NEW MACHINES
Announced at the Atari Show was a new word
processing package based around the 130XE and prompted by the
success of Amstrad in this field. Initially based on the 130XE with
NLQ dot matrix printer, floppy disk, 80 column card and word
processor, it will retail at £349. Later in the year Atari promise
a brand new 8-bit product designed specifically for this
market.
HALLEY' S COMING?
From Firebird comes The Comet Game launched to
coincide with the space probe Giotto's closest approach to Halley's
comet. An arcade/strategy game in which you must save the Earth from
the deadly effects of the comet's tail, it involves several levels
and many difficulties, including repairing the coffee machine! Price
is £7.95 for 48k or more Atari's.
MORE FROM ARIOLASOFT
Ariolasoft have recently released Archon II with
different battlegrounds for earth, water, air and fire and 12
different conjurable monsters. On disk only at £12.95.
Movie Maker is another 're-release' from
Ariolasoft via Electronic Arts that has been around for a few years
but was never easily available in this country. Movie Maker allows
you to create fully animated cartoons, or movies, on your Atari and
will give hours of fun. It comes on two disks with several
demonstration movies included and retails at £16.95.
Also from Ariolasoft comes a new range of home
productivity programs. The programs have in fact been available for
some time on import but have been re-packaged and re-priced to
represent excellent value for money. Two from Batteries Included are
PaperClip, one of the mostly highly rated word processors for the
Atari, which will retail at £44.95 and HomePak, a combined word
Processor, database and communications package that will sell for
£34.95. The third program comes from Electronic Arts and is another
word processor retailing at £24.95.
INFOCOM TAKE OVER
Infocom, who were rumoured to be in serious
trouble last year following the failure of their attempted move into
the business market, have been taken over by Activision. Adventure
addicts who might fear that this means the end to Infocom's unique
style should have no fears as the Infocom team will retain its
separate product development and marketing operations but be able to
take advantage of Activision's worldwide distribution strength. This
should mean that all those classic Infocom adventures will be even
more easily available in the UK and, hopefully, at lower prices. In
another take over bid, Activision have acquired GAMESTAR who have
produced some of the finest computer sports simulations. Gamestar
products have never been easily available in the UK but hopefully
this will now change.
NEW ST's
Atari's replacements for the 520ST (so soon?) -
see page 19 for details.
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