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PORTABLE ADDICTION Issue 06
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
PORTABLE ADDICTION #06 15 OCTOBER 1991
Newsletter for Atari Lynx, Sega Game Gear and Atari Portfolio
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Tjerk "MegaJerk" Heijmens Visser .... (Editor)
Yiri "Neuromancer" Kohl ............. (Editorial Assistant)
Mr. Portfolio ....................... (Portfolio staff writer)
Thanks to: Andre "ALU" Luyer (for nothing), Mr.Doom, Decoder, Robert
Jung, Funtronics shop, Bart Smit shop.
And NO thanks to: The HLZ, for not letting me use their PC's and Mr.
Bremmer, for slowing work on this issue of Portable
Addiction.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Editorial:
Well this has really been a great month so far, look at the amount of
games that Atari has released !!! Turbo-Sub, Scrapyard-Dog and Check-
ered-Flag. So it has been a hard month for us testing all those games
for you:-), but since we have previewed Checkered Flag in last month
issue, we did not think it would be useful to print a review in this
issue.
And as Yiri went to the US a week ago, he didn't get any articles in,
but when he returns, he will have some interesting things to tell.
Meanwhile I had some time to visit some computer shows in Holland.
There was no real news on the Portfolio and Lynx, but there was some
interresting info, you'll see it later in this issue.
And finally the Game Gear made it to Holland last week, but only with
four games available here. And I haven't been able to reach Sega or
RCA/Columbia.So Game Gear news will be a little slow for another issue. But we've
been able to get our hands on a list of games to be released before
christmas in Holland for the Game Gear.
So, read and enjoy....
Tjerk "Megajerk" Heijmens Visser
Editor.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+
HOT (?) NEWS AND GOSSIP
+-----------------------+
Atari: It has been reported that APB has over 60 levels !!!
Atari: A RPG is being prepared for the Lynx, see the press release
elsewhere in this issue.
Atari: It is rumored that Warbirds will be given as a free game with
the total Lynx system in stead of California Games. And there is
also talk of the Pouch being included in the package.
Sega: As you've read, the Game Gear has been released here, along with
Shinobi, Dragon Crystal, Columns and Psychic World.
Stores report that it has sold very good, most of them ran out
of stock within a week, but they only recieved limited supplies.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----LYNX Review----+
Scrapyard Dog
+-------------------+
Now the Lynx has a run and jump game like every other "real" gaming
system(Sega has Sonic, Nintendo has the Mario series and Nec has Bonk).
However Scrapyard Dog is not new, it was first released for the 7800
but the 7800 was never a great success, so Atari gave Louie a second
chance.
Though the game looks a bit childish with the simple graphics and the
kidnapped-dog story line, it is still fun to play.
Well,in order to save his dog Scraps from Mr. Big,Louie has to survive
24 stages. But this would be too easy, so here come the enemies, well
they are more like animals,well in fact they are animals, hired by Mr.
Big to kill you. All you have to do is avoid them, or kick a can and
hope you hit them. But the enemies don't appear random, so you'll know
this game by heart when you play it often. This means that you'll get
bored with it after a while.
But while you are playing the game,you'll find money and other bonuses
The money you can use to buy weapons or other interesting things in a
shop. The search for bonuses and bonus games make this game great fun,
But when you've found them all,this also won't be interesting for long
but keep in mind that it will take a long time before you have found
them all.
Something that could have been done better is the sound, it is there,
it is nice but it is also standard, it is the normal tune. A tune that
you hear in every game. House would sound appropriate with this game
...just a suggestion:-).
The game might not be impressive sound or graphics wise, but the
game play saves the lot.Mario made the NES popular,and Megadrive sales
are going up with Sonic, so Atari resurrected Louie. But I felt that
Mario on the NES was better than Louie on the Lynx. But if you realy
want this type of game, this won't disappoint you. People who don't
know this type of game will find that it is very addictive, but the
lack of a randomizer is still a miss.
+--RATINGS--------------------------------------------+
Graphics - 6.0 : A bit childish, but it satifies.
Sound - 5.5 : Programmers didn't have much
imagination.
Playability - 8.7 : It is very addictive at first,
Lastability - 6.0 : But later you'll know this game
by heart.
Overall - 6.5 : Every system needs a run and jump
game, and Atari created Louie.
+----------------------MEGAJERK-----------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----LYNX Review----+
Turbo-Sub
+-------------------+
Finally there is another kill-everything-you-see-and-kill-even-more
type of game for the Lynx. The theme is much like Zarlor Mercenary,you
are hired to save the world, and doing so you have to obliterate the
enemy.
The basic game play is the same as Zarlor Mercenary (which I love), it
is uncomplicated, it is nothing new really. The game play only differs
from other 3-D shooters because it has the option of diving in water.
But when you are under water you'll find out that enemies are present
there too, but also obstacles that you have to avoid and of course the
gems that you have to gather. With those gems you can upgrade your
ship or you can buy extra lifes in the cavern you enter after each
level (seventeen in total).
You start the game with eleven warships and some megabombs. Eleven
ships, that sounds like you'll have enough for the whole game, but
believe me, it is not. Thats where those Megabombs come in handy, but
they are hard to come by, so you'll never have enough of them.
The feel of the game is good, and direct. You won't have any trouble
with learning the controls.
Graphics wise the game is what the Lynx was made for, with all that
scaling stuff you can't mess up this game. The sound however is not
that impressive. Zaror Mercenary had a nice tune,but you couldn't hear
it through all the blasts of your gun, so the programmers of this game
must have thought that it was not needed. Now you only have the sound
of your gun, and a tune at the introduction. It is not much, I would
like to have some kind of up-beat tune in the game (I like to listen
to Metallica or Anthrax when I play Zarlor, but the speed-tune from
Shanghai would be nice too).
All in all the game might not be original, and it has the cliche story
line, but as it is the first of it's type for the Lynx, it will sell
good. But later, when (or if) more games are being released, it will
loose out. The player however will very much enjoy the game if he/she
has a big thirst for destruction (mindless killing) but if you are not
that violent, you'll probably get bored fast with this game.
And don't think that the Comlynx capability will save it for you, it
is not the Afterburner type of game where you can shoot each other.You
only get to see the other players score, if you want to shoot someone,
you'll have to play Warbirds.
+--RATINGS--------------------------------------------+
Graphics - 9.3 : Great mix in style, and great
scaling (ofcourse).
Sound - 4.1 : There is no music during the
game, but the sound of your
guns will be loud enough.
Playability - 8.0 : Easy (Almost standard) controles
Lastability - 6.0 : If you don't like shoot-it-and-
shoot-it-even-harder-next-time
type of games, you won't like it.
Overall - 6.9 : Fancy graphics but old (but
effective) idea.
+----------------------MEGAJERK-----------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+----LYNX preview---+
Ishido: The Way
Of The Stones
+-------------------+
Ishido will be the second strategy game for the Lynx after Shanghai.
But in stead of removing tiles, you have to place them this time. Your
goal is to fill the field with tiles. There are six different colors,
combined with six different symbols, so there are 36 different tiles.
When you place the tiles on the board, the tile will have to match the
adjecent tiles by color or by symbol.
Wether or not this will be a hit on the Lynx, I don't know. Shanghai
sold (sells) very well,and these games are basicly the same. So if you
already have Shanghai, you will have no need for another strategy game
for a while, no matter how addictive Ishido might be. So I think that
Atari could better wait a bit longer before releasing this game, but
they will release this soon (within a month).
A nice feature on Ishido is the Oracle Feature, it analyzes your
strategy. It is nice, but not that special.
Finally: The game itself is fun,but it has to compete with a game that
has been on the market longer, so don't expect it to be sold out when
it is released.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+--GAMEGEAR Review--+
Woody Pop
+-------------------+
Remember Break-Out, well here is Woody-Pop. One of the many Break-Out
clones. A bat and a ball, but now in a castle. After you have cleared
a level (room in this case) you can choose which other room you are
going to play, each room has a certain amount of points, so you get
more points if you finish a room with high value than if you finish a
room with low value (How logic).
Now the bricks, that's basic too, some bricks need one hit, some need
two etc.... but some also leave icons.
Nothing new so far, the Sega guy's did put something new in (Well, new
for me,I haven't played all Break-Out clones, but I have played a few)
Things like passing trains for instance(What the hell is a train doing
in a castle !!!!), and the train causes the ball to bounce another way.
The sound is not very special, there are few effects, and that tune is
very repetitive.
If you are new to Break-Out, this will be very addictive, and with 50
levels you'll have enough to do. But if you already know Break-Out or
one of it's clones, you might want to have a look at Devilish.
Devilish is also a Break-Out clone,but it has more *really* new ideas.
Advice: If you really want a Break-Out clone buy Develish, even if you
do not want a Break-Out clone buy Develish, it is far more better and
far more original than Woody Pop.
Woody Pop is almost an exact clone of B-O, so that's why I can't
understand why Sega has released this game for the Game Gear, or even
spent time on developing it.
I'm going to end with a quote from the Robo-Squash review (Lynx)in our
first issue, done by Yiri "Neuromancer" Kohl:
"But please leave these games in the decade where they were born! Get
real!"
+--RATINGS--------------------------------------------+
Graphics - 3.5 : Too simple, but is it possible to
make something impressive from a
bat and a ball? YES.
Sound - 5.0 : No effects, but at least it has a
tune (Droning, though).
Playability - 7.1 : Controles are good (that's the
least they could do).
Lastability - 6.6 : If you're new,it's addictive, but
if you're not new, than that is
just what it is.
Overall - 5.7 : Develish is a better bet for
the same type of game.
+-----------------------MEGAJERK----------------------+
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-------Lynx--------+
Storms over Doria
+-------------------+
Lancaster, Texas
(This is an official Telegames press release)
"The Guardians: Storms Over Doria" from Telegames will be the long
awaited first traditional Role-Playing-Game for the Atari Lynx color
portable video game. This is the fourth product published by Telegames
for the Lynx.
This product casts the player (and up to 3 other ComLynxed players) as
a Guardian, one of the legendary, roving band of heros. Each player
will select his or her character from an on-screen display of the
Guardians, each Guardian with a unique set of attributes such as
Strength, Wisdom, Dexterity, Charm, Endurance, speed, magic, etc.
The Guardians have been summoned to the Kingdom of Doria to help
locate Quellin the Master of the Mystical Arts. Quellin has kidnapped
Prince Creshin and stolen Doria's crown, The Crown of Versilles, which
gives the wearer the power to control the weather.If King Frederick of
Doria does not renounce the throne in his favor, Quellin will condemn
the Prince to eternal slavery and Doria to the eternal Winter. The
Guardians must locate and rescue the Prince and Crown, and them find
and defeat Quellin in Physical and magical combat. Failure will bring
the ultimate extinction of the kingdom of Doria.
With a three-quarter overhead perspective, the player will have to
journey across the Land of Doria(and under it in some of its dungeons)
searching for clues to the Wizard's whereabouts. Game elements include
different magical spells, numerous monsters, multiple weapons, and the
ability to talk to anyone on the streets. An internal clock will vary
responses and activities based upon time of day and day of week. A
command menu will allow you to GET, OPEN, BREAK, TALK, etc.
An original sound-track and superior graphics will make this a "must
have" title for every Lynx gamer's library.
(ETA, Late Feb @ 44.95, hint book later)
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+--------------------+
Game Gear Games List
+--------------------+
The following games will be released for the Game Gear in Holland
before Christmas.
Wonder Boy
Super Monaco GP
Columns
Mickey Mouse
Shinobi
Baseball
Golden Axe
Out Run
Space Harrier
Joe Montana Football
Pengo
G-Loc
Dragon Crystal
Psychic World
Putter Golf
Woody Pop
Ninja Gaiden
Donald Duck
Kinetic Connection
Talot
Frogger
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
+-----------------------+
International Lynx Club
+-----------------------+
When I was in Eindhoven a few weeks ago, there was a great computer
show. So I visited it, I didn't expect to find a Lynx there but there
was. In fact it was the International Lynx Club. They didn't tell me
how International it was, but all I know is that there is a German
devision and they are going to set up a Dutch division. That's where
I played Ninja Gaiden on a Lynx II, that might not sound special to
Americans, but Ninja Gaiden was only sold in limited editions,and the
Lynx II will not arrive here till January. When I played the Lynx II
I also plugged in a few other games, to see if the blinking dot was
there, but I didn't see it (not even on Chip's Challenge).
I also got a copy of their 8-page club mag, and it contained a list of
up comming games.
So here it is:
Comming soon:
720-degrees
Basketbrawl
Bill and Ted's excellent adventure
Casino
Crystal Mines II
Geo Duel
Krazy ace Miniature Golf
Grid Runner
Hard Drivin'
Hockey
Hydra
NFL Football
Robotron
Rolling Thunder
Scrapyard Dog
S.T.U.N. Runner
Toki
Tournament Cyberball
Viking Child
Vindicators
World Class soccer
Xybots
Comming later: (some of this will be new for some of you!)
Awesome Golf
Badboy Tennis
Baseball Heroes
Battlezone 2000
Blood and Goods Hockey
Demons Gate
Dino World
Dracula
Eye of the Beholder (!!!!)
Fullcourt Press (????)
Heavy Weight Contanter
Hyperdrome
Lucky Star
Malibu Bikini Volleyball (I know this one as Swimsuit Volleyball)
Ninja Gaiden III
Ninja Nerd (I'm going to call this Ninja Yiri:-)
Pitfighter
Spacewar
Super Asteroids
+ Missile Command (This is the exact way it was in the original
list so I think this means these two are on
one card!)
Switchblade II
Taxi
Qix (The list said Telegames Qiz,but I think that
was a typo.)
I tried to get descriptions of the games, but they haven't replied to
my letter, if they will replie some day,it will immediately be printed
in Portable Addiction.
And here are my updates on the list:
Pinball Shuffle
Strider II
Ishido
Kung Food
Raiden
Cabal
Dirty Larry
Allstar Basketball
Hoop Wars
Joust
Jungle Ball
Steal Home
Time Lord
In their mag (Der ComLYNXer, which is in German) they told what their
future plans are. I don't know wether or not there is an American
department, but if there are enough people applying for it, they will
have to.
If you have any questions about the club, please send a note to:
Hans-Joerg Sebastian
Siegfriedstrasse 3
D-6384 Schmitten 3
Germany
The rest of the computer show was more about Amiga's and PC's but
there was this great contest where you could win a Lynx. On a stage
there were two Klax arcade machines, and if you got the day's high-
score, you got the Lynx.
On the Atari stand there was one single Portfolio,so there was nothing
new about that. Which disappointed me,but I forgot that the Efficiency
beurs (in Amsterdam) was a few weeks later. Well that turned out to be
a disappointment too for the Portfolio. Someone demonstrated the
Braille Carrier, but that was no big revelation. There was however, a
1024Kb RAMcard, but it costs more than $500,- . The rest of the show
did have some interresting things, like the Unix TT, and the Toshiba
Laptop with color LCD (better than a Super-VGA!!), but that is not
interresting for this newsletter.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
We seem to be having a great communication problem here. Not only do
people not replie by normal mail, e-mail on Internet isn't perfect too.
First of all, the Video Game Ratings Report has vanished into thin air,
because the guy who organised it ran out of time,
and now Mr. Portfolio doesn't show a sign of life. We haven't been able
to contact him in any way. We only found out a few days before the
deadline, so there is no Portfolio news at all in this issue. We will
prepare something ourselves for the next issue just in case he doesn't
return.
A sad month so far, lets hope next month all mailing systems will work.
Tjerk "Megajerk" Heijmens Visser
==========================================================================
a15@nikhefh.nikhef.nl
