After the successful introduction of Super ZX80 Invasion, [see SYNC 3:5] Softsync has come out with Double Breakout, its second active display game. Double Breakout is just as much fun as Super ZX80 Invasion, and even more challenging. This, too, fits into 1K of memory.
After loading the game from the cassette, the words “100 REM” appear at the top of your screen. Enter “GO TO 1” and then select your level of play. There are seven skill levels where 7 is slow enough for beginners, 4 is medium, and 1 is extremely fast for the expert. Softsync’s brochure claims that you do not have a chance at level 1, but we have found that after extensive play you do have a good chance.
A game field 31 spaces wide and 18 spaces high appears on the screen. Within the area are two walls of blocks running vertically, each five rows thick. One is in the middle of the screen, and the other is off to the right. The paddle appears in the upper left hand corner of the screen and can be moved up and down along the left side by using the arrow keys (5 and 8). The makers recommend that your computer be turned sideways so the keys will face up and down according to the movements of the paddle, but we suggest that you turn your television sideways if possible. The ball, represented graphically by the letter “0”, bounces between your paddle and the blocks, each time chipping a block off the wall. Once you break through the first wall there is another wall which you must also knock out.
You have nine balls with which to knock out the blocks. The number of balls remaining is displayed in the left hand corner of the screen, just outside of the playing area. Each time you miss the ball, the number diminishes by one, and the next ball is served immediately. If you lose all the balls, a new game is started, and, if you successfully clear out all the blocks, the ball continues to bounce around.
SYNC SOFTWARE PROFILE
Name: Double Breakout
Type: Arcade Game
System: Sinclair ZX80; MicroAce.
4K ROM
Format: Cassette
Language: Basic
Summary: Even more challenging
than Super ZX80 Invasion
Price: $14.95 plus $1.50 shipping
Manufacturer:
SOFTSYNC, INC.
P.O. Box 480
Murray Hill Station
New York, NY 10156
You cannot stop the game to change skill levels during play. The BREAK key does not function. You must unplug the machine and reload the game.
By deleting line 100, the portion of the program written in Basic is revealed. This is the part which asks for the ball speed and then calls a machine code subroutine which actually plays the game. Line 450 of the program makes sure you do not enter a speed slower than 7 or faster than 1. If you delete this line, you can enter a speed slower than 7. The game will run the same as before even with line 100 missing.
For those of you who play the original arcade Breakout games by Atari, here are a few comparisons: The name Double Breakout does not mean two balls and two paddles, like Atari’s, but two walls of blocks. This could be confusing. In Atari’s arcade Double Breakout, the ball increases speed as it hits more blocks, but in this Double Breakout the speed you choose at the beginning of the game remains the same. Softsync’s Double Breakout gives nine balls with automatic serving, while the arcade game gives only three balls with manual serving. Double Breakout serves a new ball as soon as one is lost, so on level 1, if a ball is lost, the next one will be served so quickly, that you might not be able to get to it in time return it.
One shortcoming of the game is that there is is no scoring, and another is that there is no extended play such as extra balls or walls.
Double Breakout is another breakthrough in creating active display games for the ZX80. We had great fun playing Double Breakout and are amazed at how much they fit into 1K.