[{"TitleName":"Chicago's 30","Publisher":"U.S. Gold Ltd","Author":"ACE, Alfonso Azpiri, Gominolas, Jose Manuel Munoz Perez","YearOfRelease":"Unknown","ZxDbId":"0000926","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 63, Apr 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-03-30","Editor":"Stuart Wynne","TotalPages":92,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Stuart Wynne\r\nAssistant Editor: Phil King\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nContributors: Ian Cull, Mike 'Skippy' Dunn, Richard 'smasherooni' Eddie, Paul Evans, Ian Lacey, Barnaby Page\r\nEditorial Assistants: Caroline Blake, Vivienne Vickress\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nDesigners: Melvin Fisher, Yvonne Priest\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nProduction Team: Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris\r\n\r\nEditorial Director: Oliver Frey\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nSales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Lee Watkins\r\nAssistants: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by The Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset, [redacted] - member of the BPCC Group. Distribution by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of CRASH. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop the Sticky Solutions Department a line at the [redacted] address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions. No material may be reproduced whole or in part without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into CRASH including written and photographic material, software and hardware - unless it is accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd, 1989\r\n\r\nISSN 0954-8661\r\n\r\nCover Design & Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Blowing away crime in the Windy City\r\n\r\nProducer: US Gold\r\nViolin Cases: £8.99 cass, £12.99 disk\r\nAuthor: Toposoft\r\n\r\nThe 1930s were tough the world over, but Chicago had it roughest. While the rich ate off gold plates, most people stood in line at the soup kitchens. Enough to drive you to drink you say? Well maybe, but it was Prohibition then and alcohol was banned. Being on the border with Canada, smuggling whisky into Chicago was easy.\r\n\r\nProhibition was a dumb idea, but the smugglers' brutality was legendary- no wonder the cops kept out of their way. That was, until I announced I'd raid a warehouse packed with alcohol. The press even printed my route -through the port, city outskirts, city centre then the warehouse itself. It was just me, my machine gun and a few sticks of dynamite against hundreds of hoodlums.\r\n\r\nStarting off in the port, there were two levels to walk along. But gun-toting gangsters were popping out from behind crates all over the place. If I wanted to stay alive I had to keep moving. Unfortunately the Thompson machine gun has a big recoil, firing meant I had to stand still. It's a big gun too, so even when I got in my sleek Chevrolet firing meant I had to stick my head out - risking getting it blown off.\r\n\r\nNowadays of course, it's just entertainment for people. The goody gets shot and people leave the cinema - if everyone leaves the movie's over. Myself, I like the gangster movies. The actors look real good, especially the baddies, even if they move a little stiffly. The backgrounds are great too, with enough detail that the lack of colour hardly matters. Chicago 30's is a lot like some of the shoot-'em-up scenes in that RoboCop movie, and while it lacks the variety of that game, it's faster, harder and generally well worth the price of admission.\r\n\r\nSTUART 82%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: detailed and atmospheric\r\nSound: fair title tune, in-game shooting effects","ReviewerComments":["Funny accents, violin cases and dames at the ready - the gangsters are in town in Chicago 30's. It's another of those 'shooty shooty' games where the idea is mass slaughter of everything on screen. Great attention has been given to the detail in the graphics and all the sprites are animated well, but unfortunately the screens are mainly monochrome with a colourful border. There is some pretty good sound in there though, with a pleasing tune at the start and a few in-game effects to jolly things along. The main let-down is the lack of variety in the gameplay: just walking along, shooting all the gangsters. However, the game does pick up a bit when you get in the car, and despite a few flaws, it's an action-packed shoot- 'em-up.\r\nNick Roberts\r\n82%","I must admit I'm a fan of old gangster movies and I often watch The Untouchables (don't mention that! - Danielle) on TV. So I relished the chance to bump off a few mobsters myself. And I'm glad to say I'm not disappointed; Chicago 30's is a very playable shoot-'em-up. Okay, so the action is very similar to that in RoboCop, but at least you don't have to worry about limited ammo. And a great atmosphere is created by the detailed backdrops - they're monochromatic, but then so are the old films! I especially like the clever cinema screen effect. Chicago 30's combines great presentation with addictive gameplay. You certainly don't need to be drunk to enjoy it!\r\nPhil King\r\n83%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: Chicago in the 30's was not a nice place to live, but it makes a great game setting.","Page":"77","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Stuart Wynne","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"83","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"BEAT THE BOOZE\r\n\r\nProgress is easier on the top level of the play area.\r\n\r\nShoot the gangsters before they have a chance to shoot back.\r\n\r\nIn the car, don't fire unless it's safe to pop your head out of the window!"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"83%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"83%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"81%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"82%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 41, May 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-04-17","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":92,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa 'You're Fired' Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Catherine 'Head in Bucket' Higgs\r\nDeputy Editor: Matt 'Hi It's Mattie' Bielby\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie 'I Want It Yesterday' Ryan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan 'What Time Do You Call This' MacDonald\r\nDesigner: Thor 'No Worries' Goodall\r\nEditorial Assistant: David 'Yo' Wilson\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, Ciaran Brennan, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Catherine 'Nosebag' Peters, Peter Shaw, Rachael Smith, Phil South, Ben Stone\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Alison Morton\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Stephen Bloy\r\nAdvertisement Director: Alistair Ramsay\r\nProduction Manager: Judith Middleton\r\nAdvertisement Production: Katherine Balchin\r\nMarketing Manager: Bryan Denyer\r\nPublisher: Terry Grimwood\r\nFinance Director: Colin Crawford\r\nManaging Director: Stephen England\r\nChairman: Felix Dennis\r\n\r\nPublished by Dennis Publishing 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 ©1989 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":"US Gold\r\n£8.99 cassette/£12.99 disk\r\nReviewer: Duncan MacDonald\r\n\r\n\"Don't shoot me, I'm only the piano player.\"\r\n\r\n\"Okay, bub, I guess I c'n letcha go. What's yer name by the way?\"\r\n\r\n\"Richard Clayderman, sir.\"\r\n\r\n\"Oh dear, I'm going to have to shoot you after all.\" Bang.\r\n\r\nChicago in the thirties wasn't the place to be if you were a musician. (What are blithering on about? Ed). Especially if you were a violinist. Encountering a savage bunch of Al Capone's men on a dimly lit street corner wouldn't have been a barrel of laughs if the only protection you could pull from your violin case was... a violin! Lucky for you then, isn't it, that in this game you're not playing the part of Nigel Kennedy. The role you are taking on is that of Detective Elliot; a policeman with a mission - to boldly go where no man has gone before, to... (wrong mission. Ed). Erm, to clear Chicago's streets of gansters and put an end to the illicit alcohol trading of the Maffiosi organisations. Phew. Tall order. Let's have a decko at the game though, come this way, please.\r\n\r\nChicago 30's is a monochrome left/right, right/left scrolling shoot 'em-up, in which the golden rule is simple. Shoot or be shot. There are no innocent bystanders hanging around waiting to collect a stray piece of lead in the spleen, so you can go sprey crazy with your machine-gun.\r\n\r\nThe name starts with your Elliot sprite immediately under attack from all sides, so it's a good idea to leap onto your belly and let the mobsters shots fly over your head. In fact, it's a good idea to pend a lot of the game in this position as you can't be killed (unless you get sniped at from above, but I'll get back to that in a minute). However from this prone position you can't do much killing yourself, so you have to do loads of leaping to your feet, loosing off a couple of shots and jumping to the ground again. The most dangerous foes are those at windows, behind crates and on rooftops - they're difficult to spot most of the time and can shoot downwards at you and even throw grenades - but they're by no means impossible to dispose of - especially as you've got grenades yourself. If you get far enough, the scene fades then regenerates again and, to and behold, you're inside a car where you're safe from the villains' fire (but can still shoot them. Ha, ha) The motor doesn't last forever though, so you soon find yourself pounding the beat again, but now there's the added difficulty of the gangsters car to contend with. It zooms in from the left and can only be dealt with by lobbing a grenade in its general direction. Then there's more of the same followed by more of the same again.\r\n\r\nThe presentation of the game is brilliant however - the action takes place on a cinema screen, with the curtains to either side and, well, take a look at the screenshot. The audience represents your lives - each time you lose one, one of the 'punters' leaves the pictures. Nice touch. The graphics in Chicago 30's are very good, as is the animation and addictiveness, but for my money the games a bit on the easy side. I get the feeling that a lot of you will get to see the final screen far too soon for your moneys worth. Still, it's a nice game to look at. Not bad really. Boing.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A nicely presented horizontally scrolling 'gangster'shoot 'em-up which may leave you unsatisfied due to its lack of difficulty.","Page":"25","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Duncan MacDonald","Score":"69","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Life Expectancy","Score":"53%","Text":""},{"Header":"Instant Appeal","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"69%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 85, Apr 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-03-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Meet the groovy aprils guys (and girlie)\r\n\r\nGRAHAM TAYLOR (Editor)\r\nHistory: Graduated from the Vienna Conservation at the age of six, studied under Serlioz and then joined the Southend Philharmonic.\r\nPlays: Stairway grand piano and kazoo.\r\nInfluences: Karlheinz Stockhausen, James Joyce, Timothy Leary and George Formby.\r\nHobbies: Erecting satellite dishes, wrestling with cats and cleaning weeds from the goldfish pond.\r\nMessage: \"In an indeterminate universe, only the subjectivity of the ovserver maintains the dualism of the animus. Orright?\"\r\n\r\nJIM DOUGLAS (Deputy Editor)\r\nHistory: \"Elvis Costello came up and spoke to me once in the queue in the Wimpy. He said, 'Push off ya git, I was in front of you'.\"\r\nPlays: Saxophone (actually he jogs about in the background holding a sax and looks moody).\r\nInfluences: Mickey Rourke in 9.5 Weeks (\"Now there's a bloke I can identify with\".)\r\nHobbies: Ignoring Sam Fox in Stringfellows (\"I hate fat bimbos\")\r\nMessage: \"Never trust women\".\r\n\r\nALISON SKEAT (Production Editor)\r\nHistory: Auditioned for Bucks Fizz' new girlie - was laughed off the stage.\r\nPlays: Triangle and with certain other members of the band.\r\nInfluences: Bananarama (they're so talented) and her mate Kelly who was in the Stu Stu Studio Line advert.\r\nHobbies: Picking up Greek/Spanish/Italian male tourists outside the Hippodrome (\"I'm very cosmopolitan me\").\r\nMessage: \"Always keep your dancing knickers ironed\".\r\n\r\nTIM NOONAN (Art Editor)\r\nHistory: Lead chair chucker at Milwall v Luton.\r\nPlays: Drums and the silly fellow.\r\nInfluences: Lager and vindaloo.\r\nHobbies: Getting thrown out of pubs/clubs/salvation army hostels.\r\nMessage: \"I'll 'ave you John, you're well aat of order\"\r\n\r\nCHRIS JENKINS (Contributor)\r\nHistory: Born on the planet Zob, came to earth in 1960 and has been trying to absorb our strange culture ever since.\r\nPlays: Synths that make widdly widdly noises, Japanese woodflute and zither.\r\nInfluences: Klaus Schultz, Tangerine Dream, Kraftwek and various other German hippies.\r\nHobbies: Trying to get Sabrina to notice him in Stringfellows.\r\nMessage: \"Phasers on stun, sequencers armed and pump up the volume\".\r\n\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'saucy' Dillon, Chris 'whingey' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Katherine 'top girlie' Lee\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Martha Moloughney\r\nAd Production: Emma 'choccy face' Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'location unknown' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'starless and bible black' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Brian Talbot\r\n\r\nPrinted by Nene River Press, [redacted]\r\nDistributed by EMAP Publications Ltd.\r\n\r\n©Copyright 1989 Sinclair User ISSN No 0262-5458\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries: [redacted]\r\n24 Hour Order Line: [redacted]\r\nBack Issues: Back Issues Department (SU), [redacted]"},"MainText":"Label: US Gold\r\nAuthor: Toposoft\r\nPrice: £8.99 cass, £12.99 disc\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Tony Dillon\r\n\r\nIn the absence of Ocean's soon-to-appear conversion of The Untouchables, US Gold, ever keen to jump on any passing bandwagons, have released their latest signing from Spanish Spectrum software supremos, Toposoft. Chicago 30's has one real claim to fame. It has a lot of realism and historically accurate features (fnar). Your character is a member of the Untouchables themselves. He wears a herringbone raincoat. He walks along dark and damp docks and alleyways. He drives a VW Beetle. He packs a pistol that caries infinite ammo. There are lots of bad guys hidden in barrels and things. These bad guys shoot at you. And you can't see the bullets.\r\n\r\nSet over two sections, the first on foot and the second stage in your car (provided you can get far enough), you have to travel from left to right along a variety of screens, each set in a dark decaying area of 1930's Chicago, the first being a deserted dockyard. As the screen scrolls along, enemies in the form of Mafia thugs appear from all directions. The most popular place to make your debut appearance in a computer game is from the leftand right-hand edges of the screen, and thus they come. Dozens swarm on, all armed, and all willing to blow you away. More appear from inside barrels or from behind doors. Even more pop up from under manholes.\r\n\r\nNow, with all those enemies running about, there are going to be a lot of bullets flying, and this is where the game really falls down. The backdrops are very detailed, with a lot of heavy shading. Even though, he said looking at a screen shot, the bullets are the size of footballs, it's very hard to spot them. If logic serves me right, if it's hard to spot them, it's equally hard to avoid them. Mr Unplayable comes to town.\r\n\r\nYou can fight back with your (t)rusty pistol, and what's more, you can fire in all eight directions, just by pressing fire and moving the joystick in that particular direction. The graphics are decent enough, though the backdrops are far too complicated for their own good. Scrolling is quite good and the animation is 'standard'. As with more and more games of late, it's monochrome too.\r\n\r\nChicago 30's could have been a very good game. As it stands, playability and visual problems aside, it isn't terrible. It just isn't great. Please put the baseball bat away, Mr Capone.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Fairly run-of-the-mill scrolling SEU. Fun for a while.","Page":"89","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Tony Dillon","Score":"63","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"67%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"50%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"45%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"63%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 20, May 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-04-06","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":132,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152\r\n\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nReviews Editor: Bob Wade\r\nStaff Writers: Steve Jarratt, Andy Smith\r\nProduction Editor: Damien Noonan\r\nConsultant Editors: Jon Bates (Music), Brian Larkman (Graphics)\r\nAdventure Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nContributors: Tony Takoushi, Zog\r\nArt Editor: Trevor Gilham\r\nAssistant Art Editor: Angela Neale\r\nProduction: Diane Tavener, Claire Woodland, Vivien Dean, Naomi Steer, Louise Cockroft\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Simon Stansfield\r\nAdvertising Sales Executive: David Lilley\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\n\r\nCover by Steve Dillon\r\n\r\nSUBSCRIPTIONS\r\nAvon Direct Mail [redacted]\r\n\r\nSPECIAL OFFERS\r\n(Christine Stacey) [redacted]\r\n\r\nCOLOUR ORIGINATION\r\nSwift Graphics Ltd, Southampton\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION\r\nSM Distribution [redacted]\r\n\r\nPRINTING\r\nChase Web Offset [redacted]\r\n\r\n© FUTURE PUBLISHING LTD 1989\r\n\r\nNo part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without our permission."},"MainText":"US Gold bit the bullet.\r\n\r\nDetective Eliot has picked up the scent of illegal alcohol, and the trail leads him from the port, through the city centre to the city outskirts, and to a showdown in the gangsters' warehouse.\r\n\r\nThe route is fiercely guarded by hordes of hoodlums who appear from behind packing cases, at windows and out of the sewers. They are all intent on stopping the dick dead in his tracks, and so Eliot must run the gauntlet of gunfire and hand-grenade explosions.\r\n\r\nTo protect himself, Eliot jumps, ducks and fires his Tommy gun, which he can point in five directions, covering himself from attack in front, behind and above.\r\n\r\nA brief respite from the assault comes at intervals when Eliot climbs into his customised Chevrolet and powers across town, safe from the hail of bullets. He can still gun down the opposition, though, by sticking his head out of the window Dirty Harry-style.\r\n\r\nNot really a bad shoot-em-up, but Chicago 30's is simply lacking in variety. There's little difference in gameplay throughout the four levels, and extended play soon grows tiresome.\r\n\r\nReviewer: Steve Jarratt\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nAtari ST, £19.99dk, Imminent\r\nSpec, 128 £8.99cs, £12.99dk, Out Now\r\nAmstrad, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Out Now\r\nC64/128, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Imminent\r\nNo other versions planned\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 70/100\r\n1 hour: 75/100\r\n1 day: 60/100\r\n1 week: 50/100\r\n1 month: 35/100\r\n1 year: 5/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Entertaining for the first few goes, but limited variety see interest fall off with progress.","Page":"60","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve Jarratt","Score":"598","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Spectrum - Detective Eliot's efforts are viewed as if on stage. As lives are lost, his proximity to death is signalled by the bored audience leaving the show!"}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD VERSION\r\n\r\nMore colourful than the Spectrum, but blocky, slow and much less entertaining. Enemy shots are even more difficult to see than on its Z80 brother, adding a good dose of frustration to the proceedings, and sound is equally poor.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 6/10\r\nAudio: 2/10\r\nIQ Factor: 2/10\r\nFun Factor: 4/10\r\nAce Rating: 464/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 68/100\r\n1 hour: 65/100\r\n1 day: 55/100\r\n1 week: 35/100\r\n1 month: 0/100\r\n1 year: 0/100"},{"Text":"SPECTRUM VERSION\r\n\r\nClean, two-colour graphics with smooth parallax scrolling. However, enemy fire is frequently difficult to see against the detailed backdrops. Control of Eliot is fairly painless, and the speed of play makes the game easily accessible. Sound is kept to a minimum: simple gunshot effects only."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"2/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"5/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"598/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 18, May 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-04-20","Editor":"Roger Kean","TotalPages":108,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL AND HEAD OFFICE\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Roger Kean\r\nFeatures Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Robin Hogg, Warren Lapworth, Robin Candy\r\nEditorial Assistants: Vivien Vickress, Caroline Blake\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Mel Croucher, Don Hughes, Marshal M Rosenthal (USA), John Woods\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nDesign Assistants: Yvonne Priest, Melvin Fisher\r\nProduction Team: Robert Millichamp, Robert Hamilton, Tim Morris, Jenny Reddard\r\n\r\nADVERTISING AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENTS\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nGroup Advertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Lee Watkins\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris [redacted]\r\nGroup Promotions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nTypeset by the Tortoise Shell Press, Ludlow and on our Apple Macintosh II running Quark Xpress 2.0. Colour origination by Scan Studios [redacted]. Printed in England by Carlisle Web Offset [redacted] - a member of the BPCC Group. Distribution effected by COMAG, [redacted].\r\n\r\nCOMPETITION RULES\r\nThe Editor's decision is final in all matters relating to adjudication and while we offer prizes in good faith, believing them to be available, if something untoward happens (like a game that has been offered as a prize being scrapped) we reserve the right to substitute prizes of comparable value. We'll do our very best to despatch prizes as soon as possible after the published closing date. Winners names will appear in a later issue of TGM. No correspondence can be entered into regarding the competitions (unless we've written to you stating that you have won a prize and it doesn't turn up, in which case drop Viv Vickress a line at the PO Box 10 address). No person who has any relationship, no matter how remote, to anyone who works for Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions.\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced in part or in whole without the written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return anything sent into TGM - including written and photographic material, hardware or software - unless it's accompanied by a suitably stamped, addressed envelope. We regret that readers' postal enquiries cannot always be answered. Unsolicited written or photographic material is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Colour photographic material should be 35mm transparencies wherever possible. The views expressed in TGM are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\n©TGM Magazines Ltd, 1989\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design and Illustration by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £8.99, Diskette: £12.99\r\nAmstrad CPC Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99\r\n\r\nIt's the Thirties. A lone undercover agent driving a sedan armed with a machine gun enters the windy city to close down Al Capone's business. From the port to the city's outskirts and centre, and eventually the liquor warehouse, the good guy is up against Al's mob whose members pop up from manholes or ride black sedans throwing fire bombs.\r\n\r\nSmooth parallax horizontal scrolling always looks good on the Spectrum, although the partially monochrome screen masks bullets and traps. Likewise weak sound effects do the game no favours.\r\n\r\nAmstrad colour (below) is abundant and luckily the slightly rougher scrolling, failing of many an Amstrad game, is unnoticeable once play gets going. Like the Spectrum game, limited animation causes gangsters to glide along strangely at times.\r\n\r\nLike Toposoft's previous Mad Mix, Chicago 30s is a surprisingly simplistic game based on dated ideas. We've seen it many times before and this latest offering adds nothing to the ranks.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"62","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMSTRAD CPC\r\n\r\nOverall: 39%"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"42%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]