[{"TitleName":"Mr. Wong's Loopy Laundry","Publisher":"Artic Computing Ltd","Author":"John Prince","YearOfRelease":"1984","ZxDbId":"0003314","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 7, Aug 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-07-26","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":112,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Kean\r\nConsultant Editor: Franco Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\n\r\nTelephone numbers\r\nGeneral office [redacted]\r\nEditorial/studio [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\n\r\nHot Line [redacted]\r\n\r\nCrash Micro is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nGeneral correspondence to: [redacted]\r\n\r\n©1984 Newsfield Limited.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent from the copyright holders.\r\n\r\nPhotosetting by SIOS [redacted]\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset Ltd (Member of the BPCC Group), [redacted].\r\nDistribution by COMAG, [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: Artic Computing\r\nMemory Required: 16K\r\nRetail Price: £5.95\r\nLanguage: Machine code\r\nAuthor: J. Prince\r\n\r\nComputer games do seem to run in cycles - now it's the turn of the Chinese with Ocean's Chinese Juggler and Artic's Loopy Laundry. Mercifully, considering the verbal possibilities, Artic have contented themselves with a very short scenario on the inlay, merely pointing out that as Mr Wong contends with the laundry, he also chased by soapsuds, an iron and a bag of dirty laundry.\r\n\r\nThe laundry takes the form of a very traditional looking five platform game with between two or three ladders connecting each floor. To the right of the screen a laundry chute runs from top floor to the bottom and it is into this chute on the top floor, that the items of clothing to be found, must be flung. Mr Wong is only able to carry one item at a time (presumably underlining that famous old Chinese proverb about many hands making light work). He is aided in his oriental perambulations by starch, which may be fired at the pursuing laundromaniacs, stiffening their resolve but freezing their action for a few precious moments. The starch, however, runs out very quickly and leaves Mr Wong vulnerable until a new box appears on the screen somewhere. To be active it must be collected before it vanishes again.\r\n\r\nOn the ground floor there is a washing line stretched out which shows the items of clothing that must be collected. These float around (unmoving) on the different floors. A busy washing machine calculates points remaining, which start at 990 and tick down.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: Q/A up/down, O/P left/right, bottom row to fire starch\r\nJoystick: Kempston, ZX 2, AGF, Protek\r\nKeyboard play: responsive and sensible positions\r\nUse of colour: very good and varied\r\nGraphics: good, smooth and well detailed\r\nSound: average\r\nSkill levels: 1 with increasingly difficult screens\r\nLives: 5\r\nScreens: 1\r\nOriginality: a variation on the 'Panic' platform type","ReviewerComments":["In many ways this is a 'Panic' like game - running up and down ladders, avoiding aliens (well irons etc.) and generally carrying out your task. The laundry is small compared with Mr Wong, but quite detailed and well coloured. Keyboard responses are good with a sensible key layout. The game is very different but not really addictive. An unoriginal 'Panic' type game with few variations on the original theme. \r\r\nUnknown","The graphics are quite neat and move well although I found it irritating that due to the character block reading it is easy to get 'killed off by a chaser in certain circumstances when the eye tells you you have escaped. This happens most on the ladders where on reaching the top and moving off along the floor, the ascending chaser's block touches yours. The sound is a bit sparse apart from the nice Chinese type tune.\r\r\nUnknown","This is a 'Panic' variation game. It's generally good, ie. graphics, colour and playability are all okay, but it's only a variant and doesn't tend to be too original. Artic's Bear Bovver was a very good platform game - this is not so hot! Basically it is playable and almost addictive but tends to suffer from averageness (if there isn't such a word.,there is now!).\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Above average, but not overaddictive.","Page":"12","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Velly crean wash in Mr Wong's Loopy Laundry, but the starch is velly stlong."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"69%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"62%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"68%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"55%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"55%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"62%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Spectrum Issue 8, Oct 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-09-20","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":90,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Munford\r\nManaging Editor: Bruce Sawford\r\nDeputy Editor: Tina Boylan\r\nTechnical Editor: Peter Shaw\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nContributors: Ron Smith, Leon Heller, Stephen Adams, Dr D C Threlfall, Simon Goodwin, Peter Freebrey, Ross Holman, Dave Nicholls, Mike Leaman, Bill Shaw, Penny Page, The Saltcoats Computing Club, Mark Roberts, Sue Denham\r\nArt Editor: Hazel Bennington\r\nArt Assistant: Steve Broadhurst\r\nGroup Advertising Manager: Jill Harris\r\nAdvertising: Shane Campbell, Nik Saha, Dave Baskerville\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nGroup Art Director: Perry Neville\r\nPublisher: Steven England\r\n\r\nPublished by Sportscene Specialist Press Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England. Telephone (all departments): [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Spectrum ©1984 Felden productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Spectrum is a monthly publication.\r\n\r\nCover photography by Ian McKinnell"},"MainText":"MR WONG'S LOOPY LAUNDRY\r\nArtic\r\n£6.95\r\r\n\r\r\nMr Wong is being chased by a clothes iron, a stack of dirty washing and even soap suds, as he tries to collect the laundry. So it's up to you to help him out by spraying his pursuers with starch to stun them.","ReviewerComments":["The graphics aren't very impressive and the colour doesn't improve the situation. Being so slow makes the game far too easy to play, especially when you're using a joystick, so it's worth remembering to play this one via the keyboard. Collecting laundry is an original idea, but it doesn't prove to be exciting.\r\nAlex Entwhistle","Originality is low - it's similar to burgertime type games - but this doesn't make the game any less playable or addictive. It includes above average, well-drawn and fairly smooth graphics, with only the merest amount of flicker. But the colour could be better, as the whole display is rather dull. Another minus is the speed - it's quite slow for this type of game, but using the keyboard instead of a joystick solves the problem to some extent.\r\nAlan Grier","There's a tendency to call this game boring, but that's only because the speed is so slow and perhaps because of the way colour is used; it's the same on every screen, which means everything looks the same. However, the graphics are well defined. It would be better to have total control of Mr Wong; for example if you press the key to go left he'll continue until another key is pressed.\r\nAlan Hunter"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Alex Entwhistle","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"MISS"},{"Name":"Alan Grier","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"HIT"},{"Name":"Alan Hunter","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"HIT"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 29, Aug 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-07-19","Editor":"Bill Scolding","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Bill Scolding\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nManaging Production Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nStaff Writer: Chris Bourne\r\nIllustrator/Designer: Craig Kennedy\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nProduction Assistant: Dezi Epaminondou\r\nEditorial Assistant: Colette McDermott\r\nManaging Editor: Nigel Clark\r\nAssistant Managing Director: Barry Hazel\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs, articles or ideas for hardware projects to:\r\nSinclair User and Programs\r\nECC Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nPrograms should be on cassette and articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless a stamped-addressed envelope is included.\r\n\r\nWe will pay £10 for the copyright of each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1984\r\nSinclair User\r\nISSN NO. 0262-5458\r\n\r\nPrinted and typeset by Cradley Print PLC, [redacted]\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]"},"MainText":"SOAP OPERA UNINSPIRED\r\n\r\nMemory: 16K/48K\r\nPrice: £6.95\r\nJoystick: Cursor, Kempston, ZX Interface\r\n\r\nWelcome to the Artic Computing loopy laundry. If you expect to do any washing, however, you had better forget it unless you are very fast on your feet. Mr Wong's Loopy Laundry, for the 48K Spectrum, is too much like the last Artic game, Bear Bovver, to be a great step forward in games software.\r\n\r\nThe idea is to rush round the platforms and up the ladders, gathering clothes and depositing them down the chute at the top of the screen. Unfortunately there are soap suds, a giant iron and a dirty bag of laundry waiting to pounce on you if you cannot avoid them. You can turn the wayward washing utensils stiff by blasting starch in their direction, although you must be careful not to exhaust your supply of powder.\r\n\r\nThe game is good clean fun but is unlikely to be a best-seller. The graphics flicker and the actions you have to perform are repetitive. It might appeal to children but even they might be washboard-stiff after a time.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"37","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Gilbert Factor","Score":"5/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 34, Aug 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-07-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"CREDITS\r\n\r\nEditor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nAssistant Editor: Eugene Lacey\r\nEditorial Assistant: Clare Edgeley\r\nStaff Writers/Reader Services: Robert Schifreen, Seamus St. John\r\nArt Editor: Linda Freeman\r\nDesigner: Lynda Skerry\r\nProduction Editor: Mary Morton\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Rob Cameron\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Louise Matthews\r\nAdvertising Executives: Bernard Dugdale, Sean Brennan, Phil Godsell\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Melanie Paulo\r\nProduction Assistant: Roy Stephens\r\nPublisher: Rita Lewis\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES POSTAL SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE. By using the special Postal Subscription Service, copies of COMPUTER AND 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 AND VIDEO GAMES (Subscription Department), [redacted]. All orders should include the appropriate remittance made payable to COMPUTER AND VIDEO GAMES. Annual subscription rates (12 issues): UK and Eire: £14. 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 Eden Fisher (Southend) Ltd, [redacted]. Typeset by Camden Typesetters Ltd.\r\n\r\nThe cover illustration: What a soap opera these four could make together!\r\nIllustrated by Bob Wakelin."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum\r\nSUPPLIER: Artic\r\nPRICE: £6.95\r\n\r\nA rather wishy-washy game is this latest from Artic - the company that did for the articulated lorry what Esther Rantzen did for dental Surgery.\r\n\r\nIt's a climbing game - a mixture of Donkey Kong and Burger-time but based around washing and laundry.\r\n\r\nYou take the part of Mr Wong and your job is to collect the various pieces of laundry which are scattered around the screen. You then have to return to the top of the screen and tip the garments into the chute.\r\n\r\nThere are about half a dozen items on screen one and this number increases on following screens. You have to collect the items one at a time. If you are carrying something, then you'll have to drop it into the chute before you can collect another. The only entrance to the chute is at the top of the screen which is quite annoying.\r\n\r\nThe Burgertime aspect is apparent in two places. Chasing you round the screen are an iron, a sack of laundry and a froth of soap suds. These may not be as tasty as sausages, tomatoes and chips but the way they move is very similar.\r\n\r\nYour defence against these hazards is a box of starch. A box is good for five shakes and a quick shake in the right place will paralyse a pursuing enemy. When stocks of starch fall low, a new box will appear and you have a limited time in which to pick it up.\r\n\r\nThis is a good game. There's not much variety, though, as the screens are all very similar. The only difference between screens one and two is a slightly different layout of the ladders and the introduction of an extra nasty.\r\n\r\nControl is via a Kempston or Interface 2 joystick. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard. The keys are well laid out and easy to lay fingers on in a hurry.\r\n\r\nAs it says on the cassette inlay, it's all good clean fun.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"39","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]