3~D Voice Chess

Amstrad CPC - Released - 1985

3-D Voice Chess is a version of the strategic board game that sees two players battle to take control of the other player's king. The chess pieces are divided into two different colored sets: white and black. The players of the sets are referred to as White and Black, respectively. Each set consists of sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. Each type of piece can move differently and understanding the differences are key to overcoming your opponent. 3-D Voice Chess sees a single player take on a computerised opponent and gives you the choice of playing as white or black. The computer has seven skill levels which will impact on the response times. Skill levels range from "Beginner" to "Correspondance" with an average response time of 8 seconds stretching to 24 hours at the maximum skill level. Not surprisingly, there's also a save function so you can keep your games ongoing As the name suggests, you also have the option of having speech output so if you have a compatible peripheral attached (or emulated!) the computer will read back the moves as they are made.

Draughts / Checkers

Amstrad CPC - Released - 1985

Draughts, also known as Checkers, is a strategy board games for two players which involve diagonal moves of uniform game pieces and mandatory captures by jumping over opponent pieces. The game is played on an 8×8 checkerboard, similar to chess, and victory comes when you have taken all of your opponents pieces or they are unable to make any further moves. This computerised version, which sees you take on a computer opponent, was written by Chris Whittington who also coded 3D Voice Chess on the CPC.

Rik the Roadie

Commodore 64 - Released - 1988

You are Rik, roadie to the world famous pop group, "Alternative Rock". In order for Alternative Rock to stay popular, you, as their roadie, must get all their equipment to the gig, take it into the hall, and set up the sound levels before the gig starts. Get to the gig as quickly as possible, avoiding all oncoming traffic. Hitting anything will cost you time, as your van is repaired. Once you are at the gig, you have to carry the equipment from the van into the hall. As amplifiers and speakers are very heavy, you cannot hold them for very long. Move as fast as possible before your endurance runs out, and you drop the very heavy (and expensive) equipment. Next you have to set up the power levels. Too low, and the audience cannot hear the group Too high, and the fuses blow. Keep the levels in the red, and as soon as the optimum level is reached, the next sound channel is automatically selected. Once all four channels have been set, you can sit back, relax and watch your group perform live on stage. Then you have to transport the equipment to the next gig, with less time to complete it in.

Rik the Roadie

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Released - 1988

You are Rik, roadie to the world famous pop group, "Alternative Rock". In order for Alternative Rock to stay popular, you, as their roadie, must get all their equipment to the gig, take it into the hall, and set up the sound levels before the gig starts. Get to the gig as quickly as possible, avoiding all oncoming traffic. Hitting anything will cost you time, as your van is repaired. Once you are at the gig, you have to carry the equipment from the van into the hall. As amplifiers and speakers are very heavy, you cannot hold them for very long. Move as fast as possible before your endurance runs out, and you drop the very heavy (and expensive) equipment. Next you have to set up the power levels. Too low, and the audience cannot hear the group Too high, and the fuses blow. Keep the levels in the red, and as soon as the optimum level is reached, the next sound channel is automatically selected. Once all four channels have been set, you can sit back, relax and watch your group perform live on stage. Then you have to transport the equipment to the next gig, with less time to complete it in.

Slug

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Released - 1988

Picture the scene. It's Friday night, 11PM. Slug and his sweetheart are settling down in front of the gogglebox to watch the Friday Nite Horror Movie, 'Emperor Hades Meets the Yak Faced Melboids from East London Part 37 (Revisited) when from out of nowhere, a huge mechanical hand reaches down and plucks your beloved from before your very eyes. Bewilderment quickly turns to determination as you vow, whatever the cost, to save her. You discover that she has been taken to a strange land where monstrous creatures roam. (No, not Glasgow, silly!) These creatures include snails, turtles, snakes, blobs on legs and sheep on springs (Hiya Jeff!) Your test then is to collect the hearts that will guarantee your girlfriend's release. The number needed to complete each screen varies with the level you are on. You must also be on the lookout for bombs. These count down from 9 to 0 before exploding, but you can defuse them simply by running into them. You may thing that all of this is too much for a lowly slug to handle, but you are armed with T.N.T.S. (Tri-Nitro-Toluene Slime!!) which will destroy the creatures on contact. So there you have it, your quest awaits.

Superchess

Amstrad CPC - Released - 1984

An early chess game from CP Software released across multiple formats, Superchess underwent a number of minor revisions over the years but the base game remained the same: a straight forward 2D representation of the game that allowed players to play against the computer, taking on either white or black pieces. Capture your opponent's king while keeping your own safe.