[{"TitleName":"LED Storm","Publisher":"Go!","Author":"Andrew R. Threlfall, John P. Tatlock, Mike Follin, Tim Follin, Ian Naylor","YearOfRelease":"1988","ZxDbId":"0009369","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 61, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.25","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-26","Editor":"Dominic Handy","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Dominic Handy\r\nAssistant Editor: Stuart Wynne\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Philip King, Lloyd Mangram, Nick Roberts\r\nContributors: Jon Bates, Raffaele Cecco, Ian Cull, Ian Doggett, Paul Evans, Ian Lacey, Barnaby Page, Ian Phillipson\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: Ian Chubb, Robert Hamilton, Robert Millichamp, Tim Morris\r\n\r\nEditorial Director: Roger Kean\r\nPublisher: Geoff Grimes\r\nAdvertisement Director: Roger Bennett\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Neil Dyson\r\nSales Executives: Sarah Chapman, Andrew Smales\r\nAssistants: Jackie Morris, Lee Watkins [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":"Spring showers bring heavy weather (eh? these comments are getting as bad as the games machine's - Ed)\r\n\r\nProducer: Go!/Capcom\r\nLed in Petrol: £8.99 cass, £12.99 disk\r\nAuthor: Mike Follin, graphics by John Tatlock, music by Timothy Follin (Software Creations)\r\n\r\nIn a future time, traffic congestion has got so bad that special 'skyways' have been built. But although they're free from stupid pedestrians, there's more than enough kamikaze drivers (no bears, though) (thank goodness! - Ed) to make life interesting.\r\n\r\nNine vertically-scrolling tracks range from the high flyovers of the Capital City to the uninviting landscape of Ruins Desert. Contact with small cars and other obstacles slows you down and reduces your energy level. Some of the tracks also contain huge gaps which can only be cleared by hitting a ramp at full speed.\r\n\r\nAlthough your turbocharged car is completely unarmed, it does have one useful trick up its sleeve: it can perform huge upward leaps to avoid other cars, and can even crush them as it lands. But beware the pesky frogs which hang on the back of the car, stopping it from jumping: they must be shaken off by quickly moving left and right.\r\n\r\nEach of the nine stages must be completed before your energy level reaches zero. Fortunately, extra energy can be gained by driving through fuel cans and energy tablets. The latter are either static, floating around the track or flying (in which case the car must jump to get them). Small bonus letters may also be collected for extra points and even a battering ram to allow you to destroy other cars on contact.\r\n\r\nFalling into gaps or fatal car smashes do not, strangely, mean the end of the game. Instead a new car is brought onto the track by a large, hovering spaceship at the cost of much vital energy.\r\n\r\nWhat really makes LED Storm so superior to other driving games is its exhilarating speed: it must be one of the fastest games on the Spectrum. The super-fast, and smooth, vertical scrolling is stunning, and the effect of speed is cleverly enhanced by the horizontal marks on the track. Furthermore, the various vehicles are all well drawn, especially the extra large juggernauts. One minor flaw is the horizontal movement of the screen which is stepped instead of smoothly scrolling, but it doesn't affect play anyway.\r\n\r\nSound is also used well: brilliant 128K tunes accompany both the title screen and high scores table, while the furious driving action features a variety of excellent effects. 48K owners aren't too badly off either, although there is a multiload with two levels being loaded at a time.\r\n\r\nAs a fan of that golden oldie, Spy Hunter, when I first set eyes on LED Storm my eyes popped out. And playing it proves an even more amazing experience - genuine skill is required to make progress, rather than the repetitive blasting featured in other recent driving games. Excellent game design and superb presentation go together to produce one of the most playable games for a long time.\r\n\r\nEven so, I wondered if the simple idea of jumping and zooming along the highway would eventually get boring, but the opposite is true: the more I played, the harder it was to tear myself away from such a compulsive game. If the soon-to-be-released coin-op is anywhere near as enjoyable, it's sure to be the arcade hit of 1989. And just remember, you saw it first on the Spectrum!\r\n\r\nPHIL 95%\r\n\r\nTHE ESSENTIALS\r\nJoysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair\r\nGraphics: very fast vertical scrolling of the monochromatic track\r\nSound: excellent 128K tunes and neat in-game effects, including a nice metallic 'thump' sound when the car lands\r\nOptions: definable keys","ReviewerComments":["GO!/Capcom have done an excellent job with a detailed scrolling landscape and sprites that, although monochrome, are very effective. You' need good reflexes to be able to survive even the first level, which makes it extremely addictive. The soundtrack that accompanies the split-second action is excellent with a host of arcade-type effects and a selection of tunes that grip your attention and add atmosphere to the game. The basic idea behind the LED Storm is very similar to the classic Spy Hunter, but instead of using weapons you can jump over your enemies and shake off passengers. I'm sure that LED Storm will be a hit with everyone, and it certainly deserves to be.\r\nNick Roberts\r\n91%","From the programming team who brought you Bionic Commando comes a nine level, rip-roaring, nail-biting racing game. Initially you may, like me, puzzle at the lack of offensive weapons to blast all the unfriendly road hogs. But once you get into the game the sheer thrill of racing down the track, at a vast rate of knots, pushes all thoughts of blowing up motorway monsters from your mind. Besides, who needs poncey machine guns and rocket launchers when you can leap and flatten the dudes. If you think you can stand the pace buy LED Storm now!\r\nMark Caswell\r\n92%"],"OverallSummary":"General Rating: A beautifully presented driving game that plays as good as it looks.","Page":"12,13","Denied":false,"Award":"Crash Smash","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Nick Roberts","Score":"91","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"92","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Phil King","Score":"95","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"'E' is for energy, 'B' is for a battering ram and 'P' is for points - but you won't get them in mid-air."},{"Text":"Just off the starting line and about to crash."},{"Text":"Only a few miles to go on Level Four, The Big Tunnel."},{"Text":"The hoverscooter brings another replacement car on Level Three, Coral Sea."},{"Text":"Use the ramp to leap up and flatten one of the road-hogs in front."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"WEATHERING THE STORM\r\n\r\nIn Netwood City, keep to the clear parts of the track to go faster.\r\n\r\nCollect the letter 'B', then ram all the other cars.\r\n\r\nHit the ramps before gaps at full speed, or you'll fall short of the other site.\r\n\r\nIn Coral Sea, if your car is flashing, you can destroy the coral monsters on contact\r\n\r\nIf you get stuck behind some rocks in Netwood City, just jump to get over them.\r\n\r\nKeep a look out for fuel cans: If six are collected, your energy returns to its maximum level."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"92%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"90%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"91%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"93%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictive Qualities","Score":"92%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"93%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 91, Aug 1991","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1991-07-18","Editor":"Richard Eddy","TotalPages":68,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL OFFICE\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Richard Eddy\r\nSub Editor: Warren Lapworth\r\nStaff Writers: Mark Caswell, Nick Roberts, Lloyd Mangram\r\nArt Editor: Mark Kendrick\r\nPhotography: Michael Parkinson\r\nDesign Assistant: Paul (Charlie) Chubb\r\nDesign Consultant: Robin (Goodbye) Candy\r\nReprographics: Matthew Uffindell (Supervisor), Robert Millichamp, Robb Hamilton, Tim Morris, Jenni Reddard\r\nGroup Advertisement Manager: Judith Bamford\r\nAdvertisement Sales Executive: Justine Pritchard\r\nAdvertisement Production: Jackie Morris (Supervisor), Joanne Lewis\r\nEditorial Director: Oliver Frey\r\nManaging Director: Jonathan Rignall\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Caroline Edwards [redacted]\r\n\r\nYearly subscription rates: UK mainland £22, Eire and Europe £28. Outside Europe (Airmail) £42. US/Canada subscriptions and back issues enquiries Barry Hatcher, British Magazine Distributors Ltd [redacted]. Yearly subscription rates US$47.00, Canada CAN$57.00 Back Issues US$5.20, Canada CAN$6.20 (inclusive of postage). \r\n\r\nTypesetting Newsfield, using Apple Macintosh II computers, running Quark Express and Adobe Illustrator 3.0 with System support from Digital Paint Reprographics [redacted]. Colour origination Scan Studios [redacted]. Printing BPCC Business Magazines (Carlisle) Ltd, [redacted]. Distribution COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\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 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 us a line). No person who is related, no matter how remotely, to anyone who works for either Newsfield or any of the companies offering prizes, may enter one of our competitions.\r\n\r\nNo 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 on 35mm transparencies is welcome, and if used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates. Copy published in CRASH will be edited as seen fit and payment will be calculated according to the current printed word rate. The views expressed in CRASH are not necessarily those of the publishers.\r\n\r\n©CRASH Ltd 1991.\r\nThis month's cover, Terminator 2 ©1991 & TM Orion Pictures ©Carolco. Cover design by Oliver Frey. Powertape inlay design by Richard Eddy."},"MainText":"Kixx\r\n£3.99\r\n\r\nIn the future, traffic congestion forces huge skyways to be built, but that doesn't mean the amount of traffic is any less. Indeed, as you travel through the nine vertically-scrolling levels that make up LED Storm, you're hassled by attackers.\r\n\r\nYou start in Capital City with the task of reaching the checkpoint at the end of the level in one piece. Conspiring against you are cars of various sizes, frogs, patches of oil and water and huge chasms that seemingly appear from nowhere.\r\n\r\nAlthough your car has no guns to defend itself with, it has the rather natty ability to jump in the air, squashing all beneath its tyres when it lands. The current level must be completed before your energy runs out, or its game over for you, matey.\r\n\r\nLuck is on your side because fuel cans and energy tablets can be collected and used to push you a bit further.\r\n\r\nI loved this game to bits when fast reviewed two years ago and my opinion hasn't changed one bit. This is one of the best racing games around and although it takes a lot of practice to reach the end, it's well worth the effort. You would be very silly indeed not to add this game to your collection.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"65","Denied":false,"Award":"Crash Smash","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Mark Caswell","Score":"90","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Who suggested we drive down this canyon - that's the last time you navigate, Nick!"},{"Text":"With very little energy left, you meet up with a creature from your worst nightmare (yes, it's the mother-in-law)."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Presentation","Score":"89%","Text":""},{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"85%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"82%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"89%","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictivity","Score":"90%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"90%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 39, Mar 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-02-16","Editor":"Teresa Maughan","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Teresa Maughan\r\nArt Editor: Catherine Higgs\r\nDeputy Editor: Matt Bielby\r\nProduction Editor: Jackie Ryan\r\nStaff Writer: Duncan MacDonald\r\nDesigner: Thor Goodall\r\nEditorial Assistant: David Wilson\r\nTechnical Consultant: David McCandless\r\nContributors: Marcus Berkmann, Richard Blaine, Ciaran Brennan, Jonathan Davies, Mike Gerrard, Sean Kelly, Catherine Peters, Rachael Smith, Phil South\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Simon Stansfield\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":"Go!\r\n£8.99 cass/£12.99 disk\r\nReviewer: Matt Bielby\r\n\r\nWhizzing along in your special supersonic (I'll bet) supercar at hair-raising speeds through a city centre isn't the wisest thing to do at the best of times, I'm sure you'll agree. You are liable to get pulled over or even sent down for frightening old ladies, creating unacceptable noise levels and generally being a ruddy nuisance (Mr. Spencer).\r\n\r\nThe driver in US Gold's LED Storm is even more reckless though. He obviously thinks that if you use a road you must be totally hatstand cos he likes nothing better than to race across the tops of city buildings, using his handy jump button to bound from one to another.\r\n\r\nWhat's so wrong with that, you might say? Boys will be boys and all, and it's not as if he's harming anyone - except for flaking a bit of ceiling piaster and spilling a few nice cups of tea each time he lands. All very well, I answer self-righteously, until you topple off the edge and plummet to the ground, causing untold inconvenience to those below, and proving yourself to be a rather inconsiderate and antisocial individual after all.\r\n\r\nLED Storm is all about this sort of wacky lark, though, to be fair, our hero does eventually take his high jinks out into the desert where he's less likely to be a bother. And - cue fanfare - quite fun it all is too, though there doesn't seem to be a great deal of variation between the nine levels once you've got over the shock of a new background colourway (as they say in Habitat and all good furniture shops).\r\n\r\nThe first thing to be said is that it's all very fast - even more so when you keep the pedal to the metal, your foot to the floor and your knees in the weeds (?). The screen scrolls upwards at such a rate that obstacles such as twists and splits in the road, boxes, other cars and chasms are often upon you before you've time to do anything about it. Worst of all are the small gangs of thugs who grab hold of the back of your car, dragging behind you until you stow right down. Most frustrating, and best dislodged, I found, by making a tactical minor crash into some other object.\r\n\r\nUnless you collect extra fuel/energy/whatever, you are going to run out of steam long before the end of a level. So do this by collecting letters that litter the track to build up the word ENERGY, and by jumping into the air to collect the floating fuel drums, which look like hot air balloons or light bulbs (take your pick). Be careful when you jump though - failure to look ahead could place you tottering on the edge of the roadway, then falling majestically to your doom like the Coyote in a Roadrunner cartoon.\r\n\r\nLater levels take place along sandy valleys, through caves, across a coral reef and so on, ending up m cloud city which is just like the first level except, erm, cloudier. Some of the objects and nasties change, but the game, like the song, remains the same - a quick, fun blast through a twisty, turny environment.\r\n\r\nSoundwise it's on the minimalist side - a high pitched squeal whenever you spin the car, and a wibbly sort of noise as you jump being the most noticeable. Sprites are small and not particularly striking, but it is the speed of the thrills that makes the game, not the graphics. It's also the only way that I personally know to fully enjoy the thrill of driving along building tops that doesn't require the co-operation of a few ropes, a winch (to get the car on the roof), a ramp (to get the car into the air and heading in the direction of another roof), another building (one that doesn't mind being landed on by a heavy and out of control car) and the local constabulary (to prevent yourself being locked away and later heavily featured on the News At Ten as a dangerous loony).\r\n\r\nCircumstances and practicalities thus conspiring so neatly against my partaking of my favourite sport, I am reduced to playing the simulation instead, which is one of the reasons why I still work on a computer magazine (and not the mail room at an institution for the criminally insane), and why happy shoppers are still safe to walk the streets around Castle Rathbone, free from the fear of tumbling metal.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"A futuristic, vertically scrolling racing game that is only average in most areas except (EXCEPT!!) for speed - where it positively stomps on most rivals.","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Matt Bielby","Score":"7","ScoreSuffix":"/10"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Value For Money","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Addictiveness","Score":"7/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"7/10","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Your Sinclair Issue 70, Oct 1991","Price":"£2.2","ReleaseDate":"1991-09-05","Editor":"Andy Ide","TotalPages":69,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Andy Ide\r\nNew Art Editor: Andy Ounsted\r\nGames Editor: James Leach\r\nStaff Writer: Linda Barker\r\nArt Assistant: Maryanne Booth\r\nAdvertising Manager: Cheryl Beasley\r\nProduction Coordinator: Melissa Parkinson\r\nPublisher: Jane Richardson\r\nPromotions Manager: Michele Harris\r\nGroup Publisher: Greg Ingham\r\nCirculation Director: Sue Hartley\r\n\r\nYour Sinclair, Future Publishing [redacted]\r\n\r\nSubscriptions: Computer Posting [redacted]\r\nDistribution: MMC [redacted]\r\n\r\nCover Illustration: Matt Groening\r\nISSN 0269 6983\r\nABC Jan-June 1991 65,444\r\n\r\nYS comes to you from the same incredibly talented people who knock out Commodore Format, ST Format, Amiga Format, NCE, Amstrad Action, 8000 Plus, PC Answers, PC Plus, Sega Power, Amiga Power, Amiga Shopper, Classic CD, Needlecraft, Mountain Biking UK and (introducing this month's newies) PC Format and Public Domain."},"MainText":"LED STORM\r\nThe Hit Squad\r\n£3.99\r\nReviewer: Jon Pillar\r\n\r\nAn arcade conversion from a year or two back (with a name like that what else could it be?), LED Storm is a futuristic race game with a difference. Instead of Out Run 3D, it's an overhead scroller. it's slick and smooth with crisp, clean graphics, but the real attraction is the speed - this game is faster than an eight-legged cheetah with aerodynamic styling! Racing flat out over the nine levels, swerving between petrol tankers and leaping spectacular gaps in the road is a pretty exhilarating experience!\r\n\r\nUnfortunately, there are a few probs. For one thing, the collision detection is weighted in favour of the bad guys. You can eliminate them (by leaping on top of them!) but if you're caught in a pack then you'll be flung around more than MC Hammer's knees. More frustratingly, there's an energy system instead of lives. Consequently you're tempted to play recklessly (a case of 'full speed ahead and damn the killer joggers!'). Grabbing the vital energy icons themselves is a bit tricky - if the dreaded Black Car hasn't run them down, the twists of the track often mean they scroll offscreen before you can reach them. A tad unfair, methinks.\r\n\r\nS to sum up. LED Storm is a spiffy game that's just a leetle too tough for its own god. If you can handle running out of energy three feet from the checkpoint though it's a game well worth investing the coins in. As a simulation of superfast racing it couldn't be more complete if you set fire to a couple of tyres and bound some dead insects off your nose. (Eh? Ed).","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"59","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jon Pillar","Score":"82","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"These three didn't stop, look and listen. Instead they rushed out into the road like madmen."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"82%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 83, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.6","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-18","Editor":"Graham Taylor","TotalPages":100,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Graham 'phew' Taylor\r\nDeputy Editor: Jim 'shiny shoes' Douglas\r\nProduction Editor: Alison 'get lunky' Skeat\r\nArt Editor: Tim 'diced carrots' Noonan\r\nAdventure: The Sorceress\r\nZapchat: Jon Riglar\r\nTechnical: Andrew Hewson, Rupert Goodwins\r\nContributors: Tony 'ratty' Dillon, Chris 'snivel' Jenkins\r\nAdvertisement Executive: Martha 'eejit' Moloughney\r\nAd Production: Emma Ward\r\nPublisher's Assistant: Debbie Pearson\r\nPublisher: Terry 'serene' Pratt\r\nMarketing: Clive 'it's alright I'm here now' Pembridge\r\n\r\nPhone: [redacted]\r\nFax: [redacted]\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\nThis Month's Cover: Jerry 'fluffy bunny' Parks\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: Capcom\r\nAuthor: In-house\r\nPrice: £8.99\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nJoystick: various\r\nReviewer: Jim Douglas\r\n\r\nOoer! This sounds like one for me; futuristic racing cars with protective bumpers, astounding laserpowered turbo-charged engines, nine stages of crumbling raceway to negotiate and a bunch of slavering alien taxicab drivers and not a Give Way sign in sight. After the Huntingdon Ring Road on a Saturday, it sounds like a doddle.\r\n\r\nLED Storm is another Capcom licence. Never having found the arcade machine in local newsagents, I'm slightly unsure as to the fabness or otherwise of the coin-op. I'm assured by other people in the office that it's an extremely good conversion.\r\n\r\nStill, maybe it's better to approach these things with a fresh eye. LED Storm is a tunedup variant of the old old Race game. Remember? Driving a car along a plan-view track which widens and narrows and twists and turns. There were oilpatches and bonuses and extra fuel cans to pick up.\r\n\r\nWell, while things have definintely been seriously tweaked, the basic principals still remain. You've got to make your way through nine stages of top-bottom scrolling roadway. The bonuses have now become extra energy stores, hazards come in the shape of the other racers a the oil patches, well, they're still oil patches Now. When I say scrolling, don't go thinking of jerkyspaz, slow-scroll. This is very fast fcU indeed and once you've had the pedal on the floor for a couple of seconds and you're running at top speed, the scenery really flashes by.\r\n\r\nIn your path are futuristic equivalents of today's traffic nightmares. There are the unspeakably inconsiderate truck drivers will simply mash your vehicle into the wall, cars and motorcycles are to be avoided and there are leftovers from Frogger - roller-skating toads that cling to the back of your motor in a desperate revenge attempt.\r\n\r\nFirst impressions of LED Storm are great. The action is fast and you can memorise the tracks and gradually drive faster and faster. Jumping over the chasms and breaking crash barriers is great fun and you can sneak up behind other racers, boost yourself into the air and smash on top of them. Har har!\r\n\r\nAfter quite a short period of time, though, I found myself re reading the instructions and asking myself, \"is that it?' Well, old stick-shift, that is yer lot. The later levels are obviously more varied and the bad drivers appear with frequency. The backgrounds are different too, but that's hardly a big bonus.\r\n\r\nWhile there are stacks of games around that rely on a single basic idea - Arkanoid et al, most shoot outs - the payability has to be tuned to perfection and I just didn't feel that Storm was there. Maybe I failed to pick up on the addictiveness, because I found myself feeling thoroughly ambivalent towards it.\r\n\r\nIf you thought the arcade a was your cup of tea. then I'd happily suggest you give this one a whirl. It looks like a good conversion and. so far as I can tell, all the elements from the original have been included. If the idea of racing the bottom of the screen to the top for an eternity fails to do anything for your spark plugs, steer clear. (Yak!).","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"Good conv of slightly uninspiring coin-op.","Page":"10","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Jim Douglas","Score":"63","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"72%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"66%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"60%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"59%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"63%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"Sinclair User Issue 114, Aug 1991","Price":"£1.85","ReleaseDate":"1991-07-15","Editor":"Garth Sumpter","TotalPages":52,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Garth 'Cuban Heels' Sumpter\r\nDesign Editor: Andrea 'Overtime' Walker\r\nDesign: Yvette 'Vegetable rights & peace' Nicholls\r\nStaff Writers: Steve 'Sub burn' Keen, Matt 'Yo babe!' Regan\r\nSU Crew: Alan 'Back to my place' Dykes, Graham 'Diamond' Mason\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Jerry 'Sun tan' Hall\r\nAd Production: Jo 'Trainee' Gleissner\r\nMarketing Dept: Marc 'Goodtimes' Swallow, Sarah '0898' Ewing, Sarah 'I've got a secret' Hillard\r\nPublisher: Graham 'No expense spared' Taylor\r\nManaging Director: Terry 'Organised' Pratt\r\n\r\n(c)1991 EMAP IMAGES\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nDISTRIBUTION: BBC FRONTLINE\r\nSU SUBSCRIPTIONS: [redacted]\r\n\r\nTypesetting by Garthtype.\r\nColour work by Proprint.\r\n\r\nReproduction of any part of this magazine without the written consent of Garth, Andrew, Steve, Matt, Allan and Mr Ben will result in something really utterly nasty happening, I can jolly well tell you. Either that or Garth will file down your teeth with an electric cattle prod whilst Matt sings acoustic Des O'Connor numbers and tickles your particulars with a herring. If you want to reproduce our mag after all this then you're a very sick, sick person indeed and should seek medical attention immediately, that's what we do. Oh, just as we were going to press, Yvette, our design assistant, got very poorly and had to go to hospital. We'd all like to wish here a speedy recovery. If you want to send her a line or something to keep her amused while she gets better then cheer her up and write to her in her sick bed. Whoever sends the letter that cheers her up the most will receive £50s worth of games. Till then... byeee!"},"MainText":"Label: Kixx\r\nMemory: 48K/128K\r\nPrice: £2.99 Tape, N/A Disk\r\nReviewer: Alan Dykes\r\n\r\nKixx claim that L.E.D. STORM is \"The Ultimate Devastation Machine\". Wowee Matt, git out the S.U. Mobile. Always ready for a real challenge Cap'n Sumpter decided to see what would happen when this unstoppable object was pitted against an immovable force (sic); The S.U. Crew.\r\n\r\nDriving a futuristic vehicle through nine challenging race scenarios demands the sort of skill and concentration that Nigel Mansell only dreams about. These future zones known as The Capital, Netwood Forest, the Coral Sea, Big Cave Tunnel, Ruins Desert, Marine Snow Pipeway, Sky City, Thunder Road and Million Valley, feature a variety of landscapes and road conditions, all designed to kill. First impressions are that it's the roads, not the machines that are designed for 'Ultimate Devastation\"\r\n\r\nThe race tracks consist of highways varying in width from wide to narrow with stationary or moving objects and obstacles. Solid ones such as brick walls and mines must naturally be avoided while collecting as many fuel tokens as possible. Try to shake off as soon as possible the rotten robots that hang on to your vehicle, known as \"Manic Frogs\" (I wonder why, they don't look foriegn..), they're really more like Klingons, they slow things down and you can't flush them off.\r\n\r\nControls are very straightforward which is of course the direction you should be going! Accelerate, slow down, right, left and jump are easily and precisely controlled by joystick or user defined keys. Less easy to access but darn useful for that extra bit of speed and manouverability is an option to change from car to motorcycle.\r\n\r\nThe jump feature is essential as it allows you to avoid obstacles, collect parachuting fuel canisters, and breach gaps in the road, but beware, if you jump at the wrong moment, ie. Just before an unseen bend in the road you'll end up falling into an abyss or doing pancake impressions on a wall which inevitably results in being deaded dude! And that ain't nice. Fortunately under such circumstances you have a number of replacement vehicles which arrive conveniently on flying platforms. Simply jump off these and you are back in the race travelling at breakneck speed once again.\r\n\r\nThe graphics are quite detailed with busy but clear background screens, a smoothly scrolling main screen and a fast clear main sprite. The baddies and the goodies are also clear and this combined with the availability of precise control means that L.E.D. STORM is indeed a game of quick wits and fast reactions rather than one that relies on lady luck and prehistoric brawn. It's difficult to find too much wrong with L.E.D STORM, but... sound isn't really up to scratch, much better to play the game on a frosty morning while one of your lousy neighbours is warming up his 1978 Morris Marina (still going after six hundred and fifty five million miles you know!) which will give adequate background sound effects.\r\n\r\nL.E.D. STORM is well worth a look, though I suspect many readers are already familiar with the game and don't need to be told this. It demands skill and concentration and is difficult to finish it might seem a bit repetitive at times but there's always competition and surprise around the next corner.","ReviewerComments":["I agree with Alan on this, and that's certainly a rare thing! I like my action firm and fruity and LED Storm definitely delivers the goods.\r\nMatt Regan","Fast, furious, futuristic and fab, a fantastic flight into the fierce, freewheeling frolics of a frosty faced freight train driver from the far reaches of time, let's face it, it's even got freaky frogs.\r\nToni Naqvi"],"OverallSummary":"Futuristic racing re-release, packed with nerve wracking action and high speed pursuit. If you haven't got a driving licence yet then don't play this game, it could seriously reduce your chances of getting one. Recommended.","Page":"39","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Alan Dykes","Score":"84","ScoreSuffix":"%"},{"Name":"Matt Regan","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""},{"Name":"Toni Naqvi","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"80%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"61%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"84%","Text":""},{"Header":"Lastability","Score":"86%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"84%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) Issue 18, Mar 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-02-02","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":140,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Future Publishing [redacted]\r\nTelephone [redacted], Fax [redacted], Telecom Gold 84:TXT152, Prestel/Micronet: 0458 74011\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 Editor: Brian Larkman (Graphics)\r\nAdventure Editor: Steve Cooke\r\nContributors: Simon N Goodwin\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: Jonathan Beales\r\nAdvertising Sales Executive: David Lilley\r\nPublisher: Kevin Cox\r\n\r\nCover by Simon Bisley\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 [redacted]\r\nD P Graphics [redacted]\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":"Capcom thunder across the countryside.\r\n\r\nAny mental images of huge thunder clouds raining light-emitting diodes on an unsuspecting populace should be ignored immediately, since the LED of the title stands for Laser Enhanced Destruction. However, since there's precious little destruction - laser enhanced or otherwise - we'll have to stick to the plain old truth instead.\r\n\r\nLED Storm is the latest conversion in US Gold's Capcom range, and follows the player's fortunes at the wheel of a high-powered motor vehicle as it tears across nine regions of futuristic landscape to reach the ultimate destination of Sky City.\r\n\r\nThe course taken is described by land features such as aerial roadways, dirt tracks and valleys which scroll vertically beneath the car. Progress is continually hampered by the appearance of other road-users, such as trucks, cars and frogs (getting their own back from the Frogger episode, presumably) which cause the car to spin out of control on contact. The course is also punctuated by gaps in the crumbling flyovers which are jumped over using ramps, plus other ground features such as rocks and trees which have to be avoided.\r\n\r\nSimilarly, onboard problems constantly beset the driver: energy is the ultimate limiting factor and the replenishment of energy and fuel systems is achieved by collecting the corresponding icons en route.\r\n\r\nReaching the end-of-stage checkpoint before the car's energy runs out allows access to the next stage of the course; failure signals the restart of the whole course.\r\n\r\nReviewer: Steve Jarratt\r\n\r\nRELEASE BOX\r\nAtari ST, £19.99dk, Out Now\r\nAmiga, £19.99dk, Out Now\r\nSpec 128 £8.99cs, £12.99dk, Out Now\r\nAmstrad, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Imminent\r\nC64/128, £9.99cs, £14.99dk, Out Now\r\nIBM PC, £19.99dk, Imminent\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 55/100\r\n1 hour: 52/100\r\n1 day: 50/100\r\n1 week: 30/100\r\n1 month: 5/100\r\n1 year: 0/100","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"It takes a while to learn the courses, which is a bit offputting until some progress is made.","Page":"47","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Steve Jarratt","Score":"405","ScoreSuffix":"/1000"}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Amiga - Sudden impact with an Easter Island head on the Ruins Desert section."},{"Text":"Atari ST - Jumping a break in the aerial highway, the Green Coral Sea below."},{"Text":"C64- A flying saucer passes overhead, dropping bonus icons. If the spinning red car can get its act together, the middle one provides a flashing green shield."},{"Text":"Spectrum - a much-needed energy capsule floats by, but cannot be collected."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"AMIGA VERSION\r\n\r\nExtremely smart graphics, as you might expect, and great aurals, but disappointing gameplay, again because of the poor sideways scrolling. However it does profit from a faster performance than its 16-bit counterpart, and thus feels slightly more comfortable.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 8/10\r\nAudio: 8/10\r\nIQ Factor: 3/10\r\nFun Factor: 6/10\r\nAce Rating: 648/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 75/100\r\n1 hour: 60/100\r\n1 day: 65/100\r\n1 week: 75/100\r\n1 month: 40/100\r\n1 year: 10/100"},{"Text":"ARCADE ACCURACY\r\n\r\nWonderfully accurate on the C64; comparably less so with the other versions. However, the essence of the game remains totally and pleasingly intact.\r\n\r\nCoin-op Score: 9"},{"Text":"ATARI ST VERSION\r\n\r\nSmart graphics with fast and surprisingly smooth (non-parallax) scrolling. It suffers from the same drastic sideways movement as the Spectrum, although to a lesser degree. The soundtrack fares remarkably well, with the ST soundchip working overtime.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 7/10\r\nAudio: 7/10\r\nIQ Factor: 3/10\r\nFun Factor: 3/10\r\nAce Rating: 645/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 75/100\r\n1 hour: 60/100\r\n1 day: 65/100\r\n1 week: 75/100\r\n1 month: 40/100\r\n1 year: 10/100"},{"Text":"C64 VERSION\r\n\r\nAnother superb arcade conversion from Software Creations (authors of Bubble Bobble). All aspects of the original machine are excellently reproduced - down to the parallax scrolling on the roadway - which makes it very playable. A real throw-back to the days of Spyhunter, but a great game nonetheless. Great soundtrack, too.\r\n\r\nGraphics: 9/10\r\nAudio: 9/10\r\nIQ Factor: 3/10\r\nFun Factor: 7/10\r\nAce Rating: 816/1000\r\n\r\nPredicted Interest Curve\r\n\r\n1 min: 75/100\r\n1 hour: 75/100\r\n1 day: 90/100\r\n1 week: 95/100\r\n1 month: 55/100\r\n1 year: 20/100"},{"Text":"SPECTRUM VERSION\r\n\r\nThe monochrome Spectrum version suffers from the disability to scroll diagonally, although it does manage parallax. This problem is overcome by shifting the course sideways in large chunks, so keeping to the roadway is tricky at the best of times - especially considering the small screen size - which becomes annoying after a while. This artificially-imposed difficulty level plus other faults, such as becoming attached' to the kerbs, makes this the only version to steer clear of."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"6/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Audio","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"IQ Factor","Score":"3/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Fun Factor","Score":"8/10","Text":""},{"Header":"Ace Rating","Score":"405/1000","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"C&VG (Computer & Video Games) Issue 88, Feb 1989","Price":"£1.2","ReleaseDate":"1989-01-16","Editor":"Eugene Lacey","TotalPages":116,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Editor: Eugene Lacey\r\nDeputy Editor: Julian Rignall\r\nArt Editor: Andrea Walker\r\nStaff Writer: Paul Glancey\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Garry Williams\r\nSales Executive: Johanna Cook\r\nCopy Control: Lora Clark\r\nPublisher: Terry Pratt\r\n\r\nSubscription Enquiries to: EMAP Frontline, [redacted]\r\n\r\nEditorial and Advertisement Offices: [redacted]\r\n\r\n108,892 (Jan-June 1988)."},"MainText":"MACHINES: Spec/Ams/C64/ST/Amiga\r\nSUPPLIER: US Gold\r\nPRICE: Spec £8.99 cass/£12.99 disk, C64/AMS £9.99 cass/£14.99 disk, ST £19.99, Amiga £24.99\r\nVERSION TESTED: ST/Spec\r\n\r\nI don't like to start a review on a negative note, but it has to be said that LED Storm is one of the most feeble arcade games of the year. It really isn't very good.\r\n\r\nSo why did US Gold buy the rights? Well, when they signed their deal with Capcom, they secured the licence to convert the next ten Capcom titles, and unfortunately LED Storm is one of them. I suppose that's the way the cookie crumbles - in such a deal you get brilliant titles like Ghouls 'n' Ghosts (Ghosts 'n' Goblins II and Black Tiger, and turkeys like LED Storm.\r\n\r\nThe game is basically a derivative of the old Bumpin' Buggies theme which was popular about five years ago. The player takes control of a car, viewed from overhead, and races up a vertically scrolling road. Pressing fire makes the car jump, which is useful for leaping on and destroying fellow road hogs, and also housing over holes in the road.\r\n\r\nThere are nine levels of very similar action, and the objective is simply to race to the end of each. An energy meter on the right of the screen ticks down as the car zooms up the screen, but fortunately extra energy can be picked up by running over fuel cans, or passing one of the three checkpoints en route, Should all energy be used, the game ends.\r\n\r\nIf the car falls through a hole in the road or crashes into an obstacle, it's replaced - but vital energy is lost in the process.\r\n\r\nAnd that's LED Storm in a nutshell.\r\n\r\nThe ST conversion is weak, and suffers from a major fault: it's far too easy. The game is already simplistic, and this is further compounded by the fact that it's possible to complete all nine levels with little practice. The graphics are pathetic, with poorly-drawn backdrops and sprites that lack definition. Sound is good, though, with the ST's normally tinny sound chip producing an atmospheric tune - without the use of samples!\r\n\r\nThe Spectrum version is far more playable and is a lot tougher to - but the gameplay is still very simplistic and not particularly addictive. The graphics and sound are alright - it's just the gameplay that's lacking.\r\n\r\nLED Storm would make ideal fodder for the Kixx budget label - in fact I'd more than likely recommend it at budget price, but as a full-price game it just doesn't make the grade.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"50,51","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Julian Rignall","Score":"52","ScoreSuffix":"%"}],"ScreenshotText":[],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"ST SCORES\r\n\r\nGraphics: 43%\r\nSound: 86%\r\nValue: 21%\r\nPlayability: 43%\r\nOverall: 41%"},{"Text":"UPDATE...\r\n\r\nThe above criticism is valid for all versions."}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Graphics","Score":"71%","Text":""},{"Header":"Sound","Score":"70%","Text":""},{"Header":"Value","Score":"39%","Text":""},{"Header":"Playability","Score":"55%","Text":""},{"Header":"Overall","Score":"52%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]},{"Issue":{"Name":"The Games Machine Issue 16, Mar 1989","Price":"£1.5","ReleaseDate":"1989-02-16","Editor":"Jon Rose","TotalPages":124,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"EDITORIAL\r\n[redacted]\r\n\r\nEditor: Jon Rose\r\nReviews Editor: Nik Wild\r\nFeatures Editor: Barnaby Page\r\nStaff Writers: Robin Hogg, Warren Lapworth, Robin Candy\r\nEditorial Assistants: Vivien Vickress, Caroline Blake\r\nResearcher: David Peters\r\nPhotography: Cameron Pound, Michael Parkinson (Assistant)\r\nContributors: Mel Croucher, Warwrick Brompton, Robin Evans, Richard Henderson, Andrew Riston, Marshal M Rosenthal, Pete Warnes, John Woods\r\n\r\nPRODUCTION DEPARTMENT\r\n[redacted]\r\nProduction Manager: Jonathan Rignall\r\nSenior Designer: Wayne Allen\r\nArt Director: Mark Kendrick\r\nReprographics Supervisor: Matthew Uffindell\r\nProduction Team: Ian Chubb, Yvonne Priest, Melvin Fisher, 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: Andrew Smales, Sarah Chapman\r\nAssistant: Jackie Morris, Lee Watkins [redacted]\r\nGroup Promotions Executive: Richard Eddy\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts [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. Occasional material from Electronic Game Player reproduced by kind permission of Sorjana Publications, California. Other Newsfield publications are CRASH (Spectrum), ZZAP! (Commodore 64/Amiga), FEAR (fantasy and horror) and MOVIE - THE VIDEO MAGAZINE. Now that's interesting, but why are you reading all this when there 119 pages to go?\r\n\r\n©TGM Magazines Ltd, 1989\r\nA Newsfield Publication ISSN 0954-8092\r\n\r\nCover Design by Oliver Frey"},"MainText":"Spectrum 48/128 Cassette: £8.99, Diskette: £12.99\r\nCommodore 64/128 Cassette: £9.99, Diskette: £14.99\r\nAtari ST: £19.99\r\nAmiga: £19.99\r\n\r\nLED-FREE MOTORING\r\n\r\nHitting the accelerator, your LED machine's wheels squeal as you roar away from the starting line in a cloud of burning rubber. In the distant future, car racing is even more thrilling than today's high speed competitions. Ideas and goals remain the same, but circuits are refreshingly futuristic.\r\n\r\nYour objective, like many games before it, is to make it through each stage within a time limit in this case time takes the form of decreasing energy topped up by collecting icons en route or from passing tanker vehicles.\r\n\r\nAll self-respecting LED racers take a pedal-to-the-metal policy in the fight to win. But to complicate matters, cars, motorbikes, juggernauts, oil, grease, chasms and holes in the road pose problems.\r\n\r\nSTORMY REVVER\r\n\r\nA normal automobile wouldn't get five yards on some of the courses, Luckily, your Storm 11 racer is state-of-the-art four wheel driving. Along with a phenomenally over-the-top engine throbbing under the bonnet, an awesome hot-rod chassis and a specially strengthened shell, your \tStorm 11 has the unique ability to turbo-leap over obstacles.\r\n\r\nTo spoil your aerial fun, mutant frogs hop along looking for cars to hang onto. Shake them off or jump over them, otherwise you're grounded.\r\n\r\nAs well as a car to be proud of, a K1 navigating computer is fitted onboard. Unfortunately it's practically useless at navigating - up to you to keep the car on the freeways and avoid collision in your race to the ninth checkpoint, Sky City.\r\n\r\nSoftware Creations (Bionic Commandos) have created a good, fast-paced race game. And, while lacking variety, the simple nature of LED Storm keeps addiction levels high and instills a strong compulsion to progress.","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"As fast as the ST game but without the colours, Spectrum LED Storm is hectic to play, featuring an extremely nippy and highly effective parallax scrolling together with great 128K music and sound effects give the game a class touch - though backdrops are generally bland.","Page":"48,49","Denied":false,"Award":"The Games Machine Star Player","Reviewers":[],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"Disappointingly similar to the ST but the music is great - and of course it plays very well (spot the award) - Amiga screen."},{"Text":"Great road-holding, even when wet, or so we've been LED to believe - C64 screen."},{"Text":"Hectic future racing, who needs it. It's all a Storm in an ST cup."},{"Text":"Monochrome but fun: Spectrum LED Storm."}],"BlurbText":[{"Text":"\"State-of-the-art four wheel driving\""},{"Text":"AMIGA\r\n\r\nOverall: 74%\r\n\r\nGuess what? Yes, another port across from the ST. Good rather than very good graphics reside, with colours restricted to the ST's palette. This makes it look exactly like the ST game complete with push-screen scrolling, luckily gameplay isn't affected to a major degree."},{"Text":"ATARI ST\r\n\r\nOverall: 71%\r\n\r\nWhile faster than 8-bit versions, this game is remarkably easy to get into. Sporting good graphic quality and definition, and featuring surreal colours, the screens scroll smoothly. Unfortunately the coin-op's parallax scrolling has been omitted."},{"Text":"COMMODORE 64/128\r\n\r\nOverall: 74%\r\n\r\nSoftware Creation's trademarks come to light with funky soundtracks and professional presentation. But, surprisingly, scrolling backdrops are graphically basic. It may look slower than the rest but it's by no means easier - thanks to ram-crazy cars and depleting energy levels which leave little margin for error."},{"Text":"OTHER FORMATS\r\n\r\nRide out the storm soon on Amstrad (Cassette £9.99, Diskette £14.99) and PC (£24.99)"}],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":[{"Header":"Overall","Score":"76%","Text":""}],"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]