~A To Z Of Computer Games
10
A10.PCX
AITD201.PCX
ALADDIN.PCX
!MARILLO.PCX
AMAZON01.PCX
AMBER.PCX
APACHE01.PCX
ATOMIX.PCX
AWTY01.PCX
POOL2501.PCX

Letter A
========

Here are some more descriptions to help you build up a collection of 
your favourite games.  Info is also included on some products with 
grand titles, but which turned out to be less than great.



A-10 TANK KILLER by DYNAMIX

Flight sim
----------

For an old-ish game, it is still surprisingly good.  The graphics 
are certainly great and, what's more, handling the plane is no way 
near as difficult as later games made it.  Well worth having a look 
at; I am sure you'll amazed.


ABRAMS BATTLE TANK by DYNAMIX

Tank sim
--------

This game might be somewhat dated, but when you play it you still 
feel you are inside a tank, and very insecure at that - because 
everyone is shooting at you.  Perhaps it is its very lack of 
sophistication what makes it easy to play; and the experience is 
very direct.


ADVANCED GALACTIC EMPIRE II by TOMAHAWK

Animated adventure
------------------

If you enjoyed Thunderstrike, then you might like this one, too - 
though it's nowhere near as good.  But it looked good, and it would 
have been if it weren't because the interface was so difficult to 
master.  I hate not being in control, don't you?


AIRBALL by MICRODEAL

Arcade
------

Excuse me while indulge in a bit of nostalgia.  Do you remember, 
lads and lasses, the days of the Speccy?  Did you spend hours 
playing the isometric Ultimate games?  Well, here is something very 
similar.  You have to guide a ball in and out of doors, up and down 
stairs, without getting it punctured, and collect a lot of goodies.  
Go on, go back to your childhood...


ALADDIN by VIRGIN

Arcade Adventure
----------------

Gorgeous Disney graphics and animation.  It puts you in mind of 
Prince of Persia and, although not quite as brilliant, it's near 
enough.  If you like this sort of thing, you'll really love this 
product.  If you don't believe me, take a look at the screen!


ALCATRAZ by INFOGRAMES

Shoot'em-up arcade
------------------

Although this is just one more blood-spilling exercise, it 
nevertheless has its own character.  The game starts with your 
mission being explained to you with the aid of a projector.  That 
helps - normally you are just tossed in and left to flounder about.  
Next, you get on with it and have to fight a lot of people, but at 
least you are able to pick up their weapons, so you have an 
inexhaustible source.  The main thing about this game is that it can 
be played by two people at once, something which should avoid fights 
between friends and siblings.


ALIEN BREED by TEAM 17

Arcade
------

This is a very nice product indeed.  You get a guy investigating an 
alien invasion, shooting monsters and picking up useful things, 
above all, keys - which allow you to search more of the area.   I 
know it sounds like you've seen it all before, but this one is 
different, believe me.  It rather reminded me of Dark Spyre.


ALONE IN THE DARK, I and II, by INFOGRAMES

Animated adventure
------------------

When the first Alone in The Dark came out it caused a furore amongst 
adventure players because it was so unique.  You had this 3-D guy 
you had to manoeuvre and he was horrendously clumsy.  Keeping him 
alive while investigating a spooky house was a major undertaking, 
though once people got used to handling him and making mince meat 
out of the opposition, everyone enjoyed themselves hugely.  It was a 
tough game to solve, too.  Many people felt that Alone in The Dark 
II was a bit over the top, though, since everyone got killed before 
they could even get into the house.  I believe there is an AITD III 
coming up, I wonder what that will be like.


ALTERNATE REALITY - THE CITY by DATASOFT

RPG
---

Lousy graphics and lousy game - you get killed every few seconds, 
before you've had a chance to get to know your surroundings.  They 
don't write games like that any more...thank God!


AMARILLO SLIM by VILLACRESPO

Poker game
----------

Very nice graphics and very strange rules.  Fortunately, if in doubt 
you can always ask the Tutor.  There is extensive help on the screen 
- and you need it, because of the seven different types of poker on 
offer, I only recognised one!   Apart from that, play is direct and 
easy.


AMAZON:  GUARDIANS OF EDEN by ACCESS

Animated adventure
------------------

Like most Access games, this one features stunning graphics.  You 
have to investigate a mystery (so what's new?) and have to solve 
various puzzles to get on.  The whole thing is treated, 
tongue-in-cheek, like a movie.  It aims to put you in mind of the 
days when kids went to see thrillers at the local theatre on a 
Saturday afternoon.  And, indeed, it is quite as exciting as that.


AMBERSTAR by THALION

RPG
---

Now, me, I'm very fond of a good RPG.  I'm even fonder of brilliant 
graphics and a first person view.  Well, this might be a good 
adventure, but the graphics are painful, even if the are first 
person view.  I find it very difficult to concentrate on the actual 
adventure while my subconscious is going "Tsk, tsk, look at the 
pathetic graphics", if you know what I mean.  On top of that, the 
interface is unnecessarily difficult.


APACHE STRIKE by ACTIVISION

Arcade
------

If you thought you'd seen them all, look again.  You are in a 
helicopter, trying to reach a certain location, and you have to 
negotiate all manner of obstacles, and on top of that, people shoot 
at you.  Your surroundings are 3-D and you have to take split-second 
decisions because your obstacles are very solid indeed, so get 
dodging.  A refreshing change in the arcade world.


ARACHNOPHOBIA by DISNEY SOFTWARE

Arcade
------

A little bit of nonsense for spider lovers everywhere.  Travel 
around, enter the houses and clear the town of spiders.  Only you are 
not allowed to stomp on them.


ARCADE POOL by TEAM 17

Sports sim
----------

This is a very neat game of something called 8 ball pool.  I'm not 
an expert, so don't ask me what it is - all I can tell you is that 
the graphics and animation are terrific and that you can place your 
cue in all manner of places and see which way your cue ball is going 
to go.  You can play against the computer or against another 
player.  Even if you start not having any idea of how to play you 
soon will; and, what's more, you'll really enjoy it.  The sound 
effects are very realistic and I just loved the round of applause 
when I did well.   It occurred to me, too, that it might be a very 
handy exercise in learning to play real pool and how to hit the 
balls.  For such a compact program, the number of options are 
astonishing.  Also, terribly addictive.


ARE WE THERE YET? by MANLEY ASSOC.

Puzzle solving game
-------------------

This is one of my own personal favourite games.  A family get in the 
car to tour the United States and they play games to pass the time.  
The games are related to the places they visit, although somewhat 
remotely.  There is an enormous variety of puzzles and every time 
you solve one you get a piece to the final one.  The only 
unfortunate thing for us is that the emphasis is heavily American, 
and so some puzzles are hard to solve because we are not familiar 
with their fauna and flora.  Nevertheless, tremendous fun... if you 
like puzzles.  Which I do.  So there.


ARKANOID, I and II, by TAITO

Arcade
------

If ever there was an addictive game, this is it.  It's been around 
for ages and, although almost forgotten now, every time you play it 
you get hooked again.  Take it away from me!


ATOMIX by THALION

Puzzle
------

A very nice little puzzle - you have to join atoms to form the 
molecule requested and, for that, you have to manoeuvre them around 
obstacles in the right order.  It sounds easy but it's actually 
quite difficult.  It should keep you entertained for quite a while.


Compiled by Lu Richardson for Cheet Sheets Magazine.
