Sinclair User


Frost Byte

Author: Steve Keen
Publisher: MicroValue
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Sinclair User #113

Frost Byte

Remember Silly Putty, Mud, Slime, Rubik's Cube and one of the first hand held games of its kind, Merlin. All kept me and my fellow school chums skipping lessons and sneaking off to the cloakrooms to compare slimeyness, slinkiness and sillyness. And many's the day I spent sprawled across the stairs with a Slinky endangering the lives of the household so that I could send an over sized spring tumbling down the steps.

Those were the days... I doubt if any of you would give them a second glance now, but to a whole generation then, they were the Game Boy's of the School yard.

Frost Byte takes the unusual character of a Slinky as it's main sprite, although he's unashamedly called Hickey here. Hickey has to tumble through the deep frozen ice caverns of the planet Cosmia which is in danger of being over run by terrible ghoulish monsters.

Frost Byte

Collecting different coloured sweats along the way not only gives you a big turn, but increases your ability to jump, move and fall. Simple stuff, just slink and jump your way through the multi coloured caves and avoid the Ghouls.

The arcade platform benefits greatly from excellent sound and some very appealing graphics. Sprite detection lets you down some times, but you have five lives and there's more to be had so don't worry. It's quite perplexing what exactly you're supposed to do some times, but it's a fair bet that if it moves and you can shoot it don dare touch it!

However it's the frustratingly addictive gameplay that really impressed me. It doesn't matter how many times you scream as you die and promise that that's the last attempt for you, 10 to one you'll be back for more in a second. How I ever got this written, Hickey only knows.

Overall Summary

Whatever you do, don't play this one late at night. Garth took it home last week and we haven't seen him since!

Steve Keen

Other Spectrum 48K/128K Game Reviews By Steve Keen


  • SWIV Front Cover
    SWIV
  • Super Space Invaders Front Cover
    Super Space Invaders
  • Castle Master Front Cover
    Castle Master
  • CJ In The USA Front Cover
    CJ In The USA
  • Super Cars Front Cover
    Super Cars
  • Turrican Front Cover
    Turrican
  • 3D Construction Kit Front Cover
    3D Construction Kit
  • Ghouls 'N Ghosts Front Cover
    Ghouls 'N Ghosts
  • Jonny Quest Front Cover
    Jonny Quest
  • Battle Command Front Cover
    Battle Command