Product: ZXMAN
Price: $14.95 + $2 C.O.D., $1.50
P&H if prepaid
ROM/RAM required? 8K/16K
Printed listings? No
Program listable? No
Language: Machine Code
From: Atto-Soft
832 E. Third St.
Galesburg, IL 61401
309/343-4114
Programmers who want to share the profits from that ubiquitous little arcade character who packs away more quarters than ghosts seem everywhere, judging from numerous ads. ZXMAN represents one such programmer’s attempt (costing almost 60 quarters).
After you LOAD the tape, this machine-coded game first plays a demo game if you do not take control quickly–a fun-to-watch, informative routine.
ZXMAN presents a fast-moving challenge. “Z”, “X”, “8” and “1” represent ghosts. You can’t spot the ghosts as easily on black and white screens as on color, but this simply increases the need for close attention (a clear example of ZX/TS game-playing potential). Our eight-year-old child stopped nagging for a more expensive computer, partially from playing ZXMAN.
ZXMAN’s creator designed the program for use with a joystick, like Atari’s. (Atto-Soft sells Atari joyticks for $14.95 + P&H. See SYNTAX Jul.83 p.21 for a SUPER (Atari) JOYSTICK hookup.–LFV). The joystick requires no modification. Installation involves opening your computer and soldering six wires to the keyboard sockets. Atto-Soft provides clear directions and also gives suggestions for other joystick uses. I wired a 14-pin DIP socket in parallel with the keyboard and can unplug the joystick when not using it–useful because the joystick locks out some shifted commands, such as GRAPHICS. You can play ZXMAN without a joystick using “5” as fire and “1-4” to move the “hero.” Of course, using the joystick adds to the fun.
Atto-Soft experienced some distribution problems with early deliveries about six to eight months ago, due to premature advertising. This problem seems solved: My noisy first tape refused to LOAD and Atto-Soft promptly sent a replacement that RUNs and LOADs without a hitch. (Atto-Soft took over the distribution, resulting in problem-free delivery, says Atto-Soft co-owner Keith Ennis.–LFV)