[6 @6 So Mr Console boy, you think that Mortal Kombat 3 is the bizz when it comes to gut-busting gore and mayhem, well you're probably right. But those of you who have a memory that is slightly longer than the loading time of a SNES game, will probably remember that the old Spectrum has had its fair share of controversial games and happenings. So here is a choice selection of the finest cuts that put the X into ZX. @4 CRASH MAGAZINE - THE BARBARIAN COVER @5 Those who grew up with the Spectrum will have probably read at some time or another, the magazine Crash. In its prime, up to around 1987, this was easily the best Spectrum magazine, before it slowly degenerated into a juvenile mess. Boasting some intelligent reviews and some wonderfully articulate features, what really held it head and shoulders above the other Speccy magazines was the wonderful covers painted by the illustrator Oliver Frey. Comparing todays computer magazine covers, it's not hard to see that they all lack the personality that made Crash so special. @7 It was probably the June 1987 cover that gave Mr Frey his most publicised piece of work. In order to promote Crash's review of Palace Software's chop-'em up game, Barbarian, Mr Frey created one of his most stunning covers. A simple piece showing a young muscular warrior in just his fur pants, spattered in blood and sweat, grasping another, more unfortunate and terrified warrior, around his jaw and neck, and is menacingly brandishing his broadsword, to which the captive barbarian is trying to keep away from his neck by desperately struggling to prise it away with his bloody right hand. It is a startling piece of work, so startling in fact that WH Smith's considered withdrawing the issue from sale, but were pacified when Newsfield, Crash's publisher, gave them a written promise that this would not happen again. @3 Unsuprisingly then, Crash were to receive stacks of letters, mostly in favour of Mr Frey, but some vehemently against. For me the best was written by a Mrs A. Cook from the Isle of Wight. @1 Dear Sirs and Oliver Frey I'm writing about the front cover and the majority of the visual contents of CRASH, June issue. Do you realise that nine and ten year olds and even younger children see this mag? Do you realise what you are doing to their subconscious, in fact their conscious direct. You are dealing with EVIL. There is nothing, absolutely nothing good about any of these pictures or even games. They are kill, kill, kill, fear and more fear, hatred and immorality of every kind. Computers were meant for computing. I know these games are a very profitable side line, but moral responsibility is far more important than money. We know that the Devil is the prince of this world although his time is limited, but unfortunately he is very clever and uses many people to his gain, especially those in the media. Crime has risen appallingly in recent years, with a horrific rise in 13 to 15 year olds involved in VIOLENT crimes. They feed off this kind of stuff! I ask you as a very concerned parent and Christian, clean up your mag, refuse to print foul pictures and games, such things are noted in heaven and God will finally bring them into judgement. Please help bring back LOVE. Make a stand, be different and you'll be rewarded. @4 VIXEN @2 In order to promote a fairly average platform game, Martech brought in the services of a Miss Corinne Russell to help spruce up the packaging. With the promise of a "Free Giant Poster" of Miss Russell bursting out of her leopard skin bikini inside the game's box, this was sure to entice young lads, and probably a few of their dads as well, into buying the game. Boots, who are more than happy to experiment on animals to help test cosmetics, which are sold under the premise of making women more beautiful, couldn't bear to see a page 3 girl's tanned flesh from peaking out from the computer counter, and so refused to stock the game. @4 GAME OVER @7 Dinamic, Spanish Software house extraordinare, come to prominence, not for their games colour clash, but for the advertising of their game, Game Over. Showing the ample charms of a futuristic lady, who, to the horror of a few distressed individuals, was showing far too much nipple. Future adverts were suitably censored, with either the picture shrunk, or the troublesome area discreetly covered with the help of a magazines graphic artist. Sadly, the advert for Game Over 2, was not as risque. @4 JACK THE RIPPER @5 With adventure games never selling as well as their arcade counterparts, CRL hit pay-dirt when they released Jack The Ripper. Long before the voluntary code of ratings was introduced, CRL hit upon the idea of getting their game rated by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification). A copy of the script, as well as the gruesome digitised pictures, was sent to James Ferman and his team, who duly gave the game a rating of 18, because of some of the games horrific text descriptions. Probably some part due to the rating, the game became an instant hit and sold in droves. The game is an atmospheric affair, and although the Spectrum is not endowed with the graphic qualities of an Amiga or PC, the pictures, digitised from actual police photo's from the Ripper case, do lend an eerie quality to the proceedings. But when you compare the game to a film like Platoon (rated 15) and any decent horror novel (books aren't rated, and never will be I hope), it's hard to see why all the fuss was made, other than the lure of ringing cash registers. @4 OTHER NOTED ADVERTS @6 Barbarian 1 +2. (PALACE) A really satisfying two player game, especially if you pull off the "Web Of Death" and decapitate your best mate. The ST and Amiga versions were better than their 8-Bit counterparts, if only because they used sampled sound effects, which really added to the heat of the battle. The accompanying adverts were just as 'inventive' as the Vixen advert, with a certain well endowed Maria Whittaker in bikini accompanied by a barbarian beefcake, who looks rather similar to Wolf from Gladidon'twatchitators. @2 Where Time Stood Still (OCEAN). The Spectrum's best dedicated 128K game. Similar in style to The Great Escape, and written by Denton Design, who just so happened to have written The Great Escape as well. The accompanying advert, by the artist Dave Wakelin, who did all of Oceans adverts, featured a young blonde, not wearing her sunday best, and looking like she had just been in a Miss Wet T-Shirt contest. For some reason this advert didn't receive the wrath and fury that was bestowed upon Game Over, but then again her nipples were not as eye-catching.