Terror-Daktil 4D Intro
Now this really is a classic arcade game from the very early days of gaming on the ZX Spectrum.
Back in the dim and distant past of 1983 anything resembling 3D on any retro computer was visually amazing. So when you had a game that was 4D (how on earth this classic game is 4D is beyond me!) - well you just had to see what all the fuss was about.
Anyway, Melbourne House prepared us for the 4th dimension with a game intro that was, at the time, really quite something.
As you settled into your seat on a touring aircraft the captain welcomed you aboard - all seemed normal on your 'tourist' flight.
But, in true Doug McLure fashion things would soon go wrong, the tension mounting as the aircraft runs into trouble. The intro to this arcade game showed you just how you ended up in the land of strange creatures, terrible dangers and of course, dinosaurs.
Our hero winds up stranded in the arcade game that time forgot...
The game itself was a pretty standard 'shoot the baddies' deal - and once you got over the amazing (ahem) 3D visuals repetition set in.
Still, it stands up well against other games from the same year, and must be regarded as a true cult classic game on the Speccy.
The opening sequence was pretty amazing. Classic gaming!
Classic Games, Game Intros and Arcade Games
Game Intro - Terrordaktil 4D - classic ZX Spectrum Game
Game Intro - Trantor: The last stormtrooper - classic ZX Spectrum Game
Trantor Game Intro
Ahh now this opening to an arcade game on the good old Speccy really was something back in 1987.
Trantor: The last stormtrooper had a bold and serious title - with a game intro to match.
Poor Trantor would end up stranded on a hostile alien world, and the opening sequence to this classic game told the story of how it happened.
Watching the huge (and detailled) ship sprite as it descended the rocky cavern before coming to rest on a landing pad (with nice hydraulic landing legs on the ship) really pushed the hardware of the ZX Spectrum a lot.
The fact the the ship descended smoothly with no flicker was a great graphical achievement and a credit to the guys at Probe software.
You almost felt sorry for our 'last stormtrooper' as his ship disintegrated and he was left alone to fend for himself. Mind you the excellent techno music that kicked in at the end of the sequence got you ready for some classic arcade action.
Left alone in an alien arcade game...
The game itself was actually a pretty standard run 'n gun affair - and to be honest there were plenty of better ZX Spectrum games you could play. Trantor was a very polished title that just lacked that something special.
Still, as game intro's go - this was one of the most impressive on any 8-bit platform...
Arcade Games, Classic Games and Retro Games
