TURBO SUB

1-2 players, horizontal game
Atari Corp., for the Atari Lynx
$34.95

OVERVIEW:
    Let's get this straight: Earth is under attack (again) by alien invaders
(again). All attempts to repel the invaders have failed (again), but a single
brave hero may (again) restore peace to the planet (again).  Guess who gets
this honor (again)? Yes, you (again).

    TURBO SUB for the Atari Lynx is a first-person nonstop firefight. The
enemy has taken over the skies and seas of the Earth, and it's up to you to
destroy the invaders and save the day. You pilot the Turbo Sub, a high-speed
flying and diving aquatic arsenal. Your foes use everything from amphibious
warships to robotic creatures and flying stone heads. Each level (there are
reportedly seventeen) starts off with an aerial attack, though you can dive to
escape if the situation gets too thick. After the air attack, you head
underwater, with more enemies to fight, obstacles to dodge, and gems to
gather. Survive the round, and the sub enters a supply cavern, where you use
gathered gems to buy additional supplies and weapons.

GAMEPLAY:
    TURBO SUB is what I call a "ten second" game; it takes ten seconds to
learn it, and another ten seconds to get into the thick of things. Your
primary objective consists of blasting everything. Staying alive means dodging
enemy fire, collisions, debris, and underwater obstacles.  The sub's main
weapon is an unlimited supply of electro-plasma bursts; there is also a
limited supply of megabombs, which can destroy all visible enemies at once.
Between rounds, you can buy extra ships, extra fuel, and better weapon systems
for use on the next level. Two players can ComLynx together, but the only
purpose is to see who can out-shoot the other.

    There is little else that needs to be said. The game idea demands fast,
frantic action, and TURBO SUB delivers it in spades. The initial levels
consist of small groups of one and two aliens, but quickly progress into more
opponents wielding more firepower. The game starts with eleven subs, and they
will go quickly if you're not careful.  In the end, though, TURBO SUB strikes
a balance between being difficult without being hopelessly overwhelming. The
downside of this game is that there is little variety; as with other games of
this type, victory will come to players with the fastest reflexes and the
strongest thumbs.

GRAPHICS/SOUND:
    As expected, the Lynx's sprite hardware makes TURBO SUB's 3D effects
smooth and effortless. The graphics themselves are a mix, from realistically
detailed to bright and simple, and end up attractive and engaging. There is
very little for sound, however.  The only music comes from a bouncy little
tune at the title page, and actual game sounds are mostly explosions and
weapons fire.

SUMMARY:
    What TURBO SUB lacks in originality and variety, it makes up with
blistering excitement. If you've got an appetite for uncomplicated massive
destruction at Mach 3, TURBO SUB is the way to go!

                GAMEPLAY:        8
                GRAPHICS:        8
                SOUND:           6
                OVERALL:         7.5