Astrocade Game Reviews Compilation 1.3 "The Game Player" By Michael Prosise Contents: ------------ Preface I) About This Review Compilation II) About the "Game Player" Reviews Astrocade Reviews Game Player Reviews (Complete Series: 21 Columns) The Game Player, #1 - Castle of Horror - Wavemakers, Tape 12 The Game Player, #2 - Omega Valley and Astro Terror - The Tiny Arcade, Tape T-101 The Game Player, #3 - Exitor's Revenge - L&M Software, Tape N16 - Dungeons of Dracula - Wavemakers, Tape H16 The Game Player, #4 - Gamepack G1: Micro Pac, Caterpillar, Tic Tac Tollah, The Paper Chase and Galactic Hitchhiker - H.A.R.D. Software - Candy Man - L&M Software The Game Player, #5 - Lost in Space and Nam-Cap The Game Player, #6 - Music and Secret of Pellucitar The Game Player, #7 - Road Toad and L.T. The Game Player, #8 - Gamma Wars and Nautilus The Game Player, #9 - Collision Course and Super Slope The Game Player, #10 - Pause to Answer the Mail The Game Player, #11 - Vindicator and The Gate Escape The Game Player, #12 - Solar Conqueror The Game Player, #13 - Ms. Candyman - Tape A1: Wah's Revenge, Super Pac, Defense Professional, Metro Attack and a musical selection, Peter Piper The Game Player, #14 - Flying Ace The Game Player, #15 - Cosmic Raiders The Game Player, #16 - Sneaky Snake The Game Player, #17 - Tape A2: Adventure and Night Bombers The Game Player, #18 - Morse Code Trainer The Game Player, #19 - Astro Analyst and Memomax The Game Player, #20 - Sea Devil The Game Player, #21 - The Game Player Ponders the Future by Examining the Past... Appendix A) Alphabetical list of all reviewed games B) Review sources C) Changes/Updates D) What needs to be added or updated E) Appreciation F) Closing --------------------------------------------------------------------------- PREFACE I: About This Review Compilation ================================= The compilation of Astrocade reviews is maintained by Adam Trionfo (ballyalley@MAILBLOCKERhotmail.com - remove "MAILBLOCKER"). Version 1.0 of this FAQ created on January 14, 2002 Version 1.1 January 19, 2002 Version 1.2 January 21, 2002 The latest version of this compilation ("astrocade_reviews.txt") can always be found at one of these three URLs: www.ballyalley.com or www.classicgaming.com/ballyalley or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ballyalley/files/ PREFACE II: About the "Game Player" Reviews =================================== The author of these reviews, Michael Prosise, wrote a column called "The Game Player" for the Arcadian newsletter. The column made its appearance in the last issue of Volume 4 (Number 12), October 1982, with this prelude: The following is a new feature in the ARCADIAN that hopefully will appear on a monthly basis. It is entitled "The Game Player," [and is] authored by Michael Prosise of Greenbelt, Maryland. He will be reviewing for our readers a different game each month, by one of the many Astrocade software manufacturers, much in the manner that a movie reviewer reviews a movie. The game reviews are varied and interesting. Of the thirty-nine total reviews, only five feature cartridge titles. The others pertain to games or amusements released on cassette, which are not to be confused with "type-in" programs distributed on tape. So much attention was paid to games released on tape because in 1982, it was the best way to get new games for a system whose cartridge library never reached above several dozen actual releases. Some of these reviews are overenthusiastic, and most of them are lenient on mediocre software, perhaps giving us a glimpse of contemporary Astrocade users' tendencies to accept just about anything they could get their hands on. Read these reviews with an eye for the history of the Astrocade computer/console, its software and its user base. You'll find that the Astrocade lives up to its underground reputation: users supporting users. This system kept on marching through a crowded minefield, gaining software for users who would not allow their systems to be covered in dust. These reviews document the struggle to hit upon the good that comes with the bad, so that the waterways of software could keep on flowing. Adam Trionfo, January 13, 2002 Astrocade Reviews ============== The Game Player, #1 -- Vol. 4, pg. 120, October 7, 1982 ------------------- 1) CASTLE OF HORROR Wavemakers, Tape 12 Danger! Beware! Death and destruction await the bold adventurer who dares enter the Castle of Horror. [This is] a fast-paced and exciting game by Mike Peace of Wavemakers. Similar in concept to the coin-op arcade games Berzerk and Frenzy, this one-player game of skill pits the player against five different gangs of monsters in five successive "castles," with each new castle representing a higher level of difficulty. A wall on all four sides of the T.V. screen comprises the castle [sic], with one door that opens and closes alternately about every second. This is the only escape. If you run into a wall, or a monster pounces on top of you, you will quickly disintegrate with a flash of colors, a flickering screen and great sound effects. Unique about this game is that you do not shoot at the monsters and they do not shoot at you. Instead, your defense is the ability to quickly build a wall out of blocks by using a combination of the joystick and trigger. For when a monster walks into a block, he will disintegrate, awarding you his point value. A new castle automatically appears after all the monsters or you are destroyed, complete with appropriate organ music of the "haunted house" variety. In each new castle, there are more monsters than [in] the previous castle. They look different, and they are also a little more intelligent than their predecessors. Whereas some monsters are stupid and will walk straight into a block you have placed, the smarter monsters will go around and try to pounce on you from behind. If you can last through all five castles, you will be awarded an extra man. You have five men to begin with. The graphics in "Castle of Horror" are superb, and there is literally never a quiet moment during the game, for there is always either music or background sound effects entertaining you. This is a game of strategy and quick thinking. Although it is somewhat hard to get the hang of it initially, one needs only [to] play it a few times to understand how to play fairly effectively. But most important, Castle of Horror is fun to play. It is well designed, creative, and definitely better than a few of Astrocade's cartridge games. Attention Software Manufactures: If you would like to have one of your games reviewed in "The Game Player," mail it post-paid to Michael Prosise [address in newsletter]. All tape cassettes submitted for review become the property of the reviewer at no charge, and must be recorded in new Astro BASIC. The Game Player, #2 -- Vol. 5, pg. 19, November 5, 1982 ------------------- 1) OMEGA VALLEY and ASTRO TERROR The Tiny Arcade, Tape T-101 Rich in color and good in graphics, OMEGA VALLEY provides the player with not only a fine space game, but a unique one, too; for in this one-player, science-fiction space battle, one must defend three "valleys" at one time, with the catch being that you may only cue-up one valley at a time on your television screen. Each valley is identical in design, with four laser cannons, two on each side, that fire across the valley in an attempt to destroy the eighteen invader ships (six per valley) before they land. The three valleys are named "Alpha," a green valley, "Delta," a red valley, and "Omega," a blue valley. To select a view of a particular valley, you simply press the corresponding color shift key (on the keypad). In addition, the four laser cannons are controlled by the keypad. The hand controls are not used. Points are scored by destroying the alien ships before they land, with bonus points available under certain conditions. But beware! If three ships manage to land, they win (and they will tell you so, too!). After the first wave of intruders are [sic] eliminated, another eighteen appear, spread further apart and descending at a faster rate. The pace steadily picks up as the game progresses, and you find yourself frantically switching back and forth from one valley to the next and back again, trying desperately to fire on the alien spaceships before they land three of their units and declare victory over you. On side two of this cassette, you find ASTRO TERROR, a very fast-paced, intense, nonstop action game, in which you sit at the controls of a space station, monitoring on your viewer screen the vast portals of space. Your mission is to destroy the alien force (the "inorganic Vultor") when it appears on the screen, by punching in the alien's position coordinates on the computer keypad. The coordinates are where your deflector beam will hit when you fire. As outlined in the instructions, the keypad serves as the command console of the space station. To hit the enemy objects, you must enter the coordinates of the target on the keypad, then fire your deflector beam. This may sound simple, but it is not, for the target, which is actually a bomb coming right for you, is constantly moving, making it quite a challenge to predict the proper coordinates. The game's programmer only gives you three space stations, so unless you are extremely fast, the game ends quite quickly. This is perhaps the only "flaw" in ASTRO TERROR: The action is so fast, one does not have a chance to get used to the game and develop a skill for predicting and punching-in coordinates. Thus, I predict that a lot of folks will find the game a bit frustrating. Fortunately, however, you are given shields to protect yourself with. The shields will vaporize incoming bombs. You start the game with 100 shield units. Each hit you absorb will weaken them by 10 units. Once the shields are gone, it's goodbye, space station. In addition to having bombs hurled at you, there is also an enemy space station on your screen, constantly on the move. Unless you destroy it, [it] will fire an annihilation ray at you, for which you have no defense. As a whole, ASTRO TERROR and OMEGA VALLEY combine to make a pretty good game cassette. ASTRO TERROR has some fantastic sound effects, and as mentioned previously, OMEGA VALLEY is quite colorful. In addition, both provide excitement, and also help the Arcade owner become a little more familiar with the keypad. The Game Player, #3 -- Vol. 5, pg. 38, December 3, 1982 ------------------- Michael Prosise tries his hand at. . . 1) EXITOR'S REVENGE L&M Software, Tape N16 2) DUNGEONS OF DRACULA Wavemakers, Tape H16 EXITOR'S REVENGE With the assistance of Andy Guevera of Bit Fiddlers, the innovative folks at L&M Software have brought forth what may be the finest sci-fi space invasion game on tape. EXITOR'S REVENGE, their latest release, is an exciting one-player game of skill that finds you, the player, as guardian of a planet that is about to be attacked by a Battle Star. Your defense is the force field above you, and your offenses are the MX missiles that you can fire upwards, steering them with your joystick towards the colorful and awesome warriors of Exitor. Your mission is to destroy the five warriors as they scout out your planet, all the while trying to avoid the photon lasers of the Battle Star. It's not easy, but it is fun! The machine graphics, smoothness of motion, brilliant colors, continuous sound effects and 3-D effect all combine to make EXITOR'S REVENGE a cartridge-quality game. As the game unfolds upon your TV screen, you see before you in the foreground, a city with mountains to the side and behind. In the upper left corner, hovering in space, is an ominous looking Battle Star. Below the city, underground, is a missile launcher which you can move left and right across the width of the playfield by rotating the knob of your joystick. The trigger fires your missile left and right. Basically, the game goes something like this: From the Battle Star is launched a capsule, accompanied by an appropriate sound effect, which moves across and down (in excellent 3-D) to a point just above the city on the right. Here, then, emerges the first of five warriors, all of which will move back and forth across the screen, each warrior moving faster than the previous one. You must move your launcher into position and fire, directing the projectile at the warrior. During all of this, the Battle Star is firing directly at you, but you are protected by a force field. However, and here's the catch, each hit upon the force field destroys a small part of it. Therefore, if you keep your launcher in one position too long, it will eventually be hit. The player must stay on the move to survive. Three hits on your launcher and you lose. As time goes on, the force field is slowly destroyed, and Exitor's aim becomes more accurate. EXITOR'S REVENGE is a good game, and those who choose to purchase it will probably be pleased. There is, however, only one minor item that may be a small problem for some players. The projectile launched at the warriors is so tiny it can at times be hard to follow. L&M is aware of this situation, and say they may increase the size of it in the very near future. In addition to EXITOR'S REVENGE, L&M has included one of their old favorites, THE MUMMY'S TREASURE, an interesting treasure hunt-type game that has been upgraded to handle up to four players. Also worth mentioning is an attractive tape-storage album that L&M has made available, and which can store up to four tape cassettes. With a nice item like that, plus a fine game such as EXITOR'S REVENGE or their recent release SECRET OF PELLUCITAR (a very graphic, excellent Sci-fi maze game), one can be well on his way to many satisfying hours of game-playing. DUNGEONS OF DRACULA Well, Mike Peace of Wavemakers has done it again: another cartridge- quality game that will glue you to your TV screen for hours. DUNGEONS OF DRACULA is an adventure/strategy-type game that pits you against the computer that takes the form of seven separate monsters who are out to get you. The game consists of 10 separate and different "mazes" (not in the traditional sense, but as large and/or small geometric solids in various designs that you must avoid), through which you must maneuver a chain and try to capture each monster by surrounding him with your chain. At the left is where your chain enters; at the right is where you want to exit, and somewhere in the maze, you will see a stationary key that you must first obtain in order to get out that door on the right. However, you cannot have the key until the monster is captured. Once you have the key, the door will open and you'll exit to the next and naturally more difficult maze, where you'll face a new monster. The joystick controls your direction, and squeezing the trigger makes you go faster (quite fast indeed). Caution must be exercised not to touch anything, or you will disintegrate. Even the key is deadly until the monster is captured. The monsters, by the way, will be floating throughout the playing area, and vary in their aggressiveness from maze to maze. With a time clock ticking away at your playing time, you must waste no time in blocking the monsters' chances for escape, and ultimately boxing them in with the chain. Rich in color and non-stop with sound effects, this player found DUNGEONS OF DRACULA to be both challenging and enjoyable. It will, however, probably require quite a bit of practice for most players in order to reach the more advanced mazes. (CHECKMATE may be a good game to practice with, in regards to maneuvering your chain at high speed in close quarters.) And like most of Wavemakers' games, this one can be played by one to four players. DUNGEONS OF DRACULA: a good game, a fun game and a bargain-priced game, too! The Game Player, #4 -- Vol. 5, pg. 50, January 14, 1983 ------------------- 1) GAMEPACK G1 H.A.R.D. Software 2) CANDY MAN L&M Software GAMEPACK G1 (A five-game tape) This month, my panel of players sampled the five-game cassette tape GAMEPACK G1 from H.A.R.D. Software, and these players were unfortunately left somewhat less than excited about the tape's contents. Specifically, all of them, including this reviewer, were a bit surprised at the overall lack of quality of the five games, considering the fancy advertising and up-to-now good reputation associated with H.A.R.D. The five games on the GAMEPACK, which sells for a walletpinching $18.00, are MICRO PAC, CATERPILLAR, TIC TAC TOLLAH, THE PAPER CHASE and GALACTIC HITCHHIKER. MICRO PAC is a colorful imitation of the coin-op PAC-MAN, with nice graphics and three levels of difficulty. H.A.R.D. has done an excellent job of reproducing the PAC-MAN playfield in BASIC. It even looks better than Atari 2600 PAC-MAN. But unfortunately, that is where the applause stops, for MICRO PAC just does not "feel" or play like the popular PAC-MAN game, and there is one major drawback in playing the game: The ghosts do not follow the maze. They move freely through walls. Most disappointing to most of the players were the speeds of the ghosts and the Micro Pac-Man, which were slow, so-o-o slow, dead slow. It took nine minutes to clear the maze of dots, plus the 55 seconds that the Arcade required to draw the playfield. Granted, difficulty level three is faster, but it's impossible to play, due to the ghosts' ability to go through the walls. The root of the problem with MICRO PAC is that apparently, there are no Machine Language routines in the actual game-play, although the graphics are created in Machine Language. That is why it plays so slowly, and why only one character at a time can move on the screen. In addition, no "clean-up" routines were programmed, with the result being that debris is left scattered throughout the playfield, such as half a ghost, etc. This could be an excellent game, if it were programmed completely in Machine Language; but it's not, so it's mediocre, at best. CATERPILLAR is very similar to the coin-op CENTIPEDE. In this game, you control the left-right movement of a shooting device at the bottom of the screen, and try to shoot the head off of a slowly descending "caterpillar" and an occasional spider. Again, this game does not appear to be written in Machine Language and thus plays somewhat slowly, but not too slowly. Our players found the game "cumbersome." The graphics are fair and the sound effects minimal. Also, there are three levels of difficulty to select from. In general, those who played the game grew tired of it very quickly. TIC TAC TOLLAH is, as you can probably guess, a Tic-Tac-Toe game and a pretty nice one. The graphic display of the Ayatollah is excellent, even though it is not in color. In this version of Tic-Tac-Toe, you play against the computer. But even if you win, you lose, 'cause that's the kinda guy the Ayatollah is, and that's what makes this particular Tic-Tac-Toe game interesting. THE PAPER CHASE is very strange. That was the first reaction from our players. In this game, a man and woman stand on opposite sides of a pyramid of toilet paper, trying to beat each other by grabbing first the roll that "lights up." Unfortunately, there exists no combination of words that can accurately describe that scenario. It IS really strange. Graphically, it looks pretty good, even though it is in black and white. There are no sound effects, and overall, it was described by most of us here as just plain boring. GALACTIC HITCHHIKER is an exercise in frustration. It is extremely difficult to play. In fact, three players simply threw up their hands and walked away, and the others eventually gave up trying to merely understand the game. GALACTIC HITCHHIKER should go take a hike. In summary, GAMEPACK G1 did not rate too highly. For reasons unknown, the folks at H.A.R.D. have not yet upgraded their games to Machine Language, as have, for example, Wavemakers and L&M Software. The result, for the consumer, is a product of lesser quality than could be made available. Getting five games on one tape may well seem a bargain, but remember, it is quality, not quantity, that makes a true bargain. CANDY MAN Speaking of quality and bargains, L&M Software offers both in its soon-to-be released game titled CANDY MAN, a challenging and beautifully animated game based on the PAC-MAN concept. You, the player, are the Candy Man, and must race through a checkerboard- type maze eating up lifesavers, worth 20 "calorie" points each, while trying to avoid the Jokers and Gremlins that not only chase after you, but also hover near the last lifesavers to prevent you from eating them. You start out with three men, utilized one at a time. Those who played CANDY MAN all said they enjoyed it very much, and were quite impressed with the cartridge-quality animation of the characters, which can total seven in all. Those characters, called Jokers and Gremlins, each have moving arms, legs, heads and eyes! This is perhaps the main feature of CANDY MAN that really sets it many notches above the other Astrocade chase games. For in almost every other chase game, you are merely a square being chased by another square. But in CANDY MAN, there are up to seven animated, moving characters on the screen at one time. L&M, which hopes to have CANDY MAN also available as a plug-in cartridge ("Videocade") sometime next year, seems to be quickly rising to the top and taking the lead among manufacturers of quality games for the Astrocade. The play-action continues in CANDY MAN until you clear the screen of lifesavers or reach 2,500 points, at which time the screen turns blue and, like the PAC-MAN blue screen [sic], allows you the opportunity to catch and devour the Jokers, each worth 100 points. Also, you receive a bonus man every 2,500 points, which helps to keep the game going throughout its 25 screens. CANDY MAN is a one-player game, and it would be a good one to make into a multiplayer game if possible. The sound effects are pleasing to the ear, and the color is good. Due to memory limitations, however, the playfield only has two colors, which may initially make it a bit confusing to tell the Candy Man apart from the Jokers. This is minor and will not detract from the fun that the game provides. On the flip side of the cassette, one will find the game RIVER CITY GAMBLER, an okay dice game, for one to four players. As a whole, CANDY MAN is a fine game. It does not look like PAC-MAN, but it plays like PAC-MAN, and fans of the coin-op gobbler should find this L&M game enjoyable. The Game Player, #5 -- Vol. 5, pg. 62, February 18, 1983 ------------------- Michael Prosise has some fun with. . . 1) LOST IN SPACE Edge Software, Tape #4 2) NAM-CAP New Image, Tape #1500 LOST IN SPACE Somewhere in the vast, empty portals of outer space, a lonely one-man Pod drifts aimlessly onward, searching for home. As asteroids and stars wheel past him, he reaches out for direction, a beacon, a familiar galaxy, anything that can lead him from the cold darkness of the universe. . . LOST IN SPACE is the game this lonely space traveler is playing, a game quite unique in concept, in which the player must find his way out of a maze where he is only able to view one small section at a time as he maneuvers himself through with a joystick. The title is not descriptive of this game in the graphic sense, but only in the concept and basic idea. This is a one-player maze game, in color, with nice sound effects and three levels of difficulty to choose from. The game unfolds upon the T.V. screen with a famous five-note theme from a recent, popular science-fiction motion picture. After this music, you watch the computer construct a maze. Upon completion of the maze, the maze disappears. But for one brief second before doing so, you are shown your position in the maze and the location of the exit. After that, all you see is a blue screen and your position. Using the joystick, you move up, down, left or right as long as there is no wall blocking you. If there is, you simply go in another direction. Eventually, if you are skilled enough (this is not a game of luck), you will escape ". . .the empty portals of space." LOST IN SPACE requires concentration and good use of one's memory. You must try to "picture" or visualize in your mind where you are in the maze. Should you forget, or feel hopelessly lost, a squeeze of the trigger will bring up the complete maze on the screen, with your present location shown. However, it is only displayed for about one second, and there is a very limited number of times you may see it. LOST IN SPACE is a challenging game, and should be enjoyable for any age group. It was well received by all who played it. One cannot quite master this game, because every maze is different. The only item in the program that bothered the GAME PLAYER was the length of time required by the computer to draw the level-three maze, which took two minutes and fifteen seconds. With a little machine-language programming, Edge Software could probably eliminate most of that time. With that exception, LOST IN SPACE is a good-quality game. NAM-CAP Whacka-whacka-whacka??? Yes! Has the little yellow gobbler finally made it to the Bally Astrocade? Well-l-l-l, a hint is in this game's title, which might be spelled backwards. Don Gladden of New Image has come up with quite an entertaining version (in reverse) of the popular Midway coin-op PAC-MAN. In fact, there are six variations of NAM-CAP on the cassette, each unique in its own way. So what is a NAM-CAP, you might be wondering. To use Don's words, the little guy finally ate too many dots and ghosts. Now he's spitting them out! The object of this game is to FILL the maze with dots. What New Image has done is to take the PAC-MAN game concept and reverse it. You have a maze, with tunnels on each side, that is devoid of dots. You steer the NAM-CAP guy through the maze, trying to fill it with dots, while simultaneously avoiding the pursuing block-shaped object. During the chase, your guy will, on his own, deposit stationary ghosts in three different places that neither he nor his pursuer may pass through. To attempt this will mean his destruction. NAM-CAP is for one to four players, is in color, and offers the choice of one to ten turns. The graphics are good; in fact, the ghosts are just like the ones in PAC-MAN. There are several different mazes. A new one will appear each time you complete one. In the six versions, the speed of movement is faster than some of the others. In version four, you disappear after 500 points, the maze disappears at 1,000 points, and after 1,500 points, both disappear! It's fun. Of the PAC-MAN-type games that have appeared so far for the Bally Astrocade, NAM-CAP is probably the closest to the coin-op, as far as feel of play and visual aspects are concerned. Although the maze layout is different, it functions just as well. Those who've played it have liked it quite a bit. They've even found it superior to Wavemakers' PACK RAT. The sound effects are nice also, and another good feature is that the high score of the day, along with the final scores for all players, is displayed at the end of each game. NAM-CAP is fun to play, much like PAC-MAN, and should be available by the time you read this. The Game Player, #6 -- Vol. 5, pg. 82, March 14, 1983 ------------------- Michael Prosise turns his attention to. . . 1) MUSIC George Moses Co. 2) SECRET OF PELLUCITAR L&M Software, Tape 15 MUSIC Feast your ears, Arcade fans, on that which is truly beautiful: the sound of music. Few Arcade owners are aware that their Bally Astrocade computer systems are capable of producing full-bodied, harmonious, three-part music. Not musical "beeps," but the actual simulated sound of an organ, or a calliope, or, if so programmed, a complete orchestral presentation. George Moses, the pioneer in fine music programming, has done an excellent job in producing several taped computer programs of music for the Astrocade BASIC, and at a modest price, too. Those who have heard his music programs via the Astrocade have been overwhelmingly impressed by the quality and true-to-life sound produced. The gentleness of "Silent Night," the emotion of "O Come Immanuel" and the joy of "Joy to the World" are but three of 27 Christmas songs faithfully reproduced on Tape #2. Simply with :INPUT; RUN G0, you can enjoy an hour of non-stop music. Tape #3 is the choice for jazz fans, for 14 of Scott Joplin's ragtime classics are presented here. And classical? Tapes #1 and #5 will bring to your ears some of the works of J.S. Bach. Tape#5, the Sinfonia to Cantata 29, is quite beautiful, and an excellent bargain for $5.00. The younger readers of the GAME PLAYER probably have no idea who Bach or Scott Joplin are, but how about John Lennon and the Beatles? The Beatles coming from the Arcade? Well, not yet. George has presented jazz and classical, but has not yet made available that certain type of music that is probably most popular with the greatest majority of Bally Astrocade owners: Rock and Roll. THE GAME PLAYER, and those people he has spoken with, enthusiastically urge Mr. Moses to turn his talents to producing a cassette program of, as a suggestion, Beatles music. The music of the Beatles has wide appeal to a wide age group, and would probably be a hot seller for the George Moses Co. But whatever the choice, a program of light rock music would certainly be appreciated by many. To find out more or to receive a catalogue, you can write to George Moses Co. at P.O. Box 686, Brighton, MI 48116. SECRET OF PELLUCITAR Here's another winner from L&M Software. And guess what? Along with fine game-play, this game has excellent musical accompaniment by none other than George Moses. SECRET OF PELLUCITAR features the finest pre-game presentation this player has seen to date. Before the actual game itself loads, a brilliant display of artwork, featuring the Starship Enterprise, flashing colors, oscillating sounds and a neat musical selection are presented for your amazement. In this one- or two-player game, the television screen will display a large dome, filled with an intricate maze of tunnels that lead downward toward an inner dome, which contains a city of sky scrapers. Your mission is to maneuver a blip through these tunnels, into the city and, finally, to a pedestal at the city's center. There is a choice of skill levels, from one to five. The player starts with a score of 20,000 points, and loses points from that figure each time he runs into something. In the two-player version, he will be treated to different sound effects and colors from the one-player version, and a different tune. There are four different musical selections between the two versions. In addition, you may select a difficulty level of one to nine before you compete with the other player. In both versions, the player(s) must contend with the "Mysterious Force," a small square that moves somewhat randomly throughout the playfield, blocking tunnels and, in some instances, creating momentary shortcuts. SECRET OF PELLUCITAR was described as enjoyable by all who played it. The machine-language programming and cartridge-like quality of this game make it worth its $15.95 price. If there is any negative point concerning SECRET OF PELLUCITAR, it is only that it is somewhat difficult to see, due to the intricacy of the playfield, which makes its details small. This is not the kind of game you want to play on a 13-inch or smaller television screen. All things considered, this L&M game should prove enjoyable to most. Although it is not the type of game that would be described as "exciting" or "action-packed," it is entertaining; and that's the bottom line with any game. COMING UP next month in the GAME PLAYER: a look at Wavemakers' latest release, L.T., and one of the newer cassette games from Esoterica, Inc. The Game Player, #7 -- Vol. 5, pg. 118, May 6, 1983 ------------------- Michael Prosise kills some toads and tries to phone home with. . . 1) ROAD TOAD Esoterica, Ltd. 2) L.T. Wavemakers ROAD TOAD Similar to the coin-op game FROGGER, ROAD TOAD is a very colorful home game based on the familiar goal of trying to maneuver from one side of the road to the other without getting hit by traffic. It is a one-player game, with machine-language graphics and programming.* The player uses his joystick to prod a toad from one side of the road to the other, across 5 lanes of traffic. If he reaches the other side, he will suddenly reappear at the bottom of the screen to do it all again. This goes on time after time until all three toads have been killed by traffic. THE GAME PLAYER has seen and played dozens of different cassette-tape games, and ROAD TOAD is without a doubt the most colorful to date. The graphics are so well detailed that the cars, trucks and motorcycles seem real. The many colors used by Esoterica are surprisingly brilliant. The opening artwork is attractive and quite cute, and the toad caught the affection of all of us. There are some fair sound effects, although the sound of traffic does not begin until the first toad is squashed. Opinions of the game itself were not as applauding, however. Adult players tired rapidly of this repetitive type of game play, which lacked sufficient variety to hold their interest. Younger players were more favorable towards the game, although some of them also grew bored somewhat quickly. It is not that ROAD TOAD is a "bad" game. Indeed, many will find it sufficiently enjoyable, but on the other hand, many will find its type of game-play rather pointless. The opinion on this is that it would be more interesting if, like in FROGGER, you crossed each toad one at a time to the other side, where he would sit, having awarding you points. After getting all three [sic] to the other side, a new screen would appear, and you would try again. The degree of difficulty would of course increase with each screen. Scoring is accomplished by successfully crossing all lanes. One point is awarded for each crossing. The score is unfortunately not known until the game is over, when it is then displayed at the top of the screen. However, if there happens to be a car or truck in that position at game's end, the score will be blotted out by it. It is obvious that considerable time and planning went into the creation of ROAD TOAD. But it seems that too much emphasis was placed on the visual aspect, and not enough on the game-play. L.T. Completely different from Atari's humdrum game E.T. and 1,000 times better [sic], Wavemakers' L.T. is quite challenging and well thought out. In L.T. (i.e. Little Terrestrial), a telephone rests at the top of the T.V. screen. Poor little L.T. must struggle through four different screens (playfields) to reach the phone. In screen #1, L.T. must jump up a set of stairs. One missed step and. . . oh, no! Down L.T. falls, but gently, thanks to his parachute. Once he's at the top, screen #2 appears, in which L.T. must jump up through horizontally moving slots. Completing those, L.T. must run from left to right through vertically moving slots in screen #3. And finally, in #4, he will need all his skill and daring to climb up by jumping from one moving step to another. It's not easy, folks! This is a game for one to four players. Each player starts off with four chances. The trigger and joystick are utilized simultaneously to jump and move L.T. This game is best described as a DONKEY KONG and MONKEY KONG type of game, in the sense that you climb your character up steps and through slots by jumping and with horizontal moves. DONKEY KONG and MONKEY KONG fans will probably love Wavemakers' L.T. People who do not care for them, or who have difficulty playing that type of game, may not like L.T. Like other games from Wavemakers, L.T. is rich in color, with good graphics. It is, like all BASIC games should be these days, in machine language.* There are some very unusual but far-out sound effects. And if your L.T. completes all four screens, something really neat happens. I won't reveal what occurs, but will only say that there is a fifth-screen "show" for you to sit back and watch. You'll like it, for sure! *The term "machine language" (ML) is frequently seen nowadays in advertisements and this column. For those unfamiliar with it, here is a brief explanation. Games on cassette tape that are programmed in ML, as compared to games that are not, will generally have more detailed graphics, more and richer colors, smoother and faster movement of objects on the screen, and an all-around better quality. Objects will not blink/flicker, and debris should not be found lying around the playfield. For the consumer, an ML-programmed game is the better buy. ML games are to non-ML games what stereo records are to old 78s. ML programming helps to give cassette-tape games a near-cartridge quality. A non-ML game is not a "bad" game; indeed, there are many more non-ML games available, and many of those are fine. However, most would be better if they were upgraded to ML. Hopefully, our software (game) manufacturers will begin upgrading their earlier games to ML. Currently, only Wavemakers has undertaken the task to upgrade earlier games. COMING UP next month in the GAME PLAYER, we shall review L&M's sequel to EXITOR'S REVENGE, entitled NAUTILUS, and we'll have a look at GAMMA WARS from the Tiny Arcade. The Game Player, #8 -- Vol. 5, pg. 127, June 17, 1983 ------------------- Michael Prosise shoots 'em down in. . . 1) GAMMA WARS Tiny Arcade 2) NAUTILUS L&M Software GAMMA WARS From Tiny Arcade comes another shoot-'em-up, knock-'em-down, science-fiction game. In this space game, the player protects his planet from invaders with his surface cannon. The cannon can be moved left and right with the knob, and shots fired with the trigger. The game is for one or two players, with each having three chances. The graphics in GAMMA WARS are very nice, illustrating a planet's surface, bathed in a light blue color. Sound effects are well done, also, except for a constant high-frequency buzz that appears to be a programming error and not an intentional sound, since it is present even after the game has ended. Overall, this is a rather simple type of game, one that could not be described as exciting. However, our players did find it on the difficult side, and we thus recommend GAMMA WARS only to those gamers who thrive on fast-paced, quick-thinking types of game that require a high degree of hand and eye coordination. Those who played it all found it satisfactory, but in fairness to the consumer, I'll have to add that GAMMA WARS did not hold their interest for too long. Side two of the tape contains ABSURD WORD PROCESSOR, which is not a game, but something for you to sit back and watch or, in this case, read. The computer has been instructed to put together certain nouns (people, places or things), verbs (words that show action) and adjectives (words that describe nouns) in a random fashion to produce amusing statements such as (and I quote), "Brooke Shields roasts hot and juicy politicians." These sentences will scroll up your screen endlessly, each one different from the others. NAUTILUS Advertised as the sequel to EXITOR'S REVENGE, this sea-faring adventure is another good game from L&M. The similarity to the EXITOR game is that here again, you control a cannon that shoots up at Exitor, who is moving back and forth across the screen. The machine-language graphics depict an ocean with several stationary ships afloat, and a land mass to the right. In the sky is Exitor, who releases small drone ships, one at a time, for you to try and blast out of the sky. You are a small submarine, which can move left and right. NAUTILUS is a one-player game and a surprisingly easy one, at that. On my third try, I shot down all 45 drones and lost only one of four subs, for a total score of 31,500. (The game is over when you destroy 45 drones or lose all of your subs.) It is unusual to receive such an unchallenging game from L&M. On the other hand, it's nice to beat the computer, and all of us liked the game. On side two is the game 3-D TIC-TAC-TOE, the very best tic-tac-toe game you'll find for the Astrocade. We are very impressed with it, both as a tic- tac-toe game (because it's in 3-D -- i.e. three boards/levels at once) and as a cartridge-quality game. It is a two-player game only. And that gets the "boo of the month." Why should such a fine tic-tac-toe game be inaccessible to the single player? Surely a programming adjustment can be made to allow the single player to play against the computer. How about it, L&M? Both GAMMA WARS and NAUTILUS are of the shoot-'em-up type of game, based on the classic mother of them all, SPACE INVADERS. There certainly is nothing negative about this, but it seems that the market is quite saturated with this type. My sense is that there is a growing hunger for non-shoot-'em-up types of game. I write this in hopes that our software manufacturers will look at what's popular in the arcades and start churning out some of those. The June issue of ELECTRONIC GAMES reveals in their reader's poll that of the top ten coin-ops, only two of the ten favorites are shoot-'em-up games (ZAXXON and CENTIPEDE). Favorites include such games as Q*BERT, MS. PAC-MAN, TRON, DIG DUG, DONKEY KONG, LADY BUG and FROGGER. Astrocade owners probably have the same tastes. Let's hope we see games like these soon, and other games such as RALLY-X, QIX, PEPPER II and BATTLE ZONE. (A good tank maze game would be really nice!) THE GAME PLAYER and his panel of players urge you to write to our software "game-makers" and let them know what you want. They would appreciate it greatly, I am certain. And finally. . . THE GAME PLAYER welcomes letters from readers. We would appreciate hearing what you think about the game reviews. What do you like or dislike? Do you want this game review column to continue? Do you think more than two cassettes should be reviewed each month? Less? What kinds of info do you want to find out in these reviews? I will gladly answer any letter that arrives, provided that you enclose a stamp. Also, if you would like to tell me your highest score on a particular game (cartridge or tape), I will print it, along with your name, in the GAME PLAYER. Individual questions about particular games and software manufacturers, as well as related questions, are welcomed and will be answered personally. To communicate with the GAME PLAYER, send your questions and comments (and a 20-cent stamp, if you want a reply) to: Michael Prosise [address in newsletter]. The Game Player, #9 -- Vol. 5, pg. 140, July 22, 1983 ------------------- Michael Prosise wrecks his car and falls off his skis in. . . 1) COLLISION COURSE Wavemakers 2) SUPER SLOPE Esoterica, Inc. COLLISION COURSE Now, here is a game that is fun to play! COLLISION COURSE is just like the coin-op version, and Wavemakers is to be congratulated for making such a true translation of the game for the home computer. In this one- to four-player skill game, the object of play is to steer your car through a circular maze until all dots are cleared from the roadway, avoiding the computer-controlled car (which moves in a head-on direction towards you) by skillfully changing lanes at the intersections. A driver may increase his speed by squeezing the trigger. Each player starts with five cars, used one at a time. Collisions with the computer car or the median strip destroy a player's car. Clearing all dots awards a bonus and a new screen, and bonus fuel flags appear periodically. (One must clear all dots before consuming all his fuel, just like in the coin- op RALLY-X.) COLLISION COURSE presents a respectable challenge to any player, with increasing levels of difficulty with each new screen. Everyone who played the game had only good things to say about it. Sound effects are well orchestrated and the graphics are quite appropriate in quality for this type of game. In conclusion, this is an excellent game and very enjoyable. I highly recommend it. SUPER SLOPE It is no longer necessary to go to your neighborhood video arcade and drop a quarter into Atari's ALPINE SKI, for SUPER SLOPE is just as good. As the one and only skiing game for the Astrocade system, this Esoterica skiing adventure is extremely good and well thought out. In this one-player game, the player directs his skier downhill, avoiding pine trees and large rocks by using the joystick to ski left or right across the slope. A quick tap on the joystick increases the skier's direction from straight to slightly angled; another tap increases the angle further; and another tap will have the skier doing a traverse. The same holds true for either direction. Squeezing the trigger will increase the skier's speed. As one who enjoys downhill skiing, I am impressed at how well Esoterica has simulated the actual movement of a real skier. The graphics in SUPER SLOPE are well done, and the sound of skis on snow is well simulated. SUPER SLOPE is a good example of what machine language can do for a game. There was only a few problems with SUPER SLOPE. The skier often leaves an arm or leg behind when he skims a tree, and we have not been able to determine how the scoring is accomplished. The instructions, which could use some improvement, indicate a score of 50 as "not so good," but less than 29 as a "victory." However, the screen will show a four-digit number at the end of play, such as 5,471. We deliberately crashed our skier constantly and achieved a score of 2,428. What do these numbers mean? (THE GAME PLAYER will publish an explanation, if we receive one from Esoterica.) The other problem we've found is that there is a loud, continuous, raspy noise during initial play, until the skier hits an object. Then the noise will disappear. Perhaps this is a problem with our particular cassette, or it may be a program problem. Overall, SUPER SLOPE is an excellent game, and will probably be enjoyed even by non-skiers. Those who played it liked it, and it held their attention. It's a good game, folks. The Game Player, #10 -- Vol. 5, pg. 159, August 16, 1983 -------------------- Michael Prosise takes a. . . Pause to answer the mail THE GAME PLAYER has received numerous inquiries as to when EXTENDED BASIC (EB) game reviews will begin appearing in this column. Software manufacturers are anxious to submit EB games to us here, and the consumers who have written indicate that they are delaying their purchases of EB games to see what the GAME PLAYER has to say about them. Before I address this situation, let me first thank the many "Arcadians" who have written letters of praise and support. We at the GAME PLAYER headquarters were quite surprised at how many readers of the ARCADIAN turn to the GAME PLAYER column first. We are pleased that the game reviews are so well received. To quote one writer, "Your reviews are the only source of evaluation we have." The status of EB (or Z-GRASS, BLUE RAM, or whichever system) game reviews is this: I do not have the funds ($$$) to purchase any add-on systems. My game reviews are written entirely on a voluntary basis; I receive no payment for the reviews. (I even have to pay the $15.00 subscription rate for the ARCADIAN, just like you!) Costs of mailing and printing are all paid for out of my own pocket. So unfortunately, I will not, for the time being, be able to provide you, the reader, with any reviews of EB games. (Astrocade, however, has agreed to send me advance copies of any future cartridges.) Perhaps a group of software manufacturers will pool their resources and provide the GAME PLAYER with an EB system, free of charge. Or perhaps an EB add-on manufacturer will offer to sell a system to me under a very special financial arrangement. Until then, I shall strive to continue to provide all of you with accurate evaluations of ASTROBASIC (AB) tape games and cartridges. THE GAME PLAYER invites all software manufacturers to submit their latest AB tapes and/or cartridges for review. Upon receipt of any merchandise, you will be sent a postcard to verify delivery and inform you of our initial impressions before publication. Best wishes & happy gaming, Michael Prosise The Game Player, #11 -- Vol. 5, pg. 165, September 28, 1983 -------------------- 1) VINDICATOR The Tiny Arcade 2) THE GATE ESCAPE Wavemakers VINDICATOR VINDICATOR is very similar to the coin-op DEFENDER, and although not as lavish as the coin-op, VINDICATOR provides essentially the same type of play action and entertainment. In this one-player game from Tiny Arcade, the player has six "lives," in the forms of star fighters that must shoot down five orbiting robot ships, avoiding their lasers and the ground-to-air missiles. Using the joystick skillfully, one is able to guide his star fighter up or down, fast or slow, and shoot left or right, as he moves across the landscape, just like in DEFENDER. We liked playing VINDICATOR, and one reason is that it is not a fast-paced game. Things do not go "flying" around the screen at high speeds, and thus the player does not find him/herself frantically shooting wildly and becoming frustrated. As in the excellent game OMEGA RACE (see ARCADIAN Vo1. 5, #1, pg. 19), also by Tiny Arcade, the player is given time to think and plan ahead. We think this is an important part of any game if it is to be enjoyable and satisfying. Sound effects and graphics are quite satisfactory, although there was an annoying, high-frequency buzz in the background at all times. VINDICATOR is one of the better games to come from Tiny Arcade, but it is apparently no longer available by itself. It is currently being offered in a package deal with five other programs for $16.95. Along with VINDICATOR, this one tape includes GAMMA WARS (see ARCADIAN Vol. 5, #1, pg. 127), VIPERIAN (unavailable for review), ART SHOW (review follows), ASTRO TERROR (see ARCADIAN Vol. 5, #1, pg. 19) and CRUNCHER (unavailable for review). ART SHOW is one of the finest graphic-display programs available for the Astrocade unit. It contains seven separate and most excellent, full-color graphic programs. What a great way to show off the power and ability of your Bally Astrocade to others. Since the GAME PLAYER is not able to include reviews of VIPERIAN and CRUNCHER, it would not be fair to the Tiny Arcade to rate this $16.95 tape overall. But at less than $3.00 per game, this $16.95 tape of six games looks like it might be a good bargain. THE GATE ESCAPE In this latest edition to the Wavemakers catalogue, the player(s) will be maneuvering a little fellow called "Little Novos" around the playfield to collect a scattering of Xs, while at the same time trying to avoid the "Villain." There is also a number of gates throughout the playfield, which the player can orient to block or trap the Villian while he tries to grab more Xs. The playfield is very difficult to describe, as far as this system of "gates" is concerned. (It is not a maze.) The gates pivot at their centers, so that they may be positioned east-west or north-south. Anyway, GATE ESCAPE is a very enjoyable and challenging game to play. It may be played by one to four players, with each player starting with five "lives." The level of difficulty increases as you go from screen to screen collecting the Xs for points. Each new screen (i.e. playfield) brings a new Villain. GATE ESCAPE was well liked by everyone, though some found it hard to score. It takes practice and planning to rack up a high score on this one, and there is plenty of fun in doing so. Graphics are quite nice, and the music (which is always a plus in any game) is a welcome addition to the sound effects. GATE ESCAPE is another good buy from Wavemakers. Thrown in as a "freebee" game is WAK-A-MOLE, a cute game in which the player must "whack" the mole when he pops up out of his hole. The playfield here is a nine-squared grid. Using the joystick and trigger together, the player points (from the center square) towards the square where the mole appears, and squeezes the trigger. You get less than one second to do this! However, it is fun. Everyone should enjoy it. ON TO THE MAIL I thank everyone for his letter of support. . . For those of you requesting opinions of particular games not previously reviewed, I usually cannot spare the time to do a special review. Games are reviewed monthly in the ARCADIAN as they are received. . . No, I have not seen any of the new non- Astrocade cartridges. The GAME PLAYER has not received any of them from Esoterica, so I don't know what to suggest to those of you who have delayed purchase of them until you see a review. If I receive one, it will take priority and be reviewed promptly. . . SCOREBOARD: Fred Olivas of California reports his high of 2,064 for DUNGEONS OF DRACULA; 31,575 for EXITOR'S REVENGE; and 31,780 for CANDY MAN. Michael Prosise of Maryland reports 1,942,443 for PIRATE'S CHASE on Skill Level 1 (took 2 hrs. 10 mins. and 117 screens!!). Anybody top these? Outta space -- see ya next month. (Send your highest scores in any game(s) to: THE GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter].) The Game Player, #12 -- Vol. 5, pg. 173, October 24, 1983 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER conquers the Solar System. . . 1) SOLAR CONQUEROR Astrocade After many, many months of waiting, Astrocade has released two new cartridges, SOLAR CONQUEROR and COSMIC RAIDERS.* The many months of waiting were well worth it, however, for SOLAR CONQUEROR is well designed, challenging and a fun game to play! New to the game-programming aspect is a unique feature not previously found [sic] in home computer game-playing systems. I am referring to the ability of the player to move his ship in one direction, and then quickly change directions while his ship continues to move in the previous direction. Called the "slipper" effect by Astrocade, it is the same type of object maneuvering as in the coin-op OMEGA RACE. The player has complete control of his ship over the entire screen, and is able to go in circles, zig-zags and any direction or position he desires. This allows him the same rapid-fire strafing ability as in OMEGA RACE and ASTEROIDS. SOLAR CONQUEROR is for one to four players, with individual selection of one to nine ships, and individual selection of difficulty level. The joystick steers the ship and controls its speed, while the trigger fires the bullets. You can have as many as eight bullets on the screen at one time, which permits quite rapid firing! The object in SOLAR CONQUEROR, as written in the instruction pamphlet, is to "score the most points by destroying enemy defenses, defeating their planets, and conquering their solar systems." On the far right of the screen appears the edge of a planet. You will be defending yourself against Kamikaze combat ships, ground-to-air missiles and killer satellites. In addition, there will be several asteroids floating around. These deadly objects can enter the screen area from most anywhere, and move faster as your score gets higher. The overall level of difficulty increases as you advance to each new solar system. To advance to a new solar system, you must first destroy all of its planets. Planets are destroyed by defeating all of its defenses. A good strategy that has worked for me is to knock out the surface-mounted missile launchers first. This will give you about ten seconds to fly around and shoot down other objects. The missile launcher will eventually rebuild itself, so stay alert. Do not stay in one spot. Keep moving! You have superb maneuverability, so learn to use it. The graphics in SOLAR CONQUEROR are colorful, although the details are somewhat average. Sound effects are excellent! After defeating each solar system, the T.V. screen will become your ship's viewer screen for about 30 seconds, enabling you to watch as you make the jump to light speed. It is a well done graphics display that looks much like the jump to light speed as shown in the motion picture STAR WARS. Overall, this new cartridge from Astrocade is excellent. We are enjoying it immensely. And although its price of $34.95 is ridiculously high (you can buy a brand-new Astrocade unit at Ward's for only $49.95 here in Washington!), it is still somehow worth it. So if you can afford it, we highly recommend it. Everyone who's played it loves it! *Lack of funds prohibits us from being able to review COSMIC RAIDERS at this time. COMING SOON in the GAME PLAYER: a review of a new five-game tape from a new software firm in Canada, Astrogames. And hopefully a look at Astrocade's other new cartridge, COSMIC RAIDERS. Also, we hope to preview L&M Software's first cartridge, MS. CANDYMAN. Your best score on any game is welcomed and will be published. Your questions and comments are also welcomed. Write to us at: THE GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter]. (Please send a 20-cent stamp if you want a reply.) The Game Player, #13 -- Vol. 6, pgs. 6-7, November 29, 1983 -------------------- 1) MS. CANDYMAN L&M Software 2) TAPE A1 Astrogames MS. CANDYMAN Hoping to capitalize on the huge success of their cassette tape CANDY MAN (see ARCADIAN Vol. 5, #3), L&M has released its very first cartridge, MS. CANDYMAN. From all indications, it appears that this debut cartridge is going to be quite popular, for the graphics, sound effects and game-play are of exceptional quality. The cartridge, once inserted into the computer and reset, will begin immediately. A complete, 25-second rendition of the tune "Good Ship Lollipop" plays while the title screen unfolds, featuring some very attractive artwork that illustrates the game's title, two giant red and white candy canes tied together with a decorative bow, and the game's authors. At this point, the candy canes will disappear, and on the screen will come the request to select one or two players via the joystick. The players may then choose from three skill levels: Normal, Abnormal or Insane. They will each receive three "lives," with a bonus life awarded every two screens. The playing field will instantly appear. Unlike the CANDY MAN tape, which was restricted to a two-color screen due to the computer's limitations, the variety of colors in the MS. CANDYMAN cartridge is one of the finest we have seen in any cartridge. There are many, and they are brilliant. It appears that the designers, L&M and Bit Fiddlers, have successfully utilized screen resolution to its fullest. For example, the character Ms. Candyman is yellow, with a lavender ribbon in her hair, red lips and two blue eyes. (Colors may vary from T.V. to T.V.). The ghosts and goblins are also multi-colored, as is the playing field. Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is the fact that there can be up to seven multicolored, moving characters on the screen at one time! They wave their arms, smile, jump up and down, kick their feet and turn their heads, too! The animation and detail are so well done that they almost look like real cartoon characters on your television. As for the game itself, you, the player, will have your Ms. Candyman positioned at the top-center of the screen. The playfield is essentially the same as the one in CANDY MAN, but it looks so much better. Your goal is to eat all the Lifesavers on the screen, worth 99 "calorie" points each, while trying to avoid the ghosts and goblins, who want to eat YOU. During the first half of the level, they will be after you. But during the second half, they will be guarding the last Lifesavers closely. All Lifesavers must be devoured before a new screen appears. If a ghost or goblin nabs Ms. C, she will plummet head-first to the bottom of the screen, where an orange tow truck will drive up and take her away. Sometimes she will get hurt, in which case a Red Cross ambulance, complete with siren, will pull up and transport her off the screen. On screens one and two, it's you against two ghosts. In three and four, a goblin is added. This continues until a total of six of these creatures are on the screen with you. Believe me, it gets crowded, as we found out by the time we made it to the 11th screen, losing at this point with a score of 111,177. The number of ghosts and goblins in Skill Levels 2 and 3 are the same, except that they are added to the game sooner. The level of difficulty increases slightly with each new screen, as does the speed of play-action. After every two screens will come the "blue" screen, during which the player has a brief allotment of time to eat ghosts, earning 990 points for each ghost devoured. An additional life is also awarded at this point. We were able to devour 13 ghosts during one particular blue screen. At the base of the T.V. screen are displayed your number of lives, the score and a cage, in which one can see the goblin who is next to appear on the playfield. He just sort of waits there, jumping up and down anxiously and waving his arms wildly. This cage also doubles as a "radar" screen, for on the higher levels of play, some ghosts may disappear briefly. You can spot their relative positions on the "radar" screen. Overall, MS. CANDYMAN is an exceptional game, both in uniqueness and game play. We are enjoying it very much. One other nice fact concerning this cartridge is that it is priced at a reasonable $29.95, even though it is better than several of the other new cartridges that cost more. ASTROGAMES Good news! A new software manufacturer her sprung up, this one calling itself Astrogames. Its first product for the Astrocade system is a five- program tape containing four games and one musical selection. The programs are all in ASTRO BASIC (AB) and look pretty good. Let's take a look at these games from Astrogames's Tape A1, the titles of which are WAH'S REVENGE, SUPER PAC, DEFENSE PROFESSIONAL and METRO ATTACK. The musical selection is PETER PIPER. Upon loading the tape, you will see before you a menu, just like in a cartridge game. The five titles are numbered, and the computer asks you to select a game by turning the knob to the desired number and then squeezing the trigger (standard procedures). The computer will then search out the game you have selected, and automatically load it for you! In addition, after you've made your selection, the computer informs you of the amount of time it will take to search and load that particular game. WAH'S REVENGE opens with a full-screen graphic display, as good as any of the other graphic illustrations we have seen from other companies. It is a one-player game (as are all the games on this tape), with the player able to select the skill level from 1 to 7 and the number of ships from 1 to 7. In seven seconds, a light-blue landscape is completed, with four "Wahs" hovering in the sky. Wahs are mean-looking little creatures with beady eyes that drop bombs on your ground-laser weapon. One at a time, they will drift across the screen sporadically, and will periodically fire down at you. The player controls his laser base, moving it left or right across the ground so as to position it under a Wah and fire up at it. At higher skill levels, the game action is accelerated. For those of you who enjoy sound effects, there are plenty of them in WAH'S REVENGE. All of us at the GAME PLAYER think this is a very well done game. SUPER PAC is another attempt by yet another company to bring PAC-MAN to the Astrocade system. Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for these companies, we already have a fantastic PAC-MAN cartridge called MUNCHER.* So nothing on tape is quite going to add up to the quality, speed and color of a cartridge version. However, Astrogames has made a notable attempt to do so [sic]. Their version opens with the PAC-MAN theme tune, then draws an enormous, random maze. There are the usual four power pills, but there's just one ghost who tries to chase you. Unlike in PAC-MAN, in SUPER PAC you have the ability to eat through maze walls. Speed of movement is fair. The problem with the game, though, is that the ghost will stop chasing you if he runs into a wall that's between you and him, until you move above or below whatever is blocking him, or directly to its right or left. This tends to take the challenge out of the game. Our players gave SUPER PAC a so-so rating. DEFENSE PROFESSIONAL is somewhat similar to the coin-op DEFENDER. The skill level is pre-set, and the number of ships is set at three. The screen shows a green playfield, upon which will be one of the player's ships and three alien vehicles. The player's ship is located on the left, pointing to the right. It can be maneuvered up and down only. The three aliens slowly cross toward the player from the right. They are destroyed by the player's laser beam, which has limited range. If he allows too much time to elapse between each destroyed alien, he will lose a ship. The alien ships do not fire back. This game is best described as rather easygoing and laid back. Game action is a bit on the slow side. Young game players should find this game okay, but the older players may become bored early. METRO ATTACK 1988, the fourth game on the tape, is a surprisingly good translation of the popular coin-op MISSILE COMMAND. It looks much the same as the coin-op and basically plays the same. You can select up to nine "lives," and you'll be firing up from one of five stationary bases. From the sky will come three slowly descending killer beams, which inch their ways in a zig-zag fashion toward the surface. Using your joystick, you must position the + symbol in front of the beam, and then pull the trigger in order to destroy it. There is a limited amount of fuel for firing from each base. Rotation of the knob determines which base will fire. Bonus fuel is available. METRO ATTACK is very challenging and fun to play. If you like MISSILE COMMAND, you should be happy with this version for the Astrocade system. All of us at the GAME PLAYER headquarters enjoyed the game. PETER PIPER is a nice bonus in this four-game package. It is a lively, spirited tune in three voices. You, too, will probably like it as much as we do. Overall, this Astrogames tape is pretty good. Hopefully, this new company in Canada will be releasing more games in the near future. Currently, their Tape A1 is available only directly from them. Its cost is surprisingly low, a bargain at only $9.00, and you can purchase it by writing to Astrogames at this address: 3020 Cook Street, Victoria, B.C., Canada V8T-359. *The one and only real PAC-MAN cartridge, which sounds and plays just like the coin-op. Write to me for more info at the GAME PLAYER headquarters. ---- S C O R E B O A R D ---- High scores thus far are: Dungeons of Dracula 3,440 Allen Showalter Bally Pin II 234,850 Allen Showalter Incredible Wizard (2-player) 247,350 Allen Showalter & Chris Embres Exitor's Revenge 31,575 Fred Olivas Ms. Candyman 111,177 Michael Prosise Pirate's Chase (2-player) 1,942,443 Kelly and Michael Prosise SEND your scores and questions to: THE GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter]. Please include a stamp if you would like a reply. The Game Player, #14 -- Vol. 6, pg. 14, December 22, 1983 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER soars high in the sky as a. . . 1) FLYING ACE Wavemakers, Tape #2 Now that the flood of new titles has slowed down a bit, we have time to check out some of the fine games that have been around for a while. One of these is Wavemakers' FLYING ACE, a game that puts YOU in the cockpit of a fighter plane, and lets you seek out and machine-gun down enemy planes. FLYING ACE is indeed a nice game, featuring excellent, non-blinking graphics, and a full repertoire of sounds and music. It made its revised appearance about two years ago, and was one of the first of several games to come from Wavemakers that would soon be described as "cartridge quality" material. After the opening music, the computer requests that the player select the number or players, one to four, and number of planes, one to seven. This may be accomplished with the hand controllers. The screen will then reveal a crosshair gun-sight window, which is stationary at the center. A bi-plane will then appear at any point on the screen, and slowly move around throughout the screen area. Changes in pitch of the airplane's sound indicate dives, climbs, etc. The player uses his joystick to "pull" his gun sight into range directly over the enemy. The gun sight never moves from the center, and the joystick does not move the enemy plane. What it does is "move" the whole T.V. set (not literally) as if it were the nose of your plane. If you pull back on the joystick, the T.V. will raise up toward the enemy plane. If the enemy plane is to the right of your gun sight, you move your joystick to the right, and the T.V. screen will "move" towards the plane. It is tricky, and the ones who master the technique will be the true "Aces." Up to 250 points are possible for a quickly shot-down plane. You have a limited amount of time in which to shoot down the enemy. The longer it takes, the fewer points you will receive. In addition, each time you pull the trigger to shoot, you eat up even more time. A bell will ring as you approach the last few seconds. If you do not get the enemy in time, you will lose one "life" (plane). The player who is able to shoot down the enemy fighter plane quickly and with few misses will receive a bonus turn. FLYING ACE is a real winner! We have had the tape for about a year, and frequently play it. It is not one of those tape games that sits on the shelf unplayed. The music is a really nice touch. It opens and closes game-play, and is used after each plane is shot down. The sound effects of the machine gun are very real, as is the sound of the plane when it dives. FLYING ACE is a good candidate for being spiced up and put into a cartridge! SCOREBOARD Dungeons of Dracula 3,440 Al Showalter Bally Pin II 336,700* Stan Kendall Wizard 453,200 Stan Kendall Exitor 31,575 Fred Olivas Ms. Candyman 111,177 Michael Prosise Pirate's Chase 1,942,443 Michael Prosise Space Invaders 7,045 Stan Kendall Muncher 36,220 Mike Prosise Solar Conqueror 11,488 Mike Prosise *Indicates new high score NOTES: SOLAR CONQUEROR programming flaw? Maybe. When the score goes over 9,999, it changes to two digits instead of five, and six extra ships are awarded. Also, the sound effects become distorted. What's the story here? So long for now. Send your high scores to the GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter]. The Game Player, #15 -- Vol. 6, pg. 23, January 27, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER goes on the offensive in. . . 1) COSMIC RAIDERS Astrocade "Warning! Warning! Enemy space fighters spotted on radar!" screamed the Lieutenant. "Engage maximum thrust," ordered the Captain, as their Cosmic Raider space craft burst forward at warp speed. As they glanced down at the radar, a chill of fear struck deep within, for there, one could see a vast and rapidly approaching force of Battle Cruisers and Kamikaze ships. "Range: 1,000 and closing. Sir, scanners have identified fighter craft as those of Larkin," reported the Lieutenant as he energized the proton torpedoes. The Captain flinched slightly, then turned and said, "Maintain course and speed. The evil Larkin must be destroyed. An example of our power shall be made." Little did the bold Captain and his brave Lieutenant know that they were merely bytes of memory in a ROM chip, parts of a new and exciting video game by a company called Astrocade. (Sorry, gang; had to end the story somewhere.) You can carry on and be your own Captain in this one- to four-player game, which very much resembles and plays like the coin-op DEFENDER. In COSMIC RAIDERS, the player can maneuver his ship up or down, fly toward the right or left, and control his speed. Fast speed has the great sound effect of full thrusters. For that matter, all the sound effects are quite good, and have received praise from all our players. The "playing field" of the game is almost the entire television screen. At the bottom is a mountainous landscape, which passes by rapidly as you fly across the screen. Below that is a radar screen that shows the exact positions of all moving objects on both sides of the non-visible playing area. It is very well designed, and an indispensable aid to the player(s). Each player has a choice of skill level, 0-9, and number of ships, 1-9. Bonus ships can be won, but never more than nine at one time [can exist]. The goal, if you have not guessed by now, is to shoot down all of the many types of fighter, bomb and Kamikaze ship before they get you. Doing so allows you to proceed to the next sector, to do it all over again. Each sector is more difficult. However, there is one object called an "Energy Star," which periodically floats across the screen. If your ship passes into it, you will be protected by an invincible fence-field for about ten seconds. You may use these anytime you wish, or save them for later. At higher levels of play, some of the enemy fighters will fire at you from behind, and some of the Kamikaze ships will actually chase you, and I mean right on your tail, too! COSMIC RAIDERS is another fine game from Astrocade. It was designed and programmed by Bob Ogdon, and developed by Action Graphics. It should provide some good fun for players of all ages. We really like it. SCOREBOARD Cartridges: Bally Pin I 320,430* Don Gladden Bally Pin II 336,700 Stan Kendall Wizard (Skill 1) 453,200 Stan Kendall Ms. Candyman 111,177 Michael Prosise Pirate's Chase (Skill 1) 1,942,443 Michael Prosise Pirate's Chase (Skill-9) 705,284* Peggy Gladden Space Invaders 7,045 Stan Kendall Muncher 69,000* Melinda Mullen Solar Conqueror 18,871* Lloyd Friedman Sea Devil 177,850* Eric Allen Cassettes: Dungeons of Dracula 3,440 Al Showalter Exitor 31,575 Fred Olivas Yahtzee (2-player) 348 Peg Williams * New high score (As of 1-6-84) WANTED: Your opinions and comments on any cartridge or cassette game(s). Is the game fun? Is it a waste of money? Is it challenging, or too easy? etc. These opinions will be included in future game reviews, so that we may better provide an accurate appraisal of a particular game. If enough people respond, we may even forward the results directly to the game's manufacturer. When you submit your high score on a game, please include the skill level. Send your scores, questions, comments to: THE GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter]. The Game Player, #16 -- Vol. 6, pg. 37, January 23, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER gets high on mushrooms in. . . 1) SNEAKY SNAKE New Image This month, we take a look at yet another new cartridge, and a fine one, too. For all of you fans of the coin-operated Arcade game CENTIPEDE, this cartridge game by New Image is just the one for you! SNEAKY SNAKE is a very colorful, enjoyable family game for one to four players. Each player starts with five "shooters," utilized one at a time. The T.V. screen will present the player(s) with a field of multi-colored mushrooms. At the top of the screen will appear the Snake, who will begin his decent downward, meandering over, under and around the mushrooms as he moves closer to you! At the bottom of the playfield is your shooter, which you can maneuver left or right, and slightly up or down. Using the trigger, you must shoot the Snake before he makes contact with your shooter. You may fire one shot at a time, or fire rapidly (machine gun-like) by holding the trigger in. Each hit on any segment of the Snake awards you 50 points, and turns that segment of the Snake into a mushroom. Any mushroom or part of one that you shoot is good for one point. A single hit on the Snake will not kill him, however. The player must hit each circular segment that comprises the Snake in order to kill him. Be forewarned that a hit on any part of the Snake may cut him into two separate Snakes! Upon elimination of the Snake, a new screen will appear. Each screen is different, both in color and intensity of play. The different background color for each screen adds visual variety to the game. The higher your score gets, the harder each new screen will be. The Snake will move faster each time, and the mushrooms will almost fill the whole screen. Things can get rather hectic if you do not get the Snake before he reaches the bottom of the playfield. Once down, he will move left and right until you get him, or he gets you. If you take too long, new Snake segments will enter from the left and right, moving over, under and around your shooter! There is no escape now. In your panic, be careful not to bump into a mushroom; you will be destroyed if you do. If this is not enough to keep you occupied, there is another creature you must contend with: the Spider! That's right, folks: It's the old, pesky Spider trick. Periodically, a Spider will appear and try his best to pounce on you. He is good for 100, 200 or 300 points a shot, depending on how close you are to him when you shoot him. As your points get higher, each Spider will move faster and come at you continuously [more often]. SNEAKY SNAKE is an excellent cartridge game. Not only is the player presented with good graphics and full color, but his ears are treated to a fanciful and light-hearted tune throughout the game. And just as the action speeds up, so does the music, further adding to the enjoyment of playing. Our players here really like SNEAKY SNAKE, and they're additionally pleased that a bonus shooter is awarded (at each 10,000 points). The game-play itself, along with the sounds and music, make this cartridge a real winner! P.S. SNEAKY SNAKE is available from the ARCADIAN. SCOREBOARD Cartridges: Bally Pin I 320,430 Don Gladden Bally Pin II 336,700 Stan Kendall Wizard (Skill 1) 453,200 Stan Kendall Ms. Candyman 111,177* Fred Olivas Pirate's Chase (Skill 1) 1,942,443 Michael Prosise Pirate's Chase (Skill 9) 705,284 Peggy Gladden Space Invaders 7,045 Stan Kendall Muncher 69,000 Melinda Mullen Solar Conqueror 18,871 Lloyd Friedman Sea Devil 177,850 Eric Allen Treas. Cove (Tour. Level) 27,314* Fred Olivas Sneaky Snake 40,600* Joe Kulak Cassettes: Dungeons of Dracula 3,440 Al Showalter Exitor 31,575 Fred Olivas Yahtzee (2-player) 348 Peg Williams * Indicates a new high score Are there any SWLs / DXers out there? I'd like to hear from you. Maybe we can put together some SW programs for the Astrocade. (I use an R-2000). SEND YOUR HIGH SCORE on any game, along with info on the skill level, to: Michael Prosise [address in newsletter]. Photographs of your scores are not necessary. We trust you. The Game Player, #17 -- Vol. 6, pg. 43, March 30, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER jumps over pits and climbs vines in. . . 1) ADVENTURE and NIGHT BOMBERS Astrogames, Tape A2 The second release from the new Canadian software company Astrogames is a pleasant departure from the usual game fare. ADVENTURE, which is actually a multi-adventure game, is similar in concept to PITFALL, a popular game by Activision for the Atari unit. The second game on Tape A2, NIGHT BOMBERS, is a more traditional "shoot-'em-down" type of game. Both games are for one player only. The object in ADVENTURE is to maneuver your man from the left side of the screen to the right. The first part of the game is called "The Forest," and each screen presents a new and different set of obstacles to hurdle. The joystick is used to move left and right, climb and jump. There are no "creatures" to avoid or beware of; however, your man must jump over crevasses, climb hanging vines, jump from stone to stone, and land on the occasional moving stone, which will then transport him to the other side. The player is allotted 1,000 seconds to play in the Forest, during which there is no limit to the number of new screens he can challenge. The quicker the player is at completing each screen, the more points he will have at the close of the 1,000-second Forest sequence. Sometimes, bonus-point treasures will appear, hanging from the vines. After completing the Forest, the player will begin a new adventure, called "Maze A-Changing Walls." In this adventure, you will be faced with maneuvering your man from one side of the maze to the other, with the added element of a constantly changing formation, or positioning, of the maze walls. Most of the time, you are simply walled in, unable to move. Fortunately, you are permitted seven "eats." That is, by pulling the trigger, the wall to your man's right will open. Points are awarded based on the amount of time used to complete the maze. Upon finishing a couple of these mazes, the third and final adventure begins. This one is called "Maze B-Invisible." This maze game is like the other one, except that you cannot see the walls. Overall, our players enjoyed ADVENTURE. It is challenging, though not really too difficult. Most felt it was relatively easy to play. We all felt that the graphics in the Forest segment were somewhat ordinary, and that an attempt should have been made to animate the "man." On the positive side, the sound effects were nicely done, and the music during the first tape load was excellent. Astrogames used the multi-load method for ADVENTURE. In other words, the tape is loaded at three different times into memory. However, you only need to :INPUT; RUN GO once, at the beginning. The computer will print out commands at the appropriate times to push "Play" on your recorder. Using the multi-load method does require one to rewind the tape and start over for a replay of the game. NIGHT BOMBERS is the other game on Tape A2, and comes in easy and hard versions. "Easy" gives the player five lives, while "Hard" gives him only three, plus faster game action. This is a fairly routine sci-fi game, in which bomber planes fly overhead and periodically drop bombs onto your city. You, the player, control a missile launcher and try to intercept the falling bombs. We cannot, in all honesty, describe NIGHT BOMBERS as a terribly exciting game to play. Young players, aged 10 and under, would probably be most satisfied playing the game. Sound effects are minimal, but fair in quality. Five hits on the city and the game ends. The knob controls the angle at which your missile is fired, and the joystick guides it. The hard version is extremely difficult to play. We do not like the fact that the missile is so tiny that you lose track (sight) of it as it rises. It needs to be much larger. Tape A2 is selling for $9.00, which is an appropriate price. Most players will find ADVENTURE an interesting game, and the more enjoyable of the two. There is a lot that could be done to enhance ADVENTURE if it could be released in an EXTENDED BASIC version, or, better yet, on a cartridge! It's a pretty neat game, and we think most of you will like it, too. MAIL BAG: Craig Conner writes to say that he thinks "the (GAME PLAYER) column is great, and I enjoy reading it. It helps in making future choices." Craig's favorite tape is LOOK OUT FOR THE BULL. Herb Matthews writes to say, "Thanks for the consistent high quality and informative nature of your monthly reviews. They have definitely influenced my software purchases." Herb loves SUPER SLOPE and feels that it would be terrific as a cartridge. Joe Adams reports that there might be a program flaw in COSMIC RAIDERS. At the 50,000-point level, the score starts back at zero. Does Joe have a defective cartridge? If you know the answer, please drop us a line. Well, I think I've taken up enough of the space in this month's ARCADIAN. I'll save some letters for next month. 'Bye. The Game Player, #18 -- Vol. 6, pg. 67, May 25, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER hears dits and dahs with. . . 1) MORSE CODE TRAINER Fred Rodney, Educational Software Designs There have been very few cartridges or cassettes available to Astrocade owners with programs designed specifically to "teach." Fred Rodney, an F.C.C.-licensed Radio-Telephone Operator, has designed and made available an excellent and efficient program for learning the International Morse Code. As some of you are aware, one must know the Morse Code in order to obtain an Amateur ("ham") Radio Operator license. The F.C.C. requires a person to pass a 5 W.P.M. test for a Novice Class license. This cassette-tape program is a "trainer," or programmable "teacher," of the International Morse Code. With it, one can learn the Code at 5 W.P.M., 15 W.P.M. or even 20 W.P.M., quickly and easily. Mr. Rodney's MORSE CODE TRAINER can also be thought of as an educational "game" for people interested not just in radio, but also in cryptography or mystery. Before delving any further into the Code, here is a description of the MORSE CODE TRAINER cassette. The tape contains two programs. Side one is the MORSE CODE TRAINER and side two is MORSE CODE II, for advanced study. Upon loading, a menu appears, offering nine study levels. The easiest, Level One, teaches the easy letters A, E, I, M, N, O, S, T and U, while Level Nine deals with everything at once: numerals, punctuation and the entire alphabet. Menu Two allows the selection of the learning or testing speed: Slow, Moderate or Fast. Menu Three allows the student to choose the Learn Mode or Testing Mode. A beginner would select the first level from Menu One, the Slow speed from Menu Two and Learn Mode from Menu Three. In the learning mode, you will hear a character presented as a series of dits and dahs, followed by a visual of the letter or number. For example, with the letter F, whose code equivalent is . . - ., you will hear "dit-dit-dah- dit." After one or two seconds, an F will appear on the screen briefly. As a registered Radio Monitor, I can personally attest to the realism of the "dit- dah" sounds produced by the Astrocade. The Testing Mode is designed so the student may determine how much he has learned. Twenty-five characters will be presented by sound only, one at a time, at the speed the person has selected. He listens, writes down the character being sent and, after the test, can check his answers by using the study sheet that comes with the cassette. Side two of the tape is basically formulated the same as side one, with the overall level of study more advanced. It also deals with certain coded messages. In addition to the tape and detailed study guide, Mr. Rodney has also included a schematic of a simple oscillator, utilizing a 555 chip, that is easily built with parts from your "junk box" or nearest Radio Shack store. With the completed oscillator, one will be able to "send" Morse Code for further practice. This taped program is very well done. It incorporates ideas used by the U.S. Navy and professional Code instructors. The Code was developed in the mid-1800s by Samuel B. Morse for the U.S. Government. Originally, the Code involved the clicks of a key connected to a telegraph line. With the advent of radio, clicks were replaced with the familiar tonal dits and dahs that are made by keying an electronic oscillator. In radio communications, the Morse Code is superior to voice communications in a number of ways. The Code can be understood in very noisy situations and crowded band conditions. In addition, it only takes a couple of watts of transmitting power to communicate around the world, whereas voice communications usually require at least 200 watts of power -- and that's on a good day, with a superior antenna! If you are interested in becoming an Amateur Radio Operator, I strongly suggest you begin with Fred Rodney's TRAINER tape. It only costs $9.00, compared with commercially prepared Morse Code-teaching packages costing $100.00 or more! Mr. Rodney will also be more than happy to furnish you with additional info on how to obtain a "ham" radio license. You may order the tape by dialing a 24-hour C.O.D. ordering phone at (212) 629-2071, or writing to: Fred Rodney, 1190 Albany Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11203. MAIL BAG: This month, Joe Adams writes to say that he phoned Astrocade about the problem with the COSMIC RAIDERS cartridge. (The score reverts to zero after 50,000 points.) He reports that it was programmed this way. Interesting. . . Joe also bought the MAZEMAN cartridge and says, "It would have been a smash cartridge if some sound effects had been added." (The game has no sound.) On that note, Fred Olivas writes, "I hope you get in a MAZEMAN cartridge real soon, because I depend on your clear and honest reviews of game quality vs. price." Thank you, Fred. No MAZEMAN has been received here. Someone wish to let us BORROW one for review? MUNCHMAN question from Bruce Veit: "Is another Munchman awarded besides the one at 10,000? Could that be a watermelon after the double lemon run?" How about it, gang? Send us the answers, please. . . Uh-oh. Lloyd Friedman of New Jersey warns, "BLAST DROIDS: worst game ever." Watch your $$$$, folks. . . And finally, Allen Showalter was nice enough to write in and say, "Thank you for a great column!" And thank YOU, Allen! Thanks to ALL of you who have written to us here at the GAME PLAYER, and who continue to write. Your compliments and praise help to keep us going!!!! Our address: THE GAME PLAYER [address in newsletter]. The Game Player, #19 -- Vol. 6, pg. 77, June 30, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER is psychoanalyzed. . . 1) ASTRO ANALYST and MEMOMAX Fred Rodney Educational Software Systems It's been raining for five days now, so we thought we would cue up some good rainy-day games. We recently received a cassette tape from Fred Rodney that contains two excellent game programs that are perfect for these rainy days. ASTRO ANALYST is a one-player game in which the computer will list personality traits (i.e. quiet, logical, sensitive, shy, etc.) based on how you answer the unique program. This computer program is based on an actual psychological exam that presents you with a choice of symbols. The symbols that you select are interpreted by the computer according to the formula programmed into it for doing so, and results in a list of personality traits after all thirteen selections have been made. According to Mr. Rodney, the "program was originally...a written test. The examinees' answers were then tallied by an examiner and evaluated by a certified expert in the field of symbols and psychology." For example, in each case, you are asked to select, via the keypad, one of three symbols. Your selection theoretically is indicative of a particular trait, such as "assertive." ASTRO ANALYST was written with the help of a person well versed in psychology and symbol interpretations. Personally, I found the program fascinating, and a good cut above other simple "fortune telling" games. On side two of this cassette tape is a one-player game called MEMOMAX. This game plays just like the popular hand-held MERLIN game. MEMOMAX is a memory game, of course, in which the player tries to memorize a series of positioned arrows. There are four arrows, pointing north, east, south and west. The computer flashes one of them, along with an accompanying tone. The player, using the hand controller, makes the same arrow flash. In round two, the computer will flash a series of [arrow pairs]. You must flash the same two in order. Round three presents three arrows, round four gives a four-arrow sequence, and so on, until eventually, the player cannot remember the order in which the arrow symbols were presented. One false choice and the game ends, with a skill rating presented. We found MEMOMAX to be a nice, quiet game that should keep you pleasantly occupied for a while. Together, ASTRO ANALYST and MEMOMAX make a good cassette-game bargain, particularly since the tape sells for a very reasonable price of $9.00. It should make a good addition to anyone's collection. For ordering information, see last month's GAME PLAYER column in the ARCADIAN, or look for a Fred Rodney advertisement in this issue. MAIL BAG: From the "that's-the-way-it-goes" department, our most recent Scoreboard is actually a few months old. We apologize for the delay and problems in getting it published. Please keep the faith and mail in your scores. Craig Conner writes to say that he thinks "the column (THE GAME PLAYER) is great, and I enjoy reading it. It helps in making future choices." Craig's favorite tape is LOOK OUT FOR THE BULL. Herb Mathews writes to say, "Thanks for the consistent high quality and informative nature of your monthly reviews. It has definitely influenced my software purchases." Herb loves SUPER SLOPE and feels that it would be terrific as a cartridge. Fred Rodney would like to know if any of you TREASURE COVE owners can list the creatures beyond level 10-12 that appear. Let us know. And hey -- PLEASE write to us. Without your support, the GAME PLAYER column will cease. SCOREBOARD High scores for the period of FEB. 9 to MAR. 14 Cartridges: Cosmic Raiders (Skill 9) 11,150* George Moses Bally Pin I 320,430 Don Gladden Bally Pin II 336,700 Stan Kendall Wizard (Skill 1) 453,200 Stan Kendall Ms. Candyman (Skill 1) 265,122* Craig Conner Ms. Candyman (Skill 2) 181,170* Fred Rodney Ms. Candyman (Skill 3) 61,578* Craig Conner Pirate's Chase (Skill 1) 4,100,641* Stan Kendall Pirate's Chase (Skill 9) 705,284 Peggy Gladden Space Invaders 7,045 Stan Kendall Muncher 76,310* Sharon Adams Solar Conqueror 23,957* D. Bercellie Sea Devil 177,850 Eric Allen Treas. Cove (Tour. Level) 32,817* David Krek Sneaky Snake 56,457* Joe Adams Blast Droids 14,350* Fred Olivas Brickyard (Sk. 1, 5 bls.) 1,722* Kelly Prosise Cassettes: Look out for the Bull 12,996* Craig Conner Dungeons of Dracula 3,440 Al Showalter Exitor 31,575 Fred Olivas Yahtzee (2-player) 348 Peg Williams NOTES: Quite a few new high scores this month. The females are holding onto the MUNCHER score -- last month's winner, Melinda Mullen, lost out to Sharon Adams this month. Special congrats to Fred Rodney for his exceptionally good score of 181,170 at level TWO of MS. C.! Well done, Fred!! NEWS: Starting next month, we will have a new Scoreboard layout that hopefully will incorporate all of your suggestions for improvement. We think you'll like it!! HELP: Response to the Scoreboard is growing. However, there isn't room to print every high score at every skill level of every game. Many games have 10 skill levels. What should we do? Help us by letting us know how this situation should be handled. Obviously, we are going to have to decide which games and skill levels are eligible. The Game Player, #20 -- Vol. 6, pg. 92, August 24, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER goes fishing. . . 1) SEA DEVIL Bit Fiddlers Starfish, octopi, jellyfish and even submarines are but a few of the underwater foes that the brave GAME PLAYER must square off against in SEA DEVIL, the first cartridge released by Bit Fiddlers. We were immediately impressed with the rich colors used in the graphics. The blue background, representing water, is very kind to the eyes. The underwater creatures are multicolored and animated (cartoon-like), though one needs a very large video screen to appreciate the animation. Sound effects are ample, with the combined use of sound and color, providing a unique and creative "GAME OVER" screen at the game's termination. SEA DEVIL is a one-player game, with a set skill level and one-time allotment of five ships. The game itself is almost identical to Astrocade's COSMIC RAIDERS. Interestingly enough, the only difference between the two games is graphical. In one game, you are in outer space, and in the other, you are underwater. In both games, however, you're doing the same thing: traveling left or right across a landscape, shooting at objects coming toward you, and using a "radar screen" to get an advance look ahead. A review of COSMIC RAIDERS is available in ARCADIAN Vol. 6, #3, pg. 23. In our review here of SEA DEVIL, we are commenting only on the few differences that are unique to SEA DEVIL, one of which is [sic] the sea mines. These mines are released by "poachers" and require evasive action to avoid. They float at various depths, slowly rising and sinking. Contact with one, or with any creature, causes the loss of a ship. Occasionally, a creature goes to the bottom to supposedly get food. Each time one does, the player loses points off his bonus score. For each level (screen) that is cleared, a new one appears and the game speed increases. Essentially, SEA DEVIL plays the same as COSMIC RAIDERS. Both are good, enjoyable games. Personally, I prefer SEA DEVIL, because I like the graphics a little more. Overall, our panel of players gave SEA DEVIL a good rating. Graphics, sound, colors, action: all received good marks. There was some disappointment, in that SEA DEVIL is so much like COSMIC RAIDERS, but that did not seem to deter anyone from enjoying the game. SEA DEVIL is a fine game in its own right, and will make a nice addition to anyone's game collection. MAIL BAG: Premiering in this issue is the new, official Scoreboard format. Nineteen different games are now eligible for high scores. Those games with several skill-level choices are presented, with a high score for each game's easiest level and one for the most difficult. If few people submit scores for certain games, those games will be dropped from the current roster. Requests for adding other games (cartridges or cassettes) will be considered. RULES: To submit a score, you must play the game at the skill level and with the number of "lives" (ships, turns, balls, etc.) listed on the official Scoreboard roster. Write down your name, address, high score, game, skill level and lives, and mail them to: THE GAME PLAYER, c/o Michael Prosise [address in newsletter]. Do NOT send scores to the ARCADIAN'S San Jose address, please. No photograph of the T.V. screen is necessary (at this point), as we operate on the honor system. [Note: The "Official Astrocade Scoreboard" is on page 93 of Vol. 6 -- it's not included here.] The Game Player, #21 -- Vol. 6, pg. 117, October 31, 1984 -------------------- THE GAME PLAYER ponders the future by examining the past. . . PART ONE [sic] As the 1983-'84 volume of the ARCADIAN comes to a close, and as it is about to enter its seventh year of publication, this is an appropriate time to glance back at the year's game reviews and some significant events in gaming, and examine what appears to be an alarming and ominous trend in the video-game industry, most importantly including those software manufacturers who create and sell games for the Astrocade system. It was just over a year ago that the software market saw a historic first, when Esoterica, Ltd. released TREASURE COVE, the first privately produced cartridge game for the Astrocade system. At a time when Astrocade had not released a new cartridge in over a year, the news of this action by Esoterica was the most exciting and significant event since the "new" ASTROCADE BASIC cartridge had hit the scene. The release of TREASURE COVE represented an important change for Astrocade owners. They hopefully would no longer have to depend on Astrocade as the sole source of cartridge games: a most significant factor, since the Astrocade company was having serious difficulty surviving. (See "Video Game Death. . . ," Vol. 5, #1, pg. 3). Even today, the future of Astrocade remains uncertain, and in the light of the current state of the home video-game computer industry, do not be surprised if you never see another cartridge from the Astrocade people again. Esoterica went on to release a cartridge titled BLAST DROIDS, which, along with TREASURE COVE, was never submitted for review. The Esoterica people have recently announced that both of these cartridges will no longer be available, a sign of an unfortunate trend that may be spreading to other companies. Soon after the Esoterica cartridges, L&M Software released its first cartridge, MS. CANDYMAN (Vol. 6, #1), an instant success for L&M and still one of the finest cartridge games to ever be made for the Astrocade system. It featured very high resolution and extremely colorful graphics, along with an outstanding musical score. Eventually, the year 1984 would see three more software manufacturers enter the cartridge-game scene, with all but one being established companies who had been producing games on tape cassettes. New Image gave us a cartridge called SNEAKY SNAKE (Vol. 6. #10), a colorful, underwater action game similar in concept to Astrocade's COSMIC RAIDERS, produced by Bit Fiddlers and distributed by L&M Software. Finally and most recently, a cartridge titled MAZEMAN was put on sale by a newcomer to the marketing scene, Dave Carson, a longtime subscriber and contributor to the ARCADIAN. Although the GAME PLAYER has received numerous letters requesting recommendations on MAZEMAN, we have not had a cartridge made available for review. As with any product that is purchased "sight unseen," we can only suggest the old adage, "Buyer beware." The total number of privately produced cartridge games currently available stands at seven, including the MUNCHER cartridge, which is probably the most popular game played on the Astrocade system. There is a very interesting history behind how this cartridge came to be, but I am afraid we are not yet at liberty to comment. (Rumor has it that the MUNCHER cartridge was discovered at an abandoned science outpost on Omicron Ceti II by a landing party from the USS Starship Enterprise. Later, during a research mission via a space-time warp to study 1984 Earth cultures, the cartridge was accidentally beamed down and subsequently lost somewhere in San Jose, California.) The past year also saw the emergence of two new software manufacturers, specializing in tape cassettes. A company in Canada calling itself Astrogames released a four-game tape cassette simply called Tape A1 (Vol. 6, #1). It was and is a nice collection of games, especially at a price of only nine dollars. Later, Astrogames would release Tape A2 (Vol. 6, #5), containing the games NIGHT BOMBERS and ADVENTURE, the latter being particularly interesting, as similar in concept as it is to the popular Atari game PITFALL. In May, Fred Rodney Educational Software entered the market, releasing a tape cassette titled MORSE CODE TRAINER (Vol. 6, #4), an excellent tutorial of the "Code." His next releases were ASTRO ANALYST and MEMOMAX (Vol. 6, #8, both), two cute brain-teasers. This past year has been an optimistic one for game players everywhere, in terms of new cartridges and new manufacturers. But this writer fears that dark clouds may be in the distance for all who enjoy playing games on the Astrocade system. As one who reviews new games, I am always striving to stay well informed of what's happening in the area of soon-to-be-released products and games for the Astrocade. In doing so, I have noticed a trend that has me concerned. The number of games that have been released in the last six months, both cartridge and tape, was zero. Prior to that, Fred Rodney released four tape programs, Dave Carson put out a cartridge, his first, and Astrogames produced a couple of tapes. Early in the year, we also saw SEA DEVIL and SNEAKY SNAKE. Granted, the summer is generally slower. But there are some facts that cannot be ignored. Remember Wavemakers, the company that produces one of the best line of tape games? No new games for over a year. Wavemakers had been producing one new game about every two to three months. And then there's the other "biggie," L&M Software. Nothing from them, either, for a year -- not since the MS. CANDYMAN cartridge (although they did distribute Bit Fiddler's SEA DEVIL cartridge). They, too, had been averaging four to five new releases per year. Most recent was the announcement that Esoterica, Ltd. would no longer be making the BLAST DROIDS and TREASURE COVE cartridges. Why? And whatever happened to Tiny Arcade, Edge Software and the George Moses Co.? All, at one time, were major producers of Astrocade games, and none have been heard from in well over two years. I cannot give you good or satisfactory answers. I can, however, point out that profits from video-game arcades across the nation are down 50 percent, and that a number of video-game trade magazines have folded. In my area, Washington, D.C., I can name more arcades that have recently closed than those that are still in business. The key question, then, is: Are video games a fad that is now passing? Industry-wide, the answer seems to be: Yes. How will this affect the ARCADIAN and the companies that have been making games for the Astrocade? Has the Astrocade system taken its last breath? -- THE GAME PLAYER Appendices ========= Appendix A: Alphabetical List of All Reviewed Games -------------------------------------------------- Title Format Company Column ----- ------ ------- ------ Adventure Tape Astrogames GP#17 Astro Analyst Tape Educational Software Systems GP#19 Astro Terror Tape The Tiny Arcade GP#2 Candy Man Tape L&M Software GP#4 Castle of Horror Tape Wavemakers GP#1 Caterpillar Tape H.A.R.D. Software GP#4 Collision Course Tape Wavemakers GP#9 Cosmic Raiders Cartridge Astrocade GP#15 Defense Professional Tape Astrogames GP#13 Dungeons of Dracula Tape Wavemakers GP#3 Exitor's Revenge Tape L&M Software GP#3 Flying Ace Tape Wavemakers GP#14 Galactic Hitchhiker Tape H.A.R.D. Software GP#4 Gamma Wars Tape Tiny Arcade GP#8 L.T. Tape Wavemakers GP#7 Lost in Space Tape Edge Software GP#5 Memomax Tape Educational Software Systems GP#19 Metro Attack Tape Astrogames GP#13 Micro Pac Tape H.A.R.D. Software GP#4 Morse Code Trainer Tape Educational Softwear Designs GP#18 Ms. Candyman Cartridge L&M Software GP#13 Music Tape George Moses Co. GP#6 Nam-Cap Tape New Image GP#5 Nautilus Tape L&M Software GP#8 Night Bombers Tape Astrogames GP#17 Omega Valley Tape The Tiny Arcade GP#2 Paper Chase, The Tape H.A.R.D. Software GP#4 Peter Piper Tape Astrogames GP#13 Road Toad Tape Esoterica, Ltd. GP#7 Sea Devil Cartridge Bit Fiddlers GP#20 Secret of Pellucitar Tape L&M Software GP#6 Sneaky Snake Cartridge New Image GP#16 Solar Conqueror Cartridge Astrocade GP#12 Super Pac Tape Astrogames GP#13 Super Slope Tape Esoterica, Inc. GP#9 The Gate Escape Tape Wavemakers GP#11 Tic Tac Tollah Tape H.A.R.D. Software GP#4 Vindicator Tape The Tiny Arcade GP#11 Wah's Revenge Tape Astrogames GP#13 Appendix B: Review Sources ------------------------- All of these Astrocade reviews are from the Arcadian newsletter. These newsletter issues, as well as additional Astrocade information (pictures, links, manuals and other documentation), can be found at: http://www.ballyalley.com or http://www.classicgaming.com/ballyalley There is an active Astrocade discussion group at Yahoo! Groups. You must be a member to view or post messages (joining is free), although downloading files does not require membership. Current topics include hardware add-ons, an Astrocade software CD and more. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ballyalley Appendix C: Changes/Updates -------------------------- Version 1.3 (Mar. 26, 2015) - Edited by Chris Federico. Any changes made that seem arbitrary (i.e. replacing "No." with the symbol "#") are in the interest of consistency throughout the document. All-caps. titles are used when -- and only when -- italics would normally be appropriate; this applies within the text that appeared in the Arcadian. Version 1.22 (Mar. 21, 2006) - Added carriage returns after 79 characters. Version 1.21 (Mar. 20, 2006) - Fixed a couple of misspellings in the Candy Man Review. - Reordered the "Changes/Updates" so that the newest changes are listed first. Version 1.2 (Jan. 21, 2002) - Added "Game Player" reviews 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21. - Added the "Alphabetical List of all Reviewed Games" appendix. Version 1.1 (Jan. 19, 2002) - Added "Game Player" reviews 13, 14 and 15. Version 1.0 (Jan. 14, 2002) - First release of "Astrocade Game Reviews Compilation." - OCR of documents using Omnipage 10 (15-day, evaluation version). - Edited and proofread all OCR articles. - Added the first twelve "Game Player" reviews: one from Volume 4 and eleven from Volume 5. - Added the prefix section: "About the 'Game Player' Reviews." - Added the appendices: "Changes/Updates," "What Needs to Be Added or Updated," "Appreciation" and "Closing." Appendix D: What Needs to Be Added or Updated -------------------------------------------- As of Jan. 21, 2002: - Add other reviews to this compilation (a good idea, but not likely to occur, because of the time it would consume to finish such an endeavor). Appendix E: Appreciation ----------------------- Thanks to: Michael Prosise - for editing the "Game Player" column in the Arcadian and creating reviews for it. I've not been able to find Michael; if you know how to contact him, let me know. Game-Player Group - An anonymous group of contributors to the "Game Player" Robert Fabris - Editor of the Arcadian newsletter - Permission to post all back issues to Bally Alley Appendix F: Closing ------------------ This compilation of reviews is as accurate as possible. If there are any errors or omissions, or anything else of note that belongs here, please let me know, so I can expand and enhance this document. All of the information in these reviews represents the opinions of the "Game-Player Group" authors, and I do not necessarily agree with all reviews.