Commodore User
1st November 1989
CU Update
We're road-bound, space-bound and going underground in this month's update. There's news of the 8-bit versions of two excellent Amiga games, plus a review of a newie from Dinamic.
Oil Imperium (C64)
According to new boy Mark Mainwood, Amiga Oil Imperium was a "real winner that will have you hooked for weeks", and just to back that up, he gave it 85% and a screenstar. The C64 version is not just similar to the Amiga one, it's as perfect a copy as you could get, both graphically and in gameplay.
As before, you play an oil tycoon millionaire type, just starting off in the business along with three other companies (human or computer owned) and it's from this point that you begin the long, perilous climb to success through buying oilfields, drilling them and burning down your opponent's oilfields. It's all in the name of fun.
Graphically, the only differences are the slightly lower resolution and colour palette, and on the computer, the Amiga monitor has been replaced by a Commodore 1701.
A perfect conversion, if not actually better than the Amiga. A message to C64 owners: You lucky, lucky people.
Master Grand Prix (Dinamic, C64)
Master Grand Prix is a very fast, very frantic top view motorcycle race game that allows you to compete in the World GP, endorsed by none other than Jorge Martinez 'Aspar'. With that sort of game description, you have to sit down and think: "Why haven't I heard any hype about a game that sounds this good?" The answer is simple, it's pretty useless.
First things first. Regards the speed of the game, it is far too fast. When you race at top whack, and believe me you have to, you crash into a corner before you realise what's happened. Naturally, before you can race, you have to qualify. This is where the game falls apart. It is almost impossible to do so. The fastest time you can get without crashing and staying on the road for the whole course is always at least ten seconds - and you're only allotted that; so no race Amigo.
The graphics aren't bad, the scrolling smooth and there are some nice effects. It's just a shame the terrible design means that you haven't a hope in hell of ever seeing the race, let alone another bike.
Wicked (Activision)
The plot for Wicked is simple. Good and Evil are battling for supremacy throughout the twelve constellations. In order to take control of a constellation the area needs to be free of the enemy's spores. This is accomplished by shooting the bad growths then collecting seeds and placing them in gaps on the screen in order to promote growth.
You don't get a running scoreline, but the character who has the upper hand is placed in the centre of the screen - a sun for good and a bloated blue face for evil. All of this and more has been retained from the Amiga version.
The graphics are fantastic, the sound is great. More important, the overall feel of the game has been converted perfectly. A faultless game which goes to show what can be done with a C64.
