This Wizadore is simply wizard

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Every now and then a game comes along that you know will be one of the all-time greats. Wizadore, from Imagine, is destined to be one of those games.

The object is to kill Smaun, an evil dragon who has enslaved the land, and to release the last of the Arch Mages.

To kill the dragon you will need to recover the three scattered pieces of the Golden Sword which are to be found somewhere within the depths of the dragon's castle.

To aid you in your quest you will find three scrolls which enable you to cast spells to destroy some of the guards that patrol the castle.

Each scroll will only work on one particular type of guard — and although I'm not going to tell you which, I will say that the archers, the worst of the guards, are unaffected by any of the scrolls.

Since Imagine are offering a monthly prize for solving the game, I shan't give away any secrets. However, I will give you two tips to get you going.

> There are two types of archers and the only way to avoid being killed by them is to jump over their arrows.

During the course of the game you will see the occasional golem - a small figure - and if you pass over it you are given an extra life. Believe me, you'll need it!

To describe the game as a ladders-and-levels type, though in a sense true, would be to give a false impression, as it is like no game I have seen before.

> Essentially, it is an arcade adventure with the accent more on the arcade than the adventure.

The graphics are stunning, the scrolling excellent, and the keyboard response is immediate.

The Arch Mage that is controlled on screen is the best example of animation I have ever seen.

> I must admit that I would have preferred to define my own key layout, as using the A key for "jumping" and for "up" often caused me to jump when I didn't want to - usually with fatal results.

Overall, a program that is hard to praise too highly.

Phrases like "state of the art" come readily to mind and deservedly so. If a list of the top BBC Micro games of all time is ever made, I am sure that Wizadore will be in the top three.

> A fantastically addictive game that I highly recommend. Excellent.

Paul Gardener