A little while ago, on FIDONet, I posted some "spot" reviews of some of the
original batch of CD³² titles available.  Rather than expand those reviews
into something completely different, I just decided to reprint them here.
These same reviews were re-printed in Amiga Report.  (Since I never gave 
permission to have them re-printed in Amiga Report, there really should be
no problem printing them in my own magazine.)

In the next issue of CD³²View, I will recap all the ratings from this issue
as well as attempt to translate the star rating system I used for these
reviews into the rating system we currently use.

Here it is...the original review.  The spawning of CD³²View!

Here's my personal opinion on the CD³² titles I've seen so far:
(by "seen", I mean "sat down and played for a while")  

Ratings: (*****) = best   (*) = worst

OSCAR - nice platform game, with really good parallel scrolling.  Some of
the screens are too "busy", and it's hard to see what you're doing with all
the stuff in the background.  Well done, though, and just as good as Sonic
and the Mario games.  (****)

PINBALL FANTASIES - not exactly the most eye-catching game, but it is
undeniably the most addictive game I've ever played.  You know it's
addictive when you're hitting the start button for that "just one more
time" for about an hour.  Great CD sound on this one.  (*****)

SLEEPWALKER - I didn't like it on the Amiga, and I still don't like it on
the CD³².  It's not my type of game at all.  It's really "different", but
contrary to what some think...different isn't always good.  The graphics
are not much, and the gameplay is lousy.  Good thing it's free with the
console, because it's not worth buying.  (*)

CASTLES II - A strategy game for those that like medieval stuff.  The 
graphics are good and the CD sound in the intro is spectacular.  
It seems like a game one could get wrapped up in, but it's hampered by the
CD³²'s controller.  This was a game meant for a computer with a mouse, not
a game console with a keypad controller.  I didn't try plugging in a mouse
on the 2nd port.  It may help...but still... (** 1/2)

LIBERATION - A definite cool game!  3D texture mapped graphics and a large
world to roam about in make this a game worthy of the CD³² and vice versa.
It has a lot of options and is very open-ended.  A lot of fun to explore
and get lost in.  Not a game that one can start playing in two seconds, 
but one that you grow into and don't grow out of.  Really good!  (*****)

WHALE'S VOYAGE - Another crap Amiga game trying to milk the CD³² market
for some sales.  The game is not worth buying for any system.   Avoid at
all costs and at any price.  (no stars)

DEEP CORE - Adequate shoot-em-up with a lot of stuff to blow up.  Nothing
original, just mindless destruction.  Good for what it is.  Nothing
special in the graphics department.  (The intro sequence doesn't not
appear to be converted from PAL to NTSC, so it jumps and flickers...kind
of annoying, but still quite readable and does not affect the game.)
(***)

ROBOCOD: JAMES POND 2 - More platform action.  A lot cleaner display wise
than OSCAR, but not quite as frantic and fun.  Very nice graphics and
sound. (***).

TROLLS - Another platform game.  A little more frantic than OSCAR and a
little more annoying.  So, it balances out.  The graphics are colorful and
the sound is good.  Nothing better than a 16 bit console though, so not
really worth it, if you have OSCAR already.  (They're practically the same
game.)  (***)

ZOOL - The Amiga's Sonic beater comes to the CD³².  A really cool 3D
rendered Zool character is featured in the intro...and that's where the
differences stop.  If you've seen ZOOL AGA on the A1200 or A4000, then
you've seen this game.  Nothing fascinating...just solid play.  I prefer
OSCAR as platforms go. (***)

NIGEL MANSELL'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RACING - A solid race game.  Much
improved over the A1200 version of the game in an intangible way.  I
didn't enjoy the Amiga version of this game at all for some reason.  The
CD³² version is good, solid fun.  The game is fast, easy to control and a
lot of fun.  The graphics are quite good, and the sound is fair (what do
you what from a racing game?)  Solid entertainment. (*** 1/2)

D/GENERATION - A novel puzzle/maze/shoot-em-up.  Unfortunately, the
graphics are on a par with the old 8-bit NES console and not a 32-bit
CD-ROM based system.  The gameplay is good, but the graphics are a real
letdown.  (**)

ARABIAN NIGHTS - Yet another damn platform game.  Annoying and not really
any good.  There's nothing to stand it apart from the other platform games
on this system other than maybe the price.  It's cheaper than the others,
but remember, you get what you pay for.  (**)

So far, these are the ones I've played.  Far and away the most addicting
game is PINBALL FANTASIES.  It's one of the most fun games I've played on
any system ever.  But, it comes with the machine in the US/Canada release
of the console, and what's going to have to sell the machine are the OTHER
titles.  Right now, LIBERATION and OSCAR are the only other two titles
I'd buy.  (Maybe NIGEL MANSELL too.)

-------

Remember, this was written before I'd even thought of putting together
CD³²View.  I'll translate this "star" rating system into the current
system and will print the results in next month's issue.