Apollo 11

Your Spectrum

George Price MISS

Johnathan Norman HIT

Mike Skinner HIT

JOYSTCK JURY Evaluating the batch this month is the Gloucester Computing Club. Any club wishing to offer their services should contact Ron Smith, Your Spectrum, [redacted]. This month's reviewers (all ten of them!) are members of the Gloucester Computer Club and, in alphabetical order, they are: Stephen Avent (28), Andrew Base (15), Robert Ledbury (22), Mark Manning (15), Nigel Newland (13), Peter Newland (15), Johnathan Norman (15), George Price (35), Mike Skinner (30) and Richard Vernon (15). They all set to work with Spectrum, pen and paper to tell us what's right and what's not so right with the latest new releases. THE GLOUCESTER COMPUTING CLUB In a moment we'll get on to the verdicts of our nimble-fingered, boggle-eyed band - to find out which new games are bound for the YS Top 20. But first, some details on the club. It was formed approximately eight months ago by Mr B Ledbury (who happens to be the father of Robert - one of our reviewers) and it's already built up a membership of 35 enthusiasts - ages ranging from 10 years to 'mature'. Meetings are currently held in two rooms at Mr Ledbury's home; one for games evaluation, the other for more serious studies. Membership is free and for more information, contact Mr Ledbury, [redacted]. APOLLO Darkstar £5.50 As pilot of a Lunar Exploration Module, your mission is to land safely on the moon. But the on-board computer has broken down, so you've got to land your craft manually.

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

Crash

Use of Computer 73%

Graphics 70%

Playability 70%

Getting Started 69%

Addictive Qualities 68%

Value For Money 68%

Overall 70%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Darkstar Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: Language: Machine code (Pascal) Author: Ian Rich, BSc This program is simple to describe. Basically you must land your Apollo 11 mission craft on the surface of the moon. The game is more a simulation than an action game, and although it may be simple to describe it isn't too easy to handle. The screen shows space, and below it the surface of the moon, with large mountains and flat sections. Obviously you must get the lander down on the surface in one piece and on a flat bit. Below the display area is the instrumentation. This includes vertical and horizontal speed, rotation speed and angle of attack. Each instrument has a red/green indicator and a landing may be made safely if they are all green, which means you are within tolerable limits. If you are landing, at a certain point the screen cuts to a much bigger close-up of craft and intended landing zone, for fine control of the landing jets. The simulation has an active, but low gravity effect Movement of the lander is by rotation using side jets and then thrusting with the main engine. Any eye must be kept on the critical fuel level which reduces each time the thrusters are used. COMMENTS Control keys: O/P rotate left/right, CAPS = thrust Joystick: none Keyboard play: good, simple and responsive Use of colour: average Graphics: average to good, unusual in design Sound: poor Skill levels: 1 Lives: 1

'One small step for man - Apollo 11 is almost down.