Does Anyone Remember....? by Christopher Teague chris@smb.clara.net Yes, you've guessed right, this is a nostalgia corner. For many years, I was a Speccy owner and had collected many games and many magazines (in fact, I've still got my multitude copies of "Sinclair User", "Your Sinclair" and "Crash" stacked away in cardboard boxes, occasionally read on times such as these). This article contains a number of games which I remember fondly from those halcyon days hunched over my rubber keys (or the joystick) and I hope that perhaps my musings will also make you remember, too (now, didn't that sound a tad too much like Mystic bloody Meg or what?): Inspector Flukeit ================= I cannot remember who wrote this text/graphic adventure, but I do remember Mike Gerrard praising the fact that it was written in the author's own system: "Worldscape". It was actually a very nice adventure, though, which spawned a sequel which I never played. Inspector Flukeit, and his assistant, Blunders, were employed to find out where a distinguished Professor had been kidnapped, and then when found to rescue him, naturally. The puzzles in the game were quite difficult (well, I was pubescent at time!) but after completed they were logical in hindsight - the maze in the garden was a bloody nightmare though! What I liked, though, about the game was the characterisations, which were cliched but humorous - if I remember rightly, only Blunders could drive the car! Joe Blade 1 & 2 =============== Written by Colin Swinbourne, I much preferred the original. It was a simple but challenging arcade adventure, with monochrome but quite detailed sprites. The plotline was thus: to rescue hostages from an evil tyrant in his security complex patrolled by bloodthirsty guards. Your character - Joe Blade - could not only shoot, but also pick doors and disguise himself as a bloodthirsty guard. The game was played side-on. Shrewsbury Key ============== This game was the absolute pits - the programmer, whoever he or she was, should've been boiled in oil! I didn't play much of this travesty since I couldn't enter the feckin' train at the start! After this point, it may have been a decent enough adventure, but I don't bloody care - I hated the whole sorry mess, and threw the tape away, somewhere. Rigel's Revenge =============== Written by those intellectual Smart Eggs, Rigel was a superb adventure, with an absorbing storyline and the occasional atmospheric piece of artwork. This was a multi-load affair, and the only game I knew (at the time) where taking an interest in the loading screen actually helped you in the game - unless you read the initial loading screen carefully, then you were in the dark. Literally. The game was set during the aftermath of a huge war, and around a domed city in the desert (Las Vegas, perchance?) I was no great adventure player, and still aren't, but the game was an absorbing one, and I didn't get too far - I did make it through "sniper alley" and into the bungalow at the end of it. If anyone should've succeeded in the game business, then it should be these guys: Smart Egg. Fairlight 1 & 2 =============== An isometric arcade adventure, with some devilish puzzles, and a great programming achievement - apologies, but I cannot remember the programmer's name. Also, I never played the first part, but the sequel was just a total brain ache; I enjoyed playing it, but I was just a little too thick at the time! This game has nothing to do with the make of synthesizer by the way. Dan Dare ======== An excellent and engrossing adaptation of the eternal comic strip, brought to the Speccy by the extremely talented "Gang of Five" team at Virgin Software. This was very much a arcade adventure, but with more emphasize on the arcade element, with plenty of gung-ho shooting. This game was also a boon for anyone who liked to make maps - I can guarantee that you will get lost, without some form of help. The characters were perfectly realised, and I can honestly say that I completed it without cheating! As an extra bonus, the cassette came complete with a mini-comic setting the scene for the game. The Magic Knight Quadrilogy =========================== David Jones: a God! These four games revolutionised the arcade adventure, with their quirky sense of humour and characters, often agonising puzzles, an incredibly original control system ("Windamation" - wonder where Microsoft got their product name from?) The three games in this trilogy were: Knight Tyme, Finders Keepers, Spellbound and Stormbringer, and all starred the Magic Knight, the precursor to today's cult characters. If there was only one game, or collection of games starring the same character, then the Magic Knight should definitely be given the CD-ROM experience: Mr Jones, please bring him out of retirement. Skool Daze ========== A vastly original adventure, where you played a schoolkid in quite possibly the worst school in the world. The plot was basically to wreak havoc, and in a variety of ways, from (and I can only remember two): placing a bucket of water over a door to catch a teacher unawares, and also, writing in the blackboard and waiting to discover whether or not some other kid takes the blame. Mr Whacker was the name of the headteacher, by the way. Stifflip & Co ============= Written by Palace Software, this game had one of the most innovative control systems of any graphic adventure I know. It was basically a homage to the "stiff upper lip-ness" of the British during the War years. You controlled a group of four characters, including Stifflip, who must thwart the attempts of a megalomaniac who intends to rule the world. Unoriginal, I know, but the gameplay made up for it. The puzzles were ingenious, along with the control system as stated, and the graphics and sound were superlative. One of the hardest things, though, about the system was the punch, which used a revolving hand in the form of a fist.... it took some mastering. Trap Door and Through the Trap Door =================================== Don Priestley: another God! For not only creating an incredibly playable game based on the brilliant stop-motion animation series, but also for proving everyone wrong and creating large colourful sprites and moving them across a colourful background. Without colour clash. And on the Speccy. (Swoon) No, seriously. It's true. The only drawback was the size of the games, but I loved them - Trap Door the most, though. 'Tis a pity Willie Rushton has passed on. Andy Capp ========= Based on the Mirror newspaper comic strip, this was a graphic adventure where you controlled the hero and his attempts to make money and not give any to his wife, Flo. Even though the game was monochrome, the characters were excellent, and the game area was surprisingly large. It left you irritated quite often, though; you got lost quite easily. Well, there you go. The games in this article are in no way presented in a "order of merit" manner - they're more like presented in a "as I recollect" kind of way. I hope that I've jogged your memory, and also the possibility of a series of articles about recapturing the times of the early adventures - well, from 1980 onwards, anyway! @~Any offers for more nostalgia? ... Sue - O -