Electronic Fun with Computers and Games Volume 2 Number 5

PRIMARY SYSTEMS COVERAGE THIS ISSUE

• Atari VCS - 2600
• Atari computers - 400 - 800 - 1200 - 1200XL
• Apple
• Coleco ColecoVision
• Mattel Intellivision
• Radio Shack TRS-80
• Commodore 64
• Commodore VIC-20
• Coleco ADAM
• arcade

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(The following is loosely based on this issue's table of contents. Bullets lists and (notes) added for clarity.)

(This is the final installment of 'Electronic Fun with Computers and Games' - the magazine is renamed 'ComputerFun' with its next issue.)

Special Reports

EF's 50 Best Games by the EF staff

You had all the fun when we gave our first annual Hall of Fun awards so we thought it was time we had some fun, too. Here we get to choose our all-time favorite games and tell you why we like them. (capsule commentary per game, each with screenshot:)

• Archon
• Aztec
• Berzerk
• Blockade Runner
• Burgertime
• Centipede
• Choplifter
• David's Midnight Magic
• Deadlline
• Demon Attack
• Donkey Kong Jr.
• Epidemic
• Escape From The Mindmaster
• Forbidden Forest
• Happy Trails
• Jumpman Junior
• The Last Gladiator
• Micro Surgeon
• Miner 2049er
• Missile Command
• Moondust
• Monty Plays Scrabble
• Mousetrap
• Ms. Pac-Man
• Necromancer
• Operation Whirlwind
• Pepper II
• Phaser Patrol
• Pirate Adventure
• Pitfall!
• Pole Position
• Q*Bert
• River Raid
• Robot Tank
• Rocky
• Shamus
• Shark, Shark
• Space Shuttle
• Spare Change
• Star Castle
• Super Action Baseball
• Swords & Serpents
• 5200 Tennis
• Time Zone
• TS Flight Simulator
• Tunnel Runner
• War Room
• Wizardry
• Zaxxon
• Zombies

A Guide To Computer Literature - A reading program for reading programmers by the EF staff

So many books, so little time. Which books should you buy that will best help you make your computer user-friendly? While we couldn't possibly read every single book out there, we did select books that we thought represented a cross-section of what's available. (shown:)

• Commodore 64 Computing
• How To Write An Apple Program
• Sprite Graphics For The Commodore 64
• Basic Fun With Graphics: The Atari Way
• The VIC-20 For Kids Of All Ages
• Basic Fun with Graphics: The Apple Way

The Unknown Arcader: Arcades Of Boston by "UA"

They may drop their "Rs" and pronounce other words funny in Bahston but there's nothing funny about the way they play games there. Take a tour of the Pilgrim State's game rooms with UA.

Regular Features

Congo Bongo and Track and Field: Ape and athlete by Michael Blanchet

One has monkeys, the other doesn't but in both of these blockbuster arcade hits you've got to do a lot of running and jumping in order to get the gold. (arcade strategies)

Gamemakers: Hi Res Sierra - Roberta Williams, time traveling adventuress interview by Phil Wiswell

Roberta Williams is not on of those people who bellyache about a situation and then do nothing to change it. She didn't like the way adventure games were so she wrote her own and now they're among the most popular.

Hacker's Helper: Score and A-Maze Your Friends by Robert Alonso

Now that you've got aliens running around, it's time to give them direction and incentive. Robert Alonso shows you how to generate random mazes and rack up the points.

First Screening: Warrior

Fight the Orges! Recover the key! Open the door and save the beautiful princess in distress! You can do all this in David Hoffmeier's game for the TRS-80 Model III. What's it called? Warrior. (reader submitted computer program winning entry; program code included)

Equipment Reviews

Computer Workout: The Fifteen Steps - What to ask before you buy your computer by Jules H. Gilder

How are you going to learn if you don't ask questions? but in case you don't know the right questions to ask when it comes to deciding which computer you should buy, Jules Gilder asks them for you. And, what's more, he answers them.

Game Reviews

('Adam: The Buck stops here;' game reviews with 1-5 joystick rating scale, most with "promo" screenshot; some reviews include "pro-tip.")

• Buck Rogers (Adam)
• The Witness (Atari)
• Movie Maker (Atari)
• Drelbs (400,800,1200)
• Bristles (800,1200)
• Mr. Robot (800,1200)
• Oil's Well (400,800 (mistakenly listed as 80))
• Dig Dug (400,800,1200)
• Conquering Worlds (Apple)
• Murder by the Dozen (Apple)
• Worm Whomper (Int)
• Stronghold (VCS)
• Mothership (C64)
• Zeppelin Rescue (C64)
• Slither (Col)
• Soccer (400,800,1200)
• Burgertime (PC)
• Pharaoh's Pyramid (400,800,1200)
• Blue Max (400,800,1200XL)
• Death Star Battle (VCS)
• Panic Button (TRS80)
• Pole Position (400,800,1200)
• Drol (Apple)
• Spare Change (Apple)
• Spitfire Attack (VCS)

Departments

Editorial

A word from our editors. ('Different Keystrokes' by George Kopp)

Letters to the Editors

We welcome your feedback. (reader mail)

New Products

The latest in equipment. ('Clothes and clones')

• Video Maniac Electronic Sportswear
• Vidco Cartridge Copier
• Elcomp Tricks for VICs (book)

Output-Input

Got a question? We've got the answer. ('Space Ace chase case;' Q&A)

E.F.G. Times

You read it here first. (news section)

• Call Us ComputerFun (Electronic Fun renamed to ComputerFun, beginning next issue)
• Monthly Contest (Demon Attack contest winners; monthly contest discontinued)
• Infocom's Infidel's In Store For You
• Poet's Corner

Readers Tips (reader submitted tips & tricks)

Your tips for higher scores.

• Star Trek
• GI Joe
• Mr. Do!
• Popeye
• Time Pilot
• Pitfall

Glitches

An irreverent gazette of gaming news. ('From the ridiculous to the subliminal')

• Call Any Vegetable
• Sublimate The Positive
• It's Six O'Clock Computer Standard Time (CST)
• If I Had a Hammer

Top Ten (Home, Arcade, Computer top lists; this department is not listed in this issue's TOC)

The most popular home, arcade, computer games.

Top Secret

The latest in gaming gossip. (rumors & speculation by The Fly)