Night Gunner

ZX Computing

Nick Pearce

THE '81 SOFT SELECTION Nick Pearce levels his critical eye at some of the latest software packages for the ZX81. NIGHT GUNNER - DIGITAL INTEGRATION In Night Gunner you are the rear gunner in the turret of a bomber aircraft under attack from enemy fighters. The screen display shows the cross wires of your gun sight and a view of the fighters as they weave randomly across the sky. You control your gun using the cursor keys and when you have an enemy fighter in your sights, shoot it down. Don't be too liberal with your ammunition, but you have a limited supply and when it is gone you are a sitting target for the enemy fighters. There are four fighters to shoot down on each mission, and each mission gets successively harder until the game ends with the loss of your third life. Your score is displayed on the screen, and a record of the highest score so far is kept. Graphics are used to good effect in this game, although I was a little disappointed with the action; for a machine code game it seemed a little unresponsive. Because you control your gun, the enemy fighters appear to move in the opposite direction to your commands. This is a little disconcerting at first, but it makes the game more realistic and it can soon be mastered with some practice. A bit more action during each mission would liven up this game, which nevertheless is challenging and entertaining to play. Night Gunner costs £4.95 from Digital Integration, [redacted].

Sinclair User

MAY THE FORCES BE WITH YOU War games, it seems, are forming part of the Sinclair users' staple games diet. Two recent offerings include the opportunity to be an aircraft gunner, zapping enemy aircraft out of the sky, and of controlling a naval task force sent to deliver a far-off island from enemy occupation - no prizes for guessing from where that idea arose. The first, Night Gunner, casts you as a rear gunner in the turret of a bomber, firing at enemy fighter aircraft which weave about the screen. Good, clear graphics represent the enemy aircraft and a cross in the centre of the screen is the gunner's sights. Each time you are hit by enemy aircraft, resulting in the loss of one of your three lives, the HIT flashes on the full screen, somewhat reminiscent of the scoreboard at an American baseball game. The cassette, a 16K game, costs £4.95 and is available from Digital Integration, [redacted], and will also soon be available from retail outlets. The chance to control even more fire power is presented in Naval Blockade. As commander of a task force sent to retake an occupied dependency, you have an aircraft carrier with five aircraft, a troop carrier and four frigates. The idea is to land your troops on the island, which is at the centre of a 10 x 26 grid, having fought-off enemy attacks. The graphics in this 16K game are simple but clear, and movement is achieved by entering a series of coordinates and typed instructions. Naturally, damage factors have to be coped with and missiles are not inexhaustible, particularly since the enemy bases are close to the island but you have the occasional advantage of intelligence reports. Naval Blockade is from Hewson Consultants, [redacted] for £5.95.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online