Pole Position

Crash

Overall (Mike Dunn) 41%

Overall (Dominic Handy) 71%

Dominic Handy 71%

Mike Dunn 41%

Run it again and again and again - there's nothing like a good race game. You can always beat that world record just once more, as DOMINIC HANDY and MIKE DUNN discover when they go into... Pole Position Atarisoft 68% Issue 12 MIKE: I suppose it deserves credit for being the original and all that, but the 68% rating was given three years ago, and I'm afraid Pole Position has aged quite seriously since then. One of the poorer racing games. 41% DOMINIC: I waited ages for this conversion to come on the Spectrum - and they did a reasonable job. The graphics may not be as good as in Out Run, for instance, but the feel of the game is definitely Pole Position. It's dropped tremendously in price, and is unchallenged in its class (at the moment!) 71%

MORE WHEELS THAN ISIAH! BMX Simulator Endurance Enduro Racer Glider Rider Knight Rider Miami Vice Milk Race Nightmare Rally Paperboy Pole Position Scalextric Speed King II Street Hawk Super Cycle TT Racer Turbo Esprit

ZX Computing

Graphics 3/5

Addictiveness 2/5

Overall 3/5

US Gold/Datasoft £7.95 This is an accurate computer version of the arcade hit of the same name, the graphics have been faithfully reproduced and, as far as is possible, the sounds are the same. Pole Position is a race driving game. I say game rather than simulation as the only controls are left and right plus forward and back for Hi/Low gear change and brakes. The first section has you steering your car, which you see as a rear view at the bottom of the screen, left and right as the track scrolls towards you, there are other cars which appear and have to be avoided as you over take them. Provided that you get a lap speed of 73mph or better, you then go on to the actual race itself and do the same again in the main race. Hitting another car or one of the billboards causes your car to explode. If this happens you get a new car and start from this position, the only real penalty is the time you lose. It is hard to say why, but I wasn't too excited by this program. All the arcade features are there, but going round and round the track didn't seem too challenging - OK, I had my share of crashes, but I couldn't maintain a lasting interest. If you are a fan of the arcade version then this will be a must for you, I suspect most Spectrum gamers will find there is not enough variation in the gameplay to keep them engrossed for long.

Your Spectrum

Dougie Bern 8/10

Rick Robson 8/10

Ross Holman 7/10

JOYSTICK JURY It's all change again this month as we say goodbye to the irrepressible Roger Willis - you haven't heard the last of him though, you can be sure of that - and welcome Dougie Bern in his place. He joins the other two joystick jurors, Rick Robson and Ross Holman as they pass judgement on all the latest games. It's all change on the scoring system too! Out go the hits and misses and the score out of five. So that the joystick jurors can draw more subtle distinctions between games, they're now giving the scores out of ten. If there's anything else you think they should be telling you, let em know.! POLE POSITION Datasoft £7.95 Rick: Stone me, if it's not another (if not the original) grand prix simulation game. As the holder of no less than 9 provisional licences, I lapped up the idea. A golden oldie that pre-dates history lessons and is slightly more raunchy. Arcaders will either groan with the familiarity of it all, or welcome it as an old friend into the swelling cohorts of Spectrum games. So what d'ya do then? Quite simply whizz your mighty McLaren around the mountain encircled track within the alloted qualifying time. Just feel the horse power throb in the grip of your joystick... the faster you qualify, the higher up the grid you climb. Then for the race proper. Avoid banging your comrades, (in any position, let alone Pole), or pranging the placards as you try to set a new lap record or get a high score. This game has good, if not world championship graphics. Added to joystick responses this Pole's Position could be first past the flag, compared to say Chequered Flag. No matter how many times you burst into flames, your car keeps going. Whatever your position on racing games try the Pole one.

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

Sinclair User

Overall 3/5

Colette McDermott 3/5

Publisher: Datasoft Memory: 48K Price: £7.95 Joystick: Sinclair, Kempston, Cursor Oh no! Not another racing car game! Despite Pole Position being a direct descendent of the famous arcade game it is still hard not to be cynical. The game begins with a qualifying lap to determine which one of the eight grid positions you take for the race. Score, time left, speed, gears and laps completed, are displayed throughout the trial and race. You have a view of the race from the rear of your car and control the steering, gears and brakes. What about speed? That increases at a set pace only as long as you remain on the track. Racing through the straights and chicanes, you must qualify within a set time. Your car will be replaced following each crash until your time runs out. It always seems that you reach a respectable speed - 200 mph plus - when approaching a bend. Attempting to brake and pass a car usually sends you careering off the track towards a lurking roadsign. Crash! Ugh! Fun? Having qualified you now compete in the main race. The same obstacles appear, although there are more of them. Points are scored in both events for remaining on the track and passing rival cars. Upon successful completion of the race you are awarded extended play. To make the game more challenging, your time limit drops each time you finish a race, your car speeds up and more cars and roadsigns appear. Generally the graphics are good; your car does look like a formula racing machine. Flickering red and white lines mark the edge of the circuit and give a realistic illusion of movement to the game. There again, that also makes for uncomfortable viewing. What lets the graphics down is the untidy sequence following a crash. On impact, the car explodes and is slowly replaced by a new one. Vital seconds are lost. Be warned. If you like to play games where 10 fingers are never enough you won't enjoy this one. So steer clear.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online

Your Spectrum

Dave Nicholls 3/5 HIT

Roger Willis 5/5 HIT

Ross Holman 4/5 HIT

JOYSTICK JURY From their bench on high, our regular panel of jurors - Ross Holman, Roger Willis and Dave Nicholls - pass judgement on the latest and greatest games software! Here they are again - that motley bunch of joystick jockeys, ready and waiting to sift through the plethora of software to help you make that important decision! WARNING! Just in case you find our scoring system too confusing, here's what it's all about. The score out of five at the end of each person's review is based on their own experience of the game. But that's pretty subjective... so they also use the HIT and MISS system to indicate its potential as a commercial success. POLE POSITION Atarisoft £7.99 Ross: "Atari puts you in the driver's seat! Pass cars like they're standing still, but watch for those curves! One mistake and you could go up in flames!" So says Atarisoft on the cassette sleeve of Pole Position. All the features of the arcade original are in the Spectrum version, from the qualifying lap to the vicious left-hand bend that appears just when you think you're doing so well. All the joysticks are supported and the controls are nice and simple... left, right, brake and change gear. To qualify for the race you must first complete a lap within 73 seconds - and, once you've made the grade you get allocated a grid position. Immediately the starting light turns to green, the other cars go speeding off - leaving you to do the best you can. The car accelerates automatically, leaving you to change into high gear at about 100mph. You soon start catching up with the other cars, though, and you'll get a satisfied feeling as you coast past them. Each time you complete a lap you're given a time bonus and the end of the race comes when you run out of time or complete three laps; you'll see a little chequered flag at the finish. For my book this is the best Atarisoft game yet. It's also the best racing game I've seen on the Spectrum and it's eminently playable.

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

Crash

Use of Computer 80%

Graphics 80%

Playability 71%

Getting Started 75%

Addictive Qualities 52%

Value For Money 49%

Overall 68%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Atarisoft Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £7.99 Language: Machine code At last, the long-awaited Spectrum version of one of the most famous arcade originals ever - Atari's 'Pole Position'. There were rumours earlier in the year that Atarisoft had released the game. It was seen at the Earls Court Computer Fair in September and almost immediately withdrawn after unfavourable comment from critics present. The track picture is recognisably that of the arcade original, with the alternating red and white stripes on the road side, striped centre line, moving hills in the background and a long perspective which has the road moving from side to side depending on the car's position on it. Road signs also echo the original and provide a danger to those who go off the road. You're up against lots of other racers on the road. The game commences from the start grid with a countdown. First you must qualify - 90 seconds in which you must achieve a lap time of better than 73 seconds to get onto the real race. If you hit another car or a hazard you explode and this loses you precious time. No matter how many times you crash you receive another car until the qualifying time has run out. Control includes left and right, brake and change of gears between hi and low. Scoring is by lap speed and 50 points per car passed. COMMENTS Control keys: O/P left/right, 0 to brake, A to change gear, or use the cursor keys Joystick: Kempston, AGF, Protek, Sinclair 2 Keyboard play: very good, attribute problems kept to a minimum Use of colour: good 3D effect, detailed and large Graphics: bit clicky, nothing special, nice tune Sound: progressive difficulty Skill levels: N/A Lives: 1 Special features: above average, but pricey.