Dan Dare 3

Copyright : Virgin Mastertronic | Reviewed by : Patrick Furlong

After failing to unleash the Supertreens on Earth, the Mekon realises the best way to suceed against Earth and the Interplanetary Space Fleet is to capture Dan Dare so he can?t meddle in his plans. So Dan is captured by the Treens and taken to one of the Mekon?s bases where he promptly escapes, taking a jet-pack and a plasma gun. There he starts on four levels of action where he must get the fuel to be able to use an escape pod but you have to deal with monsters and the Mekon himself before you can escape. You can go too and fro from the various levels, providing you have the key to the level to buy weapons and lives. This game was brought to the CPC by my programming/graphics heroes Dave Perry and Nick Bruty, so can they deliver a good game like they always do?

Graphics

MODE 0 graphics are used here like in all games done by Perry/Bruty. Some monster sprites are blocky but the rest of the graphics are excellent. Dan Dare and the Mekon are both reconisable, the Mekon especially considering his sprite is the largest of the entire game! Despite all the colour, the game runs nice and fast.

Sound

Lasers, guns and explosions are the only sounds in the game and they aren?t bad.

Gameplay

Virgin and the Perry/Bruty duo have delivered the goods in this final licence based on the Dan Dare comic strip. Four action packed levels full which is very easy to get into but the inbetween-level tunnels are tricky to get through without losing energy, but you will get there in the end. You get smart bombs and bouncing bombs to help defeat the enemy. But can you complete the game?