Into the flooz

For some time now we've been waiting for something that matches the polish of the 16 bit games. Well it has now arrived, and it's called Pipe Mania.

Right from the initial loading screen you know you're in the world of truly professional games writers - the graphics are superbly created and the music is perfect.

Once the game has loaded you are treated to an animated display of the title rotating carousel-style in accompaniment to a catchy little tune - which did begin to wear after about eight hours. But you can turn it down or off quite easily.

Gameplay seems simple: You must place pipe sections into a grid layout to form a specified length. There's a timer on the right of the screen that slowly descends, and when it reaches the bottom the flooz begins to flow down the pipe. Flooz? Sounds yukkie, and it is!

Unfortunately you can't choose which pipe sections are available - you have to accept what comes from a dispenser on the left. Iam told that the order is not random but actually from one of eight preset sequences - but the one you get is random.

Placing pieces simply involves locating a marker using the standard - but redefinable - keys, mouse or Voltmace joy stick and hitting Return, Select or Fire as appropriate.

I found the keyboard best although the mouse came a pretty close second. I don't like joysticks at all, but that's just my personal taste.

On the lowest set of four screens you get simple pipe sections: The four quarter turns, straight horizontal and vertical, and cross pieces - yes, flooz is a remarkable substance it will actually cross itself without interfering with the flow. Using five crosspieces on a single screen gives you a 4000 point bonus.

If you decide you've made a mistake you can replace a piece but this takes time and if the flooz is coming your way it requires nerves of steel.

Starting at level three you also get an opportunity to move off one side of the screen and reappear on the opposite side.

Each set of screens has its own theme. The first is simple pipes, but the second comes as quite a shock as you are suddenly transported to the Roman baths.

On this level there are a lot of squares that you just can't use - they're blocked by pretty pictures of grapes and chequerboards. But to help you are the reservoirs - these take longer to fill up with flooz so you can plan ahead.

The third set of screens goes hi-tech and it takes another jump of reality to see what pipes do what. It's here that the one way flow pipes make their appearance - just when you thought it was getting easier. After that you move to laying pipes in the street.

Between each level there's a bonus screen where pipe sections move across the top of the screen and you press space to make them drop. The idea is to build a pipeline so that when the flooz starts to flow it has a length of pipe to follow - it makes a change.

There is a password system to reach each set of pipes, but I won't spoil that secret.

There are multitudinous options, including key definition for every control and three levels of play - training, standard and Archimedes. This final level involves a completely different scoring system.

There are modes for one player, two player and expert: The first two are obvious - there are two pipe dispensers for the two player game and it's certainly a lot of fun. The expert level is one player but with two dispensers - it doubles your choice of pipe but is very tricky.

This is a superb game and makes a fun change from blowing things to bits.

Lazarus