South Park, PC CD-Rom, £34.99
It was inevitable that a game based on this popular comedy would appear sooner or later. After playing it for about 15 minutes it became clear that it was released far too soon, or that it was rushed, or that those producing it decided that the name would sell it, whether it was a good game or not. Sell it probably will - more than it deserves to. South Park is a 3D first-person shooter, like Duke Nukem, Quake and Turok. Unlike these games, however, it lacks any imagination or style, and the opportunity to harness some of the humour of the show has also been lost.
There are moments which might provide a laugh, but after a while it becomes repetitive. There is no interaction with the environment and the level design is dismal. After hitting turkey after turkey with a snowball, the player begins to feel like one.
There are other weapons and enemies, and the graphics are, well, like South Park. Some weapons are amusing but not inspired enough to hold interest for long. A South Park buff who intends to use its multi-player option might extract some enjoyment from this game, otherwise it is best left alone.
[Req: PII 266/32MB/Win 9x]
Alpha Centauri, PC CDRom, £34.99
Alpha Centauri is the latest game from Sid Meier, the man behind Civilisation and Civilisation II. Anybody who has ever played those games knows how engrossing these turn-based strategy games can be and Civilisation is one of the all-time great games.
Alpha Centauri is similar in many ways. The player is responsible for a race of people, ensuring that they have food and other resources. What it is really about is advancing the race, giving these people a better place to live, a better understanding of society, increased knowledge and, of course, power.
Alpha Centauri, unlike Civilisation, is not played out on Earth, but on the planet Chiron. War, famine and disease are winning out on Earth and it becomes imperative to colonise a new planet. During the journey to Chiron, problems arise, the pioneers divide into factions and when the game starts, the player has to decide which faction to identify with. In Alpha Centauri, the player is responsible for diplomatic relations with the other six factions, breaking and making treaties. A player can alter the landscape to suit their needs, design their own weapons, tell their scientists what areas to concentrate on, and decide an almost infinite number of other things.
Alpha Centauri is quite a complicated game and perhaps not suited to players who have not played anything similar before. Civilisation fans, however, can prepare themselves for some of the most compelling gameplay ever to grace a PC or indeed a CD. [Req: Pentium 133/16MB/Win 9x]
Not all online gaming has to be about gunning down an opponent. Games such as What's the Big Idea (www.won.net) provide gentler entertainment, and at no cost. All that is needed is to register online, download the client software (approximately 3MB) and you are ready to play for free. In What's the Big Idea, the players appear as small humanoid icons at the base of a pyramid. A series of questions follows, but the what is being sought is not the factually correct answer but the most popular.
With each successful answer, players move up the pyramid. They have to watch how many steps each question is worth, as the pyramid is laden with traps. Landing on the wrong level can mean being sent through a "black hole" back to the start, or losing a turn. Periodically, storms and other disasters rage over the pyramid and can knock players off their perches. Buying insurance with some hard-earned IQ points will render you immune to disaster, but it's better fun to take your chances.
The winner is the one who reaches the top of the pyramid with the highest IQ score. It's highly addictive, easy to get into and great if you have only a few minutes for a game or two.
Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time took in more money during the last six weeks of 1998 than any Hollywood film released over the same key holiday period. Zelda sold 2.5 million copies, grossing $150 million. The top-grossing movie for the same period was the Disney/ Pixar production A Bug's Life, with approximately $114 million in box office takings.
Meanwhile in print, the Zelda How-to Player's Guide has already sold over a million copies. No wonder Zelda is being referred to as the Gone With the Wind of videogames.
Cheat: Sim City 3000 (PC) - stWhile playing, press Ctrl Shift Alt C. In the console box enter the following codes:
water in the desert - All water facilities become available, regardless of year.
pay tribute to your king - Most rewards and opportunities become available.
i am weak - All buildings, zones, utilities, infrastructure, trees, and water will be free.
nerdz rool - Makes industrial zones hi-tech or cleaner
call cousin Vinnie - A fundraising event will appear in the meet window and you'll be offered cash
power to the masses - All power plants become available regardless of year.
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