Screenshot of Striker Manager

Striker Manager

(Cult, 1990)

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; instead, 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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Screenshot of Strip Poker

Strip Poker

(CORE, 1985)

Can you get the beautiful Marilyn to remove all her clothes within twenty rounds of strip poker? Actually, it’s a lot easier than you’d think. The game uses only 32 of the standard deck of 52 playing cards, which makes it easier to obtain a winning hand. Unlike most other strip poker games, this one doesn’t offer any form of betting, and you can only change cards if there is an ace in your existing hand. Marilyn offers very little challenge, and within a few goes, you’ll more than likely win the game and see her in all her glory. The easiness of this game would no doubt have delighted teenage boys back when it was originally released, but the graphics lack sophistication and there are more challenging offerings out there.

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Screenshot of Stroper

Stroper

(Zigurat, 1992)

You have been assigned to rid several planets of an army of mutant aliens. Although there are a variety of aliens, the ones you must eliminate are the spider-like creatures – but instead of shooting them, you must trap them by lifting a grille off the floor, letting them fall into the hole, then replacing the grille. You must also collect a certain number of hearts. Once you’ve done this, you can return to your spaceship and go to the next planet. As this was one of the last Spanish games to be released for the CPC, it’s very little known. The graphics could be better; the choice of colours is poor and some of the backgrounds are very garish. The movement and scrolling are also quite slow. Despite these problems, it’s not a bad game overall, and it’s easy to play; if anything, it’s actually a bit too easy.

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Screenshot of Stryfe

Stryfe

(Ere Informatique, 1986)

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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Screenshot of Stryker in the Crypts of Trogan
Screenshot taken from Plus version of game

Stryker in the Crypts of Trogan

(Code Masters, 1992)

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 Stryker, 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 it’s 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 impressive on a normal CPC, though.

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Screenshot of STUN Runner

STUN Runner

(Domark, 1990)

Reviewed by Pug

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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Screenshot of Stunt Bike Simulator

Stunt Bike Simulator

(Silverbird, 1988)

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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Screenshot of Stunt Car Racer

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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Screenshot of Sub

Sub

(Gasoline Software, 1987)

Reviewed by CPC4eva

A French game where you play the role of an underwater diver armed with a spear gun. Your objective is to score points by killing seven different waves of underwater species (seahorses, clams, piranhas, sharks, stingrays, swordfish and turtles). Each wave has different score values; the first wave is worth ten points each, the next wave twenty points, and so on. Your energy bar is depleted by being hit by a creature. The gameplay is the same on each level, but each time you finish a level, the next time it becomes harder. The game has good controls and movement with large sprites for the diver and underwater creatures, and the animation of the diver falling into the water between levels is nicely done. It’s a simplistic, easy, repetitive game, although I’m not sure environmentalists would let a game like this be released nowadays.

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Screenshot of Sub Hunter

Sub Hunter

(Psytronik Software, 2011)

Reviewed by Missas

In order to cover up an experiment gone wrong, the government tries to dispose of the evidence by dumping toxic waste into the sea. However, as a result, swimmers begin to go missing and mutated sea creatures spiral out of control. This is a job for you – Sub Hunter! In this scrolling shoot-’em-up, your task is to save the swimmers and survive in the hostile seas. The graphics are detailed, colourful and well drawn with a fine colour selection, so the visual result is excellent. The intro graphics are hand-drawn and there is parallax scrolling during the gameplay. The in-game music creates a stressful atmosphere. The gameplay is fast-paced with accurate control response of the submarine, while the difficulty level is balanced as levels progress. The grab factor is strong. Overall, what we have here is a new CPC jewel.

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