TOP GAMES FEBRUARY

The three charts compiled from the votes of CRASH readers is the most realistic chart for gauging the popularity of Spectrum games — it is the games that are being played that get the votes, not the games that are in the shops this week or month.

Hewson holds the top two spots and still at Number Two is Zynaps; Exolon stops last month’s Number One Enduro Racer in its dirty tracks, jumping up from Number Five. Elsewhere Barbarian drops down to Number 15 and another beat-’em-up, Renegade, looks threatening as it goes up give places to Number Five. At the other end of the chart, oldies Bombjack and Quazatron makes a reappearance with The Sentinel.

Hotline Top 20

  1. EXOLON — Hewson
  2. ZYNAPS — HEWSON
  3. GAUNTLET — US GOLD
  4. ENDURO RACER — ACTIVISION
  5. RENEGADE — IMAGINE
  6. HEAD OVER HEELS — OCEAN
  7. MATCH DAY — OCEAN
  8. BUBBLE BOBBLE — FIREBIRD
  9. STARGLIDER — RAINBIRD
  10. MERCENARY — NOVAGEN
  11. COBRA — OCEAN
  12. ELITE — FIREBIRD
  13. LEADERBOARD — US GOLD
  14. PAPERBOY — ELITE
  15. BARBARIAN — PALACE
  16. BATMAN — OCEAN
  17. URIDIUM — HEWSON
  18. BOMBJACK — ELITE
  19. QUAZATRON — HEWSON
  20. THE SENTINEL — FIREBIRD

Did anyone really expect Melbourne House’s The Hobbit to be off Number One for more than a month? Still, at least it gives the other games in the chart some hope! And two adventures from Melbourne House’s budget sister M.A.D., Stormbringer and Spellbound, hold their positions above the Beyond titles Lords of Midnight and Doomdark’s Revenge.

Adventure Top 20

  1. THE HOBBIT — MELBOURNE HOUSE
  2. SPELLBOUND — M.A.D.
  3. STORMBRINGER — M.A.D.
  4. LORDS OF MIDNIGHT — BEYOND
  5. DOOMDARK’S REVENGE — BEYOND
  6. THE BOGGIT — CRL
  7. KNIGHT TYME — M.A.D.
  8. LORD OF THE RINGS — MELBOURNE HOUSE
  9. HEAVY ON THE MAGICK — GARGOYLE GAMES
  10. THE BIG SLEAZE — PIRANHA
  11. RED MOON — LEVEL 9
  12. GREMLINS — ADVENTURE INTERNATIONAL
  13. DUN DARACH — GARGOYLE GAMES
  14. FAIRLIGHT 2 — THE EDGE
  15. THE PAWN — RAINBIRD
  16. SHADOWFIRE — BEYOND
  17. CUSTERDS QUEST — THE POWER HOUSE
  18. EMERALD ISLE — LEVEL 9
  19. HACKER — ACTIVISION
  20. DRACULA — CRL

Perhaps we should rename this the Static Chart. Yet again the well-known Vulcan holds the hardly-jousted-for-at-all Number One spot, and most games move only a few places this month, with Tobruk and Their Finest Hour re-entering the chart... yet again.

Strategy Top 10

  1. VULCAN — CCS
  2. ARNHEM — CCS
  3. LORDS OF MIDNIGHT — BEYOND
  4. DESERT RATS — CCS
  5. REBELSTAR RAIDERS — FIREBIRD
  6. DOOMDARK’S REVENGE — BEYOND
  7. BATTLE OF BRITAN — PSS
  8. THEATRE EUROPE — PSS
  9. TOBRUK — PSS
  10. THEIR FINEST HOUR — CENTURY HUTCHINSON