Critical Mass (1985 video game)

Critical Mass
Critical Mass
Developer(s)	Simon Francis
Publisher(s)	Durell Software
Platform(s)	Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Release	1985
Genre(s)	Action

Critical Mass (known as Power! in North America) is a video game developed by Simon Francis and published in 1985 by Durell Software for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum.

Plot

An anti-matter power station on an orbiting asteroid is used by the local star system for energy. The station has been taken over by hostile aliens who are threatening to overload the power system which will turn the reactor into a massive black hole and destroy not only the planetary system, but several nearby stars as well.

The object of the game is to make it to the heavily defended power station and disable it before the reactor reaches critical mass and implodes.^[1]

Gameplay

The player may control the movement of the hovercraft using a joystick, pushing forward to accelerate, and pulling back to decrease speed.^[2]

Reception

In 1988, Dragon reviewed Power!, and gave the game 4 out of 5 stars.^[2]

Reviews

Crash! - December 1985
Your Spectrum - December 1985
Sinclair User - December 1985
Zzap! - March 1986

References

^ [1] Critical Mass cassette inlay instructions
^ ^a ^b Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (July 1988). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (135): 82–89.
^ Game review, Crash issue 23, December 1985, page 24

External links

Critical Mass at Lemon 64
Critical Mass at Spectrum Computing

[1] [1] Critical Mass cassette inlay instructions

[Dragon135-2] Lesser, Hartley; Lesser, Patricia; Lesser, Kirk (July 1988). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (135): 82–89.

[3] Game review, Crash issue 23, December 1985, page 24

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