| Format | Publisher | Reviews | Average Score | First Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum | Work Force | 1 (2) | 80% | Aug 1982 |
Reviews[]
Summary[]
| Image | Magazine | Review Type | Published | Format | Region | Reviewer | Page No(s) | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Your Computer Issue 14 | Original | 1982/08/31 | Spectrum | 
|
Boris Allan | 28-30 | N/A |
|
Popular Computing Weekly Issue 22 | Original | 1982/09/16 | Spectrum |
|
JS | 10 | N/A |
|
Home Computing Weekly Issue 1 | Original | 1983/03/08 | Spectrum |
|
Uncredited | 40 | 80% (4/5) |
Your Computer Issue 14[]
Writer: Boris Allan
Winged Avengers from Work Force is a Galaxian-type game in which waves of attackers move down the screen towards the player's missile firer, break formation, circle about and then attack again. Six speeds are offered and the action is fast. But with the exception of a formation of birds, which appear in the second attack phase flapping their wings very effectively, the display is a little dull.
Verdict
Galaxian
Popular Computing Weekly Issue 22[]
Writer: JS
This is one of the first machine code games available for the Spectrum. It is a colour and sound version of a game previously released for the ZX81.
The cassette loaded with no problems from two different machines and is recorded three times on the tape. It consists of a short Basic program followed by a large chunk of bytes, so it is important not to switch off the machine the first time the screen no longer shows the loading pattern, as there is no warning on the display. As the auto-load stops, there is a brief description of the control keys and a choice of difficulty levels (0 to 6).
In order to discover how well this program emulates its big brother, I set off one dark night into the nether regions of my local fair, armed only with my courage and a pocket full of 10p pieces. The original game, Phoenix, sends squadrons of cosmic eggs at you that later hatch into almost indestructible vultures. The vultures pursue you relentlessly, even when their wings have been blown off by your laser cannons.
Smashing opportunity
After this Hitchcockian nightmare, there is the opportunity to smash the control craft which contains smart weapons that lock onto your base (I confess I could not get past this stage).
Work Force's version is one of the best Sinclair games so far. It covers all the stages of the arcade original - the arrival of the mother ship is particularly good. It is certainly a game to come back to again and again.
My one criticism would be that the shield control protects you too well. Kami-kazi birds that reach the bottom line hurl themselves to destruction with little damage to the home base.
In all other respects, Winged Avenger seems to offer good entertainment, although £6.95 does seem a little high when compared with games like BugByte's Spectral Invaders - which is almost £2 cheaper.
Summary
A well-written high-speed action game that uses the potential of the Spectrum fairly well. Perhaps a little over-priced, but in the long run cheaper than the arcade version - and you might even win!