Crash Time Plumber (longplay recording)

> Update: Read our review featurette about this beautiful game!!

Crash Time Plumber is an astounding platformer but I struggled to beat level 6 with my joystick skills. So that meant there was only one thing left to do - cheat! The later levels are killers!! Even with a cheat, all I would do is die-die-die!! But, eventually, I did it, as you can see in the recording. I dare anyone to complete it without extra lives...

This is most definitely one of my favourite platformers. It's nothing less than infuriatingly awesome!!

Insecticide

This game is bug-ridden!

This game feels familiar but, this time we're a ladybird who kills insects with her Spit Laser weapon! Yep, Insecticide is a Robotron-inspired shoot 'em up by Peter Hague where each screen is littered with two types of critters for us to destroy: those that move (kill 'em quickly) and the sleepy ones that offer extra points or bonuses. Controls are easy in all four directions plus a diagonal flying manoeuvre for quick motion.

Shooting the moth, which dallies at the top of your screen, gains extra speed - but only for the current level. Weirdly, you shall hear "Nairobi" when you kill it but this makes sense once you've read the docs. I know, who reads the docs? Every eighth level a "parent" turns up for a battle which makes a nice boss fight that isn't too difficult. This doesn't ruin your momentum so you're soon fighting the insect hoard once again.

I seriously doubt that Llamatron fans will be convinced by Insecticide? However, this is a fantastic game in its own right and definitely worth playing. What it lacks in originality it - more than - makes up with great gameplay, jazzy colour cycling and sampled sounds. I've enjoyed this silly alternative to the Robotron theme.

One final word to make you play this fantastic game: Nairobi!!!!!

Download the newly updated version of Insecticide released yesterday :-)

Ironically, it's had many bugs squashed so fine on all computers [thanks PP!!]