[{"TitleName":"Phantomas","Publisher":"Dinamic Software","Author":"Alfonso Azpiri, Enrique Cervera Mateu, Nigel Fletcher","YearOfRelease":"1986","ZxDbId":"0003686","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 35, Dec 1986","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1986-11-20","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":164,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Publishers: Roger Kean, Oliver Frey, Franco Frey\r\nPublishing Executive/Editor: Graeme Kidd\r\nStaff Writers: Lloyd Mangram, Hannah Smith\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStrategy Editor: Sean Masterson\r\nTech Tipster: Simon Goodwin\r\nContributing Writers: Jon Bates, Brendon Kavanagh, Rosetta McLeod, John Minson, Bill Scolding\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nArt Director: Dick Shiner\r\nIllustrators: Ian Craig, Oliver Frey\r\nProduction: Seb Clare, Tim Croton, Gordon Druce, Mark Kendrick, Tony Lorton, Michael Parkinson, Cameron Pound, Jonathan Rignall, Matthew Uffindell\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©1986 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey\r\n\r\nCRASH ABC FIGURE:\r\n101,483 Total\r\n97,992 UK and EIRE"},"MainText":"Producer: Codemasters\r\nRetail Price: £1.99\r\nAuthor:\r\n\r\nPhantomas' task in this game is to hunt out a millionaire's mansion and plunder to his heart's content. But before he can indulge in this financial fantasy he must face many dangers and, solve the odd riddle or two.\r\n\r\nAll these weird and wonderful creatures must be avoided because they sap Phantomas' essential life energy. And as he only gets one life you must ensure that this energy doesn't go down to zero or the game will be prematurely ended. Phantomas's life force is indicated by a coloured bar at the bottom of the main screen.\r\n\r\nThere are 36 levers on the planet Earth-Gamma. Each of these levers must be triggered. These levers are scattered throughout the labyrinth and Phantomas must switch them by jumping into them. Most of the levers are p protected by the moving nasties. Some of the other levers however, take some hunting for. Rides in helicopters and space rockets are just some of the ways Phantomas can be transported to these remote areas. Some of these locations are rigged with traps, like the huge rampaging boulder he meets after the helicopter ride. When Phantomas triggers this switch it releases a huge boulder which will crush the poor pilferer unless you're quick on those running keys and can get him successfully out of the screen. Once all 36 levers have been switched an alarm bell will sound Phantomas will get a big strong box (presumably to carry his treasures in) and secret doors will open.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: definable\r\nJoystick: Kempston, Interface II, Cursor\r\nKeyboard play: probably easier\r\nUse of colour: rather jolly\r\nGraphics: rather flicker in places\r\nSound: A really good un-Spectrumy tune at the beginning. Basic sound effects throughout\r\nSkill levels: one\r\nScreens: 80 separate rooms","ReviewerComments":["Phantoms, is lots of fun to play and quite addictive for a short while. It is very well presented and includes lots of well designed features; such as the tune at the beginning and all the little animated objects like the coat hangers and radar towers. Phantomas is very colourful and contains loads of little but detailed characters - the clouds are very good. Even though Phantomas is another in the massive group of arcade/adventures I found it a great little game.\r\r\nUnknown","Another Aardvark from CODEMASTERS and his time it's a goo one (horay!). Controlling your bloke can be a little confusing at first as there are two types of jump which are virtually identical. The graphics are small and undetailed but they are adequate. The sound on the other hand is very good, there is a lovely tune on the title screen and many admirable effects during the game. This isn't at all a bad given the price; recommended.\r\r\nUnknown","Help! Not another platform game! I seem to have done almost nothing this month except review this sort of thing. And it's getting to me. Phantomas isn't the worst of the lot though. The graphics are quite good, if very similar to its predecessors, and I enjoyed playing it to an extent. Platform games have never really appealed to me, but I think that Phantomas is a reasonable version on a far too old theme.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Indifferent little aardvark.","Page":"34,35","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Off on the rocket; where to next?"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"66%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"66%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"61%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"64%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"62%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"64%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 12, Dec 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1986-11-13","Editor":"Kevin Cox","TotalPages":122,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Kevin Cox\r\nArt Editors: Martin Dixon, Caroline Clayton\r\nDeputy Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nProduction Editor: Sara Biggs\r\nStaff Writer: Phil South\r\nTechnical Consultant: Peter Shaw\r\nContributors: Stephen Adams, Mike Gerrard, Ian Hoare, Gwyn Hughes, ZZKJ, Steve Marsden, Tommy Nash, Chris Palmer, Max Phillips, Rick Robson, Rachael Smith\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Salmon\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Julian Harriott\r\nProduction Managers: Sonia Hunt, Judith Middleton\r\nPublishing Manager: Roger Munford\r\nPublishing Director: 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":"Codemasters\n£1.99\nReviewer: Tommy Nash\n\nWhat d'you get it you cross Jet Set Willy with Daley Thompson's Decathlon? You get what? Leave this page at once, that's positively disgusting! Of course, you get Phantomas, one of the first releases from a new software house called Codemasters. And for an opener that won't rock your pocket. It's not at all bad.\n\nYes, it's JSW only the sprites are a bit bigger. Plenty of nasties going up and down, plenty more going from right to left and plenty of platforms so that you can avoid them. Only one life though, but you can replenish your energy by picking up the little coloured squares that are scattered around the screens. And there are plenty of screens.\n\nYou play the thief, Phantomas, out to 'alf-inch the jewels hidden on the planet. But first you have to get hold of the strongbox they're kept in by switching 36 separate levers. So, it's jump, dodge, switch on, swan out. Like all good platform games, it comes down to timing - in this case, have I got time for just one more go?\n\nBut why? There's nothing really remarkable about the game. On a scale of one to ten it scores minus four for originality. Even some of the sprites are stolen straight from JSW. But it's fun with a capital Ph. And it's full of good things. Like the music. One of those tunes that you end up humming weeks later. Like Phantomas, a real nobody of a computer character. No body, just a head on a pair of feet. Like the variety of screens. Each one holds the promise of a surprise. And yes, like Daley Thompson. On one of the screens you're whisked away in a helicopter and deposited on a planet surface with yet another switch. Throw it and you're told that to run you need the keys V and B. Now run. If you don't you're squashed flat by a large rolling boulder. No body, no head, no game.\n\nThis is one of the best arguments I've seen for still comparing budget games with the full-price stuff. There's a couple of days solid playing here at a quarter of the price. Sure, if you're heartily sick of Willy clones, steer clear. Otherwise, give it a spin. It doesn't rate a megagame; not nearly original enough. And it has a few annoying faults that would've been ironed out of a full-price game (I hope).\n\nBut I'll play Phantomas again. Phor the sheer phun of it!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"52,53","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tommy Nash","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 58, Jan 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1986-12-18","Editor":"David Kelly","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: David Kelly\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nSenior Staff Writer: Graham Taylor\r\nStaff Writer: Jim Douglas\r\nDesigner: 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\nSenior Sales Executive: Jacqui Pope\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: Courtesy of 2000AD magazine\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs or articles to:\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nOriginal programs should be on cassette and articles should be typed. Please write Program Printout on the envelopes of all cassettes submitted. We cannot undertake to return cassettes unless an SAE is enclosed. We pay £20 for each program printed and £50 for star programs.\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: Code Masters\r\nAuthor: Enrigue Cervera\r\nPrice: £1.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoysticks: various\r\nReviewer: Grhaam Taylor\r\n\r\nIf I have to bounce my way around any more mansions looking for treasure and dodging obstacles I may go mad.\r\n\r\nPhantomas, one of the first releases from Codemasters, a whole new software label, has finally sent me over the edge...\r\n\r\nScreen after screen of funny (ie not funny) shaped objects hopping backwards and forwards, objects you need to collect that flash, things that must be jumped over. It goes on...\r\n\r\nI can't stand many more cute characters either. This one like an orange with feet and a beret leaps around unpredictably, the way the jump button is pressed seemingly having little relationship to the height of the jump.\r\n\r\nI tired too of backgrounds constructed of featureless bricks and steps that don't have any function because you can jump over them.\r\n\r\nThere is, I suppose, something to be said for the sheer volume of material in the game, there are screens and screens of it. Three sections: one is a sort of junkyard of odd vehicles and rockets, the next is the palace and then there's the underground world.\r\n\r\nEighty different rooms it says on the front of the box. proudly. Well, different is stretching a point a bit. It's more a case that the silly sprites all come in various guises...","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Another sub-Manic Miner budget bounce 'em up. No real original thought has been put into it but it's huge.","Page":"50","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Graham Taylor","Score":"1","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"1/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 64, Feb 1987","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1987-01-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nDeputy Editor: Paul Boughton\r\nEditorial Assistant: Lesly Walker\r\nSub-Editor: Seamus St. John\r\nDesign: 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: Marcus Rich\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Garry Williams\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Katherine Lee\r\nAd Production: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Rita Lewis\r\nCover: Mark Bromley (Who also did last months Space Harrier spectacular!)\r\n\r\n© Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nJuly-December 98,258"},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum\r\nSUPPLIER: Code Masters\r\nPRICE: £1.99\r\n\r\nCode Masters must be using some sort of games designer program for their Spectrum games. The similarities between Phantomas and Vampire are many.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are similar in style. Clouds in both programs are identaical.\r\n\r\nThe gameplay in both is very similar. Even the way the energy levels are represented are the same and the rate of descents are identical.\r\n\r\nYou play the part of Phantomas who comes from a far away galaxy. His only abilities are to rob and plunder wherever he goes.\r\n\r\nAs Phantomas you must find the hidden treasure in the millionaire's mansion.\r\n\r\nTo do this you must travel to the planet Earth-Gemma and search out the mansion using helicopters and planes.\r\n\r\nWhen you arrive at the mansion you must always be on the look out for trouble which includes boulders that chase your To help you in parts of the game there are riddles on the game cover.\r\n\r\nThis is a good game but it is too much like Vampire. Let's hope they can find a new set of graphics to use in the next Spectrum release.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"45","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Brian (C+VG)","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ZX Computing Issue 33, Jan 1987","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1986-12-18","Editor":"Bryan Ralph","TotalPages":92,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Bryan Ralph\r\nAssistant Editor: Cliff Joseph\r\nConsultant Editor: Ray Elder\r\nAdvertising Manager: John McGarry\r\nDesign: Argus Design\r\nA.S.P. Advertising and Editorial [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted by Chase Web, [redacted]\r\n\r\nAdvertisement Copy Controller: Andy Selwood\r\n\r\nDistributed by: Argus Press Sales and Distribution Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nZX Computing Monthly is published on the fourth Friday of each month. Subscription rates can be obtained from ZX Subscriptions, [redacted]\r\n\r\nThe contents of this publication, including all articles, designs plans, drawings and other intellectual property rights herein belong to Argus Specialist Publications Limited. All rights conferred by the law of Copyright and other intellectual property rights and by virtue of international copyright conventions are specifically reserved to Argus Specialist Publications Limited and any reproduction requires the prior written consent of the company.\r\n\r\nArgus Specialist Publications Limited. ©1987"},"MainText":"Codemasters\r\n£2.99\r\n\r\nPhantomas is a mutant. No ordinary mutant mind, but one specialising in robbery, plunder and pillage intended for use in the battle of the red moons on Alpha Centauri, his talent for eluding capture has worked against his manufacturers and Phantomas escaped, becoming a free agent.\r\n\r\nStories of great wealth abounded in the local press and one that particularly caught his eye was details of the miser Goldter's horde secreted somewhere in his mansion on the clone planet Earth-Gamma. Naturally, the mansion was designed to be burglar proof, but a little thing like that had never stopped Phantomas before.\r\n\r\nThe mansion comes in three different parts. Parked outside are a variety of flying craft which will transport you to assorted outposts. Then there is the palace itself and an underground complex. In order to 'liberate' the strongbox, Phantomas must find and throw thirty-six levers scattered about the house and grounds. There are also jewels to be found but you must first solve two riddles if you are to succeed. The game features many other little twists. When you fly off in the helicopter, you see a switch lying next to a pile of machinery. Pull the switch and you are immediately pursued by a giant snowball. The only way of escape is by rapidly hitting two keys a la Daley Thompson's Decathlon.\r\n\r\nEnergy cubes lie all over the place to replace whatever you lost in unfortunate collisions with the nasties. Another nice touch which separates this from run of the mill platform games is that Phantomas has two distinct types of jump available to him - a long jump for added distance and a high jump that enables him to leap tall buildings (well small obstacles really) at a single leap.\r\n\r\nThere seems to be a trend at the moment for mixing platform games with arcade adventures in order to produce a new hybrid and Phantomas is definitely towards the top of the range. Full of original and inventive ideas, the eighty screens will keep you hunched over your keyboard for many a long hour.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"38","Denied":false,"Award":"Globella","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"Great","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]