Blasting bargain

Previous Next

After four years you might imagine that every possible variation of the space shoot-'em-up scenario had been used. However, here comes yet another action packed, if-it-moves-blast-it type game with aslightly different slant on those old favourites, Space Invaders and Galaxians.

It's called Anarchy Zone, and is released on the Atlantis budget label. This time the Galactic Government Dictatorship has divided up the galaxy into separate zones, and within these space travellers must restrict their flight paths to predefined routes.

Anyone straying from these narrow space lanes is liable to be fired on, and guess who has wandered into deep space? Yes, you have, and you are now under attack by wave after wave of all manner of alien vessels, all armed to the teeth with lasers, bombs and missiles.

The screen is split into two areas: The larger one is where the action takes place, while the smaller contains the score power and remaining bonus. You start off with your ship at the bottom of the display, and an alien battle fleet streams on to the screen, guns ablaze. You can move left and right and blast them with your own laser.

This may seem pretty ordinary so far. but where this game is different is that while the aliens swarm round the screen you can circle them, climbing up the sides of the screen and zooming across the top to attack them from the rear.

Some aliens require several hits before they explode and some seemingly indestructable ones will have you scratching your head trying to work out how to destroy them - if you can manage the time to take your hands off the keyboard, that is.

On wiping out awave of aliens a new one appears with a different battle formation without giving you time to get your breath back, and it's into battle again.

At the start of each new zone a password is given, and this can be used to skip screens you've already mastered. This prevents the game from becoming tedious as you can continue from the screen you were finally destroyed in last time.

The graphics are excellent, with brightly coloured alien ships and an attractive control panel on the right. The sound effects are good, too.

At only £1.99 this must rate as a superb bargain arcade game that mustn't be missed. If you like fast action arcade games you'll be quite at home with this and I can thoroughly recommend it.

Roland Waddilove