BARGAIN BASEMENT

And down in the basement this month, it's Nat Pryce - himself available at 20% discount on alternate Thursdays. Any offers?

Power House
£1.99
Reviewer: Nat Pryce

Norman (as this game is called on the inlay), or Cubitoid (as it's called during the game), is claimed to be a "new concept" in computer games. (Where have I heard that before?) Power House has called it a plummet game, 'cos that's what you do - fall down several screens, trying to bump into and destory energy cubes and avoid the guardians who sap your life force. It doesn't sound like much of a new concept, does it? I must have typed in dozens of games like this from Sinclair programs when I first got my Spectrum.

As these games go, Norman/Cubitoid isn't that bad - it has some nice graphics and silly effects and noises, and is generally well presented and playable - it's just so un-addictive. Don't be fooled by all the "new concept" rubbish and the attractive screen shots. Norman is boring with a capital SH.

Label: Powerhouse
Author: Grant Jaquest
Price: £1.99
Memory: 48K/128K
Joystick: various
Reviewer: Chris Jenkins

The jelly shaped pile of pus that is Norman has to free-fall through the domain of the Cubitrons, taking out blocks as he falls.

Around you swirl the Guardians, tiny mites determine to stop you disarranging their neatly piled blocks. You have five Freeze Bombs with which you can paralyse them, but at the bottom of the shaft lurks the Big Cubitron which will kill you instantly if it hits you. You must avoid it long enough to reach the slurper tube which will suck you back up to the top of the shaft. Each time you manage to clear all the blocks on all three screens, you get another level with different arrangements of blocks to clear.

Because all you can do to control the game is move left and right, the action rapidly becomes dull. An interesting idea, then, but most uninterestingly executed.