C&VG


Rocketball
By IJK
Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #44

Rocketball

IJK Software, better known in the past for producing games for the Oric, have turned their attentions to the Commodore 64 and produced a fantastic new game based on the cult film Rollerball which thrilled thousands with its action-packed skating scenes.

Rocketball begins with a metal ball being shot into the rink. Two teams of five players must chase after the ball, pick it up and throw it into the opposition's goal tube.

Controlling your player is not only a feat of dexterity - it is also a feat of memory because the joystick controls are so complicated you need to be a near genius to remember them all. The joystick is used to skate up and down, move faster or slower, jump, crouch, scoop up the ball, elbow an opponent and throw the ball at the goal tube.

I fared better against a human opponent rather than the computer and I think I prefer the two player option, not because I sometimes win that way but because it's such a nice feeling knocking the stuffing out of one of your friends and still being able to buy him a drink afterwards.