Lost Dutchman Mine - Magnetic Images œ19.95
   (Mouse/joystick controlled graphic adventure, no typing)

Rumour has it that somewhere deep within the inhospitable
Superstition Mountains of Southern Arizona, lies a legendary gold
mine waiting to be explored - the fabled Lost Dutchman Mine. The
mine had originally been discovered back in the early 1880s by a
German immigrant called Jacob Waltz. According to him it lay near
a pointed peak (believed to be a rock formation called Weaver's
Needle) where no miner would think to look. Several maps are
in existence which supposedly show the location of the mine but
they have all proved to be forgeries. Not that people have
stopped looking - oh no - the lure of wealth beyond belief is
enough to tempt prospectors to brave the inhospitable desert
wastes of the area.

Enter yet another prospector .... you. With all your worldly
wealth (a mere $250), you arrive at Goldfield, a small mining
town in the desert near the Superstition Mountains, determined
to succeed where others have failed before you.

As well as the lost mine, there are more than 100 further caves
and mines in the locality and, since you will need to purchase
sufficient equipment to explore, a fair amount of early
prospecting in these areas plus panning for gold in the nearby
river (and, if you like, a spot of gambling against Dapper Dan in
the saloon) will start to increase your funds. It is also
rumoured that there is a genuine map of the lost mine to be
found, but it has been torn into six pieces, one of which is held
by Dan and the others hidden in some of the caves. Find these and
decipher them and you should be in with a chance.

Of course, the area isn't the most hospitable of places. Apart
from the risk of sunstroke during the day, chilling at night,
starvation if you run out of food or dehydration if your water
supply gives out and deadly snake bites, there are also Indians
and bandits in them there hills..... Luckily the local medic is a
friendly chap and will treat bites and wounds if necessary,
sometimes even waiting for payment if you're short of cash.

The initial screen shows a side view of the town of Goldfield
and, using the joystick, you can walk the main street and enter
the various buildings; doctor's office, newspaper office, bank,
jail, stable, assay office, mechantile and saloon. Along the
bottom half of the screen are various icons, accessed using the
mouse, which cover your health, cash, food, tools, weaponry and
also shows the current temperature. The use of both joystick and
mouse might sound a mite complicated but, in practise, you get
used to it very quickly.

Once you have bought your basic equipment, a quick trip to the
river will enable you to fill your canteen, fish (a fairly simple
arcade sequence) and pan for gold. Certain commonsense rules
apply in that you must be careful not to over-fish a section of
river and, if you can recall basic geography and geology (I did,
with a struggle - it was a long time ago...) you'll work out the
most likely places to get a decent bag of the glittery stuff!

With better equipment, you can head further afield - into the
mountains. Finding the entrance to a mine or cave is pretty easy.
Not getting hit on the head by falling rocks and working out how
to use a pick takes a touch longer to sort out. But a gleam at
the far end of the mine tempts you even onwards and a few hefty
thwacks with the pick will reap its rewards.

By the time you can afford a burro or two, you'll be ready to
start the quest proper. Lost Dutchman Mine is a fun game to play,
the graphics are nice and colourful and the sound effects are
adequate, ranging from rousing renditions of "Oh Susannah" and
"She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain" on loading to the ting of
a cash register when you make a purchase in the mercantile and
the slap of boots on a dusty street as you traipse around
Goldfield. The least effective is the swish of the pan as you
search the river for gold.

All in all, I'm sure you'll find the game pretty addictive.
Where's my six-shooter? I'm off to bag me a bandit and claim my
reward!!

                                               Sue