The A - Z of Spectrum Games

The Planets

The year is 2007. Life on planet Earth is coming to an end. A series of monumental natural disasters has thrown the Earth's climate into a deadly spiral - a second Ice Age has already begun. The skies are black with volcanic dust. Massive earthquakes hamper the world's futile attempts to cope with the changing environment. All seems doomed. Into this darkening chaos an Alien life force makes its presence known. A metal capsule plummets unscathed through the atmosphere. It contains a map of the Solar System and shows the position of eight similar capsules, one for each of the Earth's planetary neighbours, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Pluto.

A radio signal is received from deep space. When decoded it is found to be a computer program. The program is loaded into a suitable microcomputer. A strange game unfolds which appears to obey certain complex rules - but there are no instructions or explanations. It is obviously of great significance, but what does it mean?

A spacecraft is prepared in in a desperate bid to reach the eight remaining capsules. You are selected as its pilot. The hopes of the world go with you.

This outstanding program is much more than a game. Using stunning state of the art graphics and the latest programming techniques, the Solar System in all its power and mystery will unfold before your eyes. Heather Couper, President of the British Astronomical Association has been fully involved in its computerised creation to make sure that everything is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. Even the results of Voyager 2's recent encounter with Uranus have been incorporated into the design of that cold and inhospitable world.

And yet it is a game, and a very challenging one at that. The Solar System, the strange alien game, the eight mysterious capsules are all interconnected. Together they hold the key to survival of life on Earth.

For those able to reach all eight capsules and make sense of all that they find - there are prizes to be claimed, but for all who attempt this exciting quest, the journey itself will prove more than worthwhile.

THIS PROGRAM USES OVER 125K OF MEMORY.