AGH Atari 8-Bit Computer Review: B.C.'S QUEST FOR TIRES by Sierra On-Line The well-known B.C. comic strip enters the computer age! As in the comic of the same name, B.C.'s Quest For Tires stars Thor, the Fat Broad and the Cute Chick. The graphics have been lovingly recreated by Sydney Development Corp., the Canadian firm that made the orignal B.C. deal with cartoonist Johnny Hart and then sold the distribution rights to Sierra On-Line. Fans of the comic will feel right at home with the gameplay. Thor, on his Stone Age unicycle, speeds through the primordial terrain to rescue the Cute Chick from a pterodactyl. By leaps and ducks he avoids potholes, boulders, tree branches, stalagmites and stalactites. He must also ford a river by hopping the backs of turtles while avoiding the Fat Broad's club. At the end he is rewarded with a heart from the Cute Chick, but alas, no kiss! The graphics are simply gorgeous. The characters affect the same nonchalance as in the comic strip, and when disaster strikes they comform to all the conventions of cartoon life. For example, when Thor falls off a cliff he doesn't merely sail into space. Like any self-respecting cartoon character he first halts in mid-air, looks mournfully at the audience and awaits the inevitable. The unicycle drops like a rocket, elongating his legs and body as it does so, and finally his head is pulled along into the abyss. Similarly, when he leaps a chasm with the help of a bird, he again looks at the audience with a smug smile of satisfaction. It's unfortunate to report, however, that there are flaws which could have been corrected. The soundtrack is dull, for one. Also, you are given no "Ready" cue at the start of a round. Thor is off and rolling as soon as he's on the screen and the first boulder or pothole can be his last. But the biggest flaw is that after rescuing the Cute Chick and going back to the beginning, there are no new obstacles for Thor to face. True, ever round gets faster, but that's not enough incentive to really make the game addictive. Still, the graphics make up for most of the shortcomings. If you're looking for a Moon Patrol-esque game in a whimsical setting, give this one a try. Title B.C.'s Quest For Tires Publisher Sierra On-Line System Atari 400/800/XL/XE Graphics 9 Sound 5 Gameplay 6 Overall 7 Reviewer Keita Iida