[{"TitleName":"Spectron","Publisher":"Virgin Games Ltd","Author":"Mark Kirkby","YearOfRelease":"1983","ZxDbId":"0004720","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: Virgin Games\r\nMemory Required: 48K\r\nRecommended Retail Price: £5.95\r\nLanguage: machine code\r\nAuthor: Mark Kirkby\r\n\r\nThis is Virgin's best shoot 'em up game yet. You're the latest type of robot and you must survive in an arena filled with hostile enemies. There are Swarmers and Speeders (which home in on you) Launchers which also move about but randomly, second the Launchers fire missiles and which also home in on you. And then there are the Electrons, which are not small BBC type computer, but a rather nasty form of robot which leave virtually indestructible electronic fences behind them.\r\n\r\nYour robot, Spectron, assembles in the centre of the screen after the nasties have been rapidly dotted in. It can move and fire in eight directions - move and fire being the operative words, since it only fires when moving.\r\n\r\nGENERAL\r\n\r\nThe control keys are sensibly placed being, Q/A for up/down and V/B for left/right. There is no fire key, as firing is automatic in the direction of movement. No standard joystick option has been provided.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nKeyboard positions: sensible\r\nJoystick options: none provided\r\nKeyboard play: very responsive, 8-directional\r\nUse of colour: very good\r\nGraphics: excellent\r\nSound: excellent\r\nSkill levels: how many can you manage?\r\nLives: three","ReviewerComments":["This is a no-win type game, where it's obviously impossible to beat the computer. Although there are only nine levels, the increasing speed and electronic fence factors really make this into a multi-skill level game.\r\nUnknown","There's good use of colour in the detailed and realistic graphics, and the sound is excellent. I got as far as being able to count 216 enemies on the screen at one time, so getting a bonus score is no easy task. This is a well thought out game that will never be beaten. Fast reactions needed. Brilliant.\r\nUnknown","I noted the little instruction which tells you the program will \"self-destruct\" if the BREAK key is pressed. Are they trying to hide how much of the program is in BASIC or what? Anyway, I have only one gripe. The automatic fire is all very well and allows you to concentrate on moving, but it doesn't have a very fast fire rate considering how many damned enemies there are, and as it only fires when you're moving, you are often forced to kill yourself off (nice border explosions when you lose a life). Otherwise this is a fast and furious, well put together game.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A very good zap game.","Page":"18,19","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"You go 'Berserk' in SPECTRON."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"81%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"85%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"75%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"76%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Spectrum Issue 3, May 1984","Price":"£0.85","ReleaseDate":"1984-04-09","Editor":"Roger Munford","TotalPages":122,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Roger Munford\r\nManaging Editor: Bruce Sawford\r\nDeputy Editor: Tina Boylan\r\nEditorial Assistant: Pete Shaw\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nSub Editor: Nik Lumsden\r\nContributors: Phil Manchester, Ian Beardsmore, Ron Smith, Mike Mepham, Sandy Dewhurst, Colin Young, Andrew Wright, Richard Archdeacon, Stephen Adams, Damir Skrgatic, Dilwyn Jones, Simon Goodwin, Toni Baker, SQ Factor\r\nArt Editor: Jimmy Egerton\r\nArt Assistant: Steve Broadhurst\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Jeff Raggett\r\nAdvertisement Managers: Shane Campbell, Gill Harris, Jason Wood\r\nProduction Editor: Derek Cohen\r\nTypesetters: Beverley Douglas, 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\n\r\nPublished by Sportscene Specialist Press Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England. Telephone (all departments): [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Spectrum ©1984 Felden productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Spectrum is a monthly publication.\r\n\r\nCover photography by Ian McKinnell"},"MainText":"SPECTRON\r\nVirgin Games\r\n£5.95\r\n\r\nControl the 'Spectron fighting robot' and avoid the various obstacles while blasting the meanie robots to bits; and all this takes place in an area that's contained by an electrified fence.","ReviewerComments":["This program's best feature is the instructions which appear on-screen at the start. These explain clearly how to play and, should the user forget, there's always the cassette insert.\n\n\r\nJohn Hall\r\n4/10","The idea behind this game is a variation on a simple theme, but is made more complex by having several different enemies. It's a pity only simple block graphics are used.\r\nTony Samuels\r\n5/10","This variation of Berserk is fairly fast, but doesn't seem to live up to its boast of having been written in 100 per cent machine code. And it doesn't make much use of colour or the Spectrum's graphics capabilities.\n\n\r\nMark Knight\r\n4/10"],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"67","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"John Hall","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/10"},{"Name":"Tony Samuels","Score":"5","ScoreSuffix":"/10"},{"Name":"Mark Knight","Score":"4","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"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: Virgin Games, 48K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Mark Kirkby\r\n\r\nProbably Virgin's best shoot 'em up, probably their best game in fact. This is a no-win 'Berserk' type game that demands fast reflexes and a sixth sense to get very far. One reviewer was able to count as many as 216 enemy robots on the screen at one time. Enemies include Swarmers, Speeders, Launchers and Electrons (which leave indestructible electronic fences behind them) Your robot fires automatically when on the move and control Is 8-directional. Well thought out, with detailed graphics, very good sound, no joystick option but well placed control keys. Overall CRASH rating 77%. Recommended. M/C","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"60","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"77%","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: Virgin Games, 48K\r\n£5.95 (1)\r\nAuthor: Mark Kirkby\r\n\r\nProbably Virgins best shoot em up, probably their best game in fact. This is a no-win 'Berserk' type game that demands fast reflexes and a sixth sense to get very far. One reviewer was able to count as many as 216 enemy robots on the screen at one time. Enemies include Swarmers, Speeders, Launchers and Electrons (which leave indestructible electronic fences behind them) Your robot fires automatically when on the move and control is 8-directional. Well thought out, with detailed graphics, very good sound, no joystick option but well placed control keys. Overall CRASH rating 77%. Recommended. M/C","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"79","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"77%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 21, Dec 1983","Price":"£0.75","ReleaseDate":"1983-11-17","Editor":"Nigel Clark","TotalPages":204,"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\nEditorial Assistant: Colette McDermott\r\nManaging Director: Terry Cartwright\r\nChairman: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by ECC Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\nTelephone\r\nAll departments\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to 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 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\nPrinted and typeset by Cradley Print PLC, [redacted]\r\n\r\nDistributed by Spotlight Magazine Distribution Ltd, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Photograph: Peter Dawney"},"MainText":"FIGHTING ENEMY ROBOTS CAN AFFECT YOUR HEALTH\r\n\r\nThe arena is filled with hostile robots as you, the Last of a race of fighting robots, battle for your life. In Spectron, for the 48K Spectrum, your laser gun is on automatic and will fire as you move. With luck - and just a hint of skill - you should be able to destroy the enemy and prepare for the next battle.\r\n\r\nThe game sounds simple so far but in playing you have to take account of a number of factors which will affect your health, such as energy. You also have to tolerate a potential score which seems to get higher and higher.\r\n\r\nVirgin Games, the manufacturer, has some accurate figures on the statistics of the game. You can have up to 54 robots and missiles on the screen at once, which is not good news for the lone survivor of a race of tin cans. It is, however, surprisingly easy to pass the first levels without too much trouble but after that the evil robots could gain the upper hand, or claw.\r\n\r\nIf you play the game for long enough you will become addicted. It is simple but you will always want to reach one level higher every time.\r\n\r\nSpectron is produced by Virgin Games and can be obtained from Boots, Menzies and Dixons. It costs £5.95.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"49","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Gilbert Factor","Score":"6/10","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: Virgin Games\r\nPRICE: £5.95\r\n\r\nIf machines had emotions, the robot in Spectron would have a persecution complex. 'Spectron' is actually the name of the the robot that you control in this fast-moving descendant of the arcadde game Berserk.\r\n\r\nThe screens shows the arena where the action takes place, lightly peppered with electric blocks that can sizzle you on contact. 'Spectron' can be moved only by the keyboard, but the keys are well chosen, and movement produces fire in the direction of motion, including diagonally.\r\n\r\nThere are four sorts of enemy androids after you, starting with the red swarmers, whose one object is to head for you and destroy one of your three lives on contact.\r\n\r\nThe first wave has 10 of these, and more appear on each successive level. A few waves on, green speeders appear, who are like swarmers but quicker.\r\n\r\nBoth have a habit of queuing up behind you as you flee, making convenient massacres possible when you turn back.\r\n\r\nOn higher levels, you'll meet launchers, cunning devils who launch missiles shaped like Iron Crosses, which home in on you.\r\n\r\nFinally, electrons build lines of electric fences, sizzling and almost impassable. Imagine if Acorn got their Electrons to do the same at Sinclair Research.\r\n\r\nAll four types appear by wave 8.\r\n\r\nThere are 9 skill levels all in all, each starting 10 waves above the last. Getting through early waves intact is soon mastered, but by wave 10, sheer weight of numbers takes its toll.\r\n\r\nTheoretically, you could blast your way right through to wave 99, but that's a pretty tall order. The waves come on thick and fast, the enemy androids multiplying like babies in a Bombay slum.\r\n\r\nAfter each wave, you score is calculated on-screen. Apart from points per kill, there's a big potential time bonus as well as an efficiency bonus.\r\n\r\nThe calculation of the bonuses is accompanied by sounds like a crazed electronic cash register during a Harrods sale. Then the next wave is itemized before being let loose on you.\r\n\r\nSpectron is as addictive and challenging as games come, and is of true arcade quality.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"54,55","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Wensley Dale","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ease Of Use","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Originality","Score":"4/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Lasting Interest","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]