RICK DANGEROUS

 RICK DANGEROUS is an arcade game from Microplay, Medalist International, and
MicroProse. A sticky blend of strategy and joystick wiggling, RICK offers fine
graphics, four scenarios, easy joystick control, and copy protection. (This
review is based on the Atari ST version; Commodore 64/128 version notes follow.)

 RICK DANGEROUS is the game that the arcade version of INDIANA JONES AND THE
LAST CRUSADE _should_ have been. RICK looks good and sounds good, plays well,
and despite its trial-and-error nature, provides solid and unpretentious fun for
nearly everyone.

 Rick Dangerous is a squat and pudgy soldier of fortune armed with a gun, some
dynamite, and a big stick. His adventures take him into a temple in the Amazon,
a pyramid in Egypt, the Schwarzendumpf Castle where Allied soldiers are being
held prisoner, and a secret Nazi missile base. Your goal is to make your way
through the four scenarios in one sitting: There is no save option, so
completing the game must be accomplished through trial and error and many
restarts.

 The ST screen display consists of the walls, ladders, platforms, traps, and
inhabitants of the current scenario. Although the temple, the pyramid, and the
castle are differently-engineered structures, in RICK they have the same basic
design. Amazon natives, Egyptian assassins, and slavering guard dogs try to
prevent you from achieving your goal, as do the diabolical traps, many of which
will remind you of those that nearly did away with Indy in his film adventures.

 Above the speedy-scrolling action screen are score and graphic representations
of the number of bullets, sticks of dynamite, and Rick-lives remaining: There
are six of each. Although bullets and dynamite are finite, extras can be found
along the way. Lives are limited to six, and when you've used all of them, the
game is over.

 Rick is joystick-controlled: The stick alone lets him jump, duck, crawl, and
walk; with the button pressed, the stick fires the gun, pokes the wooden staff,
and lights and drops dynamite. Rick is highly responsive to joystick commands,
but you'll need good timing and a good memory. When you jump down a shaft, Rick
is maneuverable in mid-air.

 The RICK DANGEROUS package comes with one copy-protected disk and a two-page
instruction sheet for all versions. The game requires an Atari ST with 512K and
a color monitor.

 RICK DANGEROUS is a nicely-designed, fine-looking, and smooth-playing piece of
work that's simple to learn. It can be frustrating, what with all the traps --
poison spears and darts, falling gates, spikes, bats that won't die, sliding
stone blocks -- but not so frustrating that you'll explode with rage. The
digitized sounds are used sparingly and effectively. Adults and kids alike will
have plenty of fun with RICK.

 COMMODORE 64/128 VERSION NOTES

 The C64 version of RICK DANGEROUS is virtually identical to the ST version
described above. The graphics are not as bright and clear on the C64 (which is
to be expected), but they're fine nevertheless. All joystick functions are the
same, as well. The C64 package comes with one copy-protected disk.

 RICK DANGEROUS is published by Medalist International and distributed by
MicroProse.

*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253