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Games Computing (GB)

Games Computing was a British multi-format magazine published by Argus Specialist Publications. It was a monthly magazine, with 15 issues produced from January 1984 until March 1985. After the final issue was published, it was relaunched as Computer Gamer magazine. The editor was Elspeth Joiner. Note: One issue has not been scanned (February 1985) so there could potentially be missing programs from this magazine.

Download all programs from this magazine on one disk:


Games Computing.d64

27 programs

Program Author Requirements Files Info
Minefield

Issue 1 (Jan 1984),
Pages 8-11.
Stephen Knight Unexpanded mine-field.prg
Screenshot
Navigate across the minefield to return home (H) without hitting any mines. Your mine detector is faulty, it says how many mines surround you but not where they are. If it reads 'safe' at the top of the screen then you can safely move in any direction.

Controls:
U (up), D (down), L (left), R (right).
The Holy Grail

Issue 1 (Jan 1984),
Pages 40-42.
Kevin Gardiner 16K expansion holy grail 16k.prg
Solution
Screenshot
Text adventure. You are King Arthur. You must find the Holy Grail and put it inside a glass box in the chapel.

Controls:
Use the following commands: N, S, W, E, U, D, I (inventory), L (list objects at current location), A (describe location), GO, ROW, EXAMINE, SWIM, GET, DROP, PULL, REMOVE, UNLOCK, OPEN, READ, FIGHT, SAW, PRESS, INSERT, TURN.
Snake Trap

Issue 1 (Jan 1984),
Page 68.
Issue 3 (Mar 1984),
Page 29.
Brian Philips Unexpanded snake trap.t64
Screenshot
Snake game. Collect the dead rats and avoid the monsters.

Controls:
S (up), X (down), . (left), / (right).
Westminster

Issue 1 (Jan 1984),
Pages 88-91.
Issue 3 (Mar 1984),
Page 68.
Stephen Knight 8K expansion westminster 8k.prg
Screenshot
Political strategy game. You must get elected to a seat in parliament, and then try to reach the upper levels of government. Each year you must decide how much time to spend on ministerial, constituency, parliamentary and family duties, sharing 17 points between them.

Controls:
Follow on-screen prompts.
Towers of Brahma

Issue 2 (Feb 1984),
Pages 30-31.
Nagaraj Jayakumar Unexpanded tower of brahma.prg
Screenshot
Tower of Hanoi puzzle, with 5-9 disks. You must move all the disks from tower A onto tower C. You cannot put a larger disk on top of a smaller disk.

Controls:
A, B, C (column to move from/to).
Froggy

Issue 2 (Feb 1984),
Pages 42-44.
P Sidell Unexpanded frog.prg
Screenshot
Frogger game. Guide your frog home avoiding the cars and trains.

Controls:
U (up), N (down), h (left), J (right).
Card Crazy
(Play Your Cards Right)

Issue 2 (Feb 1984),
Pages 91-92.
J Fisher 3K expansion play cards 3k.prg
Screenshot
Card game, based on Play Your Cards Right. Four cards are dealt, and you must guess whether the next card is higher or lower than the current one.

Controls:
H (higher), L (lower), D (deal).
Final Frontier

Issue 4 (Apr 1984),
Pages 29-31.
Walli Unexpanded final frontier.prg
Screenshot
Vertically scrolling space game. Navigate the asteroid field collecting flags, fuel dumps and dockers.

Controls:
Joystick.
Guided Missile

Issue 4 (Apr 1984),
Pages 58-60.
T Plant Unexpanded guided missile.prg
Screenshot
Destroy the alien before it destroys you. You can guide the missile towards the target.

Controls:
Z (left), M (right), Space (fire).
Simple Draw

Issue 4 (Apr 1984),
Pages 71-72.
G Baxter Unexpanded simple draw.prg
Screenshot
Simple drawing program. Each direction draws in a different colour.

Controls:
Joystick. Fire clears the screen.
Warlord

Issue 5 (May 1984),
Pages 57-61.
? 8K expansion warlord 8k.prg
Solution
Map
Screenshot
Text adventure. You must recover some gold that has been stolen by a giant.

Controls:
Use the following commands: N, S, W, E, H (help), I (inventory), L (look), GET, DROP, EXAMINE, LIGHT, CHOP, BUY, CAST, OPEN, UNSCREW, FEED, CUT, UNLOCK, CLIMB, JUMP.
Dog Fight

Issue 6 (Jun 1984),
Pages 14-18.
R P Newman Unexpanded dogfight.prg
Screenshot
You're dogfighting with an alien ship. Your onboard scanner says if you are behind, ahead or level with the alien, and also if you are going faster or slower. You must get level with him and then fire.

Controls:
A (accelerate), D (decelerate), F (fire).
Snail Trail

Issue 7 (Jul 1984),
Pages 22-25.
? Unexpanded snail trail.prg
Screenshot
Tron game for two players. Each player must try to reach the opposite side of the screen without touching their opponent's trail, the deadly slugs, or the top/bottom edges.

Controls:
Player 1: A (up), Z (down), X (right).
Player 2: ; (up), / (down), . (left).
The House on Misty Hill

Issue 7 (Jul 1984),
Pages 49-55.
Steve Lucas 16K expansion misty hill 16k.prg
Solution
Map
Screenshot
Text adventure. While searching through some papers belonging to your late great grandfather, you learn about the treasures reputed to be found at the House on Misty Hill. You must collect 6 treasures and rescue the princess.

Controls:
Use two-word commands. Commands include: N, S, W, E, GET, DROP, READ, PULL, CLIMB, LIGHT, PRAY.
Triple Chance

Issue 7 (Jul 1984),
Pages 94-95.
Andrew Laycock Unexpanded triple chance.prg
Screenshot
Dice game. Three dice are rolled, and you must try to guess the total value shown.

Controls:
For each roll, type the amount you want to bet and the total value you are predicting.
Alien Sneak

Issue 8 (Aug 1984),
Pages 17-18.
? Unexpanded alien sneak.prg
Screenshot
Shoot the aliens before they reach your base. You get an extra 25 missiles for every 100 points that you score.

Controls:
Joystick. Push down to abort the current missile
Dalek Dodger
(Darek Dodger)

Issue 8 (Aug 1984),
Pages 71-74.
? Unexpanded darek dodger.t64
Screenshot
The Daleks (called Dareks in the game) have stolen the eight elements that keep the Earth in orbit. Each element has been stored in a vault. You have just 1.5mins to recover all the elements and return to the Tardis without being captured. Note: To increase the time limit to 5mins, change line 7040 to read TI$="075500".

Controls:
S (up), X (down), , (left), . (right).
Vampire Castle
(Transylvanian Adventure)

Issue 8 (Aug 1984),
Pages 80-84.
Steve Lucas 16K expansion vamp castle 16k.prg
Solution
Map
Screenshot
Text adventure. You are on holiday in Transylvania when your car runs out of petrol. A passing horse-drawn cart offers you a lift but you are thrown off when a distant howl frightens the horses. You must collect ten treasures and drop them beside your car.

Controls:
Use the following commands: N, S, W, E, GO IN, GO OUT, INV, GET, DROP, USE, GIVE, WAIT, CLIMB, JUMP, SWIM, SAIL, EAT, DRINK, KILL, SEARCH, PULL, PUSH, PRAY.
Jump Jack

Issue 9 (Sep 1984),
Pages 18-20.
? 3K expansion jump jack 3k.t64
Screenshot
Horizontally scrolling platform game. Climb the scaffolding to collect the heart from the top of the screen, while avoiding holes and other hazards.

Controls:
Joystick. Press fire to jump, and down to drop a bomb.
Circuit 20

Issue 9 (Sep 1984),
Pages 26-28.
Jeff Latif Unexpanded circuit20.prg
Screenshot
Racing game. Drive around the circuit, completing as many laps as possible without crashing or running out of fuel. Refuel by driving past the petrol pump at a speed of 30mph or less.

Controls:
A (turn left), S (turn right), F1 (accelerate), F3 (brake).
Quasimodo

Issue 9 (Sep 1984),
Pages 62-63.
D Smith Unexpanded quasimodo.prg
Screenshot
Hunchback game. Rescue Esmerelda by jumping over the arrows and avoiding the guard's spears.

Controls:
. (move right), X (jump up), C (jump right).
Money Grabber

Issue 9 (Sep 1984),
Pages 77-78.
John Mackay Unexpanded money grabber.prg
Screenshot
Platform game. Jump over the barrels and holes, climb the ladder and swing across the rope to collect the money.

Controls:
Crsr-Down (left), Crsr-Right (right), F7 (jump).
Kubert

Issue 10 (Oct 1984),
Pages 26-27.
? Unexpanded kubert.t64
Screenshot
Q-Bert game. Collect all the dots from the pyramid and avoid the enemies.

Controls:
Q (up left), Z (down left), P (up right), , (down right).
Cavern Run

Issue 12 (Dec 1984),
Pages 28-30.
? Unexpanded cavern run.prg
Screenshot
Vertically scrolling space game. Fly as far as you can through the twisting cavern. Speed 1 is fastest, and 9 is slowest.

Controls:
, (left), / (right).
The Revenge of the Toothless Vampire

Issue 15 (Mar 1985),
Pages 52-55.
Steve Lucas 16K expansion toothless 16k.prg
Solution
Screenshot
Text adventure. You are Cedric the toothless vampire. Collect your false teeth from the dentist and then leave town.

Controls:
Commands include: N, S, W, E, UP, DOWN, IN, GET, INVENTORY, SPRAY, GIVE, WAIT, PULL, WEAR, HIT, UNLOCK.
The Buried Citadel

Issue 15 (Mar 1985),
Pages 60-67.
Sean Conway 16K expansion citadel 16k.prg
Solution
Screenshot
Text adventure. There is a secret network of rooms beneath an ancient castle. You must find a way in, recover the treasure, and escape.

Controls:
Commands include: N, S, W, E, INV, LOOK, EXAMINE, GET, DROP, READ, OPEN, MAKE, SAY, DIG, MEND, WAVE, SHOOT.
Girders
(Harry)

Issue 15 (Mar 1985),
Pages 72-74.
J Pugh Unexpanded harry.prg
Screenshot
Grid Trap game. Collect all the bombs while avoiding the flags, skulls and boots. Do not cross your path. There is a time limit of 35 seconds to complete each level.

Controls:
P (up), . (down), L (left), : (right).

Notes

  1. The House on Misty Hill (84-07) was originally published for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Vampire Castle (84-08) was originally published for the Commodore 64, and The Revenge of the Toothless Vampire (85-03) was originally published for the BBC Micro.
  2. Dog Fight (84-06) appears to be a modified version of Pirate Dogfight (Computer Battlegames).
  3. A modified version of The Revenge of the Toothless Vampire (85-03) appears to have been published in Your Computer (88-05).

With thanks to Educational Software Archive for scanning this magazine.

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