Crash


Blockbusters

Author: Nick Roberts
Publisher: TV Games
Machine: Spectrum 48K/128K

 
Published in Crash #49

Blockbusters

Well, what d'you know? Find out by testing your knowledge with the legendary Bob Holness in Blockbusters, the first TV release from Domark's label TV Games. The new label will specialise in game-show licences, and Countdown, Bullseye, The Krypton Factor and Treasure Hunt are planned.

In Blockbusters, based on a Central TV series, question master Bob smiles benignly on you from one side of the screen; the rest of the display is a pattern of coloured hexagons. In each hexagon is a letter.

Each player chooses a hexagon on his turn. Bob then asks him a question, the correct answer to which will begin with the letter in the chosen hexagon. (The form is 'what D is a small domestic animal?'. Choose an X and the answer is probably 'xylophone'.)

Blockbusters

If the player answers correctly, the hexagon is 'taken' and filled with a colour representing that player; to win, you must capture a line of hexagons from one side of the display to the other.

The spelling of answers needn't be totally correct - and Blockbusters will allow some variations through with the comment 'close enough'.

Comments

Joysticks: none
Graphics: simple but adequate; absurd picture of Bob Holness

Paul … 42%

'How many more Blockbusters-type quiz games do we have to suffer? This must be the fourth at least, and there's not much you can do with the theme. There's a nice front end and a cute little picture of Bob wobbling his head when he asks a question, but the game is boring and repetitive. There are lots of TV programmes that would make much better games.'

Nick … 47%

'What F is an adjective with four letters and describes Blockbusters? Answer: FAST. You hardly get enough time to answer the question when a TIME OUT message appears! But there have been so many games like Blockbusters that bringing out another seems ludicrous. And most of the questions are too hard for me anyway - winning in Blockbusters calls for plenty of brains, so that counts the whole CRASH team out.'

Bym … 48%

'Quiz games lose that vital human element when computerised, eliminating all humour and leave the room dreadfully quiet. Blockbusters is very typical of this. But it's good that you don't have to beat an opponent, and Blockbusters is certainly a must for those who can't resist showing off their quick thinking.'

Nick RobertsPaul SumnerBym Welthy

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