Laser Zone

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 8/10

MINTER QUALITY Memory: 48K Price: £6.95 Joystick: Interface Two, Kempston Software written for other machines usually loses some of its essence in translation to another machine. That is not true, however, of Laser Zone for the Spectrum. It is by Jeff Minter and was written originally for the Commodore machines. The game revolves around a grid, called a zone, on which are mounted two laser turrets - one on the X axis and one on the Y. They can be used by one or two players to kill the exotic aliens which stream across from the left-hand side of the screen. The laser turrets are powerful but on the higher skill levels you must watch for random laser bolts which flash across the screen. The game is enjoyable and extremely addictive. The graphics may not be so good as on the more powerful machines which support sprites, but it is essential for any arcade fan who wants something different to fire at for a change.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online

Crash

Use of Computer 72%

Graphics 68%

Playability 85%

Getting Started 94%

Addictive Qualities 90%

Value For Money 75%

Overall 81%

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Producer: Quicksilva/Salamander Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £6.95 Language: Machine code Author: Jeff Minter (of Llamasoft) Laser Zone is an insanely fast shoot em up with a difference. This is more of a shoot em up 'n' across. Instead of the usual left/right moving laser base at the bottom of the screen you have, in addition, a vertical laser base on the right hand side of the screen as well. Both bases are controlled independently although there is only one fire control for both. Because this is an exceptionally fast game, a training mode has been provided, which allows you to get the hang of firing without being attacked. It's a bit like one of those tricks where you have to pat the top of your head with one hand and rub your stomach at the same time with the other - not easy! The assaults come in attack waves (a time-honoured tradition with aliens), and should any of the various aliens reach either laser base axis, they will simply crawl along until they reach a base and that's one life gone. Later assaults contain pods which form on the screen and stay there a short while. When these blow up, any laser base opposite will be destroyed. Some alien ships will swoop down and then sideways along an axis, and the only way to deal with them is to fire diagonally from the unthreatened laser whilst avoiding shooting yourself! Electro bolts may be fired along the cannon tracks to destroy landed aliens, but there are only three with another gained for each wave destroyed. COMMENTS Control keys: Q/W = left/right, 0/O = up/down, SHIFT or SPACE = fire, X or M = electro bolts Joystick: Kempston, Sinclair 2 Keyboard play: fast and responsive Colour reasonable Graphics: good, although quite small Sound: good Skill levels: a massive 32! Lives: 5 Features: Individual or cooperative firing, 1 or 2 players

Laser Zone - insanely fast, pure arcade action shoot em up and across.