Computer Gamer


Discs Of Death
By Artic Computing
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer Gamer #9

Discs Of Death

Taking your place in the arena, you wait for your opponent to arrive. Only one of you will survive as you try to destroy each other with what amounts to killer frisbees.

Discs Of Death from Artic is a 3D combat game that on first appearances looks like Tron played in a squash court. You have three discs with whch you can attempt to destroy your opponent whilst at the same time dodging his. If they don't hit him, they automatically bounce back into your hands. The skillful part comes from actually hitting your adversary as he has an annoying habit of waiting for you to throw and then moving out of the way!

The arena is walled and your discs can be bounced off the side and back walls as in squash. I must admit that a disc which hits both side and back wals before rebounding into your enemy's neck is very satisfying.

Discs Of Death

You stand on one of two or three platforms (it varies according to level) and can leap about from one to the other. Your opponent does likewise.

Control of your character is a trifle confusing at first. Left and right make you leap to the appropriate platform. Pulling the joystick back puts you into a defensive mode to block your opponent's discs and pushing it forward launches one of your own discs. Where your disc goes depends on where you aim it. There is a cursor on the back wall whch can be controlled by pressing fire all the time and expecting to throw a disc. I suppose it comes from playing all those other games where the fire btton actually fires something!

Killing your opponent takes you on to the next level which is that little bit harder as your opponent moves faster and throws more accurately and the discs start to follow you as you move. Unlike your enemy though, you have three lives.

This is an average game with some nice large graphics but it doesn't offer anything startlingly original and lacks lasting appeal.