Zero Zap (Texas Instruments TI-99/4A review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Zero Zap is a pinball style game that was among the launch titles for the TI-99 computer.

+ Three different field layouts are available to give the game some semblance of longevity and variety.

+ Can be marginally enjoyable in two-player mode where top score bragging rights are the order of the day.

+ Allows you to create your own playing fields and the best part is that you can save them to a cassette for future loading.

- Shifting point totals for the diamond targets is completely random, valuing luck over skill-based gameplay.

- Almost zero depth to the proceedings and what's here features very little input from the player.

- Has a lot in common with Tiger Electronics LCD handhelds where apathy quickly sets in due to poor gameplay.

- Moving the cursor to line up a shot is agonisingly slow and becomes a real drag the more you play.

Mindbuster (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley

Publisher: Milton Bradley

Released: 1979

 

Mindbuster is a U.S. exclusive puzzle game that consists of two different gameplay modes.

 

First up is Rings where the objective is to surround the singular black dots with ring squares, while leaving nothing else on the playfield. To do this, you use the keypad to select numbers from 1-9 which affect a sequence of blocks that end up being lit or unlit. At the bottom is an indicator of the minimum number of moves required to successfully beat the puzzle and the system buzzes to let you know the outcome. The keypad controls work nicely and I like how there's no time limit so you can plan your moves at your own pace. There's also a nice variety of puzzles so it's possible to get some decent playtime out of this mode. However, personally I found the puzzles to be unbelievably difficult and even beating one puzzle was a headache inducing chore. This quickly led to frustration due to repeated failure and lack of progress. It does have one amazing feature though in that you can create your own puzzles; this encourages multiplayer sessions and for a 1979 handheld game it's way ahead of its time! Next up is Lights Out where you now need to completely clear the screen by illuminating and dimming blocks. Again, numbers 1-9 on the keypad determine which series of blocks will be affected and the puzzle must be solved within a certain number of moves. The rules are similar to the previous game but the concept is simpler and the puzzles nowhere near as punishing, making for some fun brain teasers. There's tons of puzzles to keep you occupied (which vary in difficulty to suit both newcomers and experts) and once again you have the option to create your own puzzles which is great. While it's exciting when you do solve a puzzle the system omits an extremely annoying buzzing sound that doesn't stop until you start a new game! Both modes don't tally up points so each puzzle is really its own isolated instance with nothing to compete against; even a simple counter to display how many puzzles you've completed in a row would have really helped.

 

Mindbuster is a good change of pace for a system that's mainly dominated by action and shooter games, and the ability to create your own puzzles is incredible. However, the gameplay balance between modes is aggravating and basically unless you're a complete wiz a large part of the game is almost unplayable.

 

 

 

Random trivia: The only non-launch titles released on the system in 1979 were Mindbuster, Star Trek: Phaser Strike and Vegas Slots.

Vegas Slots (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Vegas Slots is a gambling game that was released exclusively in North America.

It consists of three modes, the first being Slot Machine. This is a one player game where you start off with 99 points and repeatedly spin until you either max out (999 points) or go broke. Points are earned by matching three icons together or getting a certain combination; an example is the 'I' icons as if you spin one in the first position you gain two points. Each time you lose one point is deducted from your total; however, it's far too easy as the pay-outs are frequent and the only reason to keep playing is to max out your earnings. You can change the settings to act like a real slot machine (less chance of winning) but this swings wildly the other way and is almost impossible! No strategy is involved in winning as you can't hold any reels and simply pressing one button to spin gets dull quickly. The spinning animation looks great though and still manages to impress. Double Dare is a two player game where you race to see who can reach 100 points by spinning certain combinations. As soon as you press TAKE or spin an 'I' you bank your total; however, pull two 'I' icons in a spin and you lose the entire amount you earned during that go. It has a nice risk-reward element and there's a bit more strategy involved. Finally, there's a two player mode called Take It or Leave It where you start at zero and the winner is the first to 200 points. The objective is to score either pairs or triples but as you spin only the left and right reels rotate meaning the centre is covered; once they stop your pay-out is displayed and you can either cash-in or press PULL again to gamble for a pair or triple. The tense thing about the latter is that if an 'I' appears in the centre you lose all your money for that turn. Again, it's a fun mode but I couldn't help but wonder why a one player option wasn't included as it's perfectly suited.

Vegas Slots isn't particularly interesting in solo mode due to its unengaging gameplay and lack of skill that's required to succeed. However, if you have a friend to play with it can definitely keep you entertained for a short while as the other two modes present a bit more challenge and risk that are essential to these type of games.

Random trivia: The other two Microvision games released in 1979 were Mindbuster and Star Trek: Phaser Strike.

Star Trek: Phaser Strike (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Star Trek: Phaser Strike is a shooter that was also released in Europe as Cannon Phaser and Shooting Star.

Armed with a phaser cannon your mission is to enter battle by attacking Klingon warships that scroll across the top half of the screen. Once they appear you can either fire missiles straight upwards or diagonally from the sides in an attempt to blow them up. Before you start there's tons of options available including the size of the targets (1-4 pixels), their speed (Fast or Slow) as well as the number of warships (between 10-90). The nice thing about the first two is that you can select the 'C' option which randomises each wave so you never quite know what's going to appear next. Unfortunately your settings aren't remembered so you'll have to repeat the same process each time to get what you require. Once all the targets have appeared your score is totalled based on how many you shot and the game ends. Each game doesn't take very long to complete and it isn't particularly stimulating; basically you just repeat the same process while using the awkward pressure pad buttons to select your firing angle. Personally, I would have preferred to move around using the paddle (similar to Super Blockbuster) instead of having static firing stations as they feel very restrictive and not as engaging. This would also have corrected the game's other problem which is that having three separate attack buttons doesn't really work as they're not conducive to making quick second decisions; as a result you'll likely stick to using the straight ahead attack meaning the other two buttons are redundant. There's also no way to fail so the only motivation to play each 10-30 second game is to get a high score with no threat of danger. After a minute or so you've seen everything that it has to offer and unless you want to get perfect scores in each difficulty setting there's no reason to stick around.

Star Trek: Phaser Strike is a boring shooter with a poor control scheme, little substance and no replayability. It basically plays like a tech demo that was never fully fleshed out and unless you're a Microvision collector my advice is to stay well clear of this one.

Random trivia: Eventually the Star Trek license expired and the game was re-released as just Phaser Strike.

Pinball (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Pinball was one of four launch titles for the system alongside Block Buster, Bowling and Connect Four.

You use your paddle to continuously bounce a ball onto the four bumpers in an attempt to get a high score. Each time you hit a bumper you get one point; if you strike it four times it lights up and subsequent hits earn you two points. Once all four bumpers are lit up you gain three points for each additional hit. Before starting you can choose how many lives you want (1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), the speed of the ball (slow or fast) as well as the size of your paddle (double or triple pixels). The interesting thing about the latter option is that if you select a double paddle the ball can only ricochet diagonally (no straight shots) which makes the gameplay more challenging. The control knob is used to move your paddle around and it works remarkably well and responds to your inputs perfectly. The game plays more like Block Buster (1979, Microvision) than an actual pinball simulation as the first thing you'll notice is the lack of flippers. It's disappointing as other Microvision games (mainly Baseball with its swinging bat motion) prove that this functionality could be implemented on the handheld. The ball speed is manageable though and there's not much LCD motion blur. It doesn't take long to get a good rally going and the ball patterns are unpredictable as it frequently careens off at odd angles; this keeps you on your toes and continually tests your reactions. The most enjoyable aspect is carefully manoeuvring the ball in an attempt to light up all four bumpers; it's tricky but finally doing so is immensely satisfying. Although it is a very simple premise understanding the scoring mechanics is key as the more you play the more addictive the gameplay becomes. Once you've had a few practices each game can last a while without becoming stale and I found myself getting deeply engrossed in beating my high score.

Pinball might be a very loose interpretation of the game but if you give it a fair chance you'll find it has fun gameplay and fantastic controls. There's quite a few options to choose from and before long you'll be racking up impressively high scores and having a great time doing so!

Random trivia: This is one of the only Microvision games to be successfully emulated. Unfortunately, at the time of writing no websites currently have a playable version.

Bowling (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Bowling is a sports game and one of four launch titles for the system (alongside Block Buster, Connect Four and Pinball).

It supports 1-2 players (turn based) and the objective is to gain the highest possible score within ten frames which consist of two attempts each. One point is awarded for each pin you knock down; however, if you achieve a Spare you'll gain ten extra points plus the number of pins knocked down by the next ball. By scoring a Strike ten bonus points are added plus the number of pins knocked down with the next two balls. Before each shot the bowling ball moves continuously from side-to-side (Slow and Fast options are available) and once you think it's in the optimal position the BOWL button releases it down the alley. It's a simple mechanic that works well and relies purely on timing. If you happen to get a 7-10 split it's actually possible to clear the back corner pins by hitting one of them on its far edge; I was impressed by this and the developers did a good job of ensuring that you can still get Spares in these situations despite the limitations of the system's 16 x 16 resolution. However, the game does have one glaring flaw in that getting a Strike is ridiculously easy; all you have to do is aim just to the left or right of the lead pin and you're guaranteed to clear everything, every time. Executing this is effortless as the default speed setting (Slow) lives up to its name and it's simple to repeat the same action for a maximum score. Increasing the speed to Fast improves things but while it's certainly more challenging it still doesn't test your skills to any great extent, especially once you've gotten used to the timing. The two player mode is slightly more interesting as the competition element kicks in and the main satisfaction comes from trying to upset your opponents timing by any means necessary!

Bowling is okay but it's not the sort of game you can play for long stretches as each frame takes under a minute to complete and as soon as you're comfortable with the timing mechanics you can repeatedly abuse the system for Strikes. Still, if you can rope a friend into playing you might get 5-10 minutes of enjoyment out of it.

Random trivia: The only other sports game released on the Microvision was Baseball (1980).

Block Buster (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Block Buster is a Breakout clone (1976, Arcades) and the pack-in game for the system at launch.

You control a paddle at the bottom of the screen and your objective is to use it to bounce a moving ball onto a grid of blocks at the top. If you manage to clear the entire screen the grid returns and the whole process simply repeats. You lose lives by missing the ball (i.e. letting it land below your paddle) and once you run out your score is displayed to show the total number of blocks hit. Before starting you can select how many lives you want (either 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9), the speed of the ball (Slow or Fast), as well as whether you want your paddle to consist of two or three pixels. The gameplay is incredibly challenging and even breaking half of the blocks is a major achievement! The main reason is that even in Slow mode the ball moves at stupidly high speeds; as soon as you press the Serve button it comes flying out of nowhere towards one corner of the screen and you have very little time to react. Another issue that hinders gameplay is the severe motion blur, particularly with your on-screen paddle. As mentioned above it can be made up of either two or three pixels but as you move it around from side-to-side it frequently appears as if your paddle has four pixels; as a result you'll miss many balls even though it appears that you hit it cleanly. It's a constant source of annoyance and you'll feel as if you're fighting against the game due to the lack of control. Finally, if you move your paddle to the extreme left or right it disappears out of view apart from a singular pixel; it's a ridiculous design decision as you're left helpless at times as you try to quickly move the controller knob to reach for a ball. If you do happen to get on a roll it's likely through luck rather than pure skill which isn't very gratifying.

Block Buster is a great idea that's let-down by underpowered technology (specifically the poor LCD screen) and some questionable control decisions. Perhaps if the difficulty and speed was lessened to cater to the handheld's limitations it could have been fun but instead the developers tried to make it punch way above its weight.

Random trivia: The game was released in France as Casse Brique.

Connect Four (Microvision review)

Developer: Milton Bradley
Publisher: Milton Bradley
Released: 1979

Connect Four is a strategy game and one of four launch titles for the system (alongside Block Buster, Bowling and Pinball).

It supports 1-2 players and if you match-up against the Computer two different skill levels are available. The premise is very simple with the winner being the player who positions four markers in a row either horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Each player takes turns dropping a single marker onto the playing field which is make up of a 7 x 6 grid; to do this you use the controller knob to select your desired column and then push the Down arrow on the keypad to drop your marker. Occasionally your block will skip manically between two columns but a gentle nudge of the controller knob settles it. At the start of a game you can press the COMP button to make the Computer go first if you wish. Your opponent uses markers where only the top-left and the bottom-right of the square is filled; this has clearly been programmed this way due to the system's LCD limitations but the lack of distinction and dull screen means it can be quite tricky to analyse the playing grid. However, as long as you stick to using the column/row borders on the overlay and take your time it's perfectly playable. The controls are fantastic and the CPU always manages to take its turn quickly so each match moves along at a brisk pace. My only issue (and it's probably just me being rubbish at Connect Four!) is that the Computer is extremely tough to beat! Even in Skill Level A I still haven't managed to win a match as the A.I. always seems to be two steps ahead. At least there's the two-player mode to fall back on though and this is where the game really shines. You simply take turns and pass the handheld to each other once you've finished placing a marker. It gets competitive very quickly but always manages to be an enjoyable social experience!

Connect Four is perfectly suited to the Microvision as it's slow paced, controls well and doesn't suffer from the dreaded screen blur. Each match only takes a couple of minutes and the fun gameplay encourages you to keep playing, even if the CPU does destroy you every single time!

Random trivia: The game was released in other European regions as 4 Gewwinnt, Puissance 4, Vier Op 'n Rij and Forza 4.

Auto Racing (Intellivision review)

Developer: Mattel
Publisher: Mattel
Released: 1979

Auto Racing is a top-down driving game that was the main inspiration for Rally Speedway (1983, Atari 8-bit).

There are five tracks of increasing difficulty as well as five cars with different handling and acceleration. In the 1-player mode your challenge is to complete five laps in the quickest possible time. The first few tracks aren't too tough but things get really tricky in tracks 4-5 with the latter having some seriously sharp turns. Your car automatically accelerates and you can choose to brake at any point by pressing the Side-Down button. Steering is generally where people have issues but you don't need to constantly hold a direction; instead you only want to press the directional pad when needed. When you do come to a corner you should lightly tap the bottom left or bottom right of the d-pad to turn. This method works really well when you get used to it and before long you'll be whizzing around the tracks with ease. One problem is that the hud showing how many laps you've completed and your current time isn't displayed until you either crash or reach the finish line. It's a strange decision as having these stats available would help regular players to track their progress as they race. The 2-player mode is absolutely brilliant and resembles an early version of Micro Machines (1993, Mega Drive). The objective is to score 50 points and you get 2 points every time your opponent crashes or if you're far enough in front to reach the edge of the screen. In terms of negatives, the scrolling is very jerky at times which can be disorientating and the SFX range from mildly annoying (the screeching of your brakes) to a real nuisance (the sound of your engine).

Auto Racing is an underrated game with great depth and it's a shame that so many people dismiss it due to how badly the manual explains the steering controls. Once you get used to them you'll have a great time, especially in the 2-player mode which is very addictive.

Random trivia: The game has been re-released a few times such as on the Intellivision Lives! compilation (1999, PC) and on Microsoft's Game Room (2010, Xbox 360).