Computer Gamer
1st August 1986
Categories: Review: Software
Publisher: PSS
Machine: MSX
Published in Computer Gamer #17
Macadam Bumper
Rollovers, bumpers and flippers are the concern of that dedicated band of people who spend their lives at the pinball table. Not any more. With Macadam Bumper, the table comes to you.
Not only do you have a table to play on but you can design your own and save it for later use. The package is simple to use and gives a good rendition of the real thing, but it's somewhat ghostly.
The supplied table has two sets of flippers set high and low on the board. The keys can be redefined so that flippers are at either side of your computer (as they would be on a real table). Two other keys can be selected to nudge the table. If the ball gets wedged you can free it with a keypress.
By far the most interesting part of this game is the designer section. There are two basic modes, modify and redesign.
In modify mode an existing table can be altered in any way to make the game more playable. Extra points can be awarded for hitting targets, targets can be added or removed, the slope and tilt sensitivity of the table can be alered, in fact you have almost total control over all of the elements which the real game exhibits.
Redesigning the table clears the scren and, working from the black background, the world is your oyster. Any shape can be created within the frame using special market and fill controls, then the hazards can be added and, before long, you have a table to play, tailor-made to your own requirements. After a little bit of fine tuning the game is saved onto tape and added to the collection.
I must confess that I've seen better pinball games for the MSX but not with a construction set built in.