Producer: Automata
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price: £6.00
Language: Machine code
Author: Jason Austin

Automata's last effort, Pi-Eyed, was joky, a bit unplayable and a bit all over the place (like the befuddled Piman). This one is quite different and boasts some excellent graphics and a good arcade game of the type where you jump from square to square avoiding the nasties and changing the colours of the squares as you go.

The object is to help Burt change the Pyramid of Pi to the 'mystic' colour displayed at the top of the screen. Burt is being bothered by the belligerent Ball Brothers, Bobby and Billy. There's also Sid the Snake and the two Pixel Princes Col and Jas. There are 28 squares, or rather diamonds, in the pyramid. From the topmost square the monsters issue forth to do their various dastardly deeds. The Ball Brothers, looking like giant Smarties, zig zag down the pyramid and kill Burt off on contact. To lure the snake over the edge there are two magic discs either side onto which Bud may jump. He is then whisked to the top and must jump off again. But the top square is the most dangerous, since that's where the Ball Brothers come from. The discs may only be used once per pyramid.

Changing the squares' colour is done simply by hopping diagonally from one to the other. As the game progresses you may have to jump on a square several times to get it to change colour. Col may well come out and undo your work, whereas Jas may actually help. Confused?

Try the game. And if you need some aid to concentration, flip the cassette over and play Lady Clair Sinclive' s latest hit single which is modestly described as possibly the worst Reggae music ever committed - Beware of Balls!

COMMENTS

Control keys: P/C = up right/left, L/A = down left/right
Joystick: Kempston
Keyboard play: very responsive
Colour excellent
Graphics: excellent
Sound: poor (and that's the A side!)
Skill levels: gets harder
Lives: 3
Screens: 66

I think this is the best ever game from Automata. The task must be completed without falling off the sides of the pyramid - unless he jumps aboard a magic flying disk, which can be useful in tight spots. The graphics are very colourful and super smooth. There's a great 'Bar' scene between games with the entire dreadful gang relaxing and Burt making fun of the Piman. Don't bother to listen to the B side!

Very frenetic and addictive. It takes some getting used to the controls which are down left, up left, down right, up right. You'll fall of the pyramid a few times at first. Once a rhythm has been established it's possible to zip along at a furious rate. The flipside hit single would never make Top of the Pops - they'd ban it!

Pi-Balled is definitely fun to play, but I don't think it's lasting appeal is that high. You quickly get used to the control keys and the patterns of attack from the Pimen and his friends. But the graphics are excellent, especially Burt when he's on one of the magic discs, slowly turning around and climbing through the sky to the top of the pyramid. Certainly unusual.'

KEEPING THE BALLS ROLLING

Memory: 48K
Price: £6.00
Joystick: Kempston

The latest sequel to Pimania, Pi-Eyed and other Automata productions is Pi-Balled. Starring the Pi-man again, the story involves the mystical pyramid of Pi, the colour of which you are attempting to change by jumping from square to square while avoiding collision with two bouncing balls, Sid the Snake, the Pi-man and other hazards.

In spite of the zany presentation which has become the Automata hallmark, including a title screen crammed with grotesque leering characters, Pi-Balled is a fairly straightforward arcade game. You score points by jumping on to a square and changing its colour and you lose a life if you fall from the edge of the pyramid - which is easy to do until you become accustomed to the unusual diagonal movements required by the game - or if you land on the same square as one of the other characters. There are bonus points for every pyramid you complete and new hazards to make successive screens more difficult.

Among the original features which add appeal is a spinning disc which carries you aloft gracefully, a free ride allowed once each screen. Beware, however, of the balls which materialise at the top of the pyramid; if you choose to transfer from your disc at the time they are doing so, you will lose a life.

Pi-Balled has lively graphics - the representation of the bouncing balls it particularly convincing - and the degree of difficulty is well-judged to please both novices and more experienced players. A pop record on side two is a doubtful bonus.

PIMAN GETS PAC-MAN TREATMENT

Q*bert copies are beginning to proliferate on the Spectrum in the same way as rip-offs of Pac-Man did twelve months ago.

With no less than three versions to choose from, we thought it was time C&VG told you which one to spend money on.

The original was an arcade game by Gottlieb which introduced the cute but foul-mouthed little character who had to hop from tile to tile on a triangular shaped play area to change the colour of every square. Nasties like Coily, the snake, and a big red bouncing ball tried to stop our long-nosed friend from completing his task.

Ocean's Pogo is the closest to the arcade original with the snake and bouncing ball - though in this version Coily is operating under the assumed name of Hiss.

The slow, looping hop of Q*bert has been faithfully recreated in Pogo and this is also the only version which makes our friend jump off the side of the pyramid when you press the wrong key.

Also hopping onto the bandwagon are Automata with their PiMan Q*bert game - Pi-Balled.

PiMan and Q*bert could almost be brothers with those unmistakable long snouts - a similarity that has not escaped Automata's attention as they include a bar-room scene in the game where the two share a drink.

If you like fast games, then this is the one for you. The PiMan can be made to move very quickly from square to square as he performs his Q*bert impersonation.

Like Pogo, this game features the spinning escape plates at the side of the pyramid which you can jump onto when the going gets really tough.

Spellbound from Beyond is the most original adaptation of the Q*bert theme introducing witches, spells and devils.

Despite the pretty graphics, this is the least playable version of the game. The little yellow devils are difficult to see and the tiles only partially change colour when landed on - making the whole effect less colourful. Spellbound also lacks the escape plates which are an integral part of the original idea.

Best buy. For my money Pogo is the best Q*bert-type game available for the Spectrum - and marks another success for Ocean who are really beginning to make their mark on the games business.

Pogo £5.90 from Boots, Menzies, Woolworth, Pi-Balled from Automata of Portsmouth at £6 and Spellbound from most software shops at £5.95.

RAT DAT DISC

MAKER: Automata UK Ltd
MACHINE: Spectrum 48K
FORMAT: cassette
PRICE: £6.00

The diminutive Q*Bert's triangular stomping ground is the latest locale for Automata's ubiquitous hero, the Piman. Yep, the little horror is busy causing trouble for the hapless Bert as he hops merrily about, carelessly colouring the great Pyramid of Pi.

The gameplay is, of course, pretty familiar stuff. However, it's set apart from other Spectrum Q*Bert clones by some truly splendid graphics. Bert has been skilfully drawn and his army of assailants are smoothly animated. Alongside Pi-nose you'll have to contend with the Bouncing Ball brothers, Sid the snake and Jas and Col (the authors?)

As you might imagine the pyramid soon becomes mighty crowded.

By way of a breather you can hop Bert onto one of two spinning discs which'll return him to the peak of the pyramid. This provides the most spectacular graphic routine in the game. Bert spins, in full perspective, majestically through the air. It's genuinely impressive. At the end of each bash you're given your score over a drink in the Automata bar, a nice finishing touch.

Written in machine code (unusual for Automata) the game offers quality arcade thrills. Hardly original, I know, but certainly entertaining.

MACHINE: Spectrum
JOYSTICK: Optional
CATEGORY: Arcade
SUPPLIER: Automata
PRICE: £6.00

If you've ever played that incredibly difficult game Q*Bert in the arcades and like me you found it much too difficult but actually liked the game, Pi-Balled is probably what you've been waiting for.

For anyone who doesn't know the scenario you have to help your man, in this case Burt, change the colour of a pyramid to the mystical colour displayed in the top right of the screen. The pyramid of Pi is made up of a number of blocks. You colour in a block by jumping on to it. Jumping is controlled by either the keys or Kempston joystick. But even though a joystick option is included the keys are well placed and I found it much easier to control Burt using these.

To make life difficult for Burt a number of nasties inhabit the pyramid, including the Piman, the Ball Brothers, Col, Jas and Sid the Snake. Each of the nasties have their own personality, some such as the snake being more difficult to avoid than others.

The graphics are excellent with some superb animation. When Burt gets on to one of the lifts to avoid a nasty he rotates slowly as he glides back up to the top of the pyramid and the movement of the nasties (and their intelligence) is truly frightening. It's a pity that the sound in Pi-Balled isn't a little better.

Pi-Balled is a good copy of the arcade version but a lot easier to play. Definitely a recommended buy for anyone who liked the original.

The latest sequel to Pimania, Pi-Eyed and other Automata productions is Pi-Balled - 48K Spectrum. Once again the Pi-man is the hero of the game, this time accompanied by two bouncing balls and Sid the Snake.

It is a fairly straightforward arcade game. The mystical pyramid of Pi must be changed in colour by jumping from square to square. Sid the Snake must be avoided, as must the bouncing balls, which can also change the colour of the pyramid but not necessarily in a way which is helpful.

Pi-balled has lively graphics; the bouncing balls and spinning discs are particularly convincing and the degree of difficulty is well-judged to suit beginners and experienced players.

Exciting and challenging new arcade-style games are becoming thin on the ground, so Pi-Balled by Automata is a refreshing change. The player's aim is to move from step to step of a pyramid, changing the colour of each seep crossed. Once the colour of the whole pyramid has been changed a new pyramid appears and the game becomes more difficult.

Attempting to run off the edge of the pyramid, or colliding with any of the other creatures on the pyramid, means instant death. Each creature has different attributes; one of the balls helps the player to change the colour of the pyramid, the other hinders by changing back the pyramid to its original colour. Sid the snake appears to be purely malevolent, while the Pi-man appears to be not only malevolent but almost inescapable.

The animated graphics are extremely good. The player has the option of climbing the pyramid on a spinning disc, which sends the player revolving along the edge of the screen and which may lure the snake into plunging into the depths beneath the pyramid. Movement on the screen is fast and smooth and colour changes appear to be instantaneous.

The skill levels are also carefully worked-out. With some practice a route round the board can be found which will change colours quickly and safely. It soon becomes apparent, however, that speed is not the attribute for which to aim, as it is not what provides the points. Destroying the snake yields several points, while reaching the higher levels too quickly often leads to an untimely death.

It can be very unnerving to watch the pyramid changing to the colour of the background as you move and thus, apparently, vanishing; or to see the pyramid seem invisible as it begins by being the same colour as the background.

Pi-balled is an entertaining and enjoyable game, produced for the Spectrum by Automata (U.K.) Ltd, 27 Highland Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire and costs £6.