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Have a go at Robocop, they said. What? Alone? I'd rather go three rounds with Mike Tyson. Fortunately they just meant the game. Otherwise you can bet your unemployment benefit that before I knew it, eight out of ten owners (who expressed a preference) would be saying that their cats prefer me.
You've got to hand it to Ocean. There can't be many spankier licences to get your paws on than Robocop. And where Ocean really got it right was to snap it up ages ago - before, in fact, the arcade licence had even been put out to tender. So, the Manchester-based megagamesters had a hand in that, too, and they ended up spending months and months putting the whole package together - computer game, arcade game, 8-bit, 16-bit, the works. They've even bunged in a poster as well.
So why is it all rather unexciting when you actually load the thing up? Perhaps it's because our expectations of Ocean's product over the past year or two has just become a little too stratospheric. (Open those dictionaries!) Operation Wolf? The new Batman? Brilliant games, superbly designed and implemented on the old beermat. But Robocop just isn't in the same league. Not that it's bad, don't get me wrong. It's just not the earthshattering blasterama I somehow expected it to be.
Anyway, enough of this whinging - let's get down to the game. You, natch, are Robocop him(it?)self, striding along the city streets in Detroit. My the streets are tough. They all look rather similar, too. And, blow! there goes your colour reception, 'cos the whole cityscape's in good ol' black and white.
So along you stride. You have fifty bullets to start with, but these soon get frittered away as you fire at the numerous baddies who attack you. And are there lots of them, or are there lots of them? It's worse than Frinton on a Saturday night, and what's more some of these thugs carry chainsaws, the latest hip accessory down Detroit way. These blighters need more bullets than the others, although if you start picking up those flashing whatnots of ammunition, you might get something a little more powerful than your wee bullet-ettes. Alternatively you might pick up some baby food to give you more energy (impregnated with Castrol GTX, no doubt).
Go on further and you'll find even more useful things like three-way bullets, but of course the nasties get nastier, shooting out of windows from above and other dirty tricks. In the film, bullets would have little effect. In the game, they do inflict a wound, and there's a limited number of wounds you can take. So be careful - there are nine levels to get through yet.
Level one, then, is downtown Detroit, (remind me not to go there.) On level two, you come across a woman being attacked by some crazy. Here you're looking straight at the two of 'em through your viewfinder, and you have to hit him without hitting her in the process. For level three it's back to Detroit with more and harder criminals - a little like the Bronx on a Saturday afternoon.
Level four's a break from the monotony. Here you have a photofit to piece together, using the computer and your own memory banks. Get this right and you'll find who it was who topped Murphy (the geezer you were before you became Roboclot). Hint: it's not Jeremy Beadle.
After that it's more shooting and running about, as you steadily work your way through the film's plot and kill everyone who needs killing, not including, sadly, Jeremy Beadle.
Don't sound too enthusiastic, do I? Well it's all a little samey, and a touch too much like lots of other zappy sideways scrollers set in warehouses and the like. What? Did someone say Rolling Thunder? Well, precisely, though curiously enough (since the film had an 18 certificate) I think the game will appeal greatly to younger gamesters.
The whole package, though, is nicely presented, with neat and well drawn graphics and no complaints about speed or playability. But I wasn't totally convinced. By the time you read this, I bet a good few Spec-chums who got it for Christmas will be wondering what all the fuss was about.
By the way, why doesn't anyone try a can opener on him?

Marcus Berkmann

Nice shooting son what's you're name?
Ocean once again created a movie tie in game - and did so in style with the ZX Spectrum version of Robocop in December of 1988.

The game was also a popular choice in amusement arcades with the version by Data East eating plenty of 10p pieces.

Anyway, Robocop on the Speccy was a run and gun game which captured the spirit of the film pretty well. We are going to concentrate on the Spectrum 128 version which was quite superior to the standard 48K Spectrum version.

As soon as the game loaded you knew you were in for a treat. Sampled speech featuring the dulcet tones of Peter Weller saying 'Robocop' was followed by a haunting and well composed piece of music which highlighted the capabilities of the AY Sound Chip.

If I remember rightly the game was released at the same time as the movie was on VHS (Video tape!) - a nice piece of marketing.

In the game you (of course) play Robocop (rebuilt from the near dead officer Murphy in the excellent movie).

The game began with RoboCop in a horizontally scrolling section, shooting snipers looking down on him from the windows of building, and eradicating kung fu kicking villains and chainsaw weilding nut-jobs.

You began the game with four lives and an energy level (Robo could take a fair amount of punishment) and the energy meter could be replenished by collecting baby food jars.

Ammunition was limited too but there were extra magazines lying around to use, as well as three special weapons powerups (such as 3-way firing bullets and 'super bullets'). If Robo expended all of his ammo then he could use his fists to fight with. If you're energy level reached zero then a life was lost and it was back to the start of the level.

While on patrol RoboCop is called to the scene of an assault where a woman was being held hostage. Now the game switched to a first-person perspective and you had to shoot the criminal without hitting the woman (just like in the movie). As on each section of the game there was a time limit and a life was lost if you exceeded it.

After that was completed it was back on patrol on the next level with bikers coming after you. Here you also encounter Emil (one of the guys that 'murdered' Murphy), hiding out at a petrol station (again based on the scene in the movie).

Now you had to go to the police stations photofit library to match up a picture (Emil was one of Clarence Boddikers gang). Eyes, ears, chin, nose and hairstyle had to be matched to the picture on the left which was not easy to accomplish in the time alloted.

Photofit matching in Robocop on the ZX Spectrum
Once Emil had been identified information was provided which lead RoboCop to a Drugs Factory (another horizontally scrolling section), and once you had completed it RoboCop learned the name of leader of the gang which killed him - Clarence Boddicker. (Clarence Boddicker must be one of the greatest movie villains of all time eh?).

Clarence was employed by an OCP executive - leading our Robo to the OCP headquarters tower. Here you had a showdown with the legendary ED209.

Overcoming Ed pitted you against more bad guys as you tryed to escape the tower in a horizontally and vertically scrolling section. If you managed to escape then it was on to the junkyard (where Murphy was 'killed'), for a confrontation with Clarence himself.

Killing him put you back at OCP where you had to rescue the president of the company who was being held hostage by the high ranking executive who employed Clarence (it was Dick Jones in the film.)

On release:
Well the movie was hugely popular and the game turned out to be too. Gamers marvelled at the haunting music, sampled speech, nicely animated characters and smooth scrolling backdrops. Robocop managed get the arcade action just right - it was difficult put perseverance paid off. The variety of levels added to the game (it wasn't just more scrolling levels with different graphics) and it was an instant classic game.

The test of time:
Playing this again brought back some memories for me - and you know what it's still pretty good. The developers obviously put some effort into coding this and it shows. It took me a few goes to get the hang of it again (as you'll see in the video - I'm not great!) but it's still pretty playable as a scrolling shooter.

Play Robocop again and uphold the law.

We recommend getting hold of the real Sinclair hardware but if not then download Robocop for a ZX Spectrum emulator. Alternatively you could try and play it online

Please see our other ZX Spectrum retro game reviews and programmer interviews - all links are listed in alphabetical order. Cheers guys.

GENRE: Arcade game
RELEASE DATE: End of 1988
RELEASED BY: Ocean
DEVELOPER(S): Mike Lamb and Dawn Drake
PRICE: £8.95 Cassette or £14.95 Disk - UK

The future of law enforcement arrives simultaneously on video and Spectrum with some pretty slick effects for both. The film begins with OmniConsumer Products (OCP) backing a big, walker-like droid called ED209 as the ultimate cop. But when a malfunction results in it accidentally machine-gunning someone an alternative project is proposed - a cyborg mix of cop and machine called RoboCop. The first cop to be murdered while on duty is Murphy and OCP rebuild him, Frankenstein fashion.

The computer game is composed of three loads (one for 128K owners) and opens with RoboCop on the beat of a horizontally-scrolling section, shooting snipers looking down on him, kung fu kicking villains and chainsaw psychos. RoboCop starts off with four lives and an energy level, the latter can be replenished by collecting baby food jars. Ammunition is strictly limited as well but there are extra magazines lying around, as well as three special weapons. If all the bullets are exhausted then RoboCop can use his fists, if they fail and he dies he goes back to the start of the section.

While on patrol RoboCop is called to the scene of an assault where a woman is being held hostage. Switching to a first-person perspective you must shoot the criminal without hitting the woman. As on all the sections there's a time limit and a life is lost if you exceed it. After that it's back on patrol in a different part of time with bikers coming after you. Here you also encounter Emil, one of Murphy's murderers, hiding out at a petrol station.

Meeting Emil awakens memories in the cyborg that was once Murphy and RoboCop goes to the police's photofit library in load two. Eyes, ears, chin, nose and hairstyle must be matched to the picture on the left - not easy in the time limit. Once Emil has been identified information is provided leading RoboCop to a Drugs Factory (Issue 58's demo tape). Another horizontally scrolling section, this ends with RoboCop learning the leader of the gang which killed him - Clarence Botticker - was employed by an OCP executive. RoboCop heads for the OCP tower and is attacked by ED209. Survive that and load three has you desperately trying to escape the tower in a horizontally/vertically scrolling section. If you do escape then it's on to the junkyard, where Murphy was killed, for a confrontation with Clarence. Kill him and you must then rescue the president of OCP who's being held hostage by the executive who employed Clarence.

The first thing that strikes you about RoboCop is the character's animation which is probably the best ever seen on the Spectrum - it really is that good. Scrolling is perfectly smooth and sound is great, with sampled speech saying 'RoboCop'. Playability, as far as we've got, is great. Going back to the start of sections is frustrating, as is the ammunition limit, but since the enemies always follow the same patterns this forces you to get really good. Other sections, such as the ID stage, are surprisingly effective as well, making this an instant Spectrum classic.

STUART ... 94%

Producer: Ocean
Spare parts: £8.95 cass £14.95 disk
Author: Mike Lamb and Dawn Drake



INSTANT JUSTICE
Learn the positions of the enemies in order to anticipate them.
Take care with the chainsaw psychos - they often need loads of hits to kill.
Conserve your ammunition by using the minimum number of shots required to kill each baddie.
Anticipate the motorbike riders and shoot before they actually appear onscreen.
On the hostage screen try to anticipate which way the villain will move for a quick, easy shot.
In the ID section don't spend too long on one feature, some overlap and until you've got a full face it's easy to get confused.

One false move and she's dead

Crikey, I remember when policemen wore silly helmets, rode bicycles and kept saying 'Evening all', but this RoboCop chappie is a bit more like a badge-wearing Charles Bronson! He mercilessly blasts criminals, but even though he's made of metal he ain't so great. A hail of enemy bullets soon finishes him off, while turning in a crouch makes him stand up! At the same time, care must be taken not to waste your limited supply of ammunition - if you run out, you're dead meat (or should that be circuitry?). With all these problems, RoboCop is initially very hard, but as you learn the patterns of the enemies (they appear in the same places every time), you soon work out a strategy for success. And it's definitely worth persevering to see the detailed backdrops and nicely-animated enemies. Thankfully, RoboCop doesn't just rely on the usual shoot-'em-up theme; it mixes several varied sections together, each requiring different skills to complete, to make a truly excellent package. Fans of the film and arcade buffs alike, will not be disappointed.

PHIL ... 91%

Without doubt this is one of the closest translations of a movie ever achieved in a computer game, making this unmissable for all RoboCop fans. The extra sections written by Michael Lamb and Dawn Drake to improve the basic coin-op are really good and add a lot to the game. The result is a conversion that's genuinely superior to the arcade. Ingame music is really good on the 128 with some nice gunshot effects as well. Admittedly progress is tough, until you learn the attack patterns it might seem impossible, but with ED209, the junkyard scene and the OCP tower still to save I can't stop playing it. One of the best films of 1988 had made one of the best Spectrum games as well, congratulations Ocean.

MARK ... 90%



Double vision?

THE ESSENTIALS
Joysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: well-animated sprites fight it out on detailed, horizontally-scrolling backgrounds
Sound: a nice bit of sampled speech and some catchy 128K ingame music to complement good shooting effects
Options: definable keys, music on/off
General rating: a superb implementation of the licence, which successfully captures the spirit of the violent film


Presentation 88%
Graphics 90%
Sound 86%
Playability 92%
Addictive qualities 91%
Overall 92%

ROBOCOP

• A new type of community policing

The future of law enforcement arrives simultaneously on video and Spectrum with some pretty slick effects for both. The film begins with OmniConsumer Products (OCP) backing a big, walker-like droid called ED209 as the ultimate cop. But when a malfunction results in it accidentally machine-gunning someone an alternative project is proposed — a cyborg mix of cop and machine called RoboCop. The first cop to be murdered while on duty is Murphy and OCP rebuild him, Frankenstein fashion.

The computer game is composed of three loads (one for 128K owners) and opens with RoboCop on the beat of a horizontally-scrolling section, shooting snipers looking down on him, kung fu kicking villains and chainsaw psychos. RoboCop starts off with four lives and an energy level, the latter can be replenished by collecting baby food jars. Ammunition is strictly limited as well but there are extra magazines lying around, as well as three special weapons. If all the bullets are exhausted then RoboCop can use his fists, if they fail and he dies he goes back to the start of the section.

While on patrol RoboCop is called to the scene of an assault where a woman is being held hostage. Switching to a first-person perspective you must shoot the criminal without hitting the woman. As on all the sections there’s a time limit and a life is lost if you exceed it. After that it’s back on patrol in a different part of time with bikers coming after you. Here you also encounter Emil, one of Murphy’s murderers, hiding out at a petrol station.

Meeting Emil awakens memories in the cyborg that was once Murphy and RoboCop goes to the police’s photofit library in load two. Eyes, ears, chin, nose and hairstyle must be matched to the picture on the left — not easy in the time limit. Once Emil has been identified information is provided leading RoboCop to a Drugs Factory (Issue 58’s demo tape). Another horizontally scrolling section, this ends with RoboCop learning the leader of the gang which killed him — Clarence Botticker — was employed by an OCP executive. RoboCop heads for the OCP tower and is attacked by ED209. Survive that and load three has you desperately trying to escape the tower in a horizontally/vertically scrolling section. If you do escape then it’s on to the junkyard, where Murphy was killed, for a confrontation with Clarence. Kill him and you must then rescue the president of OCP who’s being held hostage by the executive who employed Clarence.

The first thing that strikes you about RoboCop is the character’s animation which is probably the best ever seen on the Spectrum — it really is that good. Scrolling is perfectly smooth and sound is great, with sampled speech saying ‘RoboCop’. Playability, as far as we’ve got, is great. Going back to the start of sections is frustrating, as is the ammunition limit, but since the enemies always follow the same patterns this forces you to get really good. Other sections, such as the ID stage, are surprisingly effective as well, making this an instant Spectrum classic.

STUART ... 94%


Producer: Ocean
Spare parts: £8.95 cass £14.95 disk
Author: Mike Lamb and Dawn Drake

INSTANT JUSTICE
•Learn the positions of the enemies in order to anticipate them.
•Take care with the chainsaw psychos — they often need loads of hits to kill.
•Conserve your ammunition by using the minimum number of shots required to kill each baddie.
•Anticipate the motorbike riders and shoot before they actually appear onscreen.
•On the hostage screen try to anticipate which way the villain will move for a quick, easy shot.
•In the ID section don’t spend too long on one feature, some overlap and until you’ve got a full face it’s easy to get confused.
• Crikey, I remember when policemen wore silly helmets, rode bicycles and kept saying ‘Evening all’, but this RoboCop chappie is a bit more like a badge-wearing Charles Bronson! He mercilessly blasts criminals, but even though he’s made of metal he ain’t so great. A hail of enemy bullets soon finishes him off, while turning in a crouch makes him stand up! At the same time, care must be taken not to waste your limited supply of ammunition — if you run out, you’re dead meat (or should that be circuitry?). With all these problems, RoboCop is initially very hard, but as you learn the patterns of the enemies (they appear in the same places every time), you soon work out a strategy for success. And it’s definitely worth persevering to see the detailed backdrops and nicely-animated enemies. Thankfully, RoboCop doesn’t just rely on the usual shoot-’em-up theme; it mixes several varied sections together, each requiring different skills to complete, to make a truly excellent package. Fans of the film and arcade buffs alike, will not be disappointed.
PHIL ... 91%

• Without doubt this is one of the closest translations of a movie ever achieved in a computer game, making this unmissable for all RoboCop fans. The extra sections written by Michael Lamb and Dawn Drake to improve the basic coin-op are really good and add a lot to the game. The result is a conversion that’s genuinely superior to the arcade. Ingame music is really good on the 128 with some nice gunshot effects as well. Admittedly progress is tough, until you learn the attack patterns it might seem impossible, but with ED209, the junkyard scene and the OCP tower still to save I can’t stop playing it. One of the best films of 1988 had made one of the best Spectrum games as well, congratulations Ocean.
MARK ... 90%


THE ESSENTIALS

Joysticks: Cursor, Kempston, Sinclair
Graphics: well-animated sprites fight it out on detailed, horizontally-scrolling backgrounds
Sound: a nice bit of sampled speech and some catchy 128K ingame music to complement good shooting effects
Options: definable keys, music on/off
General rating: a superb implementation of the licence, which successfully captures the spirit of the violent film

Presentation 88%
Graphics 90%
Sound 86%
Playability 92%
Addictive qualities 91%
Overall 92%