Rally Driver

Your Sinclair

Overall 5/10

Nat Pryce 5/10

BARGAIN BASEMENT And down in the basement this month, it's Nat Pryce - himself available at 20% discount on alternate Thursdays. Any offers? RALLY DRIVER Alternative Software £1.99 Reviewer: Nat Pryce Back in the old days a software house called Five Ways released this program called Rally Driver. Lots of people thought it was pretty good. Now Alternative has re-released it at budget price, and I must admit that it doesn't look too good next to more recent road games. I must confess that it isn't an arcade game, but a serious simulation. It really needs two players - one to drive the car and the other to navigate using the map on the inlay - quite an original idea, really. It's a pity that the game itself isn't that hot. The graphics are sparse and tiny, and the animation of the road is jerky. Arcade fanatics will not like it. but simulation buffs might find it good value at this new. lower price. Play it first before you buy it.

C&VG (Computer & Video Games)

Graphics 7/10

Sound 7/10

Value 7/10

Playability 7/10

MACHINE: Spectrum/keyboard or joystick SUPPLIER: Hill MacGibbon PRICE: £9.95 There are loads of motor-racing simulations around right now - but as far as I know no-one has come up with a decent rally-driving game - until now that is. Rally Driver from Hill MacGibbon is an effective and realistic simulation of competing in a motor rally. You have three "stages" of courses to race over. You must successfully complete one to qualify for the next. The packaging me complete with an instruction book outlining the rules of rallying and a map showing the roads which comprise each "stage". Each "stage" has to be completed within a certain time limit - if you go over that time then you will have to make another attempt at driving over the "stage". There are several different routes to take in each "stage" - you have to pick the fastest. You must drive your car through several time-controls in the correct order whatever route you take otherwise just won't qualify for the next "stage". Each "stage" is larger than the first and more complex - just like the real thing! The screen display shows your your windscreen of the passing scenery - road junctions, trees, houses etc. Instrumentation is fairly simple. There's an old fashioned speedometer, a clock to show you the time taken on the "stage" and an indicator which shows if the hand brake is on not. Pretty basic you'll agree. In the corner of the dashboard you'll see the steering wheel moving around as you steer. There are also road reports flashed up at the bottom of the screen when you pass through time controls. There's a leaderboard display which comes up at the start of each game and between stages to show you your progress in the rally - if you manage to get through the first stage! Rally Driver is an addictive and challenging game - for those of you who enjoy racing games and fancy one with a difference. You also have to act as navigator and driver, which adds to the challenge and gives a strategy element to the game. Graphics are simple, but adequate and the sound isn't bad for the Spectrum. A great game for car freaks.

Crash

Use of Computer 73%

Graphics 80%

Playability 78%

Getting Started 83%

Addictive Qualities 75%

Value For Money 71%

Overall 77%

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Producer: Hill MacGibbon Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £9.95 Language: Machine code Author: Five Ways Software In their series 'Games to stretch the mind', Hill MacGibbon have come up with some very detailed and innovative games that hover between being educational and downright exciting. Rally Driver is a simulation of a car rally which takes place over a very large mapped area of roads. It uses 3D road racer style graphics, with a moving road in perspective set against moving mountains. On the side there are bushes, trees and houses, all of which move in perspective as you pass them by. Because this is a rally and not a race track, there are also numerous side roads down which you may elect to drive, the object being to choose the shortest or quickest route to the stage finish. Contained in the box along with the program is a large map which shows the roads you will be taking on the three increasingly difficult stages. Depending on weather conditions, some roads may be flooded and diversions will be indicated at the Time Controls. There are four Time Control points on stage 1, for instance. In between are Passage Controls, boards with a set of letters on them. When you reach a Time Control Point, the marshal will ask you to repeat the letters to see whether you stuck to the route properly. If you fail to answer correctly you incur a 20 second time penalty. You also incur time penalties for crashing your car, leaving allowed roads, travelling in the wrong direction up a road or for hitting spectators or farm animals. For the latter, you are equipped with a powerful horn, and using it makes the hazard lope casually off. Your other instruments include a speedo which goes up to 100mph and a handbrake on/off light. COMMENTS Control keys: 1/0 steer left/right, Q/O turn left/right, 9/2 accelerate/brake, 3 handbrake toggle Joystick: Sinclair 2, Kempston Keyboard play: good positions, responsive Use of colour: very good Graphics: good 3D effect, fast for this type of game Sound: not much, good horn Skill levels: 3 stages Lives: not applicable Screens: scrolling

Super 3D graphics and a varied, winding road make Hill MacGibbon's RALLY DRIVER into an unusual experience which goes better with two players.