Reviews

Yet another pointless arcade conversion from US Gold. The original arcade game, by Sega, is a pretty pseudo 3D shooter with some detailed multicoloured sprite graphics but doesn't have much of a reputation for playing well.

Suffice it to say that the Spectrum version looks bloody awful with mono sprites and a half-hearted attempt to recreate the depth illusion via bars of colour in exact attribute squares. It doesn't work and the simplistic gameplay of the original isn't enough to carry what's left. It's also ludicrously easy; you can master the game in a few goes and each level plays out a set pattern.

PSS made a better job of it with their earlier unofficial conversion, Blade Alley, but even that isn't much to shout about.

Buck Rogers is not a bad program , only a bit dated ...

It is a clear predecessor to Mach 3 by Loricels ... in both games the speed recreation is supreme .

The landscapes are also a landmark in both titles ,,, they appear in a very smooth sequence .

The enemies in Buck Rogers are so cute and loving that you won´t feel like killing them ... they really look like interstellar pets .

In both games you must guide your spaceship between an array of space-gates until you reach the next level. This time the time stretching bar will be a problem if you don´t complete your mission fast enough.:(

Nothing to lose sleep about but still a decent and entertaining program .

1985 US Gold (UK)
by F. David Thorpe

Buck Rogers is not by any means a bad game, it's a bit outdated for 1985 and lacks longevity by the simplicity of the whole game. It's fun for a few plays, specially for younger audiences, but not for everyone. As a conversion it looks very similar to the original, within of course the Spectrum limitations, but as a playing game it lacks the adrenaline provided on the arcades. Feels a bit amateurish and without much depth.
This seems to be the only game written by the author who got famous mostly for designing loading screens. I wonder if he would became better at it if he persisted. Maybe F.D.THorpe got aware of what he was best at and stuck with it.

It's a pleasant little space shooter with view from behind. You start with a bit of space slalom on the surface of a red and magenta striped planet, then aliens start to appear, initially just in front of you, then they'll try to stab you in/from the back [and usually they succeed]. Then there's a slightly different section, in which you're in the middle of a star field, hung in outer space. Anyway, it's playable and I like the graphics, the colours, and the shooting sound effect.

Nice game this. Looks great and really playable and enjoyable. I bought it years ago hoping it would be at least decent, it was more than that.