Live Circuit

Right! Enor (the office mouse, now promoted to ‘faithful sidekick’) and I are getting a bit peeved. Begging letters just don’t get a look-in when it comes to handing out the £40 software voucher. So stop it. I don’t care whether a strong magnetic field has just passed over your house causing all your games tapes to be wiped clean, I don’t care if your dog has munched all your tapes leaving you no games to play. You may think that under this cold, vicious exterior lies a heart of gold. Well, there isn’t. I’m cold and vicious deep down, too. Begging letters are shown the quickest way to trashcanland — you have been warned! Oh, and another thing, some of your handwriting really needs smartening up. Some scrawls look like a couple of spiders have been for a swim in an inkwell and then attempted to perform a Shropshire Four-set square dance over the page. Anyway, I’ll just have a quick brew and calm down before I begin sifting though this month’s missives (which have mostly been good reading). Letters on all thing Spec-like to: NEWSFIELD, LLOYD MANGRAM’S FORUM, CRASH. There’s a £40 software voucher for the best every month!

WAR-CRAZED KIDS?

Dear Lloyd
Last week I was listening to my local radio station. There was a report about computer war games like SWIV, Navy SEALS, Line of Fire, and UN Squadron which made me very annoyed. The people being interviewed were mainly from the older generation who fought during World War II, and I have great respect for what they did and what they went through. But myself, my friends, and my family disagree with what was said. They said that computer games glorify war and that they’re turning us into a generation of war-crazed kids.

Us younger generation are open to war and violence by everyday life such as newspapers, television and radio. During the Gulf War nearly every page in newspapers was covered in death and destruction and on the TV, from morning until night, we saw actual war combat such as air raids, tank battles, the carnage of the Baghdad bombshelter, dead Iraqi soldiers, and much, much more. After all that, what harm are a few computer games going to do us? They are only GAMES. And nobody dies from playing computer games (even if the prices are enough to give you a heart attack!).

On the lighter side of things, about the office mouse. I have a 101% way of getting rid of it: you’ll need a Jason Donovan cassette and several pairs of ear plugs. Jason’s singing is enough to clear any room. Oh, by the way, the ear plugs are for you and all the other hard-working people in the CRASH office.

I hope this letter isn’t too political for you to print — even us so-called youngsters have views on these subjects.
Carl Welch (aged 14 and proud of being British)

Good letter, Carl. Of course youngsters have views on important subjects, that’s why I’m here, for a start. Don’t you think it would have made a better report on the radio if the producers had interviewed games players, or at least the software houses to express their views? If the rest of you have any opinions on the subject of the influence of violent games, drop me a line, I’d be interested to hear your views. But for now, Carl grabs the loot in the form of a £40 software voucher!
LM

NO SHOPS SHOCK!

Hello, are you there Lloyd?
When I bought CRASH Issue 87 I was over the moon to see the new free games. I tore off the tape, ran upstairs and played the games — they were brill. Then I read the mag: even better than the tape jam-packed full of details on new games. The one thing that spoiled it was that we don’t have any shops that sell any full price games or new games like RoboCop 2, NARC, and Navy SEALS. Please help, it’s murder playing with the same old games (hint hint).
Craig Tucker

Ah, you blaggard, you’re just after the £40 software prize, aren’t you? Well, you’re not having it because I’ve already given it away. But, don’t despair, Craig, remember you can do your shopping with CRASH, through our mail order pages. You can order any game that’s currently available and, with our discount scheme, you’ll save a bit of money, tool Can’t be bad.
LM

FLIPPIN’ GREAT!

Dear Lloyd
Three cheers for the Sinclair Spectrum. I haven’t written to complain about the Spectrum, I’ve written to compliment it. I think the Spectrum +2 and +2As are excellent value for money. The graphics are very good considering there is only a 128K memory. There is a wider and more varied selection of games available to the Spectrum than many other computers.

I’ve owned a +2A for nearly two years and have built up a good collection of games. Another good point is that Spectrum games are reasonably priced compared to what a game might cost for an Amiga. So, to anybody who is thinking about getting a computer, get a Spectrum +2A or +2. The Spectrum also has the best computer magazine to go with it, yes, CRASH.

I’m thinking about getting a printer for my computer. I am told an Amstrad DMP 2000 would be compatible. Please could you tell me how much one would cost and where I could get one.
Christopher Durn (age 14)

PLAYABILITY COUNTS!

Dear Lloyd
I am a 128K Speccy owner and a reader of CRASH. Most of my friends say graphics are the thing that count on a computer but I say to them it’s playability that counts. They think computers were made for graphics!?! I have a few friends who own 48k Spectrums and they are really disappointed that the great releases like Total Recall and RoboCop 2 did not come on their Spectrum, so I think the software houses should spare a thought for the 48K owners.

Anyway, 1991 seems to be a good year for the Spectrum with the release of Shadow Dancer, Turrican 2, Predator 2 etc... Also I’m glad that Ocean and US Gold have seen sense and produced puzzle games like Chip’s Challenge and the brilliant Puzznic. Let’s hope there are no more boring soccer games.
Jonathan O’Connor

Right, in order...

  1. Of course it’s the playability that counts in games — what’s the point of having a game that looks amazing but plays like a wet haddock? Absolutely none at all. I reckon the best thing you can do is get a wet haddock and give your friends a good slap with it.
  2. Yes, it is a shame that 48K owners had to miss out on playing Robo 2 and Total Recall. But, I’ve said it before (and you’ll no doubt say it again — Ed), if a complex game can only be programmed successfully on a 128K machine, there’s very little point in stripping bits of the gameplay away to cram it into 48K, because it’d probably end up being disappointing. Though, now I’ve said that, I bet some smart-alec software house is going to prove me wrong. Pih!
  3. Yes, on the whole, 1991 has been a pretty groovy year so far.
  4. Puzzle games are making a comeback, expect to see a few more before the end of the year. Likewise for soccer games. Sorry.

LM

SPECCYS ARE FAB

Dear Lloyd
Please could you tell my friends how good a Spectrum +2 is, they are boasting about their Nintendos and Segas. I only have one friend who agrees with me because we both have Spectrum +2s. My friend reckons Spectrum graphics are no good at all. What do you think.
Robert Finlayson (age 9)

It’s true! Speccy graphics are completely wonderful. Think of all the different styles in which Speccy graphics have been used: cartoon, solid 3D simulations, fast vector graphics, digitised and scrolling all over the shop! I think a good clout with the wet haddock is in order for your friends, don’t you?
LM

“HOWYADOIN”????

Yo! Lloyd
Howyadoin’! I’ve got some questions and I’ve chosen you to answer them and if you don’t I’ll get my best pal Arnold Schwarzenegger on to you like a flash! So on to the questions!

  1. One of my favourite games is Exolon, how many % did you give it?
  2. Is there a cheat for Exolon? (My mate says there is one, that you write a word into the high score chart and bingo, you have infinite lives! Only he’s forgotten the word! Do you know it, or can you find it out? It would be safe if you could!)
  3. When will Dizzy 5 be out? (As I’m Dizzy’s biggest fan, and it would be dead cool to know!) And will there be a Dizzy 6? So, thanks and over and out to you Earth people!

Luke Palmer (age 12)

Erm... Yo, Luke. I’madoin’ rather pleasantly, thank you for asking. Your questions, sir...

  1. Exolon? Ooo, we gave it lots of %. 90 of the things. Yup, 90% in Issue 43, waaay back in 1987.
  2. The cheat’s nothing to do with the high score table. This is how you get infy lives in Exolon: go into redefine keys mode and type ZOBRA. Then hit your brainless chum with a wet haddock (busy month for haddock slapping, isn’t it?).
  3. There’s no official word on Dizzy 5, except that it is happening and will, of course, be ‘absolutely brilliant’. There’s bound to be a Dizzy 6 but as to when is anyone’s guess.

LM

AN ABONNEE?!?

Dear Sirs
I have a problem. When I got my Spectrum I did not have any games. So I went to the shop and found CRASH. But, later I could not find your magazine anymore. Could you please let me know how to become an abonnee? How much it costs?
M Kulesinski

Abonnee? Haven’t a clue what an abonnee is, let alone know how to become one. If you’re talking about becoming a subscriber then all you need do is fill out the subs form and send us your money (currently £24 for European subbers) and we’ll post CRASH to you every month (and give you a free game into the bargain!).
LM

OH, DEARY ME...

Dear Lloyd,
Just one thing: What game do Teenage Mutant Ninja amphibians like playing with springs? Dunno? Give up? It’s Turtle Recoil!!! Har, har! (Total Recall, gettit?!).
Steven Donnerly

Oh dear, somebody isn’t at home to Mr Humourous, are they Steven? Here, have a wet haddock, y’clot. Slap! Can anyone do better? If so, send in your miserable ‘jokes’ to me at the usual address, marking your envelope Wet Haddock (just to confuse the postie).

HELP!

Haylp! Haylp! It’s the wulf! Except it’s nothing of the sort. It’s only Richard Lane with this useful bit of help! for Night Shift owners. What’s afoot, Rich? ‘I just thought that I’d write in to help out anyone who has a 128K computer and the cassette version of Night Shift. On loading it in 128K mode, I found that the block of code after the screen did not want to load in. Assuming that it was faulty, I rewound the tape and tried loading it in 48K mode just to check. It worked! When I came to load it again it still didn’t work in 128K mode. But then I found out that if you leave the tape running, or fast forward it to the next block of code (after the block of code after the picture), a 128K version loads in. I hope this helps anyone out who may have been worried that their version was faulty, like I did at first. The 128K version does away with all the awful multi-load stuff and has sound effects and music.’ Ta very much. If you can offer help! or need some help! yourself, just drop me a line at the usual address, marking your envelope Help!

SECRET GAMES BUSTED!

It’s happening! What is? Oooo, everything!! The Speccy games world burst into action recently at the annual European Computer Entertainment Show with a host of new announcements being made. If the software houses keep their promises we’re in for a rollicking good time for the rest of the yearl Check it out...

US Gold have loads of stuff lined up, including coin-op conversions of Final Fight, Mega Twins, G-Loc (now that should be an interesting one to see on the Speccy!) and Bonanza Bros. There’s also an adaptation of the Godfather 3 film, a great Indiana Jones game called Fate of Atlantis (but there’s no film, sadly), and Out Run Europa (finally!). Plenty more games still to be revealed, so stay tuned!

Ocean have grabbed the biggest licence of the year by snapping up the rights to The Simpsons — don’t have a cow until December, though. Also in the pipeline is Toki (shouldn’t be long), Wild Wheels (which is, apparently, football played by competitors driving bumper cars), Smash TV, Darkman (from the spook-like film), Terminator 2 (from the bash-like film yet to be seen in the UK) and Bruce Willis’s latest film, Hudson Hawk, gets the Ocean coding treatment for release in the autumn.

Hi-Tec have signed up with Warner Bros to produce a stack of mega-games based on the Loony Toons characters. Prepare to be dazzled with games starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Sylvester and Tweetie Pie (did you see a puddy tat?)

Gremlin announced plans for two new labels. There’s the budget priced label, called GBH, and the first couple of releases are Footballer of the Year 2 and Impossamole. An educational software label called First Class launches with a game aimed at four to six-year-olds based around The Shoe People.

Imageworks get to grips with the slimey quartet of half-shelled heroes once again this Christmas with the release of Turtles 2 — The Arcade Game, taken from the Konami coin-op. Cowabunga all over again, anyone? Also, Jaleco’s coin-op Cisco Heat gets the conversion treatment for a release late this year. It’s a turbo-charged race through the hilly streets of San Francisco in a police car and promises fab 3D graphics and the most realistic handling on a computer screen. Well, that’s what they say...

Krisalis have another sporting effort in the shape of Manchester United Europe, a sequel to their best-selling Manchester Utd title. The game takes the club into the European Cup arena with all-new in-game features and includes a management and arcade action sections.

Mindscape have signed with the environmentally sound superhero Captain Planet for a Speccy game appearing around September. And they’re dead chuffed with their licence to convert Atari’s Paperboy 2. The original Paperboy is one of the best-selling Speccy games of al time, so Mindscape are hoping for a repeat performance which’il earn them plenty of dosh.

Domark, who have always been a few plums short of a pudding, revealed their Christmas list which includes conversions of the Atari coin-ops Pitfighter (an action-packed wrestling game), Rampart and the sequel to Hard Drivin’: Race Drivin’. Also in the Domark pipeline is Taito’s Super Space Invaders and should be making an appearance around September. Like Domark say, ‘Space Invaders was a phenomenon in the 1970s..,’ Unspeakably fiappy flares, ahoy!

Keep up with the action with CRASH, why don’t you!