To mark Year 10 of the games issue, we bring you our first Top 10 electronic selections. Games newcomer CD-ROM is in the running as well as the old standbys (in relative terms, that is) such as PC games, Super Nintendo and Sega. All games listed are suggested retail only, so prices may vary from store to store. In no particular order, here are the games our players liked best.
Return to Zork, Infocom, CD-ROM and IBM compatibles, $79.95 each. This role-playing adventure takes us to a land where people are mighty strange. One should not fail to stroll through the thick guide, which holds such crucial information as the proper name for the month of April. (Yes, there is a quiz, and the penalty for three wrong answers is . . . death). The speech and graphics are first-rate. Nice touch: The action menu features animated icons-a figure lights a match, rings a bell, etc., with objects collected during the quest. Be mindful this puppy requires 24 megabytes on the hard drive.
Toby Terrier, Tiger Electronics Inc., $50. A dog that talks. Really! Toby also moves his head and wags his tail. Interacting with tapes of 30 minutes each, this little doggy goes to the zoo, parties and, on a more serious note, teaches safety. Four-legged friends Don Dane, Billy the Bulldog, Bob Barkley, Charlie Chihuahua and Afghana bring Toby to life with six tapes at $12.99 to $14.99 each (some tapes include cartridges that boost Toby’s interactive capabilities). Though recommended for kids ages 3 and older, Toby will keep just about anyone spellbound.
Ecco the Dolphin, Sega CD, $49.99. Ecco the Dolphin is an entertaining undersea search and survival adventure. Ecco is a young bottlenose dolphin who must explore underground caves in a search for friends, food, air pockets and special markers. The game is unique in that it does not keep score; rather, a player’s progress is measured by how many levels Ecco advances. Each level requires you to solve several puzzles in order to survive and find the exit. After you complete a level, you are given a password that will let you return to that level the next time you play. This feature is important because some techniques used to solve the puzzles require a lot of practice. Ecco is a beautiful game with stunning color graphics and a hauntingly beautiful CD-quality soundtrack.
Super Mario Kart, Super Nintendo, $59.99. Crash. Bang. Crack ’em up! Just when you thought you’d had enough of Mario and Luigi’s zany adventures, enter Super Mario Kart. This game features the thrills of road racing and all of its competitiveness. Skid, jump and spin into action while piloting Bowser, Toad, Yoshi, even Donkey Kong Jr., or one of the other assortment of characters. There’s even a battle mode that allows you and an opponent to duel with turtle shells, banana peels and a few other surprise gadgets. Hours upon hours of fun. No driver’s license needed. Rev up and enjoy the ride!
BreakTime, Nintendo, $34.95. This breakthrough in 8-bit video games is based on actual rules governing professional pool competition. And boy are they tough! The National Pool Tour takes players to five U.S. cities with fully animated pros with their own personalities and style. If all that sounds a bit overwhelming, stick to the beginners’ level. If the beginners’ level gets you down (Suzy Cue is pretty savvy), take as long as you like to practice, practice, practice. The best feature of this game is the variety. The big bonus is it will drastically improve your real-life game skills.
Sonic Spinball, Sega, $49.99. Sonic Chaos, Game Gear, $44.99. That hyperactive hedgehog has double-teamed us. It was too hard to choose, so we called it a draw. In Spinball, Sonic takes on pinball form with the task of getting three emeralds. With an array of stunning graphics and realistic flippers, Sonic is blasting dragon heads and birds, capturing rings, going through tunnels. Ouch! Looks painful, but the hog manages to maintain that mischievous grin through it all. Sonic Chaos: The name says it all. It’s 18 levels of revved up chaos. Sonic has a bunch of new moves and toys including rocket shoes and a pogo stick. And again, Sonic is joined by Tails, who also goes airborne in this game. As usual, Sonic is pitted against his arch-enemy the evil Dr. Robotnik, who is out to steal the mystical chaos emeralds and turn them into nuclear bombs and laser weapons. The game is fast-paced, and if you’re not careful can cause serious finger cramps. It calls for quick reflexes and a sharp eye.
Tetris, Nintendo, $39.95. Time to dust off the old Nintendo system-remember the gray boxy unit with two square control pads? The strategy puzzle game that has been a big hit on the Game Boy has been snazzed up for the 8-bit unit with two new challenges. Line up three or more of the same colors, and they explode. Line up three or more of the same colors with a Flash Block and a louder explosion ensues, wiping out blocks for miles around. Do it just right, and you might even Tetris (clear the board)! Also, if you find all those falling blocks dizzying and bit monotonous (pretty unlikely), there is a choice of two other types of music. Totally Tetris!
Panel Action BINGO, Game Boy, $28.99. Lots of fun for beginning game players (read adults) or kids. The screen shows a panel of letters (or numbers) and you as the bird have to tap them in sequential order before your opponent the cat does. It starts simple and each level gets faster and harder by adding black holes you can slip into or other traps. There are also 60 levels and 60 bonus rounds. But the game can be kept simple for small children.
Shelley Duvall’s It’s a Bird’s Life, CD-ROM, for PCs and Mac, ages 3-8, $39.95. This adventure story of a gang of pet parrots who fly from Los Angeles down to the Amazon jungle and back had a 7-year-old reviewer clamoring, “What’s next?” The parrots flee nasty crows, disport with monkeys and alligators, tell silly jokes and sing original songs, including a charmer called “How Do You Hug a Bird?” The tale provides the base for interactive games, puzzles and coloring activities. Educational features teach about birds and geography and offer definitions for hard words.
Bid Whist Pro, Conquest Systems, IBM compatibles, $29.95. This fast-paced card game that mixes the best of bridge, hearts and spades is the first computer game marketed to African-Americans. And nevermind the title; amateurs need not be intimidated. The advantage of playing this game on the computer is you can play at your own pace with speeds of low, medium and high. Serious options aside, you can also change the color of the screen’s foreground and background. You may never again click on the solitaire icon because the computer gives you a partner and two other players. Sound bites are slated for a future version in which a train races across the screen when you and your partner pummel your competition into submission. Boston! Future technology will also have players talk stuff to egg you on. To order, call 202-265-1071.
