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!).

ACTION PACK
WH Smith
£4.99

Feeble collection of Alligata's least distinguished games. Trap (April '87) is probably the best thing here, a vertical scroller that already looks dated when compared to what we've seen since. Who Dares Wins II (June '86) was never daring enough and lost, while Indoor Bowling is too much like all the other 349276 indoor bowling games we've seen of late. And Octagon is very late indeed - we only reviewed it in May! Not the most sparkling compilation I've seen, though by no means appalling value at a fiver. (Available only at WH Smith.)

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: WH Smith/Alligata
Author: various
Price: £4.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Tony Dillon

Yippee, it's here! The new Action Pack from WH Smith, and look at the wonderfully exciting games it contains. Who Dares Wins II. Wow, what a terrible... sorry, I'm supposed to say terrific game - it's Commando goes flip screen. Trap, cor! This is nearly as exciting as championship mould breeding. It's ruined, though, by the fact that you cant see the bullets, the aliens, the missiles and generally anything in the game. Indoor Bowling. Weeelaagh! Primitive, man! (Cue Orson Wells) Probably the worst bowling game ever. (You don't even get the the little man bowling the ball!) Finally, it's Octagon. Now, I've gota terrible memory but... what was I saying? Oh, yes, my memory, but I can remember when this game was released and correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't that only a month or two ago. Blimy guy, that didn't take long to hit the compilation train, lub-a-dub, stone the crows.

It's not exactly an action packed Action Pack, but it is very cheap.