1st March 1985
"The Statix is a dangerous electric charge which twists and turns unpredictably as it jealously guards its territory" reads the hype on the insert card. Well there is a crackling amorphous shape that wanders around and it is unpredictable.
You have to draw rectangles (keys or joystick) either slowly or quickly, which get filled in in either yellow or blue respectively. The former score more points but are more dangerous. That is because contact with the jealous Statix whilst drawing proves fatal. A screen is cleared when at least 75% of it is filled in.
There is another hazard to contend with - one or more "sparks" running around the boundaries. These may contact you when you are not drawing with equally terminal consequences. You may also be attacked by a "fuse" if you hesitate too long.
An annoying feature is that the sparks are very similar in appearance to the thing that is moving around under your own control. It is also irritating that there is no hall of fame or even a running high score. The game seems much simpler than some other arcade games I have seen, so I find it hard to believe that there was insufficient memory to provide this.
On the whole I found this game quite unexceptional. It is perfectly playable, but I can't see too much lasting interest.
Other BBC Model B Game Reviews By Jonathan Evans
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