Download issue cgw_37 - Computer Gaming World Museum

cellence of the arcade translation. Even a tin-eared
arcader would likewise have a hard time refuting
MCS's claims to fame.
Almost without exception, EA's games are superb.
Gamers who don't care for them are generally
displeased by their complexity or the aforementioned
hard edge that characterizes all EA products.
With the exception of Marble Madness and Robot
Rascals, EA games are dark visions with cold,
calculating subtexts. There is none of Epyx's cute
graphic decoration here. EA is big, mean and hardboiled.
Further, over the past few years, a reputation
for exactly this sort of product has helped EA
gain the status it now holds.
You don't believe it? Just take a look at what
EA offers: Dark Lord, Wasteland, Autoduel, and
Make Your Own Murder Party for starters; the excruciatingly
realistic space simulation, Starflight, a
psychological program by ex-L.S.D. guru, Timothy
Leary, and Movie Maker with cartoons by Gahan
Wilson for other stunning examples (For those of
you who have never had the pleasure of being exposed
to Mr. Wilson's work, try to picture the
Peanuts characters as envisioned by Stephen King.
That's Gahan Wilson in a good mood.).
The striking differences between EA's software
and everyone else's always remind me of George
Carlin's "Baseball and Football" comedy routine. "In
baseball," he says, "you wear a cap. IN FOOT-
BALL, YOU WEAR A HELMET. In baseball, you
make an error. IN FOOTBALL, YOU PAY A
PENALTY."
Well, in Activision's slot car game, Fast Tracks,
you have bright colors and overpasses. IN EA'S
SLOT CAR GAME, RACING DESTRUCTION
SET, YOU HAVE LAND MINES AND GRAVITY
ALTERATION. In Activision's psychological roleplaying
game, Alter Ego, you have simulations of
life experiences. IN EA'S PSYCHOLOGICAL
ROLE-PLAYING GAME, MIND MIRROR, YOU
HAVE STATISTICAL MIND MAPS AND SIMU-
LATIONS OF STANDARDIZED TESTS.
In other words, for good or ill, EA's products
are for people who take their gaming seriously. One
may not always care for this style, but one would
be hard pressed to deny its effectiveness — or its
success.
Chapter Two
A visit to "Software Village." The Activision
connection is explored.
You are in the storeroom at the Software Village
computer store. It reminds you of a walk-in closet.
A small walk-in closet. In front of you, a salesman
is shrink-wrapping a stack of new games. He is also
singing, badly, from "La Traviata."
>SALESMAN, HELLO
You breathe a sigh of relief as the salesman
stops singing. "Sorry," he says. "I didn't see you
come in. I guess I'm just too wrapped up in my
work."
>LAUGH
The salesman thanks you. "You know, something
strange is going on. It's this Activision/Electronic
Arts thing."
>ASK SALESMAN ABOUT THING
"Well, look," he says, holding up two games. "EA
has Racing Destruction Set and Activision has Fast
Tracks."
>AGAIN
"Well, look," he says, holding up two games. "EA
has Mind Mirror and Activision has Alter Ego."
>AGAIN
"Well, look," he says, holding up two games. "EA
has Marble Madness and Activision has Spindizzy."
>AGAIN
"Well, look," he says, holding up two games. "EA
has Amnesia and Activision has Mindshadow."
>AGAIN
The salesman is out of games. "But," he says,
"EA has a golf game that includes a Pebble Beach
simulation, a one-on-one basketball game and Music
Construction Set. Activision has a Pebble Beach
golf game, a two-on-two basketball game and The
Music Studio."
>SALESMAN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
"Nothing, probably. But it's interesting to think
about."
Chapter Three
Some explanations for EA's success are postulated.
Some of EA's games are based on premises
which have already been explored by other companies,
but even when this is the case, EA's distinctive
style brings new life to the most over-exploited
of ideas. Dark Lord, for instance, is a graphic adventure
in the classic mold of Ulysses and Critical
Mass, with a few tips of the hat to more modern
examples of the genre like Mask of the Sun, noth-
Continued on pg. 40