E-Type

In E-Type the player pilots a super duper space fighter as it whizzes around rubble-infested spacelanes. Unlike Asteroids, the player’s ship stays in the centre of the screen and the rocks and boulders move around him. The aim is to collect little gem-like crystal-style thingummyjigs that float across the screen. Collect enough and the player moves on to the next level. There's a power-up icon to snap up too, which causes a TV screen to appear. The player can then scroll through the weapons upgrades on offer and select whichever one takes his fancy, just like Telly Shopping.

All this would be fine if it weren't for the facts that (a) it really isn't that fun and (b) the ship's inertial control just doesn't feel right. Games of E-Type's ilk are all about having excellent control over your ship as it darts around - remember Thrust or Oids, for example - and if the game lacks this you might as welt not bother playing it at all. So don't.