Computer Gamer


Lazerwheel

Publisher: Mastertronic Added Dimension
Machine: Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Computer Gamer #27

Lazerwheel

A game involving pure hand-eye co-ordination, this. Lazerwheel is a sort of variation on the original Space Invaders but folded round in a circle(!). What's that mean? Well, the circle represents one sector of an eight-sectored hyperspace causeway. Well, I suppose it had to be called something.

In the centre of this circular playing area sits your rotatable laser cannon. This threatens the periphery of the wheel, where a selection of coloured blocks rotate. They also have, for the most part, the most malevolent intentions in their limited block-type brains.

The block to be watched though is the red one. It's a bomb. It progresses from pink to white, then detonates, inflicting damage on the game sector, which may ultimately be rendered hors de combat, or out of action. The red needs therefore to be shot on sight. Other blocks are harmless, but it helps to shoot them too - hitting greens reduces sector damage, while hitting brown gives you a score bonus. There are others too, but the important thing is *not* to shoot grey blocks. These are created when you miss and are nasty things as they reflect subsequent shots back at you causing you to lose a life.

The game gets very panic-making as you jump from sector to sector, trying to prevent terminal damage. Gameplay is fairly addictive, but the game scores more points for originality and simplicity of concept, so much so I'm surprised the idea hasn't been taken up before.