Moon Alert

Crash

Ben Stone

Robin Candy

Use of Computer: 86% Graphics: 89% Playability: 95% Getting Started: 88% Addictive Qualities: 94% Originality: 83% Value for Money: 90% Overall: 89% At the time when Moon Alert was released there were few good 'Moon Buggy' games. Moon Alert was by far the best and oddly enough few 'Moon Buggy' games have been released since - certainly nothing to rival Moon Alert. Almost everyone knows how to play 'Moon Buggy' games (if you don't - where have you been for the past couple of years?) so there is no point in going over that all over again. Several 'Moon Buggy' games were released at about the same time. Ocean's version was undoubtedly the best and it's still a very good game by today's standards. It's just as addictive and playable as it was then and no one has bettered it since. BS I've never been particularly fond of 'Moon Buggy' games but Moon Alert caught my attention because it's a really good game. It's a lot more addictive than any other game of its sort. The graphics are fine though your actual buggy is a bit flickery. If you want a 'Moon Buggy' game Moon Alert is still the best one available and worth buying. (Ben) I wouldn't change any of the ratings. If anything I would put the 'Addictive qualities' up a few points. Moon Alert is another game that has stood the test of time well and I highly recommend it. (Rob) The ratings on the whole are basically sound I would only fiddle with them slightly by pushing the 'Use of computer' up by 3 points and maybe lowering the 'Addictive qualities' by a couple of points. Otherwise the review still stands.

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Big K

Graphics 2/3

Playability 3/3

Addictiveness 2/3

Overall 3/3

Steve Keaton 3/3

MOONIES MAKER: Ocean Software FORMAT: cassette PRICE: £6.90 Peachy implementation of that much under-rated arcade vehicle Moon Patrol; the hairiest ride outside of Disneyworld's Space Mountain. Starfighter 7 has been grounded by alien laser-fire. Having survived the crash-landing (well them's the breaks), you must try and reach the safety of Moon Base Alpha in your trusty Model T Moon Rova. However not only must you negotiate some ludicrously pock-marked terrain en route but you must also slug it out with those pesky aliens, who not content with wasting your starship, wanna waste you too! Although intrinsically simple in concept, the combined challenge of rocks, canyons and irrepressible attackers works on practically every level. high scores demand both strategic driving and defensive shooting! However it must be said that the prog's visual FX are rather dull. When I bust a buggy I want to see it bust! At least a couple of wheels should come bouncing out of the debris! Dragon Data managed this to great effect on their splendid Lunar Patrol a while ago. The Spectrum buggy just sort of implodes. The Currah Microspeech routines are also rather uninteresting. Unless more notable chat is buried deep within the prog, it seems hard pressed to do more than county you in and out. Still I'm nitpicking. Playwise this is neat stuff and if I was you I'd book a lunar lesson right away.

CrashCrash Smash

Use of Computer 86%

Graphics 89%

Playability 95%

Getting Started 88%

Addictive Qualities 94%

Originality 83%

Value For Money 90%

Overall 89%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Ocean Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £5.90 Language: Machine code Author: Ken Farmer and Jon Myers Ocean's packaging and title screens have been delightful recently, and Moon Alert is no exception with the screen (designer D. Thorpe) being based on the cassette cover. The scenario for Moon Alert is a familiar one by now. What makes Ocean's version interesting is that they have definitely based this on the moon, with the activity of the Moon Rova taking into account the effects of a reduced gravity field. Space Fighter 7 has been blasted by the aliens and crash landed on the Moon's surface. Fortunately the Moon Rova, stored on board seems undamaged. It is equipped with bilateral photon canon and perpendicular jet boosters, both of which you will need to survive the long journey back to base. The aliens have located your crash site and are even now scouring the terrain for you. As usual, your Rova travels from left to right against a scrolling background of mountains and a scrolling foreground of craters, whilst overhead, the alien craft drop bombs on you. The ground is divided into 26 sectors, lettered A to Z with Ocean claiming that over 300 screens are included in the game. COMMENTS Control keys: alternate keys bottom row for left/right, keys on the third row for jump, keys on the second row for fire Joystick: Kempston, Protek, Sinclair 2 Keyboard play: good positions, with plenty of options, very responsive Use of colour: good Graphics: smooth, well detailed Sound: good tunes, plenty of incidental effects Skill levels: 1 but progressive difficulty Lives: 4 Screens: continuously scrolling Features: 1 or 2 player games, Currah microspeech facility Originality: hardly an original idea, but a good version of the arcade original, and particularly well implemented with imaginative features

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