First, the bad news: Cyboto has been scrapped by Godax due to technical difficulties and Breakthrough has still not been released. It will be launched on 7th July 1988 so if you are still waiting then you should receive your copy in a few days. Slight delays also on Golf from Blue Ribbon but we expect it to be launched any day now.
Other than that, there is nothing but good news. We've expanded this issue to twelve pages and reviewed lots of games that we think are great value for money, as well as two games which have really impressed us this month. Firstly, Shark, which is superb but also a real pearl of a BBC game called Imogen which never really received the publicity it deserved.
We've also added over fifty titles to the range and included more helpsheets. The compilation directory has been revised (do check the directory - many titles can be found on compilations which are otherwise no longer available and you also get several games for the price of one).
A beautifully drawn map of Quest has won the competition for Michael Hunsley of Ferham, Newcastle. Michael is an ardent Repton fan and has now produced the Repton 2 maps for us. Congratulations are also due to Alex Hunsley (Michael's brother) who has provided excellent maps and tips for Kourtyard.
These collections of twenty game pokes are now almost ready and we hope to launch them in the next issue of the catalogue. Prices to members will be as stated in the June catalogue news section. All the pokes have been produced by member Mark Gidley who has done a tremendous job and has created an easy-to-use and very high quality product. We've had great fun testing all the pokes and our favourite has to be the Elite poke which allows you to have almost any equipment you want. Believe me, this really makes life a lot easier. Full details of the titles on each volume will be given next month.
This terrific poster has been specially printed for us by Palace Software and is available for just £1.50 including P&P. You can choose one of our seven other posters absolutely free when you order your Barbarian poster.
Audiogenic have just shot up to the top of the Software House league with their latest release Shark. We received our review copy just in time for inclusion in this month's issue and we think that Shark will be the biggest hit they have ever had. A full review is given opposite. Also we have a review copy of their other release Breakthrough. We like Breakthrough but Shark is just amazing, and is better than anything even Superior have released for a very long time.
Adventure lovers will be pleased to hear the Time & Magik has now been released by Mandarin and we will be reviewing this classic amongst adventure games next month. For the Archimedes we have the launch of Terramex from Grandslam and a very good release it is too. Colossus Bridge 4 is to be launched for both the BBC and Electron in the next few days and, as with Colossus Chess 4, it is an excellent implementation of the game. The budget scene is a little quiet at the moment. Most noteworthy is Round Ones from Alternative, which is an Arkanoid-type game.
Firstly, Tynesoft hope to release Summer Olympiad in August 1988 and we are confident that it will be a real cracker after the highly acclaimed Indoor Sports which we reviewed last month. It includes hurdles, skeet shooting, fencing, high-diving and the triple jump. Hopefully, we will get a copy in time for our August catalogue.
CDS will be launching Football Director hopefully in August, and Top Ten have Khan The Swordmaster for release around the same time. This is a Barbarian-type game at a budget price.
Frankenstein 2000 may be launched by Atlantis this month. If not, then during August, we are informed. Godax are still working on various versions of Bolo so a firm launch date is not available. Domark's sequel to Star Wars, namely The Empire Strikes Back, may see an August launch and Bug Byte have a game called Monkey Nuts underway but we know nothing further on that one. Archimedes owners can expect The Hunt For Red October in the not too distant future.
Before going on to Superior one other casualy we have just discovered is Mega Apocalypse which has been scrapped by Martech.
So onto Superior. Their Managing Direction Richard Hanson told us that there are no releases until September. Pipeline is the next release hopefully followed by Exile but they have so many titles underway that we think they have been trouble getting them all ready. Here's a list of the titles we know of: Pipeline, Exile, And All Because, One Night In Bangkok, 3DM, a new Repton game (not to be called Repton 4, apparently), By Fair Means Or Foul (I wish they would get that one out - it's brilliant!), Play It Again Sam 3 (possibly), a compilation of previously unlaunched titles, a relaunch of Firetrack, possibly another compilation of non-Superior titles, a conversion of a very famous Activision game, and three titles for the Archimedes including Repton 3 (can't wait to see that one), an Elite-type game and one which we don't know anything about.
One release which there unfortunately won't be is Imogen 2. The programmer is heavily into other things which is a great pity. Imogen is a game that has me longing for more of the fiendish puzzles and graphics that are its hallmark. Oh well, that's life I suppose.
Next issue release date: 4th August 1988.