20th October 2011
Once again, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum seems to be a popular platform for developers
Retro Mart: Boxed In
There are two whole new games now available for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, one is a Sokoban-inspired box-moving puzzle game called Bozxle and the other is a rather unusual shoot-'em and collect-'em-up called Coracle.
Bozxle is based on the Nintendo Game Boy game Bozxle, which is itself based on the classic Sokoban created by Hiroyuki Imabayashi and released by Thinking Rabbit in 1982.
Bozxle as been written by Polomint, with contributions from Chev for the coding and advanced graphics, Einar Saukas who converted the splash screen to a loading screen, and the the prolific Mister Beep, who provided the music. The task is to shift each box in a rather small warehouse to the designated markers for each, but you may only push them one at a time and until they're in the correct place or they hit a wall or another box.
For those who are technically-minded or curious about such things, this production has a 9x9 grid restriction because it uses the ZXodus Engine, which allows more colour attribute definition than usual, up to 144 x 144 pixels with a colour change possible on each scan-line rather than each defined character block, as you'd typically expect.
This game currently has 35 levels, with more to follow. If you like a puzzling challenge then point your web browser to tinyurl.com/bozxle.
Let's move onto Jonathan Cauldwell's somewhat strange Coracle, which is now available to buy at £3.99 plus postage from www.cronosoft.co.uk. While this is essentially a shoot-'em-up set at sea, your controls are limited to the direction of your gun, and the speed in which the ship patrols the waters.
The first task is to increase the sea level by shooting the clouds, which break up into rain droplets and raise you up. Beware of the passing planes though, because debris like this will lower the depth of the water. Once the water you're in is deep enough, you must then populate the sea with a certain number of species. This is obviously done by shooting down the bubbles that float by, and collecting the fish with your ship. It's kind of like fishing in reverse. As you do, a matrix of the creatures you've captured is displayed, and when you have enough, you move onto the next level. It's all fun, honest. To keep up with Jonathan's Spectrum games, head over to tinyurl.com/j-cauldwell.
There's just enough time to tell you about the game of the week, but remember that you can email your questions, memories or news to me shaun@micromart.co.uk. As for me, I'm off to play 1337 for the Oric for a few days. Or weeks.
Game Of The Week
Title: 1337
Platform: Oric-1 (48K) with microdisc unit or emulator
Website: https://www.defence-force.org/index.php?page=games&game=1337
Ian Bell and David Braben's world-famous BBC Micro 3D wire-frame space-trading shoot-'em-up Elite was given the remake treatment for the Oric-1 and compatibles by the group Defence Force in Autumn 2010.
Called 1337, this isn't an exact port or conversion of the original, but it does everything that the old Beeb version does. There's added features such as ten side missions to play through and solve, along with the classic space-trading, dog-fighting and general exploring of the Elite universe that captivated so many back in the mid-80s.
As for how to play, well, it's open-ended space-trading, dog-fighting and law-dodging fun! My own tactics are based around making a fast buck by buying illegal items at knocked down prices from rather chaotic worlds and selling them at a premium to those planets run as stable corporations, but this is not a good way to stay on the right side of the law.
1337 includes a handy tutorial, because the controls can take a short while to master, and there's no station to dock at. Just head towards the planet and you automatically land at the trading base where you can get supplies and trade.
I actually find the dog-fighting here a little more difficult than the original, so my advice is to start with legal trading to avoid being noticed too early in the game and then, when you can afford it, upgrade your ship's capabilities and take on any space rogue who dares to cross your path.
There isn't too much of a departure from the original, but there are enough new elements to 1337 to make this worth a look for even the most experienced of Elite players.
