1st August 1987
A look at what the Commodore 64's popular cousin has to offer - which is a lot for the price.
Sweet Sixteen
No, this supplement doesn't mark the start of regular C16 coverage - it's a sort of extended feature: a look at what the Commodore 64's popular cousin has to offer, which surprising as it may seem, is a lot for the price.
Within these eight distinctly separate pages is a mini-encyclopaedia which isn't intended to be a definitive guide to C16 software - it's merely a fairly comprehensive round-up of all the software we could get our hands on, and it represents a worthwhile read.
Getting to grips with the C16/Plus 3 brought memories of my Vic 20 days flooding back. The Vic 20 was my first computer, which cost £200 then, and the software was generally crude in all aspects. But despite the limitations and crudeness, it was extremely entertaining.
With only 3.5K to spare on the basic machine, programmers couldn't afford to mess around with slick graphics - the gameplay and coding has to be tight and efficient. There were a few absolute gems on the Vic 20 which still hold their own in the world of today's software - Jeff Minter's Laser Zone, Matrix and Hellgate, Commodore's superlative Jelly Monsters ROM (sadly removed from sale due to its uncanny similarity to a well-known Atari arcade game) and Rabbit's Myriad, to name but a few.
The quality and quantity of C16 software seems to be akin to that for the Vic 20 - a fair amount of playable dross exists, but there are a few classy releases which seem to lose something when converted to more powerful machines - POD and Voidrunner being two prime examples of games which are more playable on the C16 than on the C64. A few software houses still support the C16/Plus 4, and sales are apparently healthy. Mastertronic and Anco seem to pay a great deal of attention to producing quality products - in many cases superior to C64 software comes in the form of conversions from more powerful machines, which is sad as this tends to overshadow the more inspiring original productions with virtually no pretentions to being anything special.
So, what do the C16 and Plus 4 have to offer...?
Well, there's a superior Basic to that implemented in the C64, although the user manual supplied isn't particularly helpful - Commodore seem to have difficulty in producing decent documentation. The Basic features over 75 commands, including a competent range of graphics commands.
The C16 doesn't offer anything significantly new - 121 colours (well, 128 - but eight are shades of black) - no, if anything it's a regression with its mere 16K memory. Which prompts one to wonder why on earth Commodore bothered to release it in the first place, especially at its original price. That said, since the C16 failed to make an impact until it was significantly reduced in price, it is worthy of consideration.
The Plus 4 has 64K RAM, with 60K available for Basic programming (the C64 only has 38K to play with). There's a built-in machine code monitor with seventeen commands, and a very useful HELP function - should an error occur in a Basic program, pressing the HELP key highlights the error.
Both machines are compatible with the 1541 disk drive and 1571 monitor, however a special cassette deck is required, as are special joysticks - Konix's are recommended as the Commodore brand isn't up to much.
Check out your local branches of Dixon's, Curry's, Rumbelows and Comet - you may find you can pick up a C16 and cassette deck for around £50, or the slightly more powerful but fully compatible Plus 4 for around £80 (with cassette deck). Alternatively, you could try telephoning Video Vault (04574 66555/67761) and ask them very nicely if they have any Plus 4s in stock.
Pod (Mastertronic)
Minter-inspired shoot-'em-up action, courtesy of Shaun Southern. More accomplished and playable than the C64 conversion, with chunky graphics, meaty sound and gallons of playability. 92%
Bandits At Zero (MAD)
Blast everything in sight, and destroy the enemy's aircraft carrier in this addictive shoot-'em-up with excellent parallax scrolling. 75%
Classic Snooker (Anco)
Plays okay, but the screen tends to flicker quite violently at times and can prove most off-putting. 51%
Dork's Dilemma (Gremlin)
Help Dork to collect and reassemble the pieces of his spacecraft in this very playable game. The graphics are clear and well defined, and overall this is a very good collect-'em-up. 83%
Project Nova (Gremlin)
A below average variation on the Star Raiders theme - simple shoot-'em-up action, with the tiniest sprinkling of strategy thrown in for good measure. 40%
Hektik (Mastertronic)
An accurate version of the dated arcade game Space Panic - simplistic platforms and ladders action which provides a few hours' entertainment and a chance to reminisce. 63%
Bounder (Gremlin)
Move Bounder from slab to slab, across the screen to safety, avoiding the many and varied obstacles in the way. The graphics are very detailed and smooth moving, and addiction soon sets in when you start to play. 89%
Rockman (Mastertronic)
Ricky Rockman rushes around caverns collecting diamonds, and dodging deadly boulders. The lack of speed ruins the playability, as avoiding falling rocks is more often than not impossible. 26%
Thai Boxing (Anco)
This Anco release bears a significant similarity to Thai Boxing on the Sport Four compilation. The combatants movements are totally unrealistic and the backgrounds are bland. It feels bad, and offers little for the price. 20%
Berks (The Power House)
Should actually be entitled Baby Berks - the fourth in the Berks Trilogy. Contains one single screen of shooting, which isn't as interesting or playable as its forerunners. 41%
Diamond Mine (Blue Ribbon)
Guide a pipeline through the mine, collecting diamonds and avoiding the walls and bugs. The pipe is difficult to control, and not really worth the effort of mastering. Poor graphics and tedious gameplay round off this sub-standard product. 23%
Megabolts (Mastertronic)
Odd shoot 'em up action set in a maze. Strangely addictive. 61%
Star Games (Gremlin)
Sword Of Destiny: The main character and hostiles look nice and move well, but the platform action is just too boring and predictable to be worthwhile. 36%
Xcellor 8 (Gremlin)
Beautifully smooth scrolling bas-relief backdrops, but not much fast or enthralling action. 39%
Xargon Wars (Gremlin)
Simplistic and tedious shoot-'em-up action, a sort of souped up Space Invaders really. 38%
Oblido (Mastertronic)
An odd little game which has you attempting to put colour blocks into their respective 'areas'. Initially confusing, but very playable. 83%
Hyperforce (Ariolasoft)
Original shoot-'em-up action, but nonetheless dull. 39%
Booty (Firebird)
Take control of Jim the cabin boy, in this mediocre platform game with nautical overtones. The graphics and sound are weak (an ear-wrenching tune plays throughout), and although quite playable at first, interest wanes due to repetition. 54%
G'Man (Codemasters)
In this game our hero G Man has only seven minutes to catch the Moon bus back to the Space Shuttle, and to make matters worse his air is getting low. The graphics are functional, but the playability is low due to the lack of variety. 37%
Winter Events (Anco)
An inspired mix of six snowy sporting events, spread over a single cassette multi-load.
-
Ski Jump
Partake in a wintry long-jump, and attempt to break the world record for ski-clad flight. -
2. Speed Skating
A one or two player event which requires perfectly-timed joystick waggling. -
3. Biathlon
A gruelling race on skis over a beautiful country track, with only a .22 calibre rifle for company. Ski through valleys and up and down hills between four separate points, which is where the gun comes into play as you try to hit five targets with only five shots. -
4. Bobsleigh
Steer a bobsleigh left and right as you hurtle down the ice track. -
5. Downhill Skiing
Ski down a lengthy wooded course, displayed in glorious and very effective 3D. -
6. Slalom
More skiing, only this time there are flags to negotiate.
Each of the six events is extremely playable in its own right, and combined they form an excellent package which shouldn't be overlooked. 94%
Legionnaire (Anco)
Derivative of the arcade game Commando, with good graphics but not much playability. 51%
Bridgehead (Anco)
Being a macho hard man, you're been picked to undertake a dangerous mission in this very playable Green Beret-type game.
The graphics are good, and there's a decent piece of music on the title screen. Overall, a good hack and blast-'em game. 75%
Sport 4 (Anco)
As the name suggests, there are four sports games on this tape - Speed Boat Grand Prix, European Cup Championship, Canoe Slalom and Thai Boxing.
The graphics are small and crude, and sound is mainly confined to a few simple effects. Overall though, this is a good collection of simplistic games. 45%
Kik Start (Mastertronic)
A horizontally scrolling race game in which you have to beat the clock. Bears little similarity to its C64 counterpart, but it's still fairly playable. 84%
Zolyx (Firebird)
Zolyx is a spot who lives in a black rectangular arena bordered by a thin blue line. His life is a dangerous one as he is constantly troubled by two sorts of renegade spots - the type which bounce around inside the walls of the arena, and another sort which run around the arena border. The only way to survive their deadly touch is to keep on the move - and this where problems arise.
Zolyx can move around the arena perimeter quite happily, but is eventually bound to crash into one of the border-occupying sports. It seems obvious then, for Zolyx to travel into the empty arena - but unfortunately it's not that simple. Zolyx leaves a yellow line behind him wherever he goes, and if a spot crashes into the line Zolyx loses one of his five lines. Further still, one Zolyx starts to create a line he can't stop, as doing so means death.
There is some good news however. When Zolyx gets back to the arena perimeter the area enclosed is filled in blue - allowing Zolyx to move anywhere within. Further intrusions into the renegade spot space, and successful retreats to safety, result in enemy territory slowly being filled in, and more coming under control of Zolyx.
Sometimes a pair of spots may be splilt. In this case neither area is filled - and consequently Zolyx has to eat away at both areas to reduce the spot's superiority.
Our spotty hero has one trick up his sleeve. When an enemy threatens either himself or his yellow line, a quick press of the Fire button reverses the paths of the belligerent pixels. The facility is available once on the first level, twice on the second, and so on ad nauseum...
A constantly updating numerical display at the top of the screen shows the percentage of the playing area that Zolyx has claimed. When the heroic spot has reclaimed over 75% of the arena the screen clears to show an empty arena, filled with even more renegade spots, and Zolyx is forced to start to build up his territory again...
This is identical to the C64 version, which is surprising as with 121 colours to play with this conversion could at least have featured different colours from level to level. Still, Zolyx is immensely playable and at two quid it shouldn't be missed. 90%
One Man And His Droid (Mastertronic)
Use your robo droid to round up the Ramboids (alien sheep), in this playable collect-'em-up. The graphics are large and well detailed and the scrolling is good though the sound is no more than adequate.
Rounding up the sheep is difficult at first, but once control is mastered you can nip around and herd them with relative ease. 78%
Petals Of Doom (Gremlin)
Blast the aliens and protect the plants in this simple, but playable, shoot-'em-up. The big, bold and colourful graphics are accompanied by sound which is limited to a few simple meaty blasting effects.
Fun to play for a while, but the lastability is questionable. 49%
Monty On The Run (Gremlin)
Monty Mole, having escaped from prison, has to make his way to freedom through many varied locations, in this highly playable platform game. Well worth the asking price. 86%
Way Of The Tiger (Gremlin)
Spread over three multi-loaded stages, this is a successful conversion of the mediocre beat-'em-up based on the eponymous fighting fantasy book.
The first section is Unarmed Combat, set in the desert sands of Orb, the second is Pole Fighting, set on a slippery log, and the third is Samurai Sword Fighting, in which you take on warriors aimed with Samurai swords before battling the supreme swordsman - the Master. There are sixteen available moves in each section, and the overall feel is good. Definitely a cut above other games of this type on the C16. 71%
Bubble Trouble (Players)
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the bath... Take control of a bubble trapped in a water-filled sink and attempt to float to freedom by eating nine small bubbles.
Nail brushes, shampoo and other bathroom accessories provide problems. Competent sound and simplistic but colourgul graphics adorn a simplistic but fairly addictive concept. 69%
Starburst (Ariolasoft)
Even more pretentious than its predecessor, Hyperforce - and less addictive. 29%
Summer Events (Anco)
This follow-up to Winter Events is due for release very shortly, and promises to be just as impressive, with six new events to entertain and enthral.
Panic Penguin (Midas)
Guide Percy Penguin around the maze of ice-blocks, avoiding the snow monsters, or squashing them with ice-blocks. The graphics are good, but control is very often sluggish to respond.
Still, this Pengo derivative is very playable and worth a look at the price. 71%
C16 Classics 2 (Gremlin)
Monkey Magic: Join Monkey on his quest for the holy scriptures, in this average shoot-'em-up. The graphics are okay, but the multi-coloured mountains leave a bit to be desired. 40%
Frank Bruno's Boxing (Elite)
You take the part of our old mate Frank, as he battles his way through a heap of mangled opponents bodies, in this variant of the arcade game Punch Out.
It's extremely frustrating at times, but nonetheless playable (more so than the C64 version in many ways). 72%
Rescue From Zylon (Gremlin)
Rescuing a team of geologists from a fate worse than death is the order of the day in this simplistic arcade adventure. A dated game with poor graphics. 33%
Molecule Man
The only 3D isometric maze game available on the C16 sees Molecule Man attempting to collect sixteen circuits needed to repair a matter transporter. Difficult to get to grips with, but perseverence proves worthwhile. 61%
The Magician's Curse (Gremlin)
Your quest is to locate a golden statue, hidden somewhere in a deserted village - there are many objects scattered about the playing area to help you on your way.
The graphics are basic, blocky and simplistic, but the gameplay is marginally better. 48%
Footballer Of The Year (Gremlin)
Battle through reams and reams of text, in an attempt to guide your career as a professional footballer through a year of ups and downs. The ultimate aim is to defeat all corners and become Footballer Of The Year. Initially absorbing, but lacking in the qualities necessary to provide long-term interest. 55%
Yie Ar Kung-Fu
A conversion of Konami's arcade beat-'em-up where you attempt to become grand master by defeating eight opponents over two loads. Quite playable, but ultimately too easy to complete. Also found on Imagine's Konami's Coin-Op Hits compilation, along with Green Beret, Ping Pong and others. 41%
Guzzler (Players)
A strange derivative of Pac-Man in which you control a fruit-eating mouse. The trick is to be fat or thin at the right places, which proves frustrating but fun. 76%
Gun Law (Mastertronic)
A barely competent version of Commando. This vertical scroller looks and sounds crude, but plays well enough. 48%
Fingers Malone (Mastertronic)
This colourful platform game puts you in control of Fingers, collecting money and avoiding robotic bank guards. Frustrating, but nonetheless addictive. 74%
Street Olympics (Mastertronic)
Compete in four repetitive events in this extremely dull joystick-waggling sports simulation. 14%
Video Meanies (Mastertronic)
As a maintenance robot of a large castle, it's your task to turn off the videos which your absent-minded owner has left on. Many deaadly creatures patrol the screens, attempting to destroy you before your task is complete.
A fun blend of arcade adventure and shoot-'em-up action. 78%
More Adventures Of Big Mac The Mad Maintenance Man (Mastertronic)
Poor old Mac is lost in the middle of a maze of platforms and is dying of radiation poisoning. Can you help him find and assemble sixteen circuits and escape? Looks and sounds a little below standard, but playable if you give it a chance. 69%
Tutti Frutti (Mastertronic)
Take control of Super Strawberry, collecting cherries and avoiding the deadly attentions of the marauding Acid Apple Gang in this enjoyable Mr. Do variant. 69%
Squirm (Mastertronic)
Collect the Queen Squirm's eggs before her workers remove them from the maze. Light disappears quickly, so glow worms have to be collected to maintain visibility. Though playable and addictive - the general feel is let down by the below average graphics and sound. 57%
Varmit (Players)
A platform and ladders game with little to recommend it. The graphics are okay, but the gameplay is extremely tedious. 26%
Terra Cognita (Codemasters)
Flying along the surface of a barren planet, guide your ship through forcefield beams, avoiding and shooting deadly droid ships. The graphics and gameplay are surprisingly good - especially when you consider the memory limitaitons. 75%
Droid One (Bug Byte)
A frenetic and playable variation on the Robotron theme, with large, colourful graphics, reasonable sound and lots to kill. Incidentally, the smart bombs are called Zzap!s - how cute.
Future Knight (Gremlin)
Rescue Princess Amelia from the clutches of the evil Spegbott ini this mediocre flick-screen arcade adventure - a poor conversion for the C64, but playable enough. 68%
Power Ball (Mastertronic)
Guide a bouncy orange ball through levels of horizontally scrolling platform arrangements, collecting golden chalices and bonuses along the way. Control is tricky at first, but fun when mastered. 76%
Mr. Puniverse (Mastertronic)
This follow-up to Big Mac sees Mr Puniverse stuck in maze full of platform-filled locations, with nothing for company but the many obstacles that hinder his search for vitamin pills. A graphical travesty, but great fun. 73%
Kane (Mastertronic)
Kane's wild western adventure takes place over two screens, incorporating a total of four levels. On the first screen, you have to shoot down birds with a bow and arrow to trade with the indians for peace tokens, with each token earning an extra life.
The second screen sees you fighting for your life as a gang of villains attempt to prevent your return. The graphics are quite good, especially the backdrops, although the movement of the main sprite leaves a little to be desired. 48%
Astro Plumber (Blue Ribbon)
As a newly-appointed maintenance man, your job is to repair the leaking air pipes which lie in caverns beneath the moon's surface. Unfriendly creatures also inhabit the caverns, and don't take too kindly to your appearance. Dated in every aspect. 20%
Prospector Pete (Mastertronic)
Similar in concept to O'Riley's Mine on the C64, Pete has to collect coal, diamonds, and other goodies before the mine he inhabits is flooded. Simplistic graphics, sound and action - but the demanding gameplay involves fast reactions and quick thinking. 78%
Danger Zone (Codemasters)
A 20 level horizontally scrolling shoot-'em-up which offers nothing new, but is playable nonetheless. 56%
Speed King (Mastertronic)
Similar in many ways to Shaun Southern's other racing game, Formula One Simulator - only this time on motorcycles. 56%
Killapede (Players)
A fair interpretation of Centipede. Nothing new, but it does provide a few hours of tepid blasting action. 53%
Battle (Mastertronic)
A mildly playable strategy game, limited by the C16's memory restrictions. 41%
Runner (Firebird)
Take control of a jet-pack-clad spaceman and collect keys from an arrangement of platforms and ladders, while dodging boulders and mutant pods. Graphically dire, and it plays as bad as it looks. 23%
Leader (Bug Byte)
This is very similar in concept to Imagine's Spectrum classic Jumpin' Jack. The aim is to get Leaper to the top of the screen by jumping through gaps in moving platforms, while avoiding nasty creatures. Simplistic, and occasionally frustrating, but highly playable. 62%
Auriga (Players)
Simple shoot-'em-up action, with big, colourful graphics, plenty of noise, and lots of enjoyable blasting. 80%
Video Poker (Entertainment USA)
A simulation of a Las Vegas video poker machine which provides fun for a couple of hours, but like most gambling simulations the novelty wears off rather quickly. 23%
Ace (Cascade)
A cut-down version of the C64 original, but still very playable. More of a shoot-'em-up than a flight simulation, with reasonably effective graphics and a fair share of action. 78%
Formula One Simulator (Mastertronic)
Though hardly realistic, Shaun Southern's racing game is the best available for the C16. 70%
Thrust (Firebird)
Deep within the abandoned carbon worlds of Gargos is a system of planets containing huge amounts of power - and with three fighters at your disposal, it's up to you to harness it. Each ship is equipped with a cannon, force field and las-leash, and can thrust and rotate through 360 degrees. When flying through space, booting the field into action puts a protective bubble around the craft.
Hovering over a fuel dump and letting the force flow pulls fuel into your tanks, and activating the shield whilst hovering over the power pod (a small round object on a pedestal) instantly connects the las-leash to the middle of the pod.
A representation of your ship is constantly displayed in the middle of the scanner, and as the ship moves off towards the boundary of the view, more planetary surface appears. To complete a mission perfectly, both power pod and generator have to be destroyed. If the generator is destroyed, only ten seconds are given to vacate before the planet explodes. Fly straight up and after a couple of seconds a warp takes you to the next level.
Your job progressively gets harder and harder, with the six worlds repeating after completion. The first extra hazard encountered on the seventh sheet is reverse gravity, whereas the 15th sheet presents a totally invisible landscape. This is a competent conversion from the original - the screen flickers quite badly at tiems, but this doesn't detract from Thrust's immense playability. 88%
Voidrunner/Hellgate (Llamasoft/Ariolasoft)
The Droid Wars have come to a head in this final conflict between man and machine. Five fleets of Voidrunners have been sent out to destroy the Droid forces before they can attack the Earth with their deadly missiles.
The action takes place on a single screen. Four tightly packed Voidrunner craft sit in the middle and can be moved anywhere within its borders. The formation of the craft varies from level to level - sometimes they're linked to form a star, either upwards, downwards, diagonally or to one side.
This can prove confusing and disorientating at times, but never frustrating to the point of revulsion.
Swarms of Droid craft appear from all sides of the screen and have to be blasted before they or their missiles hit any member of the Voidrunner fleet. The result of a direct hit is the destruction of the entire fleet, and play switches to one of the four backup fleets.
The majority of the enemy craft are despatched with a single blast of laser fire, although some require several shots before becoming vulnerable. If enough droids are destroyed the fleet progresses to the next, more difficult, screen.
There's a bonus game on the 'B' side of the cassette - Hellgate, a classic Vic 20 blaster. Sadly, however, the playability of the original isn't present - but it's Voidrunner that makes this package worthwhile, so don't miss it. 92%
Shark (Firebird)
Harpooning a multitude of Great Whites and avoiding Jellyfish and Squids provides hours of slightly off-beat fun. Unfortunately the precision necessary to kill the sharks makes the going a little too tough in places. 64%
Harvey Headbanger (Firebird)
Harmish Highball and Harvey Headbanger are two of the jolliest rivals ever seen. The rotund pair spend their time consuming vast quantities of potent cocktails, and once they're drunk enough they scrap - 'just for fun'. Off to the local park they wobble to do battle on the climbing frame, banging off walls and doors as they go.
As Hamish and Harvey move around the frame network the squares change colour; Harvey turns red squares blue and Hamish turns blue squares red. To win a scrap, one of the drunkards must completely surround the other with his trail.
The twosome battle it out until one of them has been trapped ten times and the other is declared the winner.
Harvey Headbanger is another competent conversion, which retains the playability of its C64 counterpart. 85%
Skyhawk (Bug Byte)
This playable shoot-'em-up (converted from the Vic 20) casts you as an airplane pilot with a city to defend from enemy fighter planes. The graphics are simple, and the horizontal scrolling is jerky, but otherwise Sky Hawk is competent enough. 60%
Spiky Harold (Firebird)
Harold's been getting a bit sleepy of late, and so he's decided it's time to hibernate. But a whole winter is a long time to without any grub, so he goes in search of apples.
Spiky Harold is guided through a labyrinth of chambers residing under his hedge, hopping from platform to platform and avoiding the denizens. But time is short (and life is cruel) - Spiky has only 24 hours in which to collect his provisions - after this the winter frost sets in and he perishes.
Though Spiky Harold features nothing new in the way of platform action, it represents a worthy purchase for fans of this genre. 81%
Kung-Fu Kid (Gremlin)
A difficult, frustrating and simplified version of Kung Fu Master. Small and boring graphics complement the tedious gameplay. 37%
Jail Break (Bug Byte)
Nothing to do with the Konami arcade game of the same name - this is, in fact, a crude version of Breakout which lacks decent graphics, sound and any addictive quality. 8%
Pin Point (Anco)
A sort of cut-down version of Spindizzy, only a lot harder and not as playable. The fun factor improves with perseverence - but not a great deal. 68%
Spectipede (Mastertronic)
More Minter-inspired shoot-'em-up, this time with similarities to Matrix. Not much to look at, and occasionally repetitive, but addictive enough to merit a purchase. 81%
Vegas Jackpot (Mastertronic)
A tedious fruit machine simulation which offers little playability or lasting enjoyment. 20%
Storm (Mastertronic)
A flick-screen maze game with similarities to Gauntlet. The graphics are large but murky, the sound is sparse, and the control is awkward - but there is some fun to be had with perseverence. 54%
Bomb Jack (Elite)
A crude interpretation of the classic arcade game, with an equally poor and slow loader. 43%
Wimbledon (Gremlin)
An uninspiring lawn tennis simulation for one or two players, as viewed from above. Many options, but not much playability. 35%
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