1st September 1990
Introduction
Burnin' Rubber, the game cartridge supplied with the console and Plus range, is just a glimpse of what's in store. There are games galore coming the console way.
Many are updated versions of existing games, rewritten to take advantage of all that the new hardware has to offer. There are plenty of brand new titles too. They should be arriving soon after the machines appear in the shops in September.
Ocean is supporting the new computers heavily, and expects to have a dozen games ready in time for Christmas. They will cover a wide range of game types to cater for all tastes. Racing games, martial arts, puzzles, arcade games, simulations... there'll be a place for them all.
It's not just Ocean that's in on the action though. Most of the top European games publishers have staked their claim in the market. US Gold, Domark, Anco and Titus are just a few of the big names busy getting games ready for the consoles' first appearance in a few weeks time.
And just to whet your appetites, here's a little foretaste of what's coming your way...
Batman: The Movie (Ocean)
Licensed from the film of the same name, Batman The Movie is an excellent licence. You play the caped crusader fighting crime, and of course your adversary is that dastardly super-villain the Joker.
The first level sees you in the Axis Chemical works, pitted against gun-totin' gangsters and bomb-hurling hoodlums. The man in black has to make his way through the factory, swinging from ledges with the aid of his bat rope, dodging the leaking chemical pipes and, of course, beating up all those baddies. It's frantic platform action, as the dark knight fights to reach the big, bad boss Jack Napier. The object then is to give him a shove, and it's splashdown time - right into that vat of character-transforming acid.
Other scenes see Batty in the batmobile, where he has to tear along the Gotham City back-streets, weaving in and out of traffic. The Batwing makes an appearance too, where he has to slice the lines holding the Joker's deadly laughing gas balloons so that they fly off harmlessly into space.
The grand finale takes place in the cathedral. It's the final confrontation with the crown prince of crime, but this time you're gonna make sure that the Joker gets his come-uppance. Similar to the first level, it's back to platform action. Complete this, and you've earned a well deserved rest - presumably upside-down in the bat cave - at least until the sequel hits the screens.
Shadow Warriors (Ocean)
Shadow Warriors is an arcade beat-em-up. You control the Shadow Warrior, the last of a rare breed of martial arts experts who have exclusive knowledge of the five secret Ninja techniques.
The city streets have been taken over by an evil demon. He has summoned an army of ghouls, ghosts and plain old bad guys. You have to fight your way through the lot of them, till you eventually meet the old devil himself, and send him back from whence he came.
Shadow Warriors differs from run-of-the-mill Ninja-vs-the-Bad-Guys games in its unique control system. Instead of a myriad of moves to remember, the fighting moves have been greatly simplified. Just point your Ninja in the direction you wish to unleash your fury and press fire. Shaddy can also grab hold of overhanging ledges and the like, giving him the edge over the enemy opposition.
Operation Thunderbolt (Ocean)
Operation Thunderbolt is a two-player version of that arcade classic Operation Wolf. You and a pal take on entire armies of baddies who've made the mistake of taking your fellow countrymen hostage. Machine guns spewing lead, you march relentlessly onwards, wasting anyone foolish enough to stand in your way.
While the game is essentially a two-player co-operative effort, the opportunity for a bit of friendly one-upmanship presents itself. Collectables such as laser sighting and bulletproof vests appear. Problem is, they are very rare, so the strategy changes from wiping the floor with the enemy, to reaching that power-up before your mate does.
It's hoped that a light-gun will be available for the game's launch. The device plugs directly into the auxilary socket, and provides no end of increased playability.
Fire And Forget II: The Death Convoy
French software house Titus is following up its road and air-borne shoot-'em-up Fire And Forget with a new, even tougher version. Flying an all-powerful combat vehicle, you must pursue a convoy of ruthless terrorists along a winding road to save the world from nuclear oblivion. Along the way you have to fight off 60 different enemies in your bid to reach the lead vehicle and the final showdown.
The screenshot shows just how much difference the extra console hardware has made. The main sprite is much faster and more detailed, while the sky in the background now graduates smoothly from pale to dark blue - an effect impossible to achieve on the old machine.
Chase HQ (Ocean)
There's more wheel-squealing thrills and spills to come. After the out-and-out racing action of Rubber, some serious crook-catching makes a welcome variation to the theme.
In Chase H.Q., you're the driver of a high speed Miami Wee-style sports car. You're out to bust drug smugglers - but you've got to catch them first! You race along the highway weaving through the traffic and making sure you don't knock any civilian vehicles off the road. When the bad guys' car comes into view, though, the tactics change. You've got to hit them with all you've got, so the pedal goes to the metal as you ram them until they've had enough.
Your progress is constantly monitored by Nancy your boss at Chase H.Q.. If you don't keep up with the escaping crims, her cutting comments - in superb synthesised speech - tell you exactly what she thinks of you.
Robocop II (Ocean)
The sequel to the the best selling Robocop - which stayed in the software charts for absolutely yonks - will be released to coincide with the new film. This one's going to be an real sizzler! The game will closely follow the plot of the film, with Alex J Murphy going through hell and high water once again.
As well as plenty of inferior baddies to kill, this time Robocop has an adversary equal to himself. A nasty Robocop that he must overcome to finish the game...
Klax (Domark)
Klax is like nothing you've played before. Well, except Tetris maybe. It's one of a new breed of games that combine arcade skills with lateral thinking.
Coloured tiles cascade along a conveyor belt towards you. You have to catch them as they reach the end and arrange them into stacks. Space is soon filled, and in order to get rid of tiles you need to create Klaxes. Rows of tiles, three, four or five-in-a-line, all of the same colour.
The action is smooth, fast and frantic! Each level - there are 100 in total - requires a different task of you, so there's plenty of variety. Klax is simple in design, but oh so incredibly addictive to play.
Crazy Cars II
You're behind the wheel again - this time chasing bent cops involved in a stolen car scam. It's down to you to smash the racket, but the rozzers know you're on to them and are prepared to use all their powers to stop you.
So it's frantic pedal-pumping all the way. Not only are you chasing the cops - the cops are also chasing you. Luckily, you selected the Ferrari F-40 rather than the Morris Marina to catch the unlawful lawmen.
There's enough variety - with several road layouts allowing different routes to be selected - to make a worthwhile change from the other racing games on the circuit.
Escape From The Planet Of The Robot Monsters (Domark)
This game owes so much to the Science Fiction B movies of the 1950s. You have to rescue beautiful girlies who've been taken captive by - you've guessed it - Robot Monsters.
The game plays like a 3D Gauntlet. You run round the alien factory, freeing the girls who the evil robots have forced to become computer operators. You're armed with a ray gun, but not all the robots are dealt with that easily.
Destroying the computer terminals that are littered around the complex stems the production rate of the mechanical meanies - just be careful a stray shot doesn't hit the hostages.
The best thing is, Robot Monsters can be played by a team of two, doubling the fun to be had.
Kick Off II (Anco)
The original Kick Off is considered one of the finest soccer sims around. What the CPC version lacked in graphics, it more than made up for in gameplay. The cartridge version - with its superfast sprites - won't suffer from the same aesthetic annoyances as its predecessor.
There have been plenty of footie games in the past, even more than ninja simulators. The object is the same; at the end of the day you need to put the ball in the net more times than the opposition. What makes Kick Off II stand out of the crowd is its wonderful playability. It's simply one of the fastest games ever.
Licence To Print Money
One of the key points that will ensure masses of games on the cartridge format is the Amstrad licensing agreement, which allows any software publisher to write for the new machines. Whereas other console manufacturers such as Nintendo and Sega strictly dictate who writes for their machine, Amstrad will be leaving the programming to the professionals. The Amsoft label, which launched a thousand Roland games, will not be making a reappearance.
Amstrad has the sole manufacturing rights to the cartridges. It also insists that producers comply to a certain packaging format, but apart from that, any software house will be able to produce software for the machines.
