Page 6 - Issue 1 - What's New?

What's New?

Geoff Brown

Issue 1

Dec 82/Jan 83

I've been asked to write a regular column for PAGE 6 outlining some of the new products which are imminent and others which are as yet only on the horizon. As you are aware, the ATARI has an enormous number of games, utilities etc. available and these are increasing at a phenomenal rate. Hardly a week goes by without a new company launching a new product. Some of the new items are discarded as not being up to the required standard and others are considered to be unsuitable for the British market or too expensive etc.

So what's likely to be available in the near future? Let's begin by looking at some of the new games. SNOOPER TROOPS 1 is a children to adult adventure with full graphics and animation. It uses the whole 48K Disk to its limit and is well presented in a beautiful binder with comprehensive program notes. You have to find the Granite Ghost by touring around the town in the 'SNOOPMOBILE' taking 'SNOOPSHOTS' with your camera. You then collate all the information and have to solve the mystery. Fantastic fun for all the family. WAYOUT finds you trapped in a 3-D Maze! You can run up and down corridors until you get vertigo. So realistic, you really feel you are there. Chased by animals who hunt in the Maze - a most realistic simulation. Plenty of action, sound and graphics, it comes on 32K disk. PLATTERMANIA is a new ROM cartridge which puts you in charge of a lot of spinning plates on the end of sticks. You have to keep them all spinning or there are disastrous results.

If you've seen Micro-Painter, you ain't seen nothing yet! PAINT! is the ultimate painting utility. You can change the width of the brush, the speed, the shape, the colour. You can even paint with multi-coloured paint and change to tartans, checks, stripes etc. Zoom in on two magnifications and paint on pre-drawn pictures. This comes with a magnificent book on history of art, computer art, modern art and programming notes. Now the bad news - its on 48K disk but a 16K cassette is rumoured for the New Year.

Back to games, BEACHES OF NORMANDY is a new war game on cassette and disk (32K). It features scrolling screen and the full scenario of the Normandy landing. If you liked Eastern front you'll love this. ESCAPE FROM TRAAM and CURSE OF CRAWLEY MANOR are just what you 16K cassette owners have been waiting for - two new Adventures in 16K! You can now join the Adventure lovers and solve these two intriguing mysteries from Adventure International. An excellent introduction to adventuring.

On the Utilities side is DISKEY - a utility to 'unlock' your disks. You can examine, change or search any disk you want. It will copy, boot and change files to your specification. I use it all the time to keep my disk library in order and look at new programs. It requires 32K. FASTCHIP will speed up your Basic programs! This chip is easily installed and replaces the floating point chip in the O.S. and remains completely compatible with the Atari O.S. It speeds up the floating point routines by 3.5 times and indirectly speeds up your Basic too. This will be available before Christmas. PERCOM DISK DRIVES are now available at only £375. These are the latest single density drives and are COMPLETELY reliable. There is also a switchable Double Density/ Single Density Drive at £475 for those who want this extra facility. Finally, slightly cheaper!, are WICO COMMAND CONTROL joysticks guaranteed for one year. Once tried, you will never be able to go back to your plastic poles! They really are much better.

I've probably ruined your bank balance already, so I'll stop here but will just mention that there will be another 20 titles available before Christmas!

I'll try and keep up a regular column so write in and tell me what you want to read about. I am off to LAS VEGAS in January so there should be lots of exciting things to tell you about. Until then, keep racking up those bonus points!
top