By Wookiee
Genre: Arcade Horror
Behold. The CGC has arrived. This amazing competition is not only about
making crap games, but also about breaking boundaries. Space
Nuclear Assault Infiltration Legionnaire just may be the slowest
Spectrum BASIC game to have ever existed. What’s even better is that I don’t think it
was intended to be so, as you can sense this game has some heart – (and no
delay loops to falsely slow the code).
Be sure to load this game in 128k mode (Tape loader option), as in 48k mode, or on a 48k Spectrum you will become very familiar with the ‘C Nonsense in BASIC’ statement. The reason for this is the regular use of the 128k only ‘PLAY’ command, and I have to say it’s worth it. The multi channel AY chip of the higher memory Spectrum is designed for catchy music and advanced effects, yet somehow Wookie has managed to combine this with the spectrum beeper to make a cacophony of grating beeps (bonus points for ripping off Frere Gustav from the Spectrum BASIC manual – and repeating the chorus enough to genuinely annoy). Though I do have to yield that the crash noise isn’t at all bad.
So assuming you make it
past the initial hurdles, on to the game.
To play S.N.A.I.L is amazing, the instructions suggests fast paced arcade fun, promising bombers, fighters, interceptors and flak bursting all around, yet somehow it plays like a turn based adventure! Though I’m trying to see the best in it, and as long as you think of it as a turn based game it’s not actually that bad! While there’s not much that can be done about the randomly appearing flak bursts, you can spot enemy behaviour and act accordingly. And you certainly have time to do so, I literally had time to pour a cup of tea, remove the bag and add the milk before leisurely returning to my seat to face the onslaught of the Badong empire! The biggest pain is when you do lose a life, you have to go right back to the bottom of the screen and trundle back up it again.
To lose a life in S.N.A.I.L must be akin to being a fly unexpectedly caught by a sluggish looming newspaper roll.
If you crank up the emulator the game is easy, but it’s interesting that at ‘normal’ speed it is very hard, in fact at the time of writing I have yet to complete it.
In summary, an appalling arcade game but not quite so bad strategy game. It's got nice UDGs and heart.....still crap though.
Thankyou Wookiee!
Download here.
Genre: Arcade Horror
Be sure to load this game in 128k mode (Tape loader option), as in 48k mode, or on a 48k Spectrum you will become very familiar with the ‘C Nonsense in BASIC’ statement. The reason for this is the regular use of the 128k only ‘PLAY’ command, and I have to say it’s worth it. The multi channel AY chip of the higher memory Spectrum is designed for catchy music and advanced effects, yet somehow Wookie has managed to combine this with the spectrum beeper to make a cacophony of grating beeps (bonus points for ripping off Frere Gustav from the Spectrum BASIC manual – and repeating the chorus enough to genuinely annoy). Though I do have to yield that the crash noise isn’t at all bad.
To play S.N.A.I.L is amazing, the instructions suggests fast paced arcade fun, promising bombers, fighters, interceptors and flak bursting all around, yet somehow it plays like a turn based adventure! Though I’m trying to see the best in it, and as long as you think of it as a turn based game it’s not actually that bad! While there’s not much that can be done about the randomly appearing flak bursts, you can spot enemy behaviour and act accordingly. And you certainly have time to do so, I literally had time to pour a cup of tea, remove the bag and add the milk before leisurely returning to my seat to face the onslaught of the Badong empire! The biggest pain is when you do lose a life, you have to go right back to the bottom of the screen and trundle back up it again.
To lose a life in S.N.A.I.L must be akin to being a fly unexpectedly caught by a sluggish looming newspaper roll.
If you crank up the emulator the game is easy, but it’s interesting that at ‘normal’ speed it is very hard, in fact at the time of writing I have yet to complete it.
In summary, an appalling arcade game but not quite so bad strategy game. It's got nice UDGs and heart.....still crap though.
Thankyou Wookiee!
Download here.
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