[{"TitleName":"Super All-Stars","Publisher":"Code Masters Ltd","Author":"","YearOfRelease":"1992","ZxDbId":"0011369","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 84, Dec 1992","Price":"£2.5","ReleaseDate":"1992-11-05","Editor":"Linda Barker","TotalPages":52,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"YOUR SINCLAIR\r\nABC 40,648\r\n\r\nEditor: Linda Barker\r\nArt Editor: Andy Ounsted\r\nStaff Writer: Jon Pillar\r\nEditorial Contributors: Craig Broadbent, Dave Golder, Tim Kemp, Simon Cooke\r\nArt Contributor: Nick Davies\r\nCover Artwork: Paul Kidby\r\nSenior Sales Executive: Jackie Garford\r\nSales Executive: Audrey Smith\r\nProduction Co-ordinator: Lisa Read\r\nProduction Technicians: Chris Stocker\r\nScanning: Simon Windsor, Jon Moore, Simon Chittenden\r\nPublisher: Colin Campbell\r\nPromotions Manager: Michelle Harris\r\nPromotions Assistant: Tamara Ward\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg Ingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue Hartley\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair, Future Publishing [redacted]\r\n\r\nManaging Director Chris Anderson\r\n\r\nPrinters: Riverside Press [redacted]\r\nSubscriptions: Future Publishing Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\n©Future Publishing 1992. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the signed permission of Richard and David Darling.\r\n\r\nISSN 0269 6983\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair wobbles but it doesn't fall down with Commodore Format, Amstrad Action, Amiga Format, PCW Plus, PC Answers, Mega, Super Play, PC Plus, Sega Power, Amiga Power, Amiga Shopper, Classic CD, Needlecraft, Cycling Plus, Photo Plus, Mountain Biking UK, PC Format, Public Domain, ST Format, Total! and Today's Vegetarian\r\n\r\nToday's decoration - paper carnations... Fold some pink toilet paper in half and cut along the folded edge. Fold the tissue backwards and forwards like a concertina. Slide a hairgrip into the middle of the concertina. Fluff out the tissue above the hairgrip. This is the carnation. Honest."},"MainText":"SUPER ALL-STARS\r\nCodeMasters\r\n£12.99 cassette\r\n[redacted]\r\nReviewer: Rich Pelley\r\n\r\nThe funny thing with... no. In all my years as a top journalist I have never... oh look, just how do you introduce a compilation? You know how much it costs and who publishes it (it says above), and you know whats on it (see below). And then I sum up whether it's worth getting at the end. It's just all so predictable...\r\n\r\nTURBO THE TORTOISE\r\n\r\nWith a \"94% Your Sinclair\" sticker proudly glued on under its title, you can probably guess that we quite liked Turbo when it first came out. Six time zones lie ahead for our amphibious hero to battle through in a (kind of) Super Mario Land sort of way, in other words by jumping from platforms, squashing baddies and collecting collectables. The gameplay really is that simple - simple, predictable and probably programmed in about a week. And. judging by my I'll-definitely-get-past-level-three-next-time experiences, (which just goes to show that to review these things I don't just look at the box and read a previous review - er, oops) it's also addictive as hell.\r\n85%\r\n\r\nCAPTAIN DYNAMO\r\n\r\nThere's a lot more to playing Captain Dynamo than making your way upwards, collecting the diamonds and surviving long enough to reach the end of the level (as Jon pointed out in his review). It's about skill, it's about timing, it's about having a good sense of balance. It's about reaching an obstacle, say a rotating blade, and due to a lack of skill, a bad sense of timing, and no sense of balance, dying. And then you know what to do next time or, more likely, what not to do.\r\n\r\nThe game is based entirely around this concept, with lots of obstacles (spikes, moving enemies, water) and lots of things to help (moving hooks, booster pads and apparently secret levels). The graphics are a bit fiddly, and far too slow, but otherwise Cap D is a great little game.\r\n83%\r\n\r\nCJ IN THE USA\r\n\r\nThe main problem with this game is that it is almost identical to its predecessor, meaning that not only has it inherited exactly the same gameplay, but also all the same problems. Number one fault is the horrible jerky scrolling which tends to make your eyes go a bit funny, and number two is the unconvincing inertia conveyed by your character, a problem common to many platform games. I mean, just look at what they were doing with the Magic Knight series and Rick Dangerous years ago. Besides this, CJ in the USA is a still a fun little outing, if rather obvious budget material.\r\n74%\r\n\r\nMAGICLAND DIZZY\r\n\r\nIt has to be said, they are really all the same, aren't they? And, just while we're on the subject, you have to admit that there were better games than the Dizzy series years ago on the Speccy, even on budget. And there hasn't even been much of a notable improvement or hint of new inspiration over the series. Yet, well, who cares? Everybody (else) loves the little egg, in which case let's just say that Dizzy 4 is absolutely brilliant as well. The puzzles may be obvious, the graphics basic and the sound crap. But this is a Dizzy game, you knew that, and you love them. So here's another one.\r\n77%\r\n\r\nSTEG\r\n\r\nLinda's reviewed this one over on page 15. Y'see, it's being released as a single game and as part of a compilation. She reckons it's a Megagame, so that bumps up the score a bit.\r\n\r\nAs to whether or not I reckon you should buy this compilation, well why not?","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"43","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rich Pelley","Score":"84","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"But luckily Dizzy had his water wings and everything was okay. (The original version of this caption has been censored. Ed)"},{"Text":"Didn't Spangles have big 'S's on them? I used to like Spangles. They were ever so fizzy in your mouth. Or were those Refreshers? (There there. Have some cocoa Ed)"},{"Text":"Trebor the Tortoise, eh? So he must be responsible for all those lovely sweets I enjoyed as a youngster. Old people were respected back then, you know. (There there. Have some medication. Ed)"},{"Text":"Well, it's your basic elephant carrying an umbrella shot, isn't it? So let's have a short story instead. Eric was alone in the old dark house, waiting for the others to come back from the library. He sat in front of the roaring fire and read his book, mindful of every little creak and squeak from the locked room upstairs. Suddenly he moved to Kent. The End."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"84%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[{"Header":"Turbo the Tortoise","Score":"85%","Text":"Turbo the Tortoise"},{"Header":"Captain Dynamo","Score":"83%","Text":"Captain Dynamo"},{"Header":"CJ in the USA","Score":"74%","Text":"CJ in the USA"},{"Header":"Magicland Dizzy","Score":"77%","Text":"Magicland Dizzy"}]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 129, Nov 1992","Price":"£2.5","ReleaseDate":"1992-10-18","Editor":"Alan Dykes","TotalPages":52,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Alan 'Groucho' Dykes\r\nDesign: Yvette 'Harpo' Nicholls\r\nSU Crew: Garth 'Chico' Sumpter, Steve 'Moe' Keen, Tom 'Curly' Guise, Graham 'Hardy' Mason, Pete 'Laurel' Gerrard, Gaz 'Harold Lloyd' Harrod\r\nAd Manager: Tina 'Congratulations, best wishes for your future happiness' Zanelli\r\nAd Production: Tina 'Oops, can't I think of any B/W period female comedy greats' Gynn\r\nMr Marketing: Mark 'Chaplin' Swallow\r\nMarketing Ladies: Sarah 'Very funny' Hilliard, Sarah 'Even funnier' Ewing\r\nPublisher: Mike 'Costello' Frey\r\nManaging Director: Terry 'Abbott' Pratt\r\n\r\n(c)1992 EMAP IMAGES\r\nPart of EMAP PLC\r\nTel: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nColour by Colourtech\r\nPrinted by Kingfisher\r\nTypeset by Altyp Inc\r\nSubs [redacted]\r\nBack Issues [redacted]\r\n\r\nAbsolutely no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in an electronic retrieval system or copied without the express permission of the publisher. Illustrations for Popeye review ©King Features Syndicate. Thanks to those chaps at Electro Coin for the Coin Ops stuff."},"MainText":"Label: Code Masters\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nPrice: £12.99 Tape\r\nReviewer: Big Al Dykes\r\n\r\nCAPTAIN DYNAMO\r\n\r\nWhat can be said about Captain Dynamo that hasn't already been said? It's a cracking platform game featuring an aged, tired super hero named Dynamo. Who, to save the name and precious stones of a fairly decrepit old dear, Lady Phyllis Uppenhofen, of planet earth, has come out of state retirement and donned his cape and springy boots once again.\r\n\r\nThe problem is that a mad scientist type, Professor Austen Von Flyswatter has run away with all her goodies and set up base on the moon. Surrounded by all the trappings and, for that matter, traps associated with evil computer game villains Austen proves difficult to defeat.\r\n\r\nDynamo has great graphics, great provability, great sound and a lot of quirky hidden bonus rooms and wacky features that make it a superb budget bash.\r\n\r\nMAGIC LAND DIZZY\r\n\r\nOh, oh dudes, the Evil wizard Zaks has returned to haunt the Yolkfolk, trapping all of them, except for our intrepid hero, in various situations, Dizzy as usual, has to leap and bobble to the rescue and foil Zaks' dastardly plan for poultry produce domination. This is yet another classic Dizzy romp, it looks good and the old format isn't tired yet.\r\n\r\nIt'll still take some investigation and churning of grey matter to solve the multiple riddles involved. How to stop Dylan being a bush? How to stop Dora being a frog? These are the questions you'll ask yourself in Magiciand Dizzy.\r\n\r\nSTEG\r\n\r\nSteg is a Code Masters special. Not blessed with the same logic as the rest of the world, Big Red and their task masters managed the impossible - a cute slug. Several in fact, as the whole idea of Steg is to breed and feed little slugs using the millions of maggots found in the Stegtown sewer.\r\n\r\nThis sewer is a strange place, with spikes and self animated bellows around every corner threatening to deprive t'yung'uns of food. Steg captures maggots by blowing bubbles which trap them and then allow them to float all the way back to his (or her, Codies never did work out Steg's gender) nest. Although Steg's quite hardy and difficult to damage these bubbles are easily burst and thus must be guarded all the way home.\r\n\r\nAgain, exceptional graphics and game play for a budget game are the hall marks of Steg reviewed five months ago as an SU Gold with 90%.\r\n\r\nTURBO THE TORTOISE\r\n\r\nTurbo the Tortoise is another weird but wonderful game, this time not from the clear Leamington Spa air induced brainstorms of Codies but from Hi Tech in the grim north. However the game's profile fits Codies' modus operandi perfectly and it's wicked too. A sure fire combination.\r\n\r\nTurbo used to be a normal everyday tortoise until his mad professor owner conducted a few borderline experiments which, presumably, the Body Shop wouldn't be too keen on. Anyway to cut A long story short our cute shelled reptilian becomes bionic and sets off to recover parts of a time machine invention his master has lost.\r\n\r\nGraphics aren't completely top notch but the gameplay and planning are. Somewhat reminiscent of Yogi Bear, Turbo is a fun game. A worthy addition to Super All Stars.\r\n\r\nCJ IN THE USA\r\n\r\nFinally, and it's a very close thing I might add. CJ in The U.S.A. weighs in with a fast, fun packed platform romp. CJ, a young trunk from Africa was away from from home one day when suddenly he heard some big bangs coming from the direction of his house. When he got back he discovered his family had been kidnapped. Using his amazing elephantine powers of deduction and with some friendly advice from the neighbouring wildebeest herd he followed the kidnapper's trail all the way to America where he must proceed to free his family.\r\n\r\nThere are four levels based all 'round the States including tours of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Florida. Graphics are sometimes rather basic but the main sprite is fun, with his folding umbrella, and the playability factor is all there.","ReviewerComments":["Five of my all time favourite Codies games in one box seems too good to be true. The only problem is that I've already got all of them! It's a pity that Magicland Dizzy was on Dizzy's Excellent Adventure though, it seems a bit naughty to put it out on yet another compilation. Nevertheless this pack is still tremendous.\r\nSteve Keen"],"OverallSummary":"This is a collection and a half. All of these games have been highly recommended in SU before now and even if you already have one of 'em it's still well worth getting the pack and saving a few quid on the rest. This is gonna be on my Christmas shopping list and no mistake!","Page":"12,13","Denied":false,"Award":"Sinclair User Gold","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Alan Dykes","Score":"92","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Steve Keen","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"Codie Miesters really are on top form these days Their flora, fauna and poultry products simulators are instantly recognisable here in the UK and always seem to be in the charts. They topped last year's Christmas off with a superb couple of game compilations - Dizzy's Excellent Adventures and The Cartoon Collection and, well, it looks as though they're gonna do it yet again this year.\r\n\r\nThere are five games on Super All Stars, most of which have already been out as budgets (however not all, even though naughty Codies told us they would be!). The whole crew has a personal order of preference for these games but since I'm the Ed (not ED, fools!) I'm going to name mine: in first place there's Captain Dynamo, second comes Steg, third comes Magiciand Dizzy, Turbo comes in fourth place and C.J. American Antics as a close fifth.\r\n\r\nThere! (Steve Keen wallops me with a plastic baseball bat for picking a different order of preference to him. He's fired - again.)"},{"Text":"Overall there's very little to fault this compilation on. It's a pity Magicland was on the Excellent Adventure collection but it's an excellent game definitely worth it if you haven't got it. Unforunately most of today's compilations have their naff games but Super All Stars simply hasn't. Steg and Dynamo have both been rated at 90% here in SU and none of the others have received less than 85%. Super All Stars is an impressive compilation that'll keep you going for quite a while."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"92%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]