Zoids: The Battle Begins
{{Short description|1986 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Zoids: The Battle Begins
|image = Zoids Battle.jpg
|alt = Zoids: The Battle Begins
|caption =
|developer = Electronic Pencil Company
|publisher = Martech
|producer = David Martin
|designer = Chris Fayers
|composer =
|engine =
|released = 1986
|genre = Shoot 'em up
|modes = Single-player
|platforms = Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX
}}
Zoids: The Battle Begins is a 1986 video game designed by Chris Fayers, developed by the Electric Pencil Company, and published by Martech. and released in Europe for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX and Commodore 64 computers. Based on the Zoids toy series, the player controls a human who was fused with one of the robots and has to reclaim parts of a larger mech.
Upon release, Zoids received positive reception from video game critics.
Gameplay
Development
Zoids: The Battle Begins was published by Martech and developed by the Electric Pencil Company, having previously made The Fourth Protocol in 1985.{{cite magazine|magazine=Computer Gamer|title=Geoff Capes Meets The Zoids|page=7|issue=7|date=October 1985|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gamer_Issue_07_1985-10_Argus_Press_GB/Computer_Gamer_Issue_07_1985-10_Argus_Press_GB#page/n6/mode/1up}} The game was produced by David Martin, with Chris Fayers being the game designer.{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=The Zoids Are Coming, The Zoids Are Coming!|last=Spencer|first=Jeremy|pages=45–46|issue=22|date=November 1985|url=https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-22/Crash_22_Nov_1985#page/n43/mode/2up}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| CRASH = 96%{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=Zoids|pages=16–18|issue=25|date=February 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-25/Crash_25_Feb_1986#page/n15/mode/2up}}
| CVG = 31/40{{cite magazine|magazine=Computer and Video Games|title=Software Reviews|page=22|issue=53|date=March 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-053/CVG053_Mar_1986#page/n21/mode/1up}}
| SUser = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Sinclair User|title=Zoids|last=Edgeley|first=Claire|pages=36–37|issue=48|date=March 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-048/SinclairUser_048_Mar_1986#page/n35/mode/2up}}
| YSinclair = 9/10%{{cite magazine|magazine=Your Sinclair|title=Battle of the Zoids|last=Hjul|first=Alison|date=March 1986|pages=36–37|issue=3|url=https://archive.org/stream/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair03-Mar86#page/n37/mode/2up}}
| Z64= 96%{{Cite magazine|magazine=Zzap!64|title=Zzap! Test|issue=12|pages=20–21|date=April 1986|url=https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-012/page/n19/mode/2up}}
| rev2 = Computer Gamer
| rev2Score = 17/20{{cite magazine|magazine=Computer Gamer|title=Zoids|last=Hetherington|first=Tony|pages=20–22|issue=12|date=March 1986|url=https://archive.org/stream/Computer_Gamer_Issue_12_1986-03_Argus_Press_GB/Computer_Gamer_Issue_12_1986-03_Argus_Press_GB#page/n20/mode/2up}}
| award1Pub = Crash
| award1 = SmashGame review, Crash magazine, Newsfield Publications, issue 25, February 1986
}}
Zoids: The Battle Begins received generally positive reception from video game critics. Reviewers for Amtix praised the game, with one writer considered it to be one of the best on the Amstrad. A writer for Crash gave positive marks for its graphics and gameplay and called it one of the best titles on the ZX Spectrum.
Reviews
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Internet Archive game|/zx_Zoids_The_Battle_Begins_1985_Martech_Games}}
- {{moby game|id=/zoids|name=Zoids: The Battle Begins}}
- {{WoS_game|id=0005860}}
{{Zoids}}
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games based on Takara Tomy toys