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Once the games designer has loaded, a menu will appear listing options from 1-8. They are (1) play game, (2) select new game, (3) alter sprites, (4) configuration, (5) movement, (6) attack waves, (7) lead, (8) save to tape.

The play game option will allow you to play one of the eight game included or one of the games you have created yourself. The keys used to play the game can be changed to suit yourself.

Option 2 will allow you to select a game from 1-8. The game you choose can be played by choosing option 1 again. The eight games included are: attack of the mutant hamburgers, cyborg, reflection, turbo-spider, tanks-a-lot, halloween, splat and qbix.

When option 3 is chosen you are shown a number of predefined sprites or graphics which you can alter to suit your game. A simple sprite editor is included to help you redesign the sprites. The sprites used are made on a 12 x 12 grid. Each of the sprites can have a different colour. There are 30 sprites of which 15 are used for the aliens, 8 for the ships or laser bases and the rest are for the shields, missiles and explosions.

If option 4 is selected, you are shown another menu with options from 1-8. They are: (1) game format, (2) background, (3) foreground, (4) special FX, (5) missile sound, (6) bomb sound, (7) ship explode, (8) alien explode.

The game format determines whether the game should be a scramble type game, an invaders type, an asteroid type or a berserk type game.

The special FX option lets you have stars in the background and also if you should have a shield or not.

The rest of the options allow you to create sound effects for your games by moving certain ramps on the screen.

Let's return to option 5 of the first menu which is movement. You have to create patterns of movement that the aliens will follow.

When option 6 is chosen, a chart appears with numbers from 0-7 on one side. These represent the eight attack waves. The nice thing is that you can make each wave different from the others. You can make them faster and meaner or make more of them appear on the screen. It's all up to you!

The remaining two options will let you save the game you have made and lead it back again.

The games produced are very good and some may rival commercial software tapes. I am very sure you will have lots of fun creating your own games. A very good manual is also included and it goes through everything in detail.