Sinclair User


Tilt
By Codemasters
Spectrum 48K/128K

 
Published in Sinclair User #107

Tilt

Angles are wonderful things. You can find them everywhere; on the street, in the home, at the school or office. In fact, you could say that this planet would seem rather flat and dull without them. Before this review starts to sound any more like Play School, it's safe to say that Tilt is concerned with angles. Or maybe elephants. No. definitely angles.

Tilt is set over a multitude of levels, which become progressively more difficult. The object of the game is to guide ball through a maze, avoiding traps and opening doors, until the bail reaches a hole at the end of the level. This is achieved by tilting the platform in the desired direction by means of the joystick, causing the ball to roll (thanks to the miracle technology of gravity).

At the beginning of the level the power level is at maximum, but decreases with every tilt - and every time the ball hits the walls, which also sends the player back to the start of the level. Luckily, bonus power is awarded for the distance travelled, thus allowing the player to claw back some energy for the next attempt. Gates open from a touch on the joystick, but beware; they close again very qulckly!

Tilt

Traps are liberally scattered around the landscape, doing strange things to your balls. Although these only appear from the fifth level on, you'll soon wish they hadn't! The traps can only be neutralised by tilting the table as the ball rolls over them - not an easy task. On later levels, the ball grows, making it even harder to avoid the walls and traps.

Tilt is a clever idea for a game, with simplistic and addictive play. However the ball is just too awkward to control, making the game frustrating, and as you are sent back to the start of the level each time, it's easy to get stuck (and then angry). This is a shame, spoiling a great idea.

Overall Summary

Odd gravity based game that suffers with bad control and a frustrating level of playability.

Matt Regan

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