The resistance has captured some spaceships in preparation for an attack against the Intergalactic Empire. However, they need to collect some Klystron pods for the spaceships to be useful. You control a spaceship and have to enter an underground passageway to collect a Klystron pod on each level, and then fly to the surface again with the pod in tow. However, each passageway contains guns which will fire at you, and the levels quickly become harder, with narrower passageways, more guns, and even reverse gravity and invisible walls. This simple little game is in fact one of the all-time classics. Despite its very retro graphics, it's unbelievably addictive, and if you haven't played it, you haven't lived.

See also: Thrust II.

More information on CPCSOFTS

9

After collecting all the Klystron pods, the resistance decides to settle on the planet P2112, but there's something wrong with the weather. There's a maze of underground passageways to explore, and you must once again collect sixteen pods and bring them to the surface in order to fix the planet's atmosphere. In other words, it's very similar to the previous game, but the graphics have improved considerably (although the line-based graphics in Thrust had their own appeal), and your spaceship is a lot harder to manoeuvre, especially when you're towing a pod. For this reason, I don't think this game is as good as its predecessor, but it's still a fun and challenging game to play.

See also: Thrust.

More information on CPCSOFTS

8

You're on a mission to destroy an enemy fortress, but the enemy aren't going to take to that. The mission consists of four sections divided into three sub-sections, which see you flying over cities, deserts and the sea. As well as the enemy's fire, you've also got to dodge skyscrapers when you're in the cities. The game is let down a bit by its silly controls; to accelerate and slow down, you have to hold down the fire button as you press up or down, and you often find yourself slowing down when you want to change height, leaving you exposed to enemy fire. Despite this, it's still possible to progress, but it's not exactly enthralling.

More information on CPCSOFTS

6

This is a poor 3D shoot-'em-up in which you control a robot that can metamorphose into a fighter 'plane at will. Enemies fly towards you, and you can shoot them or avoid them. If you're flying, you'll also need to avoid the scenery on the ground. You'll also need to collect spheres to maintain your fuel levels. So why is the game poor, then? Your firepower is mediocre and you can only shoot enemies at very close range, and collecting spheres is almost impossible; by the time you realise that there is a sphere nearby, it's too late to collect it, and your fuel runs out very quickly. The graphics are actually very good, although the colour scheme makes the game look dull – and it is a dull game to play.

More information on CPCSOFTS

4

Thunder, thunder, you known the rest. A blatant cash-in on the cheesy kids' cartoon. As Lion-O, your task is to recover the lost eye of Thundera – the power behind the Sword of Omens from the clutches of Thundercat nemesis the vile Mumm-Ra, "the ever living". A simple hack-'n'-slash platformer; you have to reach the end of every level as fast as possible within the given time limit and in your way are an infinite number of Mumm-Ra's mutants to stop you. As well as picking points to rack up your score, you must rescue your fellow felines along the way. A dull repetitive affair, it looks as bad as it plays. One for fans of the show only.

More information on CPCSOFTS

1

The evil scientist Madame Q is threatening to take over the world by creating armies of mutants. You must infiltrate her underwater fortress and kill her. The game consists of four levels which are divided into two parts. In the first part, you must swim underwater, avoiding any hazardous objects, to reach one of Madame Q's bases. The second part is a platform-cum-shoot-'em-up affair. Most parts have a very large enemy to defeat at the end, but none of them are particularly challenging. The same can be said for the rest of the game, which is so easy that I completed it on my first attempt! The graphics are very good and well drawn, but the underwater sections are fairly dull and you are given far too many credits. You'll complete the game quickly and then forget about it.

More information on CPCSOFTS

6

Ryu Ken Oh has kidnapped all the children from your village, so someone – you, of course – must rescue them. You are Lee Wong, a student of the Oh Rin temple, and on your journey along the Tiger Road, you will encounter all sorts of ninja, samurai and other warriors. The levels are all rather short, but each one is different, and it's nice to have the action divided into neat segments. Every few levels, you will meet a particularly nasty enemy that must be defeated before you can continue. You can smash urns to collect different types of weapon, and some enemies will be almost impossible to defeat unless you possess the correct weapon. The graphics aren't that good, and Lee Wong looks rather strange, but the music is wonderful and the game itself is fairly decent.

More information on CPCSOFTS

7

There's very little information on what this maze exploration game is about. It seems that you're on the planet of Oxijenless and must find several pieces of some sort of ornament; the ornament's name and purpose is unknown. Anyway, it's a totally ordinary, mediocre game. You simply wander around the maze, looking for the pieces and other things that will boost your limited supply of oxygen, and trying to minimise contact with the various monsters in each room. The graphics are poor and garish, and the animation, particularly of the main character, is awful. The same goes for the sound effects. It's a boring game which isn't worthy of your attention.

More information on CPCSOFTS

4

My, oh my! Pinball games don't come much better than this little baby. Four tables await you, all of them armed to the teeth with bells and whistles and each one based on a different time zone. This game has the lot – the ball bangs and whizzes about, the graphics and animations are clear and detailed, there's a different tune for each table, and the difficulty is just right; although you get a very generous amount of credits (five of them, with five balls for each credit), it'll take practice to reach the last table. This is one game that I'll be coming back to often.

More information on CPCSOFTS

9

Times of Lore
(Origin/Microprose, 1989)

All is not well in the kingdom of Albareth. The High King Valwyn has disappeared, and the land is in turmoil. You are the hero – either a knight, a valkyrie or a barbarian – who can restore Albareth to its former glory, by undertaking various quests and ultimately retrieving the three magical artefacts that allow the kingdom to be governed effectively. This is a fantastic role-playing game with lots of towns to visit, characters to talk to, inns to stay in, and terrain to explore – Albareth covers a very large area! The presentation is stunning, especially the introductory sequences, and with so much to do, you'll soon become totally immersed in the game. However, there is one annoyance; it's very easy to accidentally hit a villager and ruin the rest of the game as a result. Without this flaw, I would give this game ten out of ten.

More information on CPCSOFTS

9