Project Future

Your Spectrum

Dave Nicholls 2/5 HIT

Roger Willis 3/5 HIT

Ross Holman 4/5 HIT

JOYSTICK JURY Up before the beaks - Dave Nicholls, Roger Willis and Ross Holman - comes all the new games software, from the greatest to the grottiest. Back on the bench again, our joystick jurors are here to pass judgement on all the latest software. Read their sentences before you commit your cash. 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. PROJECT FUTURE Micromania £6.95 Ross: This latest offering from Micromania is a classic arcade adventure that we're now so familiar with on the Spectrum. It's set on the SS Future, a large space ship composed of 256 rooms and spread over 5 decks. You're entrusted with the task of destroying this vessel but why is never satisfactorily explained. Still, I'm sure there's a jolly good reason for it, even if it's only for a bit of interstellar vandalism. To bring off the big bank, you have to collect the eight destruct codes which are scattered all over the ship and take them to the destruct activation control. Just to make sure things don't all go your way, the SS Future is protected by a selection of nasties that materialise out of the floor and home straight in on you. Luckily, you can blast them back to their constituent atoms with your laser. You'll also find scattered around the ship energisers that make you unstoppable for a few seconds. I can't say that this is the most original idea for a game but it's done well and it does have very colourful graphics. It is, however, the first game to feature a jet powered C5 which can be used to glide around the ship - it's the only way to travel!

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

CrashCrash Smash

Use of Computer 88%

Graphics 92%

Playability 92%

Getting Started 86%

Addictive Qualities 91%

Value For Money 89%

Overall 90%

Unknown

Unknown

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Producer: Micromania Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £6.95 Language: Machine code Author: Dominic Wood Your mission is to teleport aboard and activate the Self Destruct System of the dreaded SS Future, a huge labyrinth of a space ship covering 256 screens. The trouble with the SS Future is that it is hurtling uncontrollably towards the earth on a collision course. You play Space Cadet Farley, a neat looking sprite of the future, and you must collect all the destruct codes that are hidden in the ship. The SS Future consists of five decks of increasingly complex, interlocked mazes and is filled with numerous defence droids who's prime task is to prevent you from living too long. To help you the Space College have equipped you with a powerful laser and occasionally you might discover an armour-plated suit into which you can dive and which protects you from the effects of the droids for four screens. The various decks are reached via a teleport system, and depending on which direction you enter the device, you will be transported to another level. There is also a scooter which looks a bit like a C5.2, and speeds up movement around the decks, though you still have to watch out for the nasties when using it. It too lasts for only four screens. The destruct codes are blocks which are collected by running over them. Once all the codes are collected it's time to find the destruct button and save Earth yet again. COMMENTS Control keys: N/M left/right, A/Z up/down, remaining bottom row to fire Joystick: Kempston, AGF, Protek, Sinclair2, Ram Turbo Keyboard play: very responsive, eight-directional movement Use of colour: excellent Graphics: very good, smooth and detailed, good size Sound: excellent and tuneful Skill levels: 1 Lives: 5 Screens: 256

Moving towards the cross-shaped Transporter.

Read it at Crash - The Online Edition