Mirage Massacre | Objective | In Play | Verdict | Rating
Product: 3D Bomb Alley
Computer: BBC Model B
Price: £6.95 (Cassette)
Publisher: Software Invasion
Reviewer: Kevin Williams
Rating: 4/5
3D Bomb Alley ()
3D Bomb Alley ()
3D Bomb Alley ()
3D Bomb Alley ()
3D Bomb Alley ()

Mirage Massacre

The Falklands war inspired a series of arcade-type games for leading micros. 3D Bomb Alley from the appropriately-named Software Invasion is for BBC owners who want a share of the action. And action is what you will get if you can last the course.

Objective

You are looking down a bay (or is it a bluff cove?) where riding at anchor are three ships. You are in the defensive front line, commanding an anti-aircraft battery. You scan the sky looking out for enemy aircraft, ready to fire your shells to destroy them.

You can control the firing with a cross which is the centre of the gun fire.

The sky is clear. A tiny black dot appears and begins to grow in size becoming not a dot but a small plane armed with two bombs. The bombs fall, there is a great explosion and one of the ships is gone.

Your orders are to shoot down the planes before they can release their deadly payload. At first it is easy as the planes come out at a time. But after you shoot down the first ten planes they start coming in twos and later in threes and so the shooting gets tougher.

In Play

On hitting the growing dot, there is a "Defender" type explosion as bits of shrapnel shower over the landscape. Another nine planes follow one by one and the same thing happens.

This is easy.

As you move up the next level you not only get an extra plane but you also get an extra ship to defend as well. As more and more planes come one of the dots becomes not a dot but a Mirage. It breaks through your defensive screen. These is a blinding flash and one of your ships has gone.

The war gets worse as ship after ship goes under. Eventually you are left with just one ship and the last Mirage gets through dropping the black bomb as it goes.

The game is over with a terrific explosion.

Verdict

Like the other games from Software Invasion, 3D Bomb Alley makes use of the new found BBC colours like dark and light shades. With good moving graphics and sound effects the game becomes addictive. You'll get your money's worth out of this program.

Rating

Lasting Appeal 4/5
Playability 4/5
Use Of Machine 5/5
Overall Value 4/5

Mirage Massacre | Objective | In Play | Verdict | Rating