[{"TitleName":"Barreldrop","Publisher":"Games Machine Ltd","Author":"Russell Vincent","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0000424","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: Games Machine\r\nMemory Required: 48K\r\nRecommended Retail Price: £5.95\r\nLanguage: machine code\r\nAuthor: Russel Vincent\r\n\r\nBarreldrop takes its name from what might be called the chorus line of this game. The two heroes are Gordon and Flash but there's no Ming in this epic! Gordon has blocked drainpipes, five of them in fact, and he's discovered a rather novel way of clearing them. He stands on the roof with five barrels, rolls them down the incline and tries to get them to fall down the blocked pipes. How on earth this is supposed to clear them, goodness knows!\r\n\r\nHowever, it seems to do the trick. Unfortunately if he doesn't get the barrel exactly down the centre of a pipe it gets lost. Successful rolls are returned to him for another go. This is where Flash comes in. He's a dog who appears round the corner - sometimes. If he's visible and Gordon misplaces a barrel Flash will rescue it and return it up the ladder to him. Successfully clearing a screen results in another event, sometimes a riddle sometimes an arcade episode like getting Gordon safely across a floor in which some of the tiles are electrified. If you manage this, it's back to the chorus line again and more barrels to roll, more drains to be cleared.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nKeyboard positions: vary between sections, but generally sensible\r\nJoystick options: none\r\nKeyboard play: very responsive\r\nUse of colour: very good, all colours used\r\nGraphics: detailed, reasonably smooth\r\nSound: good\r\nScreens: many\r\nLives: 1","ReviewerComments":["I thought Barreldrop was a bit simple and boring - that was before a glass of Smirnov. The inlay only tells you that there's a surprise in store it you get five drains cleared. I was presented with a riddle which asked: What is a fourth defining measurement, an entity which never dies, but sees the end of all things? After a glass of Smirnov I realised I knew the answer (I was right too) and the next lot of drains seemed harder to clear (not just the drink!) because it's quite easy to mistime it, and damned Flash seems to appear less and less often. In fact Barreldrop is not simple and has enough bits and pieces to prevent boredom from setting in at all.\r\nUnknown","It's quite an original idea. a sort of games compendium in which nothing is exactly difficult, but there's so much of it you'll never get through. Having cleared the first screen I was asked to shoot down ten aliens with five lives in a sort of galaxian game. Neat graphics throughout. I cleared another barreldrop screen and had to walk Gordon over an electrified floor - he fried. I died. Only one life seems a little unfair. Fun though.\r\nUnknown","Good graphics, plentiful sound, loads of action. It should be a winner. I must say that I enjoyed it, but the fact that there isn't a concentrated effort on one subject may spoil the fun for the hardened arcade addict. Nevertheless, good value, fun, and a wide age group appeal.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: good value, perhaps low on addictivity","Page":"15","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"'Where's the damned dog?'"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"68%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"54%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"68%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"65%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Spectrum Issue 2, Mar 1984","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1984-02-16","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":98,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Munford\r\nContributing Editor: Bruce Sawford\r\nTechnical Editor: Ron Smith\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSub Editor: Nik Lumsden\r\nContributors: Toni Baker, Simon Goodwin, Mike Lord, Ian Beardsmore, Max Philips, Guy Kewney, Henry Budgett, Gary Marshall, Dilwyn Jones, Phil Manchester\r\nArt Editor: Jimmy Egerton\r\nArt Assistants: Steve Broadhurst, Mike Wilkes\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Jeff Raggett\r\nAdvertisement Managers: Shane Campbell, Gill Harris\r\nProduction Editor: Derek Cohen\r\nTypesetters: Anne Ashby, Maggie Kayley, Velma Miller\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nGroup Art Director: Perry Neville\r\nPublisher: Stephen England\r\nDistribution Manager: Colin James\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 bi-monthly publication and the third issue will be available during the second week of April 1984."},"MainText":"BARREL DROP\r\nGames Machine\r\n£5.95\r\n\r\nYou have to catch barrels as they drop from the top of the screen, aided only by your dog. Your name is Flash and the dog's name is Gordon - shouldn't it be the other way round?","ReviewerComments":["I've seen better 16K games designed to run on old tin boxes! Well, not really - but this isn't too good.\r\nCorrie Brown","Having achieved success in the first game, the player must answer a riddle or get through a mini-arcade game in order to move on to the next round. But subsequent rounds don't vary, even in speed, and riddles are often repeated, even when answered correctly first time round.\r\nStewart McPherson","Written in Basic, this game is slow, the graphics are unexciting and the colour is bad. It's a very tedious game and the riddles between rounds only seem to increase the tedium.\r\nPeter Shaw"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"57","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Corrie Brown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Stewart McPherson","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Peter Shaw","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"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: Games Machine, 48K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Russell Vincent\r\n\r\nStarring Gordon and Flash, Barreldrop is a games compendium. Gordon suffers from blocked drainpipes - at least his house does. He cures this affliction by the curious method of rolling large barrels down the sloping roof and letting them fail through the blocked pipes. He only has five barrels and it's important they fall exactly down the centre of each pipe. If they don't he loses the barrel for good. Fortunately his faithful dog Flash is on hand sometimes and if called in time, the dog will recover the barrel and return it for another go. Clearing all five pipes successfully results in another screen which may be anything from a riddle to guess to an arcade shoot em up sequence. It's quite an original idea, in which nothing is too difficult, and yet there's so much that it becomes very difficult to get through. Playable and fun, good value, no joystick options. Overall CRASH rating 65% M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"57","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"65%","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: Games Machine, 48K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Russell Vincent\r\n\r\nStarring Gordon and Flash, Barreldrop is a games compendium. Gordon suffers from blocked drainpipes - at least his house does. He cures this affliction by the curious method of rolling large barrels down the sloping roof and letting them fail through the blocked pipes. He only has five barrels and it's important they fall exactly down the centre of each pipe. If they don't he loses the barrel for good. Fortunately his faithful dog Flash is on hand sometimes and if called in time, the dog will recover the barrel and return it for another go. Clearing all five pipes successfully results in another screen which may be anything from a riddle to guess to an arcade shoot em up sequence. It's quite an original idea, in which nothing is too difficult, and yet there's so much that it becomes very difficult to get through. Playable and fun, good value, no joystick options. Overall CRASH rating 65% M/C.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"75","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"65%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 3, Feb 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-01-19","Editor":"Chris Anderson","TotalPages":176,"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\nIllustrations: Mark Watkinson, Andy Bylo, Tony Hannaford\r\nPhotography: Ian McKinnel, Chris Bell, Tony Sleep\r\nGroup Editor: Cyndy Miles\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nPublishing Manager: Mark Eisen\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Sue Clements\r\nAdvertising Manager: Herbert Wright\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Jan Martin\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 48K\r\nJOYSTICK: No\r\nCATEGORY: Arcade\r\nSUPPLIER: Games Machine Ltd\r\nPRICE: £5.95\r\n\r\nBarreldrop is, presumably, an arcade game with educational overtones - the cassette inlay shows a teacher and blackboard, and I suppose the game is designed to give very young children an idea of numbers and words. As such, it is not altogether successful.\r\n\r\nBarreldrop features a character called Gordon and his dog, Flash (geddit?). Gordon stands on a ledge at the top of the screen and rolls barrels down the roof of his house.\r\n\r\nPressing SPACE at the right moment allows the barrels to drop into a set of drainpipes, numbered one to five.\r\n\r\nAt various times during the game. It is possible to discern Gordon's dog peeping out from the right-hand corner. If you realise that you are about to miss your target, pressing 'D' will send Flash scampering across the screen to retrieve the errant barrel and bring it back up the ladder for another go.\r\n\r\nFilling all the drainpipes brings a bonus, and there are various riddles and other games included. The riddles are of the 'What has four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three at night?' variety, but there is no acknowledgment as to whether they have been answered correctly or not.\r\n\r\nAttention to detail is not all that it should be. either. Writer Russell Vincent has included a routine to speed up the auto-repeat while playing the game, but this remains in operation even when the user is invited to type in his/her name, which means that a very light touch is needed to avoid letters repeating.\r\n\r\nFor very young children only.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"42,43","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"David Janda","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ease Of Use","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"4/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]