I loved Zoids toys when I was young. I read the comics and naturally bought the computer game when it came out. Unfortunately, I was so disappointed when I played it, I took it back to the shop and tried to convince them the game had a bug making it unplayable. Of course, they didn’t believe me, but they did exchange it for something else. Playing Zoids now, I see why I didn’t like the game. You’re in partial control of a Spiderzoid to which you are mentally connected, searching for parts of Zoidzilla. The excellent loading screen promises much, but the in-game graphics are blandly functional and the sound effects are annoying. Interaction with the environment through icons and pop-up windows feels detached. The result is a strategy game that, while not bad, is too generic, with – most disappointingly – virtually no Zoids to be seen!
Zolyx
(Firebird, 1987)
Way back in the early 80s, there was a classic game called Qix, where you controlled a snake and had to create boxes which were then filled in. The aim was to fill as much of the screen as you could while avoiding some objects which bounced around the screen. The aim of this game is very similar – you have to fill 75% of the screen, but don’t touch any of the bouncing dots! The game becomes harder by adding more dots on each level. It’s not easy to explain, and it can be rather addictive, but it’s too hard in my opinion.
Inspired by the classic horror movie by George Romero, this graphic adventure game takes place in a supermarket invaded by the undead. You lead each of the four characters who have landed on the roof of the building and you must find several items to escape from a horrible death. Featuring good graphics and clever gameplay, Zombi manages to be both scary and funny. Using a point-and-click interface, you have a great variety of actions to accomplish. The fight sequences aren’t as good as the rest of the game (you must strike a key as fast as possible) but there many things to discover and a lot of places to explore. The title screen is great, by the way!
You are docked on an island that has been overrun by zombies and you must escape – but once you do, the nightmare is not yet over... The plot of this text adventure game is interesting and the graphics accompanying the text are well drawn. The game has two parts, with the first part taking place on an island, and the second part taking place in the city of San Dario, which is under military control. It is not a very big game but its theme is attention-grabbing. As in most games of this genre, there is no sound. It is also a difficult game; patience will be appreciated! To sum up, text adventure fans will have a nice zombie hunt out there.
Zona 0
(Topo Soft, 1991)
Tron – it’s a classic game, but what can you do to make it more interesting? This version of the well known game adds some excellent graphics, fifteen different zones (most of which have their own unique layout), and let the player view the game in isometric 3D. The result is marvellous. Starting in zone 14, you must trap your computer-controlled opponents so that they crash in order to progress to the next zone. The speed of the game, and the tight confines of some zones, make this rather difficult, but the computer tries to use the same methods every time you play the game, so you’ll need a good memory – and some luck! The graphics are great and so is the music.
Zone Trooper
(Gamebusters, 1988)
A spaceship has crashed on another planet, and you’re the only crew member who has been awoken from a state of suspended animation. You alone must explore the planet and find six plasma limiter pods, otherwise there will be a big explosion! This is a standard arcade adventure game in which you must explore all the terrain and shoot aliens. Most of your time is spent flying around the planet, but there are some sections where you can explore on foot by entering an airlock. The graphics, music and sound effects are all very good, but the plot is unoriginal and the simple, derivative nature of the game won’t hold your interest for long.
The computer version of Zorro is a platform-style adventure where you battle along in your quest to rescue the señorita. Colonel Garcia is holding her prisoner within the tower of his fort. Using a similar game engine to Datasoft’s other platformer Bruce Lee, Zorro must climb, swing, collect objects and spar with the Colonel’s guards. Its difficulty level is set just right, meaning that anyone can load this up and gain some enjoyment from it. The graphics vary in their appearance from screen to screen but still look a little dated. A short tune repeats endlessly but it isn’t too irritating.
Watch a YouTube video of this game by: Metr81.
Zox 2099
(Loriciels, 1987)
Zox has kidnapped four inhabitants of the planet Hullm, and they are imprisoned on his asteroid. Of course, you must rescue them. There are two parts to this rather nice game. The first part is a space shoot-’em-up where you must avoid being hit by the green bullets that are fired by the spacecraft flying towards you. If you manage to reach the asteroid intact, you then enter a maze where you must locate the prisoners while avoiding the guards, which you can stun temporarily with your laser gun. By the way, some of the walls in the maze can be moved... At first, I wasn’t overly enamoured by the game, as the shoot-’em-up section is basic and repetitive, but once I reached the maze, it became more enjoyable, especially with the colourful graphics.
Zub
(Mastertronic, 1986)
The King of Zub has sent our hero Zub on a mission to retrieve the green eyeball of Zub. Starting on Zub 1, you have reach Zub 10 by using the teleportation platforms located above each of the ten planets of the Zub system. When you’ve got the eyeball, you must then teleport your way back to Zub 1. You make your way to the top of each planet by manoeuvring platforms left and right, although you must crouch in order to move them properly. There are robots on each planet who will attempt to push you off the platforms, but you can shoot them. The team which programmed the game are completely mad – they must be with such a ridiculous plot – but it’s a fun game with good graphics and music. Unfortunately it crashes on the higher difficulty levels, which is a shame, because the lower difficulty levels are too easy.
Watch YouTube videos of this game by: ChinnyVision, Xyphoe.
Another maze, another snake, but still simple fun. This one was released as part of Infogrames’ Kid Kit package aimed at young CPC enthusiasts, but it was never published as a separate game. We have several mazes, many dots to eat and one ravenous snake. This time the graphics are very simple, but they are smooth and fast and feature a good screen shaking effect if you run into a dead end or your tail. The process of guiding your snake is relatively responsive but the very familiar piece of music used throughout becomes annoying. An original composition would have been appreciated. A bit of five-minute fun to have a go at from time to time.