the following got in
common; Rin Tin Tin, Lassie, the

Spectrum +3?

1 T) What was the name of the

Paranoid Android in Tha Hitch-
Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy?

12) FilP in the missing words:
'------ BIKE'

YOGI

' POINT"

' FREDDY -

13) The word 'computer' comes

from the Latin 'computo' . What
does it mean?

1 4) If it takes seven men l wo years
to program Star Trek, how long
does it take me to review it?

15) What company manufactures
the intelligence chips for both the
Speak'n'Spell machine and the
Tomahawk Cruise Missile?

16) Which of the following is a real
software house: Thalamus, The
Ram Jam Corporation. Andrex?

Barnes about to take Pnnce
William 'in hand'.

1 8) What do you get when you
cross a giant piano with Mel
Croucher's trousers?

17) Who is this madwoman? {a|
Marianne Scarlet of St. Brides, (b)
David Ward at the Ocean
Christmas panto H (c) Nanny

19) Which compuier named after
a zodiac sign failed to herald the
dawning of a New Age?

20) Which cities are associated
with the following: TauCeTt. Judge
Death. Batman. Barbarian

ANSWERS

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NEXT MONTH

A GAMES MACHINE EXCLUSIVE!

p-l-w** the tsnmm

For almost four years the name of Ultimate (Play The Game)
stood for the very best of home computer games. The com pany
had an unbroken string of 1 4 hit Spectrum games and several for
the Commodore 64. Sales topped the quarter million on some
titles, and with Knight lore. Ultimate virtually invented the forced
perspective 3-D arcade adventure.

Despite Uftimate's renown, very little was ever known about
theeompany. They rebuffed reporters and shunned publicity. No
proper interview was ever conducted.

And then U I timatt s i m ply faded fro m the scene an d so d i d the
people behind it. But they are about to emerge once again as a
new and powerful force in British software, and they chose to talk
exclusively to THE GAMES MACHINE about their past and their
resurrection.

Now you can read the startling true inside Ultimate story
in next month 's packed issue of TH E GAM E S M ACH I NE, and
find out just what it is they are doing.

We go on the Bulletin 1 0OO trail, and talk to the people who heip sell

games mtD the chainstdnes.

■ Mei Croucher talks to well -known programmers aooul how the
industry ripped them off - a form of software Child Abuse, And as
a complete change he looks at home video recording on a budget

Jon Bales gets to grips wrlti the finer points of MIDI.

■ PLUS the latesl multi -format games reviews, previews, board

games, fantasy games and adventures.

■ Don't miss out. Ihe next issue of THE GAMES MACHINE goes on
sale from February 16 at all goad newsagents etc.

ADVERTISERS' INDEX

Action Soft
Activision

Compumart

Creative Devices

Evesham Micro
Grand Slam
Gremlin Graphics
Herwoods
Imagine
Infogrammos
Johnson Seanilron

24, 25
12. 13. 7,2, 73, B4

as, 104. ids
55,57

43
63

3e

23
26

44, 45, B/C

its

74

Loriciela 37

Mills Associates 18

Ocean 2, 3, 92

Pandern 9

Pirate Software a 1

Psygnosis 4

Silica Shop 31

Sublogic 6

Teetrics n

TGM Mail Order 100

TG M Subscription s 1 1

Video Vault 32, 81

114/1 1 6 TGM TX DATE: 02-88

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, The latest hit coin-op from Taito.

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jfatM diarti - ^ evft feaT his fire*TJe»Tng sward, the axe he well it* as swift as
ghtning/SiaEe oi the art programming makes a [rue simulation of the
cade for*obr home micro, enjoj superb graphics and realistic action as
RASTAM takejen a world of dangers - magical Hoards, fire breathing lions, bats,
snakes. skeJHftMisand finally the living dead.

Is It more than you can handle?

Sp*rtrum ?,95 C«s SPECTRUM -^ J DISK 14.93

Commodore B.95 Cass 12.99 Disk
Amssrad 6-95 Cass 14,95 Disk

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Imagine Software Limited - 6 Central Street Manchester M2 5NS TeJ 061 834 3939 Telex: 669977