Missiles, Meteorites And Small Green Aliens

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This is an amazingly addictive arcade game which can be played with a joystick or keyboard. The keyboard version though can make the game even more frustrating, and doesn't really do it full justice.

The aim is to fly your rocket ship through five different landscapes, each of which has its own hazards designed to make things as difficult as possible for you.

The first scenario is a lurid purple mountainous terrain containing fuel tanks which you must destroy to maintain your supplies, servicing units and ground sited missiles which zoom up at you with fatal consequences unless you can dodge or shoot them. Despite all this, the first stage is designed to lull you into a false sense of security, because next comes the Cavern.

It wouldn't be too bad if you just had to navigate through it without crashing into overhangs and outcrops, but un fortunately the Cavern is inhabited by small green aliens called Phizzers which are remarkably adept at smashing into you.

You can shoot them, but don't forget about the narrow section at the end of the Cavern!

If you do manage to get through the Cavern don't relax, because next come the Meteorites. You can't destroy these, so you just have to dodge them while trying desperately to bomb the fuel tanks below you.

Fortunately, this section is not too bad and you'll soon get through to the Skyscrapers. Once again there are ground missiles here, so you have to fly above and between these as they take off, until eventually, if you're lucky, you reach the Maze.

This is the most difficult section of all. After many hours of trying I still haven't got far into it, but no doubt after a few more weeks of playing through the night its secrets will be revealed.

Each game gives you three ships, and you can earn more if you score enough points. Unfortunately each time you get destroyed you go right back to the beginning of the section you were in.

This is quite heartbreaking when after many attempts you are almost at the end of the Cavern!

Conclusion: This is a superb game. The sound effects are of an excellent quality, and the joystick control allows you to shoot bullets and drop bombs with a single button, which gives you a small advantage over the terrors of the enemy's many different methods of attack - even if you never quite manage to completely overcome them.

Jane Jackson