• Tag Archives Amstrad CPC
  • Advanced Computer Entertainment (June 1989)

    Source: Advanced Computer Entertainment – Issue Number 21 – June 1989

    Advanced Computer Entertainment (ACE for short) covered games for various computer platforms as well as console platform over the years it was published in the U.K. In 1989 that included the Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Spectrum, PC (DOS), the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Master System. The June 1989 issue includes:

    Specials

    • Games Without Frontiers – An article on the impact that CD-ROM will have on gaming. One prediction was that games would become multimillion dollar productions in seven or eight years.
    • Playing Roles – The first part in a three-part guide to RPG games. Some games discussed here include The Black Crystal, Ring of Darkness, Swords and Sorcery, Questron II, Wizards Crown, Legend of Blacksilver, Might and Magic, and more.

    Gameplay

    • Up and Coming – Previews of Xenon II, DDT, RVF, Inner Space, Sporting Triangles, Bomber, Shinobi, Hyperforce, Nightbreed, Tangled Tales, Dominator, Vendetta, Tusker, and more.
    • Arcade Ace – A look at some of the latest arcade games including Saint Dragon, Ikari III, Fighting Hawk, Nastar, and Rally Bike.
    • Screen Test – Reviews of Voyager (Atari ST), Raider (Amiga), Silkworm (Atari ST), Typhoon Thompson (Atari ST), Grand Monster Slam (Amiga), Hillsfar (Commodore 64), Bio Challenge (Atari ST, Amiga), Stormlord (Spectrum), Fright Night (Amiga), California Games (Sega), Vigilante (Sega), Time Soldier (Sega), Altered Beast (Sega), Time Scanner (Amiga), Run the Guantlet (Atari ST), Kick Off (Atari ST), Danger Freak (Commodore 64), Skweek (Atari ST), Steve Davis World Snooker (Atari ST), The Real Ghostbusters (Spectrum), Renegade III (Spectrum),
    • Tricks ‘N’ Tactics – Tips and strategies for R-Type, Heroes of the Lance, Fusion, The President is Missing, Golvellius, Wonderboy in Monsterland, TV Sports Football, War in Middle Earth, Robocop, Incredibly Shrinking Sphere, Xenon, and more.
    • Adventures – A look at two adventure games, Shogun and Journey.

    Regulars

    • News – The Atari 7800 and Sega Genesis coming soon to the U.K.; Circus Attractions coming soon; an updated port of Federation of Free Traders coming for the Amiga, Dungeon Master port for Amiga cancelled, and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about video game value, the effects of violence in video games, Federation of Free Traders on the Atari ST, and more.
    • Graphics – An article on object-oriented drawing systems and specifically Professional Draw on the Amiga.
    • Music – A detailed look at Track 24 and The Waddington Sequencer for the Atari ST plus an overview of sequencers for other computers.

    …and more!


  • Amstrad Computer User (January 1990)

    Source:

    While the Amstrad CPC was virtually unheard of in the U.S., it was a popular computer in the U.K. from the mid 1980s into the early 1990s. While there were several variants, they were all based on a 4 MHz Z80 processor and most commonly had 64KB to 12KB of RAM and a built-in cassette or 3-inch disk drive. Amstrad Computer User was one of the magazines dedicated to these machines. The January 1990 issue includes:

    Regulars

    • Letters – Letters from readers about splitting the screen into two modes, fractal landscapes, typing in programs, building a robot, and more.
    • News – Sexism in software; Darius+; the new Delta 2000 joystick; Page Publisher, a new desktop publishing package released; Verran AC Datalink; and more.
    • Competition – Win several Ghostbusters themed items by answering a few simple questions about the movies.
    • Combat Zone – A look at upcoming arcade games including Exterminator (Gotlieb), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Konami), Special Criminal Investigations (Taito), Mechanized Attack (SNK), and Line of Fire (Sega).
    • 10 Liners – Short type-in programs to create a TV static effect, a robot race, a disk management program, and a morse code converter.
    • Microscope – Capturing and printing out images with the CPC.
    • Gameplan – Reviews of games including Ghouls ‘N’ Ghosts, Dynamite Dux, After the War, Sporting Triangles, Star Wars Trilogy, Mutant Fortress, and Spaceghost.
    • Hints and Tips – Tips, tricks, and cheats for License to Kill, APB, Shinobi, Bards Tale, Archon, Skate or Die, Arctic Fox, Total Eclipse, Dizzy II, and much more.
    • Auntie John – A technique for reducing a 16K image to only 8K.
    • Comms – An introduction to the world of the BBS.

    Features

    • Sprites Alive – A review of a software package that allows you to generate your own sprites.
    • Ledger – A review to an update of General Ledger 6128, a computerized book-keeping program for the Amstrad CPC from SD Microsystems.
    • Fractals – The final part of a three part series on fractals. This part relates to generating landscapes.

    …and more!


  • Amstrad Computer User (January 1992)

    Source: Amstrad Computer User – January 1992

    The Amstrad CPC line of computers was Z80 base and could run AMDOS or CP/M. It was popular in the U.K. and some other parts of Europe. Amstrad Computer User is a magazine that was published in the U.K. dedicated to these machines. 1992 was near end of life for these computers as well as this magazine. The January 1992 issue includes:

    Regulars

    • News – New formula one racing game with Nigel Mansell’s name on it; new Foot Pedal controller; results of a computer fair survey; and more.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about troubleshooting CPC 6128 problems, creating a loading screen, Amstrad related books, CPC production questions, the FD-1 disk drive, and more.
    • 10-Liners – Short type-in programs for making the CPC play Auld Lang Syne, testing your piano skills, converting between hex, decimal and binary, displaying a clock on your screen, and more.
    • PD Scene – A look at some of the latest devolpments in public domain software for the CPC including the fact that some titles now cost money. Also, a look at various libraries of public domain software.
    • Adventure – A look at some of the latest adventure related products available for the CPC including some books on the subject as well as a review for Crispin Crunchy, tips and hints for Scrolls of Wisdom, request for help from readers, and more.
    • Bomb Alley – Reviews of some of the latest games including Space Crusade, Final Fight, Movie Premiere (includes four games: Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles, Back to the Future 2, Days of Thunder, and Gremlins 2), Super Sega (a compilation including Shinobi, Crackdown, Golden Axe, E-SWAT, and Super Monaco GP), G-Loc, and Capcom Collection (includes US Squadron, LED Storm, Strider and Strider II). Also, reviews of budget games (usuall re-releases) including Batman, Turrican, Heroes of the Lance, and X-Out.
    • Hairy Hacker – Hacks for various games including Fast Food, Shinobi, R-Type, Combat School, and Elite. These POKEs and short program provide things line infinite lives, infinite credist indestructibility, etc.
    • Easydraw – Additional modules for a continuing series that provides a type-in art program. This month modules for erasing and creating shapes are included.
    • Listing – A type-in Pac-Man clone called, creatively, Paclone.
    • Applications – Advice on transferring data from the CPC to a PC, printer problems, using OCP Art Studio, and more.
    • Comms – A how-to guide for electronic mail on the CPC.

    Features

    • Stick up – Part 2 of a joystick round-up. This part includes a look at the Sureshot Supreme, the Terminator, the Cruiser, the Zipstick Super Pro, the Sureshot Command Module, and the Sureshot Standard.
    • Moving Parts – A guide to using BASIC on the CPC to create animation.
    • Kitting Out – A do-it-yourself guide for building your own joystick.

    …and more!