Strider
(US Gold, 1989)
Reviewed by Chris Lennard

Defeat the master and his evil minions across the continents of the globe in this action platformer set in a 21st century still in the Cold War. A faithful conversion of the arcade game by Capcom, you take Strider deep into enemy territory where you must destroy all that comes in your way. Plenty of special weapons are available, while numerous major end of level bosses await to stop you. In spite of the monochrome graphics, this is a visually pleasing game with some nice sound effects chucked in for good measure and excellent gameplay, although the sequel is better.

See also: Strider II.

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8

Once more you must defeat the evil master in what is pretty much a repeat of the prequel. This time, you are also equipped with a gun as well as your sword with which to take out your enemies, which again are divided between normal bods and big bosses. Nevertheless, the graphics are better than in Strider, with good, fluid sprite animation and detailed backgrounds. The nicely rendered theme tune remains also. And yet, the game hasn't lost any playability or speed – which makes you wonder why the original didn't look as good as this.

See also: Strider.

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8

A reasonable enough ten-pin bowling simulation is what's on offer here. Knock down as many skittles as you can in each of the ten frames, hoping to knock all of them down and thus score a strike. The bowling alley is viewed from an isometric 3D perspective, and the bowler shuffles slowly left and right, trying to aim the ball. It's up to you to judge when to release the ball, but careful timing is also required when releasing it, otherwise the ball will instead land on the floor, or even your foot! However, while the graphics and music are both fairly good, aiming the ball correctly becomes a matter of routine after some practice, and there is also no way of aiming the ball diagonally.

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6

Here's a football game in which you play the role of a player instead of a manager. You're a young 18-year-old footballer starting in a 4th Division team, with ambitions to play for one of the top teams in the 1st Division, and even represent your country. Your progress is entirely based on your ability to score goals. Provided you're picked for a match, there will be several opportunities for you to aim the ball at the goalmouth. You have to judge what angle to shoot the ball at, and press a key at the right moment. With practice, you'll become more adept at this and help your team to be promoted. There isn't a lot else to the game, but I actually enjoyed it for a while. At least it makes a change from all of Cult's football management games.

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7

This game caused a sensation when it was released, as it was the first non-cartridge game in the UK to utilise the extra colours offered by the Plus machines. Unfortunately, only a few other such games were released, which is a shame. Anyway, as Striker, you are out to destroy the evil Trogan and his minions, and you must also collect sixteen parchments along the way. It's quite a good platform game and is a great challenge. The sound effects are OK but it is the graphics which will knock your socks off (if you're running it on a Plus, that is) – a beautiful skyline ablaze with colour, with eerie silhouetted scenery! The graphics are still very good on a normal CPC, though.

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8

Cult released lots of football management games in their time. Most of them are awful, so it comes as a surprise to discover that this one is actually good! Unlike most football management games, you don't have the option of choosing any team you like – you must choose between two 4th Division teams who want to offer you a contract. Match highlights pass quite quickly, and when a player attempts to score a goal, the screen switches to a nice view of the goalmouth. Unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of tactics, and you can't choose where your players will be positioned on the pitch, but if you don't want a complex game, then this is a good one. It's very well presented, too.

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7

Wlamir the wizard and Olaf the dwarf are on a mission to slay the evil demon Morvelinh. There are 25 levels (or chapters, as the game calls them), where Wlamir and/or Olaf (you can play on your own or with a friend) collect treasure chests and potions, and destroy the hordes of monsters that are constantly in their way. Each level has four screens, and you must find the silver key and then the golden key, which unlock the door to the next level. The potions can be used to destroy the generators which create the monsters, and if you're playing Wlamir, the monsters will also be destroyed. Yes, this is a Gauntlet clone, and it's very nice indeed. The graphics and the loading screen are stunning and the action is fast. It's slightly easy, but that's not a big concern, and the in-game music is simply gorgeous.

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8

Another arcade conversion hits the CPC with a silent thud. No one was expecting miracles with the 8-bit versions of this arcade smash, but it could have been done better. This 'race' game involves you speeding down twisting tunnels and long expanses of road, shooting the obstacles and collecting bonuses. Upon playing this game you soon wonder, "What am I supposed to do here?" It doesn't move at any pace that attracts you, each level looks and feels the same, and the game soon becomes boring. The visuals, although colourful, do nothing for something that barely resembles a game.

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2

Chad Adams wants to be the world's best motorbike stuntman, and to prove it, he must complete five events. These include dropping from a hang-glider on to his motorbike, riding over logs, jumping through rings of fire, driving on to the back of a moving lorry, and jumping on to a helicopter – don't try these things at home! You get three attempts to perform each stunt correctly, and if you fail, you must start again from the beginning. Apart from the last stunt, they're all easy once you work out the correct method. The graphics are fairly simple, and the hang-glider, lorry and helicopter are so blocky that it looks like they're made from bricks, and strangely, there are no sound effects or music at all. This is a dull game that is best avoided.

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3

Stunt Car Racer
(Micro Style, 1990)

Race a stunt car around eight tracks and against eleven other competitors in a league consisting of four divisions. You can practice on all of the tracks, and you'll certainly need it if you want to stand any chance of completing the required three laps of each race. You are also supplied with turbo boost in each race, but you should use it carefully, as the track takes its toll on your car, and if you land on the track at too high a speed, you will damage your car permanently. What sets this game apart is the graphics; the track is viewed in true 3D and the frame rate is quite fast – well, for a CPC. The sound effects are pretty good, too, and racing around the tracks is great fun – but you will need a lot of practice to master the toughest tracks!

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