ZZAP!64 - Issue 2 - June 1985

I
I am
am
;
ever
I
ware.
did
almost
doubt
was
got
got
couldn't
bought
was
saw
was
warn
Review war
games properly!
>. ...
Dear Sir,
As a subscriber quite
I
pleased with the magazine and
in my opinion it gives good
value compared with other publications.
My only complaint is, being
an avid player of Strategy,
Simulation and Wargames
only, I am not interested whatever
in zapping aliens; everyone
to their own choice. I am
somewhat disappointed in your
reviews of the two wargames in
the first issue, Combat Leader
and Battle for Normandy, for it
is obvious by their own admissions
that two of your three
reviewers are not interested in
this type of computer game
namely JR and GP.
appreciate their honesty, but
I think it is wrong for someone
with this attitude of mind and
experience of the type of game
to be paid to give a verdict on
the software reviewed.
A D Saulter, Exmouth, Devon.
Have you seen this month's
gold medal game?
Multi-comp entries
Dear Chris,
writing to congratulate
you and the team on a superb
first issue of Zzap! 64. When I
read the cover of the magazine I
was amazed to read that you
offered 50 pages of reviews!
The setting out of the mag is
also brill, offering four competitions,
all of which I entered.
Continued on page 114
8 ZZAP! 64 June 1985
WOW!
YEAH!
Dear Zzap! 64,
Wow! Fantastic! Stands-backin-amazement!
What a magazine!
Zzap! 64 has got everything
I
wanted in a magazine!
The reviews are outstanding,
the layout is perfect, with
the main review surrounded by
personal remarks from Julian,
Gary and Bob, who are the best,
most professional games players
I have ever come across.
The photos of the games are
crystal clear (well almost! - except
for pages 116 and 49, but
that didn't matter as those two
games weren't too brilliant.).
The marking system is the best
I've seen.
The illustrations by Oliver
Frey are fabulous and really add
to the enjoyment of reading.
Talking of illustrations, really
I
liked the Rockford character, in
the margins and his amusing
comments. He was great and I
hope he's in the second and
further issues.
One of the other important
contributors to the magazine,
are the competitions and special
offers, which are excellent
and challenging. I've entered all
of them but it's cost me a bomb
in postage! Talking of challenging
things, the new Zzap! Challenge
look very promising, but
I've a long way to go to beat any
of your scores!
Jeff (Yak the Hairy) Minter's
page is great and is just as
entertaining and informative as
Llamasoft's 'Nature of the
Beast' newsletters.
The Tips column is the most
informative I've seen for a long
time, especially the Karnath
Map, which is far better detailed
and informative than another
map featured in a lesser magazine.
I'll be sending my tips to
you soon but I'm content in
carrying out the ones you feature
already.
The new software chart being
formed, sounds very promising,
much better than the so called
compiled-shop-to-shop charts. I
have already sent in my votes.
The adventure pages by the
White Wizard are really great
and very helpful.
So far I've had several 'Crash'
readers other magazine readers
swarming round me when I got
Zzap!64 out of my school bag at
break at school. Three or four of
them were so jealous they said:
'Oh, it's awful (or words to that
effect!), just all writing.' But ten
minutes later, they came back
trying to get a look in.
I'm one of those few 64 owners
who only buy originals of
the games, so your reviews,
previews, news and charts will
help me a great deal in selecting
only the best software as £8 a
game is a lot. Well done on a
great mag.
Steven Medcraft, Ralleigh,
Essex.
Have I got this right - you liked
the first issue?
Dear Chris,(or his secretary, or
whoever else is reading this)
First, let me apologise for the
had, and I
paper, but it's all I
simply could not wait to write to
you about your sizzling, zenzational,
zeductive, zuberb megamagazine,
Zzap! 64. ..It's pretty
good!
Of course, the hairiest thing
about it is the amazing number
of incredibly in-depth reviews.
To tell you the truth, when I saw
Zzap! on the shelf of my newsagent
for the first time, with the
unbelievable claim of '50 pages
of reviews', fell flat on
I
my back, knocking over the
'Pick'n'mix' counter in the pro
cess. (By the way, thanks, to the
old lady who saved me - and
about 20 pounds of toffees,
fudges and strawberry supremes
— but I if she'll see
this). Anyway, the claim WAS
true, so I bought the (THE?) mag
and, as the Hairy One might
say, was 'totally zzapped into
the cosmic era, complete with
funky vibes and fluffy bits' (or
something like that, in any
case.)
Anyway, to get back to the
reviews, you, and your team
have an excellent system, giving
fair and precise ratings on
the most crucial subjects in software.
Now, I'd like to give you my
opinion of Zzap! 64 in the
method you use to judge soft-
(It is, as I'm sure you
realise, fair and unbiased, and
yes, stay up most of the
night testing the magazine out.)
PRESENTATION: 98% very colourful,
plenty of screen shots.
Good, full reviews.
ORIGINALITY: 90% Combines
the best parts of other 64 magazines,
but adds that little something
special!
GRAPHICS: 95% Er...well, good
drawings of BW, JR and
GP...mmm... Rockford looks
good!
HOOKABILITY: 99% Grabs you
in the ...neck immediately.
Stands out from the rest on the
mag shelves.
SOUND: 96% Sounds like it's
going to be a 'sizzler' itself!
LASTABILITY: 97% It's here to
stay, and you'll get withdrawal
symptoms if you miss it just
once.
VALUE FOR MONEY: 93% If
a newsa-
you're reading this in
gent and haven't bought it yet -
what are you waiting for!?!
Great value!
Brian Don, Milngavie, Glasgow.
Dear Editor
I think that Zzap!64 is Excellent!
Fantastic! Absolutely Brilliant!.
Before Zzap I
roaming
my newsagents looking for
a magazine just for the 64. But
to my horror, find
I
one. very angry, the
I
magazine every month
I
was Computer & Video Games
that had only an average of
three 64 reviews. The reviews
are very short and wrong in
many cases. But one day when I
went into my newsagents to
buy some sweets, I
up
there on the far shelf, a magazine
with the number 64 printed
on it. I jumped for joy and
grabbed it off the shelf. had a
I
peek at it and thought 'Just the
kind of mag I've been looking
for, for months.' it, and
I
when home I
so
I
pleased with the quality of the
reviews, I decided to write the
Editor a letter, and here it is.
Cem Akbay, Bromley, Kent.
And here's the reply!
I
Dear Zzap!64,
I've just rushed out and
bought your magazine. (They're
selling like hot cakes in Holyhead).
All my friends agree that the
magazine is brilliant and that
hope
the reviews are good,
that you can keep to this high
standard which puts other
magazines like C&VG to shame.
By the way kindly review Black
Thunder and Gryphon, and
Everyone's a Wally.
Here's a joke for Zzap.
Q. What's small, black and rubbery
and wears tartan trousers?
A. Rupert the Spectrum.
Bad wasn't it! and I
you,
if I don't get a free tape there'll
be more.
Arwel Owen, Holyhead,
N.Wales.
Looks like you'll have to send us
some more.