Oh yes, the winter is coming... but that doesn't mean nothing happened...

• Well, as already everybody knows I myself left TRIAD and went to Liverpool, better said I joined SCOUSE CRACKING GROUP. But that's not all, I also bought an Amiga! Of course I'm not gonna drop the 64, otherwise I would drop and old friend and I never drop old friends... Okay, enough about me...
• Questions if TRIAD is still existing should be answered with the following list: ACU, the only active Triad cracker is gonna stop computer activities totally. HI-TEC started to work, F.A.M.E. are fully concentrating to work only for companies, THE SARGE went over to FAIRLIGHT, as you know MR.PINGE, IXION, JANITOR (there was something about that guy... if I could remember) quitted 64 biz some time ago, DEEJAY and T.K. are about to decide which offer to take and join a new group, THE GRONK didn't say anything about still working TRIAD, so you see, TRIAD are: 801 DC and TWILIGHT, and if I add that the last things TRIAD released were only German products (without any exception) you can guess that something is gone... forever?
• The list of Scousers looks like: WEETIBIX, TRANS X, CHUNK, WEBB and JS
• As modem trading becomes more and more important BEASTIE BOYS decided to take a new, but talented importing guy from Switzerland named AXIOM and he already proved that modem trading is not the only thing he can do, but also programming.
• Surprise, surprise... JJ THE BREAKER is back! That means that the good old UNTOUCHABLE CRACKING FORCE released some cracks, but I have some doubts if they will be the big rival for EAGLESOFT.
• Germany's best cracker was caught by the police, I'm talking about MR.ZEROPAGE (who was working for RED SECTOR) on the Amiga. Rumours say that the police got informed by some traitors from POWERSTATION, bad luck anyway.
• As everybody knows this MARK of FUSION made up a new group when he became too afraid of the name FUSION, and he called this crap PHOENIX talking bullshit about lots of future releases, but except giving the F.A.S.T. (Federation Against Software Theft) hints about English craking groups, not much came out from him.
• People said I'm myself changing the groups as others are changing their underwear, though I stayed for about 8 1/2 month in TRIAD. But DARK STAR is now in his 3rd group within one month. First in BROS, then DRIVE and now OCTAGON, wondering what comes next?
• We both, MAD ALL / CFR and me officially declare that none of us can be called responsible for being EVIL EDDY, who's writing the best parts in Jayce's magazine "DELIRIOUS MAG", I would give a hell to know who that is, because he's very good...
• What the helluva fuck happened to the good old English post? They had a 3 weeks post strike that was really pissing a lot of guys (including me, of course) off... Anyway, after another week they seem to be back in old speed, but I hope that Express letters are not gonna take 4 weeks again...
• Latest news from THE WANDERER GROUP are that INSIDE THE BUILDING, formerly known as RUBBERDUCK, also stopped all computer activities because of no time remaining because of working... but what is the real reason, Markus?
• Funny, funny... As everybody was wondering how ACTIVISION would be able to produce a better R-TYPE than KATAKIS from German RAINBOW ARTS, ACTIVISION finally bought all rights from R.A. and are soon going to release KATAKIS again, just with one single change and that's the name... I'm wondering who will be so silly and to crack it again, anyway I'm planning to get through the whole game without a trainer as I'm reaching currently Level 7...
• Moving over to the Dutch mountains, FIRE EAGLE just changed their name into SCOUTS (but without CRACKING GROUP behind, any parellels with dead or existing cracking groups are pure coincidence, eh?).
• Ha, everybody was afraid of going to Venlo again 'cause "It might be possible that the cops are coming" and so what? Nothing happened there last month (also concerning new stuff), so it seems to be a safe place to take out our fights... Hehehe!
• It can be taken from a German pirate magazine called NEWS that MCG spread the word that they cracked already GREAT GIANA SISTERS 2 though it is going to be released by RAINBOW ARTS in a couple of weeks as the production manager said...
• If anybody out there is interested in tasting French balls, not French fries, then he just has to show up at a certain meeting at a certain place in Holland, when anyone from TRANSCOM (except Jayce) is meeting their best friend, respectively me. No use to warn them, 'cuz they won't understand it, I don't speak French and they don't speak English and won't have much time to repeat learning it...
• MR.CURSOR of THE WANDERER GROUP is gonna sell his Amiga after "finding out how the machine works in seven days" and then put an Archimedes on his desk... Aha.
• Well, I'm not feeling unproud to have a group in my country which is able to import, okey?
• I was surprised by getting letters from Israel, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria last month, but one thing made me think hard. A letter from Spain from a group called "EL TORO CRACKING SERVICE". Perhaps someone wanted to make a joke with me, 'cuz I invented the name just as a joke on the European cracker map a long time ago... Indeed very funny thing.

WHAT THE DICKENS IS UP!?

Yeh, the news spread faster than my death (caused by a certain car accident) well I'm working for nobody less than SCG from now on...

But you can be sure, that nothing's gonna change, though I'm also raping an Amiga right now, yeh. But you can expect more news from the Amiga scene as I'm gonna be more informed in such things from now on... I hope. A big thanx for all has to go all days to MR.PINGE, IXION and JANITOR for building me up and making the whole climbing possible, I won't forget you.

By the way, I won't forget any of the following guys of course as well and I also use this opportunity to send my best wishes to: BEASTIE BOYS (CAPTAIN FUTURE, ACCEPT >thanx for the postcard< and AXIOM), EAGLESOFT (sonofaMITCH and BUTCHER), FAIRLIGHT (STRIDER and goGOLLUM), IKARI (JUST ICE >catch the thief< and NIK), the NEW BENCOR BROTHERS (Andy >the best friend one can have at a party<), BROS (the entire Dutch and Norway section, especially PACO and Gene), RADWAR (all men on the ship including the big boss and the writer of that letter to the ASM), COMMANDOFRONTIER (MAD ALL >good luck<, RAM and LETO II, and PHOTONY >of course!<), TRIANGLE (SWYX, COZMIX and the giant baby, SCRATCH), COSMOS (SSD and ANTITRACK >I couldn't fix it<), THE WANDERER GROUP (the BEERMAN and the idiot I had to spend almost 4 days with >Easy!<), INC (two times Davez), DOUGNUT CRACKING SERVICE (Mis-tuh ZU-LUH >C U in December Andy?<), the whole JCS bunch (thanx for the posters, FOZZ), SHINING 8 (STET and REPTIL >but I can only afford trading with one of you<), REDLINE (again sorry Alech), END OF CENTURY (yol Pet's band man), ZENITH (where's my mag, handy Hendy), HOTLINE, HACKERWORLD (sorry for 4getting you last issue...), SPHINX, ORION, ZENOBITS (late but it comes), my old dood IAN, ASH & DAVE, IAN & MIC, all CNet heroes, PUBLIC ENEMY NO.1 (Colin dooood), RED SECTOR INTL. (take er easy, man!), T.K. (still living after London?), HI-TEC (?), D'JAY (watt geht ab?), ACU (netter letter), FAME (Michael wird vater) and all the Scousers, WEETIBICKS (mega mega awesome post office), Masters of the Universe: Le-Man , Junkie, errmmm... eh? I meant... CHUNKIE of course and Webb-ster!

Special thanx to Carlsberg, Mutti und Pappi, Joy Division, BFBS, New Order, The Smiths, Morrisey, Frankenheim Alt and Funke Alt for all much needed supply during hard hours of typing... Next month, same column? Beat in, JEFF SMART!

ALLRIGHT, LADS!

Thanx for the many postcards you sent back to me, great fun, and so I think that the "Cracker of the Month" charts are getting more representative as about 35 guys took the chance and voted for it! Yeah, among the postcards 5 guys will be taken out and sent an ILLEGAL for free!!

Well, I have to excuse myself for presenting this time an ILLEGAL in a somewhat lower level than usual, due to my problems with school. I'm running my last year and so every test is very important... My week (10th-15th of October) looks like this:

• MONDAY: skip school, work on ILLEGAL, learn for Maths.
• TUESDAY: Maths test taking 4 hours time, then work on ILLEGAL.
• WEDNESDAY: print ILLEGAL, work on layout, copy ILLEGAL, learn for German.
• THURSDAY: German test taking also 4 hours, then learn for Geography.
• FRIDAY: Geography test that takes 6 (!) hours then sleep.
• SATURDAY: Venlo: release ILLEGAL.

PS. Wot do you find when you open IKARI's fridge? Nothing, JUST ICE! (sent in by PHOTONY of CFR)

INTERVIEW OF THE MONTH: WEETIBIX OF SCOUSE CRACKING GROUP

If one was wondering who this SCOUSE CRACKING GROUP was when some cracks have been released around beginning of 1987, then nowadays every small kid has heard of the boys from Liverpool, they really worked hard to get that status they have today! I spoke to WEETIBIX, their maincracker who advanced without doubts to one of the very best crackers on earth...

• Gimme a hint at your age!
  I'm currently at the ripe 'old' age of 16!
• When did you buy your computer and why?
  Well my parents bought it for me back in '85... I don't think they knew what they let themselves in for! I also have an AMIGA... but not for cracking!
• Do you have any special reasons for cracking?
  Well, the enjoyment really (some one's got to crack all these hard games!). I don't have any idols just respect the good crackers in general (or the dead ones!).
• Who are your best friends?
  Well some lamer from Ger... ermm JEFF SMART!, all the Scouse boys, BUTCHER / ESI, FOZZ / JCS, the old TCS bunch and the rest who likes me!
• Do you have any enemies?
  People who start out to be seem to make up there "differences" after having a talk. So, no, I don't have any enemies.
• When was SCG founded?
  It was founded way back in July '86 but we didn't do much in the way of "cracking". Things changed, we began mail trading (YEAH!) and here we are.
• What are your fave...
  Demo: Borderzone from Mat & Psy
  Game: Giana Sisters
  Music: Arkanoid, I like many music groups, Talking Heads, U2...
  Movies: All kinds, except all the gay romance shit!
• What are your sparetime acts?
  Wot sparetime?!!! Well, SLEEP (when there is some!)
• What do you think about the 64's future?
  The 64 will continue for a while yet, but inevitably, the AMIGA (not ST!) will become the ruler!
• How did you get your name?
  One time in '85 I altered the scroll text to a game... I just thought of "WEETIBIX" and it stuck!
• Why did you, yourself, leave for a while?
  I grew bored with and tired of the cracking scene.
• Why did you come back?
  I wasn't bored anymore!
• What's up?
  Not that old joke, Jeff, pleeeeez!
• Thanx a lot.
  No probbie-dobbie.

THE PCS REPORT 1988!

Here we are, London 1988. We arrived late in the night, stand on the Westminister Bridge and listened to the bells of BIG BEN at 12.

Saturday, September 17th. I didn't know it would be one of the best days in my life. After MR.CURSOR, TK and I went through London and I bought several records and T-shirts in record stored on Oxford Street we took a taxi cab and drove back to Chelsea to Earl's Court. Yo man. THOUSANDS (and this time it is no damn exaggeration to talk about thousands) of people wanted to get in, we bought our tickets and went up the stairs. And you wouldn't believe. You couldn't see a damn thing, because it was too overcrowed, well "overcrowded" is not the right expression, bit I'm sure you know what I mean.

We walked past the OCEAN stand at the entry of the show and I thought that it could be hard to find someone among all those people. The first guy I met was CHARLES DEENEN from MANIACS OF NOISE, who was about to eat something at the snack bar. Then, after walking round and round again, I still couldn't believe it.

I've been here for some hours and I still didn't know where the different stands were... Then, at the THALAMUS stand I met old JESTER from PUBLIC ENEMY NO.1 and my old lad LAZER from the NEW BENCOR BROTHERS who at once pulled me down into a bar and bought some beer for us (thanx, Andy!).

Walking over the show again I finally met the SCOUSERS (WEETIBIX, CHUNK and LEE), IKARI (NIK, JUST ICE, TRI-DOS, FLETCH, EXCELL), DCS (MR.SULU), JCS (the whole bunch), ZENITH (Steve + Hendy), BOD of HOTLINE, THE GRONK, GENE from BROS coming from NORWAY... and later on, on the THALAMUS stand (it became our meeting point) my old friends from COMMANDOFRONTIER (MAD ALL, RAM, LETO II.....) and FAIRLIGHT (STRIDER, GOLLUM, EXCALIBUR...), TCS even some guys from TRANSCOM (naturally not saying a single word).

We all went down into the bar and drank some beers... Ha! The final meeting, IKARI + FAIRLIGHT + CFR + NBB + TRIAD + SCG + .... all together, talking for some hours... then back again on the show. As the show closed around 8, I finally met all I wanted to meet, well almost (IAN?).

Back on Sunday morning, this time we were able to have a look at all those arcade machines, preview shows, promotion gags, company's stands, posters, bag, t-shirts, people, equipment and what the hell... Again we all met on the THALAMUS stand, though I personally think of OCEAN's one was the very best. Lots of playable games (ROBOCOP, TYPHOON, OPERATION WOLF...) and arcade machines, promotion gags (a guy disguised as ROBOCOP itself...). We walked around making jokes, sitting down in the bar. We also went to the COMMODORE USER stand, made some photos.

But there was really no use to test a game, because on every single arcade machine you could count 50 small English kids (Oh my God, they're all talking English!) kicking in their balls... and playing... I was able to play ARMALYTE from THALAMUS (DELTA II), ROCKET RANGER, LORDS OF THE RISING SUN and TV GAMES all from CINEMAWARE, DALEY TH.O.C. from OCEAN on AMIGA, a very bad looking AFTERBURNER from ACTIVISION on 64 and what the dickens I don't remember exactly everything else, but it was damn cool. Cooler than anything else before. It really was the show!

Mr. JUST ICE just grabbed some games and previews just out of the hands of the software companies (well done!) or took several equipment with him (yol!).

Well... as the time came to say goodbye (FAIRLIGHT and CFR left already on Saturday...) we all decided to meet again as fast as possible and this could be at Venlo in December, but... Sitting in the car right now I swear to myself I'll be back next year when the PCS 1989 will take place.

This weekend will stay in my mind forever and ever as it was really one of the best a computer freak could imagine, and when do you have the time to meet all British hackers, the guys from Compunet, all the software companies (really all!!!) and many interesting guys? Only one time a year when it's PC SHOW time. See you around next year! Yours, MR. J.W. SMART!?

MEETINGS: VENLO!

September 17th, the new VENLO meeting after the summer break. Everybody was afraid that the cops might show up, but... nothing happened... and also nothing happened what regards new stuff or any cool guys... due to the PCS on the same weekend.

Of course, all usual guys were absent, only BROS, nobody from HOTLINE!, BWB, SF, LEGEND, ORION, SPHINX (who released... guess what... demos!) and of course! the usual thousands of Dutch lamers and AMIGA idiots... Well, I forgot CFR (myself) of course. I became a rich man 'cause of selling all ILLEGAL:s I brought with me, Hehe!

Well we're waiting and hoping for a better Venlo meeting next time, but due to the PCS all important guys have been absent... The snackbar didn't get that lot of money this time, they're also waiting for yet another in this neverending, unstoppable series of VENLO meetinx... We too. See you in heaven... PHOTONY / CFR

THE EAST IS COMING!

Have you ever heard of groups like "H.I.C." or "F.B.I."?

Well, these crews are from Hungary! At first: They don't have new stuff, but they create demos that you think were made by IAN & MIC or ASH & DAVE. There is also an eastbloc-scene like in West Europe. I got demos from POLAND and U.S.S.R. (STRIDER is the public enemy #1 in Russia - Ha Ha). Their hot favourite games are Worldgames and Enduro Racer (remember that?).

Jump a little West and you are in Austria! In the last weeks some Austrian lamers contacted famous crews and told them, that they were members from COSMOS. These guys are names: NOBODY, MUNDELSOFT, MURDOCK or some others. Please notice for all time that COSMOS is only: ATT, BIG BEN, SSD, CHC, ICON and that's already all for this month. SALVE BIG BEN / COSMOS

EXCUSE ME, BUT...

The second part of "ILLEGAL PRESENTS OLD 64 LEGENDS" will be published in the following issue, because I didn't have all the time because of school, but be sure they'll be there next issue, OK!? /JS

UNCLE CHUNKLE'S HUT...

And so, uncle CHUNKLE pens his first solo, ILLEGAL article...

To begin with I am going to sort who is who in SCOUSE and who is not: In a recent Delirious article the member list was quoted as - "WEETIBIX, LEE and WEBB".and Webb'. Piss off!!! Whoever supplied this list was obviously deeply misinformed, because the member list actually reads as follows: CHUNK (me, me, me!), WEETIBIX, TRANSX, WEBB, JEFF SMART (who??). Those of you who are observent enough may notice an unusual addition to our group in the shape of JEFF SMART! We have known 'Smartie' since the days of G.S.S. and have always been good friends, and, after meeting him at the PC-Show we mutually agreed that he was in fact a Scouser who has been disguising his identity by speaking in a German accent - and thus he was immediately recruited.

One of the most talked-about subjects recently has been "Americans" so I thought that I would throw in a few words on this subject. Once upon a time there was a group named FISSION (or something like that...), now this group was typical second generation crackers, that is - they knew very little about cracking; using savers and other utilities (that require no skill to utilize). But this group had something called a modulator / demodulator (a modem - dumbo) and so, everytime they "cracked" a game it would be sent off to some ever-demanding American who immediately ran off to tell everyone how awesome "FISSION" were.

Gradually, more and more people (sadly including us) began to modem-trade because Americans decreed that "fastest was best". We do not actually need the Americans, and like a lot of other I would sooner be rid of them. Sadly we have grown too dependent upon these Americans. Boo Hoo! Sniff, onto other topics less sad - DEMOS!

Scouse has now had two demos (RETICULATE + HALFWAY) under its belt and in a few weeks will (hopefully) release another one entitled AQUAPAST which unlike the previous two (which were aimed more at demo writers that anything else) should appeal more to the masses. AQUAPAST is going to be my best demo yet and will include: 1. full screen horizontal interlace, 2. Wireyscroll - wait and see, 3. The full (!) history of SCG (when, where and what!) depicted in full two dimensional fishomation, 4. A new application for $D016 bars! (I call it "wobbling").

Enough of my demo, at the show we recieved the new IKARI demos called "IT'S OUR SHOW", not mega but not bad, the other one was "IN FULL GEAR" (written by MR. JUST ICE) whilst this demo does not contain any new effects or such, I found it extremely pleasing and a fine example of how a proper demo should look and sound (cool!). Well done, JUST ICE.

Wowzers, I have exhausted my topics of conversation and so I will bring this letter to a close... Huge hellos to FOZZ, Bevs, Lazy, Aggy, Motor-X-Man and Mr.Wig - flame those lamers! Lastly to WaRFREAK of the DOMINATORS - You've got ten legs man! See you around guys... CHUNK - SCG

THE STORY OF SYSTEM FOUR...

Aaaahh. Without taking the glasses down, you pour half a liter of probably the best beer in the world and you feel that odd feeling in your stomach, in your head... in your brain. You returned from the meeting of the leading groups, successful as always.

Hum, the old religion died... you changed the colour of your school bag, only one group is alive. But what is it? They keep working their ass off, but for what? Others, so-called good friends, go and just steal all brilliant ideas in one second while it took them centuries to find them. Bad thing. For what? When friends become enemies when you turn your back on them. It's really a bad thing. But who believes a clown? And the drum makes you think faster...

Small kids, shooting stars think they could rule the world. But how? Without any responsibility? Just for some ripped off ideas? Bad thing. You also find yourself in betraying the old things, when you took a step closer to the new system, number 16... but, still your fingers type for no.4 and will always do? But for what?

Other idiots just tell you to go on, but for what? You examine your wallet, but nothing is left... Watched from the wings as the scenes were replaying, we saw ourselves now as we never saw ourselves before. Made a promise for an old life, made a victim out of your life. When you stand at the door and you trip to the floor and you feel you can touch all the noise is to mitch, eh, much... and the seed that are sown and are no longer your own... just a minor operation to force the final ultimatum. Bad thing.

You shake your head. Is this REALLY ALL you lived for? Nothing... where are the young men? Where have they been? Knocked on the doors of hell's darker chambers, pushed to the limits, we dragged ourselves in...

You feel very bad 'cuz you're thinking of the 'good ole' times, but you couldn't compete, 'cuz you've been too green behind your ears. Bad thing.

You always said: "Be careful... there's another meaning as just the colour..." but nobody believes you. Who believes a goddamn clown? Nobody, sad thing. BLUE, everything's gone blue... I don't think your timing is that flawed, but there's still this appeal everyone of us kept through his life...

Girls? But who trusts a mad boy? Nobody, no try... no love lost! Who needs it? I do... very sad thing. We fought for good, stood side by side, our friendship never died. But stranger ways that froze on highs our vision touched skies... Mortal list, the points to prove, I point to prove...

I always told 'em that it means something different than just a colour, but... what shall I say... depressing... Excuse me, but... I had to tell you, a weight on my shoulder...

Where have they been? Weary inside, now our hearts lost forever. These rituals showed up the door for our wanderings. OPENED AND SHUT, then slammed in my face. I took a rope, put it round my neck, I didn't know it's that easy... take off for a new life.

Never to be continued. Bye, you all! /JS

PCS STAR OF THE SHOW AWARD! - "EASILY THE BEST PARTY EVER!"

Congratulations to JUST ICE of IKARI..., followed by LAZER of NBB, and GENE of BROS.

Thanx to: JUST ICE of IKARI (GBR) for "grabbing" some games and previews just out of the hands of the Software companies (e.g. GAME OVER II, JOE BLADE II, STARRAY PR...) and for a great time at the show.

LAZER from NEW BENCOR BROTHERS for getting all of his friends a beer down below in the bar ("Hicks"), for meeting the guys from Commodore User and everything else.

GENE from BROS (NOR) for coming from Norway to England, staying in the most expensive hotel in LONDON ("Hilton"), letting stay MR.ZULU of DCS with him.

/JEFF SMART!

THE BALLAD OF... GOGO BROWN!

As everybody has its man behind the mask telling stories without giving his real name, I'm gonna publish every month a column written by a guy everybody knows, but doesn't know... /JS

Welcome ladies and gentlemen, my worthy name is GOGO BROWN and I'm not going to tell you my real name until I'm forced to do so. Okey, using an alias means I can talk and slag everybody off if I want to. That's turning me on. But I'm not going to slag off anyone this time, even though I was given well damn reason for doing so, so nobody can be sure...

I'm also present at almost every copyparty around, so be careful of what you say and better wash your mouths with soap...

As last month's ILLEGAL was a whole slagging-off to all brain damaged U.S. importing groups, I'd like to set this idea forth. Up to now all guys hated to see Americans destroying European cracking culture, putting their at a rate of 99% non-working intros in front of a game Europeans cracked and even being proud of such an act.

Yet the climax of all this wasn't reached when one can observe that every file is uploaded which name is unknown, no matter what shit or crap it might be... So it was no surprise to see the damn yankees importing European demos! And not only the good ones... Would you like it if I go and put my ugly intro in front of your program? But still feel even honoured when Americans do import their demo.

The other thing pissing me off like nothing else in this entire world is to see Yanx being proud of releasing games made with that hell of "Shoot'em-up Construction Kit", though every single ass is able to recognize that if he takes one look at the game...

Where does this lead to? Total destruction of the brilliant idea of modem trading itself... What do you think? JEFF is so kind and promised to send every letter to me if you want to talk to me...

And you see that you already reached the end of my first column "the ballad of Gogo Brown". Next issue I'm definately going to slag some asses off after I called them and told them I was an American and just wanted to talk to them, I should have recorded every word I was told, you would wonder what your best friends are saying about you when you talk to them and they don't have the slightest idea you might get your hands at what they're talking about... so... until next issue!

Yours Sincerely, Gogo Brown!

PC ENGINE - "THE ALTERNATIVE"

Everybody is talking about the PC ENGINE, a new cool game console from the land of the rising sun, Japan. It's as big as a normal 5 1/4 disk and features brilliant graphics and fantastic sound effects. Games like R-TYPE, VICTORY RUN, GALLAGA '88, CHAN AND CHAN and others are available at a price of more than 30 pounds each. (= 90 DM = $50).

The whole PC ENGINE is at the mo at a price of 500 DM = $300 = 130 pounds, but as the games are too expensive and there is no chance to "crack" them, it still is no real alternative to the home computers. /JS

AMIGA GAME REVIEWS

• SUMMER OLYMPIAD: A big surprise caught me, because the game was not that good as regards the gameplay on the 64. But not only the graphics have been well improved on the Amiga, so have the gameplay. Now it also saves the highest scores. TYNESOFT's SUMMER OLYMPIAD claims to be one of the best sport simulations on 16 bit: 92pts.
• CYBERNOID: Yet another good old 64 conversion and except of the sound one could also or better play the 8 bit version without any losses. The graphics are not much better as they normally should be and the sound is, compared to other sounds possible on the Amiga, nothing special: 61pts.
• BATTLE CHESS: Ha! Only a few games deserve to be called "standard-setting" (e.g. "Defender of the Crown") and here we've got yet another one! Okey, those who can't play chess won't have that fun with it, but those who can will be fascinated. ELECTRONIC ARTS are going to reach the name of a top Amiga games producing company, their latest release BATTLE CHESS features chess with brilliant graphics, fantastic animation and lot of fun during the gameplay, 10 different levels, human vs human or computer... Just have a look at it! 94pts.
• ALIEN SYNDROME: Aha, another 64 conversion and it's really not the worst one. The graphics and sound make well use of the Amiga's capacities. Well, the game was good on the 64 and is even better on the Amiga, let's say: 93 points out of 100.
• MENACE: A new shoot 'em up by PSYGNOSIS should be a real top hit, but it is not. Okey, the graphics and sprites are not bad, but the game is too slow and too boring as there exists lots of other more interesting shoot 'em ups, 76 pts.
• NEBULUS: The game is almost the same as on the 64, but is slightly better. The sound should have been better, but it is still a fascinating game, 87 pts.
• VIRUS: This game is better known as "ZARCH" on the Archimedes. The game is really fast but somehow it gets boring mainly because of the idiotical movements with the mouse, anyway: 84 pts.
• ROCKET RANGER: The long awaited new masterpiece by "Defender of the Crown" developers CINEMAWARE featuring good old ADOLF H.? Though the game will be definately not published in Germany, it is really a good and difficult one with brill graphix, 87pts.

C64 GAME REVIEWS

• DALEY THOMPSON'S OLYMPIC CHALLENGE: Yeah, sponsored by ADIDAS, OCEAN managed to produce the best "destroy-your-joystick" sporting game since DECATHLON. Fantastic graphics and animations and a very good sound make the game to be a real hit: 92pts.
• CORRUPTION: The new one in the neverending series of MAGNETIC SCROLLS adventures. Okey, they're good, but it starts to get more and more boring, take now CORRUPTION where you have to read lots of texts to proceed, nothing could really make me to play this game as intensive as I played GUILD OF THIEVES before... 79pts.
• GAME OVER II: A big dissapointment, the first part is a very, very ugly shoot'em-up stage, only the second stage deserves to be called GAME OVER II, but the MARTIN GALWAY sound is missing over the whole game... 49pts.
• INTENSITY: The new shocker by ANDREW BRAYBROOK, it's impossible to describe this game, but it's brilliant gameplay, as expected: 93pts.
• OCEAN RANGER: This could also have been one of those MICROPROSE simulations but is not, as it is from ACTIVISION. Anyway the game is fucking ace, who cares? 94pts.
• DANGER FREAK: This game is coming from the German company RAINBOW ARTS and you see at once that it's from Germany, because the programmers are not able to write some simple game descriptions in correct English. A very lousy game for German standards, veeery boring with some programming bugs, 0pts.
• BARBARIAN II: The long awaited follow up to one of the classic "beat'em-up" games, and PALACE added options to fight either with the guy or with the girl, they added chambers, different directions, lots of new creatures and in spite of all that, the game cannot reach it's predecessor, because thinking and beating do not belong together, 86pts.
• JOE BLADE II: Those who liked JOE BLADE, will like JOE BLADE II, the others not. 69pts.
• KATAKIS: THE BEST GAME EVER PRODUCED IN GERMANY! Though many bugs in the game, KATAKIS is the best shoot'em-up ever, and as it is so close to R-TYPE (the Arcade!!!), ACTIVISION bought it from RAINBOW ARTS and are gonna release it as R-TYPE soon! Fantastic graphics and fast gameplay, lots of action and saveable high scores make the game to be a real classic on the 64, wow... 96pts.

CHARTS - OCTOBER 1988

C64 GAMES		C64 CRACKERS
1. KATAKIS (-) 2. THE GAMES: SUMMER EDIT. (1) 3. D. THOMPSON'S OLYMPIC CH.(-) 4. OCEAN RANGER (-) 5. INTENSITY (-) 6. HAWKEYE (9) 7. BARBARIAN II (-) 8. BIONIC COMMANDO (6) 9. ALIEN SYNDROME (5) 10. ZAK MC KRACKEN (2)		1. SCOUSE CRACKING GROUP (1) 2. IKARI (3) 3. EAGLESOFT (2) 4. FAIRLIGHT (4) 5. BEASTIE BOYS (14) 6. ZENITH (6) 7. DOUGNUT CRACKING SERVICE(13) 8. BROS (5) 9. THE WANDERER GROUP (8) 10. TRIAD (7) 11. COSMOS (10) 12. UNTOUCHABLE CR. FORCE (-) 13. RADWAR (9) 14. SHINING 8 (15) 15. ORION (-)
C64 DEMOS		AMIGA GAMES
1. HALFWAY by SCOUSE CRACKING GROUP 2. LET'S DISCO by HORIZON 3. IT'S OUR SHOW by IKARI		1. BATTLE CHESS (-) 2. STARGLIDER II (1) 3. INTERCEPTOR (2) 4. ROCKET RANGER (-) 5. KATAKIS (4) 6. NEBULUS (-) 7. SUMMER OLYMPIAD (-) 8. BERMUDA PROJECT (3) 9. BARD'S TALE II (5) 10. ALIEN SYNDROME (-)

Chart comments: As there haven't been any demos except the following three it was damn difficult to make a demo chart. So what is going down with all you demo programmers?

Thanx for voting to: EAGLESOFT (BUTCHER), IKARI (JUST ICE), S.C.G. (W'BIX), RWE (MWS), T.W.G. (SPC), CFR, SHINING 8, TRIANGLE, BROS, FAIRLIGHT, BEASTIE BOYS.......