** PD review / 495 words **

Tron II  70%
Game
Freeware, all Ataris which support ST-Low, joystick
Publishers: The Match/F.U.N. (Falcon User Netherlands)

** TRON.GIF here **

Tron style games are based on the famous Walt Disney movie Tron. In the movie there were two programs each controlling a light cycle. These light cycles trailed a solid line of light behind it and the aim was to trail a line that your opponent would crash into.

In the game points represent the lightcycle and the trails are coloured lines - the idea being to force your opponent to crash into it.
It's also important to stay in the game arena and not to crash into the screen border - all familiar stuff isn't it? I remember programming a Tron clone on a Alpatronic Computer in 40 minutes without every having programmed a computer before! (FX applause)

The Match has added some new features to this gameplay. Across the top of the screen there's a timebar. When it over-runs, various extras appear on screen and remains displayed until the next extra appears. If you can run over the extra you'll receive one of the following:

** UL **
* Extra life
* An obstacle appears, don't hit it!
* Your opponent loses a life
* You swap motorcycles with your opponent, you continue his line, and he continue yours
* You can cross your own line
* You can cross your opponents line
* You cycle stops trailing a line but your cycle keeps going
* Your trailed line disappears
* Your opponent's speed is decreased
* Your opponent's speed is increased
* You receive extra points * Your subsequent points are doubled
** /UL **

These extras add a lot of fun to the game, especially when playing against a human opponent. You can also play against the computer where your aim is to stay alive as long as possible and accumulate a good score and even in this mode the extras make this task very challenging.

The graphics are average, with a nice title screen followed by a brief intro. There's also a soundtrack which plays continuously throughout the game and, so far, it hasn't got on my nerves.

Tron II doesn't offer any extra addictiveness over the original Tron gameplay, but there's still plenty to go around and the extras are fun which is an important factor - an option to turn them off would offer the best of both worlds.

Mad Butscher / Foundation Two

** boxout **
Pro tips

Mumpf and Grumpf from Vollcool said:

"The no-line extra is a DISADVANTAGE for the one who collects it because now your opponent can head straight for you because, even when both light cycles crash, the one still trailing a line wins.
If you lose your light trail RUN, and keep on running - and watch out for those light trails!"
** /boxout **

Pros: Loads fast, amusing extras, challenging one player mode

Cons: No automatic resolution changing. After selecting exit from the option screen, the colours aren't restored so you have to reboot

Scores:
50% Graphics
60% Sound

70% Overall
** /boxout **