''Timebomb'' is a 1984 video game for the 16K

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer that was developed by Sinclair Research. It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 April 1982, and became Britain's best-selling microcomputer. Referred to during development as t ...

published in 1984 by

CDS Micro Systems CDS Software (also known as CDS Micro Systems for its earlier titles) was an independent publisher and developer of computer game software based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, UK. History The company was founded by Ian Williams, a computer prog ...

Gameplay

''Timebomb'' is a clone of the

arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily games of skill and include arcade v ...

Check Man ''Check Man'' is an arcade video game released by American company Zilec-Zenitone in 1982. While being a fast-paced action game, there are puzzle elements to the gameplay. The game uses the Namco Galaxian arcade board. Gameplay The screen is brok ...

''. The player moves a character across an 11 by 16 grid of tiles with the goal of diffusing a timebomb occupying one square of the grid. This must be done before the timer on the bomb reaches zero (taking about five seconds) Each time the player moves by one tile, a note of Beethoven's

Für Elise Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor (WoO59, Bia515) for solo piano, commonly known as "Für Elise" (, ), is one of Ludwig van Beethoven's most popular compositions. It was not published during his lifetime, only being discovered (by Ludwig Nohl) 40 year ...

are played using the ZX Spectrum's "beeper". Tiles disappear as the player moves over them, preventing the player from reentering that grid location. When the player reaches the timebomb, it is removed and a new one appears in a random location. Diffusing six timebombs resets the tiles, increasing the screen number and adding one "boot", to a maximum of four. The boot is an agent that moves randomly across the tiles and kills the player on contact. Furthermore, a grid location may contain a skull, which kills the player should they move onto it; or a flag that increases the player's score when collected. The playing field wraps around, such that moving the character off tone side of the screen has them reappear on the opposite side. Unlike ''Check Man'', the player can cause a horizontal row of tiles to shift left or right, minimizing the risk cutting off a route to the bomb.

Reception

CRASH Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

magazine's review described ''Timebomb'' as fun, noting the skill required in using the tile scrolling feature in order to reach the bomb within the time limit. The graphics were deemed to be neat and colourful, albeit unanimated. The reviewers were of mixed opinion on the game's addictivity, noting that it was ultimately a "beat the high score" experience.

External links

References

1984 video games CDS Software games Single-player video games Video game clones Video games about bomb disposal Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games ZX Spectrum-only games {{action-videogame-stub