by Richard Stevenson, Nigel Speight, David Wright
At first glance, Loco looks like another adaption of the Moon Patrol, that saw so many unofficial conversions on the Spectrum, but it's got its own specifc features and differences.
First of all, you control an old locomotive moving around along a close railway, and you must complete 5 "laps" to reach the next level. Furthermore, you can't accelerate or decelerate, but only change track, when there's a chance to do it [keys for up or down] - which will allow you to restore your fuel level, passing over certain spots of the track. These spots are invisibile on the main section of the screen, as the points where you can change track, for there is another section which shows the map of the railroad from above, and it even works as a radar. In fact, the problem in succeed in your taks is the presence of bombdropping planes and tracks running at full speed against you:
luckily you can defend yourself by blowing steam against the planes and their bombs, and shooting at the carts.
It may sounds simple, but checking at the same time the map/radar for fuel and enemies, the main section of the screen to shoot at the right time at simultaneous attacks coming from ahead and from above, and the side bar visualizing the fuel level, requires a certain coordination. It's a repetitive and simple game, but quite playable, and nicely humble - a limited but decent budget game from Alligata.
3/5
