Killer Knight

Your Spectrum

Dilwyn Jones 7/10

Gerralt Jones 7/10

Ieuan Davis 7/10

Your Spectrum is continuing to scour the country's computer clubs to get the undiluted thoughts, feelings and impressions of dedicated games enthusiasts - in order to provide our readers with unbiased evaluations. Any club wishing to offer its reviewing services should contact Ron Smith, Spectrum Soft, [redacted]. We sent this month's batch to the Bangor Computer Club of North Wales, where their expert reviewers got to work; their plaudits and barbs can be seen over the following pages. First, let's have a look at the club and what it offers its members. The Bangor Computer Club was formed 18 months ago by noted author, Dilwyn Jones. He wanted to meet the needs of local home computer users, and holds meetings in member's homes on a spur-of-the-moment basis. There are currently 25 to 30 members whose ages range from 13 to 30 and, although there's no longer a fixed membership fee, those attending are expected to splash out towards the cost of the evening. Its members have the chance to try out each other's software and exchange ideas. Members can always call upon their colleagues to help solve problems. Anyone in the area who's thinking of joining the club should contact Dilwyn on [redacted], outside office hours. THE LINE-UP This month's reviewers are Ieuan Davis (25), Gerralt Jones (22) and Brian Pedlar (31); all three are long-standing members of the club and avid games enthusiasts to boot. They represent the 'Old Gold' strata of Speccy users, so we won't be expecting starry-eyed reactions to our selection of new games. KILLER KNIGHT Phipps Associates £5.00 A killer knight has captured your companion, so naturally it's your duty to carry out a rescue. Unfortunately, KK is not above doing everything in his power to stop you reaching the tower...

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 5/10

NO ESCAPING ALIEN TRAP Memory: 48K Price: £5.95 If you suffer from feelings of being trapped with nowhere to go, Loony Zoo, produced by Phipps Associates, is not calculated to offer relief. The storyline is that while surveying another planet, you have been captured by its vastly superior inhabitants and put into one of their zoos, together with various other alien specimens. It is possible to escape by jumping from ledge to ledge to reach the door pressure-pad located at the top of the screen. It will let you into another cage with new and more menacing inmates, and another, and another. More than likely, however, you will not need to worry about the next cage as you will find it extremely difficult to get out of the first. In spite of its relatively simple graphics and slow pace, Loony Zoo manages to be infuriatingly addictive, especially if you enjoy a challenge to your reflexes. In a similar vein from Phipps Associates is Killer Knight, in which, because of a freak time-slip, an evil knight has dragged away your girl friend whom you must try to rescue. The medieval trappings cannot disguise the basic Kong pattern. The hero's flea-like hopping movements are novel but otherwise the difficulty of getting very far into the game without starting again, and the fact that it is possible to notch a high score by running back and forth along the bottom level, make it slightly inferior to some variations on theme.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online

Sinclair Programs

June Mortimer

WELL-WORN THEMES RE-APPEAR The trend in software production appears to be to take stock, build on successful ideas and await new developments. New games tend to be new variations on well-worn themes rather than startlingly original concepts. The number of games based on the premise that all computer owners love shooting as many things as possible is decreasing and giving way to games which need thought and strategy as well as fast reactions. Unfortunately for ZX-81 owners, although their computer has remained consistently among the top five bestselling computers, new software for the ZX-81 is almost non-existent and W H Smith is not intending to accept any new ZX-81 software for sale in its shops. Due to the shortage of new software, no ZX-81 programs have been received for review this month. THE SNOWMAN The Snowman - Quicksilva, 48K Spectrum - is based loosely on the book of the same name by Raymond Briggs. The aim is to collect snow and build a snowman. The wandering flames must be avoided, as they melt your snow and turn it to water. Falling off the ice structure of pathways and ladders will result in the player being sent back to bed, as will running out of energy. On the higher levels, sleep monsters must also be avoided or confronted with alarm clocks. The Snowman combines the best of many games already on the market and should become a best-seller. The latest sequel to Pimania, Pi-Eyed and other Automata productions is Pi-Balled - 48K Spectrum. Once again the Pi-man is the hero of the game, this time accompanied by two bouncing balls and Sid the Snake. It is a fairly straightforward arcade game. The mystical pyramid of Pi must be changed in colour by jumping from square to square. Sid the Snake must be avoided, as must the bouncing balls, which can also change the colour of the pyramid but not necessarily in a way which is helpful. Pi-balled has lively graphics; the bouncing balls and spinning discs are particularly convincing and the degree of difficulty is well-judged to suit beginners and experienced players. Shades of Manic Miner are apparent in Loony Zoo - Phipps Associates, 48K Spectrum. The storyline is that, while surveying another planet, you have been captured by its vastly superior inhabitants and placed in one of their zoos, together with various other alien specimens. It is possible to escape by jumping from ledge to ledge to reach the door pressure-pad at the top of the screen. Needless to say, you escape only into other cages from which it is more difficult to escape. Despite its simple graphics and slow pace, Loony Zoo is a difficult and addictive game. Killer Knight - Phipps Associates, 48K Spectrum - thinly disguises a Kong-type game with medieval trappings. The player must climb from platform to platform, using ladders and avoiding rolling objects. Beginners will find it difficult to progress very far, while experienced players will soon realise that a high score can be obtained simply by running back and forth along the bottom level. MONKEY BIZNESS In a very similar vein is Monkey Bizness - Artic, 48K Spectrum. The monkey mentioned in the title is King Kong and the object is to rush up the scaffolding, dodging or destroying the barrels which Kong rolls at you, to rescue the woman at the top of the scaffolding. Monkey Bizness is an amusing and colourful game, although many Spectrum owners will find they already possess similar games. Like Donkey Kong, Pac-man is a game which spawned a multitude of imitations. Dinky Digger - Postern, 48K Spectrum - has a distinctly Pac-man-like air to it. The object is to clear the screen of cherries and grab the cake in the middle, while avoiding the monsters which are trying to eat you. One monster is followed quickly by another and the game is so difficult that it should be attempted only by the experienced or very nimble-fingered user. 3D Star Wars - Addon Electronics, 48K Spectrum - is one of the less worthwhile pieces of software on the market. The graphics are lifeless and confusing, the three-dimensional effect is jumbled, and the number of keys to be used complicates the game still further. THE GUARDIAN The Guardian - PSS, 48K Spectrum - is the first version of the arcade game The Tempest to appear for the Spectrum. The site is a spaceship on the edge of a vortex to another universe. Aliens appear through the doorway and must be destroyed by the use of laser bolt gun or star smasher weapons. The game has had to be simplified for micro-computer use but it is easy and fun to play. CCS has begun its Games for Girls series with three games for the 48K Spectrum. Hicksted, a simulation of a show jumping event; Diamond Quest, which is a straightforward adventure; and Jungle Maze, in which prizes are won with a Mastermind-style guessing game which is fun, although unoriginal. Apart from a tenuous link with show jumping in one game and a heroine rather than a hero in another, it is difficult to see in what way CCS has changed its strategy to aim it at females rather than males. Computers are bound to affect everyone's future in some way, so encouraging more people to use and understand them is a worthwhile project. To attempt to increase a software company's market vastly by selling to women is unlikely to succeed unless the software market is changed substantially.

Crash

Use of Computer 66%

Graphics 56%

Playability 65%

Getting Started 62%

Addictive Qualities 70%

Value For Money 62%

Overall 64%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Phipps Associates Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £5.95 Language: Machine code Killer Knight sounds adventurish, especially coming from Phipps Associates, who are noted for their adventures, but in fact this is an arcade game, indeed, a thinly disguised 'Donkey Kong'. The scenario has you whipped back in time through some fault in the space/time continuum, hand in hand with your girlfriend. A wicked knight comes up out of the blue, so to speak, and kidnapped your girl, taking her to the top of his castle. You decide to climb up and rescue her while the knight rolls barrels down at you. There are also 3 or 4 holes in each of the four floors which must be jumped. If you fall through your man doubles up in pain and succumbs. A green umbrella sits on the ground floor beyond the first ladder, and this may be used once to help break a fall. COMMENTS Control keys: 6/7 jump/walk left, 8/9 walk/jump right Joystick: Kempston Keyboard play: very responsive Colour: average Graphics: small, but neat and reasonable Sound: continuous, good Skill levels: 1 Lives: 4 Screens: 3

Wily old Kong disguises himself as a medieval knight kidnapper.

Personal Computer Games

Graphics 2/10

Sound 4/10

Ease Of Use 4/10

Originality 2/10

Lasting Interest 3/10

Overall 2/10

Chris Anderson 2/10

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K JOYSTICK: Kempston, Optional CATEGORY: Arcade SUPPLIER: Phipps Associate PRICE: £5.95 Don't be fooled by the cassette cover. This is merely another version of Kong, and a lousy one at that. This time you have a knight rolling cannonballs. The game's graphics, like the knight, appear to have come straight from the middle ages.

Crash

Overall 64%

Producer: Phipps Associates, 48K £5.95 (2) This, despite its name, is a 'Kong' game. Only here it is an evil black knight who has kidnapped your girlfriend. In all respects it plays like a 'Kong' game with barrels to jump, holes to jump, ladders to climb and so on. There is an umbrella to be used once per life or screen to help brake a fall through a hole. The jumping action is highly finicky and difficult to time and unfair where there are three barrels in a row to be jumped. Graphics are small although bright and clean looking, but not much use of colour. An above average, difficult game, but in the end not very playable for long. 3 screens, 4 lives, 1 skill level. Overall CRASH rating 64% m/c.

Read it at Crash - The Online Edition

Crash

Use of Computer (CP) 23%

Use of Computer (MU) 20%

Graphics (CP) 50%

Graphics (MU) 20%

Playability (CP) 19%

Playability (MU) 10%

Addictive Qualities (CP) 30%

Addictive Qualities (MU) 20%

Value for Money (CP) 40%

Value for Money (MU) 20%

Chris Passey

Matthew Uffindell

Apart from Krazy Kong, this is the only version with a loading screen picture. The game lts.It is a variation on the Kong theme - rescue your girl from the clutches of the evil black knight. There's the usual barrels and holes to jump and ladders to cli mb. Also a handy Umbrella to break and accidental fail (once). Th. game is very fast. probably the fastest of the 104. but the graphics are rather small and Colourless. Jumping is sudden and control generally it difficult due to speed and poor keyboard layout. Ladder climbing is automatic, so there's no going back' This lea difficult game to play (riot a bad thing). but with its uninspiring graphics and lsck of playabilIty, i didn't really enjoy it. CP I found Killer Knlçtit yy difficult to play because jump control is very difficult. I know lye said the same boul the Anirog Kong and Kifl.c Kong. but here thre seem9 to be no ‘fear to the lump, perhaps because if happens so qUickly, Poor Sound and even worse colour drops this game's value. I also get the feeling this is compiled mic - the poor block graphics with urunter.stlng iJDGs make it not worth considering iI you are alter a real Kong game. MU