Electronic Games Issue 24

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE

• Atari VCS - Atari 2600
• Atari 5200
• Vectrex
• Atari computers
• Intellivision
• Commodore VIC-20
• Commodore 64
• Texas Instruments TI-99/4A (news coverage)
• Apple II
• Apple Lisa (news coverage)
• PC - IBM PCjr (news coverage)
• ColecoVision
• stand-alones
• arcade

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(TOC excerpts follow, with (notes) and bullet lists added for clarity)

Switch On! - A Prescription for Survival (editorial by Arnie Katz; the videogaming shake-out)

Hotline (news section)

• TI Dumps 99/4A (Texas Instruments halts production)
• Program VCS Cartridges (VSS Rom Emulator and Development System (2600/VIC20 development kit for Atari 800))
• Welcome Back, Nolan Bushnell (Sente)
• Arcader Programs His Own (arcade record holder Tony Snyder founds WaterWares; Tunneling game)
• PCjr - Out Of Its Shell At Last (IBM PCjr details)
• "Mr. Pinball" Dies (Harry Williams, founder of Williams Electronics)
• Arcade Machine Contest Starts
• Calling Decathlon Champs (Decathlon contest)
• Wico Aids Ohio School (donates joysticks to Norton, Ohio school system)
• Software Beat (Philips shelves Lord of the Dungeon, Power Lords, Pink Panther ColecoVision carts; upcoming Xerox computer edutainment titles; Romox test marketing programmable carts; Sierra On-Line plans VIC20 games; Omega Race to include free Booster-Grop Joystick adapter)
• Atari Goes To Sesame Street (Cookie Monster Munch, Big Bird's Egg Catch, Alpha Beam With Ernie edutainment for 2600)
• Dynasty Is Giving Away Free Equipment (free Dynasty Smart-ALEC Jr. computer with purchase of 25 software titles)
• CBS Software Loves A Mystery (Murder by the Dozen (Apple II))
• Consumer Beat (Lisa price cut; Amiga Joyboard price cut; Synergistic exists publishing business; Penguin Software's $19.95 price-point experiment a success)

Readers Replay (letters column)

Can Electronic Gaming Survive The Big Shake-Out?

Find out who's come and gone and who's here to stay. ('Some Game-makers Thrive; Others Are Barely Alive' by David Lustig)

ColecoVision Vs. Atari 5200

It's one year later and time to compare the third-wave systems. ('It's One Year Later and The Opera's Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings!')

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COMPUTER GAMING SECTION

Software Showcase (computer game reviews)

• Flip & Flop (Atari disk)
• Predator (VIC20 cart)
• Mothership (C64 disk)
• Lifespan (Atari cart)
• Pentapus (Apple II disk)
• Monty Plays Scrabble (Apple II disk)
• Cyclotron (Apple II disk)

Game-A-Thon (computer game reviews)

• Astroblitz (VIC20 cart)
• Lunar Leeper (Atari disk)
• Apple Panic (VIC20 cart)
• Rat Hotel (VIC20 cart)
• Scorpion (VIC20 cart)
• Swamp Chomp (Atari disk)

Think Tank (computer game reviews)

• Murder On The Zinderneuf (Atari disk)
• Chivalry (Apple II disk)

Articles Of War (Broadsides (Apple II disk) overview/strategy/review)

Electronic Pressbox (sports games reviews; Major League Hockey (Atari cart) review)

Playing It Smart (edutainment reviews)

• Preschool IQ Builders (Atari disk)
• Dragon's Keep (Apple II disk)
• Type Attack (Atari disk)
• Alphabet Zoo (C64 cart)

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The Challenge Of Zork

Read the inside story on the adventure trilogy that took gaming by storm. ('The Inside Story of the World's Most Popular Adventure Game Trilogy' by Tracie Forman)

Furniture For Gamers

There's a gaming station for everyone. ('Keep Your Expensive Gaming Systems Safe from Harm!' by Joyce Worley and Tracie Forman)

Videogame Dentistry

After reading this, you might make an appointment with your dentist. ('Games Ease Fright and Pain' by J. Herbert Silverman)

The Players Guide To Computer Wargames

If strategy and tactics appeal to you, here are the games to play! (sections:)

• Computers Go To War
• Death Rains From The Skies!
• War In Outer Space

Programmable Parade ('World War III Has Begun, and You Defend the U.S. from the War Room!'; console videogame reviews)

• War Room (Col)
• Spike (Vec)
• Safecracker (Int)
• Crash Dive (2600)
• Fathom (Int)
• Nightmare (2600)
• Joust (2600)
• Centipede (5200)
• Qix (5200)

Insert Coin Here ('Having Fun with the Force' by Bill Kunkel; brief commentary and the following arcade game reviews, each with 'How It Plays' control section:)

• Star Wars
• Crystal Castles

New Products

• Videogame Flea Market (Forest Hills Discount Books specialty shop)
• Computer Control (Wico Mouse and Mouse Controller Card, Computer Command)
• The Apple Speaks (Alien Group Apple II speaker)
• Videogame Comics (comic books included with select games)
• Goodies From Atari (Atari Club merchandise)

In Control ('Gamers Get Physical with Amiga's Joyboard' by Tracie Forman; controller reviews; includes 'Controller Update' (2600-to-5200 controller adapter) sidebar)

• The Joyboard (Amiga; VCS,ColecoVision,Atari computers)
• The Super Champ JC250 (Championship Electronic; Atari compatible)
• The Un-Roller Controller (Roklan; Atari compatible)
• The Triga-Command (Electra Concepts; Atari compatible)

Q&A ('Play "20 Questions" with the Microcomputer Medic!' by the Game Doctor)

Stand-Alone Scene ('Watch Out for the Gators in Donkey Kong II!' by Joyce Worley; each with 'How It Plays' control section; all handhelds)

• Donkey Kong II (Nintendo)
• Dr. Dental (Bandai Electronics)
• Challenge Golf (Bandai Electronics)
• Space Invaders (Tiger Electronic Toys)
• Monty Plays Scrabble Brand Crossword Game (Ritam Corporation)

Reader Poll