Trailblazer (video game)

Trailblazer is a racing video game developed by Mr. Chip Software and published by Gremlin Graphics for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit computers, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 16 and Plus/4 in 1986 (there was also an enhanced version on Amstrad CPC 3" disc). It was ported to the Amiga and Atari ST.

In 2005 a remake for the Gizmondo was released, and was also adapted in 2011 for the PS3, PlayStation Portable, PS Vita and PlayStation TV as part of the Playstation Mini series.

The game received a direct sequel titled Cosmic Causeway: Trailblazer II in 1987.

Gameplay


Trailblazer is a racing game which players play as a soccer ball along a series of suspended passages. The game can be played either in time trial or arcade mode and four track. The races usually last between 15 and 45 seconds. Special fields on the track let the ball jump (blue), slow down (red), speed up (green) or warp speed the ball (white), invert the controls (cyan/light blue), bounce it backwards (purple) or are holes (black).

Development
Shaun Southern had made some great games for the Commodore 16 before he moved onto the Amiga and the game was inspired by the arcade game Metrocross.

Reception
The game was reviewed in 1990 in Dragon #158 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column, as part of the Mastertronic MEGA Pack of 10 games previously released in Europe. The reviewers gave the game 5 out of 5 stars, stating: "Our favorite on this disk; racing on Cosmic Causeway roads against the clock or against a robot. This one was really fun".

Zzap!64's reviewers also enjoyed the game which they thought was "an excellent variation on the race game theme". The overall rating given was 93%, qualifying the C64 version for the magazine's Sizzler award. Steve Panak, reviewing the Atari 8-bit version for ANALOG Computing, concluded that "the game is the most original arcade action wristbuster to come down the pike in a long time, and one of the best two-player competition games I've seen". Avery Score for Gamespot said that the game was one of the more unique and enjoyable of the launch games they seen. It received a Your Sinclair Megagame award.

Reviews

 * Computer Gamer (June 1987)
 * Amtix! (December 1986)
 * Your Sinclair (December 1986)
 * Commodore User (December 1986)
 * Computer Gamer (November 1986)
 * Computer Gamer (December 1986)
 * Happy Computer (November 1986)
 * Popular Computing Weekly (October 1986)
 * Computer and Video Games (June 1987)
 * Tilt (June 1987)
 * Génération 4 (1987)
 * Australian Commodore and Amiga Review (February 1987)
 * ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (December 1986)
 * Tilt (January 1987)
 * Computer Gamer (December 1986)