Spectrum Software Scene Issue 45 Contents QL Software

Charts



THINGS SEEM to be boiling up for the winter with new releases entering the charts like there's no tomorrow.

The highest new entry is Fairlight, going straight to No 3 within weeks of the launch, despite a few problems with bugged copies, now resolved.

Melbourne House is only one place behind with Fighting Warrior, which looks set to repeat the success of the all-conquering Exploding Fist. With Terrormolinos creeping up fast, the Aussies are well on their way to establishing themselves as the premier UK software house. In September Melbourne sales gave the company 20 per cent of the total sales of Spectrum Top 50 software.

Second only to Melbourne House is Ocean - 16 per cent of sales in the same period - whose Daley Thompson's Supertest holds the top position, though Frankie Goes to Hollywood is already on its way out. Stablemate US Gold is losing its grip too, taking only six per cent of the Top 50 sales in September, and with both Spy Hunter and Dam Busters slipping fast.

Whatever happened to Ultimate? Apparently the games playing public has given Sabre Man the cold shoulder, and Knight Lore lookalike Nightshade failed to reach No 1 and could be out of the top ten by next month. Neither does Software Projects appear to be flavour of the month.

Gallup Top 30 - Month Ending Oct 12
 
1UpDALEY THOMPSON'S SUPERTESTOcean
2DownWAY OF THE EXPLODING FISTMelbourne House
3UpFAIRLIGHTThe Edge
4UpFIGHTING WARRIORMelbourne House
5DownFRANK BRUNO'S BOXINGElite
6 NOW GAMESVarious/Virgin
7UpBORED OF THE RINGSSilversoft
8DownNIGHTSHADEUltimate
9UpACTION BIKERMastertronic
10UpGRAHAM GOOCH'S TEST CRICKETAudiogenic
11DownHYPERSPORTSImagine
12UpMARSPORTGargoyle Games
13UpSORDERON'S SHADOWBeyond
14DownHIGHWAY ENCOUNTERVortex
15UpFINDERS KEEPERSMastertronic
16UpHACKERActivision
17DownSOFTAIDVarious
18UpPOPEYEdk'tronics
19DownDYNAMITE DANMirrorsoft
20DownJET SET WILLY 2Software Projects
21DownSPY VS SPYBeyond
22DownDAMBUSTERSUS Gold
23UpEMPIRE FIGHTS BACKMastertronic
24DownSHADOW OF THE UNICORNMikro-Gen
25DownFRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOODOcean
26DownSPY HUNTERUS Gold
27DownNONTERRAQUEOUSMastertronic
28UpFORMULA 1 SIMULATORMastertronic
29UpBMX RACERSMastertronic
30DownNICK FALDO'S OPENArgus

BUBBLING UNDER
IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONUS Gold
STARQUAKEBubble Bus
CRITICAL MASSDurell
TERRORMOLINOSMelbourne House
ROBIN OF SHERWOODAdventure International
RUPERT & THE TOYMAKER'S PARTYArgus
WORLD SERIES BASKETBALLImagine
THE RATSHodder & Stoughton
JASON'S GEMMastertronic
ABU SIMBEL PROFANATIONGremlin Graphics

Cult adventurers Delta 4 have at last hit the big time, with Bored of the Rings, on the Silversoft label, achieving sales previously undreamed of. Mikro-Gen's innovative Shadow of the Unicorn is doing well, too, and Beyond's Sorderon's Shadow has entered at No 13.

Noticeable by its absence is Monty on the Run, though publisher Gremlin Graphics has Abu Simbel - Profanation bubbling under. Other games to look out for include Elite and Chimera from Firebird, Astro Clone from Hewson Consultants and The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole from Mosaic. Ten of the games in the Top 30 are Sinclair User Classics, as are two of the bubblers, which goes to show that we do get it right some of the time. Finally, what about Mastertronic? The company has six - nearly seven - hits in the charts, some of which are actually quite good. Budget software rules, OK?



Spectrum Software Scene Issue 45 Contents QL Software

Sinclair User
December 1985