THE COMPLICATIONS OF COMPILATIONS

Aaargh! Which one to buy? Dr Berkmann takes a butchers at the latest batch...

Ah yes, it's a complicated business. The implications and ramifications of compilations can cause such vacillations and palpitations in selection situations, (as my old granny used to say). So which should you invest your pools money in? Since my last round-up in July I've been literally deluged by newies - okay, I've had six - and here they are, dissected without mercy. Heh heh heh! Although I've referred to the original reviews (the dates in brackets refer to the issues they first appeared in), I've tried to judge the games by today's standard's, so some of the marks may be a smidgin different (ie lower). Fings ain't wot they used to be (thank God!).

6-PAK VOL 2
Hit-Pak
£9.95

Corky compilation, far superior to the first 6-Pak package. International Karate (Feb '86) is an unoriginal beat-'em-up, but otherwise the standard's consistently high. Lightforce (Dec '86) and Shockway Rider (April '87) were the first releases from Gargoyle offshoot FTL, and each in its own way is a brilliant achievement on the Speccy: Lightforce, a detailed and addictive (though not terribly swift) shooter and Shockway, a multi-speed scroller of urban walkways in a mugger-infested future. ACE (Oct '86) is the fastest (but also the most graphically primitive) of all aerial-zapping simulations, while into The Eagle's Nest (May '87) was one of the best of the Gauntlet variants and certainly the most popular. Finally, there's a game called Batty, which you may well have heard about! All in all, a fine collection.

COMING SOON...

...two more splendid compilations for the autumn. Activision's got a collection of all those fab Lucasfilm games (Ballblazer, The Eidolon and so on) which should be out in the shops by the time you read this. And Gremlin's Star Games II is out soon, with one or two titles you may have seen elsewhere, like The Eidolon and Ballblazer! (Not to mention Highway Encounter, also available on the Vortex comp.) But we'll keep you posted.

Label: Elite
Author: Various
Price: £9.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon

Nowadays, compilations are getting better and better as more and more recent games are being incorporated. This latest offering from Elite kicks off well. into the Eagles Nest, is a graphically excellent Gauntlet clone. Then there's Lightforce a really neat vertically scrolling shoot-em-up with no colour clash! Then things deteriorate a bit. Aces is a not so good flight simulator over troubled areas.

International Karate has been on other compilations and it's not a brilliant combat game, and Shocking Rider - mugging on express pathways though a neat idea a is a bit odd. Finally, there's Batty. Previously unreleased and arguably the highlight of the tape... Arkanoid, take a step back, it's really good. So three great games, and three maybe OKs. It's a great compilation and one well worth spending your hard earned shreddies on.