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The ZX Files 3
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ZX Files 3 (Disk 2 of 3).adf
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MOO
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247
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1978-01-29
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8KB
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160 lines
[6
@6
So Mr Console boy, you think that
Mortal Kombat 3 is the bizz when it
comes to gut-busting gore and
mayhem, well you're probably right.
But those of you who have a memory
that is slightly longer than the
loading time of a SNES game, will
probably remember that the old Spectrum
has had its fair share of controversial
games and happenings. So here is a
choice selection of the finest cuts
that put the X into ZX.
@4
CRASH MAGAZINE - THE BARBARIAN COVER
@5
Those who grew up with the Spectrum will have probably read at
some time or another, the magazine Crash. In its prime, up
to around 1987, this was easily the best Spectrum magazine,
before it slowly degenerated into a juvenile mess.
Boasting some intelligent reviews and some wonderfully
articulate features, what really held it head and shoulders
above the other Speccy magazines was the wonderful covers
painted by the illustrator Oliver Frey. Comparing todays
computer magazine covers, it's not hard to see that they all
lack the personality that made Crash so special.
@7
It was probably the June 1987 cover that gave Mr Frey his most
publicised piece of work. In order to promote Crash's review of
Palace Software's chop-'em up game, Barbarian, Mr Frey created
one of his most stunning covers. A simple piece showing a young
muscular warrior in just his fur pants, spattered in blood and
sweat, grasping another, more unfortunate and terrified
warrior, around his jaw and neck, and is menacingly brandishing
his broadsword, to which the captive barbarian is trying to
keep away from his neck by desperately struggling to prise it
away with his bloody right hand. It is a startling piece of
work, so startling in fact that WH Smith's considered
withdrawing the issue from sale, but were pacified when
Newsfield, Crash's publisher, gave them a written promise that
this would not happen again.
@3
Unsuprisingly then, Crash were to receive stacks of letters,
mostly in favour of Mr Frey, but some vehemently against. For
me the best was written by a Mrs A. Cook from the Isle of
Wight.
@1
Dear Sirs and Oliver Frey
I'm writing about the front cover and the majority of the
visual contents of CRASH, June issue.
Do you realise that nine and ten year olds and even younger
children see this mag? Do you realise what you are doing to
their subconscious, in fact their conscious direct. You are
dealing with EVIL. There is nothing, absolutely nothing good
about any of these pictures or even games. They are kill, kill,
kill, fear and more fear, hatred and immorality of every kind.
Computers were meant for computing. I know these games are a
very profitable side line, but moral responsibility is far more
important than money. We know that the Devil is the prince of
this world although his time is limited, but unfortunately he
is very clever and uses many people to his gain, especially
those in the media. Crime has risen appallingly in recent
years, with a horrific rise in 13 to 15 year olds involved in
VIOLENT crimes. They feed off this kind of stuff!
I ask you as a very concerned parent and Christian, clean up
your mag, refuse to print foul pictures and games, such things
are noted in heaven and God will finally bring them into
judgement.
Please help bring back LOVE. Make a stand, be different and
you'll be rewarded.
@4
VIXEN
@2
In order to promote a fairly average platform game, Martech
brought in the services of a Miss Corinne Russell to help
spruce up the packaging. With the promise of a "Free Giant
Poster" of Miss Russell bursting out of her leopard skin bikini
inside the game's box, this was sure to entice young lads, and
probably a few of their dads as well, into buying the game.
Boots, who are more than happy to experiment on animals to help
test cosmetics, which are sold under the premise of making
women more beautiful, couldn't bear to see a page 3 girl's
tanned flesh from peaking out from the computer counter, and so
refused to stock the game.
@4
GAME OVER
@7
Dinamic, Spanish Software house extraordinare, come to
prominence, not for their games colour clash, but for the
advertising of their game, Game Over. Showing the ample charms
of a futuristic lady, who, to the horror of a few distressed
individuals, was showing far too much nipple. Future adverts
were suitably censored, with either the picture shrunk, or the
troublesome area discreetly covered with the help of a
magazines graphic artist. Sadly, the advert for Game Over 2,
was not as risque.
@4
JACK THE RIPPER
@5
With adventure games never selling as well as their arcade
counterparts, CRL hit pay-dirt when they released Jack The
Ripper. Long before the voluntary code of ratings was
introduced, CRL hit upon the idea of getting their game rated
by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification). A copy of
the script, as well as the gruesome digitised pictures, was
sent to James Ferman and his team, who duly gave the game a
rating of 18, because of some of the games horrific text
descriptions. Probably some part due to the rating, the game
became an instant hit and sold in droves. The game is an
atmospheric affair, and although the Spectrum is not endowed
with the graphic qualities of an Amiga or PC, the pictures,
digitised from actual police photo's from the Ripper case, do
lend an eerie quality to the proceedings. But when you compare
the game to a film like Platoon (rated 15) and any decent
horror novel (books aren't rated, and never will be I hope),
it's hard to see why all the fuss was made, other than the lure
of ringing cash registers.
@4
OTHER NOTED ADVERTS
@6
Barbarian 1 +2. (PALACE) A really satisfying two player game,
especially if you pull off the "Web Of Death" and decapitate
your best mate. The ST and Amiga versions were better than
their 8-Bit counterparts, if only because they used sampled
sound effects, which really added to the heat of the battle.
The accompanying adverts were just as 'inventive' as the Vixen
advert, with a certain well endowed Maria Whittaker in bikini
accompanied by a barbarian beefcake, who looks rather similar
to Wolf from Gladidon'twatchitators.
@2
Where Time Stood Still (OCEAN). The Spectrum's best dedicated
128K game. Similar in style to The Great Escape, and written by
Denton Design, who just so happened to have written The Great
Escape as well. The accompanying advert, by the artist Dave
Wakelin, who did all of Oceans adverts, featured a young
blonde, not wearing her sunday best, and looking like she had
just been in a Miss Wet T-Shirt contest. For some reason this
advert didn't receive the wrath and fury that was bestowed upon
Game Over, but then again her nipples were not as eye-catching.