the Commodore version. I also
realise this will be an acquired taste game, if you love Tetris style puzzlers then this could be a game to look out for. Its also not a game you will play for hours and hours its one of those quick blast titles, or a game to show off on when everyone is drunk.

Music: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

The game is repetitive by nature and doesn't seem to hold extra content as you play hence the lower score, however at an event party or with friends then the game will shine, you can of course show how good you re are by uploading your code to the internet (although it won't be long before this part is cracked)


*************************************
REVIEW: SPIKE/MINESTORM CARTRIDGE
By Commodore Free
*************************************

INTRODUCTION

Following last year's authorised cartridge release of Fortress of Narzod Retro Gamer CD has put together 2 more classic Authorised games "MineStorm and a rather strange platform game called "Spike" These games were originally developed exclusively for the Vectrex console, but after various negotiating with Jay Smith of Smith Engineering/Western Technologies (via his son Spencer) RGCD and TRSI now present the official C64 conversions.

Both games are PAL and NTSC compatible and should work on C64, C128 and C64GS (as no keyboard is needed. The screen size is slightly reduce on NTSC machines but doesn't affect the game play in the slightest . A SID 8580 chip is also recommended but not a necessity.

After the main title and the option to select either spike or MineStorm which can be done via a joystick, hence the reference to the title working in the c64GS you start your selected game

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

MINESTORM

Minestorm (GCE 1982)

The transport lanes of intergalactic space have been seeded with mines from an alien vessel. Use your mine destroying blaster to blow up the mines before
they annihilate you! You may survive the floating mines, but beware of the fireball, magnetic, and treacherous fireball-magnetic mines... 13 fields, each one more difficult, await you!

Move left/right rotates ship
Pull down escape (hyperspace)
Push up thrust
Fire button fire
Press space pause
Press restore restart game

Hiscore Saving

If you have a disk drive attached to your C64 or C128, both Spike and
MineStorm can be set to automatically save your game scores to disk. To enable score saving, from the boot menu you can move the cursor at the bottom of the screen left or right with the joystick. Simply select the correct device
number for your drive, and press fire to select the game you wish to load as normal. Apparently this is an official Commodore 64 conversion of the original vertex classic game of the same name .

The game starts with some arpeggio ringtone and background synth sounding music, erm well I never was good at describing sound and music in a review. If left the game will scroll through the instructions / Credits pressing the fire button takes us into the game

The music is pumping out some techno electronic synth pop and really fitting the game, all the sound effects are excelled, having never played the original I cant comment on how authentic the game actually is to the original title as
I have seen it only once in the "flesh"; and a few times on video, the version I have seen though have much better explosions! However judged as a standalone Commodore release this is a good one!

The graphics are smooth and the game play well thought out, the game looks and plays like an asteroid classic (for those unaware of the original release) and has some lovely vector style animations to take you to the levels even when
you die and have to enter your high score its impressive. If you are unaware
of asteroids then the game play is simply this

You are a ship in the centre of the screen you can move forward using
thrusters and rotate left and right and of course fire, in this game pressing down hyperspaces you to another part of the screen but very FAST!

You shoot boulders or asteroids; as you shoot them they split into two smaller boulders; do this enough and they will disappear, at random a space craft will appear; shoot this to gain a bonus, sitting in one place isn't an option as
the boulders "float around" and will hit you!

Scores

Music: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Vectrex version of Minestorm Not the explosions are much more dramatic,
However the overall feel of the game seems to be the same; and While it may
not be as some would say a 100% accurate conversion of the game; if you look
at it from a standalone Commodore game release it ranks up there with some of the best

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SPIKE

Spike (GCE 1983)

Our lovely and innocent heroine, Molly, has been kidnapped by the evil Spud! You will hear her cry "Eek! Help, Spike!" as he drags her away. Only Spike can save her from this awful fate. As soon as Spike kicks open the door to the villain Spud's hideaway shouting "Oh, no! Molly!", the game field appears. Spike enters on the bottom catwalk... and then YOU have control of him!

Controls

Hold fire and left Kick left
Hold fire and right Kick right
Hold left and fire Jump left
Hold right and fire Jump right
Press space pause game
Press run/stop restart game

Left to its own devices; the game rolls around the instructions/intro and high scores and the enemies guide and splash screens about its creators.

Pressing the fire button starts the game.

First our hero loses his girlfriend in a small animated intro. Then we move on to the game.

Again I have only seen this on the vertex; on a video and not in the "flesh"
so can't really comment about the conversion I will however review this again as a standalone Commodore release

The Game Object

You have to move around platforms using the help of ladders to move up and
down platform levels and obtain a key; then move to where our hero's
girlfriend is locked up and kick the cage open. You must jump large areas without platforms and can move the ladders with the help of the joystick.

The music is great; nice and bouncy and the sampled sounds are good; "DARN
IT"; our hero says as he loses a life, very amusing! I didn't like this as
much as the Minestorm conversion but I am sure it will have its fans, and as I haven't played the original I can only comment on the game as a Commodore release. As a Commodore title its quite original and unique!

Scores

Graphics: 7/10
Gameplay: 7/10
Music: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

It may not look like much but some considerable effort has gone into constructing these minimal wire frame graphics, it looks very similar to the Vectrex version apart from the splash of colour, it may not be 100% accurate; but who cares because as it is never the less a polished release

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

CREDITS

MineStorm and Spike are copyright GCE
1982-1983. C64 conversions by TRSI,
2010-2013. Published on 64KB C64
cartridge by RGCD, 2013.

Code: Peiselulli (TRSI)
Graphics: Peiselulli (TRSI)
Audio: Linus (TRSI)
Menu Graphics: Veto (Oxyron)
Cover Artwork: Kay Failla (BitFellas)
Cartridge: Tim Harris,
Warlock (Arkanix Labs)
NTSC Testing: Warlock (Arkanix Labs)
PAL Testing: Heavy Stylus (RGCD)

Many thanks to Jay and Spencer Smith for authorising these games as official C64 conversions of the Vectrex classics.

LINKS

For more information on the team involved in this C64 conversion, visit:

www.rgcd.co.uk
www.trsi.de
www.c64pixels.com


*************************************
REVIEW: THE LAST AMAZON TRILOGY
Affectionately Called The LA Trilogy
By Commodore Free
*************************************

ERM its a trilogy with 4 parts,

Not much to say on the title screen; just select an option you want to play or watch
--- CrashWrite 2.0
* Origin: --:)-- Dragon's Lair BBS --(:- (39:901/281)