[{"TitleName":"Zoot","Publisher":"Bug-Byte Software Ltd","Author":"Zip","YearOfRelease":"1985","ZxDbId":"0005873","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 23, Dec 1985","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-11-21","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":172,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Publishing Executive: Roger Kean\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nTechnical Editor: Franco Frey\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nProduction Designer: David Western\r\nProduction Assistants: Gordon Druce, Matthew Uffindell\r\nSoftware Editor: Jeremy Spencer\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nSub Editor: Sean Masterson\r\nStaff Writer: Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: Chris Passey, Robin Candy, Ben Stone, John Minson, Mark Hamer, Gary Liddon, Julian Rignall, Gary Penn\r\nClient Liaison: John Edwards\r\nSubscription Manager: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\n©1985 Newsfield Limited.\r\nCrash Magazine is published monthly by Newsfield Ltd. [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions [redacted]\r\nEditorial/studio [redacted]\r\nAdvertising [redacted]\r\n\r\nColour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted]; Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset Ltd (Member of the BPCC Group), [redacted].\r\nDistribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: 12 issues £14.50 post included (UK Mainland); Europe: 12 issues £21.50 post included. Outside Europe by arrangement in writing.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced whole or in part without written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return any written material sent to CRASH Magazine unless accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material which may be used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. The opinions and views of correspondents are their own and not necessarily in accord with those of the publishers.\r\n\r\nMICRONET:\r\nYou can talk to CRASH via Micronet. Our MBX is 105845851\r\n\r\nCover by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Producer: Bug Byte\r\nRetail Price: £2.95\r\nLanguage: Machine code\r\nAuthor: Zip\r\n\r\nIf you have never heard a computer talking 'Scratch' then Zoot could offer you a new experience. As soon as the game has loaded you are greeted with a bit of verbal which, though quite intelligible, defies the confines of the written word.\r\n\r\nZoot is a fairly large, cumbersome sort of a chap. His passion, we are told, is playing marbles but he's lost them down a drain. Well Zoot does what any devotee would do he follows them. So begin the adventures of Zoot and his friend Zip.\r\n\r\nLife past the drain cover isn't at all what you might expect. In order for Zoot to recover his marbles he must make his way through eleven caverns, and each one demands the performance of a specific task. On the first screen you are greeted by the Dumb Goopas. You know they're dumb because the instructions say so; you are also told to move Zoot about the cavern bashing each one. Goopas don't like being bashed, so as soon as you hit them they explode and die.\r\n\r\nMoving about the cavern is a complicated business. What you see is four platform levels, with each level is divided into a total of eight separate segments or gaps. You guide loot left or right along a platform until he meets an obstruction or comes to a gap in the path. If there is a section missing from the platform Zoot can still move: he squats down, grins, and flies one complete segment across the gap. There's no way Zoot can cross a gap two or more sections wide, however.\r\n\r\nZoot can also pilot platform segments downwards providing there is a section below him to land on which is free from obstructions. If there are no segments below Zoot in the column, he will cycle round the top of the screen. When he travels vertically, Zoot claps one hand to his eyes and looks distinctly worried! No wonder if Zoot moves a segment down when it is the only segment in the column, then he meets a sticky end: if there isn't platform left for him to land on, he loses a life.\r\n\r\nEach cavern in the game is, in effect, a giant sliding puzzle and the puzzle element in the game becomes clear by the time you are into the second screen. The task here is not simply to go round billing the creatures but to trap them on single platform segments so they cannot move. This takes careful planning as it's very easy for Zoot himself to become trapped. Other screens involve collecting marbles while dodging the flying Zip (who can be a help as well as a hindrance), collecting or punching bells, removing all of the sections and picking up as many points from as many ledges as you can work your way round. The last five screens require you to perform a combination of the tasks encountered in the first six screens.\r\n\r\nThe creatures, or Mankins, which Zoot encounters on his journey, vary in their own little ways. The Goopas are dumb while the Bodkins are shy. The one called Cheeky is indestructible when his tongue is out. Others like Spike, Uggy, Bogie and Grimbo have their own nasty habits. For most of the time the Mankins are pretty harmless but they can deprive Zoot of one of his four lives if he comes into contact with them.\r\n\r\nWhen Zoot loses a life he must negotiate the screen again. The same is true if Zoot miscalculates his movement and attempts to move down onto a section where one does not exist. If the Gods are smiling down on Zoot he might get the opportunity to collect extra lives or even an object called an IDC tablet. Picking up the tablet seems to remove random sections and may benefit Zoot by trapping some of the Mankins for him.\r\n\r\nCOMMENTS\r\n\r\nControl keys: O/P left/right, A for down, Q to punch\r\nJoystick: Kempston and Interface II\r\nKeyboard play: fair\r\nUse of colour: simple\r\nGraphics: witty and jolly, but very slow\r\nSound: superb speech synthesis at the beginning and end\r\nSkill levels: one\r\nScreens: eleven","ReviewerComments":["Zoot is a pretty boring chap. Although the graphics are large, clear and jolly the game was altogether too slow for my liking. The theme of the game is both clever and original but isn't involved enough to fall comfortably into the puzzle game category, while the lack of speed bars it from being classified as an arcade game. A cheerful and jolly game with little substance to it, really.\r\r\nUnknown","Another game from the new budget software label, Bug-Byte - as with the rest this one is quite well finished with nice graphics and sound. Zoot's even got a bit of speech included. Generally, though, I felt there wasn't much of a game behind it all. The graphics are large and jolly and the sound is satisfying. As for the game itself... I played it for about half an hour before I sussed out what I was supposed to be doing! It grows on you after a while though, and I found myself quite enjoying it after several goes.\r\r\nUnknown","Though I was quite impressed with the style of graphics, I wasn't that overjoyed by the game. If it had been a bit better implemented, perhaps a little faster or a bit less jerky then maybe it would have been received a bit better. Presentation wise I was very impressed-the title screen with accompanying scratch track was amazing - but when it comes down to it, it's not a bad game, but not a remarkable one either, even for a budget label.\r\nUnknown"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Cheap and cheerful, fun for a while.","Page":"20,21","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Unknown","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Lost your marbles? ZOOT has, and it's up to you to help the poor fellow get them back. Blobby nasties living on platforms stand in his way in this game-with-a-difference from Bug Byte."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Use of Computer","Score":"75%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"53%","Text":""},{"Header":"Getting Started","Score":"55%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"57%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"65%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"59%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 1, Jan 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-12-12","Editor":"Kevin Cox","TotalPages":122,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Kevin Cox\r\nArt Editor: Martin Dixon\r\nDeputy Editor: Peter Shaw\r\nProduction Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nEditorial Consultant: Andrew Pennell\r\nSoftware Consultant: Gavin Monk\r\nContributors: Stephen Adams, Dougie Bern, Steve Colwill, Steve Cooke, Iolo Davidson, Nick Davies, Sue Denham, Simon Forman, Ian Hoare, Alison Hjul, Steve Malone, Max Phillips, Rick Robson, Graham Rydout, Rachael Smith, Phil South, Chris Wood\r\nWith Special Thanks To: Phoebe Evans, Mike Clowes, Andy Robson\r\nAdvertisement Manager: David Baskerville\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Neil Dyson\r\nProduction Manager: Sonia Hunt\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Chris Talbot\r\nManaging Editor: Roger Munford\r\nArt Director: Jimmy Egerton\r\nPublisher: Stephen England\r\n\r\nPublished by Sportscene Specialist Press Ltd, [redacted] Company registered in England.\r\nTypesetters: Carlinpoint [redacted]\r\nReproduction: Graphic Ideas, London\r\nPrinters: Chase Web Offset [redacted]\r\nDistribution: Seymour Press [redacted]\r\n\r\nAll material in Your Sinclair ©1986 Felden Productions, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publishers. Your Sinclair is a monthly publication."},"MainText":"Bug-Byte\n£2.95\nReviewer: Sue Denham\n\nZoot's an ugly little sprite. But he's a darling compared to the horrors that he finds in the sewers on his search for his missing marbles(!).\n\nWith four lives, Zoot starts off punching out his opponents - a selection of ghoulies and ghosties with silly names - but, on the second screen, he has to trap each of the ghosts on a separate ledge. Points are awarded throughout the game but it's the missing marbles that Zoot is really after. It's all very confusing, and extremely frustrating... but it does have you screaming for more.\n\nThe program boasts 234 screens, but you'll be lucky to get past the fourth - so you may never find out if the company is making exaggerated claims or not!\n\nZoot is a very simple platform game - but one that's very addictive and a lot of fun. Shame it's made much too confusing by introducing a silly plot-line that really has little to do with the on-screen action.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"35","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Sue Denham","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 46, Jan 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-12-18","Editor":"Bill Scolding","TotalPages":148,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\nEditor: Bill Scolding\r\nDeputy Editor: John Gilbert\r\nStaff Writers: Chris Bourne, Clare Edgeley\r\nDesigner: Gareth Jones\r\nEditorial Secretary: Norisah Fenn\r\nPublisher: Neil Wood\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\nAdvertising Manager: Louise Fanthorpe\r\nDeputy Advertisement Manager: Shahid Nizam\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executive: Kathy McLennan\r\nProduction Assistant: Jim McClure\r\nAdvertisement Secretary: Linda Everest\r\n\r\nMAGAZINE SERVICES\r\nSubscriptions Manager: Carl Dunne\r\n\r\nTELEPHONE\r\nAll departments [redacted]\r\n\r\nSinclair User is published monthly by EMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Asterix ©1985 Les Editions Albert Rene Goscinny - Uderzo\r\n\r\nIf you would like to contribute to Sinclair User please send programs or articles to:\r\nSinclair User\r\nEMAP Business & Computer Publications\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nOriginal programs should be on cassette and articles should be typed. We cannot undertake to return them unless a stamped-addressed envelope is included. Please write 'Program Printout' on the envelopes of all cassettes submitted.\r\n\r\nWe pay £20 for each program printed and £50 for star programs.\r\n\r\nTypeset by Saffron Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\nPrinted by Peterboro' Web, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1985 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\n102,023 Jan-Jun 1985"},"MainText":"Publisher: Bug-Byte\r\nPrice: £2.95\r\nMemory: 48K\r\nJoystick: Kempston\r\n\r\nA host of cuddly characters bundled together with an unusual plot makes Zoot a winner.\r\n\r\nZoot, a purple man, who is king when it comes to boxing with monsters, has lost his marbles. They rolled down a drain when he was playing with a friend and the pals have gone down the sewers after them.\r\n\r\nInstead of muck they find caves inhabited by pillow-shaped creatures called Mankins. Each creature has a name and peculiarities of character. Bodkin is shy, Cheeky is indestructible when he has his tongue out, and Bogie has a habit which is too disgusting to mention.\r\n\r\nThere are 234 screens but each requires one or a combination of four basic skills in order to win. On the Punch Drunk screen Zoot must hit the Mankins with his boxing glove. He also has the aid of Super Zip who flies across the screen, fist to the fore, knocking out Mankins.\r\n\r\nIf all that excitement is not enough you will be turned on by the trimmings of the game. First there is the cartoon-style demonstration which introduces the Mankins. Then Zoot bursts onto the screen and yells in a wonderful synthesised voice 'Zoot, ha, ha, ha...' it's all great fun and criminally underpriced.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"28","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"John Gilbert","Score":"5","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"5/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 51, Jan 1986","Price":"£0.95","ReleaseDate":"1985-12-16","Editor":"Tim Metcalfe","TotalPages":164,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Tim Metcalfe\r\nDeputy Editor: Paul Boughton\r\nEditorial Assistant: Lesley Walker\r\nSub-Editor: Seamus St. John\r\nDesign: Craig Kennedy\r\nAdventure Writers: Keith Campbell, Paul Coppins, Simon Marsh, Jim Douglas\r\nAmerican Correspondent: Marshall M. Rosenthal\r\nArcades: Clare Edgeley\r\nSoftware Consultant: Tony Takoushi\r\nPublicity: Marcus Rich\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Louise Matthews\r\nDeputy Advertisement Manager: Bernard Dugdale\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Mike Core\r\nProduction Assistant: Melanie Paulo\r\nPublisher: Rita Lewis\r\nCover: Steven Gulbis\r\n\r\n...and the Bug Hunters!\r\n© Jerry Paris\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES POSTAL SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE\r\nBy using the special Postal Subscription Service, copies of COMPUTER + 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 + VIDEO GAMES (Subscription Department), [redacted]. All orders should include the appropriate remittance made payable to COMPUTER + VIDEO GAMES. Annual subscription rates (12 issues): UK and Eire: £15. 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 Severn Valley Press. Typeset by In-Step Ltd."},"MainText":"MACHINE: Spectrum\r\nSUPPLIER: Bug Byte\r\nPRICE: £2.50\r\n\r\nOh Zoot! The Mankins win again! But I'll finish them off next time. Bug Byte bounces back onto the software scene as a budget label with Zoot - an entertaining pick-up-the-objects platform style game. Our hero, Zoot, a cartoon style character has lost his marbles. Well, we all do from time to time, don't we?\r\n\r\nZoot's marbles have rolled down into the caverns inhabited by the Mankons - Goopa, Bodkin, Spike, Grimbo, Jekyll, Bogie, Uggy and Nevil - all with their own characters. Zoot has to deal with each of these Mankins in different ways. He can bash them or trap them. Or he can wait for his mysterious mate Zip to come to his aid.\r\n\r\nZoot is an entertaining and addictive game - above standard for budget products.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are simple but really nice and the sound is great too. There's a really nice end of game speech synthesis. You hear your Spectrum shout \"Oh Zoot!\" when you fail to beat the Mankins.\r\n\r\nGet your parents to buy you a new Zoot for Christmas - you might even want to miss the Queen's speech.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"23","Denied":false,"Award":"Blitz Game","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"9/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"8/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Computer Issue 4, Apr 1986","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1986-03-20","Editor":"Gary Evans","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Gary Evans\r\nSoftware Editor: Lee Paddon\r\nProduction Editor: Harold Mayes MBE\r\nEditorial Assistant: Julian Plumb\r\nDesigner: Chris Winch\r\nEditorial: [redacted]\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: David Lake\r\nAdvertisement Executives: Steve Coles, Ian Faux, Jeremy Kite\r\nAdvertising Production: Nick Fry\r\nAdvertising: [redacted]\r\nMagazine Services Manager: Carole Fancourt\r\nPublisher: Paul Coster\r\nFinancial Director: Brendan McGrath\r\nManaging Director: Richard Hease\r\n\r\nISSN 0263 0885\r\nYour Computer, [redacted]\r\n\r\n©1986 Focus Investments Ltd\r\n\r\nPrinted by The Riverside Press Ltd, England.\r\nTypeset by Time Graphics Ltd, [redacted]\r\nMember of the Audit Bureau of Circulation.\r\n\r\nYour Computer is prepared with the help of an Amstrad PCW 8256 plus Locoscript and Newword, BBC B + View, Amstrad CPC6128, Spectrum 48K, Commodore 64 and some very expensive typesetting computers.\r\n\r\nReasonable care is taken to avoid errors in this magazine but no liability is accepted for any errors which may occur. No material in this publication may be reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publishers. The publishers will not accept responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, listings, data tapes or discs.\r\n\r\nUnfortunately we are unable to answer lengthy enquiries by telephone. Any written query requiring a personal answer MUST be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope; please allow up to 28 days for a reply.\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: UK £14 for 12 issues. Overseas (surface mail) £22.50 - Airmail rates on request. Please make a cheque/postal orders payable to Focus Investments. Send orders to Your Computer Subscriptions, [redacted].\r\n\r\nSingle back issues of the magazine are available for £1.50 from the Back Issues Department, [redacted].\r\n\r\nDistributed by Business Press International, [redacted]."},"MainText":"Spectrum\r\nBug Byte\r\nPlatform Game\r\n£2.95\r\n\r\nSo you thought the Platform game was dead? Not so according to Bug Byte. This manages to squeeze yet more permutations from an old favourite. You have to zip round the screen moving around pieces of platform, beating-up Goopa's, ringing bells and so on. The tone of the game is light-hearted and even features synthesised speech - \"Oh Zoot\". the machine shouts with the demise of your lost man.\r\n\r\nThere are four platform levels on each screen, each platform consisting of up to eight segments which can be moved around by hero Zoot. Not exactly original stuff but reasonably addictive.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Lee Paddon","Score":"3","ScoreSuffix":"/5"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"3/5","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]