========================================================================== Newsflash Product Review: SUPER GRIDRUNNER Produced by: Llamasoft/Jeff Minter Game-Type: Shoot'em Up! Price: 10.95 pounds ========================================================================== The earth is under attack, the disgusting green slimelords of the planet Xthharg have unleashed heavily-armed space battle fleets against the earth for no apparant reason!! Yes, a familiar start and not needed because this is pure, unadulterated blasting fun! Minter is back to his roots with a no-nosense cut-the-bull feel the width shoot'em up.. Eight years and many bovines ago, Mr Minter and his furry jacket unleashed Gridrunner to an excited Vic user-base, people freaked out and the Yak was born.. years followed and so did his fans with many blast'ems in the wake. Then the hippy with the assembler discovered light-synths and created the excellent trip-a-tron and even produced a video using it.. any self respecting commodore computer owner cannot fail to associate with one or more of his products, he's about as well-known as Tarmac over in these parts and one of the refreshing original and honest people who always try damned hard to produce playable product. There are many people that think the quality of a game revolves around the graphical and sonic technicalities.. and there are those with a few more brain cells who realise that a game should be a game and have a good system.. we all should know that pretty graphics and a chunk of sampled chakka-boom-boom doesn't guarantee success. As far as I am aware this is the Yak's first direct involvement with the Amiga, the other stuff such as Trip-A-Tron were converted from the Atari originals and the Mastertronic camels thing was basically about as near to Jeff Minter as the craters on the moon.. The lads done well.. as I said it's a blast and thats it, no hiding subtle complexities.. some may argue that this is like a step backwards but to my mind there aren't that many GOOD shoot-em-ups available for the Amiga, there are a few pattern orientated remember-the-move-type things but you always know what's coming up.. with this you are kept on the edge and above all it's great fun. The game plays very much like it's forerunner (Gridrunner) but is vastly enhanced and contains 64 very different levels as well as text that never fails to amuse or inform when it appears.. little hints, quips and suggestions appear as you work your way from a nobody to a somebody.. Graphics are reaonable, nothing spectacular but they suit the action, yes there are lots of camels, sheep and yaks before you ask - did you need to? Sound is well used, all internals and suit the game very well, I particularly liked the weedy "woooo-hooo" went you shot one of the bonus creatures.. well amusing.. Gameplay is very good, great fun and a great way to waste the odd half- hour.. the good thing is that the levels keep adding new fiendish things and you never know just what to expect.. it'll be a while before you get to read the amusing end of game text... well it made me grin but then again I discovered the cheat mode... send me a packet of sausages wrapped in a tarten sock and you can have it. Criticisms: There is the old phrase "you'll love it or hate it", which I could use but I won't... on the hand I might do.. if you want some good fun for a reasonable price this is a good bet, but if you want to exercise the brain cells you better look elsewhere. The only grumble I've got is that the game is played with the mouse and I don't know how long it could take severe blasting... looks like Naksha are going to be selling a few mice soon... Ratings: Graphics: 70% Suit the game, Jeffs weird humour adds to it all. Sound : 85% Original sounding effects, suit it perfectly. Gameplay: 90% Very playable, great fun.. fast! Overall : 80% Nothing original, but it's not meant to be, a good way to enjoy yourself when you feel like letting loose a bit of tension... I must add that I was not swayed by the fact that Jeff is a Pink Floyd fan, no I wasn't.. not at all.. would I do that ? Anyway I am waiting for Iridis Alpha on the Amiga... anychance of that eh Jeff? Reviewed by Martyn ========================================================================== Super-Dooper-Gridrunner is available from your local software supermarket or if not, directly from the Yak at: Llamasoft, 49 Mount Pleasant, Tadley, Hants. Tel. 0734 814478. ==========================================================================