Turbo the Tortoise

by Dave Thompson, Dennis Mulliner, Jarrod Bentley, Shan Savage
Hi-Tec Software Ltd
1992

Label: Hi Tec
Memory: 48K/128K
Price: £3.99 Tape
Reviewer: Paul Rand

For some lime now tortoises have been losing out to turtles on the amphibian popularity front. There's been the famed Ninja Turtles, the all in one shine "Turtlewax". But it seems as though they're about to get a much better deal as a newly Turbo Charged member of their brethren takes the field.

Doctor Mulliner (PhD. S.A.D.) has got bored of singing in seedy pubs and has decided to fall back on his second rate job... a world class scientist! In the middle of a top notch experiment the Doc encounters a large explosion and consequently his docile pet tortoise is transformed into the aforementioned turbo charged hero, hurrah what a guy!

This is where the trouble really begins. To complete the original experiment the doc still needs six vital components. Funnily enough they're scattered over six horizontally scrolling landscapes all of which are in different periods of time. (What ever happened to driving down to Do-At-All on a Sunday afternoon?) And guess who gets roped in for the job? Of course! - Our shelly pal Turbo, off on his - very first all important mission.

At first Turbo the Tortoise may look more than a touch similar to Yogi Bear, but then that's no bad thing in itself! Graphically it's very good and all the main sprites are well drawn and clear, (Turbo even has that lazy tortoise look about him - a bit like Big Al' on a Monday morning) while scrolling remains nice and smooth. The sound is nothing to write home about, but the effects suit the style of play very well.

Well here we are again, back at the all important playability stakes. What nasty surprises and foul gameplay niggles are lurking within this seemingly innocent game's shell? None, not a sausage. It's addictive, enjoyable, challenging and reasonably cute though, I don't think it's going to set the Spectrum world alight but Turbo the Tortoise is definitely worth the £3.99 that is being asked for it (and more if you fancy tipping your local shopkeeper). The overall verdict... buy it. I would.

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ALAN:
Remember when everyone used to name their family tortoise Flash, considering it a jolly jape to laugh at its slow ways? Well this tortoise's no joke. Turbo is a really cute and playable title and well worth a not so high speed look.

Graphics: 80%
Sound: 74%
Playability: 84%
Lastability: 87%
Overall: 85%

Summary: Hmm... "A nice simple non frustrating yet challenging platform romp" or I could say "A fun and enjoyable game starring a once forgotten hero" But why use twenty words when three say it just as well, "A great title".

Transcript by Chris Bourne