Who Dares Wins II, ZX Spectrum 48k

"He who dares Rodney............"

Game - Who Dares Wins II, Alligator Software

Released - 1986

System - ZX Spectrum 48k

Commando was an arcade hit and the ZX Spectrum conversion was particualy good, but here's a game that gives it a run for its money.

Who Dares Wins II (not sure what happened to the first one) is a game I presume is based on the film starring Lewis Collins; yes, Bodie out of the Professionals. I haven't seen the film, or if I have it was so bad I don't remember the plot.

 They didn't waste any time or any of the 48k 

memory on  a loading screen

Anyway, on to the game............Bodie (can't think of a better name) is the blue fella and is controlled using the joystick or keys, tap the fire button to fire the machine gun and hold it down to throw a grenade - controls are as simple as that.

Fully customisable, ok maybe not - but you can configure 

the keys and choose a joystick type.

This plays a lot like Commando but without scrolling screens. WDWII, as it shall now be known, uses flip screens, as you clear a screen you progress up to the next. For me this gives the game an extra challenge as you want to see how many screens in you can get.

Each screen is different from the last with different obsticles and enemy types - and this is what sets it apart for me. On somes stages there are even areas of cover provided so you can take out enemies, just like an 8-bit Call of Duty. There are bunkers, derilect buildings, railways, forest and rivers to visit each one unique from the last. The graphics are colourful for a ZX Spectrum game although there is the usual colour clash to contend with.

Taking on two tanks- note the cover below the tanks get 

behind here and lob over some grenades.

The sound isn't great in WDWII, there are some very poor spot effects but none of them help the game in any way, in fact when you die it sounds a lot like uncontrollable wind!

The difficulty curve is well balanced. I played this for 30 mins or so the other day and with each new game I made a little more progress, so it kept me coming back for more, there are also some nice touches such as enemies killing their own with grendes. The collision detection seemed fair although there is some screen flicker with muliple enemies on screen which did cause me to die once or twice.

Take that you bunkers!

Summary

WDWII is a great little shooter - It is paced well with a nicely balanced difficulty level and the flip screen systen keeps you coming back for more just to see how far you can get. Each screen brings its own challenge and is graphically different from the last and so it is pleasing on the eye too.

The sound does let it down though and the screen flicker when there are multiple enemies on screen does get frustrating.

If you liked Commando then I am sure you will like this.

7/10

Don't like my review? no problem, I'm not offended! Maybe the good people at The World of Spectrum can help....http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0005673

Football Masters, Commodore Amiga 500

The football season is here..........well the 1991/1992 one

Game - Football Masters, ESP Software

Released - 1991

System - Commodore Amiga 500

Seeing as the new football season has started I thought I would kick off (see what I i did there!) with a review of a football management game for the Commodore Amiga. Football Masters largely went under the radar, mainly because it was mail order only. - you sent a cheque to ESP in sunny Southend and a week or so later back comes the game.

1 - 4 players could participate, each taking their turn before the matches were played. 

 Main Screen

From the main screen you could do the usual pick your team, buy/sell players (strangely you could only loan out players, not loan in), look at league tables and cup competitions, etc. All the players from the 1991 - 1992 season are present (I think so anyway). What made this game great for me was the speed you could rattle through a season. I can remember sitting through the night doing four seasons worth! Now, some may think that this means the game is shallow - and they would be right! The truth is this shallowness makes the game super playable. Modern football manager games have so many options it just takes out the fun, it takes half and hour just to pick a team in Football Manager 2012. I'm a busy man with a wife, two cats and half finished house - half an hour is all I get in most weeks to sit a play a game and in that time I want to feel like I have achieved something!

 

The Match Screen - these take no longer than one minute to

 play; so I still have time to paint the kitchen afterwards!

Once you have picked your team it's off to the match screen. This is literally a background showing some terraces and a clock that counts rapidly to 90 minutes. Every now and again a caption will inform you of a booking or injury and if you are lucky a goal - accompanied by a roar from the crowd. You can also make substitutions using the right mouse button.

Trying to sign the Mighty Quinn!

Following each match you get run down of all the results and league tables (you can customise which leagues you want to see). Then it is back to the main screen for the next round of matches.

Overall

It's a simple footy management game, but its simplicity makes it a winner for me. Matches come thick and fast and so after a few minutes you do get sense that have established yourself at you chosen club.

There are some strange omissions - like not being able to loan in players. The match screen could also do with a little more detail to help feedback what is gong on.

A game I recommend you try if your into football management sims. It's not up there with Championship Manager 93 - but then nothing is!

8/10