ZX Computing


Pi-In-'Ere

Author: David Harwood
Publisher: Automata
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in ZX Computing #16

Pi-In-'Ere

Automata is a trendy company, doing to computers what the Sex Pistols did to music.

Pi-In-'Ere is another game where you have to go around screens and collect even the greatest 'Arcadist' among you, there should be no times of boredom.

A nice feature of the game is that, after all your lives have been used up, the next game can be started from the last visited screen or from afresh. This is a great idea and I hope that many more software authors will follow, as sometimes it can be tedious going through all the same screens when wanting to discover new. You can also save or load the last position and high score, which will stop you from going through 59 screens to get to the 60th each time. A random life will also be granted if the word "EXTRA" is lit up at the bottom of the screen.

Pi-In-'Ere

The idea is as follows: You are Burt, who has been injected into the computer where his mission is to track down the elusive "Big Bug". Isn't there one in every computer? As you go through many screens, collecting the various objects (I would love to know how milk bottles managed to get into the computer, but you cannot trust electronics all the time...!), your progress is hindered by minor bugs, each with their own degree of intelligence. The red bug is able to tunnel after you, whereas the other three cannot.

And then there are the EDIT keys, which when loosened from the walls, will give you an extra 30 points if they fall on a 'bug'. The only problem being that, if they fall on you - BANG - a life gone. One unfair screen is when the EDIT key starting falling on you right at the beginning and you have to get out of the way immediately... or else!

With clear but not too detailed graphics, with good sound and joystick option, with the wonderful music of Just Kooks on the B-side of the tape. A definite must for any computer game freak and lover of Kool musik.

David Harwood

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