Forget all about your hyper-space-jumping, multi-rocketed, laser-lancing planetary cruiser - that's so much old fashioned scrap metal. To be really up to date these days, you've got to go back in time to the days of barrage balloons. You need a Zeppelin.
Objectives
The gaseous atmosphere of the cave world of Zarkafir has led to the development of hot air technology. Into this world in a superzeppelin you come, bent on destroying the evil Timelords whose base this is.
In Play
The tape takes a fair time to load but don't turn the sound of your TV down or you'll miss two pieces of classical music.
The action starts with your large white zeppelin gently powering through the seventh level of the cave system. Joystick movement controls your direction, although you are always moving forwards through the cave system.
Your zeppelin can fire in two directions at once, and you certainly need that firepower. The caves seem alive with small hot air balloons and zeppelins which you must avoid or destroy.
Rocks and earthquake debris cascade upon your frail craft and when an earthquake occurs, the whole screen shakes, making your passage a nightmare.
Barriers and laser gates must be blasted through if you are to explore all of the 250 rooms of the caverns. The screen scrolls gently in the direction you are heading, and forks to other caverns seem to appear from any compass point. Shooting the various switches turns some enemy defences on or off. Although each switch has only one function that never varies, it's up to you to discover which that function is.
Other problems include picking up keys for dropping into keyholes, gathering hamburgers (for feeding to the hamburger creatures, of course) life markets for rejuvenation, TNT and plungers. These are tricky; you must shoot the plunger to bring it into the up position, deposit the TNT and then shoot the plunger again - your reward for this feat is entry to the next level.
24th November 1983
