The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

FRENZY

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade Franctic Puzzler

Author             :

Standalone Release(s)   : 1984: FRENZY, Micro Power, £6.95

Compilation Release(s) : 1987: PRES GAMES DISC 2, PRES, £9.95

                    1988: 10 COMPUTER HITS 2, Beau Jolly, £9.95

                    1988: MICRO POWER MAGIC 2, Micro Power, £7.95

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron

Supplier            : MICRO POWER, 8/8A Regent Street, Chapel Allerton, LEEDS

                    LS7 4PE. Tel: 01532 683186.

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

Instructions

Deadly sub-atomic particles are running free in a scientific research centre. It is your job to trap the darting Leptons using a robot craft before your time runs out. As you move the craft across the screen, a green ion-trail is dragged along behind. When you reach the edge again, the smaller area confined by this green line, is filled in. A Lepton is captured if it is trapped in this area or if 95% of the screen has been filled. A bar running along the bottom of the screen indicates the percentage of the total area remaining to be filled. Enclosed areas are coloured red, but at any time, you can switch to the faster speed and areas so filled are coloured pink.

Higher levels introduce Chasers which move along the borders. A life is lost if you collide with one of these or if a Lepton hits your trail. The number of Leptons and Chasers increases up to a maximum of 5 of each. An extra craft is obtained on completion of the third, sixth and ninth screens.

A good strategy is to build small, narrow pink blocks up the centre of an unfilled area in fast mpde and then to finish off using the slower mode to reach the top of the screen and capture the Lepton.

Scoring

The base score for a fast-filled screen is 1237 - double for slow-filled areas. By way of example, the maximum score that can be obtained on screen  7 (if 95% area is filled and all Leptons captured on slow-fill) is calculated as follows: Score: 1237 x 0.95 x 2 (all slow-fill) x 5 (screen multiplier) x (1 plus 3) (3 Leptons captured) = 47006. This is excluding the time bonus.

Game Controls

Z - Left,   X - Right,   : - Up,   / - Down

<SPACE> sets the robot craft in motion. Pressing this again causes the craft to move faster. S toggles the sound on and off before each game.

Instructions' Source   : FRENZY (Micro Power) Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User)

Here Micro Power has chosen a format which is simplicity itself, made it the simplest of games to use, and yet come up with what I think is one of the most amusing and compulsive games on the market today. Combine this with a highly colourful display, high scoring and wide age range appeal, and you have a winner.

What has happened is that a deadly Lepton has broken free inside a laboratory and is bouncing around inside. Luckily it cannot penetrate the walls or pass through the ion trail that you are about to lay inside.

To enter is certain death, so you employ a robot vehicle to do the work of laying the trail, and you sectionalise the laboratory, thus trapping the Lepton inside a small area.

If you cut off a small part of the laboratory but fail to trap the Lepton, you carry on until 95 per cent of the area has been covered, when the Lepton is eventually caught. This, however, reduces your bonus, which decreases as time passes.

If you do trap the Lepton it is a points bonanza and a big bonus to boot. But if the Lepton hits the robot vehicle or the ion trail before contact is made with another wall or another part of the trail, then it's one life lost.

As the game progresses little refinements are added, like chasers which follow your tracks. Needless to say, they are on the Lepton's side and contact with one
costs you a life.

At one stage the Lepton multiplies itself and all are equally deadly. Then again it can move at double speed and you need to be very clever to outsmart it.

Your robot vehicle has two speeds. The higher means the less time spent in the danger area but fewer points.

A cool head, a steady hand and nerves of steel should ensure you a top score in this excellent game.

Adam Young, ELECTRON USER 2. 6