From limbo!taylor@decwrl.dec.com Fri Jan 3 10:33:57 1992 Received: by csd4.csd.uwm.edu; id AA17634; Fri, 3 Jan 92 10:33:32 -0600 Received: by uucp-gw-1.pa.dec.com; id AA29690; Fri, 3 Jan 92 08:08:45 -0800 Received: by limbo; Fri, 3 Jan 92 07:41:04 pst Message-Id: <9201031541.AA04839@limbo.intuitive.com> From: taylor@limbo.intuitive.com (The Moderator) Date: Fri, 3 Jan 92 7:41:00 PST Subject: Digital Games Review Digest, #37 Reply-To: digital-games@dgrd.Intuitive.Com (Digital Games Review) To: digital-games@Decwrl.dec.com (Digital Games Review Digest) X-Mailer: fastmail [version 2.02] Status: OR Digital Games Review, Number 37 Friday, January 3rd 1992 This issue we look at: Genesis: Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football Advanced Daisenryaku Toe Jam and Earl GameGear: Dragon Crystal Lynx: Scrapyard Dog Hard Drivin' S.T.U.N. Runner Robotron Checkered Flag Ninja Gaiden Ishido: The Way of Stones [Almost a theme issue of handhelds, thanks to Portable Addiction, where a number of these reviews were first published. Enjoy! ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Dec 91 11:40:05 EST From: eboltz@cndenext.mrs.jhu.edu Subject: Genesis: Joe Montana II Sports Talk Football The battle of the football sequels has begun. With release dates separated by only a matter of a few days, Joe Montana II and John Madden '92 are fighting for your holiday season dollars. For me there's little controversy, however. Football junkie that I am, I will eventually lay down the plastic for both titles. After a serious disappointment from Ballistic's Ditka football, my mouth was watering for the taste of a truly superior football game. Joe Montana II goes a long way toward quenching that thirst. (for convenience I will refer to Montana II as JM II and Madden '92 as JM'92) Prior to the release of JM II there were four football games for the Genesis: Cyberball, Joe Montana, John Madden and Mike Ditka. The latter three were, for the most part, variations on a theme with Joe Montana and John Madden being the standouts. Ditka, though offering many more features, had little playability. All had vertical play scrolling, no substitutions, a fair selection of plays, some penalties, no injuries (that affected the game) and similar player response. Instead of refining this approach, Sega chose to start from scratch. The result is that JM II breaks new ground in the world of Genesis football game, while lacking some of the strong points of the older games. The horizontal orientation is the first thing that breaks tradition. At the start of a play you have a perspective similar to that of TV coverage of the NFL games with the main difference being that the offense is lined up to the extreme left or right (depending upon the quarter) so that you can see the receivers as they run their routes. Once the play is underway Sega uses a 6x zoom view. When the quarterback releases a pass or hands-off to the running back, the view zooms in to the ball carrier or receiver. Once in zoom view the graphics are simply astounding. The players are large enough that they look like players and not the garbled masses that appear in the earlier games. There are drawbacks to the zoom view. You cannot see far upfield, nor can you see your receiver after the release of the football. This makes passing a very tricky matter. Passing in JM II is an exercise in timing. In order to deliver a perfect pass you must know your receiver's route and time you pass to land at his destination at the same time the receiver arrives. If your receiver is held, don't expect a flag - JM II does not have pass interference - but find another receiver before you get sacked. Fortunately Sega broke away from the three receiver limit of the first two JM games. In JM II you can select from as many as five receivers. You can also run 'picks' to confuse the defense's secondary and make the big yardage gain. Running in JM II is very, very different than in either Montana I or Madden I. In the earlier game you could not rely on blockers so you wound up just trying to outrun the defense. In JM II, however, your blockers are for real and you simply must use them or get stuffed. If you're used to the running in the earlier games, then running in JM II will be extremely tough at first. Once mastered, however, the running game of JM II is truly realistic and the best to date. On a power sweep right, for instance, your blockers will pull and make a path for your running back. It may not be a big hole, so you have to have confidence that they will land the block. If you follow your blockers, you will do well. It is possible, with practice, to average well over 100 yards per (20min) game. One thing that seems strange at first is the inclusion of momentum in running; it takes the runner a stride or two to reach full speed and, conversely, a stride or two to stop. This break from the traditional instantaneous player response is welcomed by those of us looking for a good football simulation (rather than a football-theme arcade game). Another first in JM II is the full season option. You can pick a team and play out a full sixteen games in your try for the playoffs. The drawback is that this is the only way to get to the playoffs. Also, don't expect any good snow games until the second half of the season. The 'dream team' is another nice addition. You can enhance your favorite team with as many as six trades. For instance let's say you want to play the Raiders, but you absolutely despise the QB; then trade him for some other teams QB. Both your dream team and season record are saved via passwords. The kicking game is good. Though it is possible to block a punt or field goal attempt, it is not easy. It is also very hard to pull off an onside kick (I've managed it only once). Wind factors into all kicks though a timeout will usually result in the wind changing directions when you go back to the play. You can also choose to be a blocker at the beginning of a kickoff, land your block and then run back the ball with the receiving player. Last, and certainly most noticeable, is the addition of 'Sports Talk'. Joe Montana II is the first game I've seen to feature a continuous commentator. Though sometimes annoying this feature is somewhat neat. '...he's gonna pass...better hurry...wide open down the middle he's got daylight...touchdown!'. Fortunately if it does annoy you it can be turned off. The other sound effects are very good especially when compared to the torture chamber howls of Madden '91. Overall, though no video game is worth what they cost, Montana II is the best football simulation I've played. Granted, other 'football' games are better video games, none to date has come as close to football as JM II. If you are trying to decide between Montana II and Madden '92 then I wish you luck, but I offer no help in this regard; I like them both. If you're tired of outscoring the computer by a factor of 5 then Montana can offer some challenge (in difficult mode). Still, Sega needs to improve the passing game, add injuries, more penalties, and substitutions for JM II to become the game many of us are still waiting for. Graphics: 9.5 Sound: 9 Gameplay: 9 (Once you get used to it) Documentation: 7 Overall: 8.5 - 9 (Great game) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Dec 91 00:24:58 -0600 From: milton@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Milton W. Kuo) Subject: Genesis: Advanced Daisenryaku Advanced Daisenryaku is the sequel to the popular war game Super Daisenryaku which appeared about two years ago on the Mega Drive. Based upon the Daisenryaku personal computer games by System Soft, Advanced Daisenryaku simulates the European stage of World War II. There are essentially two modes of play in Advanced Daisenryaku -- a Campaign mode and a Standard mode. Standard mode allows you to choose from one of nearly fifty war scenarios to play while Campaign mode simulates the whole war beginning with Germany's invasion of Poland. Up to four players can join in fun in this game -- two players per Mega Drive with the two Mega Drives connected via the Mega Modem. Upon receiving this game, the first thing I noticed about it was the incredibly thick manual. At 226 pages, it does not fit inside the box and is packaged on the outside! About 80 pages are devoted to explaining how to play the game while the remaining pages are like a reference manual -- physical dimensions, capabilities, and in some cases sketches of the various machines are given. With the majority of the manual devoted to descriptions of the vehicles used during World War II, it should come as no surprise that all of the vehicles (land, sea, and air) mentioned in the manual are actually used in the game. Furthermore, each vehicle has a unique graphic which is used in combat. This really was a pleasant surprise when I realized that different types of tanks did indeed look different. Similarly, airplanes are also different and the German planes even have the Iron Cross on them. Detail is not just limited to machines, however. Even the infantry wear different uniforms depending upon their nationality. Details in the graphics aside, the actual combat in this game is also very detailed. Vehicles can select between different types of weapons be it machine guns, shells, bombs, et cetera. Furthermore, troops, tanks, airplanes, and so on (henceforth referred to as "units") gain experience through fighting and as experience increases, units become more difficult to destroy while inflicting more damage upon the enemy. However, even the most skilled units can be destroyed by unskilled enemies if they are not upgraded. This is another feature of Advanced Daisenryaku that I really liked -- as time passes, units must be upgraded and eventually discarded to make way for newer, enhanced versions. Thus, technology also plays a factor in this game. Realism is further enhanced with limitations on how much fuel and ammunition each unit carries. If a unit runs low on fuel or ammunition, it must resupply itself from a supply line or friendly city. Failure to do so results in the unit being useless until it is resupplied and this may not be until the end of the scenario! Furthermore, the computer tends to gang up on helpless units so running out of fuel or weapons will probably result in the annihilation of the unit. Success in combat in this game is based upon the player's tactics and not the quickness of his fingers. Essentially, the player positions his armies and spends his money in a manner he sees most fit to bring about a victory. Combat is thus mainly a business of crunching numbers and using graphics to display the results. Some of the things that affect the outcome of battles include weather, terrain, training, and condition of the armies (how state of the art they are). One of the nice things about Advanced Daisenryaku other than realism is the fact that this game has longevity -- this is not a game that can be finished in one day! In fact, I believe there are over 200 playing hours to go through all of the scenarios. Some of the individual scenarios by themselves take nearly a day to complete! Fortunately, there is a battery backup feature that allows three games in progress to be save. Thus, you can save and quit a game in the middle of a campaign and continue right where you left off at a later date. Each of the scenarios represents a famous (or not so famous) battle in World War II and the map for each scenario is subdivided into hexagons which represent one unit of movement. The battles take place across many different types of terrain and combat and the terrain is reflected in the combat animation. Furthermore, airplanes can bomb towns into submission. While there are many good things about this game, there are also some negative aspects as well. For starters, waiting for the computer to make its move in the larger scenarios takes a very long time and is extremely annoying. There is no way to force the computer to make a move so the only thing that can be done is to switch the TV to another channel and watch a show while the computer thinks. Secondly, sound in this game is very sparse. The clanking of the tanks, the firing of shells, the sounds of airplanes are very realistic but during the movement phase, the background music leaves much to be desired. Fortunately, the background music can be turned changed or even turned off. A more substantial shortcoming is that only one unit may occupy a hex at any given time. This is not very realistic at all and ruins an otherwise sterling simulation. My only other complaint about this game is the lack of formations in this game. I would imagine that formations are not supported due to the lack of storage space in the cartridge. Maybe it is time for a Mega CD Daisenryaku! :-) Overall, this is one of the most addicting games I have ever played. It is not difficult to sit down and play this game and then find out that six or eight hours have passed without your knowing. Despite the realism of this game, it is still fun and is not merely a program that crunches a bunch of numbers and then displays the results. Furthermore, this game does offer a substantial play time -- a problem with many Mega Drive games out right now. Longevity of Advanced Daisenryaku is further enhanced because of an undocumented edit feature that allows user-made scenarios to be saved and played! Not only can entirely new scenarios be made, but the existing ones in ROM can be modified and stored in the battery backup as well! This alone prolongs the life of the game since you can now trade scenarios with friends. (I know, James. This is one of those stupid secret tricks which serve no purpose other than free advertising. :-) A final feature which enhances the replayability of the game is the fact that in the Campaign Mode, each campaign (simulation of WWII) can be different depending upon how quickly you finish each scenario. While my friends and I have not finished this game yet, it is interesting to note that some battles my friends fought I managed to bypass entirely and vice versa. Advanced Daisenryaku seems like the kind of game that will never be released in the U.S. All of the menus and text messages are in Japanese and there is very substantial use of kanji. Those who cannot read Japanese but can read Chinese will have very little trouble understanding this game due to the extensive use of kanji. However, those with no knowledge of Japanese or Chinese may find this game very frustrating. Graphics 7.0 (Good, but no mega-fancy animation and the like) Sound 6.5 (Good thing the music can be turned off! :-) Gameplay 9.0 "Funness" 9.0 Originality 7.0 Longevity 9.0 (High replay value and takes a long time to finish) Difficulty 4/5 (Some of the scenarios such as Normandy are tough) Overall 8.5 (One of the best war simulations I've played) Advanced Daisenryaku -- DOITSU Dengeki Sakusen, for the Sega MegaDrive, available in Japan from Sega Enterprises (8 Mbits with battery back-up) ------------------------------ Subject: Genesis: Toe Jam and Earl Date: Mon, 16 Dec 91 13:02:17 PST From: portuesi@tweezers.esd.sgi.com A disappointing trend with many current video games is that they are over-scripted and preprogrammed -- the landscape is always laid out in exactly the same arrangement, the same characters and objects appear in the same places, at the same times, and they always act the same way. Your part in the game is to simply to discover the script of the game and master it. While it might be fun to unravel the puzzles the game designers laid out for you, once you've solved them all there isn't a game left to play. ToeJam and Earl, from Sega for the Sega Genesis, advertises itself as being different every time you play. Indeed, the randomness, free-form nature, and lack of "boss" characters makes TJ & E feel just like a pre-Nintendo era video game, except that the visuals, audio and sophistication of the game are what you would expect from one of the current 16-bit game systems. It is one of the most refreshing new titles for the Genesis that has appeared in a long time. Basically, here's the story behind the game: ToeJam and Earl are two highly funky aliens from the planet Funkotron. ToeJam is a skinny red thing with big eyes and three legs. Earl is a big amorphous blob with sunglasses and sneakers. Sometimes his pants fall down. Anyway, ToeJam and Earl were out cruising in their rapmaster spaceship, which looks kind of like a rocket sled with two huge boombox speakers on each side. One day while crusing through the galaxy, ToeJam (against his better judgement) let Earl take the wheel. They crashed into an asteroid and landed on the planet Earth. Now it's your job to help ToeJam and Earl find the 10 missing pieces of their rocketship scattered over the 20 levels of Planet Earth. Each time you find a piece, it is filled in on a diagram of the rocketship. Elevators transport TJ & E from one level to the next, and if one of the characters should happen to fall off the edge of the landscape, they land on the previous level. As you wander around the landscape, searching for rocketship pieces, you also find some gift-wrapped presents. Some of the presents contain good things, such as hi-top sneakers (which allow TJ & E to run very quickly), extra lives, wings (which allow TJ & E to fly for a short period), inner tubes (which allow TJ & E to navigate water without drowning), and tomatoes (which TJ & E can throw at their enemies to make them go "pop" and disappear). There are also bad presents, such as a rain cloud which follows TJ & E around and shocks them with a cartoon lightning bolt; a rain of tomatoes falling from the sky; a school book which makes them fall asleep, and a "major bummer" present which cause TJ & E to lose a life. The contents of the presents remain a mystery until you open them. Each present contains a unique gift wrapping, so once you open one, you know what any other present with the same gift wrapping in that game will be. However, there are some complications. The "randomizer" present scrambles up the contents of all the presents and makes them a mystery again. The Mystery Present, labeled with a question mark on the outside, always contains something different every time it is opened. TJ & E can also find food, which they can use to replenish themselves when their life runs low. Fried and sugary foods (pizza, fudge sundaes, burgers and fries) are good; other foods (like moldy cheese, fish bones, rotted cabbage and fungus) are bad, and can even cause TJ & E to feel ill. Along the way, TJ & E meet all kinds of strange earthlings. Most of them are out to do harm to ToeJam and Earl, such as the Lil Devil who pokes them with his pitchfork, the Nerd Herd which runs them over, a swarm of bees which chase them down and sting them, or the Boogie Man who sneaks up on TJ or E and scares them by shouting "Boogie Boogie". All of the enemies are very well animated, and are very hilarious. But TJ & E also have some friends, such as a wizard who can heal them, a Wise Man (dressed in a carrot suit) who can identify the contents of presents, and an Opera Singer who can pop all of the enemies on the screen with her voice. There is also a mailbox, from which TJ & E may order presents via mail. But watch out for the Mailbox Monster, who looks just like a mailbox except that he blinks his eyes every now and then. He will attack if you get too close. All of TJ & E's friends want a small amount of money for their services. TJ & E can find money either lying on the ground, or as a present. Each of the levels in the game is randomly generated. The terrain, enemies, and contents of presents are all diferent every time you play. However, if you would like the security of playing the same game every time, you can choose the "fixed world" game. All of the animated characters are very detailed, colorful, and humorous. The animation, while not as silky smooth as in the best Genesis carts (Sonic The Hedgehog or Mickey Mouse Castle of Illusion), is nevertheless very well done and very entertaining. The game makes use of the widest variety of sampled sound effects I've heard from a Genesis game cartridge. Just about every sound effect from Saturday morning cartoons can be found here, including the Road Runner beep, the screeching of shoes against the pavement, sproingy noises when TJ or E jump, and so on. TJ & E offers two one-player games, one with ToeJam, and the other with Earl. ToeJam is faster than Earl, but Earl has more life points than ToeJam. Also, you can play a two-player cooperative game, in which one player controls ToeJam and the other player controls Earl. If ToeJam and Earl stray off the same screen, the game automatically splits the screen in half, providing both players with a window on their portion of the game. I would especially recommend this game for younger children, for several reasons. The first is that TJ & E provides a "jam session" where you get to play along. You can choose the accompanying background tune. Then, ToeJam and Earl dance on the screen against a colorful, constantly changing music video-style background. While the background accompaniment plays, you can play percussion and samples by pressing the buttons on both game controllers. It's lots of fun, and younger kids (especialy pre-schoolers) might like this as much as the game itself. Another reason is that the game is very free-form; it doesn't really force you to do anything. If you don't want to find the parts to the spaceship, you can simply wander around, collecting presents and having a good time. Because the difficulty of the game increases smoothly and gradually as you progress though the game, you can go through several levels of exploration before the game becomes too challenging to just wander around and have a good time. But the biggest reason why this is a good children's game is because it allows two people to play at once. The game really shines when you play with two players, because the designers worked to exploit the potential of a two-player cooperative game. For example, if one player opens a present when both ToeJam and Earl are on the same screen, they both get the presenta. This encourages children to share presents with each other. Players also learn to share food between themselves, by allowing the other player to grab food if they are more in need. The game also provides many opportunities to teach children the value of teamwork. ToeJam and Earl will cover sandy areas best if they team up to do it together, because one of them will sink unless they touch their partner nearby. (In fact, if you try to go it alone, your character will sink in the sand, and he'll cry to his partner for help!) And if either ToeJam or Earl is running low on life, the two players can do a "high five" by slapping their hands together. This will add up the remaining life for both players and average it out between them. There is even a present called "Togetherness" which will bring ToeJam and Earl together, no matter where they are in the game. In its own little way, this game actually teaches kids several of the values of friendship. Fun Factor: 10 The game is a blast to play, especially with another player. You feel as if you are playing a Saturday morning cartoon. Playability: 9 The control layout is very easy to use, though sometimes you can get caught up in the screen to open/drop presents. The split screen feature in the two-player game works well. Replay Value: 8 The jokes might wear out after the first few times you play, but the game remains solid and fun. Because it is totally random, you won't "memorize the script" like many other video games. Challenge: 7 I made it to level 17 the first few times I played, though the higher levels do get very difficult. Video game wizards might find this game too easy, but I'm not a video game wizard, so I don't consider myself the best judge. Graphics/Animation: 8 The animation is one step short of the best Genesis carts, but it has a lot of style and humor, and all of the game characters are very detailed and colorful. Audio: 9 Liberal use of digitized sound effects. The music is way groovy. Overall: 9 This game is a winner, especially if you like something besides shooters and hack-and-slash games. ToeJam and Earl, by Sega of America for the Sega Genesis (about $55 retail, I purchased it mail-order for $45 plus tax and shipping). ------------------------------ From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: GameGear: Dragon Crystal Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 Dragon Crystal is a roleplaying game, like Gauntlet. It is the first RPG for the GameGear. You objective is to find the transporter which will beam you to the next world. The game uses a forced 3-D perspective, so there is a bit of depth, but not much. As you go through the four stages you will find things, like potions, swords, scrolls and rings. Gold can also be found, if you get enough, you will get a better character or even a continue option. The graphics are not impressive at all. The only thing you see is your character,plants as obstacles and the enemies (like killer fruits, WOW) and a 1 color background (greenish).The plants are also not impressive there is only one kind per level, that makes it very dull. The enemies are ugly, not that they look ugly, but they are not well drawn. Luckaly the gameplay is a lot better. The controls are good and easy to understand. A nice thing is that you can cut a path through the plants around you with the sword. So you'll always have a way out. The rest of the game is more or less a standard RPG like the HitPoints (100 per trip),so there is not much new or extrodinary about this game. The sound is good, it has a catchy tune, but it lacks sound effects. Again it is nothing special, it is not bad at all, but the designers could have spent more time on the effects. Well it is the first RPG on the Game Gear (there isn't even one on the Lynx), so it is well worth trying for newcomers to the Game Gear and RPG's. Graphics - 5.0 : Not much depth, only one kind of plant in the background. Sound - 6.0 : Catchy tune, but not much effects Playability - 7.3 : Good controles, hunt for gold becomes fun. Lastability - 7.5 : A bit too easy for the RPG enthu- siast, but gameplay will be good for the beginners, and thus be addictive. Overall - 6.4 : Gameplay saves the game, rest is not so impressive. Dragon Crystal, for the Sega GameGear. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: Lynx: Scrapyard Dog Now the Lynx has a run and jump game like every other "real" gaming system(Sega has Sonic, Nintendo has the Mario series and Nec has Bonk). However Scrapyard Dog is not new, it was first released for the 7800 but the 7800 was never a great success, so Atari gave Louie a second chance. Though the game looks a bit childish with the simple graphics and the kidnapped-dog story line, it is still fun to play. Well,in order to save his dog Scraps from Mr. Big,Louie has to survive 24 stages. But this would be too easy, so here come the enemies, well they are more like animals,well in fact they are animals, hired by Mr. Big to kill you. All you have to do is avoid them, or kick a can and hope you hit them. But the enemies don't appear random, so you'll know this game by heart when you play it often. This means that you'll get bored with it after a while. But while you are playing the game,you'll find money and other bonuses The money you can use to buy weapons or other interesting things in a shop. The search for bonuses and bonus games make this game great fun, But when you've found them all,this also won't be interesting for long but keep in mind that it will take a long time before you have found them all. Something that could have been done better is the sound, it is there, it is nice but it is also standard, it is the normal tune. A tune that you hear in every game. House would sound appropriate with this game ...just a suggestion:-). The game might not be impressive sound or graphics wise, but the game play saves the lot. Mario made the NES popular,and Megadrive sales are going up with Sonic, so Atari resurrected Louie. But I felt that Mario on the NES was better than Louie on the Lynx. But if you realy want this type of game, this won't disappoint you. People who don't know this type of game will find that it is very addictive, but the lack of a randomizer is still a miss. Graphics - 6.0 : A bit childish, but it satifies. Sound - 5.5 : Programmers didn't have much imagination. Playability - 8.7 : It is very addictive at first, Lastability - 6.0 : But later you'll know this game by heart. Overall - 6.5 : Every system needs a run and jump game, and Atari created Louie. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (NEUROMANCER) Subject: Lynx: Hard Drivin' Hard Drivin' is a conversion of the 3D filled-polygon racing game by Tengen. The player controls a normal car and has to complete 2 tracks within a certain time. If the player succeeds, he or she gets the chance to race against THE Hard Drivin' Champion, the Photon Phantom! If the player wins this race he will be the new champion and the game is completed. You earn points by the distance you travel on the road. You can also drive on the grass, but this is only allowed for 1O seconds. If you crash into an object you are automatically put back on the road. You can choose a track right at the beginning of the race, where there is a Y-junction. One track is based on plain speed, the other track has dangerous obstacles like ramps and loop-da-loops. Add some oncoming traffic and you have a very difficult game. And then I haven't even mentioned the gear shifting! If you select manual gear, you'll have to shift gear by pressing Option 1 or Option 2! Argh! So the game is difficult. Really difficult. But.... it's definitely worth the effort. As you begin to master the controls, more and more will you get the feeling of being in a real car. Although the power- steering seems to have a little too much POWER (at least,that's what it seems to me), after a few goes you'll get the hang of it. And that is when the fun really starts!!!!! Making a looping at 4OMph is very funny for example! Ok, the game is great. But how does it look and sound? Well, the sound isn't very special except for the starting of your engine, which is a sample by the way. But now the graphics department! First the 3D doesn't seem to be that fast at all, but when you get into the game, you'll notice that the road is moving by at a very acceptable speed, while there are loads of object at the sides of the road! It is incredible that this little card is way faster than the Amiga and Atari ST versions of this game. Conclusion... If you like racing games, buy Checkered Flag. But if you're into car-simulations you'll just love this one. And even if you're not that much into car-games at all, this card is worth every dollar, if only for the revolutionary new graphic style for the Lynx. Graphics - 9.O : Great solid 3D. Just unbelievable. Sound - 7.3 : So so engine roars, but great samples. Playability - 7.5 : Very difficult but fun to play. Lastability - 8.5 : This is one of these games you can just pick up and play at any time. Overall - 8.O : Great car simulation for those with patience. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: Lynx: S.T.U.N. Runner S.T.U.N. Runner was one of the Atari arcade hits years ago. You were supposed to drive your Sub-Terranean Underground Network craft through the course while you fight fellow competitors to get the title of S.T.U.N. Runner. This is a sports game a la "The Running Man", also in the future. In the arcades S.T.U.N. Runner was not an irritatingly hard game, but not exactly easy either. And so it is on the Lynx. First thing you should do is plug in the game; don't read the manual, it's a waste of paper. The first thing you then see is your S.T.U.N. craft from the side, and if you wait you'll get to read the story line. After that you get to see the F.B.I. logo with the text "Winners don't use Drugs", like on the back of the boxes. But there is not the usual list of names of desig- ners etc. only the Atari logo next to the F.B.I. logo. When you finally skip this, you can choose a level to begin with (1, 6 or 11). Finally a womans' voice welcomes you, the voice has a great stadium effect, not like in 'Checkered Flag', but really like in a stadium. When the selected level starts, she wishes you good luck. And you'll need it! The first level is of course very basic, in the first few levels the computer notifies you of every mistake you make, or gives you hints. It is printed on the screen, but the voice also reads it out to you! Before you begin each level, you get to see a map of the track. Each part of the track has a different color on the map,like tunnels are green, wide flats are blue etc. An easy legend next to the map explains the colors. Also on the map the spots where the Shockwaves (Megabombs) and the speed boosters are marked, so you know where to pick them up. Below the map there is some further information about the level, like the number of stars to run over to get a free shockwave, the name and a description of the level, and the number of levels to the next challenge level (There are 4 challenge levels, you have to meet the goal of the challenge level, that is not so hard (like: Kill as many drones as you can). But if you fail to finish that course within the time limit, you'll restart on the next level, so you don't have to do the same level again, as you have to do on a normal level). The levels themselves are varied, some parts of them are still under construction, some have lots of ramps so you can jump over enemies, some are hilly, and some have it all. When you have finished a level, the womans voice announces that you have finished. The steering of the vehicle is good, but at first you have to get used to it, because to take a corner on a flat piece of track you have to turn in to a corner. But when you're in a tube, you have to turn to the outside. It is not a problem, but after playing 'Checkered Flag' for a while it can be a bit confusing.... The sense of speed is great in this game, especially on the hilly levels. It is great to see the debris of the enemy that you've just destroyed fly past you. The voice is great, and the game has some nice sound effects but they are present in any game. But there are also some nice tunes that you get to hear when you view the map, but there are not very many different tunes overall. Again we find that the poster/manual lacks information. Among other problems, it does not say how many levels there are, only says that level 23 is the last challenge level. If that would be the last level (and why not) it disappoints me a bit because I got very close after a few tries. But the rest is not bad, not bad at all... Graphics 8.5 I like the map, scaling takes care of the rest. Sound 8.0 Good voice, but not many tunes or effects. Playability 8.0 Turning is a nice challenge. Lastability 7.0 Looks nice now, but how many levels? Overall 8.0 Combines scaling, speech and great fun! S.T.U.N. Runner, for the Atari Lynx. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (NEUROMANCER) Subject: Lynx: Robotron Robotron! A word every veteran gameplayer will remember. Robotron was, as most of us will know, one of the most revolutionary arcade games of all time. Of course there are still the Space Invaders and PacMan gurus, but few woud can deny that Robotron is just plain great! So what was so revolutionary about the arcade Robotron? Well, the controls were quite different than other games.... there were 2 joy- sticks to control the character. One to control the movement and one to control the direction of the gun (as we know nowadays from 'Smash-TV'). The graphics were nothing new, but who needed graphics in the good old days?!? The Lynx version is exactly identical to it's arcade parent. Of course there aren't 2 joypads, so the game incorporates 3 alternative control options, the most easiest to learn being the one where there is continuous firepower and the A and B buttons rotate the gun. Anyway, Lynx Robotron is an exact copy of the arcade original, that won't be fun only for us arcade veterans, but also great for younger people, that will now be able to enjoy this great game from yesterday! And ooooppss! Now I almost forgot to tell you about the game itself! You are a robot that is dropped in a human ridden area. You have to kill everything in the area. That's it. But of course there are lots of hidden extras. Veterans already know all this, but younger people will be stunned by the fact that games of yesterday are often more playable than many games of today. Graphics 3.0 From the Middle Ages Sound 2.0 From the Stone Age Playability 9.0 Still uncopied, great as ever! Lastability 8.0 It survived till now, and it'll live on with the Lynx for many years. Overall 7.5 Fans will love it, and it's a chance for the younger kids to get to know the game their great-grand parents are talking about :-) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: Lynx: Checkered Flag Now every system has one or more racing games, so everybody waited eagerly for Checkered Flag. And it was really worth it. Luckily this is not the kind of game that has such a stupid story-line, you just race to win. Before you start, your position can be determined randomly, or by a qualifying lap. After that you can choose the kind of race you want, a practice run against drones, a single heat and a tournament on eight different tracks are all possible. Then you can choose the number of drones (0-9), the number of laps (1-50) and the track. There are 18 tracks to choose from, they vary from short high-speed tracks to long twisty circuits. Finally you can choose transmissions (auto,4-SPD and 7-SPD), the color of your car and the gender of your driver. Now for the race: At the start of the race there is the classic "Gentlemen, start your engines", it is absolutely the best digitized voice for the Lynx so far. But it is a pity that there is only one sentence. At the start you don't really have to fight for your position, if you're on pole,you'll probably stay there till the first corner. And if you start at the back, you can always overtake two or three before the first corner. But the rest of the race is different. You're faster on the straights, but slower in the corners. And it is hard to drive the ideal line through a corner when a drone keeps showing his nose. But this is not frustratingly hard. The difficulty level of the race depends on the circuit you choose, the more bends it has,the harder it is. When you choose the tournament set-up, you can choose the track to begin with, so you can make it a bit easier, or harder for yourself. I like the sound of the engines from the other cars when they get closer. Their engine roar gets louder when they are about to overtake you. There isn't much music in the rest of the game, only a simple tune at the first screen, and at the option menu. The graphics are as good as one might wish. The Lynx scaling makes the driving very smooth. The surroundings are very detailed, like the Atari billboards, the cows, trees, cacti and lamp posts. But there are also things like hay-stacks and snowmen, that, if hit, will only slow you down for a moment. If you hit one of the other obstacles, you'll have to actually accelerate from zero each time. Checkered-Flag is a must-buy for every Lynx freak, especially for me since I'm a race freak too. I haven't found any flaws in this game yet, but we waited long enough for this game, so it is supposed to be this great. And it was well worth the wait, I must say. Graphics 9.8 Ever heard of scaling? Look at this game! Sound 7.0 No exceptional tunes, but nice little touches like squeek of tyres is the corners, and slick engine sound. Playability 8.0 Easy, logical controles. Lastability 9.0 18 courses! Lots of different set-ups! 6-player ComLynx! Overall 9.0 THE racing game you always wanted. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: Lynx: Ninja Gaiden Of course the name Ninja Gaiden causes your expectations to be very high, at least if you already know the NES version. Unfortunately, these expectations are only partly justified. Ryu Hayabusa is nowhere to be found here, and neither is his story line. This wouldn't be much of a problem if it wasn't for the fact that the unfolding of the story during the game was one of the most attractive aspects of the original Nintendo version! Now we all know that there are zillions of other Ninja games around without any story line so we won't whine about the lack of story. So let's just see how good this Ninja game is in its own right. The first thing that strikes you is the tremendous detail in the graphic department. The graphics could almost beat Genesis Shinobi! Amiga games are also put to shame here! The backgrounds vary tremendously as you progress through the game, from streets to casino's to railroads. The animation is also one of the best ever seen on the Lynx, and the sound isn't to be neglected either; every level has its own tune, and so has every end of level guardian! Wow! Now, but how good is the game really? Let's talk gameplay-wise: The control over the Ninja is very good and responsive. And, though there are only a few ways to dispose of the enemies, there are lots of variations on these ways! You can interact completely with your surroundings, like climbing into poles, and crashing into bins. But now the sad part about all this.... there are only 4 levels. Argh! The levels are all a feast for the eye, but there's only 4 of them, and the game isn't really THAT hard! AND there are unlimited continues! So the game is way too easy to complete!!!! Conclusion... if you are a video Ninja veteran, you'll love this opportunity to play Ninja on yer own Lynx. Even if you're not truly into these games, try it out! But remember; it's a megagreat game, but only just worth the cash if you try to complete it without using any continues. Sayonara! Graphics 9.5 Some of the best yet seen on the Lynx. Sound 7.5 Various tunes and average Sound-FX. Playability 8.3 A joy to control the Ninja. Lastability 5.5 Only 4 easy to complete levels. Overall 8.5 Great for every video Ninja. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 91 18:13:38 +0100 From: tjerk@nikhef.nl (Tjerk Heymens Visser) Subject: Lynx: Ishido: The Way of Stones The picture on the box promises a lot, not that it has got something to do with the game. But the graphics of the game look as "solid" as the picture on the box. When you first start the game you get to see a great view of some kind of castle of palace (again, this has got nothing to do with the game-play, but it is nice). And then there are fireworks, a great touch that also makes the game look solid. As you push a button to skip this screen, you get to hear a bell that announces the option menu. If you wait a bit longer, you'll get the high score screen. At the option menu you choose the tile display (there are three kinds of displays), the oracle set-up (the oracle helps you to "solve" a problem that was on your mind when you approached the oracle, it gives you a saying when you make a 4-way match). The most interesting setup is the mode set-up, you can choose Solitaire, Cooperative, Challenge or Tournament mode. Now the box doesn't have that yellow Comlynx mark (would destroy the beautiful picture :-), but the instruction poster says that you can Comlynx "with as many opponents as you wish". We haven't found out yet what the exact number of players is, but we will soon find out. The method of scoring can be determined at the Game menu, there are 2 scoring methods. The ancient way only counts the 4-way matches, and the Modern method gives points to all matches. The object of the game is to place 72 stones on the 96 squares. The game play is simple and direct. Move the joypad, and you'll move to another square. Button A places the stone, and button B takes a stone back. There is no music during the game, there is only the sound of a stone being placed. When you push option 2 you'll get to see a menu, like in Shanghai it is ment to help you. You can ask the computer to help you one time or all the time and you can see which stones you still have to place. Also you can choose to end the game or choose to start the same game over on this menu. When you have finished the game you'll get to see the high-scores, even if the computer is the one with a high score. Last month I told you about the comparison with Shanghai. Now they are not identical, but they have much in common. I also told you that this game would not sell too fast because most people already have and like Shanghai. And I think my prediction was right (In Holland at least), a salesman told me he wasn't too thrilled with the Ishido sales. Not that it is a bad game (It looks and feels good, addictive gameplay) but not many people are going to buy 2 place-blocks-and-think game. Graphics 8.0 Good, but in this kind of game you can't expect exceptional graphics. Sound 6.6 Not bad, but I would like more FX. Playability 7.8 Clear, you don't need the manual for that. I like the use of menus. Lastability 8.0 Unlimited Link-up? WOW! Overall 7.9 Great, but Shanghai.... ------------------------------------- To join this group or have your reviews appear in the next issue, please send electronic mail to Dave Taylor at the following address; digital-games@Intuitive.Com We welcome reviews of games for any computer system, including the IBM PC, Apple Macintosh, Atari, Nintendo Entertainment System, Atari Lynx, Sega Genesis, Nintendo GameBoy, NEC TurboGrafix, Amiga and so on. Back issues are archived as digests, as well as broken into individual reviews. 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