Sky Jaguar		Grade: D
	Publisher: Opcode (2004) Reviewed: 2004/11/26

Sky Jaguar was originally developed by Konami in 1984, but ported to the Colecovision only recently. To be honest, I'm not so sure this old relic was worth resurrecting. Sky Jaguar is bland vertical shooter that's as generic as they come. The game bears a striking resemblance to Xevious, except you don't bomb things on the ground - you just shoot a variety of airborne objects. If you have any doubt about the Xevious influence, wait until you see the first boss (*cough*rip-off*cough). Sky Jaguar's scenery looks nice, particularly the craggy, red-desert canyon, but it scrolls in a jerky manner. Gameplay involves shooting rapidly while avoiding incoming missiles, but since there's no rapid-fire, you'll need to constantly press the side buttons -- which is absolute murder on your hands. A double-shot power-up eases the pain slightly, but not much. Sky Jaguar is playable, but really doesn't have much to offer. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Slither		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Coleco (1983) Reviewed: 2004/11/26

I love the game of Centipede so much that I can even enjoy cheap knock-offs like this! Slither is an interesting (but sloppily-programmed) Centipede clone designed for use with Coleco's humongous Roller Controller. The game is set in a rock-strewn desert featuring beautiful color changes, as day turns to night. Your main enemies are black snakes that bear a striking (and hilarious) resemblance to sperm. Shooting one causes it to split and plant a little green cactus in its wake. What's novel about Slither is how you can rapidly shoot either up or down, depending on which of the two fire buttons you press. In addition, you have free movement around the entire screen, although you'll still need to navigate the scattered rocks and cacti. Slither's first few levels feel like a third-rate game of Centipede, but once things heat up (and the whole screen is crawling with snakes) the action gets undeniably intense. Unfortunately, when things get crazy the visuals become messy and the animation gets rough. In a pathetic display of "animation", a pterodactyl frequently "blinks" his way across the screen. Another wandering creature looks like a small T-Rex with wings - sad! Each level begins with a short rendition of "When the Saints Come Marching In", which I really, really hate. Slither could use some polish, but it's still fun. It's one of the few titles to properly take advantage of the roller controller. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle		Grade: C
	Publisher: Coleco (1982) Reviewed: 2008/5/10

The first time I played Smurf I admired its graphics yet couldn't quite grasp its controls. It wasn't until I learned the proper jumping technique that I could enjoy the game as it was intended. Rescue In Gargamel's Castle features multi-colored characters and lush scenery. The flowery meadows, white picket fences, and wooded backdrops look absolutely gorgeous. In some screens you can even see Gargamel's castle looming in the distance! Complimenting the ample eye candy is a lively, harmonized musical score. The bass-heavy "echo" effects in the cave screens are also noteworthy. The controls however leave much to be desired. Overcoming many hazards requires performing long jumps by stopping momentarily, hopping straight up, then pushing the joystick up again just as you land. It's not the least bit intuitive, but it's critical if you want to make any progress. Would it have killed the programmer to use one of the two unused buttons for this function? I mean, really! Making matters worse is the unforgiving nature of the game. Simply touching a tuft of grass will cause your Smurf to instantly keel over! But despite glaring flaws that would doom a lesser game, Smurf still manages to be entertaining and addictive - probably because it's so tough! The obstacles seem to be randomized so you can't simply memorize the screens. The ability to "duck" from bats and birds was novel for its time, but in later stages those things behave like homing missiles! Smurf is half idiotic and half brilliant. When all is said and done, it's about a wash. Even so, die-hard Smurf fans can safely bump the grade up by a letter. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Space Fury		Grade: B-
	Publisher: Sega (1983) Reviewed: 2000/6/14

This Asteroids-style shooter features some nifty weapon power-ups; like side shots, back shots, and triple shots. The screen is full of small enemy ships which occasionally merge into larger ones (like a Asteroids in reverse). The side buttons are used to thrust and shoot, but it's quite awkward due to the Colecovision controller design. The graphics are choppy and the collision detection is suspect, but at least the explosions are satisfying. At the beginning and end of each game an alien with one eye (and a see-through head) speaks to you via scrolling text. It's a nice touch, and he lets you know how well you performed after each game. It could have been better, but Space Fury is still an entertaining shooter. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Space Panic		Grade: D-
	Publisher: Universal (1983) Reviewed: 2005/3/4

This generic platform game doesn't completely suck, but it comes close. The idea is to guide an astronaut around a series of platforms (connected by ladders) imprisoning aliens in holes. The left button is used to dig the hole with what appears to be a chicken leg. When an alien falls in, the right button fills it back up, causing the alien to drop out of the bottom and die. Dropping one alien onto another is a good strategy, and the tougher creatures need to fall through several floors to be killed. Space Panic doesn't make a lot of sense to me, and it plays like Dig Dug in slow motion. Sure it's challenging, but that's mainly due to the flaky controls. For some reason you can't dig when in close proximity to a ladder, which severely limits your options. There are some pleasant musical effects, but the graphics are downright boring. I've heard some gamers defend this, but Space Panic did not appeal to me at all. The instructions contain an extra piece of paper with "Additional tips", a sure sign that customers were having difficulty grasping the concept. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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Recommended variation(s): 1 1 or 2 players

Squish-Em Sam		Grade: B-
	Publisher: Interphase (1984) Reviewed: 2005/3/4

Despite its release by a minor third party publisher, Squish-Em Sam is a quality title that pushes the system's sound capabilities to the limit. Squish-Em Sam's main selling point is its brief digitized voice samples that play periodically throughout the game. The Colecovision console was never known for its audio prowess, so Sam's rudimentary voice synthesis was a real treat in the early 80's. The gameplay involves climbing a building, hanging from girders, then stomping on critters that crawl on each level. I love the crunchy noises the bugs make when you "squish-em" although Sam's high-pitched, chipmunk voice is kind of a turn-off. Squish-Em Sam could have gotten by on novelty value alone, but in fact it's a very enjoyable game. Besides killing bugs, you must also avoid falling objects like bricks, hammers, televisions, fire hydrants, and the obligatory kitchen sinks. Sam's graphics are only average and the bugs look pixilated, but its addictive gameplay makes it worthwhile. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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Recommended variation(s): 5 1 player

Star Wars: The Arcade Game		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Parker Bros (1984) Reviewed: 2005/5/18

This first-person Star Wars shooter looks almost exactly like the arcade version, complete with the four guns of your X-Wing on the edges of the screen. The first stage lets you blast Tie fighters to bits, and they look fantastic when they blow up. Normal ties explode into several pieces, and Vader's spins off the screen just as it does in the movie. Too bad most of your energy will be spent neutralizing their incoming fireballs. The second stage involves shooting towers on the surface of the Death Star - a scene which I don't recall from the films. Not particularly fun, it's hard to shoot the towers and also avoid running into them. Still, it's nice how the tower tops "shatter" when blasted. The climactic trench stage is well done, but frankly not much better looking than the Atari 2600 version. Oh well, at least you can hear the Star Wars theme and R2 beeping in the background. Upon blowing up the Death Star, you just see a quick flash and a lame message announcing, "The Death Star is destroyed". The game's main issue is the control; the cursor is slippery and difficult to aim with precision. Visually however, this game is a dead ringer for the arcade, and probably the best home version I've played. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Subroc		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Sega (1983) Reviewed: 2007/11/27

When I was in school in the 80's, kids lucky enough to own a Colecovision would always mention Subroc as an example of a game that could never be duplicated on the Atari 2600. They were right of course; the huge scaling sprites in this first-person shooter were truly groundbreaking for a home console. Like its arcade counterpart, Subroc challenges you to blast jets and flying saucers in the sky while launching torpedoes at ships in the shimmering sea below. The gameplay is shallow but relentlessly tough. The saucers move unpredictably, and you'll need to "lead" your torpedoes to hit moving ships. Rough scaling is used to convey incoming missiles and trashcan-shaped mines, but if you turn until they're off the screen, you're out of harm's way! That's 80's physics for you - out of sight and out of mind! The animation gets very choppy as objects fill the screen, causing the collision detection to degrade as well. Even so, the game is exciting and looks amazing. I love how there are distinctive waves and even boss encounters. Subroc's non-stop shooting action is hell on your thumb but this game is satisfying when played in short sessions. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Super Action Baseball		Grade: D-
	Publisher: Coleco (1983) Reviewed: 2001/4/14

What a *monumental* disappointment this game is! Super Action Baseball requires those huge Super Action Controllers to play, and these monstrosities feature 16 buttons, a joystick, and a roller! You really can't use them without looking ridiculous. Anyway, the main draw of Super Action Baseball is the groundbreaking pitcher/batter screen; featuring huge players. I must admit, this screen looks pretty cool, except that the players are wearing the ugliest uniforms imaginable (purple and orange?!? What were they thinking??). Unfortunately, the programmers must have spent 90% of their time on that screen alone, because the fielding screen is repugnant! Sure you can see the entire field and there's a nice-looking diamond, but the fielder movement is painfully choppy and the player graphics are completely static. The ball movement is equally horrific, featuring THE worst physics I've EVER seen in a baseball game. In addition, the control scheme is overcomplicated and more of a pain than anything else. Even the sound effects are annoying. What should have been a ground-breaking sports title is really only good for a laugh. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Super Action Football		Grade: F
	Publisher: Coleco (1983) Reviewed: 2000/4/30

At first glance, Super Action Football has mad potential. The nice-looking field is viewed from a raised angle, as if you are a spectator, and there's even a scoreboard in the background. The players are large, multi-colored, and even scale slightly as they run across the field. The game is played with the huge Super Action controllers -- which have about 73 buttons. Too bad the actual gameplay is so bad it's funny. The linemen don't even move during the play, and the three players you do control move like snails. This is by the far the slowest football game ever made, and just like Super Action Baseball, ball movement is choppy and moves with no respect to physics. The graphics are a step up from the Atari 2600 and Intellivision, but the playability is rock bottom. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players.

Super Cobra		Grade: C-
	Publisher: Parker Bros. (1983) Reviewed: 2007/2/7

For some reason I was expecting Super Cobra to be a complete dud, but it really isn't all that bad. This side-scroller puts you in command of a helicopter, navigating narrow caverns while shooting down rockets and bombing fuel dumps. You can fire forward in a rapid-fire manner, but your range is severely limited. Bombs can only be dropped one at a time, but they do fall rapidly. The helicopter looks somewhat cheesy, but in general the graphics are crisp and clean with surprisingly smooth scrolling. Steering is never a problem, even through the narrowest passages. It's sounds like a fine translation, but something's missing, and it took me a while to put my finger on it. Oh yeah - where the heck are the explosions!? I'm sorry, but it's not nearly as satisfying when you bomb a cannon and it simply disappears. Give me some random pixels or an asterisk at least! Other issues include erratic collision detection and a low level of difficulty. With only one skill level, I played this until my hand hurt. Super Cobra is respectable, but I really wish Parker Bros. had gotten off of their lazy asses and applied more polish to this one. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Tapper		Grade: D-
	Publisher: Coleco (1984) Reviewed: 2006/3/19

Wow, Coleco really butchered this old arcade classic. As an owner of a genuine Tapper arcade machine, I can attest that this lame version conveys little of the charm or frantic fun of the original. Tapper's novel premise puts you in the role of a bartender, pouring and tossing beers down four long bars in order to keep approaching patrons at bay. You also need to collect empty glasses, and you can sometimes snag cash tips for bonus points. The arcade game is tremendously playable, but this one is hard to stomach. The true culprit is the painfully choppy animation. When you toss a beer down the bar, it doesn't slide smoothly, but instead blinks twice over the entire length of the bar! Yes, it looks awful. Making matters worse, returning beer glasses move in a slow, jerky manner. They're so slow in fact that you can ignore them for the most part, causing the screen to flicker as it fills up with empties. The graphics don't help matters, thanks to yellow patrons that tend to blend in with the light gray background. There aren't a wide variety of patron types, so the "overlapping problem" that plagues the arcade version is even worse here. On a positive note, all four stages are included, along with the "find the unshaken can" bonus stage. The bonus stage definitely looks sharp, but its stilted animation makes it tough to follow the shuffled cans. Tapper's bartender character also looks good, and when you grab a tip, a musical act appears consisting of a musician and dancing monkey (no dancing girls in this version). As I usually do, I'll give this game extra credit for the monkey, despite the fact that he looks more like a big brown frog. Tapper's festive musical score is practically identical to the arcade, and the controls are responsive enough. But in the final analysis, Tapper for the Colecovision is a serious disappointment. I found the Atari 2600 version to be far more satisfying. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Tarzan		Grade: D
	Publisher: Coleco (1982) Reviewed: 2001/7/4

Tarzan tries to be a turbo-charged Jungle Hunt, but falls short due to choppy animation and mediocre gameplay. Visually, the game has plenty going for it. The graphics are gorgeous, with lush, detailed jungle scenery awash in bright colors. There are about a dozen different screens full of trees, vines, monkeys, and crocodile infested rivers. You can either take the high road by swinging on vines, or the low road by walking on the ground. Unfortunately, the ground is cluttered with cheap pit traps and snakes that appear without warning - not fun! Every few screens you'll be required to save caged monkeys from hunters or gorillas, and this is easily the highlight of the game. Tarzan can climb trees, leap, and his punches temporally daze enemies. Our hero (and his flowing hair) is nicely rendered, but his movement is choppy and the controls feel unresponsive. The background music features some nice bongo drums, but overall I was not impressed with this title. After you see all the screens, playing this game starts to feel like a chore. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Terra Attack		Grade: B-
	Publisher: Atari Age (2007) Reviewed: 2007/11/27

Combining elements of Missile Command (Atari 2600, 1981) and Atlantis (Atari 2600, 1982), Terra Attack takes a familiar formula and "kicks it up a notch". A planet surface on the bottom of the screen is lined with four towers and three cannons. Enemy ships glide across the sky above, unleashing rotating bombs. Moving the joystick up or down cycles control between your three cannons, and moving left or right lets you adjust the turret of the selected cannon. Personally, I never felt comfortable switching between cannons, and it's too easy to accidentally switch in the heat of battle. Novice players might be tempted to stick with the center cannon, but since each has a limited amount of ammo, you'll need to switch between your cannons strategically. Pressing 1-3 on the keypad initiates shield protection for each cannon, but calling these controls less than responsive is an understatement. Still, I love Terra Attack's rapid-fire shooting and its satisfying, high-resolution explosions. The game offers several distinctive waves, including a saucer-shaped boss that explodes into eleven flaming potatoes when defeated. Terra Attack also features a familiar sound effect I couldn't quite identify until my friend Steve pointed out it was from Crystal Castles (Atari, 1983)! Terra Attack is sometimes frustrating, but usually enjoyable and always challenging. Colecovision collectors should definitely take notice of this one. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Time Pilot		Grade: C-
	Publisher: Konami (1983) Reviewed: 2003/12/2

Time Pilot for the Colecovision has its problems, but it's still the most faithful adaptation of the arcade game you'll find on a console. The gameplay has four stages of shooting action set in different time periods. You begin by fighting biplanes from WWI, then mustangs from WWII, followed by choppers from the 1970s, and finally fighter jets from the 80s. Each stage ends when you destroy the large "boss" aircraft, and a sneaky way to run up your score is to avoid the boss in the first level and keep shooting planes. You can also rescue parachutists for bonus points. It sounds great, but the visuals leave a lot to be desired. First of the all, the scrolling is awfully choppy, and the screen tends to get messy around the edges. It's also hard to line up your shots with oncoming aircraft, and having to constantly tap the button to shoot is a hassle. Sometimes your gun seems to lock up for no reason - usually at the worst possible moment. Time Pilot was a terrific arcade game, but this translation is only average. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Turbo		Grade: A
	Publisher: Coleco (1982) Reviewed: 2003/3/30

This groundbreaking racing game knocked my socks off in 1982. Up until Turbo, most racers had minimal scenery - maybe the occasional bush or sign, with a few mountains in the background (Pole Position and Night Driver come to mind). But Turbo actually features city streets lined with full-sized buildings! The gameplay isn't particularly innovative (it plays a lot like Enduro) but it's still a lot of fun. The idea is to dodge oncoming cars -- there's little sense of "racing" per se. Turbo was designed for the special Steering Wheel controller, and this works very well, but the graphics really steal the show. The roadside scenery includes buildings (orange and green - yuck!), trees, tunnels, snow, a cliff, and a beach. There are even a few hills that you never quite reach the top of. The scenery changes abruptly between stages, which looks a bit sloppy, but this is 1982 we're talking about. The cars are small though multi-colored, and if you look close enough you can see their tiny tires spinning. Turbo was one of those special Colecovision games that elevated the system above its competitors. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Tutankham		Grade: A-
	Publisher: Parker Bros. (1983) Reviewed: 2008/5/10

This old stand-by delivers the perfect blend of monster shooting and treasure hunting. Tutankham offers four side-scrolling "tombs" strewn with treasure, portals, and "nests" that spawn monsters. This masterful Colecovision translation features crisp graphics and vibrant colors that practically leap off of the screen. The craggy bricks that compose each stage look awesome, and the changing color schemes are very easy on the eyes. Your pudgy explorer is rendered in multiple colors, and after finding a key, it can be seen in his hat - a nice touch! Creatures include cobras, demons, and flying cats. Although solid in color, they are nicely rendered and menacing in appearance. The character animation is smooth, but the scrolling is undeniably jerky. In fact, this is probably the one legitimate knock against Tutankham. Unlike most maze shooters, you can fire rapidly to either the left or right by hitting the respective buttons, and unleash "smart bombs" (destroying all enemies) by hitting both buttons at once. Portals let you teleport from one section of the maze to the next, but be careful not to teleport into a creature! Like most well designed games, Tutankham tempts you into taking chances by placing diamond rings in hard-to-reach nooks. For "glory seekers" like myself, these are hard to resist. Upon losing a life, you continue in the exact place where you left off, which is very convenient. Each stage ends with a "big" treasure, and while the first is supposed to be a map, its green color makes it look more like a stack of dollar bills! Tutankham's sound effects aren't anything special, but the crystal-clear jingle that plays when you grab a chest is old-school joy. Tutankham is so good that you'll wish there were more than four tombs. No Colecovision fan should miss out of this captivating title. © Copyright 2008 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

Up 'N Down		Grade: B
	Publisher: Sega (1994) Reviewed: 2003/11/21

It's a shame that Up 'N Down is so rare, because it's genuinely fun and there's really nothing else like it. Driving a Volkswagen Bug up a vertically-scrolling screen, you must collect a set of flags as quickly as possible -- while avoiding oncoming traffic. The view is from a slight angle, giving the game a pseudo-3D look that was pretty nifty back in 1984. The diagonal roads are single-lane only, but you can adjust your speed and switch lanes where the roads intersect. When faced with a head-on collision, you can either jump over the oncoming car, or jump on top of it -- smashing it for points. Just be careful not to jump when approaching a turn, or you'll fly off the road and crash. Complicating matters are inclines which require momentum to climb, and descents which speed you up. Later stages even have bridges that look surprisingly good. Obtaining all the flags isn't difficult because the roads loop, so when you pass a flag you know where to position your car on the next lap. Up 'N Down is a tough game that requires skill. If you can find a copy, it's a nice addition to your collection. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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Recommended variation(s): 1 1 or 2 players

Venture		Grade: C-
	Publisher: Coleco (1982) Reviewed: 2006/3/19

I always loved the "pure" brand of adventure this game delivers. Venture's oddly shaped rooms, variety of monsters, and imaginative treasures make it feel like a simplified version of Dungeons and Dragons. Your character is an orange smiley-face equipped with unlimited arrows. Too bad this Colecovision edition is crippled by some of the most horrid controls I've ever encountered in a video game. It's frustratingly difficult to find and maintain the correct angle - especially diagonals. In addition, whenever you change direction, your character pauses momentarily, making you a sitting duck for swarming monsters. Almost every time I died, it was the result of wrestling with the [expletive] controls (no really - it was!). To illustrate the extent of the problem, I actually had to plug in another controller to make sure the first one wasn't broken! Other than that huge detail, this may be the ultimate Venture game. The graphics are detailed and sharp, with each room housing its own set of interesting (albeit single-colored) monsters. A few even incorporate moving walls or simple "traps". Unlike other versions, the top of the screen displays the title of each room, such as "Goblin room", "Cyclops room", or "Demon room". One description that definitely belies the graphics is the "Dragon room"; those things look more like yapping winged dogs! Venture's harmonized musical score is impressive, incorporating a unique theme for each room. I do wish Coleco had included more than twelve rooms over three stages however, because once they start to repeat, the fun factor dips precipitously. Other annoyances include the fact that "hall monsters" can appear practically on top of you after you leave a room. I also don't like how monster corpses (fatal to touch) stick around longer if you shoot them. These are minor quirks, but it's the awkward, hand-cramping controls that really ruin this one. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

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Recommended variation(s): 3 1 or 2 players

Victory		Grade: C+
	Publisher: Coleco (1982) Reviewed: 2001/11/18

Victory, a standard space shooter, resembles a slow-paced Defender. It requires the Coleco Roller Controller. Why? Apparently because of the four "action" buttons required to thrust, shoot, shield, and detonate smart bombs. This control scheme actually elevates what would otherwise be a mediocre shooter. Your mission is to prevent aliens from overrunning a planet, and you're aided by a Defender-like scanner. The graphics are lousy, with aliens which look like simple shapes, and weak explosions that resemble flashing asterisk symbols. The animation is choppy and the collision detection doesn't always work very well. Still, Victory is fun in spite of itself. The shield and smart bomb controls add an extra level of strategy, and you'll also need to keep an eye on your fuel. Using the roller ball to aim your ship takes some getting used to, but it works. Not bad. © Copyright 2001 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

War Games		Grade: A-
	Publisher: Coleco (1983) Reviewed: 2000/8/4

Most movies make for horrible video games (and vice versa) but War Games is an exception. It's actually a fine game that effectively captures the spirit of the film. It's like playing Missile Command on six screens at once - with a time limit! You flip between 6 maps, each displaying a section of the United States. You'll see enemy missiles, planes, and subs approaching, and must direct your forces (missiles, planes, subs, and satellites) to intercept them. Each type of defense has its own strengths and weaknesses. Missiles are fast, but limited in range. Planes have unlimited range, but move slowly. Satellites are the best all-around defense but are only available intermittently. As enemies begin to strike targets across the U.S., DefCon indicators begin to count down, increasing the tension level. The graphics are sharp and resemble those of the movie. Control is excellent, even with the Roller Controller. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players

War Room		Grade: C-
	Publisher: Probe 2000 (2000) Reviewed: 2000/11/12

Get a load of the manual for this game: "War Room is a simulation of the computerized war game scenarios played out at the highest level of the world superpowers. It is an extremely graphic and realistic representation of a nuclear confrontation between the United States and Russia". Give me a break. War Room plays a little like War Games. You have to shoot down incoming enemy missiles while balancing resources between cities around the country. The graphics are pretty good, and the huge, scrolling map of the U.S. is especially impressive. Each city provides a resource such as food or raw materials. You can collect resources from each city via a simple cat-and-mouse game where you control an Uncle Sam character trying to grab icons before the two Russian symbols touch him (reminiscent of the treasure room in Dragon Fire). Problem is, while you're running around like a chicken, missiles are headed for your cities. They're not hard to shoot down but they will overwhelm you. Apparently there's some subtle strategy to this game -- which I haven't figured out yet. © Copyright 2000 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Wing War		Grade: F
	Publisher: Imagic (1983) Reviewed: 2003/1/4

I thought for sure I'd love this game, if only because it was made by Imagic and features flying dragons. But Wing War is just awful despite some very respectable graphics. You control a big white dragon that gathers crystals and battles monsters. Flying between contiguous screens, you can explore underground areas or soar through the clear blue sky. Fantastic scenery includes volcanoes, beautiful lakes, and floating islands in the sky. By pressing the right button you flap your dragon's wings, giving you the same kind of control as in Joust. Pressing the left button lets you shoot fireballs. A nice variety of enemies include spiders, bat, griffins, demons, and hydras. Unfortunately these creatures are all tiny and single-colored, and most are more annoying than dangerous. Your main goal is to carry crystals back to your lair, but these are easily jarred loose along the way. Sometimes the crystal falls out of your reach, forcing you to go back and track down a new one. That's the main problem with this game - you spend most of your time flying through the same screens over and over; trying not to touch anything. It's not fun at all - just slow and tedious. Since there's no ultimate goal, the whole game seems pointless. Wing War may be easy on the eyes, but once the novelty of the graphics wears off, there's not much depth. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

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1 player

Zaxxon		Grade: A-
	Publisher: Sega (1982) Reviewed: 2004/6/12

In 1982, Zaxxon took the gaming world by storm. Its isometric viewpoint was revolutionary; compared to the "flat" graphics of other video games of the time. Your spaceship must navigate floating space fortresses fortified with walls, force fields, rockets, cannons, and fuel depots. At first it can be hard to determine the position of your ship, but by using the altitude meter on the left side of the screen (and watching where your shots go) you develop a feel for it. Coleco was fortunate to get such a visually appealing game for its system; I bet this game single-handedly sold a few hundred thousand Colecovisions. Its graphics are faithful to the arcade, although slightly choppy. In terms of difficulty, Zaxxon is definitely above average. It's tempting to fly low and shoot everything in sight, but this puts you in the range of cannons. You gotta love a game that "dares" you to live dangerously - who can resist? It should be noted that Zaxxon is one of the earliest games to feature a "boss" at the end of each level. It's a relatively large robot (Zaxxon himself) that appears briefly -- and is easy to defeat. One thing I don't like about this game are the "open space" sections where you have to shoot a series of approaching ships. Without the ground below as a point of reference, it can be awfully frustrating to determine if you're on a collision course with them. Otherwise Zaxxon is pure arcade shooting fun, and there's really never been another game like it. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

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1 or 2 players