I�ve been resisting the temptation to check just how many more games I�ve got to get through until now. In fact, I was starting to feel quite pleased with how far through the As I�d got. Then I realised that I while I�ve got fifty-six more As to get through on my computer, there are actually another six hundred and sixty two more As to get through on WoS. And in thirteen days I�ll have been at it for nearly a year. So, if I want to finish the first letter in the first year, then that�s six hundred and sixty two divided by thirteen� carry the nine� um� 50.9 games a day.
Alright then.
Alcatraz Harry � Mastertronic, 1984
So, according to the dozen or so pages of instructions (that appear, shockingly, without any delays or elaborate sound effects) I�m supposed to escape from a prison, stealing some files along the way.
So I jump down the first grill I see, and it turns out to be the wrong thing to do entirely.
And after a short trial, Harry gets his head blown clean off. Anyway, this is actually quite a good game. An interesting predecessor to The Great Escape, and I some fun figuring out the map�s layout and trying to remember where the secret files were supposed to be.
Alcatraz Harry 2 � Scorpio Gamesworld, 1984
So, this is more of the same, but with better graphics and some basketball players to trade items with. That�s not the only addition � you can now search the buildings to gain extra items.
The graphical improvements are nice � Harry doesn�t look like Hammerman any more � but sadly the attempted improvement at sound consists of well, a beep. Not just one beep mind � it�s one beep played over and over at high speed, as though that would improve the utter crapness of it. And what�s more, it does it every time you look at the (absolutely vital) status screen to find out where you are and what you�re carrying. Sigh. Still, if you can forgive that, it�s still a bit of fun. (Quite worrying actually, considering the way this feature normally goes. Hm.)
Jump over wall. Wall gets higher. Jump over wall. Wall gets higher. Jump over wall. Wall gets� wait, what�s this?
There�s an actual game in here? Crikey� It�s even quite a modern-feeling game, despite it�s clearly BASIC origins. There don�t seem to be any lives or anything � if you fail too many times to complete the level, it simply gives you a different level to play. In 1985 this was an unheard-of idea � it�s the sort of player-friendly approach that�s only beginning to gain any ground more than twenty years later. I�m not sure what�s more shocking in fact � that this is such an entertaining little game or that I�ve had three decent games in a row�
After several attempts I gave up trying to get a coherent screenshot because the graphics are so flickery. About the nicest thing I can say about this game is that it�s inoffensively bad. Next.
Hearing this on loading told me everything I needed to know about this game. Next.
Ooh. This is different. It’s got colours, and it’s fast… It’s just a shame it’s a little bit Pacman, but you can’t have everything. The bad guys are trying to move all the money from the bottom of the screen to the top, and you have to stop them. You also have to stop them while listening to this.
Good luck.
Ali-Bebe � Future Stars, 1985
Another game that refuses to load. Still, probably a luck escape, eh?
Well, not quite 50.9, but it’s a start, eh? I’m going to get a pizza and then we’ll see what’s next…
Know that “Complete Guide” list thingy you’ve got down the right-hand side?
Erm, could you possibly create a new page that links the guide parts (with the game range in that part) to the guides?
It’s just that it might get a bit too long shortly before you reach the 2000th part (my guess as to how many parts there will be when you get round to reviewing Zzzz, although I can probably guess the review of that will be somewhat similar to the game title).
But this way it’ll all be accessible from the front page. It’s a triumph of web design!
Ahem. Separate index coming up soon. (Sooner than a proper databasey thing with links to each individual game, anyway.) I’m also stealing that joke, on the basis that by the time I get around to using it nobody will ever remember you making it. Arf!
Hey, you skipped Alchemist.
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0000139
I’ve been waiting all series for you to review that!
Did you really think you could skip some of the games in order to finish the A’s before Babylon 5 becomes real without us noticing eh?
Tch. Games players nowadays I don’t know mutter mumble.
Ooh! Maybe I win a trainspotters prize?!!
“Hey, you skipped Alchemist”
He’s missed out games!
I’m shocked and want my money back! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
😀
Alchemist? Never heard of it. Is it new?
Alright, so there was a slight cock-up there. Alchemist was just sitting there, waiting for me to load it, and… I dunno. I just didn’t see it. Still, no need to panic – there’ll be a bit of a clean-up at the end of the As to cover all the games I missed anyway, so I’ll just throw Alchemist in there. Spoils the alphabetical thing a bit, but all those Advanced Simulators were going to bugger that up anyway.
Come to think of it, you’ve missed out a load of CSSCGC entries as well. Although you did review Adventure in Bristol without even realising, I’ll bet.