Elk Entertainment 04

By Christian Weber

Originally published in EUG #06

Well here I am, back after the Summer break, ready with more hints and tips. I suppose that I am not the only one who has seen that Play It Again Sam 17 has only been released on BBC Micro, Master and Compact disk formats with no Elk version at all! So what are us Elk users missing out on then?

Sam 17 consists of Summer Olympiad, Tactic, Video's Revenge and Master Break. To go into a little more detail, Summer Olympiad was originally released by Tynesoft a few years ago and the computer press praised it on all formats. I admit however that I was a bit disappointed with it as some of the events were too slow repetitive to stay fun for long. It can now be picked up in budget form for around £2.99. On its own, and at a budget price, I would rate it at 80%.

Tactic is a Tetris/Columns type of game which originally appeared on the Archimedes. Not having played it, all I can say is that if it is like all other games of its type, then it would appeal to some people but it could become too repetitive for others.

Video's Revenge was released years ago by a company called Budgie Software who disappeared as quickly as they arrived. The game was then released on Play It Again Sam 6 and is something akin to 'Defender' or Gauntlet except the action is viewed from the top of the ship and not its side. As games go, it is quite challenging and addictive, but it still lacks that little extra something and I would give it about 85%.

Master Break is unlike all the other games on the compilation. Like the 'Give us a Break' machines found in pubs, it is a Snooker-style trivia-test game and is best played with a few friends around. If you play it on your own, you are likely to tire of it all very quickly, yet we all find it amusing when a friend gets a particularly easy question wrong! This is a difficult game to rate as it is competently set out, but if played alone I would only give it 70%. When played with friends I think it deserves a good 86%.

So, the overall view of Play It Again Sam 17 is that we are not really missing out on much, especially when you consider the other compilations in the Sam series (Sam 15 springs to mind!). You can still get some of the games separately. Software Bargains can supply you with Master Break (£7.95) and Sam 6 which contains Video's Revenge (£6.95). If however you feel that SAM 17 should have been released on the Elk then voice your opinion to Superior Software.

On to the passwords etc! In this issue I'll be giving the remaining Anarchy Zone passwords for all you Anarchists out there. Orbital and Octavia passwords are also given, along with a few hints on The Wheel Of Fortune and also some news about the Pipeline character and mission generators.

The Wheel Of Fortune, Epic
Firstly, don't let the beggar get the truncheon or he'll end up hitting you with it. The truncheon is an item which you must store in the hut so you'll have to plan a way around the policeman. If the policeman catches you with the truncheon, you are flung into a cell with no escape and you will have to start again (ignore what the computer says if you type HELP). To get the bucket you will need the ladder, which you must extend so that it will reach. Once you have the bucket, you must tie it to the Well Wheel's rope and bribe the beggar with the coin you collect if you kick the mysterious machine. The beggar should then lower you down the well, where you can collect the Wheel of Fortune which you must then spin.

Can anyone tell me the use of the matches if you put the coin back into the mysterious machine?

Cheats

Anarchy Zone, Atlantis

Zone Password   Zone Password   Zone Password   Zone Password
17
18
19
20
CITY
TRIO
FLEX
LOBE
21
22
23
24
DAZE
LOSS
DUNG
PACE
25
26
27
28
WRAP
SE15
KELP
RENT
29
30
31
32
MOLE
DUEL
BABE
DUDE
Octavia, Database Publications
The passwords for the screens are as follows:

  1. ISAAC
  2. ASIMOV
  3. PRELUDE
  4. FOUNDATION
  5. HARI
  6. SELDON
  7. HELICON
  8. TRANTOR
  9. ROBOT
  10. DANEEL

Orbital, Impact
The passwords for the four zones (A-D) are:

  1. ORBITAL
  2. MIDGAME
  3. ENDZONE
  4. WIPEOUT

Pipeline, Superior/Acornsoft
OK, how many of you bought Pipeline when Blue Ribbon released the budget version? Quite a few I suspect, myself included. I know that when it was originally released and when it later appeared on the SAM 11 compilation the game came with a character and mission generation facility. The Blue Ribbon version makes no mention of these options, which led me to believe that they had not been included. But if you let the tape run on after the main program, there they are! I asked Blue Ribbon why information about these designers doesn't appear on the cassette inlay card and they said they only printed what they were given! I should be bringing you more news of this soon!

Now finally, and almost entirely for the benefit of Ray Lennard, here are the passwords for Bonecruncher...

Level Password
1 -
2 BEGINNER
3 ATOMIC
4 COMPLEX
5 ANIMAL
Level Password
6 NOMINAL
7 CABBAGE
8 TOLERANCE
9 SCAREY
10 CRAZY CAVE
Level Password
11 LEPPARD
12 SNAKE
13 PEWTER
14 DRAGON
15 CHAMBER
Level Password
16 DUNGEON
17 TORTURE
18 SLIMEY
19 ULTIMATE
20 SLIPPERY
Level Password
21 COUNTDOWN
22 FATIGUE
23 DANGEROUS
24 DARKNESS
25 EXCALIBUR

Christian Weber, EUG #6