 SPINDIZZY

 Electric Dreams 1986



 CONTROLS : Keyboard, Kempston

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 AIM : Floating in nether space, a recently discovered dimension, is

 Hangworld, a strange place of platforms and ramps suspended above the

 void. You have been selected to explore it, controlling GERALD - the

 Gyroscopic ExploRAtion Landing Device. 

 

 GAMEPLAY : Your task is simply to explore the whole of Hangworld, all

 385 screens worth! However, you have two big problems: a time limit

 and a shortage of fuel. Due to budget limits, you have been given only

 a small amount of energy and you'll have to find energy crystals on

 Hangworld to replenish your supply. This is easier said than done, as

 moving GERALD consumes precious energy; you'll have to learn to be

 frugal.



  GERALD has a handy built-in turbo unit, which allows you to greatly

 increase speed in order to jump gaps. This takes up more fuel, 

 however...  GERALD can also morph between a ball, tetrahedron or

 gyroscope, each of which has its own particular quirks of control and

 may be suitable for different occasions.

 

  Within Hangworld you'll find a lift system, left behind by an extinct

 civilisation. The system comprises of a number of lift activator pads

 bearing a symbol; move onto one of these and all the pads bearing that

 symbol are activated. Only two different kinds of lift can be activated

 at once, and a scanner on the bottom left-hand side of the screen shows

 which types of lift are currently operating.





  Another on-screen window shows how many sections remain unmapped.

 Pressing the map key shows you the sections of Hangworld that have

 already been mapped out. The other windows show your time and your

 energy respectively. If you drop off the edge of Hangworld into the

 void, you will lose large chunk of time - so it is a good idea to be

 as accurate as possible...



 COMMENTS : "A game that is not worth missing."

 RATING : 93% (CRASH #29, June 1986)



 NOW : One of the legendary 8-bit games. An even better sequel, 

 SPINDIZZY WORLDS, was released on the ST and Amiga in 1990.

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 KEYS : Redefinable

