[{"TitleName":"Scramble","Publisher":"Mikro-Gen Ltd","Author":"Stephen Townsend","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0004379","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: Mikrogen, 16K\r\n£5.50\r\n\r\nThis is an enjoyable copy of the arcade original and a flexible program as you're given a 4-option menu (1 = missiles, 2 = UFOs, 3 = Meteors, 4= Fortress) which means you can leap from part to part as you choose, or fight your way through the correct sequence if you're a showoff. Three speeds with the graphics a bit shaky on fast. Usual lasers, bombs, fuel dumps, missiles with a neat 2-option on returning to the next life where you left off, or changing landscape each time. The meteors are too difficult to be enjoyable, and the sound isn't amazing. No joystick option and the keys are a bit of a handful (2 = down, 4 = up, 6 = brake, 7 = thrust, 0 = laser) and all lower row are bombs. All in all fun to play and good value.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"48","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"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: Mikrogen, 16K\r\n£5.50\r\n\r\nThis is an enjoyable copy of the arcade original and a flexible program as you're given a 4-option menu (1 = missiles, 2 = UFOs, 3 = Meteors, 4= Fortress) which means you can leap from part to part as you choose, or fight your way through the correct sequence if you're a showoff. Three speeds with the graphics a bit shaky on fast. Usual lasers, bombs, fuel dumps, missiles with a neat 2-option on returning to the next life where you left off, or changing landscape each time. The meteors are too difficult to be enjoyable, and the sound isn't amazing. No joystick option and the keys are a bit of a handful (2 = down, 4 = up, 6 = brake, 7 = thrust, 0 = laser) and all lower row are bombs. All in all fun to play and good value.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"49,50","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"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: Mikrogen, 16K\r\n£5.50\r\n\r\nThis is an enjoyable copy of the arcade original and a flexible program as you're given a 4-option menu (1 = missiles, 2 = UFOs, 3 = Meteors, 4= Fortress) which means you can leap from part to part as you choose, or fight your way through the correct sequence if you're a showoff. Three speeds with the graphics a bit shaky on fast. Usual lasers, bombs, fuel dumps, missiles with a neat 2-option on returning to the next life where you left off, or changing landscape each time. The meteors are too difficult to be enjoyable, and the sound isn't amazing. No joystick option and the keys are a bit of a handful (2 = down, 4 = up, 6 = brake, 7 = thrust, 0 = laser) and all lower row are bombs. All in all fun to play and good value.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"65","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 10, Jan 1983","Price":"£0.6","ReleaseDate":"1982-12-16","Editor":"Nigel Clark","TotalPages":76,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editorial Director: Nigel Clark\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nProduction Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nStaff Writer: John Gilbert\r\nDesign: William Scolding\r\nEditorial Director: John Sterlicchi\r\nAdvertisement Director: Simon Horgan\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nStates Executive: Annette Burrows\r\nEditorial/Production Assistant: Margaret Hawkins\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd. it is not in anyway connected with Sinclair Research Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to any of the Sinclair User group of publications please send programs, articles or ideas for hardware projects to:\r\nSinclair User\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 each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1983\r\nSinclair User\r\nISSN NO. 0262-5458\r\n\r\nOrigination by Outline Graphics.\r\nPrinted Eden Fisher (Southend) Ltd\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]"},"MainText":"SCRAMBLING FOR POINTS\r\n\r\nA fast and furious fight through the air is promised with the Mikro Gen Scramble, a better-than-average version of the popular arcade game. The game can be played in fast, normal or slow modes but it is better to play it in slow mode if you are a beginner with this kind of game.\r\n\r\nThe game goes through four sectors in which missiles, UFOs, meteors and fortresses provide obstacles for your fighter aircraft as it shoots across the sky.\r\n\r\nThe player is provided with weaponry of laser and smart bombs. Even they are not sufficient to deal with the missiles and UFOs.\r\n\r\nScramble is available from Mikro Gen, [redacted] and costs £5.50 plus 50 pence p&p.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"20","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Personal Computer Games Issue 5, Apr 1984","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1984-03-15","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\nGame-of-the-month poster: Pat Weedon\r\nScreenshots: Chris Bell\r\nCover Illustration: Richard Evans\r\nGroup Editor: Cyndy Miles\r\nArt Director: Jim Dansie\r\nPublisher: Mark Eisen\r\nAssistant Publishing Manager: Sue Clements\r\nPublishing Secretary: Jenny Dunne\r\nAdvertising Manager: Herbert Wright\r\nAssistant Advertisement Manager: Jan Martin\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Pat Dolan\r\nAdvertisement Production: Simon Carter\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Coraline Turner\r\nSales Executives: Joey Davies, 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":"CAVERN CARNAGE\r\n\r\nTest-pilot Peter Connor dons flying jacket and goggles for high-adrenaline action for the Spectrum, Dragom, Commodore, Vic 20, Atari, ZX81 and BBC.\r\n\r\nIt was one of those idyllic summer days in the heart of the English countryside. The sun shone brightly through the strong tall oaks casting a dappled light o the grass where Ginger, Pongo and I sat in deckchairs, calmly smoking our pipes and discussing the cricket season. Bliss.\r\n\r\nSuddenly the air was torn by the shrieking of sirens. Pongo dropped his pipe and burnt a hole in his new high-altitude trousers. Ginger's handlebar moustaches sprang to attention. I quickly drained the last of my tea-with-no-milk-thank-you-and-just-one-sugar. We all knew what it meant.\r\n\r\n'SCRAMBLE! SCRAMBLE! SCRAMBLE!' blared the tannoy as we raced to our ships. I leapt into the cockpit and ignited the rockets, my heart pounding.\r\n\r\nI was scared, I'll admit. Too many good men had never returned from missions like this.\r\n\r\n\"Five stages.' they'd warned us in training. 'beginning with the mountains'. And there before me, rising almost vertically from the ground, was a huge mass of rock. I slammed on the retrorockets and pulled my joystick back, avoiding impalement on the peak by a hair's breadth.\r\n\r\nMy sigh of relief was cut short as a flurry of missiles sped up at me from the valley. Instinctively I released bombs and fired my lasers, destroying some and dodging the others.\r\n\r\nDANGEROUSLY LOW\r\n\r\nA glance at the instrument panel told me I was running dangerously low on fuel. The only way to get more was to dive, hug the ground and bomb the fuel dumps scattered along my course. Swooping, climbing and firing like this I made good progress. keeping my fuel up and the missiles down. I felt good, almost confident. I was just reaching down for a fruit gum when I saw something that made my whole body stiffen with fear.\r\n\r\nGaping in front of me were the jaws of a huge cavern, waiting to swallow me up like a hungry monster. In the belly of this beast were dozens of saucer-shaped UFOs bouncing up and down like madmen on trampolines. There was no time to think. I zoomed through the entrance and kept my finger on the trigger. Somehow I got through.\r\n\r\nEmerging from the cavern I found a massive swarm of meteorites flaming towards me. I fired the laser. Nothing. I dropped my bombs. Nothing. These meteorites were indestructible. Evasive action was the only way through.\r\n\r\nThen through the storm I saw a sheer wall rising in front of me and I threw the ship into a shuddering climb. Flashing clear of the skyscraper I found myself flying over missile silos embedded in roofs. Bombs away!\r\n\r\nAt last - the maze. Skyscrapers below. Skyscrapers above. Just a narrow passage with 90 degree turns at dizzying speed.\r\n\r\nMission completed. Proud, safe and tired I returned to base. Ginger and Pongo never came back.\r\n\r\nWhy them? Why not me? Because I had spent hours training on simulations of this terrible mission on my large selection of home computers. Anyone, whether he owns a ZX81 or a BBC, can do the same.\r\n\r\nTrainee pilots with Spectrums face quite a choice, the outstanding version being Cavern Fighter from Bug-byte (see Screen Test). But Melbourne House's Penetrator is certainly a good buy for the 48K machine.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are very clear and consist mainly of lines. except for the twirling purple radar bases which signal your approach to enemy missiles.\r\n\r\nThe rugged, yellow terrain of the beginning changes to a blue cavern with very steep inclines. Then come a series of skyscraper-like blocks followed by another cavern.\r\n\r\nSHATTERING\r\n\r\nThis one has the hazard of \"enemy paratroopers' bouncing up and down. They may look more like doggies' faces but the effect is shattering all the same.\r\n\r\nEventually you get through to the enemy's 'neutron bomb store' and must attempt the dangerous return journey.\r\n\r\nPenetrator moves fast but the ship's controls are sensitive enough to cope with firing and manoeuvring at the same time. The sound, too, is surprisingly good in this version.\r\n\r\nTwo features which will appeal to less resolute novices are a training facility which allows you to skip from phase to phase and a landscape-customising facility which allows you to get rid of the difficult bits.\r\n\r\nGAS-GUZZLER\r\n\r\nIn contrast to Penetrator's lines Mikro-Gen's Scramble has solid graphics. In the first stages you fly over a pink landscape trying to avoid the missiles and Defender-style aliens while bombing the fuel dumps. You must be accurate since your ship is a real gas-guzzler and you could find yourself dropping very quickly from fuel loss.\r\n\r\nIn the cavern you encounter the UFOs - green ovoids with, for some strange reason, black eyes. These are by no means the most fearsome obstacles to be found in Scrambles, and should not hold up your progress very long.\r\n\r\nThe meteors in stage three, though, are more of a problem. These big yellow blobs with long tails come thick and fast, forcing you to do some fancy flying.\r\n\r\nThe last stage is the fortress, a large purple block riddled with missile silos. Get through this and the mission is over.\r\n\r\nAlthough this version has hardly any sound its graphics are good and it presents the player with a real challenge. Here again, though, there is the temptation to take the easy way out as you can enter the game at any stage.\r\n\r\nC-Tech's Rocket Raider is the weakest of the three Spectrum versions on offer. The graphics are too chunky and the same landscape features are repeated too often, The movement is very jerky and your ship has an unpleasant way of squirting its bombs from the rear.\r\n\r\nShould you want to play Scramble on a green background you will have to buy a Dragon. Despite the predominance of the colour the two versions available are both quite satisfying.\r\n\r\nMicrodeal's Skramble has all the usual features in five stages. On the whole the graphics are very pleasant, although there are some strange points, such as the UFOs in the cave which look like blue and white hamburgers and are very easy to shoot. The asteroids after this look like yellow tadpoles but are very hard to avoid.\r\n\r\nGetting fuel is easy as the bombs spurt out of the rocket's nose before falling at right angles. They also make a strange warbling noise.\r\n\r\nFINE JUDGEMENT\r\n\r\nWhirlybird Run from Dragon Data is of a similar standard. Here, instead of a rocket, you have a chopper which makes a good chugging noise.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are again good with blue missiles surging up from yellow hills. In this version the UFOs appear before the cavern and, due to what must be a bug, are very easily destroyed; stay at the top left of the screen and blast them as they bounce off the roof.\r\n\r\nWhen you do get to the cavern the game gets pretty difficult. The gaps in what seem to be stalactites are very narrow and require fine judgement to be successfully negotiated.\r\n\r\nAlthough the firing in Whirlybird Run is more satisfactory because of the bombs more sensible trajectory there is not much to choose between these two Dragon versions.\r\n\r\nTerminal Software's program Super Skramble! for the Commodore 64 is a disappointment. The graphics are exceptionally smooth but they are also exceptionally slow and lacking in imagination.\r\n\r\nYour ship may, or may not, be a helicopter - it's hard to tell. You must bomb about every fuel dump or run out of juice. All the usual Scramble features are there (except the UFOs in the cavern) but they are not very interesting. The program also wastes the 64's sound facilities; it lacks volume and variety.\r\n\r\nAnirog's Skramble, also for the 64, is the better game, even if its graphics are a little jerky. Here you must pilot the ship through six zones, each with its own colour.\r\n\r\nYou begin in the red zone over the rocky terrain and proceed to the blue cavern, in which the UFOs are disappointingly easy to blast. However, in the brown zone the fizzling fireballs are a problem for even the most accomplished of Commodore Commanders. Further stages follow the normal pattern, increasing in difficulty.\r\n\r\nTHUNDERBOLT\r\n\r\nTo find a good Scramble for the Vic 20 would be surprising enough, but to get one for the unexpanded machine is a thunderbolt from heaven. Artic's Scram-20 has graphics whose quality is almost worthy of the 64; sharp, colourful and amazingly smooth.\r\n\r\nIf you get through the first stage of blue mountains you enter a green cavern with deadly red UFOs. Success at this stage leads you to purple rocks where you are attacked by the Zoids - they're only squiggly lines, but nasty nonetheless. Further stages are as usual with the prize of the enemy base at the end.\r\n\r\nThe only drawback to this game is its speed; it's so fast it could take hours to get anywhere. A stop-go technique seems best. It's heavy on the joystick, but effective.\r\n\r\nSumlock's Skramble, also for the unexpanded Vic, isn't really in the same class. Its graphics are rudimentary and very jerky - on fast forward the ship has a habit of momentarily disappearing, while the missiles often go straight through you.\r\n\r\nThe English Software Company's Airstrike II for Atari computers is an excellent Scramble game with some novel points. The game has five sectors, but you can congratulate yourself if you get through the first after less than two hours play.\r\n\r\nVery near the opening mountain is a cavern with meteorites coming at you vertically rather than horizontally. After these is a series of gates opening and closing at random; you must wait till they are aligned and then blast your way through. Many times you will find yourself pranged by the rockets lurking deep in their silos just after the gates.\r\n\r\nINTRIGUING\r\n\r\nAirstrike II's further stages are similar to the standard ones, but all have something intriguing to offer. The graphics are excellent and beautifully smooth. And for an extra £4.95, you can get yourself some extra landscapes.\r\n\r\nBut we mustn't forget in our survey the humble, the homely ZX81. It might seem ridiculous but Mikro-Gen produce a Scramble for the old favourite; and, given the limitations of the machine, it's very good.\r\n\r\nNo sound, no colour, extremely limited graphics but it is recognizably Scramble. It's all there - the rugged terrain, the missiles, even the bonus of a smart bomb. For the ZX81, it's very good value.\r\n\r\nAnd so to the definitive micro Scramble - Acornsoft's Rocket Raid for the BBC. This is without doubt the best available version for the trainee pilot. Each of its five stages is the one other games have to be measured against.\r\n\r\nThere can be few more nerve-racking experiences in computer games - no. In life! than a trip through Rocket Raid's cavern. Shrieking and oscillating wildly the green Phizzers seem to occupy all the available space between the cavern's red walls. You slam on the brakes, you climb, you dive, you blast away frantically. But it's no good; either the Phizzers get you or the walls smash you to pieces. Thank God this is only training, and you've got as many ships as you need, however many end as scrap.\r\n\r\nEventually you learn the secret; you have to find the rhythm of the Cavern. Ride with Phizzers, relax, kill only when necessary and you'll get through. Remember - it's not about points, it's about getting through.\r\n\r\nRocket Raid's superb vivid graphics, its high-decibel sound and its speed all make it, despite its age, still the best version of Scramble on a home computer. Prove you've beaten the odds on this one and you might get to be the first Briton on the moon.\r\n\r\nGame: Rocket Raid\r\nPrice: £9.95\r\nMachine: BBC\r\nJoystick: Optional\r\nSupplier: Acornsoft\r\nGraphics: 9/10\r\nSound: 9/10\r\nEase Of Use: 8/10\r\nLasting Interest: 9/10\r\nOverall: 9/10\r\n\r\nGame: Airstrike 2\r\nPrice: £9.95\r\nMachine: Atari 400, 800, XL\r\nJoystick: Necessary\r\nSupplier: English Software Co\r\nGraphics: 8/10\r\nSound: 7/10\r\nEase Of Use: 7/10\r\nLasting Interest: 8/10\r\nOverall: 8/10\r\n\r\nGame: Scram-20\r\nPrice: £5.95\r\nMachine: Vic 20\r\nJoystick: Optional\r\nSupplier: Artic\r\nGraphics: 8/10\r\nSound: 6/10\r\nEase Of Use: 5/10\r\nLasting Interest: 7/10\r\nOverall: 7/10\r\n\r\nGame: Whirlybird Run\r\nPrice: £12.95\r\nMachine: Dragon 32\r\nJoystick: Necessary\r\nSupplier: Dragon Data\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nSound: 6/10\r\nEase Of Use: 6/10\r\nLasting Interest: 6/10\r\nOverall: 6/10\r\n\r\nGame: Penetrator\r\nPrice: £5.95\r\nMachine: Spectrum 48K\r\nJoystick: No\r\nSupplier: Melbourne House\r\nGraphics: 8/10\r\nSound: 6/10\r\nEase Of Use: 7/10\r\nLasting Interest: 7/10\r\nOverall: 7/10\r\n\r\nGame: Skramble\r\nPrice: £7.95\r\nMachine: Vic 20\r\nJoystick: Optional\r\nSupplier: Sumlock\r\nGraphics: 4/10\r\nSound: 4/10\r\nEase Of Use: 5/10\r\nLasting Interest: 5/10\r\nOverall: 5/10\r\n\r\nGame: Skramble\r\nPrice: £7.95\r\nMachine: Commodore 64\r\nJoystick: Necessary\r\nSupplier: Anirog\r\nGraphics: 7/10\r\nSound: 6/10\r\nEase Of Use: 6/10\r\nLasting Interest: 6/10\r\nOverall: 6/10\r\n\r\nGame: Scramble\r\nPrice: £3.95\r\nMachine: ZX81\r\nJoystick: No\r\nSupplier: Mikro-Gen\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nSound: None\r\nEase Of Use: 6/10\r\nLasting Interest: 6/10\r\nOverall: 6/10\r\n\r\nGame: Skramble\r\nPrice: £8.00\r\nMachine: Dragon 32\r\nJoystick: Optional\r\nSupplier: Microdeal\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nSound: 5/10\r\nEase Of Use: 5/10\r\nLasting Interest: 6/10\r\nOverall: 5/10\r\n\r\nGame: Super Skramble!\r\nPrice: £9.95\r\nMachine: Commodore 64\r\nJoystick: Optional\r\nSupplier: Terminal\r\nGraphics: 5/10\r\nSound: 5/10\r\nEase Of Use: 5/10\r\nLasting Interest: 5/10\r\nOverall: 5/10\r\n\r\nGame: Scramble\r\nPrice: £5.95\r\nMachine: Spectrum 16/48K\r\nJoystick: No\r\nSupplier: Mikro-Gen\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nSound: 6/10\r\nEase Of Use: 6/10\r\nLasting Interest: 6/10\r\nOverall: 6/10\r\n\r\nGame: Rocket Raider\r\nPrice: £5.95\r\nMachine: Spectrum 16/48K\r\nJoystick: No\r\nSupplier: C-Tech\r\nGraphics: 4/10\r\nSound: 4/10\r\nEase Of Use: 4/10\r\nLasting Interest: 4/10\r\nOverall: 4/10","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"42","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Peter Connor","Score":"6","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":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"6/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue Annual 1984,  1984","Price":"£1.95","ReleaseDate":"1983-12-01","Editor":"Nigel Clark","TotalPages":140,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Managing Editor: Nigel Clark\r\nDeputy Editor: Nicole Segre\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nManaging Production Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nSoftware Editor: John Gilbert\r\nProgram Reviewer: Rebecca Ferguson\r\nIllustrator/Designer: Brian King\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nSales Executive: Annette Burrows\r\nProduction Assistant: Dezi Epaminondou\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User Annual is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd. It is in no way connected with Sinclair Research Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to any of the Sinclair User group of publications 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 pay £10 for the copyright of each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1983\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":"ARCADES BROUGHT INTO THE HOME\r\n\r\nJohn Gilbert reviews more complex games.\r\n\r\nAlmost every major type of arcade game has been simulated on Sinclair computers. There are also new games which have an arcade format but have evolved on a microcomputer. The Spectrum is an ideal machine on which to play arcade games. The quality of them has improved substantially since the launch of the machine. Some of the first arcade games to be produced for the Spectrum were versions of Space Invaders, the game which started the arcade craze.\r\n\r\nSpectral Invaders was the first to be announced by Bug-Byte, which was already renowned for its arcade and adventure games on the ZX-81. So far it is the game which most closely resembles the original arcade version. Although it is slow it is difficult to score points, as you can fire only one laser blast at a time.\r\n\r\nAnother invaders game, Space Intruders, was launched at about the same time as Spectral Invaders. The game is much faster and is recommended for those who like to keep their fingers on the fire button and amass a big score. The only criticism is that the aliens and mothercraft are very small and the mothership is blue on a black background and so is very difficult to hit. Apart from that Space Intruders from Quicksilva is good value at £5.95.\r\n\r\nNamtir Raiders, for the ZX-81, is a space invaders game with a difference from Artic Computing. The player still has to face the hordes of aliens which come down the screen but the laser base can be moved up and down as well as left and right.\r\n\r\nThe player has five laser bases during the game and they can take only five hits from alien bombs. There are three levels of difficulty-easy to impossible. The game, costing £3.95, is addictive and the graphics are neither awkward in design nor jerky in movement.\r\n\r\nThe game which is gaining popularity with 48K Spectrum owners is Time Gate, from Quicksilva. The authors claim that it is the ultimate in 3D arcade space action. The game is loaded in two parts, the first being a lengthy instruction manual. After the manual has finished you can load the game. The object is to destroy a race of aliens called the Squarm who are trying to colonise Earth. The enemy fighters are also seen in 3D and so are the planets on which the player can land to refuel and repair the ship. It is by far the best arcade action game so far for the Spectrum and costs only £6.95.\r\n\r\nAsteroids is also becoming popular on Sinclair machines. One of the first companies to launch a version for the ZX-81 was Quicksilva. It was a good version on such a small machine and is still proving popular.\r\n\r\nQuicksilva has also introduced a Spectrum version called Meteor Storm. It has the added attraction of speech before play. It is difficult to hear the words but we are informed by the authors that it says \"Meteor Alert... Meteor Alert...\". Meteor Storm is a novel version of Asteroids and costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nSinclair Research has a good game of asteroids, called Planetoids, in its new Spectrum Software library. The asteroids are in 3D and much careful design work on both the asteroids and the player's ship seems to have gone into the game. Planetoids costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nArtic Computing seems to be the only company to have produced a version of Galaxians for the ZX-81. ZX-Galaxians looks like Space Invaders but the invaders are 'V'-shaped and are supposed to be inter-galactic birds. The birds swoop from formation and bomb the player's laser base. ZX-Galaxian is slow in action but can still be a very addictive game. It costs £4.95.\r\n\r\nDefender is still a much-sought-after game in the arcades and Artic Computing took advantage of that early by producing a version for the ZX-81. The graphics are not particularly interesting and the spaceship which the player flies across the landscape is made up of a series of blocks which look only slightly like a ship.\r\n\r\nDespite those criticisms, the original idea behind the game is still there and the Artic version can be exciting, as you see the enemy ships rushing at you from the other side of the screen.\r\n\r\nWith the arrival of the Spectrum, many manufacturers found an interest in the arcade game Scramble. The best and fastest version so far is from Mikro-Gen. In the game you have to go through caves which become smaller and smaller as it progresses.\r\n\r\nThe game becomes progressively more difficult and can be run in slow, normal and fast modes. It costs £3.95.\r\n\r\nSilversoft has a Scramble-type game called Ground Attack. It works on the same principles as the Mikro-Gen game but is much slower. There is a good deal of blank screen between game rounds and the average waiting time between rounds is 15 seconds. Ground Attack costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nThe range of arcade-type games on Sinclair machines is always increasing. Manufacturers seem to feel safe in producing standard arcade games such as Space Invaders and Scramble. Those games, especially for the Spectrum, are becoming more imaginative and the graphics and sound more impressive.\r\n\r\nManufacturers have to be careful about copying ideas from other games but with the imagination of some of the firms in the Sinclair market, children and many adults will be kept happy with arcade-type games on the ZX-81 and Spectrum for a long time.\r\n\r\nSpace Invaders games have now been overtaken by Pacman in popularity.\r\n\r\nBug-Byte, [redacted].\r\n\r\nQuicksilva, [redacted].\r\n\r\nArtic Computing, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSinclair Research, [redacted].\r\n\r\nMikro-Gen, [redacted] RG12 2BK.\r\n\r\nSilversoft, [redacted].","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"20","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"John Gilbert","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 11, Feb 1983","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1983-01-20","Editor":"Nigel Clark","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editorial Director: Nigel Clark\r\nConsultant Editor: Mike Johnston\r\nProduction Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nStaff Writer: John Gilbert\r\nDesign: William Scolding\r\nEditorial Director: John Sterlicchi\r\nAdvertisement Director: Simon Horgan\r\nAdvertisement Manager: John Ross\r\nStates Executive: Annette Burrows\r\nEditorial/Production Assistant: Margaret Hawkins\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd. it is not in anyway connected with Sinclair Research Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to any of the Sinclair User group of publications please send programs, articles or ideas for hardware projects to:\r\nSinclair User\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 each program published and £50 per 1,000 words for each article used.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1983\r\nSinclair User\r\nISSN NO. 0262-5458\r\n\r\nOrigination by Outline Graphics.\r\nPrinted Eden Fisher (Southend) Ltd\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]"},"MainText":"SINCLAIR BRINGS THE THRILL OF THE ARCADE INTO YOUR HOME\r\n\r\nWith the Spectrum, program writers have been able to write more complex games. John Gilbert investigates this new move.\r\n\r\nAlmost every major type of arcade game has been simulated on Sinclair computers. There are also new games which have an arcade format but have evolved on a microcomputer. The Spectrum is an ideal machine on which to play arcade games. The quality of them has improved substantially since the launch of the machine. Some of the first arcade games to be produced for the Spectrum were versions of Space Invaders, the game which started the arcade craze.\r\n\r\nSpectral Invaders was the first to be announced by Bug-Byte, which was already renowned for its arcade and adventure games on the ZX-81. So far it is the game which most closely resembles the original arcade version. Although it is slow it is difficult to score points, as you can fire only one laser blast at a time.\r\n\r\nBy the time the laser bolt has reached the place where you wanted it to go, the target invader has moved on. That means that a great deal of anticipation and skill is required. Graphically, the Bug Byte Invaders is the best, with rows of different-colour aliens crossing the screen and large motherships moving from one side of the screen to the other at random intervals. Spectral Invaders is well-presented and costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nAnother invaders game, Space Intruders, was launched at about the same time as Spectral Invaders. The game is much faster and is recommended for those who like to keep their fingers on the fire button and amass a big score. The only criticism is that the aliens and mothercraft are very small and the mothership is blue on a black background and so is very difficult to hit. Apart from that Space Intruders from Quicksilva is good value at £5.95.\r\n\r\nNamtir Raiders, for the ZX-81, is a space invaders game from Artic Computing with a difference. The player still has to face the hordes of aliens which come down the screen but the laser base can be moved up and down as well as left and right.\r\n\r\nThe greater movement permitted to the player is compensated by the hail of bombs dropped by the aliens and the size and power of alien ships. There are four waves of aliens and as the game progresses the ships get bigger until the giant mothership arrives.\r\n\r\nThe player has five laser bases during the game and they can take only five hits from alien bombs. There are three levels of difficulty - easy to impossible. The game, costing £3.95, is addictive and the graphics are neither awkward in design nor jerky in movement.\r\n\r\nThe game which is gaining popularity with 48K Spectrum owners is Time Gate, from Quicksilva. The authors claim that it is the ultimate in 3D arcade space action. The game is loaded in two parts, the first being a lengthy instruction manual. After the manual has finished you can load the game. The object is to destroy a race of aliens called the Squarm who are trying to colonise Earth. To do that the player must fight the enemy in space and go through time by locating a series of Time Gates to find the Squarm's base.\r\n\r\nThe pleasant thing about the game is its graphics. The player is at the controls of a space fighter and look out into a 3D representation of space. The enemy fighters are also seen in 3D and so are the planets on which the player can land to refuel and repair the ship. It is by far the best arcade action game so far for the Spectrum and costs only £6.95.\r\n\r\nAsteroids is also becoming popular on Sinclair machines. One of the first companies to launch a version for the ZX-81 was Quicksilva. It was a good version on such a small machine and is still proving popular.\r\n\r\nQuicksilva has also introduced a Spectrum version called Meteor Storm. It has the added attraction of speech before play. It is difficult to hear the words but we are informed by the authors that it says \"Meteor Alert... Meteor Alert...\". Meteor Storm is a novel version of Asteroids and costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nSinclair Research has a good game of asteroids, called Planetoids, in its new Spectrum Software library. The asteroids are in 3D and much careful design work on both the asteroids and the player's ship seems to have gone into the game. Planetoids costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nArtic Computing seems to be the only company to have produced a version of Galaxians for the ZX-81. ZX-Galaxians looks like Space Invaders but the invaders are 'V'-shaped and are supposed to be inter-galactic birds. The birds swoop from formation and bomb the player's laser base. ZX-Galaxian is slow in action but can still be a very addictive game. It costs £4.95.\r\n\r\nDefender is still a much-sought-after game in the arcades and Artic Computing took advantage of that early by producing a version for the ZX-81. The graphics are not particularly interesting and the spaceship which the player flies across the landscape is made up of a series of blocks which look only slightly like a ship.\r\n\r\nDespite those criticisms, the original idea behind the game is still there and the Artic version can be exciting, as you see the enemy ships rushing at you from the other side of the screen.\r\n\r\nNow that the Spectrum has arrived, many manufacturers have found an interest in the arcade game Scramble. The best and fastest version so far is from Mikro-Gen. In the game you have to go through caves which become smaller and smaller as it progresses. There are four sectors to the game, including Missiles, UFOs and Meteors. The player has to destroy the missiles which are fired from the ground at the players' ship, destroy UFOs with a laser blaster, and dodge the meteors.\r\n\r\nThe game becomes progressively more difficult and can be run in slow, normal and fast modes. It costs £3.95.\r\n\r\nSilversoft has a Scramble-type game called Ground Attack. It works on the same principles as the Mikro-Gen game but is much slower. There is a good deal of blank screen between game rounds and the average waiting time between rounds is 15 seconds. Ground Attack costs £5.95.\r\n\r\nThe range of arcade-type games on Sinclair machines is always increasing. Manufacturers seem to feel safe in producing standard arcade games such as Space Invaders and Scramble. Those games, especially for the Spectrum, are becoming more imaginative and the graphics and sound more impressive.\r\n\r\nManufacturers have to be careful about copying ideas from other games but with the imagination of some of the firms in the Sinclair market, children and many adults will be kept happy with arcade-type games on the ZX-81 and Spectrum for a long time.\r\n\r\nSpace Invaders games have now been overtaken by Pacman in popularity. A number of them have been produced for the ZX-81 and several companies are producing them for the Spectrum. It looks as if Pacman may provide the next boom in Sinclair software - but that is another story.\r\n\r\nBug-Byte, [redacted].\r\n\r\nQuicksilva, [redacted].\r\n\r\nArtic Computing, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSinclair Research, [redacted].\r\n\r\nMikro-Gen, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSilversoft, [redacted].","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"62,63","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"John Gilbert","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"'With the imagination of some of the firms in the market, users will be kept happy with arcade games for a long time'"}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 14, Dec 1982","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1982-11-16","Editor":"Terry Pratt","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Terry Pratt\r\nStaff Writer: Eugene Lacey\r\nEditorial Assistant: Susan Cameron\r\nDesigner: Linda Freeman\r\nProduction Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Rita Lewis\r\nAdvertising Executive: Neil Wood\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Louise Flockhart\r\nPublisher: Tom Moloney\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: £10.00, Overseas surface mail: £12.00, Airmail Europe: £20.00. 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.\r\n\r\n© Computer & Video Games Limited ISSN 0261 3697.\r\n\r\nCover: John Thompson\r\nNext Issue: December 16th"},"MainText":"BATTLE TO REACH THE FORTRESS\r\n\r\nHover above the missiles and bomb the fuel dumps Sounds familiar - yes, you guessed it, its another version of the arcade winner - Scramble.\r\n\r\nThis latest version on the Sinclair Spectrum in 16K or 48K and features four levels of play.\r\n\r\nFirst there are the ground-to-air missiles, followed by the spiraling UFOs, and then the fast and furious meteorites.\r\n\r\nIf you survive this onslaught you can go on to attack the Fortress.\r\n\r\nIf you successfully destroy the enemy fortress the game starts again at a new more difficult skill level.\r\n\r\nScramble is the first Spectrum game from the Berkshire-based software house - Mikro-Gen. It costs £5.50 plus 40p postage and packing.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"21","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 18, Apr 1983","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1983-03-16","Editor":"Terry Pratt","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Terry Pratt\r\nStaff Writer: Eugene Lacey\r\nEditorial/Publishing Assistant: Susan Cameron\r\nArt Editor: Linda Freeman\r\nProduction Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Rita Lewis\r\nAdvertising Executive: John Phillips, Louise Matthews\r\nAdvertisement Assistant: Louise Flockhart\r\nPublisher: Tom Moloney\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: £10.00, Overseas surface mail: £12.00, Airmail Europe: £20.00. 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.\r\n\r\n©Computer & Video Games Limited ISSN 0261 3697.\r\n\r\nCover: J.M.W. Turner (The Tate Gallery)\r\nNext Issue: April 16th"},"MainText":"BLAST THOSE TOUGH LITTLE INVADERS\r\n\r\nTwo new shoot 'em up games are on offer from Mikro-Gen.\r\n\r\nScramble is a version of the now famous scrolling arcade game where you have to fly over an uneven landscape, bombing fuel dumps and shooting down aliens, whilst dodging fireballs and ground to air missiles.\r\n\r\nCosmic Raiders is a version of Defender, the toughest of all arcade games. You fly a ship over a planet's uneven terrain, protecting humanoids from the Landers and the Grabbers.\r\n\r\nScramble and Cosmic Raiders run on the Spectrum in 16 or 48K and are available from the Bracknell firm at £5.50 plus 40p postage and packing.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"18","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]