Computer Gamer


Greatest Hits Volume 1
By First Star
Atari XE/XL

 
Published in Computer Gamer #20

Greatest Hits Volume 1

This is a collection of three games on one disk - Astro-Chase, Bristles and Flip & Flop. And a bigger load of codswallop I couldn't find anywhere if I tried!

Astro Chase is a 'pretty backgrounds, shame about the game' shoot-'em-up with your crudely-depicted craft pitted against other crudely-depicted craft in a rather overcrowded galaxy where you bounce off asteroids and planets alike. Takes about thirty seconds to get totally bored, but as a martyr to the cause of software reviewing I almost went spare with boredom trying to find any redeeming features in this game. However, after long deliberation I have come to the conclusion that there aren't any.

Bristles is a painter game. Nothing more, nothing less. If you have an obsession with painter games, then you possibly might be entertained by this for minutes at least. I am not so obsessed.

Flip & Flop is the only light at the end of a rather gloomy and damp tunnel, and even then it's only a penlight. Flip & Flop is maze game where you cover some of the squares in a 3D(ish) maze whilst being pursued by various nasties, which you can delay on the delaying squares. Finish one level and then it's onto the next. Alternate levels invert, so that you are playing upside-down, and in-between levels there is an attempt at a coin-op style interlude. This game is OK, but nothing more. About the same standard as some of the more mediocre Mastertronic stuff.

Overall, this is a useless package, unless you live in Outer Mongolia and this is the only software that your local stockist has then I suggest that you avoid it, despite its compilation pitching. Yuk.