 BALLBLAZER

 Activision 1986



 CONTROLS : Keyboard only

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 AIM : A thousand years in the future, the most popular game in the

 galaxy is the futuristic soccer-like game of Ballblazer. Strapped 

 into your Rotofoil, you're ready to challenge for the galactic title...

 

 GAMEPLAY : The action takes place on a bare green and white chessboard-

 like field, with one goal at each end of the field. The aim is simply

 to blast the floating Plasmorb (or ball) into the opposing player's

 goal. Your Rotofoil is like a giant foot that can dribble and kick

 the ball, thanks to the magnetic field that surrounds it. Rather

 unsportingly, you can also use this field to "punch" your opponent

 away.

 

  The field traps the Plasmorb when it's in proximity to you and allows 

 you to dribble it. However, this slows your speed (allowing your opponent

 to catch up). Kicking is slightly tricky - firing the ball results in 

 you flying off in the opposite direction, as per Newton's laws. Your

 Rotofoil incorporates an onboard computer to make sure that you always

 point towards the ball and, when you have the ball, towards the correct

 goal (which should make it harder to score own goals!).



  You can play against a human or a computer player. A two player game 

 uses a split screen display (player one at the top). Like the one

 player game, the match lasts three short minutes, at the end of which

 the player with the most points wins. The number of points produced by

 a goal depends on how long the shot was; an over the horizon shot is

 awarded the maximum three points.



 COMMENTS : "A neat reaction game which somehow doesn't quite come off."

 RATING : 77% (CRASH #28, May 1986)



 NOW : It's aged quite badly, but it's not a bad game for a quick blast.

(The Atari version was rather better, though).

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 KEYS :   Player 1	   Player 2

	  --------         --------

	     Q		      P			Up

	     A		      L			Down

	     Z		      N			Left

	     X		      M			Right

	     C		   SYM/SHIFT		Fire



	     H				        Pause

	     H, then S				Restart