Producer: Software Projects
Memory Required: 16K
Recommended Retail Price:
Language: machine code
Author: Andrew Giles

Push Off is all about Bertha the Ladybird (who's no lady). She's in this garden being pursued by four somewhat unpleasant insects out to get her. The garden hardly resembles one though, looking more like a pile of that bubble packing they use today. In fact the screen is filled with square, green bricks which Bertha can manipulate. She can burn them out of her way, create them and also send them shooting along at her enemies, hopefully crushing them to death. But the insects can also burn away the bricks to get at her. Four little bells are dotted about and if Bertha touches one it rings, rendering the insects helpless for a few moments.

In fact his is a variation on a theme which Blaby brought out in the summer called Do Do & The Snow Bees.

COMMENTS

Keyboard positions: all our reviewers complained about the layout, CAPS SHIFT/Z left/right is fine but ENTER/SPACE for up/down with P for fire is very awkward.
Joystick options: AGF, Protek or Kempston
Keyboard play: very responsive
Use of colour: very good
Graphics: excellent
Sound: very good
Skill levels: 8 (8 screens)
Lives: 5

Push Off is rather an oddball game, quite original and very addictive. The graphics are extremely good with excellent movement of bricks and insects.

This is one of those games that's instantly attractive to look at and makes you want to play it. It's also very hard and fast with wonderful graphics and colours. The only pity is that the control keys are oddly placed, especially for firing.

A very addictive game to play, with just the right amount of difficulty as the screens increase. Why did they go and put the fire key on P? It's an awkward stretch with ENTER and SPACE for the up and down keys. Otherwise, excellent.

Producer: Software Projects, 16K
£5.95 (1)
Author: Andrew Giles

There are now several Spectrum versions of the arcade original, 'Pengy' available - Blaby's 'Dodo' was one of the first. Software Projects' version is excellent. Bertha the ladybird is in a garden being pursued by four nasty insects our for her ichor (blood to you). The garden is full of green bricks which she can burn out of her way, or send shooting off in the direction in which she's travelling. By this method she can crush her enemies to death. The insects can also burn up the bricks to reach her. Four bells in each quarter of the screen, if rung by touching them, cause the insects to go into a temporary tizzy and make them vulnerable. The colours are bright, graphics fast and smooth, good sound, rather poor control key layout, joystick: AGF, Protek or Kempston, eight skill levels, CRASH rating, very good to excellent, overall 85%. M/C.

Producer: Software Projects, 16K
£5.95 (1)
Author: Andrew Giles

There are now several Spectrum versions of the arcade original, 'Pengy' available - Blaby's 'Dodo' was one of the first. Software Projects' version is excellent. Bertha the ladybird is in a garden being pursued by four nasty insects our for her ichor (blood to you). The garden is full of green bricks which she can burn out of her way, or send shooting off in the direction in which she's travelling. By this method she can crush her enemies to death. The insects can also burn up the bricks to reach her. Four bells in each quarter of the screen, if rung by touching them, cause the insects to go into a temporary tizzy and make them vulnerable. The colours are bright, graphics fast and smooth, good sound, rather poor control key layout, joystick: AGF, Protek or Kempston, eight skill levels, CRASH rating, very good to excellent, overall 85%. M/C.

BLOCK BUSTERS - PENGO TYPE GAMES

Reviewers Chris Passey and Matthew Uffindell don their cold gear to play in the Arctic wastes...

The Pengo scenario says that a penguin in the snowy wastes must stay alive by melting ice blocks, or shunting them along to squash the snow bugs which threaten him. The frame resembles one of those small hand-held word puzzles with letters printed on small squares which may be shuffled to rearrange them. The game requires a certain amount of strategic thinking in setting up kills. You can usually 'electrify' the walls (the edge of the screen) and daze any nasties that touch it, running them down if you are able. First in the market was Blaby's Dodo and the Snow Bees by a long margin.

PUSH OFF
Memory Required: 48K
Retail Price In £5.95

This was by far the best game in my opinion. It was a little different too, with the ladybird trying to kill garden creepie crawlies (and they trying to get her, of course). Instead of being white, the blocks are a decent garden green. Other changes were bells which, when rung by touching them, meant you could eat the nasties Pacman-style for a while. The graphics are super smooth, easily the best. the creepies have nice detail too. But it can't beat Blaby's Dodo on sound! Key control is good and there are lots of joystick options available. The best of bunch for me.
CP

This is the only one without a bit of ice in sight. Instead you push/throw garden bricks at four different insects, and you are a ladybird. Apart from these differences it plays very like the other Pengos. Instead of electrified fences there are bells which can be rung and turn the insects to jelly. When you eat a jellied bug a bonus score appears, but the bell only rings for a short time. The action is fast, graphics very smooth (unlike most of the others), characters are large and detailed and very colourful. The keys are good and responsive, and I found this to be an addictive Pengo-type game.
MU

PENGO-TYPE GAMES COMPARISON TABLE

The two reviewers' ratings have been averaged, but despite independent assessment of the games, they were very much in agreement.

NB. Despite details printed on cassettes and in advertisements, due to an error Software Projects Push Off is not 16K but 48K. The same is true of Thrusta.

As summer poises, ready for the onslaught of fab new games around Christmas, CRASH takes a look back at some of the major games we have reviewed in the past to see if they (and the reviews) stand the test of time. MATTHEW UFFINDELL and LLOYD MANGRAM take keyboard and reputation in hand...

Push Off was among the first releases from the newly formed Software Projects, formed by Alan Manton after leaving Imagine, and the second Pengo type game from the Spectrum.

With many of these types of game on the market now, Push Off has stood the test of time and I still thing that it's highly playable. Content in Pengo games is never very good, this is one of the better versions. The addictive qualities have worn off as there are many more content-high games available (in a general sense). The graphics are good but with none of the latest great animation.
MU

Pengo games were never my strength, so Push Off always a favourite because of its little frills. The bells to be rung (making the bugs dizzy so you can run them over) seemed a better answer than the electrified walls, and the fact that you can create blocks as well as destroy them made the game easier to control. Perhaps that indicates an arcade playing weakness, but I liked Push Off. Its graphics stand up well, bright and exceptionally smooth. The control keys were a bit awkward and, of course, they still are!
LM

(Matthew) I would drop the playability (90%) and the addictive qualities (85%) down to about 70% now, otherwise I would think the review still stands.

(Lloyd) I would drop use of computer (78%) and playability if reviewing it today. The addictive qualities are a little over the top as well.

ORIGINAL REVIEW

Use of Computer: 78%
Graphics: 89%
Playability: 90%
Getting Started: 80%
Addictive Qualities: 85%
Value for Money: 87%
Overall: 85%