C&VG


Mean Streak

Publisher: Mirrorsoft
Machine: Spectrum 48K/128K

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #76

Mean Streak

Burn it up on the Battletrack, the 23rd century equivalent of a motorway! But here it's almost legal to behave in a totally anti-social fashion.

In the 23rd century people travel using matter transport beams and roads are obsolete. But there are gangs of rebel bikers dedicated to keeping the old ways open - a bit like motorised Ramblers I guess.

But true to form they've turned their hobby into a competitive event - Rollerball on wheels. The survivor of the high speed dash around the m-way wins the ultimate bike - the 'Mean streak'.

Mean Streak

Load up the game and you find yourself on the Battletrack, riding a heavily armed superbike. You have rockets, machine guns and oil to use against your fellow competitors. Extra ammo and oil can be picked up as you race.

Use the on-screen radar to pick up other riders and dodge about - avoiding their gunfire and ramming tactics.

Destroy opposing bikers and you win extra time - yup, each of the five levels puts you up against the clock. You can nudge other bikes in deadly obstacles - like walls. And you can jump your bike over rocks, holes in the road, water and oil slicks if you act fast enough.

Mean Streak

Everything is controlled via the joystick - which makes steering and firing a bit tricky in tight situations, but is soon mastered after a couple of games.

To wipe out your opponents it's best to allow them to race past you and blast them with rockets or guns - I haven't quite mastered the use of oil slicks yet.

As you race along the diagonally scrolling track you'll come across ramps which can be driven over - and walls which must be dodged or blasted.

Mean Streak is a pretty playable game, with reasonable graphics and a neat driving soundtrack. In fact, the music was the think I liked most about the C64 version of the game.

Not a mega-game - but not a bad addition to your collection.