GAGARIN by ZXKerl

 

GAGARIN by ZXKerl for ZX Spectrum 48K

   I have received messages and read articles in the trade press suggesting that we should change the name of our famous contest to something like 'ZXKerl and Friends', 'ZXKerl Sinclair Comp' or 'Get Crappy with ZXKerl'. One even suggested 'ZXKerl was Horace' (*).

   Using a 19th-century North American colloquialism: 'As sure as God made little apples, ZXKerl will make a game.'

    GAGARIN

   Gagarin is a name embedded in the collective historical consciousness of at least two generations around the world. The proliferation of stamps from countries associated with the USSR serves as an indelible reminder of progaganda in the pre-internet era. I could have chosen any of the many iconic images of Gagarin, but in this competition, which is full of participants and friends of the highest calibre, we want to cover all areas of art and science.

      

     

   The ZXKerl game's protagonist always made me wonder whether he was incredibly brave or completely crazy to venture into space in one of those terrifying early space capsules. 

   It is well known that the high calibre of our participants and friends has elevated our competition to such a standard that a chair in CGC has been established at the renowned South Khukburd Polytechnic University. Therefore, an introduction to Mr Gagarin is obligatory.

"Yuri Gagarin was born 9 March 1934 in the village of Klushino. During his historic flight, he used the call sign "Kedr" (Cedar), which he picked because it symbolized strength and resilience. Despite the serious nature of his mission, Gagarin was known for being cheerful and playful, always approachable and friendly, which definitely boosted morale.

He dreamed of flying since he was a kid, inspired by pilots, and worked his way into the Soviet Air Force before becoming the first human in space. His flight on Vostok 1 only lasted about 108 minutes but made history as he orbited Earth, experiencing weightlessness and seeing the planet from space—an awe-inspiring moment. He even ejected from the capsule 

and parachuted safely down, which was pretty intense.

Gagarin’s achievement wasn’t just about the technical feat but also about courage. The mission was risky—spacecraft technology was still pretty new, and there were no guarantees. Still, his calmness, training, and bravery made him a hero worldwide, symbolizing Soviet progress during the Cold War. Despite his fame, he stayed humble and down-to-earth, 

always eager to share his passion for exploration.

In short, Gagarin’s daring journey showed incredible bravery and curiosity, inspiring future explorers and pushing the boundaries of what humans could do." - multiple internet sources.

   Is he a hero who is enjoying a well-deserved retirement? Well, no. The threat of dangerous asteroids is hanging over our planet, and the inflexible officials of the USSR have decided to send the trained Yuri back into orbit to defend us all.

   This is his/your mission (thanks for the well ordered text).

   Rotations and changes in orbits? What?

   I suspect we are facing something different.

   Выходим на орбиту! 

   (russian for "To orbit!")

   ‘Copyright holders’ are the terrible asteroids.

   Our ship is made up of two parts. The larger part is where Gagarin travels, while the smaller part follows us in cybernoid style.

   In this case, it does not move at its own pace, we do, it is the rotation referred to in the initial menu. And it is the direction in which our shot is directed.

      

   See how we can aim and fire in various angles and directions. Spectacular!

   Yes, I know what you're thinking. It seems that the USSR is ahead in terms of space weaponry. One shot from '*' and an entire asteroid is destroyed. According to CGC 2025 spies, it's a device known as a Mass Driver. This advanced technology is capable of accelerating a massive projectile to incredible speeds, allowing it to collide with an asteroid and change its trajectory or shatter it into harmless pieces.

   Fortunately, it has a fail-safe system, so no projectile will ever reach the Earth's surface (we can all breathe a sigh of relief).

   Using Q and A, we change the radius of the orbit as a happy, excited electron.

   

Closer to Earth - further away from the planet.

   Amazing.

   We have advanced weaponry, we have the famous Gagarin, we have the encouragement of the whole population - what could possibly go wrong?

   It's not easy, not at all.

   My hope is that there are much better pilots than me among the friends of this, our fabulous contest. I hope they will save the blue planet.

   Gathering all the stones: A very good game, especially for its originality. If you're wondering about the lack of sound, remember that in space... We already know that the lack of graphics isn't necessarily a problem for us. It had to be a bit crap, didn't it? The author's signature difficulty makes it a real challenge.

Scrambled Smile: 8/10.

Broccoli and Squid Yoghourt: 2/10

Deep Fried Ice Cream: 8/10

Strawberry Monosodium Glutamate: 7/10

Affable Hot Chocolate Sauce: 5/10

(*) Thank you ZXKerl for your prolific and imaginative contribution, I mean it.