| Incredible Shrinking Sphere | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer | Foursfield |
| Publisher | Electric Dreams Software |
| Designer | Anna Ufnowska |
| Programmer | Colin Reed |
| Artist | Steve Green |
| Composer | David Lowe |
| Platforms | Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum |
| Release | January 1989: ST[1] February 1989: Amiga[2] |
| Genre | Action |
| Mode | Single-player |
Incredible Shrinking Sphere is a 1989 video game developed by Foursfield and published by Electric Dreams Software for Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum
On the planet Sangfalmadore, the player is recruited to the Sphere Training Corps. An earthquake has trapped the STC's Colonel Matt Ridley, leaving it up to the player to rescue him.
The game consists of eight levels, each divided into four maze sections. The player must direct the ball to the exit of the maze. Each maze has traps and assassin enemies. Assassins can be countered with collectable shields or ammo. Traps can be tackled by shrinking or enlarging the ball.
Anna Ufnowska's inspiration for designing the game came from the intricate weaving of a pair of slippers.[3] The project began in late February 1988 and took seven months to put together.[4]
The game package included a contest slip offering a chance to win a Tomy Omnibot 2000 or a limited-edition Incredible Shrinking Sphere poster.[5]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Amstrad Action | 82%(CPC)[4] |
| Crash | 84% (ZX)[6] |
| ACE | 923 (C64)[3] |
| The Games Machine | 80% (Amiga) 63% (CPC) 80% (ST) 84% (C64) 80% (ZX)[7] |
| ST Format | 80% (ST)[2] |
| The One | 80% (ST)[1] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Crash | Smash[8] |
ACE magazine called Incredible Shrinking Sphere an impressive debut for Foursfield because of the realistic ball movement.[3] The Spanish magazine Microhobby gave the game the following scores:[9] Originality: 80% Graphics: 80% Motion: 80% Sound: 80% Difficulty: 100% Addiction: 100%
There's lots to do in this game, if you have the interest.
Well designed, and more or less perfectly implemented, ISS is a pleasure to play.
