The Def Guide to Zzap!64

Let's kick in some open doors...again:

The zzap reviewers team seemed to have some difficulties judging
break out games/clones. (oh yeah, is it? YES!)
The totally superb 'Krakout' received a 55% rating, while it almost could have sizzled, ok, ok, maybe somewhere between 80, 85%. (addictive game, with nice touches)
The almost unplayable 'Arkanoid' (waaaaay too hard, my friends!) got 80%. (ok, the music IS fab, but that's it)
It's follow up 'revenge of Doh' is almost a sizzler (89%) while it's not THAT good, or in fact any better then 'Arkanoid'.
And when a REALLY superb breakout game passes by, like TRAZ, it still does not sizzle! (a mere 87%) TRAZ was totally cool, had an amazing two player mode AND a construction kit, cool graphics & sound and some incredible original touches, like some sort of bending balls, (oo-er) which was great fun.

I probably forgot to mention some other breakout games (addictaball springs to mind) but these are the most familiar ones.

So what was actually the problem with the break out format?
(Is this a question?)

Talking about bouncing balls, I never understood why 'Bounder' got a Gold Medal!?

And err, Delta just...(shut up!)...oi, and err Hawkeye...(no, not AGAIN!)
Wizball Gold Medal? Think so!

...and on, and on, and on...
Rob

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Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.

Re Bounder.

I never really did get into that game and it was on the Zzap Sizzlers Tape IIRC? Quite hard too I think!

I thought Bounder was/is really very good. It's imaginative, very playable, and an original spin on the platform genre. There is perhaps a little too much reliance on memorising routes, but I thoroughly enjoyed it from day 1.

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They Were Our Gods - a website charting my progress on an upcoming book of the same name, about the UK gaming scene in the 1980s.

Krakout is an excellent game, but perhaps a little too easy. When you get to a certain point, you can acquire a huge number of extra lives and just sleep through the game. (The ball-eating things do address that problem to some extent, by wasting so many lives.)

Revenge of Doh is at least an improvement on Arkanoid - the power-ups are better, the level designs are less cruel, and the different exits give it some depth.

So, no-one played TRAZ then?
It's absolutely fab, especially in 2player mode. Hilarious.
Try keeping 10+ balls into play, bloody madness!
(Do yourself a favor and try it a.s.a.p.)
Rob

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Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.

I think I got TRAZ for 2.99 (and R.I.S.K, renamed K.R.I.S., the shooter, for 2.99 at the same time).

I agree, TRAZ was a really excellent variation on the Breakout theme. I thoroughly enjoyed that one.

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They Were Our Gods - a website charting my progress on an upcoming book of the same name, about the UK gaming scene in the 1980s.

Krakout right, Arkanoid right, Delta right (it's over rated heh)... Traz is excellent though

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Another visitor... stay awhile... stay forever!

I liked most, if not all of the 'New Wave of Breakout Games' *.......
Traz, Krakout, Arkanoid, Revenge of Doh...etc..etc!
Did 'Impact' by Audiogenic ever get released for the C64?

*(C) LeeT

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Contributor to Def Tribute to ZZAP!
Compilation64 - http://compilation64.zzap64.co.uk/
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Personally I think that Revenge of Doh is by far the best of the bunch. Never liked Arkanoid nor Krakout.
But I'm one of those who never played Traz

Delta underrated. Yes. Not faultless game as it gets incredibly hard after level 20 (Sun of Dreams IIRC), but still a Sizzler at its time (overtaken later on by Katakis, Armalyte and even the short'n'easy Salamander). Ironically, I never liked the mix-e-load, Gary Penn's passion

I for one thought and still think that the Hawkeye gold medal was well deserved (still one of my absolute faves). And it's mix-e-load is the one to go for

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My top games: 1.Hawkeye, 2.Delta, 3.Creatures 2, 4.Armalyte, 5.Bubble Bobble, 6.Uridium, 7.Ikari Warriors, 8.Bionic Commando, 9.Buggy Boy, 10.Archon.

Well, it was reviewed (I checked the excellent 'zzapbible'):

Impact by Audiogenic 40% issue37 page81

So that game didn't cause a major impact on the zzaplads (groan)

I never played it myself though, so who knows, they could've been wrong!
Rob

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Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.

Arkanoid too hard? Not if you use paddles or Neos mouse, it isn't. In fact, Atari paddles are the best way of playing this one, even beating the Neos mouse for pure fun. And, as the arcade cabinet also used a paddle controller, about the closest to the real thing you'll get.

I've clocked Arkanoid many times without the need for using any cheats (although I'm sure I could have written one if required!) but it's definitely very playable indeed.

Krakout got boring after a bit for me, primarily as the layouts didn't seem to be that imaginative and got a bit repetitively. Maybe a little harshly judged but it didn't grab me as much as Arkanoid did.

Each to their own, so to speak.

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Warren Pilkington
ex-Zzap! 64, CF and HVSC Contributor

"I hope they get 14 and miss by a point.."

Oi!
Just got my copies of TGM 1&2 (thru ebay UK--it''s been a long time since I threw my originals issues away, waugh! )
and to my horror I saw the reviews (again) of Krakout & Arkanoid.
Krakout got a mere 51%, while Arkanoid got away with 89% (it almost 'sizzled') Must have been Gaz again!
Ta!
Rob

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Once again I emerge from beneath a massive pile of paper which makes my desk groan to bring you the world’s most amazing posts.

Yes, I wasn't gonna mention that now Jim

Btw you need any other TGM issues? I still have a few spare here at home...

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Another visitor... stay awhile... stay forever!

I reckon Traz... suffered because it was one of the last in a loooong line of Breakout clones. Had it have arrived before Arkanoid, or the same month, I'm guessing it would have sizzled.

As for Delta...

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http://www.craiggrannell.com | http://www.projectnoise.co.uk

I was just going to download Arkanoid to try out my atari paddles - then realised I'd need to be using a real C64 to use them!

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