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This new offering from Micromania is one of the first Spectrum games for the STACK LIGHT RIFLE other than those already done by the Stack Light Rifle people themselves. One thing has to be said straight away - as the game can only be used in conjunction with the light rifle (or SLR), all comments and opinions are based on the fact that both game and SLR are backing each other up - in other words, the SLR is seen as an integral part of the game.

Invasion Force itself is a successful cross between 'Space Invaders' and 'Missile Command'. Instead of guiding a cross wire sight and firing missiles in the path of incoming enemy missiles, you aim at the screen with your SLR and zap a wide variety of alien creatures which are out to destroy your six cities on the plain. This is a simple task at first with the aliens appearing singly, but as successive waves are wiped out they begin to appear in groups, rapidly, and moving erratically.

Styling is done on a basis of how many shots it required to rid the skies of aliens, and between each wave a staccato machine gun sound accompanies the appearance of bullets used, and your score is updated. There are 35 different types of enemy and you get an extra city at 10,000 points.

Control keys: none
Joystick: Stack Light Rifle In play: very responsive to the rifle
Colour: all colours used very well
Graphics: excellent
Sound: excellent
Skill levels: 35 progressively harder screens
Lives: 6 cities

'If this game didn't use the SLR it would still be worth buying because the graphics are excellent, some of the smoothest moving, large-sized aliens I have seen for this type of game, each with their own characteristic design, animation and movement. The first waves are easy to pick of f and you soon get used to sighting and firing with the rifle, but as the game goes on it gets to be about as much as you can to do sight and fire before another three have knocked out a city. Despite its attractive graphics and really good sound, the game itself is simple and single-minded, and I would have to be honest and say that without the SLR its lasting appeal would be short. As it is I think this proved to be the most exhausting couple of hours (physically) I have spent in a long while.'

'Using the SLR is great fun. The directness of aiming through a rifle and squeezing a trigger lends that extra amount of realism to an otherwise standard shoot em up game, and gives it a whole new lease of life. Its addictiveness depends entirely on the muscles of the trigger finger! Great game and good sound.'