Computer Gamer
1st July 1986Gunfright
As an MSX owner, it's nice to see that some people still have faith in the machine. Even the Japanese admit that our programmers know how to use the system to its best advantage, and none better than Ultimate.
As a follow up to Nightshade, Gunfright uses the same kind of pseudo 3D landscape to depict the gun-totin' west of America's past.
Sheriff Quickdraw lives in a town ruled by the six-gun. His only advantage is a special weapon which automatically reloads when the chamber empties. Bullets cost money and the price varies as the game proceeds. What the Sheriff needs is cash and this is the first part of the screen.
Pennies from heaven fall in bags round these here parts and all a man has to do is to shoot them as they fall. To this end, the screen shows the bags falling and the trick is to quickly move the gunsight onto the bags and fire before they disappear off the bottom of the screen.
We then meet the Sheriff standing outside the Jail, gun loaded and ready to clean up the town. Desperados can be found everywhere but let's be careful of the womenfolk out there. Shoot one of these good ladies and you'll be fined; even colliding with them is considered a fineable offence and will lose you a life. Most times it is better to shoot any dame who is heading on an unavoidable collision course. Even if a baddie shoots a townswoman, Quickdraw bears the cost! It's a tough world out West.
Every now and then, a real villain will hit town. The bounty on his head is a useful salary supplement but it has to be earned in one-to-one combat. The fast draw screen shows the baddie standing tall and the slowest to their gun is the one who leaves feet first. If the opponent is Quick Draw McGraw, don't say your prayers; you'll be dead before you can say "Amen".
Panto the Sheriff's faithful horse is well named and provides a whole lot of welcome light relief from the humdrum task of killing folk. This pantomime horse is guaranteed to make you smile.
Games like this make the MSX really come alive. Three loud cheers for Ultimate, the MSX magicians.