Producer: Rainbird Software
Retail Price: £14.95
Author: Realtime Software

For many years, the planet of Novenia was at peace. An automated defence system, called the Sentinels, kept unwelcome callers from outer space at bay. These huge monoliths didn't ask questions - they just blew away anything that they didn't like the look of.

All went well until the Sentinels destroyed a harmless flock of protected interplanetary migratory birds called Stargliders. The Sentinels were immediately reprogrammed not to blow these rather bizarre creatures to bits. Although ecologically sound, this produced a fatal flaw in the Novenian defence system - the ruthless Egrons attacked in ships disguised as Stargliders, thus fooling the defence computers. Once past the Sentinels, there was no stopping them. Novenia relied on the Sentinels and did not maintain any conventional forces. So Novenia was conquered.

Jason and Katra, two Sentinel repair workers, witnessed the death and destruction from the safety of one of Novenia's moons. The two heroes embark on a mission - to destroy the invading aliens singlehanded. All they have at their disposal is an obsolete museum piece of a fighter equipped with lasers and capable of carrying two missiles.

There are more than sixteen different types of Egron craft to destroy and each craft must be dealt with in a slightly different way. The action takes place on the blasted wastes of what was once Novenia, and the antiquated fighter is guided around the dust-laden atmosphere using a co-ordinate system which divides the planet's surface into a grid of 100 units by 100 units.

Two types of sight are available - fixed and floating - and a choice is made before the game starts. Floating sights affect the control of the ship - the AGAV 'follows' the sights. Fixed sights remain in the centre of the screen, and the ship must be manoeuvred until the target appears in target square. An optional centering system may be enabled or disabled at the start of the game - automatic centering can be effected on either the vertical or the horizontal axis, in all directions, or not at all. With fully automatic centering, the fighter returns to flying straight and level when it is left to its own devices.

Two versions of the game have been programmed - the 'standard' 48K version and a much enhanced 128K/+2 version. The enhanced version includes digitised speech (the dulcet tones of one Clare Edgeley), a three-voice title tune and missions that either involve destroying an invader or picking up some extra bolt-on goodies for the fighter. Custom add-ons include super missiles with more fuel, power packs which temporarily dispense with the need to refuel, and a rear view mirror (presumably so that the ancient craft will pass its MOT!) in the enhanced version, particularly unpleasant meanies are encountered on the higher levels, to even out the advantage which the extra equipment gives.

At the start of the game, the airborne ground attack vehicle (AGAV) piloted by Jason and Katra is flying close to a repair depot. These depots are vital to the success of the mission. They rotate slowly, and the entry port on one side must be entered accurately, at low speed. Once inside, damage is repaired and a missile, if available, is attached to the craft. Each depot produces one missile every few minutes, but there is never more than one available each time the AGAV is docked. Before relaunching, the depot computer can be accessed for information on enemy craft.

After re-launching, it is vital to note the co-ordinates of the depot so the AGAV can return when necessary. The only vital commodity not provided by the depots is energy - this has to be collected by using the inductive power lines which criss-cross the planet's surface (they can be recognised by the tall towers that support them). Collecting power requires delicate manoeuvring, and there are usually plenty of meanies scattered around trying to stop the AGAV tanking up.

The AGAV's instrument panel includes horizontal bars that reveal the status of the shields, reserves of power and fuel levels, while two vertical indicators give the height and speed of the craft. The height bar flashes red if the craft is close to the ground and in danger of crashing - hitting the ground does the shields no good at all.

When a missile is fired, the view is supplied by a remote camera on board the missile. Missiles have a limited amount of fuel, fly very fast and have a wide turning circle. Consequently, a missile must be homed in on its target before the fuel runs out - so the target must be fairly close. Generally, there's not usually time to circle round and try again...

It takes three missile hits to destroy an Egron Starglider. As the AGAV can only carry two missiles at once you've got to go and find a depot with a missile ready, dock, and then find the Starglider again, even it you score two direct hits. The reward comes when an Egron Starglider is destroyed - an 'instant replay' of the moment of destruction appears on screen.

After 10,000 points have been scored, the game moves to the next level where the Egron craft take more hits before being destroyed....

COMMENTS

Control keys: redefinable: up, down, left, right, accelerate, decelerate, launch missile, fire, pause. (128K version only: launch super missile)
Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2
Use of colour: helpful
Graphics: incredible speed and animation
Sound: good effects
Skill levels: one
Screens: wraparound play area

Starglider, without doubt, ranks amongst the best games to grace the Spectrum's screen. The whole of the game is excellently done, and its presentation and packaging has been executed in a most professional manner. The loading screen sets the player up for the game-of-the-year on any computer. If you've seen the Atari ST Starglider then you'll be amazed at the Spectrum version because they're so alike! The sound effects are extremely good, and very effective. The number of frames of animation is unbelievable - it's just so smooth and incredibly fast. The options are vast and very useful. There's certainly a pot of gold at the end of the RAINBIRD (Eugh!).

Wizz neeaw zoom! Zap zap zap kapow! Budda budda budda. This really is my kind of game. It combines a fantastic shoot em up with a bit of brain work (but not as much as Starstrike II). From the word go it is easy to get totally enthralled in the world of Novenia, especially if you read the 64 page novelette (if you can tear yourself away from the game!) I can see myself playing this for weeks. Graphically Starglider is the best vector graphics game to date - my only niggle is that in a game of this quality it's a shame that no one's worked out a way of erasing objects and horizons that appear behind other objects. The sound is a bit disappointing: there are no tunes but the effects are well used. If you are a fan of shoot em ups or vector graphics then this must take pride of place in your software collection. Go and buy it, you won't regret it.

Wowee!! The last time I saw a game that made me go into the same sort of totally freaked-out ultra-amazed mode was Starstrike II, also by REALTIME. This one is even better, to the extent that I don't think I can find fault with it. The animated vector graphics are just sooo great! The whole thing is destined to become a classic. I think I'd go as far as to say that if this was in the arcades then I'd spend a fair bit of time throwing ten pences into it. If you're the not-so-proud owner of a 48K machine, then I suggest that you go and buy it now. If on the other hand, you've got a Plus 2, then buy this, and spend the rest of your existence playing it (until the follow up, anyway!).

The 128K version represents quite an enhancement on the 48K game. It deserves a separate critical comment and a revised set of ratings:

Starglider on the 128K is far superior to the 48K version and indeed to any other 128K games that I've seen to date. I had difficulty believing that a humble (but fat) Spectrum could actually produce a game this fast and with so many sound effects. Graphically, this is no step forward from the 48K, except that you get a few more nasties on the higher levels. The sound is the best I have ever heard on a Spectrum: there is an excellent David Lowe tune on the title screen and some worthy effects during play. Above all, there is speech the like of which has never been heard on the Spectrum (it even knocks the stuffing out of the Atari ST version). The voice is recognisably that of nice Clare Edgeley from RAINBIRD who actually gives you useful bits of information (like when you are going to die) during the game. If you are a 128K owner who is getting a bit fed up 'cos there isn't really any neat software around for your machine this will restore your faith. Halleluja!

Producer: Rainbird Software
Retail Price: £14.95
Author: Realtime Software Ltd

For many years, the planet of Novenia was at peace. An automated defence system, called the Sentinels, kept unwelcome callers from outer space at bay. These huge monoliths didn't ask questions - they just blew away anything that they didn't like the look of.

All went well until the Sentinels destroyed a harmless flock of protected interplanetary migratory birds called Stargliders. The Sentinels were immediately reprogrammed not to blow these rather bizarre creatures to bits. Although ecologically sound, this produced a fatal flaw in the Novenian defence system - the ruthless Egrons attacked in ships disguised as Stargliders, thus fooling the defence computers. Once past the Sentinels, there was no stopping them. Novenia relied on the Sentinels and did not maintain any conventional forces. So Novenia was conquered.

Jason and Katra, two Sentinel repair workers, witnessed the death and destruction from the safety of one of Novenia's moons. The two heroes embark on a mission - to destroy the invading aliens singlehanded. All they have at their disposal is an obsolete museum piece of a fighter equipped with lasers and capable of carrying two missiles.

There are more than sixteen different types of Egron craft to destroy and each craft must be dealt with in a slightly different way. The action takes place on the blasted wastes of what was once Novenia, and the antiquated fighter is guided around the dust-laden atmosphere using a co-ordinate system which divides the planet's surface into a grid of 100 units by 100 units.

Two types of sight are available - fixed and floating - and a choice is made before the game starts. Floating sights affect the control of the ship - the AGAV 'follows' the sights. Fixed sights remain in the centre of the screen, and the ship must be manoeuvred until the target appears in target square. An optional centering system may be enabled or disabled at the start of the game - automatic centering can be effected on either the vertical or the horizontal axis, in all directions, or not at all. With fully automatic centering, the fighter returns to flying straight and level when it is left to its own devices.

Two versions of the game have been programmed - the 'standard' 48K version and a much enhanced 128K/+2 version. The enhanced version includes digitised speech (the dulcet tones of one Clare Edgeley), a three-voice title tune and missions that either involve destroying an invader or picking up some extra bolt-on goodies for the fighter. Custom add-ons include super missiles with more fuel, power packs which temporarily dispense with the need to refuel, and a rear view mirror (presumably so that the ancient craft will pass its MOT!) in the enhanced version, particularly unpleasant meanies are encountered on the higher levels, to even out the advantage which the extra equipment gives.

At the start of the game, the airborne ground attack vehicle (AGAV) piloted by Jason and Katra is flying close to a repair depot. These depots are vital to the success of the mission. They rotate slowly, and the entry port on one side must be entered accurately, at low speed. Once inside, damage is repaired and a missile, if available, is attached to the craft. Each depot produces one missile every few minutes, but there is never more than one available each time the AGAV is docked. Before relaunching, the depot computer can be accessed for information on enemy craft.

After re-launching, it is vital to note the co-ordinates of the depot so the AGAV can return when necessary. The only vital commodity not provided by the depots is energy - this has to be collected by using the inductive power lines which criss-cross the planet's surface (they can be recognised by the tall towers that support them). Collecting power requires delicate manoeuvring, and there are usually plenty of meanies scattered around trying to stop the AGAV tanking up.

The AGAV's instrument panel includes horizontal bars that reveal the status of the shields, reserves of power and fuel levels, while two vertical indicators give the height and speed of the craft. The height bar flashes red if the craft is close to the ground and in danger of crashing - hitting the ground does the shields no good at all.

When a missile is fired, the view is supplied by a remote camera on board the missile. Missiles have a limited amount of fuel, fly very fast and have a wide turning circle. Consequently, a missile must be homed in on its target before the fuel runs out - so the target must be fairly close. Generally, there's not usually time to circle round and try again...

It takes three missile hits to destroy an Egron Starglider. As the AGAV can only carry two missiles at once you've got to go and find a depot with a missile ready, dock, and then find the Starglider again, even it you score two direct hits. The reward comes when an Egron Starglider is destroyed - an 'instant replay' of the moment of destruction appears on screen.

After 10,000 points have been scored, the game moves to the next level where the Egron craft take more hits before being destroyed....

COMMENTS

Control keys: redefinable: up, down, left, right, accelerate, decelerate, launch missile, fire, pause. (128K version only: launch super missile)
Joystick: Kempston, Cursor, Interface 2
Use of colour: helpful
Graphics: incredible speed and animation
Sound: good effects
Skill levels: one
Screens: wraparound play area

Starglider, without doubt, ranks amongst the best games to grace the Spectrum's screen. The whole of the game is excellently done, and its presentation and packaging has been executed in a most professional manner. The loading screen sets the player up for the game-of-the-year on any computer. If you've seen the Atari ST Starglider then you'll be amazed at the Spectrum version because they're so alike! The sound effects are extremely good, and very effective. The number of frames of animation is unbelievable - it's just so smooth and incredibly fast. The options are vast and very useful. There's certainly a pot of gold at the end of the RAINBIRD (Eugh!).

Wizz neeaw zoom! Zap zap zap kapow! Budda budda budda. This really is my kind of game. It combines a fantastic shoot em up with a bit of brain work (but not as much as Starstrike II). From the word go it is easy to get totally enthralled in the world of Novenia, especially if you read the 64 page novelette (if you can tear yourself away from the game!) I can see myself playing this for weeks. Graphically Starglider is the best vector graphics game to date - my only niggle is that in a game of this quality it's a shame that no one's worked out a way of erasing objects and horizons that appear behind other objects. The sound is a bit disappointing: there are no tunes but the effects are well used. If you are a fan of shoot em ups or vector graphics then this must take pride of place in your software collection. Go and buy it, you won't regret it.

Wowee!! The last time I saw a game that made me go into the same sort of totally freaked-out ultra-amazed mode was Starstrike II, also by REALTIME. This one is even better, to the extent that I don't think I can find fault with it. The animated vector graphics are just sooo great! The whole thing is destined to become a classic. I think I'd go as far as to say that if this was in the arcades then I'd spend a fair bit of time throwing ten pences into it. If you're the not-so-proud owner of a 48K machine, then I suggest that you go and buy it now. If on the other hand, you've got a Plus 2, then buy this, and spend the rest of your existence playing it (until the follow up, anyway!).

Label: Rainbird
Author: Realtime
Joystick: various
Memory: 48K/128K
Reviewer: Graham Taylor

Starglider is one of a small but growing number of programs that make people buy Atari STs.

At the PCW show in September it attracted much attention as a sort of ultimate line-graphic space game - bigger images, smoother movement, more complex features and so on.

Now that game has been converted to the Spectrum and the truth is, in terms of graphics and gameplay, the two versions - Spectrum and ST - are virtually identical.

Furthermore, in terms of smoothness of animation Starglider easily outclasses Elite.

Starglider has a complicated plot. That's virtually mandatory for a game that costs €14.95, and comes in a box with assorted manuals and a complete 64-page story book.

The plot is relatively interesting and worth summarising. There is this plant called Novenia where the good guys once lived. Then there are the Egrons, your standard ugly empire builders. The planet Novenia has previously been immune to attack having armed itself with a whole series of vicious defensive systems, however in an act of total ecological soundness the defensive computers have been reprogrammed to allow the starglider - a rare species of bird - make its rare migratory visits.

The computers were told to let through anything in the shape of a starglider. This was dumb. The Ergons being not so dumb have started building bird shaped spaceships. You have to stop them. You, being Jason and Katra: teen heroes in command of a dodgy old space skimmer AGAV (airborne ground attack vehicle), get to take on the Egron Stargliders and you don't even have a proper manual.

Starglider has been programmed for Rainbird by 3D specialists Real Time (3D Star Strike, 3D Battle Zone, Star Strike II) and the result, as you'd expect is tremendous. Without question, it's the best thing Real Time has ever done.

Any comparison with Elite is partly a false one. Take a quick look at some of the more geometric space ships and you might be misled but Starglider isn't a particularly strategic game. What it is, is one hell of a shoot 'em up, a shoot em up with brains.

The screen emulates closely the Atari ST version. The cockpit frames your 3D view of the outside world. The Novagen defences are a mixture of Elite-like geometric shapes, diamonds and squares and vaguely Star Warsish mechanical monsters. The original Walkers from Return of the Jedi seem to have been the inspiration of a couple of the devices, in particular the stompers - two giant legs with a cab on the top that trudge across the screen dispassionately obliterating all before them.

Whilst the task on each level is to destroy the starglider, actually the game is really all about scoring points. It just so happens that destroying the starglider gives you zillions of points.

Many elements of the game are very familiar, you have lasers and missiles - lasers wear out slowly but missiles can only be used once. You are supplied with two and the starglider needs three missile hits to be obliterated. Some of- the other bigger devices are also immune to everything but missiles.

The missile launching sequence is one of the best moments of the game. Having got the enemy in your sights, going to missile attack changes the screen to a sort of 'missiles- eye-view' of the proceedings. You get a limited time and a limited degree of control of its direction but destroying a stomper is a truly uplifting experience. As with all the explosions in Starglider, the thing explodes into hundreds of tiny fragments...

There is, inevitably, a docking sequence - to replenish missiles (pick up two more) and restore defences. This involves finding a silo and entering it. The problem is that the silo is trundling around and around as though in a permanent skid. In a sort of horizontal version of the Elite e sequence you have to try to cope with the spin and zoom into the thing when the front is round your side. It's difficult but probably not as difficult as docking in Elite.

Control is mainly joystick with keyboard controls for speed. This doesn't in practice get in the way of the pace and energy of the game but getting a joystick you can stick down on the table so that one hand manipulates that whilst the other controls speed is definitely the most effective way of getting high blast points.

A 128K version will contain music and speech and extra missions although the details hadn't been finalised at the time of writing. The 128K version should be on the flip side of the tape, and it should be incredible.

Starglider looks astonishing. It just doesn't have any serious competition and I think it must be in my top five releases of the year so far.

Spectrum, £14.95cs, £19.95dk
C64, £14.95cs, £17.95dk
Amstrad, £14.95cs, £19.95dk
Atari ST, £24.95dk
Amiga, £24.95dk
IBM PC, £19.95dk

Starglider is still one of the best examples of vector graphics, and one of the best shoot-em-ups you can buy. There's a fair ol' slice of strategic planning involved as you fly your AGAV around the barren wastes of Novenia in the attempt to destroy the Egron flagship (the Starglider), as you have to keep your eye on your craft's energy levels etc. A wonderful 'viewed from the cockpit' game that has as big a task as you could hope to find in a shoot-em-up.

MACHINE: Spectrum/Atari
SUPPLIER: Rainbird
PRICE: £14.95 Spectrum/£24.95 Atari ST
VERSION TESTED: Spectrum

If you've managed to get a look at the Atari ST version of Starglider, it will cause you to rediscover the gasp. just when you thought nothing could surprise you, you end up surprised.

Then when you discover that Rainbird intends to convert the game to the Spectrum, you begin to question their sanity. It can't be done and if it is, it'll look awful. Well, Rainbird has and it doesn't.

What you get is an excellent 3D arcade simulation combined with strategy.

The game is based, and programmed, around a 64-page booklet written by James Follett, author of the film Who Dares Wins. It deals with the Egrons' invasion of Novenia, a peace-loving planet. You are in command of Novenia's last Airborne Ground Attack Vehicle, equipped with lasers and a limited number of missiles. Fuel won't last forever, either.

It's really quite essential to read the booklet, which contains information vital to the mission.

Around two thirds of the screen is taken up with the view from your craft. At the top of the screen is the heading display. It's always handy to make a note of various positions of various depots and re-fuelling areas.

When you launch into the game it's very easy to go rocketing off, zapping at anything you come across. But ultimately that won't get you very far. It's far better to get to know your enemy first. And to do that you'll have to find and enter the missile depot. Once inside you can reload with missiles and interrogate a computer which gives you the lowdown on all the things you can expect to meet.

Luckily, there's a depot in sight when you start the game. It looks like a wedge of cheese. Move up to the silo until it fills the screen. Kill your speed and try to keep your craft stable. The depot will automatically rotate and you'll soon see doors opening up. You can centre your craft successfully and then hit the speed at the right moment you zoom straight in.

At your leisure you can then size up the opposition - including huge tank-like walkers, stompers and, most spectacularly, the Starglider - a huge craft with flapping wings.

The second most important thing to master is re-fuelling. This I found the most difficult. You have to fly down a pipeline, keeping as low to the ground as possible, and keeping an eye on your fuel gauge to see if it's increasing.

The B side of the cassette contains a 128K version of the game containing extra missions, music and digitised speech providing warning messages and advice from the AGAV's computer. The voice is that of C+VG's belle of the arcades, Clare Edgeley.

Whether you've got a 48K or 128K Spectrum, you'll find Starglider engrossing and addictive to play. Check out the 3D vector graphics and I think you'll be impressed.

And don't worry all you Commodore and Amstrad owners, conversions are on the way for your machines.

A CLASSIC GAME FROM RAINBIRD

Rainbird
£14.95

"HEALTH WARNING: DON'T MESS WITH NOVENIA" was the message written on the side of the deadly Sentinels that destroyed anything that threatened the peace loving people on the planet below.

The invading Egrons learnt this to their cost as they lost countless ships to the fleet mangling defences. If the Sentinels didn't like the look of something that something rapidly became scrap.

Unfortunately the peace loving Novenians were also conservationists and modified the Sentinels to let the Starglider birds migrate without being fried in the process. So when the Egrons sent a Starglider shaped fleet to attack Novenia the Sentinels let them in.

Now you play two teenage heroes who have found a prototype AGAV (airborne ground attack vehicle) and set off to defeat the Egrons who now use Novenia's defences against you!

The full plot that leads to this improbable situation is described in a 64 page novella that accompanies the tape containing both 48K and 128K versions as well as a playguide that introduces the AGAV's controls, a keyguide to show you which buttons to use and poster of your AGAV. Not bad, even for £14.95! That's twice the average cost of a Spectrum game but Starglider is no ordinary game.

STOMP AND WALK

Graphically it will be compared to Elite as it features the same 3D vector line graphics that represent the tanks, walkers, stampers, missile launchers and Stargliders of the defence forces that now home in on you.

Your mission is simply to get them before they get you.

There's no great strategic aim to the game except to amass as many points as possible and so wreak revenge on the dreaded Ergons.

At first you'll tackle the light tanks that trundle across the planet's surface with your "Sapphire II" quadpulse laser but at only 20 points each you'll soon be looking for bigger prey but since even these tanks fire ship wrecking missiles they must be taken seriously.

Using your scanner set in the middle of your control panel you can track the movement and position of the enemy defences. After a few practise missions you'll be able to take on the missile launchers that greet you with a hail of homing missiles, the Star Wars inspired walkers and stomping stompers that can only be destroyed by a well guided missile and the Stargliders that fly with a graceful flap of their mechanical wings and can deliver a killing laser bolt.

IN THE SILO

All this takes its toll on your fuel, laser power, shields and meager missile supply but luckily you can use some of the planet's installations. Docking with an Alliance space station repair silo will bring a welcome breather as well as repairs and even a special mission. To refuel you must fly at low level between the twin towers of the plasma energy station and run along its lines and pull out when you reach the third single tower and you will have absorbed enough energy to continue your game.

Starglider was written for Rainbird by 3D experts, Realtime Software (3D Starstrike) and it's their best game yet. It was originally released on the Atari ST which is almost identical to the 128K Spectrum version with its impressive music and digitised speech! The 48K version has the same action packed gameplay but without these added features. A must for all Spectrum owners.

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