Computer Gamer


Zub
By Mastertronic Added Dimension
Amstrad CPC464/664/6128

 
Published in Computer Gamer #22

Zub

Zub

Zub is one of those games that follows in the original mould that Ultimate used to do many years ago before they got into this 3D maze business. I'm thinking of games like Lunar Jetman and Jet Pac.

Zub puts you in the place of a Zub from the planet Zub, called Zub. Zubs are genetically engineered warriors and your task is to return the crown jewels of the King of Zub to his tender clutches from the planet of Zub 10 where his brother has taken them.

The main thread of the game puts you in ten different planets with multi-scrolling, four-way moving platforms, etc. You travel around these, shooting and avoiding the nasties and picking up objects. On each planet is a teleport system that will take you to the next level. The nasties are all extremely nasty and come in various different types - each worse than the next. The graphics are very good in some ways with a picture of you slowly turning into a skeleton as your energy levels reduce, but otherwise they are rather disappointing with little in the way of interesting backgrounds or dramatic graphics.

This is another one of those "take it or leave it" games though, even if you are into this sort of vertical problem solving/ladders and ramps game. I have grave doubts as to whether even the dedicated fan of this type of game would shell out three quid for it, perhaps two, but three is a whole new order of magnitude.

MAD games used to be reserved for the very best of Mastertronic's products, but after games like Zub and 180, I don't know what they're doing.

Zub