Aha! I see a spot of strategy looming upl Yes indeedy! Those Challenge peeps have released two strategy games on one £3.99 cassette. And guess what? It's pretty damn spiffy! All right, I admit I'm a fan of strategy games. You know - the kind you need your thinking cap for. If you're not into them, then you shouldn't be reading this, so go and get Mrs, Cartwright's homework done. Anyway, these games...
    Side One of the tape has got Solar Fire on it. This gives you a squad of droids and human Marines, who have to move around the scrolling space-base map, wiping out the enemy. Each guy has about four different weapons, from Light-Sabres to Atomic Guns (and ace they are too). You've got to gang up on the enemy and blast away with everything you've got. The game is run in tums, and you've only got a limited number of action points to use on movement or firing, so the trick is to get into the right position quickly.
    Not only is Solar Fire speedy and exciting, there's also a spanky map to explore. It's a kind of cosmic hide-and-seek with loads of blasting, running away and trying to get your friends to co-operate. The game has got a couple of different settings and three skill levels. On the easy bits, you should be able to paste the other dudes, but on the harder levels you'll be dead within a mo.
    The graphics and icon-driven system work excellently with the joystick. So shout hurrah and throw your hats in the air! 85°
    
Tanks for the memories!
Tank Assault is similar in that you move your tanks around a scrolling map, using up action points and blasting the enemy tanks that get into your sights. You've got to manoeuvre all your vehicles into deadly positions and point all your guns at the nasty Russian tanks. Hurrah! Hold on! Aren't they our friends now? Umm, anyway, when the Russians fall into your skilfull trap, you can blow them all to pieces. It's completely great and the different skill levels and scenarios will keep you glued for ages and ages, As you move your tanks around, they've got to end up pointing towards the enemy cos their turrets don't turn, you see). So you've got to plan where the enemy will go next, if you've got it right you can knock the tank out, leaving a big crater. You can also blast the landscape, houses, trees and anything else to bits. Do it right and the battle area will look like the moon.
    It's as fast as a cheetah on rollerskates, so you don't have to hang around. The scrolling is a wee bit jerky, but this isn't important. Tank Attack is a simple, but very addictive, game. If you fancy some Rommel-type tank warfare, this is a must. 91°