Crash


Buzzsaw+

Author: Chris Wilkins
Publisher: Jason J. Railton
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Crash Annual 2018

Buzzsaw+ (Foxton Locks Mix)

As a night watchman you are not one who asks for much in life - the odd cup of tea maybe, and just a little excitement is usually hovering near the top of the list. Aliens crashing into the packing crate factory you are patrolling is one headache you could really do without, especially as those pesky aliens have fallen into the storage hoppers. Grab your torch and leg it into the factory because only your quick wits stand between the creatures and world domination.

The aliens confused the machinery's sensors so it cannot crush them and this is where the eponymous buzzsaws come into play. Listen out for them - the revving of an engine announces their arrival just before they appear at the top of the screen.

Figuring out when to release a buzzsaw to give maximum spinning carnage is an art in itself - get it right and huge bonuses can be yours for the taking. On the other hand it's very easy to get backed into a teetering combination of crates and critters from which there is no coming back, even with spinning death on your side.

Buzzsaw+ (Foxton Locks Mix)

Crush enough alien scum and you are taken to further storage bins, this time with more aliens and a much faster drop rate. Things get frantic although extra help is on hand with many new ways to even the odds.

Alan

This is one of those games you might think is nothing special at first... even boring. However, patience is a virtue - it becomes great fun, and the real piece de resistance is still waiting in the wings - just look at how beautiful the colours are and not a spot of colour clash in sight. It's a shame that the title screen's jolly music is absent during the game - and the less said about the sound of the buzzsaw, the better.

Chris

At first glance, Buzzsaw+ is another run-of-the-mill Tetris clone, but look beyond the surface and something much deeper emerges. Because crates, aliens and items fall in an L-shaped pattern, arranging them into nice neat rows can be much harder. Lining up crates triggers the disposal machinery to smash them up, which gives an all-too-brief respite from all the chaos falling from above.

Comments

Control Keys: User definable
Joystick: Kempston, Sinclair
Use of Colour: Clever use of colour makes this game really pop from the screen
Graphics: Simple but very effective, livened up by some awesome special effects
Sound: Jolly title music but only a few spot effects while playing the game
General rating: Technically stunning but let down a little by a lack of in-game music.

Chris WilkinsAlan Hammerton

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