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Atari Gaming Gazette_Issue 02
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Atari Gaming Gazette Online Magazine
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"The Lynx Specialists"
Published and Copyright ½ 1993 by
S \|/ L
T -*- I
A /|\ N
R BBS X
(602)/464-4817
___________________________________________________________________________
January 11, 1993 Atari Gaming Gazette Issue #2
"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"
This Month's Issue - BattleWheels Preview, Dracula Hints, Batman Returns
"""""""""""""""""" Strategy Guide - Part One, Lynx'n On The Line,
Gazette Newsfile, Could it Be?, Trade Publication Round-Up, Introducing
New Lynx Developer 'Beyond Games', Sneak Peaks, and Game Reviews: Dirty
Larry Renegade Cop, Dracula the Undead, Joust.
Editor/Publisher - Jeff Kovach
Assistant Editor - Chris Baker
Game Reviewer - Dale Overton
Game Reviewer - Jarius Jenkins
Special Contributor - Tom McComb
Special Contributor - Kris Johnson
|"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"|
| COMPUSERVE WILL PRESENT $15.00 WORTH OF COMPLIMENTARY ONLINE TIME |
| to the Readers of |
| |
| Atari Gaming Gazette Online Magazine |
| """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" |
| "The Lynx Specialists" |
| |
| NEW USERS SIGN UP TODAY! |
| CALL 1-800-848-8199 and ask for operator 198 |
| |
| You will receive your complimentary time and |
| be Lynx'n with the best in no time at all! |
| |
| Be sure to join the Editors of Atari Gaming Gazette in the |
| Lynx support section of the Atari Forums [Type GO LYNX]. |
| |
| Jeff Kovach [70761,3015] Editor |
| Chris Baker [71542,1615] Assistant Editor |
| |
| In addition, the Lynx section enjoys occassional visits |
| from Lynx game developers from the US and the UK. |
| |
'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'
From the Editor's Joypad - Happy New Year! Yes, it's 1993 now and we are
"""""""""""""""""""""""" back as promised, with a new issue filled with
all the latest Lynx news and reviews of the latest games. Hopefully, we
have lots of new readers. Reports show that the Lynx was a hot item this
Christmas season, with many retailers selling out of Lynx systems, and
Atari selling many thru their 1-800 number at the special holiday price.
New games continue to flow from Sunnyvale, with late December seeing
the release of 3 new titles: Dirty Larry Renegade Cop, Dracula the Undead,
and Joust. This coming month should see the release of Dinolympics,
Power Factor, and Pit Fighter. All of these titles are covered in our
Review and Preview section, so keep reading!
On another note, many Lynx owners have expressed concern about the
apparent drop-off in support for the Lynx at Toys R Us. We have not been
able to confirm that Toys R Us has dropped the Lynx from its product line,
but rumors have been circulating that this is indeed the case, and some
store employees have told this to customers. Hopefully, any problems that
do exist have been ironed out at the Consumer Electronics Show in meetings
between Toys R Us and Atari representatives. We should have more to
report next month. Let's hope it's good news!
The highlight of this past month for me was a 4-player session of the
upcoming Lynx game BattleWheels. This game is absolutely incredible, and
will be the debut product for the new 3rd party Lynx developer, Beyond
Games. I hope that everyone who has a Lynx will buy this game! We really
need to show these guys our support for their excellent product, so that
the Lynx will remain their system of choice for game development. I am
truly drueling with anticipation to see what they will offer us in the
future.
Finally, don't forget that we are looking for writers! If you would
like to submit a game review or strategy guide, or would just like to let
us know what you think of Atari Gaming Gazette, we want to hear from you.
Our official online service is CompuServe, where we may be reached in the
Lynx section of the Atari Forums (type GO LYNX and head for section #16).
We may also be reached on the STAR*LINX BBS in Mesa, AZ @ 602-464-4817.
Until next month, Happy Lynx'n!
Jeff Kovach
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ATARI LYNX: At a special low price
*** $79.95 ***
Free Federal Express delivery!
Hurry! Offer expires 1/31/93!
Call 1-800-327-5151 to order now!
Push your mind to the edge
with the Atari Lynx:
Backlit screen,
stereo sound,
50+ incredible games,
"Flip" controls for left handed players,
Play with up to 8 friends with "ComLynx",
4,000 brilliant colors (16 bit graphics engine),
The worlds largest portable video game screen (3.5" diag.)
Atari Lynx has over 50 games - all jam packed with full color graphics,
digital stereo sound and radical arcade style action that you won't find
anywhere else. Get the picture? You'll find plenty of games at your
favorite store (call us for the location nearest you).
Many titles available at these fine locations:
Electronics Boutique, Software Etc., Babbages,
Waldensoftware,
Nobody Beats the Wiz, The Good Guys, Toys 'R' Us.
Or order all the software you can handle:
Xenophobic, Rampage, Batman Returns,
Pinball Jam, Gates of Zendocon, Toki,
Switchblade II, Steel Talons, Electrocop,
Ms. Pac Man, Zalor Mercenary, Ninja Gaiden,
Paperboy, Rygar, A.P.B,
Awsome Golf, Warbirds, Basketbrawl,
Blue Lightning, California Games, Hockey,
Viking Child, Xybots, Tournament Cyberball,
Shadow of the Beast, NFL Football, S.T.U.N Runner,
Turbo Sub, Chip's Challenge, Block-Out,
Hard Drivin', Superskweek, Crystal Mines II,
Rampart, Checkered Flag, Lynx Casino,
Shanghai, Klax, Scrapyard Dog,
Ishido, Pac-Land, Roadblasters,
Kung Food, Hydra, Robo-Squash,
Baseball Heroes, Dracula, Joust,
World Class Soccer,
Gauntlet--The Third Encounter,
Todd's Adventures in Slime World,
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,
Dirty Larry--Regenade Cop,
and more!
COMING SOON: Pit Fighter, Dinolympics, Power Factor and more every month.
The entire Lynx game library is available from us, by calling
1-800-327-5151. And don't forget to order your Atari Lynx for only
$79.95 -- that's $20 off through 1/31/93! And get FREE Federal
Express delivery.
Or send check or money order to:
Atari Lynx
P.O. Box 61657
Sunnyvale, CA 94088-1657
(For CA residents, please add sales tax)
Call for further information 1-800-327-5151.
This offer expires 1/31/93.
"Atari", "ComLynx", and "Lynx" are registered trademarks of Atari Corp.
Atari: an American company traded on the American Stock Exchange
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GAZETTE NEWSFILE - There's not a whole lot to talk about here this month.
"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"' Between the holidays, and the Winter CES happening
by Chris Baker this week (Jan. 7-10), there isn't a whole lot being
said. But we can leave you with a few tidy tidbits...
The gaming gods heard my holiday plea and gave us Dracula, The Undead
and Joust in time for Christmas. And as promised, Dirty Larry, Renegade
Cop was the last release for 1992. Dracula, The Undead is by Hand Made
Software (they also did Awesome Golf, and have a number of other titles in
the works). Dracula is based on the novel by Bram Stoker. Joust is by
Shadowsoft (the classic Robotron2084 is from them as well). While Dirty
Larry comes to us from the minds of Knight Technologies. A great bunch of
games to close out 1992. Be sure to read the reviews of all three titles
later in this issue.
On the horizon for Atari is Pit Fighter, Power Factor, and Dinolympics.
Pit Fighter is a conversion of the coin-op brought to us by Al Baker & Co.
(no relation. Al & Co. have also done Paperboy and Bill & Ted's Excellent
Adventure). Pit Fighter is a January/February release, and is the Lynx's
first 4meg game. Power Factor is a sci-fi shooter by Hand Made Software
(Awesome Golf, Dracula, The Undead plus they're currently working on Jimmy
Connor's Tennis, Malibu Bikini Volleyball and Battleone 2000. Don't they
ever sleep?) Dinolympics is the third offering in the next batch. It's
developed by Imagatek (the same folks who brought us The Viking Child).
Expect to see Power Factor and Dinolympics simultaneously in February.
There's a new 3rd party Lynx developer. They're called Beyond Games
and are getting ready to unleash their first title. The game is called
BattleWheels. It's a first person perspective driving/shooter, with tons
of options, up to 6 players can ComLynx and it is absolutely oozing with
playability. It's going to retail at $39.95 and is due out in March. To
get your very own copy of BattleWheels, you can keep your eyes peeled at
your local Lynx retailer or you can order it directly from Beyond Games.
The address is:
Beyond Games
P.O. Box 2754
Salt Lake City, Utah 84110
Be sure to tell them that you're interested in testing any of their
future products (they're looking to expand their beta testing group and
you could be a part of it!). We're previewing it later in this issue,
check it out, 'cause this one's hot!
Next month we'll have all the lowdown from the Winter CES. Our next
issue is due out the weekend of February 6th. See you then.
Stay well and Happy Lynx'n!
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COULD IT BE? In addition to the current lineup coming from Telegames,
"'"'"'"'"'"' there are a couple of surprises waiting to be sprung at
by Chris Baker CES. I expect that Pro Quarterback and Battletoads will
be added to Telegame's plate of goodies... The
Guardians: Storm Over Doria will be conspicuously absent from their CES
lineup... Meanwhile...the guys at Beyond Games are busy, busy, busy...now
that BattleWheels is out of the shop and on it's way to final production,
they're turning their attentions to some other projects...one is a puzzle
game, the other is a 4meg, bone-crushing, 6 player, 3D fighting game...
kinda like a 3D Street Fighter 2...arena fighting at its best! No name
for it yet, but after seeing BattleWheels, I can't wait to see this one!!!
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TRADE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP Here's the round-up of what's in all the
"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"' major video game magazines with a cover date
by Chris Baker of January 1993, as pertaining to the Lynx,
Jaguar, and Atari in general.
Die Hard GAME FAN - Volume 1, Issue 3. January, 1993
Sadly, there is no Lynx news or reviews in their handheld report this
month. They decided to focus on the lame gear (maybe we'll get all the
attention next month!) On a brighter note Dracula, The Undead got 2 votes
for best handheld game of 1992 (out of 4).
ELECTRONIC GAMING MONTHLY - Volume 6, Issue 1. January, 1993
In this issue, there's a review of Dirty Larry, Renegade Cop. Some
more strange Jaguar rumours, and previews of Dracula, The Undead and
Joust, and a nice 2 page Lynx ad.
ELECTRONIC GAMES - Volume 1, Issue 4. January, 1993
Electronic Games has nominated Rampart for "Portable Game of the Year".
GAMEPRO - Volume 5. January, 1993
All that's here this month is a review of Joust.
VIDEO GAMES & COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT - Volume 5, Issue 1. January, 1993
Here, we have a preview of Eye of the Beholder, a review of Dirty Larry
Renegade Cop and a description of Pinball Jam in their article on video
pinball games.
Well, that just about wraps up the gaming magazine coverage for this
month. Tune in next time when I cover the February 1993 mags...
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Introducing...
B E Y O N D G A M E S
by Kris Johnson, President of Beyond Games
-=> Who Are We? <=-
Beyond Games is a new company formed entirely of video game players
who are tired of the lack of quality and creativity in the video game
industry. The crew is small, consisting of only twelve people, but we
have plans to expand in the future. We feel that playtesting and taking
input from Lynx owners like you is the key to developing a quality
product. We are currently developing for the Lynx because our games
require high-speed graphics and multi-player capabilities not found on
other systems. The Lynx is incredibly powerful and very well designed,
the only problem is the lack of software.
-=< What is BattleWheels? >=-
The concept of the game is a spectator sport that takes place in a
number of different arenas. Each arena has its own layout of obstacles,
which include buildings, tire stacks, large cacti, trees, street lamps,
phone poles and hi-tech towers. Gameplay involves driving around the
arena and blasting other players with weapons that adorn your car. If you
get hit too many times, your car will catch fire, but the game gives you
a warning and you can jump out of the car. Once out of the car, you can
continue your fight on foot (you have four missiles and a machine gun on
foot).
The game has many options. In "action" mode, there are a number of
different cars to choose from (this is a useful system for handicapping.
Better players can get less equipped cars). You can add computer players
for a total of 6 total players. The computer players have a number of
different skill levels (they can go from being real wimps on foot to
kill-you-quickly tyrants). Once you've mastered action mode, you can move
on to custom mode.
Custom mode adds another dimension to the game strategy. You get a
certain amount of money with which to buy cars (this is a settable
option). You can then start with a basic package, and add on options to
your tastes. Budget wisely so that you have enough to buy a car later.
Fighting on foot is not very easy. In between rounds, you have to
repurchase equipment unlike during action mode when you automatically are
given the equipment. Another interesting aspect to custom mode is how you
collect money during the game. You get money for each kill, plus there is
bonus money available in moneybags scattered in the arenas. The tricky
thing about the moneybags is that you have to get out of your car, pick it
up and get back in. This can be very deadly if there is anyone near you.
An arena called "The Bank" has a section in the middle that can only be
entered by players on foot. That's probably one of the safest places to
go for money (and it's probably the safest level for people who have lost
their cars in battle).
Combat takes place in a first person perspective. The A button fires
the currently selected weapon (more on weapons in a moment). The B button
(in combination with a direction) will display other views. Without using
a direction, B will show you a radar map (which can be disabled for more
challenging play). B+up will give you a status display about your car
(the most useful piece of information here is the color coded
representation of your cars different side of armor. When it's red, you
better be sure you don't get hit there again!). Option 1 (plus a
direction) is used to select weapons. Your car has weapons all over the
place. Option 1 + up will switch between your different forward weapons.
Option 1 + right will switch between the different weapons on the right
side of your car. Holding down option 2 will let you leave your car.
There are a number of different weapons. Missiles, flame-throwers,
mines and machines guns are commonly used for damaging the opponents. One
interesting weapon is paint (mounted on the back of your car). If you're a
good shot, you'll cover the enemy's windshield with paint and they won't
be able to see you (in order to fix this, they have to exit their car and
get back in... a dangerous maneuver).
Finally, something I left out about multiplayer action... You can
select a team play mode (red team vs. white team). Kills are collected on
a team-wide basis.
Beyond games will be doing all advertising and marketing for this
product.
If you want more info or whatever?, leave messages, Email or write:
CompuServe: 73150,1553
GEnie: k.johnson24
Internet: 73150.1553@compuserve.com
Beyond Games
PO Box 2754
Salt Lake City, Utah 84110
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NEW **** ***** * * ***** ***** * * ****
L Y N X * * * * * * * * * *
GAMES **** **** * * * **** * * * ***
* * * * * * * ** ** *
-NOW AVAILABLE- * * ***** * ***** ***** * * ****
In this issue:
DIRTY LARRY - RENEGADE COP
A pair of reviews
by
Chris Baker
and
Jarius Jenkins
DRACULA THE UNDEAD JOUST
Reviewed by Reviewed by
Jarius Jenkins Chris Baker
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DIRTY LARRY - RENEGADE COP
Developed by Knight Technologies
Published by Atari
Review by Jarius Jenkins
Here it is again. The badboy cop is all alone in his quest to rid the
world of the evil Mr. Big and his henchmen. This scenario has seen itself
across just about every other game platform available and now it comes
home to the Lynx in Dirty Larry (Hmmm take out the 'L' and put in an
'H'... kinda familiar isn't it?) - Renegade Cop.
This Lynx version of the game, although tired in idea is not all that
bad. It incorporates the big screen animated characters found in Batman
(with detalied animation), and combines them with a MUCH easier game play,
to provide a game that is enjoyable. The weapons and powerups are
standard 'kill certain badguys and powerup' form, the music sparse and the
gameplay fast enough (not too many bad guys on screen at a time) to be a
challenge. The game also has storytelling scenes in it that pass the time
(a la Ninja Gaiden - Nintendo version?).
Besides the graphical similarities to Batman and, almost forgot, stereo
sound on the new Lynx's (which allows you to at times determine the
direction of attacks and upcomming bad guys), this game has no real
distinguishing features to it... I reached the fifth level (out of seven)
the second time I played it, so it also has no real lasting challenge to
it (although it also doesn't have any continues either!)... But if you're
looking for this type of side scrolling fisticuff game, then this may
amuse you.
Graphics: 8
Sound: 7
Music: 6
Gameplay: 7
Playability: 5
Overall: 6.6
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DIRTY LARRY - RENEGADE COP
Developed by Knight Technologies
Published by Atari
Review by Chris Baker
Ever wonder where Knight Technologies is located? Well, wonder no
longer as they're in good'ol Steelburg, USA. It also happens to be the
home of your favorite cop, Dirty Larry. We frist meet Larry dozing in his
boxers probably sleeping off his latest binge with the bottle. When he
gets to the station, his boss chews him out for wrecking three cars in one
week and is busted down to a foot patrol. Armed with a .45 and his
fists, Dirty Larry sets of to stop the goons of Steelburg and arrest Mr.
Big (Steelburg's crime boss).
The graphics in Dirty Larry are definitely eye-catching. Everything is
well drawn and decently animated. His opponents were created with a
slightly warped sense of humour (especially the pyromaniac nerd who sets
himself on fire and runs at you). The animation is good as well, but
Larry's movements are stiff (he moves more like a robot than a person).
Aside from that, the game flows very nicely with both the action and
cinematic sequences. The game does have some nice toe-tapping tunes, but
has the usual assortment of sound effects.
Dirty Larry plays very well, but he seems to spend more time walking
the streets than beating up goons. There are a few power-ups for Larry to
collect: health, ammo, and better weapons. The action does get more
intense when you get to the tougher opponents and you get knocked around
while trying to blow them away. The one thing about this game is that you
only get one shot at it. Once all your health is gone, your game is over.
I'd have liked to have seen a continue or extra lives to finish this one.
Overall, Dirty Larry is a good action/shooter which will keep you busy
for a while with its great graphics and decent gameplay.
Graphics: 8
Scaling/Animation: 6
Sound/Speech: 6
Music: 7
Gameplay: 7
Playability: 7
Overall: 6.8
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DRACULA - THE UNDEAD
Developed by Hand Made Software
Published By Atari
Review by Jarius Jenkins
Sent to Transylvania to sell a London mansion to Dracula, you (Jonathan
Harker) find yourself trapped in a sinister place full of dangers,
including the most dangerous of all, the undead Count Dracula. In order
to survive this trip, you need to explore Dracula's castle to find a way
out that will let you destroy the evil Dracula before he fullfills his
mission of expanding his activities to London. Hurry and be careful...
If you don't you may find yourself the victim of Dracula or that of his
three brides.
Dracula - The Undead for the Lynx faithfully follows, in play, at least
part of the original Bram Stoker's story of Dracula. In fact, at various
intervals in the game, Bram Stoker narrates certain events that occur.
This aspect of the game makes it a simple game to play in terms of knowing
what to do next (watch the movie or read the book and you'll know
basically what to do!). This also makes the game feel more like a story
than an actual game. This is nice, but there are some scenes that become
so tedious that you may desire to quit the game because of them.
As far as the gameplay goes, the game uses a dual play system.
Jonathan is controlled by moving the joypad in the various desired
directions. When actions are required, you press the B button and use the
joypad to scroll between the choices you have to make. Pressing A will
select that specific choice. Overall it is a rather nice system (Although
one that would have been a problem if this game were timing sensitive!)
A nice feature of the game is the graphics as you play this game. As
you move into the screen you are scaled smaller, and when you come towards
the screen, you get bigger. The game is even so detailed that lamps cast
shadows only on things behind them, like if you walk behind a pillar, your
lamp's light will not be visible to you unless you are still in front of
another pillar elsewhere. The actual sprite animation and animated
sequences are also quite nice, with the colors chosen adding to the
atmosphere of the game.
Speaking about game atmosphere, one can't forget the sound. The music
that plays throughout the game is so atmospheric that you may not even
notice it if you get into the game. Unlike other Lynx game that had
distracting music, this game's music is one that works on a subconscious
level; you notice it, but never really HEAR it. The occasional thunder
crash and heart wrenching screams also add to the game.
So what's this? Another great review from me? Well, no! The game has
one MAJOR flaw. That flaw is the level of complexity. I was able to
finish the game in well under 5 hours of gameplay (Actually about four
sessions between 20-40 minutes each). In that time there was only one
real puzzle that I had that kept me from finishing earlier. A friend of
mine (once I beat it and showed him the only real key to beating the game)
told me that he knew about what was needed the first time he saw it so...
With only one real puzzle and a certain sequence of events that is
extremely tedious and in no way thrilling (you are never once in danger of
losing your life while doing it!) The game is not the type of game that a
person would continue to come back to.
Oh, one hint... 'DO NOT NEGLECT THE NOTEBOOK'!
Graphics: 9
Animation/Scaling: 8
Sound: 7
Music: 8
Gameplay: 8
Playability: 4
Overall Score: 7.3
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JOUST
Developed by Shadowsoft
Published by Shadowsoft
Review by Chris Baker
Here is a translation of a arcade game classic by Williams that has
been made for just about every console and computer out there. For those
of you who have been under rocks for the last 10 or so years and have
never heard of Joust, here's a qiuck description. You mount either an
ostrich or a stork to do battle against computer controlled knights and/or
another human Jouster. And we can't forget the "unbeatalbe" Petrodactyl.
This version of Joust is really quite addictive and has a new twist to it
(more on that later).
The graphics are simple, but then again so were graphics on the
original. Joust is well animated, sounds, and plays exactly like the
original game. Although I spent many childhood hours playing Joust, I
can't remember for the life of me if there was any music during the title
sequences. But since the guys at Shadowsoft didn't put any there and they
do like to be picture perfect in their translations, I guess there wasn't
any.
Now for the added twist. In 2 player mode you can choose to play the
standard Joust game, or you can choose what they call "Gladiator Mode".
This feature makes the game a one-on-one jousting duel between you and
your human opponent.
If you're a fan of the original, you'll love this version. If you're a
newcomer to gaming, check it out. It's very addictive and will keep you
hooked for quite some time.
Graphics: 7
Animation: 7
Sound: 7
Gameplay: 8
Playability: 8
Overall: 7.4
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BEYOND GAMES **** **** ***** * * ***** ***** * *
Presents * * * * * * * * * * *
BattleWheels **** **** **** * * * **** * * *
* * * * * * * * ** **
-March 1993- * * * ***** * ***** ***** * *
by Dale Overton
Ever since the first Fords rolled off Henry's assembly line in the dawn
of the automotive age, there has been an unbreakable bond between man and
his machine. Unbreakable, however, continually encroached upon by others'
inept driving abilities and their machines' inferiority ("How's about I
SHOW YOU where second gear is, eh?!")
Never fear, my friends, for the time is about to come when you will be
able to dispatch of lesser beings with the touch of a Lynx button. For in
the future, your ride will not only boast a powerful engine and high tech
frame; it will also sport machine guns, missiles, and flamethrowers!
BattleWheels will be the debut effort of an upstart Lynx developer
called Beyond Games. This review is based on a pre-release version of the
game. Believe me, if this initial effort is any indication of upcoming
Beyond Games' projects, the future of Lynx gaming is about to get
blazingly brighter.
BattleWheels (BW) is set in the year 2019. Spectator sports have
evolved into more sophisticated and deadly events. The culmination of
these events is BW. Several gladiators, equipped with well-armored and
well-armed Lotus-esque automobiles, are placed into a selected arena and
battle to the death.
A single player or up to six ComLynxed players may battle up to five
computer-controlled opponents (called Cyberbrains). From the Options
Board a player chooses his driver (yes, there are female drivers), car
color, the number of kills it takes to win, radar enabled or disabled, the
arena, the number and skill of Cyberbrains, the amount of cash to start
with, and "Action" or "Custom" mode.
The two modes determine how you will select your car. "Action" mode
allows you to select from one of five pre-built cars varying in strength
of armor and weaponry. In this mode, your car will be automatically
repaired after each round.
In "Custom" mode, you get to build your ride from the ground up,
selecting everything from the engine and frame to armor and weapons.
However, nothing is for free. You may only spend as much as the amount
you chose from the Options Board (by the way, in "Action" mode, cash is
irrelevant). The options are inter-related as well. Choosing a weak
frame, for instance, will leave you with a lot of cash for weapons.
However, the frame will not be able to support the weight. Buying a
heavy-duty frame is expensive, reducing the number of weapons you can
purchase. The art of choosing your unique set-up with the cash available
will determine how competitive you are on the battlefield.
Another result of mode choice is how your damaged vehicle is repaired
between rounds. In "Action" mode, your car is automatically repaired to
original specs. In "Custom" mode, you must do the rebuilding yourself
along with the respective costs.
How will you pay for this extra expense? First, you may use any money
remaining from the initial sum. Also, a "Custom" arena will have
moneybags dispersed throughout it. Each grab will net you $2500. Also, a
$2000 reward is placed on each successful kill of opponents. Finally, if
you are the sole-surviving driver, you get any unclaimed moneybags.
I should mention the music played during the selection processes is
catchy and well-done. We had ample opportunity to listen to it, as we had
long stretches of listening while the player with the most loot tried to
load up as much armament as possible.
Enough of this engineering and economics, let's cut to the chase. At
the beginning of the round, you are randomly placed in the arena along
with your opponents. A quick check of the radar (if you've enabled this
option) will show an overview of the entire area. Your car color
determines your radar icon color. As it is possible others' have chosen
your car color, your icon is shown with a blinking halo around it. The
edges of the arena are surrounded by stacks of tires, preventing you from
leaving the battle area (although some arenas are so large, it is possible
to run for long distances.) Driving controls are standard: up to
accelerate forward, left and right for turns, down to reverse. While
driving backwards, left and right controls are reversed.
While driving, your default view is out the front windshield. You may
select the sides or back view by holding B and the joypad in the desired
direction. Holding B and pressing forward gives you a damage screen,
while pressing B alone displays the radar if it is enabled (the rear view,
otherwise.)
In the upper right corner of the front view is a compass, in case you
get disoriented. The upper middle shows your current weapon selection and
the remaining ammo. Choose a new weapon by holding Option 1 and moving
the joypad in the direction desired. If the direction selected has more
than one weapon available, (for instance, the rear of your vehicle may
have mines, missiles, paint, or a flamethrower) repeated pressings will
scroll through the available options. Pressing A will fire the weapon.
The grins cannot be suppressed while chasing down Cyberbrains and
sinking round after round into their ride. It's best to work on one side
continually, as armor strengths differ from each side. On the other hand,
if you are getting shell-shocked on the front of your car, it is best to
back-up and use the side or rear weaponry in future confrontations. You
should check the damage screen to see how badly your front armor has been
damaged.
After you have penetrated the armor of your opponent, his engine will
catch fire and explode in less than 10 seconds. Firing on a car that is
already on fire will speed its demise. Cars explode in a fiery display
and often the driver's body can be seen spinning wildly in the middle of
it.
I now must confess I've been withholding one of the greatest features
of BW. This feature alone would put BW into the "major fun" category, and
anyone who plays the game quite simply has to love this part.
Whenever an engine catches fire, a fire alarm will go off in the
cockpit of the vehicle. The driver then has the option of bailing out of
the car and continuing to battle on foot. The fun really begins when you
are pounding away at some Cyberbrain, waiting for the inevitable
explosion, and suddenly see him jump and roll out the side for a getaway!
Drivers on foot are not completely helpless. They have a machine gun
with unlimited ammo and 4 missiles. The body armor can also withstand 4
bullets and 2 flamethrower bursts (in other words, you can withstand stray
shots, but you aren't likely to live through a direct weapons attack.)
The dive and roll move used to abandon a car can be repeated by pressing
Option 2 and left, right, or forward. Use this to try and avoid getting
run over.
Oh yes, running drivers over. If the explosion sequence sounds amusing
to you, you're going to love running down drivers. A quick smack from
your front end sends them flying over a dozen feet, arms and legs flopping
everywhere, finally coming to rest in a pool of blood. I won't get into
it, but running over a body at rest brings about the expected noise and
graphic results.
Very often drivers on foot have little chance of surviving for long,
but that is not always the case. One important thing to do when bailing
out of your ride is to find cover. Hiding behind a building or telephone
pole gives you much greater odds.
The best arena for surviving on foot I've found is called "The Bank."
In one corner of this arena is a group of buildings forming a square.
Between each building is a stack of tires, which prevents vehicles from
getting in but allows a driver to squeeze through. From this area, those
chariots of death become sitting ducks as you snipe at them from behind
impassable obstacles. Even better, in "Custom" mode, all the money will
be found in this area.
Sound effects are quite good and the only lacking element I could wish
for would be screaming from the drivers as they fly from an impact.
I've come this far in the review without pointing out any flaws, but
that was not intentional. It is simply that the flaws I and the other
reviewers found were very minor. The least significant deals with
building your car. To increase the amount of ammo available to a weapon,
the joypad must be pressed left, and the right decreases it. This seemed
unnatural to several of us and we found ourselves unintentionally filling
up weapons we were trying to empty and vise-versa.
The other flaw is significant, though it is limited to games played in
"Custom" mode. We tested this game with 4 players ComLynxed together.
Inevitably, any player who survived the first round would become
invincible in later rounds, for he would receive a huge sum of money from
the kills and unclaimed moneybags (I am making this observation from the
third person perspective - I never survived the first round.) It was a
simple matter, then, for that person to load up on armor and ram
opponents, chewing through their respectively measly armor in moments.
Making armor more expensive was offered up as one solution. Decreasing
dollar amounts was also mentioned. Personally, I would like to see
unclaimed moneybags either left unclaimed, or perhaps carried over to
successive rounds. This would give players more incentive to go for the
money (it won't just be "given" to them if they last until the end) and
increase the likelihood of a cash-poor driver of stumbling across it in
later rounds. (I have a lot of experience with this situation. If you
are killed early in a round, and have no cash left, you are given the
minimum $3500 to repair your auto for the next round. I hereby vehemently
lobby for a $500 increase in that amount.)
This review has not begun to tap all the fun you will find when you buy
this game. For instance, I once jumped out of my car before coming to a
complete stop. I then had to run like crazy chasing down my car while
dodging various projectiles winging by me! Or how about jumping into an
opponent's car while he has left it looking for money? And who at Beyond
Games came up with equipping these sporty tanks with such a simple weapon
as neon blue paint guns? Fired from the rear, the paint covers an enemy's
windshield thereby blinding him or forcing him to jump out and wipe it
off.
Whenever I have read glowing reviews such as this one, I have always
been suspicious of the reviewers' motives or tastes. In fact, I read many
fanatically enthusiastic messages about BW before testing it and expected
to be very let-down after such a build-up. This game will not disappoint
you.
Every platform has had a defining moment in its game history. For the
Atari ST, Dungeon Master was that moment. It has been said DM sold more
STs in its early days than the low price or advanced capabilities (at the
time) ever did. For the Atari Lynx, I truly believe BattleWheels will do
precisely the same thing.
Graphics: 10
Sound: 8
Music: 9
Gameplay: 10
Playability: 10
Overall Score: 9.4
Editorial note: Since this was a pre-production version of the game,
a number of changes will be made in the final version.
Kris Johnson at Beyond Games provided us with a list:
Minor:
Option 1 on final trophy board returns to Option Screen.
Option 1 without joypad changes weapons of last selected direction.
Higher max weight on Suspension 3 & 4.
Lots of other small things.
Major:
New arena - "DustBowl", with dust clouds in center of arena (Like
Warbird clouds).
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Dracula the Undead - a little help
By Tom McComb
So you're playing the game and you're stuck!
(If not, you'd better skip the next page...)
You probaly have the NoteBook, the TinderBox, the oil and the Crucifix.
After speaking with Dracula, go back to your room and LOOK out the window.
Now you know what you have to do next.
In Dracula's study, get the lantern. Go downstairs.
Get money and the box.
Unlock the door, go down into the catacombs.
Find the crowbar.
Go back to the room across from yours and pry it open.
Go back to the catacombs and get the twine and the brass key.
Go back to the clock and get the small key.
Get the leftovers from the table.
It's back the the study. Open the drawer.
Go to the money room and use the lever.
Get the book.
Into the catacombs, climb the ladder, calm the horse.
Find the spade.
Climb the well.
Note: I have left several intermediate steps up to YOU. i.e. following
the above will get you killed twice unless you think of other things!
IMPORTANT NOTE: You _MUST_ take copious notes in your NoteBook in order
to successfully complete the game.
Dracula's death scream is great!!
Editor's Note Tom McComb has been a Lynx enthusiast since the day it
"'"'"'"'"'"'" came out. In addition to maintaining his presence on
CompuServe and GEnie, he runs the @orner Pub BBS at (718)/351-4304. If
you're in the neighborhood and looking for Lynx info (including the latest
issue of Atari Gaming Gazette), be sure to give it a call!
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B A T M A N
R E T U R N S
Strategy Guide
Part One
Level 1: The Red Triangle Circus Gang
1) Don't go back to fight enemies behind you. More and more will
appear, and you may find yourself easily overwhelmed.
2) Be sure to jump out of the way after punching out any of the
thin 'candy-cane striped' clowns. They explode upon their
demise! Use this to your advantage when you can!
3) Avoid the fat clowns at all costs! They are only worth 400
points, yet they are difficult to kill and keep rolling bombs
at your feet. Run past and jump over them as fast as you can.
4) There are several powerups that can't be seen because they are
behind or inside objects. Look and jump around for them if you
haven't found them already.
5) Dynamite will not be thrown out of sewer grates while Batman is
recovering from a knockdown or while he is jumping. Jumping does
not mean just being off the ground, so it doesn't include falling
off a ledge or falling at the end of a jump off a ledge.
6) To avoid the Shrecks Store explosion, duck while standing in front
of the mailbox. The flashing before the explosion is triggered
when Batman walks just past the mailbox.
7) Did you get all the power-ups? If you did (and haven't used any
acid or batarangs yet), you should have 70 batarangs and 14 acid
vials.
8) To kill the duck at the end, you must hit it in the head about
ten times with a punch, acid vial, or batarang. When the duck is
hit, it blinks its eye. A good way to kill him is to crouch on
the ledge, then throw a batarang and jump down at the same time.
9) Make sure you get the powerup near the fence! You need all you
can get for level 2!
Level 2: Batman Confronts Authorities
1) Being hit by shotgun blasts while not over a building is the only
real danger here. Don't worry about the cops with pistols too much.
2) Keep moving as fast as possible. Unless you are greedy for points,
it's not worth going after cops that are behind you. In fact, they
prevent more from appearing ahead of you!
3) Avoid the crates marked with red triangles... sometimes they like
to explode if you hang around too long!
4) Keep your distance from Catwoman. If she starts kicking you it is
sometimes tough to escape. Batarangs are the best weapon against
her. Stay at the left side of the last building when you get to
it and blast her as many times as possible before she can get near
you. If you are out of batarangs, use acid.
5) Don't forget to grab the energy at the far right of the last building.
Next month, tips for levels three and four! In the meantime, practice
up, so that we can conquer the evil Penguin and his minions together!
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Lynx'n On the Line Welcome back to Lynx'n On the Line. This is
"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"' where we cover the more interesting messages
Compiled by Jeff Kovach found on CompuServe in the Lynx support section
(section 16 of the ATARI8 forum, type GO LYNX
to get there) and on my BBS, STAR*LINX. There are always lots of neat
things going on, especially on CompuServe, and we invite you to join us
there. For information on joining CompuServe, see the ad near the
beginning of this issue. STAR*LINX BBS may be reached at (602)/464-4817.
From the ATARI8/LYNX Forum on Compuserve:
\\\Brian @ STI comments on the Lynx Xmas deal...
I ordered a Lynx from Atari on the Xmas deal, for my brother. It shipped
out fast and came with the new ad brochure (nice work), the last insert in
Video Games and Entertainment (the Batman Returns one) and a nice page of
how to care for your Lynx. Nicely done!
\\\Dave Scarpa comments on game availability...
Two months on Pit Fighter ?? All the mags are reviewing it now. Problem is
guys today 5 games came in for the GG, the games are coming much too Slow.
And Why can't Atari make a real good offer to a Konami, or Capcom, and get
some titles that will sell the Lynx? I heard that Desert Strike may be
ported to the Lynx. If that's true and EA signs on things could look up.
\\\Atari responds...
"Two months on Pit Fighter? All the magazines are reviewing it now ..."
Well, actually, all the magazines are _WAITING_ to review it now. Since
this is our first 4 MEG game, there are lots of first-time things to be
dealt with.... one of which is new manufacturing processes, the other
being new EPROM cart processes. It takes 3 months to manufacture any of
our games, and this one is no exception. I'm also still waiting for EPROM
carts to show up so I can send out review copies.
P.S. Desert Strike in a possibility...
\\\Chris Baker then mentions that...
EGM has already reviewed Pit-Fighter...and Telegames is doing Desert
Strike.
\\\Turns out they got a bad copy, as Atari points out...
Yes, I know that EGM got an early copy of Pit Fighter -- from the Chicago
office. That means that they got a version that is totally full of bugs.
(The test department spent another 2-3 months getting rid of bugs AFTER
the cart went to EGM.) This is one of the major reasons that no one will
get any more "early" versions of software to review. The review will
undoubtedly be bad --there is no other way it could go with the s'ware
they received. And, yes, I am aware of BattleWheels and the possibility of
Desert Strike.
///And from Chris Baker, final confirmation on Desert Strike...
According to Telegames, Desert Strike is definite. Krisalis software is
porting it over to the Lynx for them. It is slated for June '93 release.
///Nathan Wong is eager for Pit Fighter...
I can't wait. I never played the arcade version of Pit Fighter because I
couldn't pit fight my way past the kids playing it. Now that it's about
to come out for the Lynx I can play it to my heart's content. I'll
probably even buy one for my little brother and sister so we can Comlynx
together (though it just may be a two player game).
///Atari confirms the number of players...
Pit Fighter is a 1 or 2 player game. Hope you enjoy it !
///Ian Johnston then inquires about its release date...
When is it due out?
///And Atari replies...
Pit Fighter is due out in about a month (2/5), barring any production
problems.... it's the first 4 MEGer...
///Now for some talk about Dinolympics. Chris Baker asks...
Who's doing Dinolympics?
///Juli Wade at Atari responds...
Dinolympics was done by Imagitec, produced by Yours Truly. BTW, it's the
same game as "Humans" that you've probably seen advertised all over the
mags.
///Chris Baker then asks...
That's what I thought it was...does the Lynx version have the "lemming on
a spit" like the computer version is said to have?
///And Juli Wade at Atari replies...
No, we didn't make room for a "lemming on a spit".... We try to save our
precious ROM space for _Gameplay_!! :-)
Also, our Dinolympics is very different from the computer versions of
Humans. Same basic storyline, but different "stuff"....
///Now for some comments on the first issue of AGG, from Ron Luks...
Jeff:
I finally got a chance to read the first issue of Atari Gaming Gazette.
Congrats on a terrific publication! It had far more solid information
about the Lynx than I had ever expected. I don't know how you will be
able to keep up with this vast amount of info in each future edition but
you sure got off to a stupendous start.
I can't fault any of the writing or overall composition of the issue,
but if I made any suggestion it would be to add a little more "white
space" to future files. Right now (on my screen) you are solid print from
column 0 to column 79 for most lines. The CIS ad page has a lot more
'white space' and to me, that makes it a lot more readable.
Otherwise, great job.
Ron
///And I replied...
Ron:
Thanks for your comments on the Atari Gaming Gazette's premiere issue.
Keep in mind that in addition to being our premiere issue, it was also a
special holiday issue. The complete list of Lynx games w/descriptions is
an item that will only appear once or twice each year. In addition, we
had a large number of recent releases to review. I am well aware that we
won't be able to have that many games reviewed in future issues, simply
because there aren't that many released per month. But I felt that it was
important to have the first issue cover all the newer releases, especially
since it is the holiday buying season.
In addition to the regular monthly columns, and reviews of new games, we
will also try to focus on a different game each month, to offer strategic
tips for players. Our next issue will feature a strategy guide for Batman
Returns, a game that has many players against a wall... Hopefully we will
be able to help some people thru it (after we finish it ourselves!)
Also, we will be doing a preview of Beyond Games first Lynx release,
BattleWheels. And we will cover whatever comes from Sunnyvale, of course!
Another opportunity to expand the size and scope of the magazine will
hopefully present itself sometime in '93, when Atari releases the long
awaited Jaguar console. We plan to be around to cover it and the games
for it, and be #1 in getting the latest Lynx/Jag news and reviews to the
Atari video gaming community.
Finally, I will see what I can do about the magazine format, and finding
ways to make it a little easier on the eyes. Looking up at what I've just
typed tho, I'm not off to a good start on that <g>. At least in the mag I
put a blank line between paragraphs!
Seriously tho, I will take a hard look at other online publications and
see what kind of variations I can make in the format. Thanks for your
comments and suggestions!
Jeff @ AGG
///Turning to the Jaguar, Randy Magruder expresses his hope that it will
kick butt...
Another note is that i have no doubt that, if released, the Jaguar will
destroy the existing systems. We (atari fans) will all sit around here
and gloat about how great it is and we'll all buy one. However, if Atari
doesn't get out of its current marketing cycles and do something to really
turn the marketplace back to it, those cries of glee will turn to tears as
we watch yet another forward looking product from Atari languish with
little vendor support and no marketing.
///Marty L Mankins reminices about days when Atari was king...
I was talking with some 9 year olds the other day and asking them what
they wanted for Christmas. They told me Trolls, Roller Blades and
Nintendo games. I asked them which Nintendo and they said, "Oh all of
them".
Then they asked me what video game I had. I told them I had a Nintendo,
a Game Boy and a LYNX. They asked what the Lynx was and I told them it
was made by Atari. "Who??", they said. So I proceeded to tell them that
Nintendo was not the first home system and that Atari had one of the most
popoular games systems.
I remember some years ago, going to a friends house and his little brother
said, "Hey, let's go play Atari". Now these kids today are saying, "Let's
play Nintendo". Thought I would add a touch of past to this thread.
Makes me wonder what would have happened if Atari had not dropped the ball.
///Paul Harris reports a Lynx sighting on HBO...
I am not sure how much of you have HBO out there, but I was watching the
show "Dream On" The main character, Martin Tupper was playing a Lynx.
I could not make out the game he was playing but it was the Lynx. You
could make that out clearly :) Keep it up Atari :)
///Ian Johnston reports that he didn't get his free Batman Returns game...
please lynxers help! I sent away for my free Batman Returns game over
three months ago. I called Atari headquarters and asked if they had
mailed the game to me. Then I told them my name and they told me that
they did not have my name on the waiting list and that the best they
could do was to sell it to me for $30.00 bucks. Please all you lynxers
I need some help and suggestions of what action to take next.
///Steven Lee adds...
I too, have not received the cartridge. Who do we contact for this info?
///But there is hope! Instructions from Atari...
For anyone who DID send in all the required receipts and such for Batman
cartridges, and who still haven't received it, here's what you should do:
Send another copy (sorry!) to Atari Corp, 1196 Borregas Ave, Sunnyvale,
CA 94089, Attn: Don Thomas. Enclose a letter explaining (a SHORT letter,
please -- those guys are busy!) what happened, and that "Juli sent you".
We'll see what we can do. If you don't have copies of your paperwork,
though, it's gonna be tough.
///James Thornhill asks about Alien vs. Predator...
Does anybody know if a game called Alien vs. Predator will be coming to
the Lynx?
///Chris Baker responds...
It's my understanding that a company called Images is doing it for the
Lynx. As for when it will be released...hopefully 2nd half 1993.
///Nathan Wong suggests a 'Pool Hall' game for the Lynx...
I just thought of a game you guys could develop that could be a hit if you
make it properly. Since you guys did such a good job with the craps table
in Atari Casino I know you can do a good job with this game. How about a
game of pool! 8 ball, 9 ball, whatever. It would be a blast as long as
the dynamics and physics are real. You can have all the scaling effects
you could ever want in it. How bout it? Please, please, please?
///Domingo Alvear seconds the motion!
Ditto that! I would like to see a "Pool Hall" game for the Lynx.
Complete with most pool games. 8-ball, 9-ball, snooker, bumper pool, etc.
Hey, maybe even darts? :-) And don't forget to put in a few arcade
games, like breakout and space invaders...
///Nathan Wong asks for info on the Jaguar's joysticks...
My brother asked a good question the other night. He asked if the Jaguar
will have REAL JOYSTICKS with handles? I hope so because Atari always
made good joysticks and the ones for those other systems just don't cut
it. Also, I hope the system comes with TWO joysticks and not that lame
1 per console. That's retarded.
///James Thornhill answers...
The Jaguar joystick which also works on the STe, Falcon030 will be
shipping in February. It has 3 fire buttons and a 12 numeric keypad.
This is all I know about it. I don't know if it will have a joystick on
it or joypad.
This information is from the Dec. '92 - Jan. '93 issue of "Current
Notes" magazine.
///To which a distressed Domingo Alvear responds...
Ugh! I saw those stupid things at Comdex. It's a joypad. Looks like a
third party will have to make a REAL joystick. Have you ever seen a
joypad in an arcade?
///Juan Peguero asks about the Lynx pictures in VG&CE magazine...
I was wondering, why do LYNX pictures in VG&CE look so blurry?
Also, any word on how far along Eye of the Beholder is?
I saw the pics in the Jan issue but do you know if it's being debugged,
has it been sent away to be manufactured, or what?
///Andy Eddy, editor of VG&CE magazine answers...
The reason why is that, currently, we're extracting pictures from an
Atari-provided video tape. While we have a good machine for video
printing, taking something off a tape rather than the "pure" video
signal is not optimum, causing at least a generation loss in the image.
We've requested a device from Atari that would allow displaying Lynx
output on a monitor (which would permit us cleaner image acquisition),
but there aren't any available at this time. We'll keep trying. And
before anyone asks, this device is a custom circuit board and won't be
commercially available--and if it were, it would probably cost a ton. (g)
I believe Eye of the Beholder is being "burned" now, meaning it's being
manufacturered on final Lynx carts. Expect to see it soon--or see me
brutally corrected here soon (hehe).
///James Thornhill asks about the possibility of a Jaguar story in VG&CE...
How is the Jaguar cover story coming along? Is Atari going to help you
out with it and if so when might we see it? Maybe the February or March
issue after the January CES?
///Andy Eddy @ VG&CE responded...
Oh, I think the Jaguar story is quite a bit off, because Atari isn't ready
to spill the beans yet. I hope to talk more at the CES with the Atari
folks, but currently the story/cover isn't scheduled. It's just in the
"talking" stage at this point.
///James replies...
I hope you get some facts from Atari at the CES that you could print.
I am getting tired of hearing the rumors from that other mag. I also
belong to Prodigy. I am the official Compuserve connection to *PLUG
(Prodigy Lynx User's Group) there and have been telling all of the people
that if they want the truth about the Jaguar then get VG&CE.
///And Andy Eddy expresses his c
ommitment to printing only the facts...
The only reason there will be truth on the Jaguar in VG&CE is because
we're going to wait until we get a *real* story before we print anything.
Atari hasn't told us anything substantial, and we're not interested in
tabloid journalism (if you have anything, hype the heck out of it, no
matter how small; if you have nothing, make something up then deny it
later when it proves untrue...hehe). Hopefully we'll see or hear
something that we can print after CES, but I'm figuring that the summer
CES will spill the beans...
///John Bonavita asks about the Toys R Us rumors...
All, Is it true that Toys R Us is dropping the Lynx? I heard this info
at the Atariarts forum.
///Reed Hubbard replies...
I talked to a friend of mine at TRU here and he said that the reason they
didn't have a Lynx on display is that they'd sold out of them and that
Atari was focusing on Southern California and other high profile areas
until after the holiday season. He didn't seem to think that they would
drop the Lynx, but he's not really privy to such information. TRU would
be stupid to drop Atari with the Jaguar in the gate. They'd do better to
drop TurboGrafx, which hasn't had a decent game available since Military
Madness and has just stranded users of the old system by cutting back on
chip games and discontinuing the CD. I know...I have a TG16. To be
benevolent, they sent me a coupon where I could trade my TG16 in and get
$50 off a TurboDuo. No thanks, guys.
///The ever-inquisitive James Thornhill asks about the Jaguar...
Mind if I ask you what has led you to believe that the Jaguar will have
a true 64-bit chip? I want so much for you to be right?
///To which Chris Baker replies...
I was told that the system was not running on 2 32bit chips but 1 64bit.
The source of this info came from Atari themselves (won't say who tho, If
I do, they won't tell me anymore goodies <g>).
///More questions from James Thornhill...
Will Eye of the Beholder have battry backup and how many megs. is it?
Is Battlewheels a first person perspective or an off road view?
Does anybody know when Double Dragon, Super Off Road, Stomr over Doria and
Krazy Ace Mini Golf may be out?
What is Power Factor about?
///And Chris Baker with the answers, as usual...
Eye of the Beholder is 4megs and will be the first Lynx title to utilize
the EEPROM backup system. Hopefully we'll see it late 1st quarter.
Double Dragon and Super Off-Road are due in March. The Guardians:Storm
Over Doria, don't hold you breath. (read the December AGG for more info).
BattleWheels is a first person perspective game.
Power Factor is a Sci-Fi shooter...don't have much on that one...it's due
in February...it is in final manufacture as we speak.
///Ian Johnston asks for help with Shadow of the Beast...
I am having great amounts of trouble with shadow of the beast. When I get
really far down into the underground caverns I find these lasers. Once I
get past the lasers, there is this big red beast blowing fire at me. The
only way I can hurt him is by getting up close to him, and he ends up
killing me before I kill him. Please help, I'M DESPERATE!!!!!!
///This time, James Thornhill has the answer...
You have to put on the power gloves, jump the spike, hit the dragon about
4 or 5 times, then jump back over the spike and then wait until the dragon
quits breathing fire then again jump the spike and punch the dragon. It is
a timing thing. It take 30 punches to kill him.
///Nathan Wong comments on his latest purchases...
After reading everyones suggestions and reviews of games I decided to pick
up Pinball Jam and Shadow of the Beast. After playing Pinball Jam for a
few hours I have to admit it really is addicting. It's a fantastic game
once you get used to the scrolling and the board layout. That game was
well worth the money I paid.
Shadow of the Beast had the biggest hype of the two from a lot of people,
so I just had to see what the game was all about. It was suppose to have
wonderful sound, 32 colors on the screen, and just be an overall great
game. Well, I put it in my Lynx unit and 10 minutes later I was playing
Pinball Jam. I wasn't too impressed. Sure the unit had everything that
was advertised, but adventure games just aren't my cup of tea when all you
do is die and then have to start all over again. No thanks. If you were
wondering what I considered a good adventure game it would be the Secret
of Monkey Island series and Pitfall 2.
I'll probably give it to my little brother and sister because they like
adventure games more than I do so they'll enjoy this game.
If you're in the market for Shadow of the Beast make sure you have a lot
of patience and not get frustrated too easily. Also, make sure you LOVE
adventure games.
///Finally, to wrap it all up for this month, some comments from Tom McComb
on BattleWheels...
Well, I have had my copy of the final beta EPROM of Battle Wheels for a
few days now.
I suppose you'd all like to know what I think about it.
It's ho-hum. _NOT_!
This game sets a new standard of excellance on the LYNX. A new Plateau
has been established.
I am truly amazed they have squeezed all of this into a 128K ROM. Wow.
Forget about MidiMaze, Kill-a-Happy-Face and FaceBall 2000. We don't need
them any more. This is the real thing. In the words of Ray Charles...
"Uh-Huh".
I have been playing this thing against 5 computer opponents and I'm blown
over. I _can't_ wait to LYNK up with real people- that'll make this
incredible game even better.
When it appears in stores, RUN, don't walk!, RUN and get a copy for you
and each of your friends!
Sure, it's violent, it's graphic, it's bloody, but hey, it's FUN!
\\\As you can see, people are really talking it up on CompuServe about the
Lynx! Before we go, here's some messages from STAR*LINX BBS:
From: Big J
To: All
Date: December 14, 1992 at 9:43pm
I just recently bought Kung Food. I kept telling myself "Why am I buying a
game about food?" heh But it's very imaginitive and not bad animation, though
the graphics could have possibly been improved as well as play control. Anyone
else have this one, found anything of interest in it?
From: Jeremy Weinstein
To: Big J
Date: December 19, 1992 at 8:55am
I've got it, but frankly it has put me off a bit because the control
isn't great and it gets a little repetitve. Maybe I'll go back to it.
From: Chris Baker
To: Commodore
Date: December 23, 1992 at 4:51pm
Commodore previously wrote...
> I just read a review of Shadow of the Beast and the reviewer said there
> was more than 30 colours on the screen.If this is true, what is the
> maximum colours can the lynx display at any time and if it is more than
> 16, why doesn't Atari claim it in its ads.
To which Chris Baker replies...
there are 32 on-screen colours in SOTB. It's done through some
programming technique I don't quite understand...basically, you can
display more than 16 colours when using parallax scrolling.
Theoretically you can display hundreds of colours on screen at once, but
the more you display, the more it affects gameplay.
chris
From: Jarius
To: Chris Baker
Date: December 24, 1992 at 11:04am
Chris Baker previously wrote...
> there are 32 on-screen colours in SOTB. It's done through some
> programming technique I don't quite understand...basically, you can
> display more than 16 colours when using parallax scrolling.
> Theoretically you can display hundreds of colours on screen at once, but
> the more you display, the more it affects gameplay.
>
> chris
To which Jarius replies...
A friend of mine told me (he has the Lynx dev. docs) that you can
display 16 colors per sprite. Each individual sprite can have its own 16
colors (according to him), and the number of sprites is unlimited so...
possibly all 4096 colors, but at the loss of MUCH speed! I never verified
this with anyone else so I don't know if it is %100 true or not.
From: Sky
To: All
Date: December 29, 1992 at 8:51pm
I picked up Dracula last week and can say I think it's a great game.
Only problem is I'm stuck. I've gotten everything it seems you
can get and have been through the catacombs but don't know what to do
next. Any help would be appreciated.
John
From: Jarius
To: Sky
Date: December 30, 1992 at 4:42am
Sky previously wrote...
> I picked up Dracula last week and can say I think it's a great game.
> Only problem is I'm stuck. I've gotten everything it seems you
> can get and have been through the catacombs but don't know what to do
> next. Any help would be appreciated.
>
> John
To which Jarius replies...
Your adventure will take a turn for the worse if you keep that light so
bright... Read ^ carefully. All you need to go on is there. If you need
more of a hint then just ask.
From: Chris Baker
To: Sky
Date: December 31, 1992 at 10:58am
Sky previously wrote...
> I picked up Dracula last week and can say I think it's a great game.
> Only problem is I'm stuck. I've gotten everything it seems you
> can get and have been through the catacombs but don't know what to do
> next. Any help would be appreciated.
>
> John
To which Chris Baker replies...
got a wooden stake?
chris
From: Chris Baker
To: Brian O'Blivion
Date: December 31, 1992 at 11:00am
Brian O'Blivion previously wrote...
> I live in the Jackson, Mississippi area and there are really only 3
> places to get Lynx games: 2 Toys R Us stores and 1 Elec. Boutique. Each
> place is more interested in home systems than portables and seems to
> supply more GB or GG stuff than Lynx. I can't even find a Lynx AC
> adapter! Few titles and NO accessories. Does anyone know of a mail
> order house that might be able to help me out?
To which Chris Baker replies...
You might try Telegames at 214-218-5800.
You can also try calling Atari direct and order from them...If you have
the December Atari Gaming Gazette or the Holiday press release (both are
available here for d/l in the file section) there is an 800 #.
chris
From: The Dragon
To: Brian O'Blivion
Date: January 6, 1993 at 4:23pm
Toad compuetrs:
1800-448-toad
410-544-6943
They're in maryland.
From: Dirk Daring
To: All
Date: January 7, 1993 at 2:11am
Well, I finally saw a screen shot of Eye of the Beholder for the Lynx.
Please, SOMEONE tell me it's about ready to hit the shelves! (Even if it
isn't true, <grin>) I've been lusting for this game for sooooo long...
From: Chris Baker
To: Dirk Daring
Date: January 8, 1993 at 4:50pm
Dirk Daring previously wrote...
> Well, I finally saw a screen shot of Eye of the Beholder for the Lynx.
> Please, SOMEONE tell me it's about ready to hit the shelves! (Even if it
> isn't true, <grin>) I've been lusting for this game for sooooo long...
To which Chris Baker replies...
sorry to say, but it's not quite ready yet...Final Eproms will go out
real soon, which means a late 1st quarter release (hopefully!).
chris
From: Chris Baker
To: Dirk Daring
Date: January 8, 1993 at 4:52pm
Dirk Daring previously wrote...
> I've got one, but I only have about five games for it... I'm waiting for
> big adventure games to keep me busy!
To which Chris Baker replies...
Check out Dracula...it's not the longest game ever made but it will keep
you busy for a while....
chris
From: Animator
To: All
Date: January 1, 1993 at 10:58am
Hey does anyone know how to kill the Three headed Dragon in the castle,
he's at the bottom of the castle. I can't figure it out?
From: Jeremy Weinstein
To: Animator
Date: January 9, 1993 at 10:42am
To finish Shadow of the Beast, you need to use a move that did not
get properly documented in the manual. Offficial Atari response
to this is that you are supposed to experiment with the control of
your character. So experiment with the control of the character
and you will discover the undocumented move you need to finish the
game.
=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
**** * * ***** *** * * **** ***** *** * * ****
* ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*** * * * **** ***** *** **** **** ***** *** ***
* * ** * * * * * * * * * * * *
**** * * ***** * * * * * ***** * * * * ****
Three new games from Atari are scheduled for release over the next month
or so. Look for complete reviews of these in our next issue.
Dinolympics From Imagitec Design, (the guys who gave us Viking Child),
"'"'"'"'"'" comes Dinolympics. You and your Cro-Magnon tribe must work
together to survive. Nothing makes dinosaurs more happy than a Cro-Mag
sandwich, so you and your people will have to use your primitive brains
to survive. Use primitive tools like the spear, rope, and fire in
numerous different ways to overcome obstacles and defend yourselves.
Each level has a different mission for you to complete before the time
limit expires. This game has passwords every few levels. You'll need
them! (1 player)
Pit Fighter Atari's first 4-megabit game for the Lynx! The toughest
"'"'"'"'"'" fighting ever is in Pit Fighter and now you can play it on
the Lynx! Digitized graphics make this way realistic fighting. Choose
your player before you take the pit for a no-holds-barred brawl. Just
like the arcade hit! (1-2 players)
Power Factor Not much info is available on this new game from Hand
"'"'"'"'"'"' Made Software, their 3rd Lynx title. Here is what we
have been able to piece together tho... You play the part of Redd Ace,
Intergalactic Hero. Set in a Xenophobe-like setting, you need to collect
the parts for a nuclear reactor, while destroying alien nasties with a
variety of laser weapons, missiles, and grenades. Throughout the game,
you can either walk, run, or fly with your jetpack, provided you have
enough fuel. The game is said to feature 11 levels to conquer, and has
3 difficulty settings. (1 player)
=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=
Wrappin' It Up Well, this concludes another issue of the Atari Gaming
'"'"'"'"'"'"'" Gazette. The next issue will be available the weekend
by Jeff Kovach of February 7th, and as mentioned earlier, it will
contain reviews of Dinolympics, Power Factor, and any
other games that are released by then. In addition, you can look forward
to the conclusion of our Batman Returns strategy guide.
We welcome your comments and questions. If you would like to write for
us, drop us a line on CompuServe or the STAR*LINX BBS, as mentioned at
the top of the issue.
Happy Lynx'n, and see you next month!
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