In 3D Monster Maze you are in a maze running from T. (Tyrannosaurus) Rex. The object is to get out alive!
The game begins with a circus barker telling you the background of the maze. He then gives you the choices of seeing the instructions, quitting, or starting. The computer takes less than 30 seconds to set up the maze, and then the action begins.
You are walking (or running) down a corridor which has dark black walls, while the corridors branching off your path have grey walls. Messages at the bottom of the screen give you reports such as “He is hunting for you,” “Rex has seen you,” and “RUN he is beside you.” Each step increases your score by 5 points. When you reach the exit, you are awarded 200 points and put in a new maze. The instructions do not tell you what the exit looks like, but, when you see it, you know that you have escaped.
The game is very easy to get used to, but it is difficult to win consistently. The controls are simple: the arrow keys are used to indicate left, right, and forward (up).
The program uses Basic and mostly machine code (to produce and move the pictures quickly). Although the pixels on the TS1000 are rather coarse, the 3-D simulation is marvelously effective. The illusion of a corridor with extension is created by converging lines, and Rex gets larger as he gets closer. The simplicity and speed of this program make it fun for all ages.
SYNC Software Profile
Name: 3D Monster Maze
Type: Arcade game
System: 8K ROM; 16K RAM
Format: Cassette
Summary: Remarkably effective 3D simulation with a fun game. Rex is after you!
Price: $14.95 plus $2 s&h per order.
Manufacturer:
Melbourne House Software
Dept. CS, 347 Reedwood Dr.
Nashville, TN 37217
Mothership is a space combat game with a 3-D simulation. The top half of the screen shows the stars of outer space in a stationary background while the bottom half shows a trench (somewhat like the one in Star Wars when the Death Star is destroyed). You are in your fighter flying down this trench. Your controls (left, right, up, down, and fire) are easy to get used to. The illusion of depth comes from the use of converging lines to show the trench, and the illusion of flight from the constantly changing display.
At first you are fighting drones which emanate from the huge mothership seen cruising back and forth across the top of your screen. They fly towards you while shooting, or they simply fly at you on suicide missions. The drones are worth from 100 to 500 points depending on where you are in the corridor. The higher up in the corridor you are, the more the drones are worth, and the faster everything moves. After shooting ten drones without losing one of your ships, the drone attack stops, and the mothership begins shooting at you. You must hit it three times before it is destroyed. You are awarded from 1000 to 5000 points depending on where you are in the corridor.
There are three levels of difficulty. In the first, the drones do not shoot at you. In the second, the drones do shoot at you. The third level is just like the second except that it is much more difficult. You do not crash if you hit the sides of the corridor in the first two levels, but you do in the third. Up to two people can play individually.
This game is simple, yet it can get very difficult. The speed, smoothness, and excellent use of graphics make this a superb game and a lot of fun.
It is not surprising then that Mothership is one of the five award winning programs in the Timex Sinclair category at this year’s Consumer Electronics Showcase and that it is the only U.S. software package bought by Sinclair for British distribution. Three other Softsync entries are also among the five award winners: Mazogs (reviewed in SYNC 2:6), Quest for the Holy Grail, and TS Destroyer.
SYNC Software Profile
Name: Mothership
Type: Arcade Game
System: 8K ROM; 16K RAM
Format: Cassette
Summary: A challenging game and excellent use of graphics make this a superb game and a lot of fun.
Price: $16.95.
Manufacturer:
Softsync, Inc.
14 E. 34th St.
New York, NY 10016