Rapid Fire

ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)

Visual Effects 2/7

Audio 5/7

IQ Factor 2/7

Fun Factor 4/7

Ace Rating 543/1000

Andy Smith 543/1000

Blow 'em away with Mastertronic Rapid Fire is played using joystick only over six levels of increasing difficulty. The background scrolls from left to right with your character staying centre-screen as you move through a warehouse dealing death and foiling the bank-busting ambitions of a bunch of computer-literate crooks - achieved by blasting 'plasma computers' at the end of each level and the 'central power electrode' at the end of the game. You have five lives, a machine gun, and a limitless supply of ammunition to expend in the restoration of law and order. Smooth animation and scrolling do not compensate for poorly drawn sprites and drab backgrounds, though the sound makes a brave attempt to raise the game out of the ordinary with good effects and a lively tune. A reasonable budget game, but don't expect much in the lasting interest stakes. Reviewer: Andy Smith RELEASE BOX C64/128, £2.99, Reviewed Spectrum, £2.99cs, Reviewed Other versions undecided. Predicted Interest Curve 1 min: 40/100 1 hour: 60/100 1 day: 60/100 1 week: 40/100 1 month: 20/100 1 year: 10/100

SPECTRUM VERSION Poor gameplay, worse graphics, dire effects make this a big no-no.

Sinclair User

Overall 6/10

Chris Jenkins 6/10

Label: Mastertronic Author: Icon Design Price: £1.99 Memory: 48K/128K Joystick: various Reviewer: Chris Jenkins Could have been good, but ain't. Rapid Fire is one of those desperate mixtures of themes where valiant undercover cops battle to disable plasma computers (huh?) and power electrodes (wha....?) in order to destroy a warehouse full of criminals. Run left and right, shoot diagonally upwards to pick off the snipers, jump over bombs, leap up to shake off unarmed baddies. The scenario's there, but the graphics certainly aren't. The horizontally-scrolling backgrounds are pretty dull, the heroic cop runs like a pregnant duck and his macho machinegun looks like a broom handle. Not interesting enough to keep you going through the five levels - more a case of 'rapid boredom' if you ask me.

Crash

Presentation 52%

Graphics 46%

Playability 27%

Addictive Qualities 25%

Overall 32%

Ben Stone 30%

Nick Roberts 40%

Paul Sumner 27%

Producer: Mastertronic Retail Price: £1.99 Author: Icon Design The crime of the month, if not the century, is under way - criminals have made their headquarters in a deserted warehouse and filled it with computer equipment, and they're ready to paralyse the electronic security systems of four victim banks. There's only one solution, so your police superiors have ordered you to destroy the warehouse and all the equipment it contains. To do this, four plasma computers must be deactivated. The active (red) rotating plasma vent in each computer is its Achilles'heel, and should be taken out by a well-directed shot. But the computers are protected by a swarm of desperate criminals who just don't like an undercover cop that much. You carry a gun for protection against these evil rapscallions and their grenades and missiles (but be careful - while you're busily gathering points, the gun can overheat). After taking out the plasma computers, you can enter the master level of the warehouse hideout, thus setting off a chain reaction in the central power electrode and foiling the bank robbers' plans for good. COMMENTS Joysticks: Kempston, Sinclair Graphics: poor and badly-defined Sound: squidgy explosions

Rapid Fire - more a kind of feeble blast.