3D Asteroids

Acorn Atom - Released - 1982

In this game you have to fly your space craft at high speed through an asteroid storm.

3-D Noughts and Crosses

Acorn Atom - Released - 1980

3-D Noughts and Crosses is an adaptation of the board game Qubic which is commonly known as 3D Tic-Tac-Toe. The game plays like the original pencil game Tic-Tac-Toe but adds an extra dimension. Despite the title this version does not render the graphics in 3D, but has the four boards placed side by side. The concept is still the same, though, with the player needing to get four in a row either on a single board, vertically in a column or diagonally through the boards. It is played against an AI opponent whose level can be selected from one to five. The game is entirely played by entering coordinates with the keyboard.

Adventure

Acorn Electron - Released - 1984

A text adventure game released by Micro Power (aka Program Power) for the Electron and BBC Micro home computers. Your objective is to find the Princess and to bring her back from the Magic Caverns. Also, you must collect the various treasures that you will come across; there are at least seven of these. The program understands the input of single and double keywords. Commands available to you include TAKE an object, LOOK, GO NORTH, USE an object, INVENTORY which will tell you what you are carrying and SCORE to find out how many points you have gained. There are many more but part of the adventure is to discover them.

Adventure

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

A text adventure by Micro Power, aka Program Power. The object of the game is to rescue the Princess from the Magic Caverns and to retrieve as much treasure as possible.

Alien Destroyers

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

An early Basic version of Space Invaders by Micro Power (aka Program Power) and featuring diagonally-falling bullets.

Alien Swirl

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Alien Swirl is a fixed screen shoot 'em up in the style of Moon Cresta and Phoenix. The object of the game is to shoot down the waves of alien fighter craft and then successfully refuel at the end of every fourth phase for an additional bonus. Extra points can be earned for shooting the mothership which randomly flies across the top of the screen.

Asteroid Storm

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

As Commander of the Astro-runner spacecraft, you must negotiate the asteroid storm by blasting and dodging the drifting rocks. Large asteroids, when hit split into two medium sized asteroids and these in turn will break into small asteroids when hit. The small asteroids will totally disintegrate when hit. Additional hazards are the alien spacecraft. These appear at random on the screen and will try to ram and shoot you. The little ones are deadly accurate.

Astrafire

Acorn Atom - Released - 1981

Astro Navigator

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

A very early Micro Power game where you have to navigate through caves while dodging enemies in order to get to the other side of the screen. This game looks like it was initially designed for the BBC Model A.

Astro Warrior

Acorn Atom - Released - 1982

Astro Warrior is a shoot 'em up played from a top down perspective. The game's controls are different from other games of it's kind. The ship will automatically move forward once started and the player's input is limited to rotating it either left or right. The player's objective in each of the game's levels is to kill a certain number of aliens. There are four levels each with a different enemy and the number of kills required increase with the level. In addition to this the player has to keep track of the fuel level of the space ship. When running out of fuel a life is lost and to prevent this from happening the player has to move to a fuel dump in time. There are several fuel dumps on the screen but only one can be used at a certain time. The correct fuel dump is indicated next to the fuel meter in the HUD. Moving into the wrong fuel dump will lead to a crash and there will be one fuel source less in the game.

Astrobirds

Acorn Atom - Released - 1981

Astrobirds is a take on the classic Galaxian arcade game. The total invasion fleet of 19 Astrobirds shift back and forth across the screen dropping bombs. The Astrobirds carry out swooping attacks, one by one, on your laser base, which can be hit three times before the game is over. When you have successfully cleared the screen the next fleet appears. As the game goes on the Astrobirds move faster and drop more bombs until you can't cope.

Atomstore

Acorn Atom - Released - 1984

Bandits at 3 O' Clock

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Bandits At 3 O' Clock is a one or two player game for joysticks only. The one player game allows you to perfect your dogfighting technique by chasing and shooting the computer-controlled plane. The plane is controlled using the joystick. Pulling the joystick back (down) will make the plane climb; pushing forward (up) will make it dive and pushing the joystick to the side will make the plane increase speed. The option menu allows you to select 1 or 2 players, the background (day or night), clouds, flak and air-ships. A plane cannot be shot down when it is in the cloud but it can crash into the other plane. Either plane can be shot down by flak and if the player flies too close to the enemy airship it will be fired at. If the planes fly into the red at the top of the screen they will be prone to stall.

Barrage

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Barrage is a turn based artillery game for two player. Each player is in control of a gun and has to shoot projectiles at the other. In each battle there are 100 men on each side and the aim is to kill all of the enemies' men. On the screen there are also two cities which have to be avoided since hitting them leads to penalties. The landscape is generated for each new game and during the game it is redrawn as shots create craters in the ground. The game is keyboard controlled and each player has to enter values for the angle and the velocity of the shot while taking into account the wind speed and direction. Players with more than 35 men in their army will also be asked to set a delta angle and velocity which decides if shots will be spread out or fired in a tight cluster. The number of shots taken depends on how many men the player has left.

Beebtote

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Up to six players can start the game and, after entering the names of the players and a minimum bet level, you must choose the number of meetings that the game will be played over. Each meeting consists of six races. When the game starts, the form and odds for each horse in the race will be displayed and each player must choose a horse and the amount of the bet. When all bets are placed, the race will start. The game ends when either all the meetings have taken place or one of the players reaches the target amount of money.

Bumble Bee

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1984

Bumble Bee is a variation on the Pac-Man theme. It was programmed by R Barnes and published by Micro Power (Program Power) for the BBC Microcomputer.

Business Game

Acorn Atom - Released - 1984

Caveman Adventure

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

The game starts in a cave with many exits. The aim is to guide the caveman back to his tribe without falling foul of the many dangers of a wild and primitive world: wild animals, river journeys, deserts and mountains. On your travels, you find various objects which could be useful in overcoming the hazards. It is up to you to decide if it is worth picking them up, but remember that the most unlikely objects can be useful in the most unlikely situations.

Chess (Program Power)

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

Micro Power first released Chess for the BBC Micro Model A+B in 1982. They later released a version only for the Model B in 1984. It touted 6 skill levels, the ability to play as black or white, illegal moves rejection for new players, en passant, castling and move time tracking. It also had game variants such as Blitz Chess, game replay, set-up of positions for game analysis and saving unfinished games to tape.

Constellation

Acorn Atom - Released - 1984

Cosmic Combat

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Cosmic Combat is a two-player space conflict game supporting either a colour or black and white display. The arena required can be selected by cycling through the ones available. The range of bullets can be set, enabling you to choose between close and long-range combat. A border can be included to delimit the area, otherwise a wrap-around effect operates. Combat then commences, and the person with the highest number of hits after 100 seconds is the winner.

Cowboy Shoot-Out

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

The two opponents are on either side of the screen with wagons between them which roll up and down the screen. The object is to shoot your opponent four times, whoever does this first is the winner.

Croaker

Acorn Electron - Released - July 1, 1984

The objective in Croaker is to get your family of frogs safely across the busy motorway and over a polluted river into each of the lairs set in the embankment. To do this you must dodge between the traffic, then leap from logs to turtles without falling in. When all five lairs have been filled you move onto a higher phase. The roads become busier, some logs turn into crocodiles, and the turtles sometimes dive, making the whole exercise much trickier. You can jump onto a crocodile's back, but beware his jaws!

Croaker

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

A clone of the classic Frogger in which you must get five frogs back to their bases at the top of the screen. There are five lanes of traffic, three lines of logs and two lines of turtles. If you negotiate Phase 1 successfully, you move on to a higher phase. The roads become busier, some logs turn into crocodiles and the turtles sometimes dive, making the whole exercise much trickier.

Cybertron Mission

Acorn Electron - Released - 1983

Cybertron Mission is a top down game in which the player explores a maze of rooms to find various randomly placed items. Once found, touching a safe ends the level and starts the next level. Movement and firing are eight-directional. Touching a wall results in instant death by electrocution. Enemies generate in random positions when a room is entered. Linger in a room for too long, and "Spook" appears, a fast-moving creature that passes through walls, but can be temporarily stunned with shots. Each level is a maze of 4x4 rooms. In the first level, one item is needed and the player faces only slow moving "Spinners". In the second level, two items are needed and unpredictable "Clones" are added, that shoot back. In the third level, three items are needed, and the "Cyber-droid" is introduced. The player starts with five lives, and is awarded an extra life at regular score intervals, on reaching a new level, and on collecting a potion.

Cybertron Mission

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1984

Cybertron Mission is a two-dimensional shooter game, developed by Matthew Bates and released by Micro Power (a.k.a. Program Power) in 1984 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and later ported to the Commodore 64 in the same year. The game is heavily influenced by the 1982 Atari 8-bit computer game Shamus, which was itself inspired by the 1980 arcade game Berzerk.

Danger UXB

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Danger UXB is a variant of the arcade game Check Man. The player moves over a grid of squares and has to reach bombs before their counters reach zero and then explode. Each square can be moved over only once and thereafter it disappears. It is however possible to slide rows left and right and new squares will then appear. In addition to the bombs there are flags that can be collected and lethal skulls which have to be avoided. There are three difficulty levels. On the second level the bombs have shorter countdowns and on the third level the stamping boots from the arcade game appear. Theses wander around the grid and will kill the player upon contact.

Danger UXB

Acorn Electron - Released - November 1, 1983

The object of the game is to defuse the TNT time bombs before their clocks get down to zero. To do this you run from block to block, avoiding the Skulls, and enter the square with the TNT. What makes the game a challenge is that once you have stood on a block, it disappears. To get out of any tight spots, two extra keys allow you to slide the entire row you are on left or right. Points are gained for the number of squares that have been stood on, and the speed with which you defuse each bomb. Extra points are earned for running over flags. After each phase you will be given the chance to earn bonus points. Press the 'Z' key at the appropriate time to cause your man to land on the flag. If you are successful, the bonus points indicated at the top of the screen will be added to your score. There are three levels of difficulty. At level one, the ticking bombs start at 60, at level two, 40 and level three you have the added problem of stamping boots which chase you round the grid. Each level has its own separate high score table complete with sample scores and ratings to aim for. Pressing ESCAPE brings back the front page where you can select sound and also the level.

Demon Decorator

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

A Crazy Painter/Amidar style game. It had the pre-release title Painter. The object of the game is to paint the grid. You are the paint roller. To help you escape from the octopus you have stuns, three to start off with, but these can be added to if you either run over a stun diamond or complete a grid. An extra life is awarded on completion of each grid. Painting must start from an existing yellow line, and you can only paint along three sides before the brush will dry out, and the complete line will be lost.

Demon Dungeon

Acorn Atom - Released - December 5, 1980

The objective of Demon Dungeon is to escape from a dungeon full of monsters. The game is text based and the player makes his way through the dungeon by typing directional shortcuts (N, E, S, W). The player starts at level 1 and to escape has to make it to level 5 and beyond. To advance a level the player has to find a secret passage. Each cell on the map has a number that represents the likelihood of it containing something. This can be either treasure, magic stones or monsters. The game helps the player by showing his status as either red or blue. Red means that the player is moving in the right direction. When coming across a monster the player can do three actions: cast a spell, throw a magic stone or run away. Spells and magic stones have a 90% chance of killing the monster but only one spell can be used on each type of monster. Running away should only be used when the spell has been used and there are no magic stones left, since there is a 25% chance that the monster will follow and kill the player. The player only has one life and has to restart from the beginning when killed.

Gomoku

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

In the game of Gomoku, two players take turns to place pieces on a 19x19 board. Each is trying to obtain a line of 5 pieces: the line can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal – the computer plays black while you take on white.

Hyperfire

Acorn Atom - Released - 1984

Invader Force

Acorn Atom - Released - 1981

Invader Force is a Space Invaders clone. The player moves a laser cannon left and right and has to shoot down all aliens that move back and forth above him while at the same time avoid getting hit by their fire. This variant has the same features as the Taito original including a mother ship that occasionally moves across the top of the screen and shields to hide behind. The game is endless and when all aliens have been killed another (more lethal) wave will take their place. The aim is simply to get as high score as possible. The score per kill depends on the position of the alien. Aliens on the bottom two rows are worth only ten points while those on the top row are worth four times as much. The player has three lives when starting out but an extra life is earned when a full wave has been destroyed. There are six difficulty levels that determine the starting position of the aliens, their descent rate and their firing rate.

Moonraider

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1983

Moon Raider by Micro Power (aka Program Power) is similar to Acornsoft's Rocket Raid. Basically it is a sideways scrolling, laser dodging game. Your mission is to raid an alien base on the Moon. There are 6 stages of defences to overcome. You command an assault ship equipped with rapid-fire laser cannon. Fuel can be replenished by blowing up enemy fuel dumps and also by docking with the fuel transports. Points are scored for destroying the radar scanners, rockets, Ack-Ack batteries and bouncing space mines. You begin with 3 spacecraft, with a bonus ship awarded for every 10000 points amassed.

Moonraider

Acorn Electron - Released - July 1, 1984

Your mission is to raid an Alien base to destroy its Central Nucleus. Firstly, however, there are several stages to overcome. You command a highly manoeuvrable assault ship equipped with a rapid-fire laser cannon plus a limitless supply of Tyrex bombs. Keep an eyes on your fuel level which is constantly decreasing. This can be replenished by blowing up the enemy fuel dumps. Points are scored for destroying the radar scanners, rockets, ack-ack batteries and bouncing space-mines. The mission, i.e. the level of difficulty, can be selected by pressing keys A to D. Also, you can jump to any stage in a mission by pressing keys 1 to 5.

Reversi (Micro Power)

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982

You can choose whether you wish to play Black or White. Black always moves first. The object of the game is to trap and turnover the computer's counters. You can only place a counter on the board in such a position that it traps one or more of the computer's counters horizontally, vertically or diagonally against another of your counters. A constant display of how many counters you have and how many counters the computer has got is displayed in the top right hand corner. At the end of the game, the player will the most counters on the board wins.

Zombies

BBC Microcomputer System - Released - 1982