Dan Dare III (1990) Walkthrough + Review, ZX Spectrum
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Many more games from the 80s can be found here:
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INTRODUCTION (From the manual):
The fate of all mankind hangs in the balance. The Mekon menace is back again determined to conquer and dominate the human race. In doing so the evil Mekon has vowed to wreak his vengeance upon his arch enemy, Colonel Dan Dare, To further his iniquitous plans the Mekon is conducting a series of horrific genetic experiments, attempting to mutate a variety of life-forms into an army of Treen-like creatures, servile to the Mekon. The experiments failed, the creatures were twisted and strange. What was needed to advance the Mekon's ungodly experiments was a human subject, and who better than the hated Colonel Dan Dare?
The Mekon issued his orders. A gigantic scientific satellite was rapidly constructed. Manned by an army of loyal Treens, the satellite was set on course for planet Earth. Many months passed before reaching the Earth's orbit. Whilst their ship navigated the dark recesses of the universe, the Mekon and his scientists continued their horrific experiments. But with little success: no Treen-like beings were created and the weird mutant creatures formed were left to wander, at will, the corridors of the satellite.
On reaching the Earth's orbit a small army of Treens were dispatched to capture the unsuspecting Dan Dare. Their mission was successful: seizing the Colonel, the Treens transported their prize back to the satellite where the pitiless Mekon and his team of cruel scientists waited. But the Mekon had underestimated our hero. While the scientists are preparing the lethal serum, Dan breaks free from the operating table and, destroying his captors, escapes into a store chamber next to the genetic experimentation unit. Searching the chamber he discovers a jet-pack and sets off to explore the maze of corridors and chambers of the vast satellite.
Luck is on the side of our brave colonel. Entering a large chamber he finds an escape shuttle powerful enough to accomplish the return journey to Earth, but the fuel tanks are empty. Dan calculates that he will need exactly 50 pounds of high grade rocket fuel to complete the journey home. Undaunted by this catastrophe, Dan straps his jet-pack to his back and continues his search of the Mekon's evil satellite ...
REVIEW:
The start location, which is the satellite's store chamber, is the only place where Dan can refuel his jet-pack, or buy weapons and equipment; this is done by hacking into the Mekon's computerized stock-keeping system. While Dan stands on the Mekon's computer terminal, press select. This creates a menu of numbered items that Dan can buy. By pressing the corresponding number on the keyboard you can allow Dan to buy or use any of the items.
You have to search through five levels to find five fuel parts, which will give you the 50 pounds of high grade rocket fuel you need to fly home. You will also need to defeat Mekon on every level to get a teleport key so you can teleport to the next level.
Your weapon is a plasma gun and this can fire three different shots depending on how long time you are holding down the fire button.
When you teleport you enter a teleport tunnel and the perspective here is in third person view – you see Dan from behind and have to avoid bumping into the walls, because this will damage the space suit and Dan will lose energy.
This game is programmed by David Perry and Nick Bruty from Probe Software, and it shows what a Spectrum 48k can do if you know how to program it. A lot of fast paced action, good controls, and lots of colors on everything.
The game was published by Virgin Games in 1990.
Rating = 92%
Download here: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games/d/DanDareIII-TheEscape.tap.zip