M.M.A/SPEED CO.'97
SPACE GUN
128K ONLY
TAITO/IMAGES/OCEAN'92
DISK VERSION:
MAGIC SOFT'96
SIZE: 499 SECTORS
I want to start today's review with a selection of pure 128 kilobyte games. And SPACE GUN rightly occupies these infamous kilobytes! I haven't seen such a high-quality shooter in a long time. In fact, you can imagine this game as a mix of ALIENS with OPERATION WOLF/THUNDERBOLT/HANOI. Moreover, an unprepared player may feel a DOOM-like atmosphere, which further enhances the impression of the game, although it is not really DOOM-like.
So, your task is to deal with a crowd of alien creatures that have captured several objects with people in deep space. Naturally, your goal is to free both the objects and the people taken hostage.
Since this is the first contact with aliens, no one knows more or less effective ways to destroy them. You shoot these bastards with some terrifying weapon, but for the particularly main monsters, there are special types of weapons: rockets, cryogenerator, etc.
But in the heat of battle, don't forget about the hostages who occasionally run to you seeking help and protection. At the same time, you should be extremely cautious, as at higher levels, monsters can disguise themselves as humans and then suddenly attack.
Overall, the game is very interesting. The graphics are simply stunning! Moreover, the graphics are not black and white but large and colorful! I have only seen such graphics in the game ASTRO MARINE CORP. But in SPACE GUN, thanks to the use of double-screen buffering, it was possible to achieve a complete absence of attribute clashing while the action takes place in a window larger than two-thirds of the screen.
But the most interesting feature of SPACE GUN is the possibility of playing together simultaneously.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
SOCCER
128K ONLY!
SEGA / ELITE '90
DISK VERSION:
MAGIC SOFT'96
SIZE: 309 SECTORS
A pleasant-looking game, a football simulator. Only owners of black-and-white monitors and televisions will be able to play it. Only they can see the crazy combination of white and green colors on their screens.
Overall, the game is not bad. The coprocessor music plays constantly.
Before starting, you will be offered to choose a city/country on the map for which team you will play. Then there will be a draw, and your team will end up in one of the groups. After that, the football process will begin.
The game screen is small, meaning that I believe that using 128K, it could have drawn a larger field. I still prefer ADIDAS FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP, but you decide for yourself!
NIGHT BREED
48/128
OCEAN'90
DISK VERSION:
CODE BUSTERS'97
SIZE:449 SECTORS
DISK VERSION:
ZERO'96
SIZE:773 SECTORS
A very large and very interesting game. In style, it resembles ASSASIN, but in graphics, it does not yield to the already mentioned ASTRO MARINE CORP., although in NIGHT BREED, the screens are static and do not scroll, but are simply redrawn.
The game is not just a shooter, but a rather fruitful combination of ACTION/ADVENTURE. Your goal is to find and rescue your girlfriend from the evil zombies of NECROPOLIS - the city of the dead.
To date, I have seen two disk versions of this game. The very first version arrived in Samara in mid-December and was made by the Baltic group ZERO. This version was quite functional but occupied more than 700 sectors of disk space. Although the TURBO LOADER somewhat alleviated the situation, but....
The second version arrived a month later and was made by MAX IWAMOTO from CODE BUSTERS. It is this version that I recommend to you! Not only does it occupy only 449 sectors, but also, as usual, by pressing the "S" key during loading, you can get a file in ZX-WORD format on the disk, which describes in detail all the stages of the game.
Keep it up, MAXI!
And if we consider this problem at its core, this is not the first game that comes in a rather wild version first from the Baltic states, and then, after months, a more quality and complete version appears from other hackers who also have access to the INTERNET. This was at least the case with two well-known "fighting" games - FINAL FIGHT 128 and STREET FIGHTER 2. Whether this is good or bad is hard to say. And yet I hope that in the future our hackers will produce quality disk versions right away, or at least warn users that their version may be incomplete.
I don't know how people played this game on cassettes, but even with a disk drive in 128K mode, there are periodic level loads. All this very much reminds me of the sweet times of STAR HERITAGE. Moreover, the loading, like the crash, comes unnoticed. I happened to fall into a pit, so I flew through ten screens first, then the level loaded, and I flew another ten screens down. The most interesting thing is - I survived! Therefore, I strongly advise you not to remove the disk from the drive.
Perhaps the game is not as primitive as it may seem at first glance, that is, I want to say that it is not just a shooter. If any of our readers managed to complete the game or is ready to share tips, we will gladly provide them a place in the magazine.
SATAN 2
48/128
DYNAMIC'90
DISK VERSION:
MAGIC SOFT'96
SIZE:148 SECTORS
An unexpected continuation of the game KILL THE SATAN, which made waves a year and a half ago. The second part is not only no worse, but in my opinion even better than the first. The game has introduced some elements that are close to adventure, in addition to the usual fights. The number of enemies per unit area has decreased, a shop for purchasing weapons has appeared, and many other interesting changes have occurred in the game. Only the graphics have not changed. It remains black and white, scanned, and very cool! Of course, in some places the background and your hero's sprite blend together so much that nothing can be made out, but in open spaces, the coolness of the graphics cannot be missed.
And naturally, like any product from DYNAMIC, this game is one of the best in its genre!
The extensive penetration of the "eighth wonder of the world" - the INTERNET into our homes, cities, and villages has led to a new way of obtaining SPECTRUM programs. Now there is no need to travel to Poland or even to England, where for outrageous money you would buy branded cassettes and disks.
With the arrival of the INTERNET, everything has become simpler! It is enough to get a job in some organization where there is at least one IBM, then convince the management of the necessity to connect your machine to the network, and then it’s just a matter of small details.
From the INTERNET, not only new and unknown games are downloaded, but also long-known ones, in full versions.
An example of this can be the extensive collection of games I recently received from HOBOCУБИРCКА. There is no point in describing these programs, so I will only provide the "technical" specifications and a few branded pictures. If you consider yourself a true fan of SPECTRUM, then try to acquire these games for your collection. For the first time on the market, full branded disk versions of the following and many, many other well-known games have appeared:
OBLITERATOR
ICON DESIGN / MELBOURN HOUSE
SIZE: 162 SECTORS
S.T.U.N. RUNNER
ATARI GAMES / DOMARK LTD '90
SIZE: 176 SECTORS
SIDE ARMS
PROBE / CAPCOME USA '87
SIZE: 138 SECTORS
SALAMANDER
KONAMI '87
SIZE: 153 SECTORS
DARK FUSION + 4 LEVELS 48/128
GREMLIN '88
SIZE: 229 SECTORS
MOONTORC 48/128
ATLANTIS SOFTWARE
SHAW BROTHERS'91
DISK VERSION:
SOFTSTAR'93
SIZE: 180 SECTORS
The "new" game from ATLANTIS SOFT does not shine with originality. The coolest (in my opinion) colorful graphics, decent sound, and for the first time, as far as I remember, a fairy-tale plot. Previously, SHAW BROTHERS products were shooters (IRON SOLDIER) and ACTION/ADVENTURE style games (SUPER KID, SUPER KID IN SPACE). Now we see a fully-fledged fairy-tale plot: Princess LALENA has been kidnapped by the evil Lord of Darkness! And naturally, only you can save her.
Does it remind you of HEART BROKEN? Yes, yes! The same programmers, the same company, and the same plot, but a few years later. I mean, MOONTORC was made in 91, while HEART BROKEN was in 1987, and naturally, the first one is much cooler than the second.
So, you set off to find the princess. From the very first steps, various nasty creatures try to attack you, but you can’t oppose anything, as pressing fire brings you to the item menu, which you don’t have yet. But don’t despair, get closer to the monster, and it will "kick the bucket" just by touching your battle-hardened body. However, this will lead to some energy loss, but we are immortal! Or not? Rather no than yes, there was no CHEAT MODE MENU before the game started. So how to shoot all these monsters, you might ask? Very simply! After playing a bit, you will realize that the "DOWN" key in the controls is unnecessary - it switches the functions in the lower window that you call by pressing "OPONB." And remember that different weapons work with different strength on different monsters. Overall - move forward, collect keys, open doors, and take chests, and who knows, maybe the princess will be found!
The following thing is interesting. On the compilation disk from MAGIC SOFT, where I actually found this game, there were about 5 similar, unsigned disk versions. Inspection revealed that this is a typical SOFTSTAR'93. But why has SOFTSTAR waited all this time and not released games for sale?
THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE
BLOOD VALLEY 48/128
GREMLIN GRAPHICS
IMAGITAC DESIGN'87
DISK VERSION :
CODE REINGERS GROUP
SIZE: 232 SECTORS
Continuing the theme of everything mysterious and fairy-tale, I present to your attention the full disk version of the game BLOOD VALLEY. The program is created based on the combat adventure series "DUEL MASTER" and represents a full-fledged role-playing game for one or two players.
The overall objective of the game is the eternal confrontation between the forces of good and evil. Again, your goal is to free some fairy-tale land from an evil wizard. This scoundrel, I mean the wizard, even plays games with you: you are the "PREY," and he is the "HUNTER."
You can better understand the meaning of the game by playing it together, although in principle, one person can play too. Before the game, the first player chooses a character from three offered, while the second (or computer) places their "GUARDS" on the map of the magical land. Then it’s just a matter of technique!
It is pleasantly surprising to have the option to choose the language in which the program will communicate with you - English, German, and French :-(.
As always, there is no Russian.....The small graphics of the game may initially cause disgust - what kind of cockroach am I controlling? But try playing a bit, and you will be drawn into the virtual world of role-playing adventure.
MAGICIANS LAND
128K ONLY!
PRECISION GROUP'96
SIZE: 212 SECTORS
The seventh game in this part of the REVIEW is also not for the faint-hearted. THE LAND OF MAPS is our domestic work of art and belongs to the popular lately clones of "3H" (who can guess what "3H" is can pat themselves on the smart head!). Although calling the game a clone of "Heritage" just because it has static graphics and the selection of possible commands is made via a menu is rather too presumptuous. This game is closer in interface to DANGER MOUSE.
So, once again in this REVIEW, the evil Avias and Nemeses have crossed the line of all audacity and started to burn and rob your native land. Only a lone hero, that is, you, can defeat them. And to win, you need to kill the mythical AVOK - the king of Avias, living in the castle of Meshant. Also, it would be good to collect 10 scrolls with spells, which will help in the fight against the king.
As I mentioned above, the game features graphics in the form of a static window of 9 by 6 familiar places, where a moderately beautiful picture of the location you are currently in appears. On the right, there is a list of possible actions displayed, from which you can choose the most possible with the cursor. At the bottom of the screen, your stamina is displayed, and the text description of the location is printed.
The game is quite interesting, and even I spent about two hours exploring the surroundings of the castle, although I rarely play games of this type. Overall, I recommend you find this program and hope you will spend many interesting evenings with it, waiting for the appearance of "3H2" (I hope everyone understood what "3H2" is?)
MAGIC FIELDS 48/128
ZACK'96
DISK VERSION:
ODISSEY & FLASH ibc.
SIZE: 100 SECTORS
Strangely enough, although the game was made in 96, even more, in June, it is not a Russian software product and not even a game from the near abroad. MAGIC FIELDS is a Western game and is absolutely new! The other question is whether it is interesting? Well, that's up to everyone...
The SPECTRUM version is a conversion from the AMIGA platform (RULEZ!), but the Amiga version, in turn, was a conversion from C64. So the origins of the game lie on the COMMODORE platform. After reading in the introduction that the idea of the game was taken from AMIGA, I immediately realized WHAT it reminded me of.
MAGIC FIELDS is a logic game, and it resembles TURN or XOR'EM ALL, which made waves a year ago. It resembles it in the exact opposite way. While in TURN you had to collect a pattern, here your task is to clear the playing field.
By hovering the cursor over the desired cell and pressing fire, you will get a cross on the screen, consisting of vertical and horizontal lines, each with five balls. If there are no balls within this cross, they will appear. If the balls are already there, they will naturally disappear. The principle of XOR - as it is!
The game is logical, which means you will have to use your brain. The most important thing is that you can open several fields in a row, beat the author's record, and do many other things without fearing the appearance of another piece of pornography on the screen, "pulled" from the PC, as a prize.
MOUNTAIN BIKE
SIMULATOR 48/128
CODEMASTERS'90
DISK VERSION:
MAGIC SOFT'96
SIZE: 146 SECTORS
In principle, this game is not entirely new, but I have a reason to include it in today's REVIEW. Firstly, it is one of the coolest games of this type ever released on SPECCY. Secondly, there is a certain desire to throw a stone at SPECTROFON.
MOUNTAIN BIKE SIMULATOR is a sports simulator of mountain biking. You will have to go through four levels full of various climbs, landslides, logs, sticks (in the wheels!) and other mountain debris. The game is interesting not so much for the reality of what is happening, but for the fact that you can just play it normally. Despite my aversion to such games, I spent several hours with interest completing all the levels.
In the intro to the game, you can choose the option of infinite time. This feature makes the game absolutely passable, and therefore I do not recommend playing in this mode.
"What to do?" you may ask - "after all, in SPECTROFON, someone named Sergey Novikov wrote in the REVIEW that due to the evil Moscow company MAGIC SOFT, immortality cannot be turned off in the game!".
Indeed, the MAGIC SOFTs made a small mistake in the INTRO to MOUNTAIN BIKE. In 128K mode, no matter how hard you try, the game will still start with infinite time. But if you launch the program from 48K, everything falls into place, and in the intro you will be able to turn off immortality.
P.S. Evil - is just a metaphor.......
STARFOX 48/128
ARIOLASOFT
REALTIME GAMES '87
DISK VERSION:
ROM/S.B.U.H.G.
SIZE: 131 SECTOR
The game is well-known among enthusiasts of this theme, but the full version has only just appeared. Moreover, during the decline of ELITE's popularity, similar three-dimensional space games, even well-forgotten ones, become popular when thrown onto the market.
The program itself is based on the eponymous work by the writer PAUL ANDERSON. Once again, distant space is navigated by Earthlings' ships. This time, your task will be to maintain order in a specific planetary system. First, you need to find a suitable planet, or even several at once - they will come in handy. On the planets, you can encounter a MOTHER SHIP, from which you should refuel (hint: fly to the hatch and turn 90 degrees!). Additionally, while flying through interplanetary space, you are constantly attacked by entire armadas of enemy convoys. And some ELECTRON is constantly spinning by your side....
The game features vector-filled graphics and looks quite on par with BATTLE COMMAND and STAR STRIKE II in this regard. The refueling ship looks particularly cool.
Of course, in terms of the globality of events, this game is far from ELITE, but in terms of graphics quality, STAR FOX clearly surpasses the old lady of space battles. In addition to the described version, there is also a disk version, made by FLASH ibc, which is practically indistinguishable (that is, equally high quality!).
HEAVY METAL MOVER
48/128
UCM GROUP'96
SIZE:
444 SECTORS
The idea of this game is not new. Back in the late 80s, similar ideas were put forward in Polish demos. But in a real game, all this is realized for the first time.
As in the good old "Fifteen" (a board game, not what you thought!), your task is to restore the original picture by shifting its individual elements. But if in "Fifteen" you had one free square, here all the squares (9 of them) are filled. Therefore, you have to move the entire vertical or horizontal line at once.
As images, there are screensavers from HEAVY METAL albums. Specifically, these are METALLICA, ASYLUM, and OBITUARY. Thus, the game has three levels, after completing which you will receive a prize digitization. For lovers of immortality, I can only advise reading the SCROLL in the INTRO to the end!
* * * * *
In the past three months, an immense number of electronic newspapers and magazines have also arrived in Samara.
SPECCY #6 ON-LINE #73
ODYSSEY #0 EMULATE #3
ZX-POWER #1 (U.K.)
ZX-FORMAT #5 ALCHNEWS #11-14
FAULTLESS #4 (U.K.)
SPECTROFON #21
SPECTROPHOBY #6
I especially want to highlight two new magazines - ODYSSEY and ZX-POWER. The first is published in Armavir by a large group ACCEPT CORP. A trial zero issue of the magazine has been released, but that doesn't mean it's short and uninteresting. On the contrary, this trial issue can give a run for its money to some serial magazines!
The second magazine - ZX-POWER - is a new work by Kharkiv Spectrum enthusiasts. Unlike the mafia FAULTLESS published there, ZXP presents more sober materials without pretensions to coolness. The only downside is too many typos! But the APPLICATION is simply outstanding. Just the CITADEL demo and the game DOOM MANIA are worth it! Overall, the magazine successfully combines the pleasant with the useful. The magazine is published by two groups - ENIGMA and UCS.
That concludes today's lengthy REVIEW. I hope it was interesting and useful.... at least for Samara users.
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Contents of the publication: Oberon #03
- From the Authors
The editorial of the third issue of Oberon reflects on its wide distribution across Russia and nearby countries, overcoming production challenges, and its aim to cater to various readers, including gamers, programmers, and hackers.
- How to Write in Oberon - M.M.A
Guide on submitting articles to Oberon using ZX-WINWORD. Detailed format and process explanations for text, graphics, and music. Insight into editorial practices and preferences.
- Scroll - M.M.A
A historical overview of the game THE EIDOLON on ZX Spectrum, covering its restoration process and gameplay mechanics, including level challenges and story background.
- Scroll
Dark Star is a space shooter game where players pilot a ship against a tyrannical alien race. Players customize settings, navigate space, and combat enemy forces on various difficulty levels. Strategic planning and skill are vital for successful gameplay.
- Scroll - M.M.A
Detailed gameplay mechanics for the game with Mechnotech klp2. Strategy involves disarming reactors and managing droid transformations. Insight into different droid types and weapons available.
- About Everything - M.M.A
Discussion of reader interactions with the 'Oberon' editorial team, including feedback on previous issues and commentary on game compatibility and magazine content improvements.
- About Everything - M.M.A
The autobiographical article explores the author's role in Samara's ZX Spectrum scene, detailing his contributions and aspirations. M.M.A positions himself as a leader and innovator in the community. It highlights the importance of local distribution and cultural impact.
- Amiga rulez? - M.M.A
Critical essay on contemporary computer culture, contrasting IBM and Amiga platforms. Discusses societal impact of IBM standardization and advocates Amiga as a symbol of creativity and individuality. Reflects on the evolution of computer usage and preferences since the ZX Spectrum era.
- What Should 'Boot' Be - Unbeliever
The article explores the evolution of boot programs for ZX Spectrum, discussing early developments and key innovations over time. It highlights significant breakthroughs in automation and design, including fully assembler-written boots and the introduction of modern features. The text concludes with reflections on ideal boot characteristics from a contemporary user's perspective.
- Letter from Queen Software
An open letter from Queen Software criticizes ZX-WINWORD's design and Russian keyboard layout, denounces 'Mortal Compot' and the degradation of games, and shares views on demoscene events and computer emulation.
- Review - Unbeliever
The review provides insights into various 128K exclusive games for the ZX Spectrum, highlighting titles like 'Space Gun', 'World Championship Soccer', and 'Night Breed'. Special attention is given to their graphical prowess and gameplay mechanics. Furthermore, the article addresses the acquisition of Spectrum software via the Internet.
- Review of Assemblers - Maxsoft
Review of various assemblers for ZX Spectrum, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. Focus on EDAS 3.3, AFS, XAS, ZX-ASM, ALASM, MASM, and TASM 4.1. Each assembler is evaluated on performance, features, and usability.
- Our Answer - M.M.A
Critical analysis of the electronic journal FAULTLESS, highlighting plagiarism issues and content quality. Discussion on the comparison with OBERON and other journals. Suggestions for improving FAULTLESS are provided.
- Our Response - Alex Noman
Debate over the compatibility and capabilities of Scorpion and Profi computers with the ZX Spectrum. Critique of programming claims by Chung Software regarding outdated languages and methods. Discussion on operating systems like CP/M and iS-DOS in the context of their utility in modern computing.
- Our Response
Exploring the varied interpretations of the term 'hacker' in Russian, highlighting distinctions and misconceptions.
- Hardware - Dr.Death
Connection instructions for AY-3-8910 on Spectrum-compatible machines. Solutions for common audio issues in Russian computers. Advice for improving digital sound compatibility.
- Hardware - Dr.Death
Discussion on modifying SCORPION ZS 256 for better performance, focusing on timing issues and TURBO mode. Explanation of improvements and potential problems with multicolors. Suggestions for further upgrades.
- Hardware - Poltergeist Corp.
Analysis of hardware issues with Profi, a ZX Spectrum clone, focusing on INT signal problems causing graphic flickering. A solution is proposed involving a simple hardware modification. The author shares their success and the widespread adoption in Samara.
- Let's Gurm
A microdrama illustrating the chaotic interaction between computer components during a printing task.
- Let's Feast
Satirical story depicting an alternate reality where American culture and symbols are humorously twisted by Soviet influences.
- Let's Feast
The story humorously describes Popov's efforts to help Papuans progress, amid desert struggles, political intrigue, and personal challenges.
- Let's Discuss
Overview of military jargon known as 'Army Absurdities' collected by students, highlighting unique language and instructions used in military training and communications.
- Let's Feast
Satirical article describing military humor and fictional military equipment.
- Literacy Campaign - Paul Atrides
Analysis of hacker misconceptions and societal attitudes, exploring hacker culture's roots and ethical dilemmas.
- Primer - Paul Atrides
Article discusses the role and activities of Russian hackers in the late 1990s, highlighting notable cases and categorizing different types of hackers. It covers the operations, risks, and impacts of hacking on international and local levels. The text also examines the societal perception of hackers and their portrayal in media.
- Contest - M.M.A
A contest involving identifying songs from poorly translated lyrics, inspired by a radio segment. Participants guess the song and artist. No specific prize yet, but a free journal issue is promised.
- Contest
A poetic reflection on personal struggle, misunderstood communication, and the burden of saving the world.
- Contest
A poetic reflection on isolation and inner dreams, contrasting with harsh reality.
- Contest
The article presents a poetic tribute to the community, emphasizing themes of unity, immortality, and strength through metal music.
- Advertisement
Advertisement in Oberon magazine offers free publication and discusses available software, hardware, and stores related to ZX Spectrum.
- Advertisement
Advertisement of computer repair and upgrades with pricing for various services. Options include drive connection, signal normalization, and memory upgrades. Specific services for different computer models like Pentagon and ATM.
