A&B Computing


Impossible Mission
By U. S. Gold
BBC/Electron

 
Published in A&B Computing 4.02

Just when the rest of the world had nearly forgotten about this massive Commodore 64 hit, along comes the BBC version; sneak-released, as now appears to be their usual fashion, by US Gold.

However, I can forgive a lot for a game of this quality! Converted by Peter Johnson, the game is a combination of platform game and problem-solver. Acclaimed on first release as the real state-of-the-art C64 game (in much the same way that Elite was seen), the conversion is astonishingly accurate - even rabid C64 players were impressed! As a sign of the game's superb quality I only have to mention the superb graphics (the hero's running and somersaulting are about the smoothest and most lifelike I can recall seeing) and the sound (realistic running and jumping noises) - these really involve you in the game.

The aim is to explore a large underground complex of lifts, corridors and rooms to discover the hidden parts of a puzzle which must be assembled properly before time runs out.

Impossible Mission

Each room has a number of vicious robots (which can be disabled if you're lucky) and number of platforms. On most of the platforms is a selection of furniture which must be searched for pieces of the puzzle.

At first, however, you'll be entranced by the character's acrobatics as he somersaults, leaps and runs around the screen.

In the corridors or lift shafts, you can switch to a special detailed status screen which manipulates the pieces of the puzzle which you've collected.

Overall the game is very impressive - very hard to complete but almost impossible not to keep playing. This is the best US Gold release to date and one to search out. If only they'd tell games players about their games!

Shingo Sugiura

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