By Kieron Gillen on April 7th, 2008 at 3:37 pm.
Yes, Mama, Zox is out. Specifically Zox: Space Arena, a five-player arena based combat game. I haven’t had a chance to play it much – Jim refuses to stay in my room for more than five seconds as it’s a tip – and because there’s no computer AI. But if you have a mass of friends and joypads, this may be worth a crack. It’s a Bomber-man-esque thing with a splash of physics – that is, the maze is full of blocks which are actual physics objects, which move when the bomb go off. It actually reminds me of Psycho Pigs UXB, which is showing my age.
Less than a Peggle in size, it can be downloaded here and there’s a video beneath the cut.
I’m also horrified that the amazing Your Sinclair Psycho Pigs UXB cover isn’t anywhere online. Or even a decent sized scan of the infamous advert. Man!
Edit: Kelduum finds it…
People ask why videogame magazine sales are falling. Some blame the internet. Some blame endemic cynicism and the belief in their absolute corruption. I say it’s because no-one does covers like this anymore.
When you mentioned Psycho Pigs, the Your Sinclair cover was the first thing I though of.
It was the second issue of YS I ever bought too, but sadly it is no longer around, or I would scan it in for historical purposes.
Edit: WoS (and my worryingly good memory) to the rescue!
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It may have been the second one I bought too, actually. That or the first – if the Karnov cover was first, it was it. If not, UXB.
KG
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The Rolling Thunder cover was the first I bought – and it opened my eyes to the possibility of other games than Horrace Goes Skiing, Make-A-Chip and a dodgy copy of Space Invaders which I am convinced was by Artic Software (featuring Charles Cecil, later of Revolution) which Wikipedia doesnt know about, strangely.
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Looks groovy, shame I have no friends.
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Is there a reason why only one person can use the keyboard? It looks like you could squeeze in two extra players that way, and make the game actually playable for those without PC gamepads.
Still, it’s quite adorable.
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Mine was the Platoon cover, but I refuse to speak of that game again.
Anyway the best bit of psycho pigs was the blast suit which was borderline kawaii ^^ for the 80′s. Unfortunately. the Speccy had a lack of colours which led to much confusion. IIRC there was only a few pixels of difference between the indestructible silver pig and the 2 bomb grey pig.
US Gold were a pretty mixed bag in those days :(
Edit: I have no friends to play this game above, because I look like Francis Rossi. It does look fun however.
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Damn, just realised the link didnt work.
Its linked here though: http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/ys30.htm
And the advert: ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-adverts/p/PsychoPigsU.X.B..jpg
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Cheers Keld.
KG
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I’m gonna Zox one out.
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theres covers and theres covers
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Ah yes, I recall People from Sirius was unforgivably awful :(
US Gold, you see.
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smee- most keyboards are only actually able to pole 4 or 5 keys at any one time,. and they all do it differently depending on how they are made. Depending on the gameplay,. i.e. if keys are held down during play, the game will become sorta un-responsive,. gamepads don’t have this limitation. I suppose that is why only one player is on the board.
see: the Wizard of Wor remake in my site. for a fun two player one board game.
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Ah Your Sinclair, that takes me back. I’d rush home from the newsagent’s and consume it cover to cover many times.
Then spend ages trying to get the demos on the tape to work!
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