The BBC and Master Computer Public Domain Library

PAPERBOY

Professional, Originally Released On Cassette Only

Game Type          : Arcade

Author             :

Standalone Release(s)  : 1986: PAPERBOY, Elite, £9.95

                    1989: PAPERBOY, Encore, £2.99

Compilation Release(s) : None

Stated compatibility    : Electron

Actual compatibility    : Electron, BBC B, B+ and Master 128 (After *CONVERT)

Supplier            : ELITE, Anchor House, Anchor Road, Aldridge, WALSALL WS9 8PW

Disc compatibility     : CDFS E00, DFS E00

Game Features

·   Game Of The Year

·   Sold over 100,000 worldwide

·   Held a Gall-up chart position for over a year

·   Arcade action at its best from ATARI

·   One of the biggest selling games of all time

·   Officially licenced Arcade Game

Pick up your old Push Bike, put on your peaked cap and imagine yourself braving the streets of an American suburb. Only superb riding skills and a steady throwing arm can get you through your seven day week of hilarious action. Avoid cars, workmen, drunkards and lawnmowers all out to obstruct you in your pursuit of excellence. Score points by delivering to all your usual customers, but you can get sneaky bonuses by breaking the windows of non-subscribers.

It's a difficult task but your employer believes that practice makes perfect and generously provides a practice track where you can score valuable extra points. Get ready for the ride of your life.

Game Controls

Z - Left,   X - Right,   * - Accelerate,   ? - Brake,   <RETURN> - Throw Paper

Instructions' Source   : PAPERBOY (Elite Systems) Back and Inner Inlay

Review (Electron User) - "Not Such Good News"

PAPERBOY is a conversion of the arcade game of the same name. In your new job as local paperboy you must deliver your wares to all the regular customers, while at the same time creating as much damage as possible to the homes of non-customers.

The title screen - a highly detailed front page of a newspaper, embellished with several different typefaces - promises a graphical feast.

Press the spacebar to begin the game and you are faced with a two-colour, high-resolution stick man. Not only that, he flickers as he cycles up the street.

The game controls consist of left/right, accelerate/brake, turbo speed and throw. As play begins you are pedalling at full speed, which isn't particularly breathtaking. The only way to go faster is to press both the accelerate and turbo keys. After a short delay you will experience a startling increase in speed - and flicker! The delay may be due to turbo lag, but whatever the cause, it is responsible for many a tumble.

You begin your new job on the Monday. Cycling up the street you must throw a newspaper into mailboxes positioned outside some of the houses. Those without mailboxes are fair fame for vandalism, so smash as many windows as possible while cycling past.

Each dirty deed is totted up as a bonus score and awarded at the end of the round. Be careful not to damage a customer's property or you'll lose every bonus point you have accrued.

So keen is your employer to improve your cycling skills he has constructed a BMX park, so at the end of each day's work, you go to the park and race against the clock for bonus points.

Life is not as simple as at first appears, because footpaths and roads are alive with obstacles. You can easily come to grief by hitting dogs, balls, workmen, radio-controlled cars, drunks and Sinclair C5s.

One annoying feature about losing a life is the fact that you are returned to the screen in turbo mode and the brakes don't work. It is not unusual to hit a second object before you have regained control of the bike.

If you feel that you need to have a copy be my guest, but please ask to see a demo before you part with your cash.

Sound ........................... 5

Graphics ........................ 6

Playability ..................... 5

Value for money ................. 5

Overall ......................... 5

Steve Brook, ELECTRON USER 4. 9