Producer: C.C.I.
Memory Required: 16K
Retail Price: £5.50
Language: Machine code
Author: Elfin Software

In Grid-Bug you must guide a hero bug across square or along the grid surrounding them, eating the strawberries in the squares. If you cross an empty square, you leave a strawberry behind, which must be eaten. On the grid there are spiders which eat bugs, and at least one which runs across the squares. When a screen has been cleared of strawberries (170 of them) the next screen contains more spiders.

The trick is to clear the squares, using the grids to move between empty squares so that you don't leave more strawberries behind. That's it.

COMMENTS

Control keys: Q/A up/down, C/B left/right
Joystick: Kempston
Keyboard play: responsive
Use of colour: basic
Graphics: block, small and undetailed
Sound: average
Skill levels: progressive difficulty
Lives: 5

The game is fun to play and is addictive. The graphics are fairly simple, but sheer playability makes up for this.

This is a grid game with a novel difference. The object is to collect strawberries placed in the grid squares, whilst avoiding the spiders, and that's all there is to it. An original game, perhaps for the younger players, although all the same, it's not worth buying.

The main problem with Grid-Bug is that it doesn't really contain enough to be interesting after a few minutes play. It does manage to be quite difficult, especially on the later screens when there are a lot of spiders out to get you, but it doesn't add up to being very playable and therefore not very addictive. The graphics are small and the use of colour isn't very exciting either.

You're a little bug, and the aim is to stuff yourself full of strawberries. But take care to avoid the giant spiders because if they catch you, you're dead.

Mark: There's almost nothing to recommend this game - except the speed, which is just about right. The graphics are far too small and lacking in any detail, and there's hardly any use of colour. MISS

Mike: This is the worst game I have ever seen! The graphics are unrecognisable, the speed is too fast and it's totally lacking in originality. What's more, the sound alone is enough to make you turn off. MISS

Robert: It's a game that's easy to control, but still challenging. The trouble is every screen is the same, soon makes play boring. MISS