The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

ASTRO PLUMBER

Professional, Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade Platform Game

Author             : Mike Williams

Standalone Release(s)   : 1985: ASTRO PLUMBER, Blue Ribbon, £2.50

Compilation Release(s)   : 1986: BLUE RIBBON GAMES DISC 2 (Blue Ribbon), £14.95

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron

Supplier            : BLUE RIBBON, CDS House, Beckett Road, DONCASTER DN2 4AD

                    Tel: 01322 21134

Disc compatibility     : ADFS 1D00, CDFS 1D00, DFS 1D00

Instructions

You are the maintenance man just arrived from Earth. Your task is to repair the leaking air pipes in caverns under the Moon's surface, which supply the scientists of COLONY 11, a research station. The inhabitants of these underground caverns are indestructible, so must be avoided.

To help you avoid them you are wearing a jet-pack, enabling you to fly over them, but watch your fuel supply. Press the RETURN key to take off and again to land. You can't use the jet-pack on the surface.

To repair the pipes, you are carrying a plasma laser which when fired underneath the pipe engulfs the leak and seals it. This also drains your fuel supply so use with care.

If you leave a screen without repairing all the leaks, on returning to that screen all the leaks will appear again!

The air tanks on the Moon's surface can be used to replenish your air supply, by plugging in to them. Your air indicator will show how much air you have. CAUTION - DO NOT OVERFILL!

The game ends if you run out of air, fuel or lives. With every screen you complete an extra life is gained. You lose a life if you come into contact with any inhabitant, so be warned.

On certain screens there are transport pads. You stand on the pad and press SPACE and you will then be transported to the transporter directly above or below you.

When the pressure indicator is full then that round is completed. A bonus will be added to your score; the next round then increases speed making it harder to complete. GOOD LUCK!

Control Keys

Z - Left,   X - Right,   * - Up,   ? - Down

SHIFT - Fire,   RETURN - Jet pack,   SPACE BAR - Transport

COPY - Freeze,   DELETE - Unfreeze

Instructions' Source   : ASTRO PLUMBER (Blue Ribbon) Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User)

If you are a devotee of moving through underground caverns while trying to avoid mutant monsters, then ASTRO PLUMBER is well worth looking, especially as it is firmly at the budget end of the market, available on cassette for just £2.50. The scenario is the moon and you play the role of the plumber who has recently arrived at Colony 11 to fix a rather leaky air supply system. What else would you use to mend leaking pipes but a plasma laser?

This does the job perfectly well but drains your oxygen supply rather dramatically. Oh, by the way, I suppose they did tell you on Earth that there are funny little sprites wandering around the system which cannot be avoided? At least you'll appreciate the rather nice jetpack they gave you, so that you can fly over them, although again this drains the air supply.

Still, all is not lost because there are air tanks up on the surface which you can plug into before dropping back underground to try to finish the job.

There are several screens - some with additional features like transport pads which move you quickly up and down the system's levels. There are a couple of snags including the rather long time delay between being killed and the magical reincarnation. This is further aggravated by the fact that the monsters keep moving during this time, and have an annoying habit of being too close when you reappear!

Generally, though, this is a fairly enjoyable game with no original ideas, but plenty of excitement for younger players.

Sound ........................... 5
Graphics ........................ 8
Playability ..................... 7
Value for money ................. 8
Overall ......................... 7

Phil Tayler, ELECTRON USER 3. 7