Acorn User


Family Favourites

Author: Sam Greenhill
Publisher: Minerva
Machine: Archimedes A3000

 
Published in Acorn User #091

Family Favourites

The title hints at the old 'hours of fun for all the family' advertising theme. Fun yes, but hours no. As for 'all the family', the adults will find it all a laborious strain on their poor minds.

Family Favourites contains three games which amount to pelmanism, a variation of draughts and Light Cycles.

The pelmanism clone is a memory game and presents a set of face-down cards. Turn two at a time to reveal the design and if they pair you keep them and score a point. If they don't, they are turned back and the computer tries again. Now we all know that no computer is going to play fairly at a memory game and the programmers have over-compensated for this inevitable criticism by handicapping the poor machine.

As it stands I can thrash it 18-2. The graphics are nice but there are a few bugs in the sound department.

The Light Cycles look-alike 'Dead End' involves two constantly extending lines, the tips of which are directed by yourself and the computer. As the line draws itself you must ensure it doesn't touch anything else.

The computer controls its line like a suicidal maniac, so the best strategy is to hang about drawing boxes until it walks into its own trap. Fun for a while.

The last game, called Gridlock, has you capturing counters from the computer's line by placing two of yours at either end. This is the most strategic of the three games but still doesn't hold water for long. A heinous omission in all three games is that of a two player option. The only way 'the family' can play is as a team, provoking no competition.

Children of around 7-14 years old will no doubt find this game enjoyable, but I warn you, charm runs out too soon - not substantial enough to merit an investment of £20.

Sam Greenhill

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