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Amstrad
Atari
Sinclair
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Driller
Incentive 1987. Programmed by Major Developments.
Driller, believe it or not, was pretty amazing when it was released. A full 3D environment, all zipping around smoothly and attractively was virtually unheard of back then, and Driller not only pulled that off, but also was a lot of fun to play. Particularly on 8bit computers, where Driller confounded the traditional logic of 3D worlds being impossible to implement, reviewers scores for Driller reached the high 90s (percent). The basic premise is you need to traverse a 3D world searching for the best places to put your drilling rig to release gas build ups under the worlds surface. The first of these is marked with a nice big 'X' but after that it's more a case of trial and error to find the right spots. Getting around the world is not easy. There are various puzzles which have to be solved to reach new parts and a smattering of enemies, which drain your energy and shield, are in each area. To top it all off if you linger too long in an area you get zapped by some invisible force. Fortunately you are equiped with a rapid fire laser cannon, which seems capable of destroying most things with a couple of shots. Your energy and shield can be replaced by tracking down various 'garage' like buildings with contain repair pods. The graphics in Driller look sparse to the modern gamesplayer, and while forward movement is fast, rotating your ship can be painfully slow. However despite this, the game remains very playable. The sound effects are very good as well, with your machine gun rubbling pretty impressively and various other spot effects really adding to the atmosphere. Driller has stood up remarkably well for an early 3D game and is still an enjoyable challenge today.
Zogging Hell Rating: 8/10
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