• Tag Archives commodore

  • Zzap! 64 (November 1987)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Here in the U.S., we never had a gaming magazine dedicated to the Commodore 64. I would have loved such a thing, especially as this one, published in the U.K. was published well into the 1990s and I was still using my Commodore 64 as my primary computer up through most of 1993. The November 1987 issue of Zzap! 64 includes:

    Redoubtable Regulars

    • Editorial – Info on a new editor at the magazine.
    • The Rrap – Letters from readers about arcade conversions, the cost of Zzap! in Ireland, competition questions, Microprose, and more.
    • Enter The Harlequin – A solution to Kayleth, an adventure game from US Gold. Plus, news about an upcoming adventures games, including Jack the Ripper.
    • Compunet – A look at the latest demos available via Compunet.
    • What’s New – SSI to work with TSR and US Gold to develop Dungeons & Dragons computer games (these would become the gold box series), a promotion for Bangkok Knights, and more.
    • Manoeuvres – Reviews of strategy games Armageddon Man and High Frontier.
    • Postmark – Games played via the postal service.
    • Cheap and Cheerful – Reviews of budget games Joe Blade, Anarchy, On Cue, Tunnel Vision, Special Agent, Pyramid of Time, Defcom, and Land of Neverwhere.
    • The Chart Show – A list of the top 30 games for the month. At the top of the list is World Games. Some others on this list I have played include Gauntlet (number 5), Paperboy (number 14), California Games (number 16), Kikstart II (number 17), Arkanoid (number 22), and Green Beret (number 24).

    November Novelties

    • International Karate + – A review of this fighting game from System 3. I never played it but it reminds me a bit of Yie ar King-Fu.
    • Solomon’s Key – A review of this arcade conversion by US Gold.
    • Morpheus – A review of this scrolling shooter from Hewson.
    • Starfox – Not to be confused with the famous series that got its start on the Super NES, this game is a space combat sim.
    • Quedex – A review of this game which is sort of like Marble Madness without the isometric viewpoint.
    • Enlightenment – Druid II – I don’t think I ever played this sequel but the original Druid was a fun Gauntlet-like game.

    Features

    • Hit Me With Your Best Shot – A history of Shoot ‘Em Up games. Some game mentioned here include Pastfinder from Activision (I loved this one), Spy Hunter (another great game), Paradroid, Hypercircuit, Dropzone, and many others.
    • Accolade’s Comics – An adventure game in comic book format.
    • The Tips Supplement – Tips for Impossible Mission, Quartet, Joustie, Master of Magic, The Evil Dead, Hercules, Gods and Heroes, Nodes of Yesod, 1942, and lots more.
    • RPG’s Scrutinised – A look at new RPGs including Moebius (Microprose/Origin), Alternate Reality: The Dungeon (Datasoft), and Legacy of the Ancients (Electronic Arts).
    • Combat Zone – A real-life capture the flag paintball game.
    • Minson Meets Microprose – A sneak peek at the latest from Microprose including Project Stealth Fighter and Airborne Ranger.

    …and more!


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  • Compute!’s Gazette (March 1987)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Compute!’s Gazette was a spin-off of Compute! magazine that exclusively covered Commodore 8-bit computers (mostly the Commodore 64). It was probably one of the two most popular Commodore 64 magazines with RUN being the other one. The March 1987 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Commodore Graphics Connection – The Commodore 64 had perhaps the most advanced graphics of any 8-bit home computer. In fact, the VIC-II graphics chip (along with the SID sound chip) were originally conceived as the basis for a new video game machine.
    • A Buyer’s Guide to Commodore Graphics Progams – A brief overview of some of the many graphics applications available for the Commodore 64. Some of the titles mentioned here include Blazing Paddles (drawing and painting program), Cadpak-64 and Cadpak-128 (computer-aided design package), Certificate Maker (design and printing program), Chartpak-64 and Chartpak-128 (for creating pie, bar and line charts), ColorMe: The Computer Coloring Kit (introductory drawing package for kids), Desk Pack I (includes Graphics Grabber which converts clip-art from Print Shop, Print Master, and Newsroom to GEOS), Doodle (high res drawing program), Flexidraw Light Pen Graphics, Version 5 (advanced graphics and light-pen package), and many more.
    • The Fundamentals of Commodore Graphics – An introduction to the Commodore 64’s array of graphics modes and features.

    Reviews

    • The Commodore 1670 Modem – While the Commodore 64 could use most standard external modems with an adapter, Commodore’s 1670 Modem (1200bps) was an inexpensive modem that could connect directly to the user port.
    • Alter Ego and Mind Mirror – Alter Ego is ‘what if’ fantasy role playing game from Activision while Mind Mirror was designed in part with Timothy Leary (published by Electronic Arts) and is a little harder to classify.
    • Trinity – The latest in interactive fiction from Infocom. In this text adventure you must, in part, survive a nuclear holocaust.

    Games

    • Tile Trader – A type-in puzzle game in which you must slide the tiles around to get them in the correct order.
    • Ringside Boxing – A type-in two player arcade style boxing game.

    Education/Home Applications

    • Color Craft – A type-in art program for the Commodore 64.
    • Computing for Families: Beyond the Desktop – Soap Bubbles, Forests, and Hot-Air Balloons – Metaphors, other than the Desktop, to make computers easier to use.

    Programming

    • RAM Expansion for the Commodore 128 – A guide to using the new 1700 (128K) and 1750 (512K) ram expansions on the Commodore 128.
    • Using RAM Expansion With CP/M – A guide to using RAM expansion when using the Commodore 128’s CP/M mode.
    • Text Sequencer – A type-in machine language program that can be used from within your own BASIC programs to print sequential files to the screen 15 times faster than with BASIC alone.
    • Sprite Manager – A type-in sprite designer, editor, and animator for the Commodore 64.
    • RAM Plus – A type-in machine language routine that can free up an additional 4K of RAM for BASIC programs.
    • CP/M PIP on the Commodore 128 – A detailed look at using CP/M’s PIP command on the Commodore 128. This command can be used for file copying among other things.
    • Custom Keys – A couple of type-in utility programs that let you redefine the Commodore 64’s keyboard.
    • ROM Enhancer – A short machine language program that offers improvements to BASIC 2.0.
    • Power BASIC: 128 Partitioner – A type-in program that allows you to load up to four independent programs in to BASIC at once on the Commodore 128.
    • BASIC for Beginners: More on IF-THEN – Part two of a guide on using IF statements.
    • Machine Language for Beginners: ML Mailbag – Questions answered from readers about learning machine language, using flags, and more.
    • Hints & Tips: Useful WAITS – A guide to effectively using Commodore BASIC’s WAIT statement.

    Departments

    • The Editor’s Note – Reprinted from the February issue of Compute!.
    • Gazette Feedback – Letters from readers about printing biorhythms, disk problems, using exponents in BASIC, and more.
    • Simple Answers to Common Questions – Questions answered about using an Apple disk drive with a Commodore 64, fixing disk drive alignment issues, and more.
    • Horizons: What Is Memory? – A look at how memory works on the Commodore 64.
    • News & Products – Accountant, Inc. for the Commodore 128, 128K ROMDISK with Hyperboot for the Commodore 64 and 128, Killed Until Dead from Accolade, and more.

    …and more!


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  • Amiga Force (January/February 1993)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Amiga Force is a gaming magazine for the Amiga that was pubished in the U.K. in the 1990s. I don’t remember there being any gaming specific magazines for the Amiga in the U.S. (though magazines like Computer Gaming World did cover the Amiga). Issue number 2 of Amiga Force from January/February 1993 includes:

    • Read All About It! – News and new products including the Supervision portable game system, the Turbo Touch 360, Deluxe Paint IV and Deluxe Video III from Electronic Arts, and much more.
    • Krusty’s Super Funhouse – Review of this Simpson’s platform game featuring Krusty the Clown.
    • Winner Takes All – A contest in which you can win all games published by Kixx.
    • Just Around The Corner – Previews of upcoming games including Lemmings 2: Tribes, Walker, Bill’s Tomato Game, Lethal Weapon, Street Fighter II, Arabian Nights, and Creatures.

    • Budget Bargains – Reviews of budget games including Prince of Persia, Alien Breed, Santa’s Christmas Capers, International Tennis, Hudson Hawk, Gem’X, Trivial Pursuit, Dizzy: Prince of Yolkfolk, and P.P. Hammer and his Pneumatic Weapon.
    • Force Nine Mail – Reader mail, mostly about the first issue.
    • The Tips – Tips and tricks for tons of games including Shadow of the Beast III, Dizzy: Prince of Yolkfolk, Ween, Zool, and many more.
    • Beat ‘Em At Their Own Game! – Compete in this Sensible Soccer competition.

    • Rich Pickings – Reviews of some of the latest games including Shadoworlds, Assassin, Sensible Soccer, Road Rash, Tearaway Thomas, Sabre Team, Cytron, Pinball Fantasies, Locomotion, KGB, Nigel Mansell’s World Championship, Ween, Rampart, and The Grandslam Collection.
    • Cut-Out ‘N’ Cheat – Cheat cards designed to be cut out and kept with the games they pertain to.
    • Going Public – A look at some of the latest public domain games including Microbes, PIII (a Pac-Man clone), and more.

    …and more!


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