This is a version of the classic Lunar Lander with a few bells and whistles added. Firstly, the simple line-drawn graphics of the original have been replaced by much more colourful graphics. The sound effects are decent as well, and there's the added problem of dodging flying rocks. There's only one screen, though, in which you have to land your spacecraft on four landing areas - misjudge the landing, though, and you lose one of your six lives. You've also got to watch your fuel level! The second level (using the same screen) is harder, as you must also avoid laser beams. Sadly, the difficulty is so high that it's doubtful that you will complete the second level.

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Starstrike II
(Firebird, 1986)

The Federation is planning a pre-emptive strike on the Outsiders, using their new generation Starstrike II spaceship. This will not be an easy task, as there are 22 Outsider planets to be penetrated, and they are spread across five solar systems. Each planet is either agricultural, industrial or military, which determines how heavily defended it is and what types of gameplay you will be playing. Your fuel and shields are limited, although fuel can be used to replenish your shields. Fortunately you can replenish both by returning to your support module. This shoot-'em-up is a big advancement on its predecessor, with significantly improved 3D graphics and a greater variety in the gameplay - definitely a game that is not to be missed!

See also: 3D Starstrike.

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Five events are bundled into this game; the 400m sprint, parachuting, the 50m swim, the ski jump, and track cycling. For a game that fills up nearly an entire disc, that's not a lot! Four of the events involve some furious joystick waggling, although thankfully the keyboard can also be used. The parachuting event involves positioning yourself to land on a target, while the ski jump requires both joystick waggling and ensuring that you land correctly. You can practice the events, or play all five at once, competing as either Africa, America, Europe, or Asia and Oceania. The game as a whole isn't bad, although the combination of events seems rather strange. The graphics are fairly good in most of the events and the music at the start of the game is also nice.

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7

An alien syndicate led by Jabba McGut has stolen the Earth's only supply of 25 extra-special alloys, and is now threatening life on Earth. Only a Marine Corps Star Trooper such as you will be tough enough for a mission as dangerous as this. It is your aim to recover the alloys and return them to Earth. There are five missions with five alloys of the same colour to recover in each one. You must wander around a labyrinth of corridors and lifts to find the alloys, while shooting the aliens that patrol the labyrinth. You'll also have to find keys to let you pass through force fields and use the teleportation units. The graphics are colourful and well drawn, and the sound effects are OK, but you only have one life, and all the missions are effectively the same.

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6

Star Wars
(Domark, 1988)
Reviewed by Chris Lennard

As Luke Skywalker, you must take on the military might of the Imperial Death Star in your X-Wing. Viewed from a first person perspective, you first engage Darth Vader and his fleet of TIE fighters, shooting them and their fireballs to protect your limited shields. Then on to the military station's surface dodging and destroying its defensive turrets, and finally into the trench, avoiding the various protrusions and obligatory fireballs until you are finally able to attempt to launch your torpedoes down the exhaust shaft to blow the Empire's pride and joy to kingdom come. Failure results in a restart - thankfully, the difficulty is configurable. A brilliant, albeit simple looking game that's a must for every Star Wars fan.

See also: The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars Droids.

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C-3PO and his companion R2-D2 have been imprisoned and must escape from their captors. The base consists of eight levels, and C-3PO and R2-D2 must work their way up the levels by unlocking the barriers and lifts. You'll find computer terminals next to them, and if R2-D2 logs on to them, you play a Simon-like memory game where you must memorise two sequences and repeat them correctly if you want to gain access. Of course, there are also a lot of robots and other hazards to impede your progress and reduce your energy. The graphics are very well done with lots of detail, and the tune on the menu is really groovy! However, the gameplay is very monotonous, and the method of selecting icons to perform actions is both awkward and frustrating.

See also: The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Star Wars.

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4

After your heroic mission in Planetfall, you are now a Lieutenant First Class on the Stellar Patrol Ship Duffy, but your latest assignment is ridiculously mundane - go to a nearby space station to pick up a supply of forms. When you get there (accompanied by your robotic friend, Floyd), the station is completely deserted, most of the machinery is going crazy, and an alien ship has brought something rather nasty with it. Of course, you've got to save the station from being taken over by it. The sense of foreboding and isolation pervades this text adventure, which increases the difficulty level considerably with respect to its predecessor - and this is the main reason why I don't like it as much. It's still very good, though.

See also: Planetfall.

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It's a tough life looking after your family. Steg is a slug, and his little slugs, the T'yungunz, are hungry and want their favourite food - grubs. On each of the ten levels, Steg must blow bubbles to trap the grubs which are to be found crawling around. The bubbles float upwards, and hopefully they will find their way to the T'yungunz at the top of the level. On the first two or three levels, this isn't a problem, but on later levels, you'll need to intervene by blowing more bubbles or gently blowing on to them to make them move. The concept behind this game is quite original and is fairly similar to Lemmings. However, the game crawls sluggishly (pun intended), and as a result, each level takes ages to complete and things become boring. If this wasn't a Spectrum port, it could have been a lot better. The music is good, though.

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5

Ho-hum - another cheap, horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up. This one has the added bonus of making your CPC pretend it's a Spectrum, and that is never a good thing. You can collect up to five different power-ups, all of which add some extra weaponry to your spacecraft. Unfortunately, if you aren't able to collect these power-ups, you'll have great difficulty getting far, and that's the main problem with this game. The scrolling is reasonably fast, and I can put up with monochrome graphics, but there are too many enemies and not enough room to dodge them.

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4

Despite using his name, the legendary actor doesn't make an appearance within the game. In fact, it's a re-release of a game that originally came with Loriciel's Westphaser lightgun. Six criminals are roaming the Wild West, and there's a reward for shooting them. Three of the shoot-outs take place in a saloon, while the other three take place in a town square. The shoot-outs can be rather chaotic and you'll need to have a good aim as well as quick reflexes. What's bizarre, though, is that in the saloons, the innocent people who you mustn't shoot (which includes a very young child) carry on their normal business while there's a gunfight going on! However, it's great fun, and the game captures the Wild West atmosphere marvellously, with graphics and sound effects which have to be seen and heard to be believed.

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