C&VG


Full Throttle
By Micromega
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #35

Full Throttle

If you've ever felt the surge of power and the wind in your face as a big bike rushes past the one hundred mile an hour mark, then you could only feel disappointment when you compare the experience with riding a bike in a computer simulation.

In truth, the same has to be true of all simulations. Who for example, would rather score the winner at Wembley in a computer game than to do it in real life? No contest.

But this does not mean that simulations are not fun and it also means that comparing sim-games to the real thing is no way of judging them.

Full Throttle

This is true of Micromega's latest game – Full Throttle. The graphics are not the most amazing thing since sliced bread and it's ridiculous to say you really feel like you're racing against Barry Sheene at Silverstone. What you can quite honestly say about this game, though, is that it is fun.

This has been achieved by making the game a real race. The aim is simply to win. You are one rider in a field of 40. When the bikes roar off at the start, you may manage to accelerate into 38th or 37th position, but from then until you see the chequered flag, it's a case of dodging, accelerating, cutting in at the bends and staying on the road if you want to work your way up the field.

Full Throttle borrows a nice touch from Psion's Chequered Flag in that you are allowed to choose any one of ten tracks.

If you are getting a race game for your Spectrum, I would recommend this one. Although the graphics are inferior to Psion's Chequered Flag and Atarisoft's Pole Position, it's a much better game to play.