[{"TitleName":"Mag Max","Publisher":"Imagine Software Ltd","Author":"Gary Knight, Mark R. Jones, Bob Wakelin","YearOfRelease":"1987","ZxDbId":"0002976","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 42, Jul 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-06-25","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nAssistant Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Richard Eddy, Ian Phillipson\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStrategy Editor: Philippa Irving\r\nTech Tipster: Simon Goodwin\r\nContributing Writers: Jon Bates, Brendon Kavanagh, John Minson, Nik Wild\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director: Gordon Druce\r\nIllustrator: Oliver Frey\r\nProduction: Tony Lorton, Mark Kendrick, Tim Croton, Seb Clare\r\nProcess and Planning: Matthew Uffindell, Jonathan Rignall, Nick Orchard\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Nick Wild\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nEditorial and Production: [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order and Subscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\nBookings [redacted]\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 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.\r\n\r\n©1987 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Imagine\r\nRetail Price: £7.95\r\n\r\nThe aliens are invading and Mag Max, a robocenturion, has been created to save the threatened planet- just in time. His builders were destroyed by the attackers from outer space, and Mag Max must find all his components, scattered about the continents. Only then can he accomplish his ultimate programmed task in this shoot- 'em-up from a Nitchibutsu coin-op original.\r\n\r\nHis defending craft can move across the scrolling surface of the planet, and through the cavernous underworld that lies beneath its skin.\r\n\r\nAliens come in a myriad of forms: from death masks to yachts, from ice-cream cones to Cyclopean balls. Mag Max can evade but not destroy their blasts and shots, and he risks losing one of his six lives when he comes into contact with the aliens or their structures.\r\n\r\nCraters pocking the planet's surface and the passageways beneath transport Mag Max to other, more perilous locations where more enemies await.\r\n\r\nMag Max's basic armament is a Super-Laser with a limitless supply of power, which can eliminate aliens and their constructions (and thus earn you points). And as he gathers his components into his ever-filling innards, he gains strength, defensive force and firepower.\r\n\r\nMag can also gather weaponry that doubles and quadruples his firepower; some invaders can only be destroyed with the special lance in the robot craft's weaponry. But each time he's hit by an alien, Mag loses the last weapon he acquired.\r\n\r\nWhen a stage is completed, Mag encounters the leader of the invading hordes - and must vanquish him before going on to the next level.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: Q/A up/down, N/M left/right, SPACE to fire\r\nJoystick: Kempston, Interface 2, Cursor\r\nUse of colour: generally drab in tone\r\nGraphics: mostly small, though reasonably detailed\r\nSound: poor\r\nSkill levels: one","ReviewerComments":["The brilliant loading screen raises expectations, but the first time you play it Mag Max looks absolutely terrible; the graphics are simple and monochromatic. BUT the game itself is very playable. Mag Max is basically a shoot-'em-up with a few frilly extras. Collecting the robot's parts adds a new dimension to the game: with each part your ship becomes more powerful but more vulnerable, because you Increase in size. For all this, it's not particularly addictive - there just isn't enough depth. Mag Max is let down by its graphic presentation and lack of addictive qualities, and is certainly overpriced for an average shoot-'em-up.\r\r\nRobin Candy","At first play, I really disliked Mag Max because of the awful perspective technique; everything gives a false sense of depth and position, so I found myself doing quite a bit of exploding! But ten minutes of concentration helped resolve the problem, and once you get used to the poor graphics and odd collision- detection Mag Max becomes a reasonable-to good shoot-'em-up. The sound FX aren't anything astounding, but the title tune is quite nice. Overall Mag Max is a nice bit of blasting; but it's marred by the terrible perspective view.\r\nMike Dunn","As this game loaded I thought it was another 'save the world from the aliens' bore. But it's really quite good. The graphics are small but clear - especially the aliens, wandering around the screen making a nuisance of themselves. Just getting past the first few waves will make you want to keep playing. Though the idea - flying a spaceship round the screen picking up pieces of equipment to aid your mission - is not new, this game has for me that quality of making you want to see just one more screen. And with those aliens about it's difficult. Still, try before you buy.\r\r\nMark Rothwell"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Somewhat mixed feelings, with Mark finding it more fun than the others did, but everyone agreed that it's an above average shoot-'em-up.","Page":"20,21","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Robin Candy","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Mike Dunn","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Mark Rothwell","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"In one of the subterranean levels, Max encounters a variety of alien fighters."},{"Text":"Left of screen, Max on wheels roars along using laser he's just acquired."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"52%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"67%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 20, Aug 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1987-07-09","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":98,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Peter George\r\nProduction Editor: Sara Biggs\r\nTechnical Editor: Phil South\r\nSoftware Editor: Marcus Berkmann\r\nDesigner: Darrell King\r\nEditorial Assistant: Angela Eager\r\nContributors: Audrey Bishop, Owen Bishop, Richard Blaine, Chris Donald, Mike Gerrard, Ian Hoare, Gwyn Hughes, ZZKJ, Cliff Joseph, Tony Lee, John O'Molly, Rick Robson, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Julian Harriott\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nManaging Editor: Kevin Cox\r\nPublisher: Roger Munford\r\nPublishing Director: Stephen England\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing 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 ©1987 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":"Imagine\n£7.95Reviewer: Rachael Smith\n\nPing, zzzarrp!!!! Piddle-tiddle-tiddle-tiddle-tiddle-tiddle-tum-tum.\n\nAnd bong, bong, bong too. Here it is. Blast it all up, in the true Nitchibutsu (Bless you, Ed) arcade style. Scrolling action across a horizontal 3D, Zaxxon-style landscape or down through a person-hole cover (no sexism in a Rachael review) to try some side-on action in the caves.\n\nPop! Pop! Kaboom!!! This is one for the quick fingered as you duck, dive 'n dodge, shooting all the way like Dirty Harry on the trail of the punk who'll make his day.\n\nYou glide left to right - or rather the landscape glides right to left under you - and swerve in and out of the screen, avoiding surface structures as you go. But keep moving because the aliens all home in immediately, whether they're rooted to the spot or weaving around, and the only way to avoid their shots is to zig-zag.\n\nToo much tension up top? (Try a larger T-shirt! Ed) Then position yourself over an entrance to the underworld and prepare to take on the formation nasties. They're joined together like some alien tapeworm and you've got to take out each section before they're dead.\n\nWipe out enough aliens and you get the chance to pick up a free gift - apparently this is an obligatory feature in shoot 'em ups, '87-style. These appear in order and include things like the blasters which double your fire power, a pair of fast-walking legs and a lance, which you'll need for some of the heavyweight nasties.\n\nBut Rachael has a little quibble. To get enough features onto each screen, which gives you time to steer around them, the graphics are a little squidgy and the smaller missiles are difficult to see against the monochrome background.\n\nBut what the heck! It all moves so fast that you'll be diving back in every time you die. This is a high score freak's dream. Even if it isn't the most involved scenario ever, it's dangerously addictive entertainment. I'm just grateful I'm not pouring ten pees into the arcade machine.\n\nAnd now. If you'll excuse me... Whap! Whapp!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Simple shoot 'em up but packed with the secret hookability that makes you keep on coming back for more!","Page":"59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Rachael Smith","Score":"8","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"... and into the fire. Underground you tend to die faster but score more as you take on the circling aliens. Again, allow yourself plenty of room to manoeuvre and keep blasting. Exits to the upper world appear on the ground, but beware of bumping into nasties as you skim along, trying to reach one."},{"Text":"Keep moving but try not to get trapped at the bottom or top of the screen. And keep firing as you weave around, so that you get the aliens immediately they appear. Watch out for the weaponry - it's waiting for you to collect it - and the circular holes that take you out of the frying pan..."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 64, Jul 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-06-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":100,"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\nAdventure Help: Gordo Greatbelly\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nHelpline: Andrew Hewson\r\nContributors: Richard Price, Andy Moss, Gary Rook\r\nHardware Correspondent: Rupert Goodwins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Louise Fanthorpe\r\nDeputy Advertisement Manager: Mike Corr\r\nProduction Assistant: Alison Morton\r\nAdvertisement Secretary: Linda Everest\r\nSubscriptions Manager: Carl Dunne\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nTelephone [redacted]\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Warner Bros\r\n\r\nTypeset by PRS Ltd, [redacted]\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 90,215 July-Dec 1985"},"MainText":"Label: Imagine\r\nAuthor: Gary Knight\r\nPrice: £7.95\r\nJoystick: various\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nReviewer: Tamara Howard\r\n\r\nWhen one realises that the end of civilisation is at hand, and that there is no hope for survival, it makes sense to go down a hole and build a robot. It's not going to keep you alive, but you at least have the satisfaction of knowing that your 'droid is going to blast the hell out of the aliens after you've gone.\r\n\r\nAnd that fellow star fighters, is basically the SP of Mag Max (Max being the droid in question). But there's more. Owing to sudden death, the mechanics didn't quite finish off poor old Max. So he's got no legs and no protective headgear. But never fear! It's quite easy to pick up these little necessities, once you've wasted a few of the enemy hordes.\r\n\r\nBut that's not easy. They're pretty mean as hordes go, they've got pointy heads and they walk around and fire at you. Doesn't do a lot for intergalactic peace really, but it does serve to make the game a bit more exciting.\r\n\r\nAnd gosh, it's one exciting game. Some of the screens are green, and one or two of them are brown. Amazing. Mag Max is pretty enjoyable. Lots of opportunities to kill things, and progress on to higher levels, with some more things to kill. At first, as with all shoot-em-ups, it's quite tricky to get past the first row of aliens, but after a while, it's easy to suss out techniques to get you through.\r\n\r\nAs you pick up various bits of your metallic anatomy, you gain more fire power, which makes life good for a laugh. This is extra important, because there are certain aliens which can only be destroyed by certain weapons, and if you come up against one without that particular piece of weaponry, you're scrap metal.\r\n\r\nAs games go, Mag Max is pretty good to look at. The graphics are large and clear and the scrolling is smooth. The only problem that I found was on the green screen. Seeing as everything else around you is green, including the background, apart from the black bits, which aren't green at all, it's quite difficult to spot the alien bullets coming for you, and sometimes you just find yourself dying, and you never even saw them coming. The satisfying part to dying, if dying can ever be said to be satisfactory, is that if you hammer the Fire button while you're doing it (dying that is) you can carry on shooting even when you're a celestial sort of robot. And that's good for a laugh.\r\n\r\nAt the end of each stage of the game, an excessively large and evil dragon appears, which has to be bombarded over and over again with various bits of ammunition, and then you can proceed to the next level and start all over again. If you should get bored with one particular screen, you can always duck down a hole and go on to a different underground passage. In that section the 3Dish view becomes side on. You still kill everything though.\r\n\r\nSo that's Mag Max.\r\n\r\nAnother actually quite good scrolling shoot-em up from Imagine.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Nice fast blast with a good variety of beasties to destroy. Well worth a look at if you're a shoot-em-up fan.","Page":"65","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tamara Howard","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 7, Apr 1988","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1988-03-03","Editor":"Peter Connor, Steve Cooke","TotalPages":132,"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\nProduction Editor: Rod Lawton\r\nStaff Writer: Andy Smith\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nArt Team: Angela Neal, Sally Meddings\r\nPublisher: Chris Anderson\r\n\r\nCOVER PHOTOGRAPHY\r\nStuart Baynes Photography [redacted]\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS & SPECIAL OFFERS\r\nChristine Stacey [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 1988 - No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"C64, £8.95cs, £12.95dk\r\nSpectrum, £7.95cs\r\nAmstrad, £8.95cs, £14.95dk\r\n\r\nHere's a horizontally scrolling shoot-em-up that has the player controlling a robot scouring the surface of a planet looking for parts of himself. This robot was designed to repel the hordes of invaders and every part of the robot that the player collects increases the his fire power. The end-of-level guardians and progressively harder stages make for one highly addictive and extremely playable game that will certainly test your reactions. The Spectrum version is, arguably, the best of the bunch.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"68","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Mag Max - manic robotic blasting."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 70, Aug 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-07-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"C+VG TEAM\r\n\r\nEditor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nDeputy Editor: Paul Boughton\r\nEditorial Assistant: Lesly Walker\r\nSub-Editor: Seamus St. John\r\nArt Editor: Craig Kennedy\r\nAdventure Writers: Keith Campbell, Steve Donoghue, Matthew Woodley\r\nAmerican Correspondent: Marshall M. Rosenthal\r\nArcades: Clare Edgeley\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nPublicity: Clive Pembridge\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Garry Williams\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Katherine Lee\r\nAd Production: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\nCover: Gary Ward\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nJuly-December 106,571"},"MainText":"(Although the review states it's for C64 there is nothing in the review to indicate this. Plus all screenshots are from the Spectrum version.)\r\n\r\nMACHINES: Spectrum/C64/Amstrad\r\nSUPPLIER: Imagine\r\nPRICE: £7.95 (Spectrum), £8.95 (C64/Amstrad)\r\nVERSION TESTED: C64\r\n\r\nFancy changing the destiny of a whole planet? Not an offer that comes your way every day, is it? But Mag Max gives you the chance to save a world from the evil Mechanoids. Haven't we just had an election to do much the same thing? Enough of this biting social satire - on with the review.\r\n\r\nMag Max, if you remember, was advertised ages ago, but like many a game failed to appear on schedule. But now this conversion of the Nitchibutsu (Bless you!) coin-op is here and raring to take you on a zap-packed adventure.\r\n\r\nThe game is set on a once civilised planet which has been destroyed by the awesomely nasty Mechanoids. They are the sort of people who like ripping the tops off flowers as they walk past your front garden.\r\n\r\nWhich is what happened on the planet where the Mag Max project was being carried out. Mag Max, an advanced robot with more deadly gizmos than a food processor, was created by the Sci-Corps who, when threatened by the Mechanoids, buried bits of Max all around the planet. They left the main bit in a secret bunker.\r\n\r\nThe Mechanoids went about spitting horrible laser death joyfully unaware of Mag Max sitting waiting to pounce.\r\n\r\nAnd this is where you come in. You control the mighty robot and direct his attack on the mean old Mechanoids. Guide him across the surface of the planet, and through underground passages, searching for his long-lost spare parts.\r\n\r\nYou begin by flying the main bit of Max over the 3D perspective surface of the planet - full of animated hazards, pillboxes and flying mechanoids.\r\n\r\nYour best bet is to grab the body section you see waiting by a crater and then dive underground to familiarise yourself with the controls and idea of the game.\r\n\r\nThe underground sections are pretty straightforward, horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up. But watch out for the homing missiles fired by the various types of aliens you encounter.\r\n\r\nCollect more parts of Mag Max - you'll find them scattered around at pretty regular intervals - then find a hatch which leads back to the surface and have a crack at the more difficult surface defences with your increased firepower.\r\n\r\nBy no means a classic - but well presented, with good graphics, nice sound. It's also very challenging and very playable.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"31","Denied":false,"Award":"C+VG Hit","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tim Metcalfe","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"9/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Computer Issue 10, Oct 1987","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1987-09-17","Editor":"Simon Craven","TotalPages":84,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Simon Craven\r\nStaff Writer: Amon Cohen\r\nEditorial Back-up: Sally Wood\r\nSub Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nProduction Editor: Nick Fry\r\nCopy Controller: Serena Hadley\r\nDesign: Chris Winch, Neil Tookey\r\nArt Editor: Jim McClure\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Kathy McLennan\r\nSenior Sales Executive: Ian Faux\r\nEditorial Secretary: Sheila Baker\r\nManaging Editor: Brendon Gore\r\nPublisher: Paul Coster\r\nAssistant Publisher: Jeremy Kite\r\nFinancial Director: Brendan McGrath\r\nManaging Director: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nYour Computer, [redacted]\r\nISSN 0263 0885\r\n\r\n©1987 Focus Magazines Limited\r\nPrinted by Cradley Print, England.\r\nTypeset by Time Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by Quadrant Publishing Services, [redacted]\r\n\r\nReasonable care is taken to avoid errors in this magazine but no liability for any errors which may occur. No material in this publication may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publishers. The publishers will not accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, listings, data tapes or discs.\r\n\r\nWe will assume permission to publish all unsolicited material unless otherwise stated. We cannot be held responsible for the safe return of any material submitted for publication. Please keep a copy of all your work and do not send us original artwork.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately we are unable to answer lengthy enquiries by telephone. Any written query requiring a personal answer MUST be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope; please allow up to 28 days for a reply.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: UK £15 for 12 issues. Overseas (surface mail) £25 - airmail rates on request. Please make cheques/postal orders payable to Focus Magazines. (allow 5 weeks from receipt of order to delivery of first subscription copy). Send orders to Your Computer Subscriptions, [redacted].\r\n\r\nBack issues of the magazine from January 1986 are available for £2.00 (UK), £3 (Overseas) from the Back Issues Department, [redacted]."},"MainText":"£8.95 cassette/Amstrad\r\n£7.95 cassette Spectrum\r\n£12.95 disk 64/Amstrad\r\nPublisher: Imagine\r\n\r\nAfter approximately a year and a half, and a good sprinkling of hype, comes Imagine's next Nichibutsu arcade conversion.\r\n\r\nFive Magmax droids are standing between an alien invasion and eventual conquest. Unfortunately most of the weaponry is spread out over the horizontally scrolling landscape.\r\n\r\nYour aim is to survive the various landscapes by collecting extra pieces of your robot. This increases firepower by an extra sprite. Another novel weapon is the lance, used to spear certain indestructible aliens. From time to time you have to destroy a three-headed metal dragon. This generally requires all fire power.\r\n\r\nYou can go above and below the planet surface via a series of lifts, the lower caverns usually being more hectic. Here the enemy activity consists of mobile and stationary aliens as well as near-impassable bridges and barriers.\r\n\r\nWhat is Imagine playing at? This game is full of bugs and irritations. Why does the inlay say RETURN is the pause/unpause button when the buttons are F1/F7? The dragon sequence in the 64 conversion is completely pointless - a static creature with two heads and no neck (three heads plus necks in the arcade version). What is the point of having orange bomb-bases if at one point you are going to change the screen colour to orange? Consequently the bases become black dots with an outline of the actual base there.\r\n\r\nWhy have the coin-op's original colours been changed from a brown and grey bas-relief combination to blue, pink and purple? It looks disastrous. The aliens, by the way, have discovered the secret of eternal life - you shoot them and they still chuck bombs even when dead and gone!\r\n\r\nIf you get killed anywhere while still fully armed, the game decides you don't deserve to play any more and duly crashes. (If you are above ground, the landscape turns to garbage as a warning.)\r\n\r\nOn one occasion the enemy sprites were turning black, to explosions, to garbage, to normal again. Sometimes, cavern based (two-dimensional) aliens make appearances on the above ground levels and vice versa. The garish green and orange would have been better as the green and light green seen in the advertisement if the cavern backdrop could not have been achieved exactly, the Amstrad look should have been adopted, a black screen with the cavern detail on the lop and bottom of the screen only.\r\n\r\nFred Gray's title screen music - I expect better from the man who did the Mission AD, Army Moves and Breakthru music. That Ocean loading music appears again! This is another in the 'I'll lock up if you press REASTORE' series.\r\n\r\nSometimes the bases only half blow up. What is it with Imagine? It can turn out consistently good conversions yet waste money on unconvertible arcade games. Imagine would do much better to stick to marketing games only. The games it releases from specialist software are much superior to those produced in-house.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"58","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Kenneth Henry","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]