Skill

SHARK ATTACK

Games by Apollo, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$26.00-29.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 3
Longevity: 3

Some of you may have bought Shark Attack when it was titled Lochjaw. Apollo gave their cartridge a new title, but don’t let that fool you. This watery (and expensive) maze game is still all wet.

The originality of Shark Attack (or lack of it) is best exemplified by game variation 5, "Gobble." You, the deep-sea diver, must swim around the maze collecting diamonds and avoiding sharks. You get a whopping one point per diamond after returning to the screen’s center, called the shark cage. The shark cage is Diver-controlled, allowing you to temporarily escape the jaws of the hungry fish. But don’t do this for anything other than an absolute emergency — gaining points is a slow enough process in this game.

Your only other adversary is a weak reproduction of the Loch Ness Monster. "Nessie" can be easily outmaneuvered by moving to one of the screen’s four corners, called mystery caves, and tugging down on the joystick. This action will somehow send the monster back to her den momentarily and allow you to escape.

One bonus Diver is earned for every 100 points, which can take an hour or more (if you don’t first sacrifice your Diver out of boredom). And the game is over when three Divers, plus any bonus men you have earned, have all been eaten.

Aside from its unimaginative game play and below average graphics, Shark Attack also forces the player to contend with annoyingly sloppy joystick response. We found manuevering our diver to be a slow, painful process. Hitting the sides of the maze and going nowhere fast was a lot simpler. Our advice: Spend your money on one of the more classic maze games for your Atari system — like Pac-Man.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Imagic, Inc.
for Atari VCS (Archivist Note: actually for Intellivision)
$39.95/$36.00-38.00
1 player
Rating: PG
Graphics: 8
Game Play: 7
Longevity: NA

Although it takes place in a different city with different characters, Beauty and the Beast is actually Imagic’s answer to Donkey Kong’s theme, "climb the building to save the girl." Surprisingly, however, it’s a beauty of a game that we recommend to video beasts of all skill levels.

To set the tone of this one-player-only cartridge, the game begins with a cheery rendition of Sinatra’s "New York, New York." Suddenly, a "Bully" appears, dragging along a screaming young woman. Up he goes to the top of the Empire State Building (naturally), and the inevitable romantic rescue begins.

You, the climber, must use your Atari joystick and "jump" button to scale the 10 levels of this building to rescue her. While performing your video human fly act, remember: You can only climb over closed windows. And if you veer off the edge of the building or get hit by a falling object (flower pot, bird, or scurrying rat) you will perform a spectacular high dive that costs you one of your three lives. You can, however, gain a bonus life by scaling two levels (screens) during the first 12 rounds (it gets much harder later).

The best strategy we found for rescuing our captive honey is a very pleasant one — kissing. At random intervals, she will throw a big, juicy kiss to the climber from above. Catch as many of these kisses as you can. They will make your climber invincible against all obstacles for about 10 seconds while a catchy tune plays on.

And we knew we had found a "keeper" when we lost a man — and enjoyed it. Each time the climber falls off the building, you get a spectacular view of him falling down every level you’ve managed to climb. It’s a clever bit of animation but we hope that you won’t have to witness that scene too often.

PICK AXE PETE

N.A.P. Consumer Electronics
for Odyssey²
$32.95/$26.00-29.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 3
Game Play: 7
Longevity: 6

Odyssey’s new entry in the Donkey Kong lookalike contest doesn’t offer heroic rescue attempts, or beautiful girls to test your video virtues. In fact, Pick Axe Pete manages to offer good, solid game play in a climbing game that revolves entirely around your hunger for GOLD!

Your goal is to guide Pete through ten screens, each representing a seven-tiered level of the Misty Mountain Mine. Greedy ol’ Pete scrambles around the mine smashing gold boulders with his pick axe, gaining three points per nugget. Unfortunately, the pick can only be used for a few seconds at a time. Without it, all Pete can do is dodge the boulders by leaping over them, thus earning one point each.

The boulders fly out of a trio of revolving doors, located in the center of tiers one, four, and seven. Pete can reach the doors by climbing ladders that appear and disappear randomly, but can enter them only by snatching up one of the keys that also show up now and then. Going through a door leads Pete into a new maze and earns him a new pickaxe.

You should be able to get the hang of smashing boulders after just a few minutes of play, but pay close attention to how you enter the revolving doors. Wait for a ladder to appear under a door (you always begin on tier three) and climb half way to the top. Do not climb right up into the door — you’ll get stuck and lose valuable pick time. Instead, push your joystick to one side and hit the "jump" button. This will cause Pete to land to one side of the door and give you a running start at it.

We’re not overly thrilled by the graphics of this game — there’s just nothing spectacular about the way it looks. But we think most "level game" fans will enjoy Pick Axe Pete’s challenging game play.

FISHING DERBY

Activision, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$22.95/$17.50-19.50
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 4
Longevity: 5

Fishing Derby is an easily operated, nonviolent game that brings a little bit of the ol’ fishin’ hole to inexperienced video anglers.

Seated on a dock over calm water, your goal is to maneuver your baited line in front of the six rows of fish that swim below you. Your joystick controls the depth and direction of your line, and the action button reels in your catch. Your score is determined by the weight of each fish you reel in — heavier (more valuable) fish swim at deeper levels. And your only adversary is an unpredictable shark that will eat your fish if you reel it past him. Maneuver your hooked fish back and

forth until the shark swims away, then reel it in as fast as you can. And remember to always go after the heavier fish first.

We like the general theme of Fishing Derby — it’s not overloaded with unnecessary game variables. Seasoned gamers, however, will quickly "catch their limit" in this made-for-kids cartridge.

LOST LUGGAGE

Games by Apollo, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$26.00-29.00
1 player
Rating: G
Graphics: 4
Game Play: 6
Longevity: 5

Lost Luggage will test the eye/hand coordination of younger airport travelers — and their laugh reflexes as well.

As a world traveler, waiting in the airport to claim your bags, you are suddenly attacked by a crazed baggage carousel — luggage flies in all directions. Your mission is to catch all 25 bags (for 3 points each).

Our favorite game variation (game 4, switch A) includes a bomb, concealed in a terrorist’s black bag. Failure to catch this leatherette booby trap brings the game to an explosive end. Otherwise, the game ends after three bags get past you and open, scattering your underwear for all to see.

We found that Lost Luggage can be played a lot like tennis. Use the center of the screen as your base. When a bag flies to one side, rush over to catch it, then quickly return to the center. This will keep you from having to rush from one side of the screen to the other and miss valuable points.

STAMPEDE

Activision, Inc.
for Atari VCS and Mattel Intellivision
$22.95/$17.50-19.50
1 player
Rating: PG
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 7
Longevity: 6

We may not know much about ropin’ dogies, but we’re pretty sure that buckeroos of all ages will get a heap of YAHOOs out of Stampede’s unique game play and colorful animation.

As an experienced ranch hand (on horseback, of course), your job is to rope as many dogies as your rope can handle. The game is over if three dogies stray behind you. Our favorite variation is game 3, difficulty A — the dogies are far less predictable than in, say, game 1.

The secret to this game is to establish priority of herding. Concentrate first on the light brown "Jersey" cows — they’re worth a healthy 25 points each. The dark red "Herefords" and the dark brown "Guernseys" are worth 15 points each. Try to save them for last — but don’t let them get past you! The only exception to

this ranch rule is the renegade Black Angus — nab this bonus dogie as soon as you see it.

SUPER BREAKOUT

Atari, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$24.00-27.00
1 to 4 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 6
Longevity: 6

By adding a few game elements and changing the angle of play, Atari has transformed the arcade relic — Pong — into a reasonably challenging reaction/coordination game — Super Breakout.

Although there are actually five different games in this cartridge (plus two-player variations) we prefer game 7, difficulty A. It features a four-layer Brick Wall across the top of your screen, and a second four-layer Wall placed slightly below it. Your goal is to maneuver your paddle along the bottom of the screen and play vertical tennis against (and between) these walls. The bricks are eliminated by striking them with your ball.

This is an easy game to learn but the volley becomes progressively faster, and more difficult. There are, however, enough of Atari’s typical skill levels for almost anyone to break smoothly into Breakout.

CIRCUS ATARI

Atari, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$26.95/$20.00-23.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 8
Longevity: 7

Circus Atari is basically the same as Atari’s Breakout cartridge — only better. Instead of a flat paddle bouncing a ball into a brick wall, Circus Atari features animated clowns that launch each other from a springboard into three rows of moving balloons.

DEMONS TO DIAMONDS

Atari, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$26.95/$20.00-23.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 6
Game Play: 6
Longevity: 5

Demons to Diamonds will test shoot-‘em-up skills. As demons pass through a colorful void, opponents attempt to blast the creatures for points. Hitting the "good" demons rewards you with a shower of diamonds to shoot for extra points.

FIREBALL

Arcadia, Inc.
for Atari VCS (with Supercharger)
$14.95/NA
1 to 4 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 7
Longevity: 6

Arcadia’s cassette-style Fireball is a "hotter" variation of earlier cartridge games with the Breakout theme. Your goal as a juggler is to keep between two and six balls in motion, then hit them soccer-style (and handball-style) into brick walls.

FREEWAY

Activision, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$22.95/$17.50-19.50
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 8
Game Play: 6
Longevity: 5

Freeway challenges younger players’ skills in a deceptively "cute" format. Maneuver your chicken across a 10-lane highway while avoiding speeding vehicles as many times as possible within the time limit. Look for patterns in the traffic, but don’t take all day about it.

FROGGER

Parker Bros., Inc.
for Atari VCS
$34.95/$27.00-30.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 8
Game Play: 8
Longevity: 6

Frogger is just as "cute" as Freeway but more challenging. Your goal is to maneuver your frog through a highway at rush hour; a river full of logs, turtles, and alligators; and finally to the safety of a lily pad garden. A good game for all skill levels.

K.C.’S KRAZY CHASE

N.A.P. Consumer Electronics
for Odyssey²
$34.95/$28.00-31.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 7
Longevity: NA

K.C.’s Krazy Chase (sequel to N.A.P.’s K.C. Munchkin) is a pleasant combination of Pac-Man and Centipede. K.C. must race through five mazes, eating Munchies and avoiding Munchers. He must also attempt to eat a deadly Centipede-style worm. Patterns are a must.

SUBMARINE COMMANDER

Sears Tele-Games
for Atari VCS
$24.95/NA
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 5
Longevity: 3

Excluding its elaborate graphics, Submarine Commander is a very basic shooting-gallery game. Your goal is to pilot a submarine through treacherous waters while shooting as many enemy tankers, destroyers, and P.T. boats as possible.

WARLORDS

Atari, Inc.
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$24.00-27.00
1 to 4 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 7
Game Play: 7
Longevity: 7

Warlords is another Breakout-style game — with great graphics and a challenging medieval theme. You must shoot a ball (from your shield) at your opponent’s kingdom to capture his king. To defend your own walls, you can catch your opponent’s shot or simply deflect it back at him.

COSMIC CONFLICT

N.A.P Consumer Electronics
for Odyssey²
$22.95/$18.00-20.00
1 player
Rating: G
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 5
Longevity: 5

Cosmic Conflict offers little challenge to all but the least experienced players. As the commander of the Star Fighter Centurion, you must track and destroy 15 slow-moving enemy ships. An easily conquered game, unless you constantly fire at nothing.

JAWBREAKER

Tigervision
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$25.00-27.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 3
Longevity: NA

Jawbreaker is a simple maze game with Pac-Man undertones. You guide a set of teeth through a candy factory, attempting to eat as much candy as possible. Your only adversaries are smiling "Bullies" that will knock your teeth out on contact.

KING KONG

Tigervision
for Atari VCS
$31 .95/$25.00-27.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 5
Game Play: 3
Longevity: NA

This poorly executed level game requires the player to rescue "the lady" from Kong’s clutches by climbing the Empire State Building while jumping over bombs that the crudely animated ape hurls down at him. We’d rather play Coleco’s Donkey Kong any day.

LADYBUG

Coleco, Inc.
for ColecoVision
NA/$28.00-30.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 8
Game Play: 7
Longevity: NA

Ladybug is a serious competitor to Atari’s Pac-Man. Your all-too-familiar goal is to make your way through a colorful maze, eating dots and avoiding poisonous skulls and evil insects. But there’s one twist to this game; revolving doors thrust the player into a new maze.

MONKEYSHINES

N.A.P. Consumer Electronics
for Odyssey²
$32.95/$26.00-29.00
1 to 3 players
Rating: G
Graphics: 4
Game Play: 7
Longevity: 7

Monkeyshines is an amusing rendition of video tag. The game takes place in a series of mazes occupied by four scampering monkeys. Your goal is to "tag" as many of them as possible without being tagged by a red monkey. A good game for beginners.

MOUSETRAP

Coleco, Inc.
for ColecoVision
NA/$28.00-30.00
1 or 2 players
Rating: PG
Graphics: 8
Game Play: 8
Longevity: 8

Mousetrap is our favorite Pac-Man descendent. You are a timid mouse roaming a maze of hallways in search of cheese and other bonus snacks. Your main enemies are prowling cats that love to devour mice.

NIGHT STALKER

Mattel, Inc.
for Mattel Intellivision
NA/$30. 00-35. 00
1 player
Rating: PG
Graphics: 7
GamePlay:8
Longevity: 7

Think of Night Stalker as a slightly more complicated variation of Berzerk. As you travel through a colorful maze of hedges, you are pursued by a pair of bats, an equally creepy spider, and a killer robot. We score it as a top contender in the search-and-shoot maze competition.

ROOM OF DOOM

CommaVid
for Atari VCS
$31.95/$26.00-28.00
1 player
Rating:G
Graphics: 4
Game Play: 5
Longevity: 5

We think you’ll quickly tire of Room of Doom’s below-average graphics and lack of surprises. Traveling through a seven-room maze, you confront vulnerable Assassins, a hydra, a bug, and a robot. We prefer Berzerk’s more challenging game play.