Personal Computer News


Blue Moon

Author: Bob Chappell
Publisher: Merlin
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Personal Computer News #046

Blow Away The Blues

Blue Moon is one of the more enjoyable games involving some form of space travel.

Objectives

You are the pilot of the ubiquitous inter-galactic spacecraft, your mission to return a sister ship and her crew safely to Blue Moon. In order to remain intact you must blast your way through various hazardous encounters.

The makers of these games come up with some ridiculous names for either the spacecraft or what it fires. In Blue Moon your firepower is nothing less than triple sonic de-atomisers.

In Play

Blue Moon

Your task is in five stages. Stage one is the docking of the two spacecraft which must be completed to continue. Initially, this can be difficult but the technique is quickly mastered.

The comet storm comes next. You can either avoid them or shoot them with your triple sonic thingies. This stage is very easy, though at higher levels of difficulty they do get more numerous.

Stage three is, I think, probably the hardest section of all. Here you tangle with the Blue Bouncers. They bounce around the screen in sprightly fashion firing at you. They also drop on top of you, and if they miss they multiply.

Blue Moon

The Tecom man is the penultimate stage. He's a portly creature and easy to hit. He walks across the top of the screen and, extraordinarily, lays eggs which hatch into birds which fire plasma bolts at you.

At last, you get to land on Blue Moon, with a choice of three landing sites. There is one large one worth 50 points and two smaller ones worth 200 points each which I didn't find any more difficult. A successful landing raises a flag to the tune of the American national anthem.

Successful completion of a round awards you an extra life, and a repetition of the game on the next level of difficulty. The difference between the various levels is the number of comets or Blue Bouncers. It's a pity that the authors didn't include some additional hazards.

Verdict

The game has some very good and fast graphics and it uses the sound channels well. Initially I found it very enjoyable but this wore off due to the lack of variation between the levels of difficulty.

Bob ChappellNigel Farrier

Other Commodore 64 Game Reviews By Bob Chappell


  • Congo Bongo Front Cover
    Congo Bongo
  • Mystery Of Munroe Manor Front Cover
    Mystery Of Munroe Manor
  • Motocross Front Cover
    Motocross
  • Heroes Of Karn Front Cover
    Heroes Of Karn
  • Fort Apocalypse Front Cover
    Fort Apocalypse
  • Dungeons Of BA Front Cover
    Dungeons Of BA
  • Exterminator Front Cover
    Exterminator
  • Zork I: The Great Underground Empire Front Cover
    Zork I: The Great Underground Empire
  • Hexpert Front Cover
    Hexpert
  • Planetfall Front Cover
    Planetfall