The best Speccy game by CRL Group: discussion

[PeteProdge]

Still on page 57 of that first Crash, and I see 'Computer Rentals' attributed as the publisher of 3D Desert Patrol. Cor, what an anachronistic name, eh? Wonder what happened to them? Then when I look them up, I realise it's CRL of course!

Can't believe we haven't done a poll on them yet, but then, they did shovel out a massive load of crap. Oh yes, there were utter gems in there (Tau Ceti, Academy, etc), but a lot of it was dire. Which means it comes as no surprise that they created the appalling budget imprint Alpha Omega Software (titles originally published on that label will not be included, this is for original CRL releases only).

This is the list I've come up with...

3D Desert Patrol
Academy
Ahhh!!
Alien Maze
Ballbreaker
Ballbreaker II
Blade Runner
Boggit, The
Bugsy
Caveman
Crawler
Cyberknights
Death Or Glory
Derby Day
Discovery
Doctor What!
Dracula
Draughts
Endurance
Federation
Formula One
Frankenstein
Galactic Patrol
Glug Glug
Grand National
Great Detective, The
Handicap Golf
Handy Andy
I Alien
Incredible Adventure
Jack The Ripper
Jackpot
Juggernaut
L.S.D.
Last Mohican
Loads Of Midnight
Lunar Rescue
Magic Roundabout, The
Murder Off Miami
Nato Assault Course
Ninja Hamster
Oink!
Olympics
Omega Run, The
One Day Cricket
The Orb
Orpheus In The Underworld
Outcast
Pandemonia
Professional Soccer
Rescue
Rocky Horror Show, The
Room Ten
Samurai
Sophistry
Sun Star
Tau Ceti
Tau Ceti - The Special Edition
Terrahawks
Test Match
They Call Me Trooper
Tritz
Very Big Cave Adventure, The
War Of The Worlds, The
Warlock's Treasure, The
Wolfman
Woods Of Winter, The
Zaraks

As usual, do correct me on anything. Should I have included that game? Why haven't I included... ? All that kind of thing, please!

In 7 days time, I'll start the poll.

[bluespikey]

It's Pete Cooke's show. Academy.

[toot_toot]

You have to say that CRLs output was certainly varied when it came to genres! From interactive fiction to motorsport management simulation to arcade supply chain driving games to a video game interpretation of a film score. Talking of which, surely CRL has to get the most random tie in game ever?

https://ia800604.us.archive.org/view_ar ... Runner.jpg

And while they may have had some rotten games, there's some real classics in that list (and games that I still go back to today).

Some of my favourites are

Derby Day (used to play this with a load of mates, all putting in real money into it - pennies thankfully)
Formula One
Juggernaut
Tau Ceti
Academy
The Rocky Horror Show

I also remember Samurai and Sophistry on magazine cover tapes being pretty good. Anyway, I'm going to give the whole list a go, there's loads of games I've never played on that list!

[Juan F. Ramirez]

The first company poll with such variety of genres (as said above) and years of release.

Their first games had a strong contrast between the high quality of the inlay (many of them by Phil Gascoine) and the game itself, mostly crappy UDG games.

Anyway, The Rocky Horror Show for me, lovely game with that crappy charm...

[Nick]

Although CRL did release a lot of average quality stuff, when they were good they were very good.

Bugsy, The Boggit, The Very Big Cave Adventure, Jack The Ripper and Dracula are among my favourite adventure games, Derby Day is a surprisingly addictive game from the early days and Formula One is a good attempt at the sports management genre.

Then you have Pete Cooke's games....this is going to be tricky.

[Matt_B]

Juggernaut is basically the 80s version of Euro Truck Simulator.

It might not look up to much, but it's a surprisingly deep simulation and one to try if you've ever wanted to learn how to reverse a trailer without demolishing the neighbour's fence.

[Mpk]

Talking of which, surely CRL has to get the most random tie in game ever?

https://ia800604.us.archive.org/view_ar ... Runner.jpg

Also, War of the Worlds was licensed from the album, not the original work. One weird trick that copyrights owners hate!

[PeteProdge]

Talking of which, surely CRL has to get the most random tie in game ever?

Also, War of the Worlds was licensed from the album, not the original work. One weird trick that copyrights owners hate!

CRL should of course have waited until 2017 to release the game!

What?

[Thompson]

Pete Cooke's gems: Tau Ceti, Academy and ... Juggernaut