PD Games Disk 1

Supplied by SD Microsystems - £5.00

PD Games Disk 1 is a collection of public-domain games from the classic PCWs. They run on John Elliott's CP/M emulator, which can be downloaded from John's site (see links), or bought as a package with instructions from SD Microsystems. The disk includes 19 games, chosen from a menu, which vary from action blasters to puzzles. Some of the games require Mallard BASIC, which can be bought with CP/M from SD Micro at £14.95. We'll take a look at the main games in turn.

Aliens - Anyone familiar with the older days of computer gaming will feel instantly at home here - it's a Space Invaders clone. My personal favourite, the gameplay has been faithfully reproduced and the graphics are the best of the bunch. Lastability is guaranteed with varying levels of play, and the excellent responsiveness assures that it never gets frustrating. Top-notch shooting stuff.
(Click here for a screenshot)

PCWPac - Another arcade classic brought back to life, PCWPac is, as you've probably guessed, a version of Namco's Pacman. The object of the game is to run around a maze collecting pills, and avoiding the ghosts. "Power Pills" are scattered about the playing area, and by eating these you can kill the ghosts by running into them. Levels vary from normal to a mode where the ghosts flash and head towards you with an aim to kill. PCWPac is very playable, and also very challenging.

Chess - Chess uses a board with a grid-reference to enter your moves. You can choose to be black or white, and although I'm no chessmaster I can safely say that it's still pretty tough to beat!

Hangman - A two-player version of the old pencil-and-paper game, Hangman is fast and straightforward, and is ideal to fill up a spare 10 minutes.

Tennis - Tennis is a Pong-lookalike, with the player controlling one bat and the computer using another. You bounce the ball to the computer with your bat, who then tries to knock it back. If the ball is missed, a point goes to the opposite team. A pretty good implementation of another old classic.

Draughts - Using a graphical board to represent the current state of play, Draughts is a version of the popular game and is great to play. The computer is challenging to battle against and this is one of the best programs on the disk.

Golf - Bizarrely, this sim of the old ball-and-stick game uses text to describe what's going on. However, it works reasonably well and is worth a quick go now and again.

Squash - Squash is a one-player alternative to Tennis. Instead of the computer knocking the ball back to you, there's simply a wall and the object is to keep the ball inside the court. Probably best for training before a game of Tennis!

Wumpus - This must be the best name for any game in the world. Anyway, Wumpus is a strategic dungeon game in which you have to hunt the Wumpus while avoiding other hazards. It's text-based, and I'd suggest some paper and a pen because the playing field is in the shape of a dodecahedron!

Blackjack - Unfortunately I haven't got a clue how to play this, but suffice to say it seems to be a comprehensive interpretation of the popular card game.

Star Trader - An original game of interstellar trading, Star Trader presents a map of the galaxy in which the player moves about and makes money from trading and establishing trading routes. Detailed and involving, this could keep you occupied for a fair while.

Horse Racing - This betting sim lets you choose a horse based on its odds and the length of the race. It then gives a commentary of the progress of the race, and shows you your winnings.

Maths Test and Multiplication Tables - These are simple educational programs that would be suitable for any child who wants help with their maths learning.

Mindreader - Mindreader guesses the number you have chosen from a grid of tables. Although it only has a novelty value, it's pretty good fun to show to other people!

Mastermind - Here, the program thinks of a group of 4 letters and you've got to guess what they are, based on the results of your estimates. A good test of prediction and trial-and-error skills.

PCWTrek - In this Star Trek caper you assume the position of captain of the Enterprise, and make decisions based on the position of enemies. The universe is shown on a grid, and you issue commands to move or check for damage.

Comment

Overall, this disk is an excellent purchase. There's something here to suit everyone, whether you're looking for fast action games or relaxing puzzles. There's even something for the kids, with the educational maths programs. Although some games are better than others, at £5.00 you're bound to get your money's worth as there'll be something here that takes your fancy.

Rating: 9/10