Instructions for
Ballblazer
Activision, 1986
Written by Chris Owen, HTML'd by Arnt Gulbrandsen.
Controls
Keyboard only
Aim of the game
A thousand years in the future, the most popular game in the
galaxy is the futuristic soccer-like game of Ballblazer. Strapped
into your Rotofoil, you're ready to challenge for the galactic title...
Game play
The action takes place on a bare green and white chessboard-
like field, with one goal at each end of the field. The aim is simply
to blast the floating Plasmorb (or ball) into the opposing player's
goal. Your Rotofoil is like a giant foot that can dribble and kick
the ball, thanks to the magnetic field that surrounds it. Rather
unsportingly, you can also use this field to "punch" your opponent
away.
The field traps the Plasmorb when it's in proximity to you and allows
you to dribble it. However, this slows your speed (allowing your opponent
to catch up). Kicking is slightly tricky - firing the ball results in
you flying off in the opposite direction, as per Newton's laws. Your
Rotofoil incorporates an onboard computer to make sure that you always
point towards the ball and, when you have the ball, towards the correct
goal (which should make it harder to score own goals!).
You can play against a human or a computer player. A two player game
uses a split screen display (player one at the top). Like the one
player game, the match lasts three short minutes, at the end of which
the player with the most points wins. The number of points produced by
a goal depends on how long the shot was; an over the horizon shot is
awarded the maximum three points.
Comments
"A neat reaction game which somehow doesn't quite come off."
Rating
77% (CRASH #28, May 1986)
Now
It's aged quite badly, but it's not a bad game for a quick blast.
(The Atari version was rather better, though).
Keys
Player 1 Player 2
-------- --------
Q P Up
A L Down
Z N Left
X M Right
C SYM/SHIFT Fire
H Pause
H, then S Restart
Nettverksgruppa, 10/9-94, sinclair@nvg.ntnu.no