Instructions for
Spy Vs Spy
Beyond, 1985
Written by Chris Owen, HTML'd by Arnt Gulbrandsen.
Controls
Keyboard
Aim of the game
The two spies from the pages of MAD Magazine, the White Spy and
the Black Spy, are trapped in a building near an airfield. The
objective of the game is quite simple - controlling one of the spies,
with a friend or the computer controlling the other, you must get out
of the building and reach the plane on the runway. However, you can't
leave the building until you find the correct door, and the guards
won't let you go through the door unless you are carrying four
objects. Since you can only carry one object at a time, you need to
find a (hidden) briefcase. And your opponent will stop at nothing to
prevent you from doing this...
Game play
You must search each room for useful objects, which simply
involves looking behind each of the fixtures and fittings; if an
object is behind something then it will be added to your inventory if
when you look there. However, your enemy also wants the same objects
and will try to get there before you! The hunt is further complicated
by the fact that the spies can set traps for each other.
If the two spies are in the same room then you are unable to search or
use traps, in which case you can either enter hand-to-hand combat or
leave. The advantage of hand-to-hand combat is that if you win, you
will be able to recover your opponent's inventory, but of course you
might lose... This is where you must think strategically; if for
example you had failed to find any objects, you could wait while the
other spy does all the hard work and then ambush him.
You can set traps for your opponent by using the Trapulator device,
displayed on the side of the screen, which shows six icons, the first
five of which are booby traps. The icons represent a bomb, a large
spring, a bucket of water, a gun and string, a time-bomb with a 15
second fuse [the alarm clock icon] and a map, which shows object
locations. The traps must be set according to their type. The gun and
string, for example, can only be tied to a door, while the spring or
bomb can be left under any piece of furniture. All of the traps,
except the time bomb, can however be defused. A fire bucket will
douse the fuse of a bomb while a pair of scissors will get you past
the gun and string. These defusing items are located around the
building but they can also be moved around by picking them up and
dropping them in a different location. One important point to
remember when setting traps is remember where you put them!
If you are playing against the computer, you can set its intelligence
at the start of each game, with one being the lowest and five the
highest. You can also change the size of the building from anything
between 6 and 36 rooms. Points are scored for killing the other spy
but they are also deducted for being killed, as well as for using the
map. Note also that you have a time limit: the plane will not wait
forever!
Comments
"An exciting and demanding game, should last for ages."
Rating
93% (CRASH #19, August 1985)
Now
Still very entertaining! This was one of the classic 8-bit games;
although perhaps not as good as the C64 version, it's still a good game
to play.
Keys
PLAYER ONE PLAYER TWO
Up | - Q
Down | - S
Left | Redefinable - N
Right | - M
Fire/Action | - 1
Nettverksgruppa, 10/9-94, sinclair@nvg.ntnu.no