• Tag Archives computer games

  • Computer & Video Games (January 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer & Video Games – Issue Number 39 – January 1985

    Computer & Video Games was perhaps the longest running video games magazine in the world. I believe that it had a nearly 25 year run. In early 1985 it was covering computer games far more than video games. The January 1985 issue includes:

    Features

    • Mailbag – Letters from readers about a game called Dive Bomb, Euro Byte, scrolling on the BBC B, piracy, Space Invaders, and more.
    • Jet Boot Jack – A look at this new game for the Commodore 64 and a related competition.
    • Letter From America – A look at Beyond, the company behind Spy Vs. Spy, a game based on the characters in MAD Magazine.
    • Spy Vs. Spy Competition – A competition in which you can win a copy of Spy Vs. Spy.
    • Top 30 Charts – Some of the games on the chart this month include Daley Thompson’s Decathlon, Elite, Beach-Head, BMX Racer, Summer Games, and more.
    • Adventure Extra – Reviews of adventure games including Mas of the SUn, Sphinx Adventure, Stainless Steel Rat, Crystal Frog, French on the Run, Return of the Ring, Return to Eden, Operation Safras, and more.
    • Adventure – Adventure game jokes, a look at a couple of adventure game related books, plus a look at Zim Sala Bim for the Commodore 64.
    • Adventure Helpline – Requests for help for games such as Commodore’s Quest, Lords of Karma, Gateway to Karos, Count Dracula, and more.
    • Micro Guide – Part two of a guide to new computers that were introduced in 1984. This part includes the Commodore 16 and Plus/4.
    • Tornado Low Level – A guide to this game in which you fly a Tornado jet. Includes a map.
    • Doomdark’s Revenge – Part 2 of this magazine based adventure game.
    • Puzzling – A look at some puzzle based games including Holiday Route, Gold Run I, Gold Run II, Football Fixtures, Blankety Blank, and Prnit Owt.
    • Hall of Fame – Top scores for Atic Atac, Planetoid, Pyjamarama, Jet Pac, Elite, Manic Miner, Parsec, Psytron, Star Bike and Sabre Wulf.

    Listings

    • Super Sharks – A type-in game for the BBC B in which you must protect ships from sharks.
    • 64 Synth – A type in program to create music on the Commodore 64.
    • Post Mania – A type in game for the Spectrum.
    • Hunchback – A type in game for the VIC-20 feauring Quasimod in a three level game to rescue Esmerelda.

    News And Reviews

    • Games News – Jet Pac and Fighter Pilot ported to the Commodore 64; Kuma releases tons of games an other programs for MSX and Amstrad; Taskset releases six games for the Amstrad; Conan the Destoryer game to be released on the Commodore 64; and more.
    • Reviews – Reviews of Ghostbusters (Commodore 64), Cliff Hanger (Commodore 64), Starbike (Spectrum), Football Manager (Amstrad), Pitfall (Commodore 64), Dodo Lair (VIC-20), Mr. Ee (BBC), Buzz Off (MSX), Jasper (Spectrum), Felix (BBC), Battlecars (Spectrum), Turmoil (Spectrum), Star Avenger (Amstrad), Microgo (BBC), Scrabble (BBC), Kensington (Commodore 64), Cluedo (Commodore 64), Cluedo (Commodore 64), Knight Lore (Spectrum), and Underwurlde (Spectrum).
    • Arcade Action – A look at new and upcoming arcade games including Future Spy, Mikie, and Don Quix-Ote plus tips for Sinistar, Stargate, and Tempest.
    • Next Month – A review of Ghostbusters, a Konami MSX competition, Doomdark Part III, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • Computer + Video Games (October 1985)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer + Video Games – Issue Number 48 – October 1985

    Computer + Video Games was perhaps the longest running video game magazine not just in the U.K. where it was published, but in the world. Like the name suggests, it covered both video games and computer games of whatever systems were popular at the time. The October 1985 issue includes:

    Features

    • The Great Mud Challenge – A competition involving a Multi-User Dungeon (M.U.D.)
    • Shatter – Titled after the main character, this comic book was the first created with a computer. Fittingly, it seems to have a cyberpunk theme.
    • The Lord of the Rings – A preview of Lord of the Rings, a series of computer games based on the Tolkien novels.
    • Dear Bughunters – Reader submitted bugs/bug fixes to type-in programs published in C+VG.
    • Rupert and the Toymaker’s Party – A screen by screen map of Rupert and the Toymaker’s Party published by Quicksilva for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum.
    • The Bughunters – An ongoing comic book published within the pages of C+VG.
    • Summer Games Challenge – A competition involving Summer Games II for the Commodore 64.
    • Adventure Helpline – Help for various adventure games including The Tracer Sanction, Gruds in Space, Message from Andromeda, Eureka, Ground Zero, Pub Quest, Twin Kingdom Valley, Tir Na Nog, Pharoah’s Tomb, and more.
    • C+VG Software Charts – Coming in at the top of the overall list this month is Hypersports by Imagine for the Commodore 64 and Spectrum. Games in the top 30 that I have played before include Spy Hunter, Spy Vs. Spy, Pitstop 2, Beach Head, Pole Position, and Kik Start (a hugely underrated game that few people have probably heard of). There are also machine specific lists for the Commodore 64, Spectrum, and Amstrad.
    • Ideas Central – Game hints and cheats submitted by readers for Entombed, Dun Darach, Airwolf, Suicide Express, Bounty Bob Strikes Back, Frank Bruno’s Boxing, Way of the Exploding Fits, and Pitstop II.
    • Hall of Fame – Reader submitted high scores for Bruce Lee, Spy Hunter, Hyper Sports, and more.
    • Mailbag – Letters from readers about special effects in Tron and The Last Starfighter, game availability for the Amstrad, competition entry forms, and more.
    • PSI Warrior – Another comic book published in the pages of CVG.
    • Diary of a Game – The final part in a month by month look at how Space Doubt for the Commodore 64 was developed.

    News + Reviews

    • News – Wizard for the Commodore 64 released, A View to A Kill based on the James Bond movies of the same name now available for the Amstrad, plus news of other new releases such as The Devil’s Crown, Bored of the Rings, White Knight Mk12, and more.
    • Reviews – Reviews of Frankie Goes to Hollywood (Commodore 64), Spy Vs. Spy (Commodore 64), Tour de France (Commodore 64), Road Race (Commodore 64), Boffin (BBC), Talos (Spectrum), Red Arrows (Spectrum/Commodore 64), Aabatron (BBC/Electron), Hyperdrive (Sinclair QL), Mad Doctor (Commodore 64), Hijack (Atari 400/800), Bio-Defense (Atari 400/800), Jump Jet (Amstrad), Dambusters (Spectrum), Robin Hood (Dragon 32), April Showers (BBC), One Last Game (BBC/Electron), Codename Mat II (Spectrum/Amstrad/Commodore 64), Racing Destruction Set (Commodore 64) – Rock ‘N Roll Racing was a much later sequel to this game, Southern Belle (Spectrum), Journey (Commodore 64), Profanation (Spectrum), Kennedy Approach (Commodore 64), and Matabolis (Spectrum/Amstrad/Commodore 64).
    • Arcade Action – A look at some of the latest arcade games including Top Gear, Nemesis, My Hero!, and City Connection.
    • Adventure Reviews – Reviews of Enthar Seven (BBC B), Super Gran (Spectrum/Commodore 64/Amstrad), Terrormolinos! (Spectrum – more of a preview really), Mordon’s Quest (Spectrum/Amstrad/Commodore 64), Castle Dracula, Red Moon, and more.

    Games Book

    • Moon Buggy (Spectrum) – A type-in game that is a clone of the arcade game of the same name.
    • Manic Pacman (Commodore 64) – A type-in version of Pacman for the C64.
    • Asteroid Lander (Amstrad) – A type-in game that is reminiscent of Defender or Choplifter.
    • Day at the Races (Atari) – A type-in horse racing game that can be played by up to four player.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged

  • The Games Machine (April 1990)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: The Games Machine – Issue Number 29 – April 1990

    The Games Machine was a relatively short-lived gaming magazine published in the U.K. It covered both console and computer games though it was only published from 1987 to 1990. In particular, it had a lot of coverage of the Amiga and Atari ST. The April 1990 issue includes:

    Regulars

    • Boot-Up! – The latest news and preview: Mont Mole, Ninja Spirits, Wipe Out, Stormlord II, Dragon Strike, Frontline, World Cup Soccer ’90, Enigma Variations, and much more.
    • Konnichi Wa To You – A look at some of the latest and upcoming software releases in Japan, including Ghouls ‘n’ Ghosts (Super Grafx), Genpeitomaden, Super Volleyball (PC Engine), Paranoia (PC Engine CD-ROM), Final Zone 2 (PC Engine CD-ROM), Sokoban World, Handy PC Engine (called the PC Engine GT upon release), and more.
    • Venture Forth – A look at the latest adventure, strategy and role-playing games, including Bandit Kings of Ancient China, Ultima VI: The False Prophet, Circuit’s Edge, Hero’s Quest, Yes Chancellor!, Demon’s Tomb, Star Flight 2, Day of the Viper, Search for the Titanic, Chaos Strikes Back, Prince, The Colonel’s Bequest, Sherman M4, and more.

    Game Special

    • The Epic Epic – A 3D space game that was originally to be called Goldrunner 3-D.
    • Oh Yes It Can! – Previews of some potentially impressive new games including Anarchy (Atari ST), Firestorm (Atari ST), and Witchcraft (Amiga).
    • Topple The Tower of Babel – A strategy guide for Tower of Babel.

    Features

    • Super Grafx – A look at NEC’s follow-up to the TurboGrafx-16 / Turbo Duo. Sadly, it never made much impact, especially outside of Japan.
    • Digitizing – A review of Vidichrome, an upgrade package that expands the Rombo digitizing package for the Amiga to full color.
    • Behind the Scenes – A look at how artwork in created for The Games Machine using a Macintosh and Adobe Illustrator ’88.
    • Shooting Stars – A guide to becoming a pop star with the help of a personal computer.
    • Visions – This article predicts that in the future games will be played on an all-in-one entertainment system featuring a TV, CD-ROM drive, and console.
    • Compact Creations – Discover how CDs are made (pressed) and how data and audio gets on them.

    Interaction

    • Win A Jacket! – Win a leather jacket in this Monty Mole themed contest.
    • Playing Tips – Tips, tricks and cheats for Strider (Atari ST, C64), Operation Thunderbolt (C64, Amiga), Mega Man (Nintendo), It Came From The Desert (Amiga), Future Wars, Space Harrier (PC Engine), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Ghosts ‘N’ Goblins (Nintendo), and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about the Atari Lynx, TV shows about computers, game consoles in Spain, game quality on the Amiga, and more.

    …and more!


    📂This entry was posted in Computer Arcana Retro Games 📎and tagged