Desert Rats
Aliases  The North Africa Campaign
Release Date  1985
Original Publisher  CCS (UK)
Min. Hardware  ZX-Spectrum 48K/128K
Genre  Strategy Game: War
Max. Players  2 (Turn based)
Original Price according to SPOT/SPEX  9.95
*** Data provided by SPOT/SPEX is unconfirmed. Please help us validate this information!
Controls  Cursor, Interface 2 (right), Kempston Joystick
Themes  Historical Warfare
Other Platforms  Amstrad CPC
Average mag. score  94.70% (5 reviews)
Martijn's WoS score  82% (99 votes)

Re-releases
     #1 - Juegos & Estrategia (Spain)(1985)as "Ratas del Desierto"
     * Release price: 1125.00 Ptas

Authors/Contributors
     Robert T. Smith (UK) - ?
     John Berry (UK) - Inlay/Poster Art

Annual Awards
     5th Best Strategy Game - 1986 Crash Readers Awards.

Review Awards
     "Crash Smash"at Crashissue v.1 #29 - 1986/Junpage 108
     "Sinclair User Classic"at Sinclair Userissue #48 - 1986/Marpage 64
     "ZX Computing Globert"at ZX Computingissue #24 - 1986/Aprpage 21

Remarks
     Also came as bonus with the big box release of Vulcan.
Original box art by John Berry: 25 Pounder Gun and Team in Action on the El Alamein Front

Compilations
     Full version inMicroHobby issue 216: Tape 46(1991/Dec)by Magazine MicroHobby - covertape from issue #216 - 1991/Dec
     Full version inZX-Spectrum Vega(2015/Apr/24)by Retro Computers Ltd (UK)

Main File Downloads
     FilenameReleaseMachineSchemeLanguageComments
DesertRats.tzx.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 48K/128K(None)English
 DesertRats48.z80.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 48K(???)English
 DesertRats128.z80.zipOriginalZX-Spectrum 128K(???)English
DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).tap.zip#1ZX-Spectrum 48K(???)Spanish
DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).tzx.zip#1ZX-Spectrum 48K/128K(None)Spanish

Additional File Downloads
     FilenameSizeReleaseTypeLanguageComments
     DesertRats.scr6,912OriginalLoading screen
     DesertRats128.scr6,912OriginalLoading screen
     DesertRats.gif6,792OriginalRunning screen
     DesertRats_Front.jpg1,510,736OriginalInlay - Front
     DesertRats_Front_2.jpg1,246,423OriginalInlay - Front
     DESRATS.TXT2,139OriginalInstructions - Docs (from games database)
     DesertRats.txt66,445OriginalInstructionsEnglish
     DesertRats(EN).pdf3,397,903OriginalInstructionsEnglish
     DesertRats_Front.jpg43,952OriginalScanned instructionsEnglish
     desert_rats_map.jpg183,740OriginalGame map - VERY big
     DesertRats.jpg183,740OriginalGame map
     DesertRats.jpg204,178OriginalAdvertisement
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).scr6,912#1Loading screen
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).jpg57,473#1Inlay - Front
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).pdf185,892#1InstructionsSpanish
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia)_2.pdf3,641,259#1Scanned instructionsSpanish
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia).jpg217,197#1Advertisement
     DesertRats(RatasDelDesierto)(JuegosEstrategia)_2.jpg278,867#1Advertisement

Magazine Reviews
     ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)issue #3-1987/Decpage 87- Review: 905/1000
     C&VG (Computer & Video Games)issue #57-1986/Julpage 47- Review
     Computer Gamerissue #12-1986/Marpage 71- Review
     Crashissue v.1 #26-1986/Marpage 120- Review: 88%
     Crashissue v.1 #29-1986/Junpage 108- Review: 95%
     MicroHobbyissue #67-1986/Febpage 14- Review - Nuevo
     Popular Computing Weeklyissue v.5 #5-1986/Jan/30 special "week#5"page 36- Review
     Popular Computing Weeklyissue v.5 #24-1986/Jun/12 special "week#2"page 15- Review
     Sinclair Userissue #48-1986/Marpage 64- Review: 5/5
     Your Computerissue v.6 #3-1986/Marpage 44- Review: 5/5
     Your Computerissue v.6 #11-1986/Novpage 50- Review
     ZX Computingissue #24-1986/Aprpage 21- Review

Magazine References
     ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)issue #3-1987/Decpage 85- Feature - Of Strategic Importance
     ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)issue #13-1988/Octpage 60- Feature - 100 Top Games
     ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment)issue #13-1988/Octpage 60- Tips
     C&VG (Computer & Video Games)issue #51-1986/Janpage 8- News/Note
     Crashissue v.1 #29-1986/Junpage 52- CompoEntry
     Crashissue v.1 #31-1986/Augpage 55- CompoResult
     Crashissue v.1 #54-1988/Julpage 61- Feature - Old Wargames Never Die ...
     SSD-IIissue 1999/Seppage 0- Information
     ZX Computingissue #23-1986/Febpage 11- News/Note

Magazine Advertisements
     Crashissue v.1 #24-1986/Jan special "Christmas Special 1985/86"page 181- Advert
     Crashissue v.1 #25-1986/Febpage 110- Advert
     Crashissue v.1 #26-1986/Marpage 123- Advert
     Your Computerissue v.6 #2-1986/Febpage 98- Advert
     Your Computerissue v.6 #3-1986/Marpage 85- Advert

Related Magazine References
     MicroHobbyissue #216-1991/Decpage 51- CoverGame - MH Seleccion (MicroHobby issue 216: Tape 46)
     MicroHobbyissue #216-1991/Decpage 52- CoverGame - MH Seleccion (MicroHobby issue 216: Tape 46)

Links
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