Zzoom
Encyclopedia
Zzoom is a computer game
developed by John Gibson, Mark Butler and Steve Blower for the ZX Spectrum
and released by Imagine Software
in 1983. It is an early example of a combat flight simulator
game, in which the player controls an aircraft that must protect refugee
s from enemy forces.
, tank
s and submarine
s. The player's view consists of a crosshairs upon a simple ground and sky horizon, with an altimeter
, a shield indicator and a radar
. Refugees walk along the horizon, and the player must fire his guns at enemy units to prevent them from killing the refugees. Score is gained by destroying enemy units, and for refugees crossing the screen safely.
However, due to a bug in the score calculation for refugees, should the player not allow any (or very few) refugees to survive a stage he will be rewarded with a bonus far in excess of what would be scored had the refugees been saved. To achieve this the player invariably has to shoot the refugees himself - which although not the point of the game can be just as challenging, as whilst doing this the enemy will still be launching missiles and shooting at the player.
called it "a very memorable game and excellent value for money", whilst Personal Computer Games
described it as "one of the all-time greats in a very competitive market".
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
developed by John Gibson, Mark Butler and Steve Blower for the ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
and released by Imagine Software
Imagine Software
Imagine Software was a British video games developer based in Liverpool which existed briefly in the early 1980s, initially producing software for the ZX Spectrum and VIC-20...
in 1983. It is an early example of a combat flight simulator
Combat flight simulator
Combat flight simulators are video games used to simulate military aircraft and their operations...
game, in which the player controls an aircraft that must protect refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from enemy forces.
Gameplay
The object of the game is to protect a series of refugees from enemy aircraftAircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s. The player's view consists of a crosshairs upon a simple ground and sky horizon, with an altimeter
Altimeter
An altimeter is an instrument used to measure the altitude of an object above a fixed level. The measurement of altitude is called altimetry, which is related to the term bathymetry, the measurement of depth underwater.-Pressure altimeter:...
, a shield indicator and a radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
. Refugees walk along the horizon, and the player must fire his guns at enemy units to prevent them from killing the refugees. Score is gained by destroying enemy units, and for refugees crossing the screen safely.
However, due to a bug in the score calculation for refugees, should the player not allow any (or very few) refugees to survive a stage he will be rewarded with a bonus far in excess of what would be scored had the refugees been saved. To achieve this the player invariably has to shoot the refugees himself - which although not the point of the game can be just as challenging, as whilst doing this the enemy will still be launching missiles and shooting at the player.
Reception
Zzoom was received well by the video game press when it was released in 1983, and it remained among the top twenty best-selling games well into 1984. CrashCRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
called it "a very memorable game and excellent value for money", whilst Personal Computer Games
Personal Computer Games
Personal Computer Games was a multi-format UK computer games mag of the early/mid eighties.-History:It is famous for launching the careers of several notable games journalists of the '80s including Bob Wade, Peter Connor and Chris Anderson. Anderson would later launch Amstrad Action, and Future...
described it as "one of the all-time greats in a very competitive market".