Ping Pong

by Doug Burns, Jonathan M. Smith, Martin Galway
Imagine Software Ltd
1986

LET'S DO THE TIMEWARP

Yes! We're going back in time to take a lok at some games of yester-year. Why? Because they've all been re-released for £3 each and they're in your shops now!

PING PONG
Label: Hit Squad
Price: £2.99

Ping! Pong! And other appropriate sound effects! The first of our six raves from the grave this month is Imagine's table-tennisy effort, which captures all the thrills and excitement of that fine game, ie not much your lordship.

No, no. let's be fair, this is about as good an implementation of P-P as you could expect; you view the table from your end, the bats float in a disembodied manner, and you have a fair degree of choice over your type of shot; backhand, smash, cut and drive.

The animation of the balls and the bats is fine, and the sound effects are very much what you'd imagine. The silliest aspect is the audience, all of whom look as if they have enormous triple-decker sandwiches in their mouths.

Once you've got the hang of serving it becomes pretty easy to beat the computer, but of course the game's much more fun playing with two. Check it out.

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Graphics: 58%
Playability: 60%
Overall: 59%

Summary: Good stab at enlivening a basically dull sport.

Transcript by Chris Bourne