C&VG


Star Wars

Publisher: The Hit Squad
Machine: Amstrad CPC464/664/6128

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #109

Star Wars

Quite some time ago, in a galaxy not too far away, Star Wars: The Arcade Game appeared, a jolly vector graphics blaster with lots of sampled speech. Then, a few years ago, it was released on practically every format imaginable, and now it's emerging once more as a budget re-release.

It's simple enough - blast TIE fighters to bits, race across the surface of the Death Star, zip along the trench and zap the exhaust port to blow the sucker to kingdom come. Your X-Wing has a limited number of shields to protect you, and once these are gone, you've had it.

As far as these versions go, it's pretty repetitive stuff, but the Amstrad version is nonetheless entertaining, and nippy to boot. The C64 version, however, plays like a slug in treacle, with jerky ships juddering around the screen. Amstrad owning fans of the game should part with the shekels pronto, but C64 would-be rebels would be better off looking elsewhere.

C64

Oh dearie me - snail city. Even ardent fans should avoid temptation with this - even at the budget price.

Amstrad

A good conversion with lots of blasting but so-so sound. Tends to get a bit repetitive after a few plays, unfortunately.