Casey Jones

Crash

Use of Computer 70%

Graphics 74%

Playability 62%

Getting Started 71%

Addictive Qualities 64%

Originality 68%

Value For Money 69%

Overall 68%

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Producer: Blaby Computer Games Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £5.50 Language: Machine code Author: Gary Capewell Blaby packaging has always been quite novel and with Casey Jones the company has gone on to the larger plastic cassette case with a cover insert which shows a lovely photograph of an old American Loco belching smoke as it rushes along the track. There was a critic whose words appeared in this magazine who said once that he couldn't understand why software houses always insisted in educational games of illustrating the word TRAIN with a picture of a steam locomotive when they disappeared from our railways almost two decades ago. Well, in Casey Jones the anachronism is obviously quite intended. As it says on the cassette blurb, 'Here's your only chance to pilot a steam engine. Not only does this train fly but also has an unlimited supply of megatron missiles.' Wouldn't John Wayne have loved it! The anachronism goes even further of course, for Casey type game where you must leap the craters and obstacles, shoot away those too big to leap, and contend with murderous 'aliens ' hovering above you. 'The 12.15 from Bournemouth is delayed due to hostile alien activity...' The screen presents you with a graphic representation of the steam loco on the cover which travels left to right against a scrolling background of rails, fences, telegraph poles and mountains. The aliens drop bombs which will destroy the engine if it's hit, and which leave fires burning in the ground - these also destroy the engine. Getting through all the attack waves and reaching the station will launch you on to the track again with a tender behind the engine, making a bigger target. The aliens in this game are unusual. The first wave consists of barmy burgers - a reference to Blaby's game of the same name; from then on there are various 'in' joke references with aliens ranging from Eugene's toilet, Horace to camels, Access cards and Daleks. Eighteen attack waves in all. COMMENTS Control keys: Z/X left/right, L to jump and ENTER to fire Joystick: Kempston Keyboard play: good positions and very responsive Use of colour: very good Graphics: large, detailed, quite fast and smooth Sound: mixed feelings from very good to average - it is quite powerful though Skill levels: progressive difficulty Lives: 3 Screens: 18 Originality: game type is quite common now, but presentation is highly original, a fact which is reflected in the rating below

It's a long way to the station on the Blaby Chatanooga Choo Choo.