The Games That Time Forgot: 1989 Edition

I'm quite glad I never reached the level on the back of the box. Argh, my eyes!

EXPLODING WALL

(Byte Back)

Byte Back only made a few original games, dealing largely in re-releases of Digital Integration titles apparently, and nobody seems quite sure who they actually were. A couple of theirs, including this title, were allegedly made by M.C. Hammer, sorry M.C. Lothlorien, renowned makers of dubious rap, sorry dull war games. So that sounds odd for starters. 'Cos a dull war game this ain't.

Maybe this is a war game after all - a future war game fought in space. With bats and bricks

For this feature, which examines games which the big three mags never reviewed at the time, it was a case of either use this game or Byte Back's Cowboy Kidz. I opted for that one first as it looked the more interesting. A few minute's play led me to believe it wasn't that interesting after all, so I thought I'd check out the tame Breakout clone instead as a back-up option.

I included the menu screen as it's very flashy with 3-way scrolly text at the bottom. Show offs!

Let's talk Speccy Breakout games then. The first? Batty? Nope. Arkanoid? Also nope. Arkanoid 2? Don't be stupid. It was of course Thru' The Wall, the breakout star (ouch) of 1982's Horizons tape. Arkanoid and Batty only appeared a mere 5 years later surprisingly, to be followed by numerous clones naturally. And this is one. Alright, let's have a bash then if we really must.

Woss dat funny yellow picsher at the bottom? Must be a bug or sumfink

First go. A very nice starry effect in the background, so that's good. Hold on, my ball's disappeared off the right side of the screen, and then a life is lost. Weird. Second life and now I've knocked it off the left side to similar effect. My last life goes the same way. I know some budget games seem half finished, but this is a new low surely?

Yeeks, 2 big fat aliens have appeared. Grab the yellow thing and start smiting brick (but not alien sadly)

Okay, let's try once more before rage-quitting and writing off most of Byte Back's catalogue. The ball speeds off to the extreme right once again, and my bat desperately attempts to follow. But hold on, everything else has suddenly moved right a bit as well. Ah, the penny drops, and my mind is blown. This is a scrolling Breakout game! What new devilry is this?

Is this screenshot busy enough for you? Balls and aliens everywhere!

Once my head has adjusted to these bizarre circumstances, I realise the truth. The playing area is a full three screens wide - the strange picture near the bottom is actually a type of radar screen. On a Breakout game! You have to destroy what is rather a long wall actually, and there are a few aliens who insist on getting in your way, but thankfully there are also add-ons like multi-balls and various shooty bats, in true Arkanoid fashion.

So this is Cowboy Kidz, kind of like Commando without the playability

I have to say what a brilliant idea! This game takes Breakout and tweaks it ingeniously, elevating it to a whole new level. True, the collision detection is occasionally a bit suspect, but otherwise it's an inspired and massively addictive game. And for a budget price too! Byte Back, whoever you are - you've pulled off a good one here. If someone could kindly upgrade it with a pumping soundtrack, it could easily be the best thing ever in all of history.

Hmmm, let's see... Games with 'Exploding' in the title... yeah, Fist, bit obvious though... oh wait, there's this one... might need a bit of judicious editing though... wonder if they'll get it...

WAY OF THE EXPLODING SCORE

86%

THE GAMES THAT TIME FORGOT: 1989 EDITION

1st out of 5 - THE WINNER!