Advanced Computer Entertainment (January 1988)
Cover of the January 1988 issue of Advanced Computer Entertainment
Advanced Computer Entertainment is a computer entertainment magazine that was published in the U.K. in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It covered systems such as the Commodore 64, Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, and others. It wasn't exclusively a gaming magazine (for instance, this issue includes features on MIDI and computer graphics) but a large portion of the content was dedicated to gaming. The January 1988 issue includes:
Interface
- News - New games from Domark, new games from Code Masters including ST and Amiga versions of Grand Prix Simulator, Infocom drops prices, HP develops DAT cassette, and more.
- Previews - Previews of Vampire's Empire, Paranoia, Grand Prix 500cc, Out Run, Apollo 18 - Mission to the Moon, Basket Master, Masters of the Universe, Test Drive, The Hunt for Red October, and Tonic Tile.
- Letters - Letters from readers about the Commodore 128, the BBC vs. the Atari ST, Ultima IV for the Atari ST, the Sega Master System, and more.
Specials
- Game of the Future - What gaming might look like in 1992 including predictions of parallel processing, ray tracing, fractals, and more.
- Christmas Crackers - A look at new gaming compilations including The Elite Collection Volume I (Bombjack, Frank Bruno's Boxing, Commando, Airwolf), The Elite Collection Volume II (Paperboy, Ghosts 'n' Goblins, Battleships, Bombjack II), Ten Great Games (Avenger, Future Knight, Knockout, Bounder, Footballer of the Year, Trailblazer, Highway Encounter, Monty on the Run, West Bank, Jack the Nipper), Live Ammo (Army Moves, Rambo, Green Beret, Top Gun, The Great Escape), Magnificent Seven (Head Over Heels, Arkanoid, Wiz Ball, Short Circuit, Cobra, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Yie Ar Kung Fu), Solid Gold (Ace of Aces, Infiltrator, Winter Games, Gauntlet, Leaderboard), 10 Computer Hits 4 (Starquake, Deactivators, Sacred Armour of Antiriad, Bride of Frankenstein, Uchi Mata, Classic Cnooker, Skate Rock, Alleykat, Magic Madness, Indis Alpha, Triaxos, City Slicker, Pulsator, Elektraglide, Revolution), and Game Set and Match (various sports games depending on system).
- Universal Military Success? - A review of Rainbird's Universal Military Simulator for the Atari ST.
Table of Contents from the January 1988 issue of Advanced Computer Entertainment
Sight...
- Computer Graphics - Showcasing the latest in computer graphics, including Amiga workstation, professional CAD systems, and more.
- Gold Standard - How the Yorkshire TV logo came into existence.
...And Sound
- Keyboard Cavalcade - A look at various MIDI capable keyboards including the Yamaha SHS-10, Farfisa FK 58, Viscount KB200, Casio CZ-101, Casio CZ-230-S, Viscount KB210, Casio CPS-101, Casio HT-700, Casio HZ-600, Casio CT-630, Yamaha DX100, Casio HT-3000, Elka EH105, Farfisa TK80, Vicount KB 550, Yamaha PSR-50, Gem DSK-6, Kawai MK-10, Viscount KB-880, and Yamaha PSR-60.
- MIDI Matters - The latest in a series of articles that serve as an introduction to MIDI.
Table of Contents from the January 1988 issue of Advanced Computer Entertainment (continued)
Gameplay
- Christmas Screen Test - Reviews of Stealth Fighter (Microprose), Deflektor (Gremin/Vortex), Bobsleigh (Digital Integration), 720 (US Gold), Passengers on the Wind 2 (Infogrames), Nebulus (Hewston), Skate or Die (Electronic Arts), Zig Zag (Mirrorsoft), Through The Trap Door (Piranha), Werewolves of London (Ariolasoft), Madballs (Ocean), Airborne Ranger (Microprose), Phoenix (Ere/Infogrames), Driller (Incentive), Buggy Boy (Elite), The Travel Game (Ruleformat), Bravestar (Go!), R.I.S.K. (The Edge), Gunboat (Piranha), Hyberblob (Firebird), Agent X 2 (Mastertronic), Action Force (Virgin), Bubble Ghost (Ere/Infrogrames), Superstar Ice Hockey (Databyte), Inside Outing (The Edge), Kromazone (Mastertronic), Arcade Classics (Firebird), Freddy Hardest (Imagine), Phantom Club (Ocean), Jackal (Konami), Blue War (Go!), and Dark Sceptre (Firebird).
- Arcade Ace - A look at some of the latest arcade games including Xenophobe from Bally Midway and Ghostbusters from Data East.
- Tricks & Tactics - Tips, tricks, and cheats for F-15 Strike Eagle (Commodore 64), Super Sprint (Spectrum), Plexar (Spectrum), Indiana Jones, Super Mario Brothers, Mystery of the Nile (Commodore 64), Goldrunner (Amiga), Mission Genocide (Amstrad), Jack the Nipper (Spectrum), Renegade (Spectrum), Re-Bounder (Commodore 64), Grand Prix Simulator (Amstrad), Lazer Force (Commodore 64), Star Paws (Commodore 64), Clean Up Service (Commodore 64), Gauntlet (Atari ST), Quedex (Commodore 64), Anarchy (Commodore 64), Spy Hunter (arcade), and Road Blaster (arcade).
- Adventures - A look at adventure games Nord 'N' Bert and Beyond Zork from Infocom, as well as Slaine (Martech).
Back cover of the January 1988 issue of Advanced Computer Entertainment
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I love checking out these glimpses into what gamers around the world were reading back in the day. Being in the USA, I was limited to EGM, Gamepro, Game Players, etc (I didn't get into PC gaming mags till around 1997). It is awesome seeing the different games others got too.
Same here. I'm not sure exactly when I got my first PC gaming magazine. I got my first "PC" in late 1993 so it was probably around that time. I did enjoy the gaming content that you would find in the Commodore 64 magazines but it's not quite the same as having one dedicated to gaming.
My brother was my source for Commodore mags - Ahoy!, Compute! and Compute!'s Gazette. He would let me read them a few months after he got them when he was bored with them, or had typed in the programs he wanted to type in.
I know what you mean though, Ahoy! had a completely different feel to it than either of Compute!'s offerings. While good, Compute! was clearly aimed at professionals in a business environment with a passing interest in games.
Like how reading Computer Gaming World versus PC Gamer were fundamentally different experiences. Sure, both aimed at gamers on PCs but PC Gamer was more into the action stuff while CGW was more focused on slower paced games like Wizardry or Command & Conquer affairs.
Gaming magazines back in the day were amazing. We had so many options with completely different points of view and angles. I know they discontinued it now but for years we only had Game Informer to rely on for print material, and well, seemingly everything they covered was the next blockbuster in gaming.