NEWS

FIVE GO TO MANDARIN SOFTWARE

LEVEL 9, The Powerhouse and Bubble Bus are already operating under the Mandarin umbrella. This month they’re joined by the French software house Jawx International and Red Rat of Manchester. As yet their debut titles are confined to the 16-bit market but who knows what the future may hold? Meanwhile, Level 9’s compilation Time and Magik (Lords of Time, Price of Magik and Red Moon) is to be followed this summer by a new adventure game, codenamed Lancelot, which is to be set in Arthurian Britain. Whether it’s going to be available for the Spectrum isn’t certain as yet — we’ll just have to wait and see.

BREWSTER’S BALLOON

LAST CHRISTMAS CRASH waved goodbye to Derek Brewster as he left for Newcastle to help set up a new budget software company, Zeppelin Games. Its first releases for the Spectrum, Frontline and Sabotage, easily distinguished by their red-striped covers, should be out now and the conversion of the excellent C64 game Zybex (ZZAP! Silver Medal, 92%) is likely to be available some time in May. All three games retail at £2.99.

A new range of games, old classics re-released and programs developed outside Zeppelin’s in-house team, to be identified by a distinctive blue-striped cover, is about to be launched. The label kicks off, very fittingly, with two Derek Brewster classics, Codename Mat (93%, Issue 4) and Jasper (91%, Issue 10) both priced at £1.99.

MICRONET MAGIC

SINCE April 14 Micronet, the five-year-old, on-line microcomputing service, has been operating in its relaunched form. The new look includes an enhanced daily news service which covers the home and small business computing market, longer availability of back issues and an on-line magazine for each computer which is to be published once a week on specific days. You can log on every Friday for a brand new issue of the Spectrum magazine.

POETRY IN MOTION

AT A RECENT Microprose promotional function at Staverton Airport in Gloucestershire, two members of the CRASH team received more than they bargained for... the dynamic duo, Dominic and Paul, were spotted spinning around in a Gazelle helicopter along with other famous computer hacks. A stomach-churning, gut-wrenching, heart-stopping time was endured by all...