Chequered Flag

Producer: Psion Sinclair
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £6.95
Language: Machine code

We are still left waiting for the definitive Spectrum version of the 'Pole Position' type game. Chequered Flag isn't it - what it is, however, is the most sophisticated program for the Spectrum with motor racing as its theme.

You are offered options to race on ten different race tracks, based on real international courses like Monaco (no buildings though), Brands Hatch and Silverstone, and with three different types of car; the nice easy automatic McFaster Special, the more difficult Psion Pegasus, or the very powerful, four gear Feretti Turbo. These choices are nicely presented with a lit window around the graphic devices which can be selected by using SPACE and ENTER.

The instrument display features speedo, rev counter, fuel and temperature gauges, gear selection indicator, timer and lap counter. You may select to race from one lap upwards. The tracks have hazards like oil and water on the road which will upset the car's performance and may even cause you to crash. Putting a wheel off the road does not cause an instant accident, but will if you persist. There may also be glass on the road, which can cause tyres to burst with dramatic consequences. The road ahead is seen in full perspective, although the horizon is flat, and includes bends and hills.

COMMENTS

Control keys: accelerate 0, brake 1, fast/slow left A/S, slow/fast right D/F, change up M, change down N
Joystick: none
Keyboard play: responsive
Use of colour good
Graphics: very good 3D effect, detailed
Sound: average, continuous
Skill levels: 3 cars
Lives: 1
Screens: 10 circuits

All the graphics work very well in this game - actually it's more like a simulation than an exciting game. You can see the nose of your car with the wheels turning, and the steering wheel, which revolves correctly, and then the road ahead. I was a bit worried that there were no hands on the steering wheel! But the great drawback to ultimate fun is the lack of any other cars on the circuit with you.

Unknown

I get the feeling that Psion see themselves in a rather serious light - which isn't to say that Chequered Flag isn't fun to play, but its appeal palls when you get the hang of guiding the various cars and begin to realise that there's no real competition spirit in it. Other cars would have been a help of course. Still, the graphics are quite impressive. Pity there are so many keys to handle, although they are quite sensensibly laid out.

Unknown

Chequered Flag looks wonderful enough and plays very well - it's what I would call a 'kind ' program because it allows you to edge off the road without killing you off. But because you are definitely in the car and not outside looking down on it, it creates a simulation rather than game feeling which left me thinking, yes very good, but a bit cold.
Unknown

SPECTRUM SOFT

Ron Smith takes a slightly jaundiced look at all that's latest and greatest in games and leisure software for the Spectrum.

Ever since the time home computing became big business, software producers have been writhing away in ever greater paroxisms of effort in their attempts to evolve games that are innovative, compulsive and exciting.

Child geniuses have been dragged out of suburban housing estates and brutally hounded into the 20th Century equivalent of sweeping chimneys - all in pursuit of the computer game fast buck. The first waves to appear were, predictably, blatant copies of the great old arcade favourites - destroy the invading aliens, and probably your own brain cells in the process. This, of course, requires a keen eye and grand prix reactions. But for those without souped-up senses, the result is usually one of boredom and frustration. Fortunately, for those like me who would get more fun out of destroying the tape cassette than the alien invaders, other more pleasurable varieties of computer game are increasingly coming to hand. This issue we take a random stroll through a cross-section of all that's new and fantastic (it says in the press release) starting with...

THEY CAME FROM OUTER SPACE

The first title to fall into this category is Galactic Abductor from Anirog Software. It's not too hard to handle, and even I managed to put together a reasonable score while attempting to stem the relentless attack of invading armoured space hawks. I particularly like the fact that only three keys are used, so you don't have to keep glancing down to see where your fingers are.

Unfortunately, one can't say the same for Missile Defence, also from Anirog. This uses no fewer than seven keys, four of which are the cursor control keys - which in my experience are the worst possible choice. Positioned as they arc (it's rather like the old chestnut of rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time) everything gets out of sync and the game's over before you can shout "Nukes away". However, after a good deal of practice (assuming you have the patience) the poor old aliens who've come to attack your cities gradually begin finding themselves in a weaker and weaker position as your skill increases. No fewer than three fire buttons are provided to wipe out the monster meanies, before they either destroy you or disappear off the edge of the screen. It's all familiar stuff.

The last game doesn't fit in this section at all - but never mind. It comes from Timescape and is entitled Wild West Hero. Predictably, the hero's job is to rid the West of the gun-totin' bandits and this, with your help, he tries to do by hurtling around the screen blasting out in all directions as the gruesome gang closes in. Control, on the pre-production version, is via the keyboard, and uses four keys (two fingers per hand being the maximum for a reasonable response for most of us) - theoretically making for an easy-to-play game. However, the combatants are nothing if not fast moving - even though Timescape has already slowed down this (version 3) over the previous (version 2). Consequently, with bullets flying thicker than a hail storm and goodie and baddies moving at lunatic pace, this little number is certainly not one for those of slow or nervous disposition; even a rapidly plugged-in joystick did little to help me catch up with the action. For the record, by the way, the first two games mentioned were also joystick compatible.

GRAPHIC ADVENTURES

'Ask a silly question, get a silly answer' - is a maxim that might well be seen as the basis for most adventure games with their thin plots, limited vocabulary and text-only approach. Interestingly though, the latest releases are beginning to move away from this.

Two of the better new titles are Xadom and Smugglers Cove, both from Quicksilva. Xadom is a 3D hi-res arcade quality adventure where you, as SOL agent MM have to disappear off in search of some artefact that is stashed away in one of 20 rooms. Every time a room is entered, naturally, a new challenge awaits and each must be overcome before it is possible to move on to the next room.

Differing slightly, and more like a traditional adventure, is Smugglers Cove. This offers text with the delights of hi-res graphics, while you visit 27 locations, somehow or other picking up 65 objects along the way (without so much as a sack). One point here is the game's lightning response to your directions, something which many previous adventure game incarnations have been less than famous for. Both of these are well worth a spin.

CRL's Woods of Winter, however, is a new release that still suffers the perils of being text-only. It also has a slow response time - so much so that on several occasions I was left scratching myself and deliberating the state of the universe before - eventually - the program decided it was good manners to respond. To be fair, it does plot your progress (should you make any) through the cold woods of winter, which presumably can be quite useful at times. Should you ever manage to come in from the cold, you'll find sanctuary in a warm castle. Actually it's a good game for those with plenty of patience and an over-active imagination.

Velnor's Lair, from Quicksilva, is yet another text-only adventure, but one with a faster response time that doesn't tax the patience to quite the same degree. As an adventurer you can choose to be a wizard, warrior or priest, depending on your inclination. For no particular reason I chose to be a wizard, despite my ineptitude at casting either spells or enemies into oblivion. Naturally I soon met an untimely end. But where this game triumphs over other text-only adventures is in its use of vocabulary. Often it can take aeons to get into the swing of adventure games - understanding the individual programmer's own peculiar logic and choice of words, etc. Here, for some reason not immediately apparent, I found the game responding easily to my instructions.

Overall, the category contained an above average selection with one semi-adventure (Xadom), one text and graphics mixed (infinitely better in my opinion) and two giving text only. In truth, though, the big worry with all adventures is their great similarity and the obvious restriction on use of vocabulary.

FUN & GAMES

"Look at my wonderful new clothes!"" boasted the emperor. Everyone remained silent except the little boy who gave the straightforward opinion that the silly fool wasn't wearing any. This showed a certain degree of naivety and lack of cynicism - just the kind of qualities you might find ideal to survive the offerings ahead.

Bugaboo (Quicksilva) features a likeable little flea (if that's not a contradiction in terms) which, due to some unfortunate time warp perhaps, has fallen through the inky spaces between worlds and ended up somewhere rather unpleasant. What will our micro nipper find there... will it ever survive? I had several goes at the game, reacting differently each time to it. Sometimes I felt sympathetic as the poor creature tried desperately to escape from its pursuers, sometimes an evil grin and a wicked heart triumphed as the poor fool smashed its head for the hundredth time. Love or loathing, there's always a strong feeling for the flea!

Pathos, however, is unlikely to raise its tragic head in the case of Manic Miner from Bug-Byte; it's more a case of frustration and panic as you guide Willy the miner through the underground caverns to the surface, and riches. Starting off in the central cavern, he has to be helped past numerous obstacles on his way to the next. As ever, though, it's a case of one step forward, any number back, as you master the first hazard only to fail dismally at understanding the complexity of the second.

LIFE'S LITTLE PLEASURES

There's no real reason why computer games should always be difficult; sometimes it's fun to switch to something where success comes easily - if only to restore a damaged ego.

Slap Dab from Anirog Software is just such a game, and it involves helping Sam the Painter splash around with his oversized brush so that he can get the job finished. Of course it's not quite that simple, because no sooner has he started slapping on the paint then he disturbs the woodworms - who don't fancy the idea of changing colour this week. They decide to seek revenge by chasing Sam as he works. But fortunately for him, our slimy friends can only travel on the part that's been painted, so one way of him avoiding capture is to leave by an unpainted escape route.

Sounds like the stuff of which nightmares are made! Another conceptually simple game is Traxx, from Quicksilva. It opens with a large yellow grid consisting of 30 squares, and in essence it's similar to the hoary old children's pencil and paper game of 'dots', where the idea is to join the points up into squares. The game starts with one side of one square coloured red, and your spaceship (what else?) in the red sector. From then on you must move around, colouring as many squares as you can. But be warned, you are being pursued, although exactly how many enemies and at what speed they chase is entirely up to you. Choosing the fastest speed with the maximum number of pursuers (nine) makes for a near impossible task, although as usual it's easier with a joystick.

Rabbit Software's Quackers is virtually identical to a shooting gallery at the fair. Ducks and rabbits glide across the screen so slowly that it's almost impossible to miss them, although it's almost more fun if you try. Slightly more difficult is the last part of the game where, having gunned down all the targets, you're given the chance to 'keep the turtle hopping' by shooting at it as it moves quickly across the screen. A few moments of gratuitous violence for all concerned.

Slap Dab and Traxx are both joystick compatible, but surprisingly, Quackers isn't. It does, however, let you define your own keys.

OTHER STUFF

The three titles lumped together here have little in common, other than the fact that they are somewhat unremarkable - and also rather difficult. Quicksilva's 3D Strategy is a 3D noughts and crosses game that the maker claims is virtually unbeatable. Those into mind-bending puzzles will probably enjoy it.

But away from strategy and on to games requiring fast reactions, there's Escape MCP from Rabbit Software and Gridrunner from Quicksilva. The first of these finds you de-atomized by a chip (Z80 in this case) and trapped in a maze. There's also something called the MCP (male chauvinist pig, perhaps?) that apparently knows your escape plan and, armed with this information, is not only going to prevent you from getting away, but is also hell bent on securing your prompt destruction. The usual, friendly, stuff.

A little less strange may be Gridrunner, although it's hard to say when there's no instructions to tell you what's going on. However, it seemed safe to assume that I'd better start destroying something before it destroyed me. The screen is covered by a red grid, along the top of which moves a blue wormlike 'something' - presumably the enemy. It progresses across the screen, then down a line, and so on. But as each part of the 'something' is hit. It starts flapping about and moving much faster than before. Interesting - I can't wait to read the instructions!

STIMULATING SIMULATIONS

I must own up to a predilection for the kind of games that simulate 'real life' in some way. After all, how many of us get the chance to drive a racing car, fly an airliner, or practice being a brain surgeon? Well, courtesy of Psion, Rabbit Software and Protek Computing, we can indulge in renewed fantasy, over the first two at least.

First of all from Psion comes Chequered Flag - a game that will find you lapping away on some of the world's most famous motor racing circuits - from the relative safety of your own living room. It also features a choice of three cars, and for those who feel a little uneasy about gear changing, an automatic has been included. Intrepid participants will have to watch the dashboard instruments carefully to make sure they're not going too fast, running out of fuel, overheating, or about to encounter any of the other hazards involved in grand prix racing. As well as watching out for mechanical failure you'll need to keep an eye out for oil, water and glass, any one of which is likely to lure you into untimely disaster. But the most impressive feature of Chequered Flag is the view from the car as you hurtle like a maniac around the track.

Still behind the wheel, but not this time a simulation, is Race Fun from Rabbit Software. It's your chance to prove what a crazy driver you are, by speeding down a narrow country lane at 120mph. The faster you drive, the more points you'll make, but of course the more chance there is of crashing.

Airliner, from Protek Computing, is a realistic simulation of what it's like flying a commercial aircraft. All the normal controls are present, enabling you to take off, manoeuvre, navigate and land; it's also compatible with Protek's joystick, which does add to the fun. Flying the plane successfully requires a good amount of practice - in fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was almost as complex as the real thing. A map is included to show the aircraft's position, and this can be turned on or off at the touch of a key. It's a well written and sophisticated program, but the lack of a view from the cockpit is disappointing, especially when you consider the popular Flight Simulation from Psion. However, Protek's program fits into 16K, while Psion's needs 48K.

WE LOOKED AT...

Galactic Abductor (16/48K), Anirog Software, £5.95
Missile Defence (16/48K), Anirog Software. £5.95
Wild West Hero (48K), Timescape, £5.90
Xadom (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Smugglers Cove (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Woods of Winter (48K), CRL, £5.95
Velnor's Lair (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Bugaboo (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Manic Miner (48K), Bug-Byte, £7.95
Ant Attack (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Slap Dab (16/48K), Anirog Software, £5.95
Traxx (48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Quackers (16/48K), Rabbit Software, £5.95
3D Strategy (16/48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Escape MCP (16/48K), Rabbit Software, £5.99
Gridrunner (16/48K), Quicksilva, £6.95
Chequered Flag (48K), Psion, £6.95
Race Fun (48K), Rabbit Software, £5.99
Airliner (16/48K), Protek. £5.95

Producer: Psion, 48K
£6.95 (3)

Not the definitive Specturm version of 'Pole Position', as many hoped, but an excellent simulation of motor racing. Here you may drive three different types of car around ten different race tracks. There are no other cars on the road however, so this really isn't a game in the usual excitement sense. Very reasonable 3D effect for the road and flattish landscape, which does include mild hills as well. Hazards include bends, water and oil on the road and glass which can cause blow outs. Instead of seeing the car in full perspective, 'you' are inside, your view looking out . The control keys are a little awkward, being too far apart, and there was a general feeling that, while being an impressive program, it was a little 'cold' in feeling. Overall CRASH rating 71%. Machine code.

CHEQUERED FLAG
Psion

So here we are. The official First-Ever Driving Game. So what's it like then? Well, it's one of those where you get the view from the driver's seat as you race round the track (with a choice of things like 'Micro Drive' and 'Psion Park' as well as genuine ones like Silverstone) in your McFaster Special (or Psion Pegasus or Ferrati Turbo). There are obstacles to avoid, like oil, glass and water, but not much in the way of competition from other cars. In fact there aren't any other cars at all. It's just you out there, and it gets damned lonely at times. All you can do is race against the clock, trying to beat your lap record. On the plus side, the car handles extremely well considering its vintage, and the road is one of the best around (although there are no hills). There are gears to fiddle about with if you choose the second or third car, and there's a great crash effect too. (Even better than the one in Flight Simulation.)

A good first attempt then, but it won't hold your attention for long.

NEW COMPANIES ON THE SINCLAIR BANDWAGON

John Gilbert looks at the latest additions to Sinclair Research's growing software library.

Sinclair Research seems to have its eye on the rest of the software market, something which it was loathe to do two months ago. It has opened its software range to such an extent that new and smaller companies, other than Artic Computing and Melbourne House, have had a chance to enter their programs into a range which already includes such programs as The Hobbit and the Artic range of adventures.

The new companies on the Sinclair Research bandwagon are Crystal Computing and Ultimate Play The Game. Crystal Computing has sold its Zeus Assembler and Monitor Disassembler to Sinclair. That means it at last has two machine code utilities, for the 48K Spectrum, in its range.

The Crystal Zeus Assembler is one of the best of its kind and provides excellent facilities for beginners and experts alike. Writing assembly language using it is almost as easy as writing Basic code. Each line of source assembly code as indexed with a number, just as Basic instructions are indexed with line numbers.

All the features which are found usually on assemblers have been included. Labels and expressions can be included within source code and strings of symbols can be entered into memory tables using the utilities in Zeus.

One of the advantages of Zeus is that you do not have to include an ORG instruction with the program to indicate to the computer where to put the object code when it has been assembled. If you omit the ORG instruction the computer will allocate the code to a space in memory.

The problem with Zeus is that you have to exit from the assembler to save the code which has been generated. If you are a beginner that can be a lengthy and nerve-racking process and you have no guarantee that you can load the code back into the computer.

Apart from the lengthy preparations for loading and saving, the assembler is still one of the best on the market. It is a pity that Sinclair Research has put it into a colourful box to justify a price rise of approximately £4. The box may look pleasant and it may improve the quality of the product on the shelf, from a commercial point of view, but the box will not help you to program.

The same is true of many of the other programs in the range. The boxes do not add anything to the product once you have it at home and paying up to £4 extra for packaging is unlikely to go down well with most customers.

The Monitor and Disassembler for the 16K/48K Spectrum is from Crystal and the price of the product has also been increased substantially. It can be used with the Zeus Assembler and will provide a disassembly of source code from your machine code programs or from the Spectrum operating system in the ROM of the machine.

The Monitor will also enable the user to assign values to the CPU registers. That means that values can be set to test machine code programs and to see how they run under certain conditions. Machine code routines can be copied from one part of memory to another and the routines can be edited in hexidecimal using the Monitor. One other useful function is to convert a hexidecimal value to decimal and vice versa when you are using the editing routines. That saves a number of calculations on paper.

The Monitor and Disassembler is the perfect companion to the Assembler but at a combined price of nearly £25 it is expensive.

The next two additions to the Sinclair software library for the Spectrum can both be regarded as mind games. Flippit, for the 16K or 48K Spectrum, has been put on a parallel with the Rubik Cube by Sinclair Research. It certainly is a maddening puzzle and almost impossible to master completely. The Flippit board is like a noughts and crosses grid - it has nine sectors, set out in a three-by-three grid. The computer labels those using the letters the alphabet, A to I, and numbers or dots fill each corner of each square.

To complete the game you must find the correct combination of numbers so that they add to the same sum horizontally, vertically and diagonally. That means the game is nothing more than the type of magic squares we all enjoyed solving when we were at school.

They can be played competitively and to emphasise the point the moves you have taken so far and the moves which you have to beat before getting the record are part of the board display.

There are three playing options. The first is New Run which will make the computer re-shuffle the numbers on the board into random patterns. The next option is similar to the first and will re-run the last random setting. That means that the order in which the numbers were placed on the last shuffle is restored.

Flippit seems so easy when you first start to play but when you have only two numbers out of place it can become irritating and it is easy to give up, rather than plodding along with the problem. If you are left with the numbers in the wrong places you may have to do major re-shuffle of the board.

The manual is concise and to the point but includes no information about strategy or play. It tells the player only how to set up the Spectrum and what are the various play options.

One other criticism is that it has no SAVE option for beginners who are puzzlers or who want to break for lunch.

The other mind game in the selection is more of a test of mind power. The Cattell IQ Test provides the user with a standard reference to any intelligence quotient. It is the type of test which potential members of Mensa, the organisation whose members have high IQs, must take.

On loading, the computer takes some time to set up the tests. There are six types of logic test which must be taken before the computer can give you an accurate IQ score. Those types include synonym finding, classification, opposites, analogies and inferences.

The results are co-ordinated from the various individual tests to give a percentile overall rating. The Spectrum will tell you eventually whether it is worthwhile applying for membership of Mensa.

After being extremely serious about the validity of the tests, throughout the manual it says in the section about the meaning of the results that the tests should not be taken too seriously and that the tests will not prove that you are a genius. Even if you cannot go around wearing a badge saying 'genius', once you have taken the Cattell test you should have some fun with the package.

Unfortunately the copy we were sent of the rests was tediously slow in producing marks for the various sections and in setting-up the data. Although it looked like a production copy of the package, Sinclair Research says that it is producing a better version of the program.

The final cassette-based program from the library, for the 48K Spectrum, is Chequered Flag and it is the only one not in a box. The program is from Psion and it is up to that company's usual standards.

The game sets you as a racing driver over one of the number of world-famous racing tracks, such as Silverstone. You can choose which car you want to use from a visual menu describing a number of well-known racing cars. You can also choose the course on which you want to travel.

The race will take place on the screen, using a three-dimensional representation of the track. Apart from the danger of crashing over the sides of the track, there is also oil on the road surface. At all costs you must avoid the oil or it could cause your car to skid. Once you have been round the track the required number of times, the chequered flag will be raised on the screen and your lap time will be given by the computer.

The graphic and real-time simulation effects produced by the software are reminiscent of the Flight Simulation program, also available from Psion through Sinclair Research. There are several tracks and cars to try, so the game should provide hours of entertainment. The quality of the game and the detail included make it one of the great games for the Spectrum.

The quality control and selection of software for the Sinclair software library has certainly increased with the release of this new batch of tapes. The boxes in which most of the products are now packaged are certainly an improvement on the cassette covers which were being used. One disadvantage for retailers will be that display shelves will be occupied more quickly by fewer products. That should be offset, though, by the prices which Sinclair is charging for its new software.

That has already caused murmurs of discontent from customers about to buy software from a company, only to find that Sinclair has bought it and the price has been increased. If Sinclair continues to raise its prices in this way the company could sell less in the way of software and customers may go elsewhere in a large market. That would be a bad move.

The 'L' Game is produced by Quicksilva. It consists of some coloured tiles on a board which are originally in the shape of an 'L' but which the computer manages to mix extremely well. The player then has to slide the tiles back into the correct order to form the 'L' in the least number of moves. It is like doing a jigsaw puzzle with no edges.

Also included on the cassette with the 'L' Game are Mastermind and Pontoon. If you like puzzles, this cassette is good value for money.

Flippit is from Sinclair Research and is a test of logic and arithmetic. The player has to get all the numbers or dots in a square in such a position that the values will be the same when added horizontally, vertically and diagonally. It is a puzzle which you will either love or hate.

The game is like a giant magic square and if you are adept at spotting combinations and have a fast calculation rate you should be able to do the puzzle fairly quickly. So far I have managed to fit the puzzle together with only two pieces remaining out of sequence. The problem is that the instructions are not so good as the puzzle and you could have difficulty in getting started.

Flippit is suited to those people who like IQ tests to learn their so-called intelligence quotient. I think that the only thing IQ tests prove is that a person can do an IQ test but if you want to learn what your rating is you might like to try The Cattell IQ Test.

I would be interested to hear your views on this or any other IQ test and also the marks you gained. Do not cheat. The Spectrum is ideally suited to such an application but is the application valid.

I hope that I have provided you with some ideas about the mind games on the market, especially those suitable as Christmas presents. You should not have too much difficulty deciding what to buy even though there is a wide area to cover.

Melbourne House, [redacted] - The Hobbit

Carnell Software, [redacted] - Volcanic Dungeon, Black Crystal, The Wrath of Magra

Sinclair Research, [redacted] - Artic Adventures A, B, C, D, Flippit

Quicksilva, [redacted] - 'L' Game.

MICRODRIVERS AIM FOR THE FASTEST LAP!

Chequered Flag is, as you might expect from the name, a Formula 1 racing simulation.

It features so me spectacular graphics, and there is a choice of ten circuits, mostly based on real race tracks, although there are also some fictitious ones too - like the Cambridge Ring and Micro Drive!

When the game has loaded you first choose your track. Then you get a choice of three cars, one of which has an automatic gearbox.

The entire lower half of the screen is taken up by your car. You see all the dials - in fact it resembles the cockpit display in Psion's flight simulation program in many ways.

Apart from the car, which is superbly drawn, there is not a lot else on the screen. Small telegraph poles fly past occasionally, but there are no other cars to pass - or to crash into!

This is one of those games which you have to be an octopus to play well. The game uses ten different keys but you only need to keep your hands on the accelerator, brake, left and right.

You also need a spare finger to change up and down through the gears, except on the automatic car.

I found the game a very real simulation of driving round a track. But steering is quite tricky and you certainly notice the lack of other cars.

Chequered Flag runs on a 48k Spectrum, and you should find it in W. H. Smith. It costs £6.95.

48K Spectrum
£6.95
Psion Computers

Hunched behind the wheel of your Formula 1 racing car the endless ribbon of tarmac unreels towards you at an incredible rate - well, quite fast. This is an impressive simulation of Atari's Pole Position, although for some reason the trees appeared to be red. Perhaps it is autumn.

Rocks, warning arrows, lakes and other landmarks zoom convincingly towards you over the horizon. The engine strains as you go up hills. Instruments require careful monitoring to achieve maximum performance and avoid skidding or overheating. You also get a choice of cars. The Feretti Turbo, the Psion Pegasus and the McFaster Special Each has its own characteristics - the McFaster has an automatic gearbox, so is ideal for beginners; the Feretti is turbocharged and develops 640 bhp between 8,000 and 10,000 revs per minute.

The dashboard display has fuel and temperature gauges, a gear selection indicator, a rev counter, a lap counter and a full analogue speedometer. Real-life hazards such as skidding on oil patches and coming off the road are well-simulated. Running over glass on the road causes a tyre to burst. You wobble violently and the car slows till you can reach the pits.

Ten circuits have been programmed in: anywhere from Psion Park to Saturn Sands, or more terrestrial venues like Silverstone or Monza. There is even a circuit whimsically entitled Micro Drive.

An impressive array of keys are used to get the fine control required, at least eight for actual driving, plus a pause and an abort key. You can turn fast left or slow left for example by pressing different keys, which is great for your co-ordination; however, this is a game which cries out for a joystick option. Nevertheless, this is one of the most effective usages yet of the Spectrum graphics facility.

Chequered Flag, written for the 48K Spectrum by Psion is, as usual on sale under the Sinclair flag.

Psion have produced probably the first top quality motor racing simulation program for the Spectrum. It uses some of the most colourful and exciting graphics yet seen on the Spectrum.

Not surprisingly the aim of the game is to negotiate your way round any of a selection of circuits selectable before you start. But nothing is that simple. The corners are tight, and must be taken at speed. There are hazards on the road - oil, water and glass. The screen is basically split up into two sections. The top two thirds is used to display the road and hazards ahead. Whilst the lower third displays various meters vital to the running of a car. The dashboard features fully analogue: fuel gauge, rev counter and temperature gauge. The gear stick is displayed showing what gear the car is in. Finally there is the steering wheel, which rotates as the car is cornered. The road and other hazards are displayed fast and furiously in realistic hi-res graphics. The effect is quite stunning.

When the game is loaded it displays a choice of ten different tracks of varying shapes and sizes. You are also given a choice of three formula one racing cars - the Feretti Turbo, Psion Pegasus and McFaster Special. Each car having a different performance and handling characteristics. The McFaster Special has an automatic gearbox, which is exceedingly useful for the beginner.

Once you have set off, you must do your utmost to avoid such hazards as oil, water, glass and rocks. If your car is damaged, or needs refueling you may pull into the pits and get attention. The overall feel of the car is surprisingly close to the real thing. The engine sound effects allows you to gauge whether the engine is being over or under revved.

Chequered Flag is one of the best programs sold for the Spectrum. It is an exciting, graphically impressive and highly enjoyable game to play - definitely a winner.

During the year since it was released Chequered Flag has rarely been out of the charts. A Formula One racing car simulation, it presented a variety of problems in programming terms which Psion solved with its customary style and solid quality.

The game involves driving one of three cars around a choice of grand prix circuits against the clock. Apart from the fiendishly complex control changes required to negotiate a circuit at high speed, additional hazards include patches of oil and water. Its strength is its ability to simulate an experience many of us dream of but will never have at first hand.

Position 14/50

WANTED - RACING DRIVER, PILOT, PRIME MINISTER...

Simulation programs are fun and educational . Among a selection of excellent games , many of them best-sellers , we find one leads the field .

Spend your time playing Manic Miner or The Hobbit and, although you may gain remarkable proficiency on the Spectrum keyboard, the chances are that you will not feel any better-equipped for any real-life experiences of wandering beneath the streets of Surbiton, or controlling the movements of a recalcitrant dwarf. Spend your time playing simulation games and not only will you enjoy some of the best games on the market but also you will benefit from the educational qualities of simulation games.

Whether your dream has always been to bring the government to its knees, form a successful rock band, become a millionaire or simply to get away from the city and take up sport in the countryside, there is a simulation game designed to help you achieve your dream in the comfort of your home. Simulation games put you into the place of another person, a jet pilot for example, provide some background information and instructions, and then allow you to make all the decisions.

UNRIVALLED SUCCESS

In the field of simulation games nothing has arrived in the Sinclair Programs office to rival The Forest - Phipps Associates, 48K Spectrum . It is a simulation of that sport seemingly least likely ever to be played on a microcomputer, orienteering. Orienteering is essentially a cross-country race across difficult terrain, to which has been added the extra dimension of navigational problems. Contestants are supplied with a map, on which is marked a number of points, each of which must be visited in order.

Points are often separated by lakes or dense forest, so the quickest route is not necessarily a straight line but can be found only by a skilled map reader. An added complication is that the map, and the area, do not include roads, footpaths or streams, and so map and compass must be used throughout.

Graham Relf, author of The Forest has, amazingly, made it possible to orienteer with a Spectrum and, more incredibly still, has fitted 11,200 sq. km. of map into the program. When the game is loaded, the scene is the start of the course, on the edge of the town and the forest. Objective number one lies around 100 metres to the north-east and is marked by a flag on arrival. The map shows that a direct route would not be too difficult; most of it is downhill and the forest through which a straight path would run is not too dense.

It is difficult, however, to run even 100 metres through trees white trying to follow a compass bearing, so the booklet accompanying the program suggests that beginners first aim for the nearby lake and then for the small flag in the middle of the forest.

The screen shows the view six metres in front of the player. It may be lake, tall trees, small trees, a town, or a selection of other types of terrain. Ten terrain symbols are shown on the screen at any time. Turning to right and left can be done by means of left and right cursor keys. Turning to face the way you have come is achieved by pressing the downward cursor key, and movement forward by pressing the upward cursor key.

Each step you take is roughly one metre long although, as in real life, your steps will vary in length and you will move with much more difficulty uphill through thick trees than when running downhill across grass. A sight set in front of you shows where the ground directly ahead of you would be if the ground were completely level. That gives a clear indication as to whether you are running uphill or downhill.

Running on a compass bearing is not possible with a computer. It is possible to estimate on which bearing you should walk, and for how far, but most players will find that a ruler and protractor make life easier.

The forest is an extremely good educational aid for anyone wishing to reach or learn map reading, compass hearings, or simply the use of ruler and protractor. The map is very accurate and there is an immense sense of achievement to be gained from finding a flag after navigating through a kilometer of forest. The program also gives a clear idea of how contour lines marked on a map relate to hills and valleys. Experienced players will find that by following the curve of a hill as they run along, they can follow contour lines on the map, which can be very helpful when crossing large areas of forest.

BEST-SELLING PROGRAMS

Better-known simulation games are the flight simulation programs Flight Simulation - 48K Spectrum and 16K ZX-81, Sinclair Research - and Fighter Pilot - 48K Spectrum, Digital Integration - both best-selling programs. Flight Simulation allows the player to take off, fly and land an aeroplane. The aircraft controls are complex and so the long instructions should be read in full before any attempt at flying is made. Despite that, first flights tend to be unmitigated disasters. Experience quickly makes the controls and instrument panels sufficiently comprehensible to make taking-off and flying possible.

The most difficult aspect of Flight Simulation is landing. There are 13 control keys to remember with which the aircraft can be controlled and even experienced simulator pilots tend to find that number is around 12 controls too many when trying to reduce height and speed at the appropriate rate, while keeping on course and keeping the aircraft level. Fighter Pilot gives the player a bigger range of options than Flight Simulation. The player can choose between being a trainee, squadron instructor or ace pilot. Flight, take-off and landing can be practiced with or without the effect of cross-winds and turbulence. As can be deduced from the program title, other options include not more complicated routes or aerial manoeuvres but the opportunity to kill as many other pilots like yourself as you wish.

While both Fighter Pilot and Flight Simulation are excellent simulation programs, the wider range of options open to the player in Fighter Pilot provide a more lasting challenge.

Chequered Flag - Sinclair Research, 48K Spectrum - is also a well-known example of a simulation game. The screen display is of the driver's view from a racing car. Before the game begins the driver can choose between three cars and a variety of the most famous racing circuits in the world.

As in a real car, there are a variety of controls from which to choose, although in a real car drivers are not expected to steer, accelerate, brake and change gear all with their hands. Moving at high speed is hair-raising enough, without the added difficulty of having to search for the brake quickly among a group of very similar Spectrum keys.

NOT A NOVEL EXPERIENCE

As a simulation the game is not as successful as flight simulation programs, partly because the large number of its imitators make the idea of driving a car on your Spectrum seem stale. Driving a car or being driven in a car is not a novel experience for Spectrum owners and so differences from real life are much more apparent than when trying to fly an aeroplane.

1984 - Incentive Software, 48K Spectrum - gives the player control of the Government of Britain from 1984 onwards. All decisions on Government spending and allocation of resources are made by the player. Radical changes in spending will not be accepted by the computer and budgetary changes which leave certain departments short of money will be queried by the computer before they are accepted.

MANAGEMENT GAME

1984 states that it is "a game of Government management" and so computer owners wishing to become involved in other aspects of British political activity, or to overthrow the Government and set up a different political system, will not find it suited to their needs.

The cassette insert includes a complex diagram, demonstrating how different sections of the economy are linked and what effects budgetary changes in any area will have. Students of economics or government may find it a helpful game to play, although it is necessarily simplistic in some areas.

It is a complex and well-thought-out simulation game. People using it for educational purposes, though, will find that the help of an experienced teacher would be necessary to indicate the problems which necessarily will arise when the player attempts to run the country on a microcomputer.

Rather more frivolous is Millionaire - Incentive, 48K Spectrum. The game involves running a software company and the aim is to make a million pounds. It is fast-moving, easily comprehensible but necessarily repetitive with clear graphics on-screen. Decisions must be made as to which kind of software should be written, how much should be produced, how it should be advertised, and how it should be marketed.

As profits increase, the size of your house, shown at the beginning of each round, will increase from being a small terrace to a large mansion.

Production of cassettes cannot exceed a certain level each month, so once you have made all the correct decisions and are selling out of stock each month there is no chance of becoming an overnight success. Another problem with the game is the irritating over-use of a luck element throughout, so that making the same decisions two games running will produce very different results.

Over-use of chance is always a flaw in a simulation game and in Millionaire it gives rise to the suspicion that success would be obtained as quickly by throwing dice to make decisions.

BUSKING IN THE SUBWAY

Along the same lines as Millionaire is it's Only Rock 'n' Roll - Virgin, 48K Spectrum. The aim is to make it as a rock star, "making it" being defined in this case as earning a million pounds and acquiring three status symbols. From busking in the subway it is possible to rise. to tours of Japan and the U.S., number one hit records and sold-out concerts at Wembley Stadium.

All that takes time, however, and Virgin judges rock stars to be over the hill within five years of the start of the game, or fewer if you choose a more difficult level. It is necessary, therefore, tO take a few risks to achieve high popularity levels as quickly as possible. It is disappointing that once you have made it in the set time there is no winning display - you continue the game until you are over the hill and then finish.

VERY SIMILAR SIEGES

A similar lack of any appropriate ending is apparent in Jerico 2 - Elephant Software, 48K Spectrum. The game can be considered with Fort Apache - Contrast Software, 16K Spectrum - as, except in theme, the two games are remarkably similar in all respects. In both the player leads a siege, in one case on an Apache fort, in the other on the city of Jerico.

Battles must be fought, weapons and equipment built and supplies fetched. Not the most accurate of simulations and not the most involving, either. Success can be obtained on Jerico 2 within half an hour, though Fort Apache is slightly more difficult.

Despite the similarities of the games, Fort Apache is better than Jerico 2, as it makes full use of the ZX-81 facilities.

THE VIDEO SPORTSMAN

Want to be a demon driver? Or a golfing wizard? Or a master of the big break? We load up the motor race, golf and pool simulations.

MOTOR RACING

The family will gasp in awe as you hurtle round the track, defying death at every bend and only occasionally have to be scraped off a billboard. Peter Connor enjoys the best of micro motor racing.

The trouble with motor racing is that it's far too dangerous, it's all very well driving round Silverstone at 200 mph looking forward to a bottle of champagne and a kiss from a beautiful blonde, but what happens if you crash? Most likely third-degree burns and three months in traction. And that's if you're lucky.

Such risks can be avoided, without losing too much of the excitement, by the simple trick of putting a racing simulation on your home computer. And there's no need to buy expensive cars or get oil all over your hands.

But which team do you want to drive for? On the Spectrum, racing correspondents think that Psion's Chequered Flag is the one to watch.

POWERFUL

This is a powerful program for the 48K model with many excellent features.

You're given a choice of ten tracks, some real and some imaginary. Three cars are available, two with manual gears and one, the McFaster Special, automatic.

It is advisable for the novice to use the McFaster, since one of the difficulties with this program is the number of keys you have to manipulate.

Chequered Flag's graphics are quite superb. The screen displays the dashboard and bonnet of the car. Ahead of you stretches the road, jet black against the rich green of the fields.

Steering around the dog-legs of Brands Hatch or the tight bends of Monaco takes time to master, especially if the road is covered with oil, water, glass or even rocks. Once you get up some speed you must keep a close eye on the instruments or you could be forced to pull into the pits because of over-heating.

Even the sound is almost convincing in this enthralling Spectrum game.

ENTERTAINING

In Chequered Flag it's just you and the car against the track and the clock. Road Racer, from Thom-EMI, is the other kind of motor racing program, in which you have to overtake other cars.

This is only a 16K program, so it's not surprising that it isn't quite as impressive as Psion's. But it's still good value and an entertaining game. The graphics are good with a blue mountain range forming a backdrop to the black track. The cars themselves come in a variety of primary colours.

The object is simply to pass as many cars as possible. Here too you must watch the instruments [or imminent over-heating. Although the game is fun, there is not really enough variety in the track to hold the players attention for very long.

Salamander's Grand Prix for the Dragon is unlikely to have you trembling with excitement. In fact. there's a good chance you'll fall asleep at the wheel. In this game for one or two players the 'cars' are merely minute black dots. It's more like racing fleas than motor-cars.

There's a choice of tracks, but it doesn't do any good. The two-player game is only marginally less tedious.

Microdeal's Morocco Grand Prix is a better bet for the car crazy Dragon owner. Here you view the track from above. You bring you own car on to it from the side and try to overtake as many rival cars as possible. The screen scrolls down, unfortunately giving you the impression that all the other cars are going backwards. But the graphics are otherwise quite good and the sound gives a tolerable imitation of a crashing noise. It's by no means a great program, but when you compare it with the opposition...

EXCITING

Le Mans, on the Commodore 64, takes its name from the famous 24-hour race in France. On the computer game you also have to drive by night as well as by day.

The track is seen from above and, as usual, you must pass as many cars as possible. Although there are no bends on this track there are plenty of chicanes and obstacles. Night driving is exciting; the screen goes dark and you see only the tail lights of cars in front.

Le Mans' graphics are strong and the sound features excellent acceleration and overtaking noises.

UNRIVALLED

Pole Position, for Atari computers, is unrivaled in micro motor racing, both in quality and price. It has essentially the same graphics as the arcade game, which means that they are superb: blue skies, snow-capped mountains and excellent cars with spinning wheels. The sound is a deafening roar of engines as you hurtle around your choice of the four tracks.

In almost every respect Pole Position is superior to other micro racing games. But when you pause to consider the price - £29.95 you realise that it ought to be the best. If it weren't, you might justifiably ask for your money back.

Of the other programs considered both Chequered Flag and Le Mans stand out for the quality of their graphics and their lasting interest.

Game: Road Racer (Thorn-EMI)
Machine: Spectrum 16/48K
Joystick: Optional
Price: £6.95
Overall Rating: 5/10

Game: Grand Prix (Salamander)
Machine: Dragon
Joystick: Necessary
Price: £7.95
Overall Rating: 2/10

Game: Morocco Grand Prix
Machine: Dragon 32 (Microdeal)
Joystick: Necessary
Price: £8.00
Overall Rating: 5/10

Game: Le Mans (Commodore)
Machine: Commodore 64
Joystick: Paddle Only
Price: £9.99
Overall Rating: 7/10

Game: Chequered Flag (Psion)
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Joystick: No
Price: £6.95
Overall Rating: 8/10

Game: Pole Position (Atari)
Machine: Atari 400, 600, XL
Joystick: Necessary
Price: £29.95
Overall Rating: 9/10

GOLF

Drive, chip and putt - without so much as a practice swing. Steve Cooke says which golf games are up to par.

Golf isn't exactly the most strenuous of sports, but if you're too lazy to venture out into the great outdoors, you can now play a brisk 18 holes from the comfort of your armchair as you gaze into your micro's monitor. In a recent series of tournaments, held in the PCG offices, the results were as follows. First, the Spectrum Open, played in fine weather with challenging performances from six contenders. First prize in this competition went to Abrasco for their well-presented game Golf played in gusting winds over nine holes. They even managed to cram their performance into 16K, giving them an edge over CRL, who were narrowly beaten into second place.

Abrasco's Golf has bold, clear graphics and a good choice of clubs. Information concerning your score and par is clearly displayed on the screen at all times. This program is also available on the Commodore 64.

LEISURELY

CRL's Handicap Golf boasted animated 3D graphics, which do add some interest to the presentation of the game, but not to the actual playing. A nice choice of clubs were available to sec you through 18 holes, but the action was perhaps slightly too leisurely, and the ball occasionally difficult to see.

DK'tronics struggled into third place with acceptable graphics, a reasonable choice of clubs, and up to 18 holes. Honourable mention must also be given to R&R for a very simple 16K game that changes hands for only £3.75. However this program doesn't offer you a choice of clubs.

Other contenders in the Spectrum Open included Virgin and Lyversoft. Virgin do versions for both 16K and 48K machines, but the graphics are poor and the presentation unimpressive. Lyversoft's was much more credible, though it was impossible to see the ball in flight - it just appeared somewhere as if by magic. This would be the equivalent of a real golfer teeing off with eyes shut, and trying to spot the ball after it had come to rest!

Oric owners can also potter round either a nine- or 18-hole course with a version of R&R's game converted for their machine. Unfortunately they'll have to pay rather more for it. No choice of clubs severely limits the interest of this game.

Teams competing in the BBC Masters included Birdie Barrage from Computasolve and Supergolf from Squirrel Software.

Supergolf departs from the usual format by displaying the course from a different angle (see screen shot). Instead of choosing the direction of your shot, you have to choose your clubs carefully to put the ball on the right trajectory.

The graphics on Supergolf were simple but very well done. Getting out of the bunker involves chucking a lot of sand about, and there are some nice splashes in the water hazards. The game is also available on the Electron.

CHUNKY

Birdie Barrage took second place with the usual display format, rather chunky graphics, and garish colours. It doesn't tell you how many shots you've had on a particular hole until you've finished but putting is given an added twist by varying conditions of the green.

If you're a Dragon owner, then Tee-Off from Dragon Data tries to capture the realism of the game with a small animated figure. He walks slowly and jerkily about the screen, poking his (unidentifiable) club at the ball. You need a joystick to play, and pressing the button makes the player swing his club and, you hope, hit the ball in the right direction.

Tee-Off is a brave attempt but you can't choose clubs, and after the novelty has worn off the limitations of the game cause one to lose interest. For a more conventional (and more interesting) game on the Dragon try Salamander's Golf, which uses the Stableford scoring system and accepts 2-4 players.

HOW GOLF GAMES WORK

Most golf games give the player an aerial view of each hole, with a close-up shot of the green to help accurate putting. First you select your club and then you input the direction of your shot using either a clock-face (or in some programs the points of the compass) as a reference. You then choose how hard you want to hit the ball.

Choice of clubs usually includes one or two woods, up to nine irons, and in some games a wedge or sand-iron. The distance the ball travels depends on the strength (usually input on a scale 0-100) and of course your choice of club.

Supergolf from Squirrel Software, has a different angle of view (see screen shot). You don't input a direction (which is chosen automatically) but you have to be very careful in your choice of clubs if you are going to clear the obstacles.

Game: Oric Golf (R&R)
Machine: Oric 48K
Price: £5.95
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: Golf (Salamander)
Machine: Dragon
Price: £7.95
Overall Rating: 5/10

Game: Golf (Lyversoft)
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Price: £5.95
Overall Rating: 5/10

Game: Birdie Barrage
Machine: BBC (Computasolve)
Price: £7.95
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: SuperGolf (Squirrel)
Machine: BBC or Electron
Price: £7.50
Overall Rating: 6/10

Game: Golf (R&R)
Machine: Spectrum 16/48K
Price: £3.75
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: Golf (DK'Tronics)
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Price: £4.95
Overall Rating: 5/10

Game: Tee-Off (Dragon Data)
Machine: Dragon
Price: £7.95
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: Golf (Virgin)
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Price: £7.95
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: Handicap Golf (CRL)
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Price: £5.95
Overall Rating: 6/10

Game: Golf (Abrasco)
Machine: Spectrum 16/48K
Price: £6.95
Overall Rating: 7/10

POOL

Move over Steve Davis. Peter 'Hurricane' Connor gives a break-down of the green baize micro games.

If you sincerely want to misspend your youth, snooker is still the best way to do it. But you no longer need to spend endless days in smoke-filled halls where the only sounds are of cues being chalked and criminal acts being planned. The miracle of modern technology means that now you can break the pack, sink a red, screw back for a colour, come off the cushion for another red and go on to make a 147 break - all in the comfort of that well-used armchair in front of your computer.

Visions produce Snooker for five different micros: BBC, Electron, Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Vic 20.

On the BBC the game is one of the best versions available. The graphics are superb, with a brilliant green table and blue cushions. All the colours are clearly distinguishable, from yellow through to pink - the only version I've seen where this is so.

REALISTIC

Your shot is controlled by moving a cross to the point on the object ball you want to hit, thus giving a high degree of accuracy. Strength of shot is easy to change and it's also possible to put spin on the ball. The behaviour of the balls is most realistic and the sound nicely mimics the familiar click of ivory on ivory.

You can't expect the same quality on the Vic 20, which is a good thing, because you don't get it. Visions' Snooker, for 3K expansion, bears little resemblance to the BBC version. It has nearly all the same features, but is not as sophisticated.

Rather than a cross you have a tiny black dot to position the cue. This is sometimes lost either against the table or one of the balls. The graphics are slightly unclear and the green of the baize is too vibrant.

Not everyone, though, wants to play snooker. Some people find the large table intimidating. Those with poor eyesight can't see the balls, let alone hit them. Pool, played on a smaller table with fewer balls, is a more suitable game.

Since pool, like snooker, is played on a table covered with green baize it seems to be exactly the right kind of game for the Dragon, whose screen display is greener than the grass on the proverbial other side.

CLEAR

Microdeal's Eight Ball, for the Dragon, is one of the better pool games around. The Dragon's green is just the job here, The display is very clear, with red striped balls and blue solids.

Sighting before you make your shot is particularly good in this version: a solid line from the ball indicates your cue position while a flashing line shows the path the cue-ball will take. This makes it easier to hit the object than in the real thing.

Another excellent feature is that the player can put spin on the cue-ball. This is done by positioning a spot on a ball displayed above the table, The computer then simulates the cue-ball striking the target ball with whatever spin - top, back or side - you've selected.

This means that you have a high degree of control over your game. The balls move very realistically when struck and the sound is almost the same as the real thing.

Abrasco's Pool, for the 48K Spectrum, is not really in the same class. Although the graphics are reasonable the balls have a jerky, creeping motion reminiscent of ants on the move.

Aiming, too, is strange. You move a circle round the cushion using the cursor keys but must place it 'in the direction from which you want to hit the ball'. Admittedly, this is the way you do it in the real game, but on the screen it can make things very awkward.

The program doesn't allow you to apply spin, but it does register fouls. Also included is a facility for up to eight people to play in a league.

The ragtime theme music from the film 'The Sting' introduces CDS's Pool for the 16 or 48K Spectrum. In this version there are only seven balls on the table, the cue-ball, three red and three blue. The graphics are clear and colourful and again your shot is aimed by moving the cursor round the cushion. Unfortunately there is no spin facility and the program does not register fouls. But for those with only 16K machines it's not a bad buy.

ZANY

Billiards is traditionally thought of as a more gentlemanly game than snooker or pool. You play it after a superb dinner to the accompaniment of brandy and cigars. Dinner jackets are worn.

Romik's Pottit, for the Commodore 64, is a zany and aggressive version, for two players, of this formerly peaceful game. If you can imagine two people trying to play billiards at the same time you will get something of the flavour of the game.

On the table there are three balls: black, white and red. Using joysticks the players control a ball each and try to pot the white. It's great fun as the players jockey for position and frantically try to manoeuvre their balls. Romik wisely advise players that 'bending the joysticks will not make the balls go any faster,'

INNOVATIONS

So whither snooker simulations? How will this game develop in future micro incarnations? A way forward is pointed out by a feature of Microdeal's Eight Ball. The ball is sometimes struck before you've released the fire-button on your stick. 'This', says the blurb, 'is a random selection designed to simulate the player mis-hitting the cue-ball.'

There's clearly great potential here: beer spilled on the table, fights over whose turn it is or even 'game over due to cue ripping the cloth.' Fortunately we'll have to wait some time for these innovations to be programmed into commercially available software!

Game: Eight Ball (Microdeal)
Price: £8.00
Machine: Dragon 32
Joystick: Necessary
Overall Rating: 8/10

Game: Pool (Abrasco)
Price: £6.95
Machine: Spectrum 48K
Joystick: No
Overall Rating: 4/10

Game: Pool (CDS)
Price: £5.95
Machine: Spectrum 16/48K
Joystick: No
Overall Rating: 6/10

Game: Pottit (Romik)
Price: £6.99
Machine: Commodore 64
Joystick: Necessary
Overall Rating: 6/10

Game: Snooker (Visions)
Price: £8.95
Machine: BBC
Joystick: Optional
Overall Rating: 7/10

Game: Snooker (Visions)
Price: £8.95
Machine: Vic 20 + 3K
Joystick: Optional
Overall Rating: 5/10

NAME: Chequered Flag
SYSTEM: Spectrum
PRICE: £6.95
PUBLISHER: Sinclair Research (Psion), [redacted]
FORMAT: Cassette
LANGUAGE: Machine Code
OTHER VERSIONS: None
OUTLETS: Mail order/retail

FLY THE FLAG

Chequered Flag is here bringing you an almost 3D, real time simulation of, guess what? Driving a racing car!

OBJECTIVES

You are a racing driver with six of the world's most famous tracks and four Psion fantasy tracks to choose from.

Not only are you spoilt for choice when it comes to circuits to race on, but you also choose from three different cars.

Unlike real racing, you race against the clock; there are no other cars to slow you down, so your task is to beat the track record for a given circuit. A record is kept throughout the game of all ten of these.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The attention to detail in this program is very thorough. Each car is built differently, each track is, of course, unique, your view out of the car even wobbles when you have a puncture.

The documentation consists of five pages of instructions printed on the inlay card. All that you really need remember are the various control keys. The rest of the instructions are duplicated in glorious colour on screen. Another useful feature is the demonstration mode.

IN PLAY

If no other game has persuaded you to buy a joystick then this one probably will - however, Psion has made no allowance for it with this software, so if you do buy one with Chequered Flag in mind, get a programmable interface, it is vital if good track times are to be set.

Having loaded a very long lump of machine code you first select your race track, then tell it how many laps you wish to race, and pick your car. Then it's fingers at the ready and wait for the green light.

The accelerator and brake are very responsive but it took quite some time to get used to the steering. Until that time I was forced to put up with a horrible screeching noise while I skidded around virtually every bend. In fact, skids or not, the program makes lots of noises, most of them not very pleasant. There is also a chugging noise that changes pitch with the engine revs. Great, but they can't be turned off!

The graphics are almost up to the 3D arcade driving games standard: almost, but alas, not quite. Chequered Flag's screen resembles that of Zzoom.

VERDICT

Once past the initial hurdle of learning to drive. I found this an incredibly addictive game. With ten tracks and three cars there's plenty of variation while the on-track hazards like glass or oil slicks keep you on your toes throughout.

GAME: Chequered Flag
SYSTEM: Spectrum
PRICE: £6.95
PUBLISHER: Psion

Chequered Flag - another Spectrum racing simulation - puts you behind the wheel of a Grand Prix racing car. The view is almost 3D with minimal scenery to give a sense of perspective, but the scrolling road is well done.

Again you have a choice of tracks with six real ones and four created by the programmers, but a new twist is the choice of three different cars.

Each car is built differently and has different handling characteristics, while a range of on-track hazards like oil slicks and broken glass will keep you on edge.

Chequered Flag is a slightly misleading title in that you're not actually racing other vehicles. You're on a time trial aiming to beat the track record for each circuit.

Control or the car 18 accurate With a very responsive brake and accelerator but steering takes some getting used to. Until you master it, you'll have to get used to the screeching as you skid round corners.

Once your driving skills develop, however, Chequered Flag is addictive and the choice of tracks and cars provides plenty of variation.