[{"TitleName":"3D Bat Attack","Publisher":"CheetahSoft Ltd","Author":"Mark C. Jones","YearOfRelease":"1984","ZxDbId":"0000432","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 6, Jul 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-06-21","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\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Matthew Uffindel, Chris Passey\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\n©1984 Newsfield Ltd.\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\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: Cheetah Soft\r\nMemory Required: 48K\r\nRetail Price: £6.95\r\nLanguage: BASIC and Machine code\r\nAuthor: Mark Jones\r\n\r\nTo emphasise its 3Deeness. Bat Attack has the '3D' at the end of loading, seen lying flat on the 'ground' some way off in full perspective. The characters then come closer as you 'walk' towards them, rearing upright when you get close.\r\n\r\nThis is a three-dimensional game in which you are incarcerated in a tower with four floors. There is a lift between the floors and you can go to any one you wish, although each time you use the lift the bats which inhabit the floors of the tower will become more vicious.\r\n\r\nThe floors of the tower maze are lined with gold blocks which you must collect. You have no armament against the bat attacks, but at intervals on each floor there are cloves of garlic which may be eaten by running over them. This will give you immunity for 20 seconds only. It a bat attacks you after garlic has been eaten, it will stun but not kill the bat.\r\n\r\nThe corridors of the maze are drawn in perspective with green lines, uprights indicating the length of one step. The gold blocks on the floor are solid yellow rectangles, and the resulting scene resembles a modern open plan office with desks in straight lines and dividing partitions. Below the visual display there is a radar showing your position and that of the four bats. A map display of the maze, gold blocks and lift is also available at a key press. On this large map you can see the bats flitting about quite well. Below the display there is a direction indication arrow.\r\n\r\nIf you are hit by a blood sucking bat, a large crack appears over the screen and may take you by surprise if it came from behind. If it attacks from in front, you will see it approaching.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: cursors, CAPS and 0 to view maze\r\nJoystick: ZX 2, Protek, AGF\r\nKeyboard play: a little confusing at times, and no immediate response from the keys\r\nUse of colour: fair to average\r\nGraphics: average, reasonable 3D effects\r\nSound: poor\r\nSkill levels: 11 with between 1 and 4 bats selectable\r\nLives: 3\r\nScreens: 4\r\nOriginality: 3D maze games are hardly new - depends on how much one has to offer in new ideas...","ReviewerComments":["Movement of the maze is fairly slow, while the bats fly very quickly. Garlic is never to be found when you need it, and a map that is not co-ordinated with your key movements - that is, you move in one direction and your position marked on the map moves in a totally different direction - very contusing, if not frustrating. Graphics are large, detailed and approach you in a quite realistic way. The colour is also well used. Overall, a batty unaddictive game.\r\r\nUnknown","After following the usual screen messages I pressed any key to begin \" (it wasn't the BREAK key) and the game crashed, leaving a mess on the screen. Said incident happened several times. I made a final attempt with the Kempston interface unplugged - and success! Surely if the game was tested fully such information could be included with the program. I thought Bat Attack was basically boring, dated and almost colourless 3D maze game. There were games like this about a year ago. Unless this type of game can be revitalised or improved upon, then the 3D maze game has had its day. Not a particularly inspiring or exciting version anyway.\r\r\nUnknown","Bat Attack instantly reminded me of Gilsoft's Maze of Gold. You had to collect gold bars in that one too, but without the hindrance of monsters chasing you. The graphics are greatly improved though over some of the earlier 3D maze games, and the map facility is excellently done. The sense of movement along the corridors works quite well, but I think the real drawback to the game's working really well is the bats. Wouldn't it have been better to provide a weapon for shooting them? The garlic is totally ungainable in a hurry unless you happen to be right on top of a clove of the stuff. What also confuses and slows reactions down is the system whereby you can move in any direction with the cursor keys, but to face in the direction you must use the cursors and CAPS SHIFT to turn. This means you can sail down a long corridor only seeing the side wall! in a panic situation this can be quite troublesome. I enjoyed Bat Attack, but I don't really think it offers quite enough playability or excitement in the long run to be addictive.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Our reviewers' opinions ranged from poor, to fair/average to above average, but felt that at almost £7 it was pricey for what it offered.","Page":"109","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Gold blocks and garlic in Bat Attack. Remember - a clove a day keeps the bats away."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"54%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"55%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"43%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"63%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"45%","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"48%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"48%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"51%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Spectrum Issue 7, Sep 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-08-16","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":74,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Munford\r\nManaging Editor: Bruce Sawford\r\nDeputy Editor: Tina Boylan\r\nTechnical Editor: Peter Shaw\r\nSub Editor: Sophie Wright\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nContributors: Ron Smith, Gavin Smyth, Simon Goodiwn, Henry Budgett, Ross Holman, Stevenage Computer Club, John Flenley, Ian Beardsmore, John Tydeman, Stephen Stratford\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 Illustration by Mark Watkinson"},"MainText":"3D BAT ATTACK\r\nCheetah Soft\r\n£6.95\r\n\r\nTrapped inside a 3D maze, trying to gather up gold blocks, your task is to fight your way along to the next level.","ReviewerComments":["Players can choose their own degree of difficulty by entering on different levels, with a greater or lesser number of bats. Both the graphics and the colour are above average, making for a very playable game.\r\nIan Hemmingway","This game (or one very like it) first appeared as a listing in a certain magazine under the title of 3D Dracman. It was OK for free, but as a commercial produce it's awful. Graphics, colour and speed are all uninspiring.\r\nPhil Morse","Oh, no, not another maze game! The 3D representation of the walls is OK, and so are the bats. Use of colour is adequate, which gives quite reasonable clarity. But it's still just another unoriginal program.\r\nFrank Pelling"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"44","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Ian Hemmingway","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"HIT"},{"Name":"Phil Morse","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"MISS"},{"Name":"Frank Pelling","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":"MISS"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 10, Sep 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-08-16","Editor":"Chris Anderson","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Chris Anderson\r\nDeputy Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nProduction Editor: Roderick George\r\nArt Editor: Ian Findlay\r\nStaff Writers: Peter Connor, Bob Wade\r\nEditorial Assistant: Samantha Hemens\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nCartoons: Kipper Williams\r\nScreenshots: Chris Bell\r\nGame-of-the-month poster: Jeff Riddle\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nGroup Publisher: John Cade\r\nPublisher: James Scoular\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Jenny Dunne\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Mark Satchell\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Jan Martin\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Susie Cooper\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Peter Goldstein\r\nAdvertisement Production: Simon Carter\r\nSales Executives: Ian Cross, Marion O'Neill\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\nCONTROL: Keys, Sinc\r\nFROM: Cheetah Soft, £6.95\r\n\r\nThe cassette inlay says Bat Attack is 'the first of a series of tapes which are more realistic and more challenging than the games you've been playing so far.' You'd be batty to believe it.\r\n\r\nAdmittedly, the first few seconds are impressive, as the title looms toward you and tilts itself upright. But what follows is simply another rendering of a well-tried theme: the 3D maze game.\r\n\r\nThe scenario is that you're inside Dracula's castle to collect the gold bars which litter the floor. But your attempts at burglary are put in jeopardy by a collection of bats, against whom you can only protect yourself by means of cloves of garlic.\r\n\r\nWhat actually happens is that you are given a simple 3D view of the corridor in which you are standing, revealing exits to right and left, and any gold or garlic which may be lying on the floor.\r\n\r\nYou can move in any direction, or rotate to see what lies to your left, right and rear.\r\n\r\nYou can also get an overview of the entire maze to see how many gold bars you've collected. A separate 'radar' continually indicates the position of the bats as they close in on you.\r\n\r\nBut although this is all competently done, you may be disappointed by the complete lack of animation. When you move, the screen simply switches directly to the new position. And the bats themselves - when you see them, just get larger as they approach - no flapping wings or drooling mouths.\r\n\r\nThose who lack Sinclair's Interface 2 may also take exception to having to use the cursor keys for control - plus Caps Shift when you want to rotate.\r\n\r\nThere are a total of four mazes, linked by a lift. The bats become increasingly aggressive as you progress through each successive maze. But you, I fear, may become increasingly bored.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"57","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Chris Anderson","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"3/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 33, Jul 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-06-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":164,"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: Can Daley make it or will the PiMan pip him at the post?\r\nIllustrated by Charles Griffin."},"MainText":"THIS WILL DRIVE YOU BATTY!\r\n\r\nA brand new company, Cheetahsoft, has launched two new titles for the ZX Spectrum.\r\n\r\nThe first is a rather novel three dimensional maze game called 3D Bat Attack. The program places you inside a maze where you must gather up the blocks of gold that have been littered around the passageways.\r\n\r\nThe whole time a pack of vicious and bloodthirsty vampires are trying to track you down in a corner of the maze.\r\n\r\nThe second is a strategy war game set in Europe. In Conquest you play the part of a power-hungry emperor of a small Mediterranean country, hell bent on ruling the entire continent.\r\n\r\nYour aim is to gain a hundred squares of territory as quickly as possible. Other rulers and underground guerrillas battle relentlessly to murder you and bring your empire to its knees.\r\n\r\nPlagues and civil wars occur with frightening regularity. Only the toughest and most ruthless player can hope to win.\r\n\r\n3D Bat Attack and Conquest are available from Cheetahsoft for the 48K Spectrum in early June and cost £6.95 each.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"34","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]