Screenshot of Simulador Profesional de Tenis

Simulador Profesional de Tenis

(Dinamic, 1990)

Reviewed by Robert Small

Not another tennis game on the CPC! How many of them are there?! It feels like there are about a hundred of them – OK, not really. The scary thing is that nearly all of them are quite good, and so is this one. Don’t confuse it with Code Masters’ similarly named game, though. Things get off to a good start with some great clap-along music and a nice variety of options (including the ability to select different equipment). The graphics are all in Mode 1 but it’s a good-looking game that’s well presented, although there are even better-looking tennis games on the CPC. The game is from Dinamic, and with that being the case, the difficulty level is high and it can take a lot of effort to pull off shots. Not just a simulator in name only.

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Screenshot of Sir Ababol

Sir Ababol

(The Mojon Twins, 2010)

Reviewed by Missas

In this arcade adventure, you control a young crusader named Sir Ababol who wishes to go to Jerusalem but unfortunately loses his sword. On his journey to recover it, he has to collect the strange ababol flowers. To begin with, the graphics use only four colours (Mode 1), however from screen to screen the colours change. Besides that, they are atmospheric and detailed. The controls are simple and they are executed with precision from Sir Ababol, which is a great advantage for the game, since you have to avoid many enemies during your quest. The sound is good and there are some nice effects throughout the game, and the music is atmospheric and well written. The gameplay is fast-paced, but the game itself is neither very large nor too difficult. The grab factor is strong. As a whole, this is a very entertaining game, and if the Mojon Twins continue like this, they will soon become a legend in the CPC scene.

See also: Sir Ababol NES-OM Edition.

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Screenshot of Sir Ababol NES-OM Edition

Sir Ababol NES-OM Edition

(The Mojon Twins, 2018)

Sir Ababol has lost his sword and has to travel across the land to collect 24 red poppies in order to continue his journey to Jerusalem and retrieve his sword. Although this is a remake of The Mojon Twins’ 2010 release, there are enough changes for it to be considered a different game. The graphics use the CPC’s more colourful Mode 0, which is a major improvement on the original game, which looks rather drab in comparison. Enemies can now be killed by jumping on their heads (they were invulnerable in the original game), and instead of energy, you have three lives. Controlling Sir Ababol is much easier now and he moves much faster and more smoothly, and the music is better as well. In fact, everything about the game has been improved, and the game benefits greatly from these enhancements and it’s fun to play.

See also: Sir Ababol.

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Screenshot of Sir Fred

Sir Fred

(Made in Spain, 1986)

Reviewed by Robert Small

There are a lot of things to like about this arcade adventure/platform game. The graphics are colourful and our hero Fred has some nice animations like skidding to a halt, lowering himself from ledges and landing on his backside! The enemies are cute, the puzzles aren’t difficult and it makes a change that water doesn’t kill you. However, this is the game that almost put me off rope swinging for life. It’s so bad that it left me in fear every time I came across a rope in subsequent games. There is a familiar tune on the title screen and the sound effects are functional. If it wasn’t for the controls it would score higher.

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Screenshot of Sir Lancelot

Sir Lancelot

(Melbourne House, 1985)

Take on the role of Sir Lancelot and explore a castle consisting of 24 rooms. In each of these rooms, you must collect several objects before you can visit another one – but there are also lots of monsters which you must dodge. This simple but delightful platform game was released in the early stages of the CPC’s life, so the graphics are rather crude, but don’t be fooled. There is some wonderful platforming action on offer, and while experienced players will find that most of the rooms pose little difficulty to them, completing all of the rooms will still be a challenge.

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Screenshot of Sirwood

Sirwood

(Opera Soft, 1989)

The village of Nargoot was fairly prosperous, thanks to the Golden Shield – a shield with magical properties. However, the dark magician Amargol has stolen it. Enter Arn, a farmer from the village who has set out on a quest to find the shield and return it. This is a wonderful game with three levels which each load separately. Each level contains lots of monsters which must be shot, and several larger enemies which can only be destroyed with a particular weapon. You must also collect six objects in order to complete each level – if you reach the end. The most remarkable aspect of this game is the graphics; they are absolutely luscious, with really big sprites. As a result, the game moves a bit slowly, but it’s nothing to worry about.

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Screenshot of Sito Pons 500cc Grand Prix

Sito Pons 500cc Grand Prix

(Zigurat, 1990)

Reviewed by Robert Small

The best thing about this motorbike racing game is the graphics. They are very nicely drawn and feature some great touches like pulling a wheelie and spectacularly sliding off into the gravel when you crash. The game scrolls well and has a good sense of speed even with other riders on the track. The handling takes some getting used to and frustration will appear after accidents as you do not go straight back into the action. Mistakes are punished and caution is required. The sound of your bike is also annoying. As far as racing games on the CPC go this picks up points but misses the podium.

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Screenshot of Skaal
Screenshot taken from cassette version of game

Skaal

(SoftHawk, 1987)

Reviewed by Robert Small

  • Knowledge of French is required in order to play this game properly.

CPC games with Mode 2 graphics are something of a rarity. Enter this arcade adventure where you take control of a bunny. It’s as if the developers watched Watership Down and thought, “Hey, this would make a great adventure game!” On a technical level it’s successful – high resolution graphics with just two colours, but with smooth, quick scrolling, detailed backgrounds and nice animation. A lovely sound effect has been chosen for the bunny’s hop. The playing window is rather small, the controls should be better, and finding out where to go and what item is needed to eventually free your fiancée isn’t well signposted, though. If you’ve tried any of Gargoyle Games’ work like Tír na Nòg you just might enjoy Skaal.

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Screenshot of Skate Crazy

Skate Crazy

(Gremlin Graphics, 1988)

Freddy wants to impress his roller skating friends with his skills, and he’s going to do this by skating around several obstacle courses. The game is divided into two parts. The Car Park Challenge consists of four courses which have been laid out in a car park. You must impress the judges by performing stunts, while not crashing too much or becoming too tired. If you don’t impress them enough, you must repeat the level. The Championship Course is more like a platform game in which you must simply reach the end of each level without losing all of your lives. The graphics are colourful and the music is absolutely marvellous, and although the Championship Course is merely OK to play, the Car Park Challenge is such great fun that you’ll want to try it out again and again.

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Screenshot of Skate or Die

Skate or Die

(Electronic Arts, 1989)

Join Lester on five different skateboarding events – the ramp, high jump, downhill course, pool jousting (!), and the jam (a fight in a back yard). You can practice an event or compete in all five. They’re all boring, anyway; there are a very limited number of moves you can perform on the ramp, and the downhill course and the jam scroll too slowly to make it exciting. These two events are in monochrome, while the rest of the game uses full colour (but still very poor) graphics. It gives the impression that the game has been put together in an inconsistent and rather slapdash manner.

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