[{"TitleName":"10 Computer Hits 4","Publisher":"Beau-Jolly Ltd","Author":"","YearOfRelease":"1987","ZxDbId":"0011234","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 48, Jan 1988","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1987-12-10","Editor":"Barnaby Page","TotalPages":196,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Managing Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Dominic Handy, Lloyd Mangram, Ian Phillipson\r\nSubeditor: David Peters\r\nPhotographers: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nOffice: Frances Mable, Glenys Powell\r\nTechnical Writers: Simon N Goodwin, Jon Bates\r\nAdventure Writer: Derek Brewster\r\nPBM Writer: Brendon Kavanagh\r\nStrategy Writer: Philippa Irving\r\nEducation Writer: Rosetta McLeod\r\nContributors: Robin Candy, Mike Dunn, Paul Evans, Dave Hawkes, Nick Roberts, Ben Stone, Paul Sumner, Bym Welthy\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director/Illustrator: Oliver Frey\r\nAssistant Art Director: Markie Kendrick\r\nDesign: Wayne Allen\r\nProcess and Planning: Jonathan Rignall (Supervisor), Matthew Uffindell, Nick Orchard\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Andrew Smales\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nEditorial and Production: [redacted]\r\nPlease address correspondence to the appropriate person!\r\n\r\nMail Order and Subscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypesetting by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow\r\n\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group.\r\n\r\nDistributed by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced whole or in part without written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return any written material sent to CRASH - including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©1987 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"CHRISTMAS COLLECTIONS\r\n\r\nDominic Handy reviews compilations.\r\n\r\nWhether you're still looking for last-minute presents or someone's cheque is burning a hole in your pocket, you're bound to find something to light your candle in the Christmas season's spate of compilations.\r\n\r\nThey come from software houses large and small, specialised and general; they range from £4.99 to £14.95; they come in all shapes and sizes, from boxes a foot long to laminated video-size boxes down to the (now) ordinary double-cassette boxes (for which we still have no racks!). You may not have anywhere to put all these different sizes, but they sure look pretty on the retailer's shelf.\r\n\r\nBut some small independent retailers have great problems with the big, bold packaging of compilations, and when space is tight they usually end up at the bottom of the pile.\r\n\r\nAnd some compilations aren't even available in independent shops this Christmas - not because of the packaging, but because they're distributed on limited exclusive deals with high-street multiples. For instance, Gremlin Graphics' Ten Great Games is currently only available from chains like WH Smith and Menzies. It's strange the indies are treated this way when they account for 75% of all software sales...\r\n\r\nElite gives its old hits a new lease of life on the compilation label Hit Pak. The latest compilation is The Elite Collection, a strong two-cassette assembly of well-known Elite classics. They're all very playable, ranging from the very old Bombjack and innovative Frank Bruno's Boxing to recent successes such as Paperboy and Ghosts 'N Goblins. And on the second cassette is a previously unreleased Elite game, Battleships - yes, a Spectrum version of the pencil and-paper classic. But to buy it all at £14.95 you'd have to be a dedicated Elitist.\r\n\r\nPaxman Promotions, a subsidiary of the Prism Leisure Corporation, has released two 'theme' compilations - which Paul Sumner predicted in issue 45 would be the things of the future, after the success of Ocean's Game Set And Match. At £4.99 each Paxman's Thriller Pack and Sports Pack represent good value, but sadly the games aren't that attractive. The six loosely-related games on The Thriller Pack, all previously released, are more memorable for their hype than as actual games. And The Sports Pack is a poor man's Game Set And Match.\r\n\r\nUS Gold's recent compilation Summer Gold is now partnered by Solid Gold - probably the house's greatest compilation yet! Every game is very playable, and the collection covers a wide range from flight simulators like Infiltrator and Ace Of Aces to the CRASH Smashes Winter Games and Gauntle. Sadly Leaderboard didn't hit it off with the Spectrum like the others did, but it still fits in the package well.\r\n\r\nHewson is eschewing the more-is-better theory of many compilations and putting just four Smash hits on a tape entitled exactly that. Four Smash Hits includes two of this years top shoot-'em-ups - Exolon and Zynaps - as well as Ranarama and (like Beau Jolly's Five Star Games Vol. 3) Uridium Plus. It's available on +3 disk as well as cassette.\r\n\r\nOcean's compilations always provide value for money. In October Game Set And Match sent Spectrum sportsmen crazy, in November the shoot-'em-up collection Live Ammo arrived and now Ocean looks set to have a happy Christmas and a VERY prosperous New Year with the final 1987 release, The Magnificent 7. And guess how many games are on it... eight!\r\n\r\nIf you thought Ocean's previous compilations were hot stuff, wait till The Magnificent 7 melts the snow with Ocean's greatest hits - like the mind-blowing Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Head Over Heels, arcade adventures such as The Great Escape and Short Circuit, leaders in their class like the mindless Cobra, and bat and ball with Arkanoid.\r\n\r\nAnd the most interesting addition is Wizball. Reviewed in CRASH issue 45 just a few months ago, it gained a Smashing 92%, and here it is already on an action-packed compilation.\r\n\r\nOcean is backing the +3 with a disk version of The Magnificent 7.\r\n\r\nGremlin Graphics are the ones to call if you're looking for ten great games... and Gremlins Ten Great Games compilation gets the CRASH award for Hope-Raising Packaging Of The Month! The box measures 38cm x 20cm and looks tremendous, but it holds a measly two cassettes, There's a whole range of Gremlin goodies in those two tapes, though: the attractive Monty On The Run, the gun-toting West Bank and even the original Jack The Nipper.\r\n\r\nAnd for those of you who prefer playing with balls they've also included Bounder, Trailblazer, Footballer Of The Year and Krakout. At just a pound per game this little (or should that be massive?) package is great value for money - and it fills the stocking up!\r\n\r\nBeau Jolly is back on the compilation wagon, and the nouveau Beau Jolly is launching a two-pronged attack on the Christmas market with two collections and a £100,000 TV ad campaign for them.\r\n\r\nThe fourth in the series of 10 Computer Hits includes the Marble Madness clone Spin Dizzy and the Gauntlet clone Dandy. But pick of the bunch is either Pyracurse or Contact Sam Cruise, both CRASH Smashes.\r\n\r\nAnd Though Five Star Games Vol. 3 has fewer games than 10 Computer Hits, its probably the better package, it's hard to choose between such greats as Strike Force Harrier, Tau Ceti, Firelord, Aliens, The Way Of The Exploding Fist and Uridium Plus (an improved version of the issue 35 Smash).\r\n\r\nCRASH Overall percentages and review issue numbers are given after each game. N/R denotes 'not reviewed'.\r\n\r\nTHE ELITE COLLECTION\r\nHit Pak\r\nBombjack - 92% Issue 27\r\nBombjack II - 71% Issue 39\r\nFrank Bruno's Boxing - 86% Issue 19\r\nCommando - 94% Issue 24\r\nAirwolf - 90% Issue 13\r\nBattleships - N/R\r\nPaperboy - 88% Issue 33\r\nGhosts 'N Goblins - 95% Issue 30\r\n£14.95\r\n\r\nTHE THRILLER PACK\r\nPaxman Promotions\r\nA View To A Kill - 76% Issue 18\r\nFriday The 13th - 32% Issue 29\r\nCode Name Mat II - 81% Issue 20\r\nPyramid - 83% Issue 2\r\nTest Match Cricket - N/R\r\nBeaky And THe Egg Snatchers - 75% Issue 7\r\n£4.99\r\n\r\n10 GREAT GAMES\r\nGremlin Graphics\r\nAvenger - 85% Issue 36\r\nFuture Knight - 76% Issue 36\r\nKrakout - 46% Issue 40\r\nBounder - 90% Issue 29\r\nFootballer Of The Year - 68% Issue 37\r\nTrailblazer - 88% Issue 34\r\nHighway Encounter - 95% Issue 20\r\nMonty On The Run - 94% Issue 20\r\nWest Bank - 84% Issue 25\r\nJack The Nipper - 93% Issue 30\r\n£9.95\r\n\r\nTHE MAGNIFICENT 7\r\nOcean\r\nHead Over Heels - 97% Issue 39\r\nCobra - 93% Issue 35\r\nShort Circuit - 71% Issue 40\r\nFrankie Goes To Hollywood - 94% Issue 19\r\nArkanoid - 59% Issue 39\r\nWizball - 92% Issue 42\r\nThe Great Escape - 96% Issue 35\r\nYie Ar Kung Fu - 92% Issue 25\r\ncassette £9.95\r\n\r\nTHE SPORTS PACK\r\nPaxman Productions\r\nSnooker - N/R\r\nOn The Oche - N/R\r\nWorld Cup Football - 71% Issue 7\r\nOlympics - 45% Issue 5\r\nSt Andrew's Golf - N/R\r\nDerby Day - N/R\r\n£4.99\r\n\r\nSOLID GOLD\r\nUS Gold\r\nGauntlet - 92% Issue 37\r\nAce of Aces - 62% Issue 38\r\nLeaderboard - 80% Issue 39\r\nWinter Games - 93% Issue 26\r\nInfiltrator - 72% Issue 35\r\n£9.99\r\n\r\nFOUR SMASH HITS\r\nHewson\r\nExolon - 90% Issue 43\r\nZynaps - 91% Issue 42\r\nRanarama - 90% Issue 38\r\nUridium Plus - 90% Issue 35\r\ncassette £9.95\r\n+3 disk £14.95\r\n\r\n10 COMPUTER HITS VOL. 4\r\nBeau Jolly\r\nBride Of Frankenstein - 59% Issue 43\r\nContact Sam Cruise - 93% Issue 36\r\nSpindizzy - 93% Issue 29\r\nUchi Mata - 36% Issue 39\r\nCity Slicker - 65% Issue 35\r\nSacred Armour Of Antiriad - 89% Issue 35\r\nDeactivators - 85% Issue 34\r\nStarquake - 96% Issue 22\r\nPyracurse - 90% Issue 31\r\nPulsator - 66% Issue 42\r\nRevolution - 91% Issue 33\r\nDandy - 84% Issue 35\r\n£9.95\r\n\r\nFIVE STAR HITS VOL. 3\r\nBeau Jolly\r\nUridium Plus - 90% Issue 35\r\nTrapdoor - 88% Issue 33\r\nTau Ceti - 94% Issue 23\r\nFirelord - 91% Issue 35\r\nAliens - 84% Issue 37\r\nThe Way Of The Exploding Fist - 92% Issue 21\r\nStrike Force Harrier - 83% Issue 33\r\n£9.95","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"34","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Dominic Handy","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 70, Jan 1988","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-12-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: Graham Taylor\r\nStaff Writer: Jim Douglas\r\nStaff Writer: Tamara Howard\r\nArt Editor: Gareth Jones\r\nDesigner: Andrea Walker\r\nAdventure Help: Gordo Greatbelly\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nHelpline: Andrew Hewson\r\nContributors: Richard Price, Chris Jenkins, Tony Dillon, Gary Rook\r\nHardware Correspondent: Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mike Corr\r\nSales Executive: Steve Prescott\r\nClassified Sales/Production: Alison Morton\r\nPublisher's Secretary: Debbie Pearson\r\nSubscriptions Manager: Carl Dunne\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nTelephone [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries [redacted]\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Richard Winnington\r\n\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1986 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nABC 84,699 July-Dec 1986"},"MainText":"Label: Beau Jolly\r\nAuthor: Various\r\nPrice: £9.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Chris Jenkins\r\n\r\nComputer Hits 4 is an absolute blast as compilations go. Twelve full-price titles of which in my opinion five are fab, five OK and only two turkeys. Fab ones first: Vortex's Revolution, a 3-D multi-level arcade adventure featuring a bouncing ball, Spindizzy, the original Electric Dreams guide-the-gyroscope-around-the-3D-maze epic, Pyracurse, Hewson's Ultimate style arcade adventure. Sacred Armour of Antiriad, Palace's futuristic romp and Starquake, Bubble Bus' space skit.\r\n\r\nThe OK ones include Ariolasoft's Deactivators, CRL's Bride of Frankenstein, Martech's karate simulator Uchi-Mata, Microsphere's Sam Cruise, and Electric Dreams' Dandy. This leaves only the turkeys: Hewson's City Sticker and Pulsator. Overall, though, wotta collection!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Excellent compilation at a price which makes it an ideal Christmas stocking-filler.","Page":"97","Denied":false,"Award":"Sinclair User Classic","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Jenkins","Score":"10","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"10/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 4, Jan 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-12-03","Editor":"Peter Connor, Steve Cooke","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Advanced Computer Entertainment\r\nFuture Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152, Prestel/Micronet [redacted]\r\n\r\nCo-editors: Peter Connor, Steve Cooke\r\nReviews Editor: Andy Wilton\r\nStaff Writer: Andy Smith\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nPublisher: Chris Anderson\r\nAdvertising Manager: Jon Beales\r\n\r\nCOVER PHOTOGRAPHY\r\nStuart Baynes Photography [redacted]\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS\r\nCarrie-Anne Porter [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOLOUR ORIGINATION\r\nWessex Reproduction [redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION\r\nSM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nPRINTING\r\nChase Web Offset [redacted]\r\n\r\nCopyright - FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD 1987 - No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"Amstrad, £9.95cs, £13.95dk\r\nC64/128, £9.95cs, £13.95dk\r\nSpectrum £9.95cs\r\n\r\n...And two 'free' games makes twelve. Everyone gets a copy of Spindizzy, the first-rate Marble Madness-esque spinning top game and Dandy, Electric Dreams' pitch at the Gauntlet-clone market which came a bit late and proved less than totally impressive.\r\n\r\nIn addition to the aforementioned duo, five games are common to all three formats:\r\n\r\nStarquake\r\n\r\nAn excellent, cutesy, arcade adventure from the programming parlour of Steve Crow, guaranteed to amuse and entertain.\r\n\r\nDeactivators\r\n\r\nA complicated puzzle game that requires you to clear building of bombs and reassemble a computer using Deactivator droids. Plenty of brainpower is needed to solve this unusual game.\r\n\r\nSacred Armour of Antiriad\r\n\r\nA beautifully presented platforms-and-mapping arcade adventure. Collect up the components needed to activate an anti-radiation suit, clamber into it and destroy the alien mothercraft that is terrorising your tribe.\r\n\r\nBride of Frankenstein\r\n\r\nGo off in search of Frankie's missing organs in yet another arcade adventure - this time the action is a little quirky, but fun nevertheless\r\n\r\nUchi Mata\r\n\r\nProbably the only judo simulation so far attempted on computer - and accuracy is the order of the day. To begin with, play is relatively easy, but serious thought as well as serious practice is needed if you are to progress to beating the more skilled opponents. An outwardly complicated game that offers rewards if you persevere.\r\n\r\nThe Spectrum and Commodore collections 'share' three more games:\r\n\r\nClassic Snooker\r\n\r\nA straightforward pot-the-balls baize production.\r\n\r\nSkate Rock\r\n\r\nAn unpolished but playable skateboarding excursion where points are awarded for collecting flags and avoiding hazards on a series of urban courses.\r\n\r\nAlleykat\r\n\r\nA fast-action scrolling race game from C64 cult programmer Andrew Braybrook.\r\n\r\nThe Commodore collection is rounded off with:\r\n\r\nMagic Madness\r\n\r\nAn unusual and appealing subterranean platform adventure.\r\n\r\nIridis Alpha\r\n\r\nThe excellent, fast and furious Jeff Minter shoot em up that includes sub-games where you can take a rest from the energy-collecting and alien-killing which forms the core of the main game\r\n\r\nSpectrum owners can thrill to the delights of tomb-exploration in the 3D arcade adventure Pyracurse or go on a little private investigation all of their own with Contact Sam Cruise.\r\n\r\nAmstrad owners receive a different set of five games along with the five common titles:\r\n\r\nTriaxos\r\n\r\nSets you a fairly traditional 3D isometric adventure scenario on the quest to rescue a man who is capable of saving the human race. The pace of the game is a little slow and the puzzles less than mind-twisting, but there's enough to keep you busy during a rainy afternoon.\r\n\r\nCity Slicker\r\n\r\nOff you go in pursuit of the equipment to defuse a terrorist bomb, following a fairly traditional arcade adventure format set in London and featuring many familiar landscapes.\r\n\r\nPulsator\r\n\r\nA straightforward maze game that doesn't impress with the graphics but sets quite a tricky task involving the rescue of five captives.\r\n\r\nElektraglide\r\n\r\nA race game with a difference - you race against time on a set of abstract courses, hindered by spheres, cubes and bolts of energy dropped from the skies. Different, but a bit dodgy...\r\n\r\nRevolution\r\n\r\nA tortuously tricky maze puzzle in which the player seeks to cross successive levels that make up a hostile 3D landscape, deactivating two cubes on each level in control of a bouncing ball, the aim is to avoid falling into a bottomless chasm, escape the clutches of a variety of abstract but mobile aliens and touch first one cube and then the other within a rapidly diminishing time limit. Tricky stuff indeed.\r\n\r\nVerdict: A fairly random selection of games presented here, some classics mixed with some mediocre or less successful titles. Nevertheless, good value for money6 and a reasonable mix 'n' match of gamestyles.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"100","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Graeme Kidd","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]