If you enjoy Pac-Man then why not try Nibbler? Instead of the famous yellow blob with a big gob, you play as a cute snake whose objective is to nibble everything in sight inside a maze. No ghosts to worry about here, but beware you don’t nibble your own tail, as the more you nibble, the bigger you’ll get. The graphics are quite good thanks to the well drawn and colourful Nibbler, but the music wears out its welcome eventually. While not as good as Pac-Man, it’s tense watching your snake grow as you try to complete the levels.
Time to hit the fairways again. This time it’s with the official backing of English ball thwacker Nick Faldo and Royal St George’s golf course. As golf games go, this is a good little game. It features a nice number of options and the icon-driven gameplay is good for golfing beginners. The graphics are satisfactory for the most part, and the mini-Faldo that strikes each shot is a cute and clever touch. Two slight negatives would be the rough sound effects and the difficult putting. Other than that it’s a good little sports game.
Nigel Mansell’s Grand Prix
(Martech, 1988)
Nigel Mansell was the best known British Formula 1 driver of the 1980s, and this game lets you drive his famous ‘red 5’ Williams car in the sixteen races of the 1987 season. The emphasis is on realism here, as a wealth of data is displayed on the bottom half of the screen. A turbo booster is available to increase your speed, but don’t overuse it, otherwise you’ll run out of fuel – and in 1987, refuelling wasn’t allowed during a race! You will also need to be careful not to over-rev the engine, otherwise the gearbox will break down. The graphics are impressive and really convey a sense of speed as you blast around each track at over 200mph. It will require a lot of practice to become World Champion, but this is definitely one of the best Formula 1 games for the CPC.
See also: Nigel Mansell’s World Championship.
Nigel Mansell’s World Championship
(Gremlin Graphics, 1993)
Nigel Mansell finally won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1992, and this game celebrates his achievement. You can race or practice on any or all of the sixteen circuits of the 1992 season. A variety of options are given to enable you to set up your car correctly for each circuit – which tyres to use, the wing angle, and the gear ratios. You’ll need to watch your tyre wear as you race, otherwise you’ll retire. Going out on to the track feels strange at first because the animation is very jerky, but you should become used to it after a while, as despite this problem, there is a real sense of speed. The overall presentation is incredibly polished, and the graphics are beautiful, even if everything is coloured blue. This was Gremlin Graphics’ last release for the CPC and it nearly wasn’t released at all, but thanks to the support of readers of the magazine Amstrad Action, it was – and it’s pretty good!
See also: Nigel Mansell’s Grand Prix.
Watch YouTube videos of this game by: ChinnyVision, Xyphoe.
Night Boosters
(Cobra Soft, 1985)
This is a Tron clone where you can play against either a friend or the computer. Like all games of its kind, the aim is to stay alive for as long as possible without crashing into the walls or the trails left behind by you and your opponent. Each player has four lives and losing a round means that you lose one of them. Eventually, someone will lose all their lives first, and the other player then wins. The graphics and sound effects are minimal in the extreme, and it’ll keep you occupied for about five minutes, but no more than that; it’s too easy to beat the computer.
There are so many World War II games on the CPC that it’s hard to keep count, but Night Gunner is worth a look. The legendary Lancaster bomber is the star of the show. There is good news for anyone fearing a complex simulation; the game is right towards the arcade end of the spectrum. A nice feature is the fly-past on the title screen of a squadron of Lancasters. The game is split into two types. As a gunner, there are enemy planes and balloons to shoot. The planes will change their attack angle to make them harder to hit. Then we have the bombing sections that require a bit of timing. Keeping an eye on the condition of your aircraft and supply of ammunition is also advised. The graphics are in Mode 0, and while they are not jaw-dropping, they do a fine enough job. Approach this game as a shooting gallery and it’s a solid play for the short term.
Night Hunter
(Ubi Soft, 1990)
Dracula is being hunted by Von Helsing, and on each of the ten levels, you, as Dracula, have to collect five keys and three parchments. You also have the ability to metamorphose into a werewolf, which allows you to jump over traps in the floor and on platforms, and a vampire bat, which allows you to fly over water and reach other areas of the level quickly. You will need to replenish your blood supply often by grabbing people and biting their necks, and on later levels, watch out for certain people who can kill you instantly with their weapons! This is a great platform game with some of the most beautiful and detailed graphics on the CPC, although some of the traps on platforms can be hard to spot, which can be annoying. Even so, it’s still a really enjoyable game.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by: Xyphoe.
I don’t know enough history to tell if these facts did really happen, but this is what the game’s inlay says. Around 1941, Hitler’s battleship Bismarck ruled the Atlantic Ocean. Nevertheless, the allies created a torpedo bomber called Grumman Avenger. It carried a crew of three consisting of a pilot, an engineer and a tailgunner. Although the control panels are very detailed and realistic, the graphics are quite simple (you are supposed to be flying over the sea at night), and so is the sound. Due to things like these, I’ve never been too keen on flight simulators. Nevertheless, I must admit this one is quite good, as you take the place of all the crew members, and you can also choose among a lot of training and combat missions that will prepare you to confront the Bismarck and its escort.
The great machine that controls toy production needs constant maintenance, and this is where you come in. With quota in hand, you need to power up the great machine and look after its workings. In this platform game, you leap around collecting various objects that fix or tinker with the machine, while avoiding furry pests etc. Graphic- and sound-wise, it’s well presented and is a fun game to play.
Based on the cult horror film of the same name. First impressions are really strong with a great loading screen, a prologue to explain the background to the game, and excellent music. On to the game itself, and the graphics boast lovely Mode 0, special effects like lightning, and a wide range of monsters to defeat with kicks, punches and a gun. The sound effects are OK. You’re required to search for items and fight enemies with the aid of your special transformation ability in this action adventure/beat-’em-up. Every so often there are some great cutscenes. The one negative is the frustrating deaths that can occur, but otherwise it’s a great film licence.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by: Xyphoe.