[{"TitleName":"Discs of Death","Publisher":"Artic Computing Ltd","Author":"Ian Rich","YearOfRelease":"1985","ZxDbId":"0001401","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 23, Dec 1985","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-11-21","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":172,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Publishing Executive: Roger Kean\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nTechnical Editor: Franco Frey\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nProduction Assistants: Gordon Druce, Matthew Uffindell\r\nSoftware Editor: Jeremy Spencer\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nSub Editor: Sean Masterson\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Chris Passey, Robin Candy, Ben Stone, John Minson, Mark Hamer, Gary Liddon, Julian Rignall, Gary Penn\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\n©1985 Newsfield Limited.\r\nCrash Magazine is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nEditorial/studio [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]; Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset Ltd (Member of the BPCC Group), [redacted].\r\nDistribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £14.50 post included (UK Mainland); Europe: 12 issues £21.50 post included. Outside Europe by arrangement in writing.\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 Magazine unless accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material which may be used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. The opinions and views of correspondents are their own and not necessarily in accord with those of the publishers.\r\n\r\nMICRONET:\r\nYou can talk to CRASH via Micronet. Our MBX is 105845851\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Artic\r\nRetail Price: £6.95\r\nLanguage: Machine code\r\nAuthor: Ian Rich\r\n\r\nTouring the arcades a few years ago was an arcade game of the name, Discs of Tron. Discs of Death is a version of the highly popular arcade game. Based upon the disc fighting sequence in the film Tron the idea is to topple an opponent off the platform he's standing on while evading his attempts at toppling you.\r\n\r\nThe two competitors face each other across a bottomless Pit and hurl discs at one another. Each competitor has a row of three platforms and can jump from platform to platform to avoid being hit by his opponent's missile. Each player has three discs to hurl across the void, and they work rather like boomerangs, coming back to the sender if they don't hit.\r\n\r\nYou view the arena from behind the player you control, looking across the perspective view and aiming your discs with a cursor that moves left and right on the wall behind your opponent. When you release a disc it homes in on the cursor and either hits the enemy, in which case he dissolves into oblivion, or it comes snaking back to you hand automatically. You disc can score a hit on its way to the back wall or after it has rebounded and started for home.\r\n\r\nThe three platforms you can leap between to avoid your opponent's discs hover automatically above the perilous drop but fortunately the program is kind enough to save you the worry of timing jumps between platforms carefully. You can't fall off! You can shuffle left and right on the platforms and when you get too close to the edge you leap nimbly and automatically across the gap if there's another platform in the direction you're moving.\r\n\r\nIf the opposing fighter lets lose a stream of discs heading directly for you, it's possible to avoid death by using your shields. They are limited in supply, but very useful as while they're activated all your opponent's disks will bounce harmlessly off you.\r\n\r\nAs you tot up a pile of corpses, you find successive competitors are made of sterner stuff, and take more effort to vapourise. As the sheets progress the scenery changes as well: some screens contain two platforms instead of the normal three. Other hazards are introduced such as force fields, and there's no shortage of willing challengers, eager to meet you across the pit.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: cursor keys\r\nJoystick: Kempston\r\nKeyboard play: slow and difficult\r\nUse of colour: clash and gory\r\nGraphics: undetailed and very jerky\r\nSound: almost non existent\r\nSkill levels: 3\r\nScreens:","ReviewerComments":["Even though this is an arcade clone, with all the hard work of design having already been done, leaving the programmer to copy what he's seen. Artic's copy isn't that good. The graphics are of a low standard and the animation of the man walking across the platform makes him look he's shuffling rather than bounding athletically across the platform. The movement of the discs themselves, as they fly across the arena isn't bad but they do tend to flicker a little bit. Really not a very impressive or outstanding game in the final analysis. And at the price, worth a miss.\r\r\nUnknown","This game is of a lower quality than most budget software. The blocky graphics may have been passable a couple of years ago but they look very poor compared to today's standards. Sound is fairly well used, although the 'tune' or whatever the noise on the title screen should be called, is exceedingly infuriating as you can't turn it off. Gameplay is monotonous and unvaried and it wasn't long before l was bored with it. Generally, I wouldn't recommend this one, as it is very primitive and not at all compelling. .\r\r\nUnknown","There aren't many games of this type on the Spectrum and as far as this one goes it is quite playable. The graphics are crude and tend to flicker a lot, which lets the game down terribly. The biggest problem with the game is that there is a distinct lack of variation. This makes it unaddictive and after a while quite boring. I'm sure Artic can turn out better stuff than this. On the whole it is a bit of a let down but it may appeal to some.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Tired old arcade clone that's far too late.","Page":"155","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Spin the disc at your opponent in Artic's DISCS OF DEATH, and all the while you have to try to avoid your opponent's discs which are spun at you. Three platforms for you to dodge between and the pace is fast and furious."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"34%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"30%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"30%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"38%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"29%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"35%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"31%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 1, Jan 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-12-12","Editor":"Kevin Cox","TotalPages":122,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Kevin Cox\r\nArt Editor: Martin Dixon\r\nDeputy Editor: Peter Shaw\r\nProduction Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nContributors: Stephen Adams, Dougie Bern, Steve Colwill, Steve Cooke, Iolo Davidson, Nick Davies, Sue Denham, Simon Forman, Ian Hoare, Alison Hjul, Steve Malone, Max Phillips, Rick Robson, Graham Rydout, Rachael Smith, Phil South, Chris Wood\r\nWith Special Thanks To: Phoebe Evans, Mike Clowes, Andy Robson\r\nAdvertisement Manager: David Baskerville\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Neil Dyson\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Chris Talbot\r\nManaging Editor: Roger Munford\r\nArt Director: Jimmy Egerton\r\nPublisher: Stephen England\r\n\r\nPublished by Sportscene Specialist Press Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1986 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"Artic Computing\n£6.95\nReviewer: Rachael Smith\n\nAfter ditching their Terminal Tapes and crashing the Morbid Microdrives the contestants settled on Fatal Floppies, a game played by dodging the deadly discs of the title. Sound easy? The only problem is that you're standing on tiny platforms, so room to manoeuvre is limited to a step on either side.\n\nIt seems this somewhat surreal space duel is based on the movie Tron. It's certainly different from your average sport simulation, taking place in a checkerboard stadium obviously designed by Dali. Luckily, the computer takes care of your jumping so there's no slipping into space, but apart from that you're on your own. The rest of the memory has obviously gone to playability and providing a mean opponent. If you have time during all this frantic frisbee action try to pick up tips from his behaviour, firing off a volley of discs then jumping to one side while you're busy using your rapidly diminishing shield or taking evasive action.\n\nA bit of strategy is called for to make sure all your discs aren't in the air when you need them, but basically this is a test of reactions and moves so fast it's easy to get drawn in. It's just a disappointment that the third screen is like the first, only faster and with a guided disc that locks onto you bringing the game to a quick conclusion. And wrap your ears round the superb robotic soundtrack.\n\nI was hooked for a time but I can't see myself returning often. If only there could have been a true player vs player option instead of just you and me against the micro. A trifle overpriced? Perhaps.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"33","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rachael Smith","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 51, Jan 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-12-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":164,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nDeputy Editor: Paul Boughton\r\nEditorial Assistant: Lesley Walker\r\nSub-Editor: Seamus St. John\r\nDesign: Craig Kennedy\r\nAdventure Writers: Keith Campbell, Paul Coppins, Simon Marsh, Jim Douglas\r\nAmerican Correspondent: Marshall M. Rosenthal\r\nArcades: Clare Edgeley\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nPublicity: Marcus Rich\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Louise Matthews\r\nDeputy Advertisement Manager: Bernard Dugdale\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Mike Core\r\nProduction Assistant: Melanie Paulo\r\nPublisher: Rita Lewis\r\nCover: Steven Gulbis\r\n\r\n...and the Bug Hunters!\r\n© Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES POSTAL SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE\r\nBy using the special Postal Subscription Service, copies of COMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES can be mailed direct from our offices each month to any address throughout the world. All subscription applications should be sent for processing to COMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES (Subscription Department), [redacted]. All orders should include the appropriate remittance made payable to COMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES. Annual subscription rates (12 issues): UK and Eire: £15. Additional service information, including individual overseas airmail rates available upon request. Circulation Department: EMAP National Publications. Published and distributed by EMAP National Publications Ltd. Printed by Severn Valley Press. Typeset by In-Step Ltd."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum\r\nSUPPLIER: Artic\r\nPRICE: £6.95\r\n\r\nRemember that bit in Walt Disney's computerised movie Tron when two futuristic gladiators battled it out with deadly frisbees? Come on, you remember, there was an arcade machine based on the scene too!\r\n\r\nWell Artic's Discs of Death is based on this bit of the movie.\r\n\r\nYou control an Impossible Mission style man who is armed with three Frisbees - sorry, discs. He stands on a floating platform facing the computer controlled opponent who starts bunging his deadly discs at you. You must attempt to hit him before he gets you.\r\n\r\nThere are a couple of other platforms which you can use to jump back and forth on to avoid his discs or get a good shot at the other guy. Should you get hit, you dissolve into a neat pile of electrically charged dust.\r\n\r\nThe animation of the main character is good - you soon get the hang of skimming your deadly discs across the arena and defending yourself against your opponent.\r\n\r\nBut remember you only get three discs - luckily they boomerang back to you once you've thrown them - but it's not a good idea to leave yourself completely defenceless.\r\n\r\nAnd that's about all there is to it. There are three skill levels - which basically means that you get fewer platforms to jump on and the discs move faster.\r\n\r\nIf you liked the arcade machine, you'll love this. The graphics are a bit basic - a little more attention to detail would've made this a classic. As it stands it's a fun game to play.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"26","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]