| PULSAR |
16K CASS. |
| 1 PLAYER |
16K DISK |
This is another of those deceptive games like Sea Dragon that you
think are going to be easy but end up being just as frustrating as
some of the games you knew from the beginning were going to be hard.
What could be more serene than floating along in a hot-air balloon
above the tranquil English countryside? Everything would be fine
except for those nasty little kids throwing stones and flying kites
and of course the vagaries of an English summer with a few storms and
lightning once in a while. Then there is some idiot in a light
aircraft thinking he is Waldo Pepper and trying to do aerobatics and I
bet you didn't realise how dangerous bird droppings can be! The aim is
to avoid all of these and land your balloon at various landing stages
where you can take on extra fuel to continue your journey. It is not
easy, particularly with those kids throwing stones just as you lift
off.
Graphically this is superb, using redefined characters to excellent
effect to create the green English countryside with trees and
churches, pubs, factories and windmills. There are some nice touches
such as being able to watch your deflated balloon through the foliage
of the trees as it sinks behind them and seeing the kids get annoyed
as you get past them! There is plenty of music as well as you pass the
windmills and pubs.
The practice level is fairly hard but if you get good at it there
are five levels in all. Only a one player game but you are sure to get
family and friends around watching if only for the beautiful graphics.
Perhaps not as complex as many of the American games but the colour
and design more than makes up, and this game shows that there are in
Britain at last programmers capable of producing the goods for the
Atari. Up, Up & Away was originally priced at £21.95 but, as a
home-grown product, has now been reduced to £14.95. At this price it
represents good value for money.
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