Atic Atac

The Good
When I purchased this game 25 years I couldn't believe what I had found...Ultimate Play The Game was totally unknown to me but I was captured by the cassette cover and even their logo was quite endearing. I was used to the blocky graphics of Atari 2600 but I always desired a game who could really present a haunted house in a 'believable' way. Atic Atac was a total blast! Finally a game who could immerse me in a real infested house with amazing and recognizable monsters, rooms, furniture etc.and even gameplay was of first rate and compelling. I spent hours and hours (along with my brother) trying to find out the elusive ACG key and escape from the mansion with an incredible satisfaction when I finally succeeded. All in all it was a great mixture of everything; graphics, sounds, gameplay that showed the enormous possibilities of videogames at the dawn of their life (and all squeezed in 41kb only!).

The Bad
I cannot say anything bad of this game; nothing was missing and its appeal is overall 'right' now as it was 25 years ago .

The Bottom Line
Ultimate created a masterpiece with this game; now there are lots of haunted houses games with zombies and evilness throughout but this game and its somehow tongue-in-cheek presentation remained forever in my heart as a perfect example of immersive videogame; something that made me feel I was there battling monsters trying to survive once more. The thrills of being in a sort of horror movie were seeded here and will live with me forever even with cinema-like games of modern games.

The Good
Easy to pick up and play. Quick to load the next screen. I liked that though the way doors exiting a room may be closed on entry this would change the longer you stayed in the room.

The Bad
The Q & W keys control left & right, the E & R keys control up & down and the T key fires your characters weapon.

I found my fingers getting tangled up on the small Spectrum keyboard and I was quickly eaten / killed / zapped.

The Bottom Line
This is not a game that requires deep thought. Run into a room, get what's there to be got and get out.