[{"TitleName":"Armageddon","Publisher":"Silversoft Ltd","Author":"C. Knight","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0000267","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 1, Feb 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-01-19","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nDesigner: Oliver Frey\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Rod Bellamy\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Edwards\r\nProduction Designer: Michael Arienti\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\n\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nMono printing, typesetting & finishing by Feb Edge Litho Ltd. [redacted]\r\nColour printing by Allan-Denver Web Offset Ltd. [redacted].\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post included)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post included).\r\nSingle copy: 75p\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to CRASH please send articles or ideas for projects to the above address. Articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope\r\n\r\nCover Illustration:Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Silversoft\r\nMemory Required: 16K\r\nRecommended Retail Price: £5.95\r\nLanguage: machine code\r\nAuthor: C Knight\r\n\r\nArmageddon is a copy of the arcade favourite 'Missile Command', where you launch missiles from a limited supply to defend your cities. There are several versions of this game already around for the Spectrum, one indeed called by the same name from Ocean.\r\n\r\nThis version has all the familiar features of the arcade game. The six cities are protected by three missile bases. Naturally the bases must be defended most ardently otherwise there's nothing left to protect the cities. In addition to the incoming missile traces, there are low flying aircraft and satellites which launch independent projectiles of their own. Some missiles are heat sensitive and will hover over an exploding missile until it is safe to descend further. Each attack wave grows in intensity until it is almost impossible to survive.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nKeyboard positions: sensible\r\nJoystick options: Kempston (via 2-part load, watch out!)\r\nKeyboard play: responsive\r\nUse of colour: good\r\nGraphics: average, nice explosions\r\nSound: average, nice frying noise for explosions\r\nSkill levels: increases with each screen\r\nLives: 6 (cities)","ReviewerComments":["This is a pretty close copy, with the major drawback being that four way movement keys to track the missiles is no substitute for the arcade originals tracker ball control.\r\nUnknown","Hard to determine the value of a game which already been so much copied. The use of colour and the graphics are good, everything moves at a fast pace and it's difficult to master, but in the end it doesn't have lasting appeal for me.\r\nUnknown","The various options for firing are useful, but you're probably better off with the joystick for targeting. A fast version with neat graphics.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: a good copy of the original with mixed feelings about the addictive qualities.","Page":"79","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"ARMAGEDDON strikes from the skies."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"72%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"75%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"63%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"75%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"68%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 2, Mar 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-02-23","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nDesigner: Oliver Frey\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Rod Bellamy\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Edwards\r\nProduction Designer: Michael Arienti\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\n\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nMono printing, typesetting & finishing by Feb Edge Litho Ltd. [redacted]\r\nColour printing by Allan-Denver Web Offset Ltd. [redacted].\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Wells Gardner, Darton & Co. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post included)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post included).\r\nSingle copy: 75p\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to CRASH please send articles or ideas for projects to the above address. Articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope\r\n\r\nCover Illustration:Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Silversoft, 16K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: C Knight\r\n\r\nSilversoft's version of the much-copied 'Missile Command' arcade original is well up to scratch with good use of colour, and average sound. The graphics are simple but effective with very nice explosions and a suitably disgusting frying sound to accompany them. Features six cities, three missile bases, aircraft and bomb-dropping satellites, and heat sensitive missiles which hover above a detonation until it's safe to descend further. Get increasingly fast, medium addictive, sensible control keys and Kempston joystick (via a 2-part load). Overall CRASH rating 68% M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"68%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 3, Apr 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-03-16","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":128,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nEditorial [redacted]\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studio, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Plymouth Web Offset Ltd, [redacted].\r\nDistribution by Comag, [redacted]\r\nAdditional setting and process work by The Tortoise Shell Press, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post free)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post free).\r\n\r\nWe cannot undertake to return any written or photographic material sent to CRASH MICRO unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Silversoft, 16K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: C Knight\r\n\r\nSilversoft's version of the much-copied 'Missile Command' arcade original is well up to scratch with good use of colour, and average sound. The graphics are simple but effective with very nice explosions and a suitably disgusting frying sound to accompany them. Features six cities, three missile bases, aircraft and bomb-dropping satellites, and heat sensitive missiles which hover above a detonation until it's safe to descend further. Get increasingly fast, medium addictive, sensible control keys and Kempston joystick (via a 2-part load). Overall CRASH rating 68% M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"64","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"68%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 3, Apr 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-03-16","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":128,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nEditorial [redacted]\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studio, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Plymouth Web Offset Ltd, [redacted].\r\nDistribution by Comag, [redacted]\r\nAdditional setting and process work by The Tortoise Shell Press, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £9.00 UK Mainland (post free)\r\nEurope: 12 issues £15 (post free).\r\n\r\nWe cannot undertake to return any written or photographic material sent to CRASH MICRO unless accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Armageddon by Silversoft\r\nRetail Price: £5.95\r\nMemory: 16K\r\n\r\nThis is quite an accurate copy of the original in layout, and has the six cities and three laser bases. Each base has its own fire button. Although the keys are fairly well laid out, individual base firing is rather difficult with a total of 7 keys. Because of this, I welcomed the computer-aided firing option which allows you to fire from the nearest base with one key press. This has a slight bias to the outer bases to avoid draining the centre one. The Kempston option greatly improves playability. Graphics are quite good and colourful but not very smooth. The explosions are quite different from the original, being clouds of smoke. Good sound with a nice frying noise adding to the feel. There are planes and satellites, also smart weapons (move straight down). These latter are a little jerky due to character position movement. Overall, a reasonable game.\r\nCP\r\n\r\nThis has a two-part load - you input whether you want to use a Kempston joystick. The first thing you notice about this version is its sound, very good effects. The cross hair movement is block and not smooth - not actually a disvantage as the explosions are realistically long lasting. This version has several features which the Softek one doesn't like alien craft and satellites and intelligent missiles which hover over your explosions until it's safe. Also three missile silos and a useful auto-fire select. A game that is a good copy of the arcade original and I think is the second best version for keyboard use.\r\nMU\r\n\r\nNote on ratings: To be enjoyed to the full, 'Missile Command' games should be played with a joystick (shame there is not a track ball) because keyboard play, in general, cannot give the same degree of accuracy and control. Although the same may be said for many other types of game, we are sure 'Missile Command' fans will agree that this is the game which needs it the most badly. Therefore the ratings given below have been split in two, one for keyboard only play, and one for joystick play. The two reviewers figures have been averaged as, in general, they turned out to be in agreement.\r\n\r\nRatings are given on a scale between zero and 100 points, and do not reflect what a game may receive in a regular review.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"98","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Passey","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Matthew Uffindell","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer (Keyboard)","Score":"38%","Text":""},{"Header":"Use of Computer (Joystick)","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability (Keyboard)","Score":"40%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability (Joystick)","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities (Keyboard)","Score":"40%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities (Joystick)","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value for Money (Keyboard)","Score":"45%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value for Money (Joystick)","Score":"70%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 4, Mar 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-02-16","Editor":"Chris Anderson","TotalPages":184,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Chris Anderson\r\nProduction Editor: Roderick George\r\nArt Editor: Ian Findlay\r\nTechnical Editor: Stuart Cooke\r\nStaff Writers: Steve Cooke, Peter Connor\r\nEditorial Assistant: Samantha Hemens\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nCartoons: Kipper Williams\r\nProgram Control Guardians: Jeff Riddle\r\nGame-of-the-month poster: Mark Watkinson\r\nScreenshots: Chris Bell\r\nCover Photography: Ko Kon Chung\r\nGroup Editor: Cyndy Miles\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nPublishing Manager: Mark Eisen\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Sue Clements\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Herbert Wright\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Jan Martin\r\nAdvertisement Production: Simon Carter\r\nSales Executives: Joey Davies, Marion O'Neill, Louise Hedges\r\n\r\nPublished by VNU Business Publications, [redacted]. Typesetting by Spectrum Typesetting, [redacted] Origination by Fourmost Colour [redacted]. Printed and bound by Chase Web Offset [redacted]. © VNU Business Publications 1984."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum 16/48K\r\nJOYSTICK: No\r\nCATEGORY: Arcade\r\nSUPPLIER: Silversoft\r\nPRICE: £5.95\r\n\r\nA very nice translation of Missile Command. Fast, colourful and with extra attacking weapons which can only be destroyed by direct hits. Great fun, if you like saving the earth.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"99","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Anderson","Score":"6","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ease Of Use","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]