Producer: Blaby Computer Games
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £1.99
Language: Machine code
Author: J. Woodcock

Blaby's Tron is nothing new in computer games, except that it's one of the first 'Light Cycle' type games at the budget price. The traditional rules apply, with the player being unable to hit the edge of the playing area, his own light trail or that of the other player (or computer). The one-player game against the computer does have the novelty of removing the edge of screen penalty and opening the playing area up with a vertical and horizontal wrap around screen. In the two-player mode the screen edges are reinstated but eight directional movement is permitted.

COMMENTS

Control keys: Q/A up/down, Z/X left/right (left player 1), P/L up/down, N/M left/right (right player 2)
Joystick: none
Keyboard play: responsive enough for the game, better in 2-player with reasonably laid out keys
Use of colour: for the type of game, very imaginative
Graphics: very simple, although there are cars at the front and wide trails for ease of seeing, this does tend to limit the playing space more.
Sound: not much
Skill levels: 1
Lives: 1
Special features: 1 or 2-player games

Being one of the earliest type of games that came out for the Spectrum, Tron isn't very inspiring - just trying to outwit the computer, which isn't very intelligent in this case anyway. The attitude towards the game changes completely when you go into the two player mode. It instantly becomes more fun trying to outwit your opponent. Also, further difficulties are imposed in the two-player mode, like the disappearance of the wrap around screen. Graphics move by the block when playing against the computer although they instantly change to smooth movement when in the two-player mode. Quite a colourful game, but you can't expect much in any case. Fairly good value if you've got someone else to play with.

Any criticism of a game like this is very dependent on whether the reviewer likes the game type. I do, although it is an old and very simple type of game. This version is well up to scratch, especially in the two-player mode, which is the best way to play the type anyway. The computer doesn't seem to be very clever as an opponent, and in the oneplayer mode the game soon palls, although the wrap around screen adds some novelty. If you want a 'Light Cycle' type game and have a/ways considered them too expensive for what you get, well now's the time.