Arcade Fruit Machine

Copyright : Zeppelin Games | Reviewed by : Malc Jennings

This is no simulation, this IS a real fruit machine. The only thing it doesn?t do is pay out money. Every other feature you can think of is here and it is so realistic it?s unreal!

Graphics

Ok, Fruit Machine games aren?t going to be the most graphical things in the world really and I?ve looked at quite a few over the years and on a fair amount of systems too. Zeppelins attempt is no real exception to this rule and it even looks worse than the Commodore 64 version, which to me sounds like a rushed conversion, but anyway.

The screen layout is much the same as other fruit machines, we have all the cash bonuses on the right of the screen, the standard 3 reels on the right of the screen and our hold buttons directly underneath. Colours are pretty basic and the level of detail surrounding everything is very low given its age (1989).

Sound

Sound is pretty much as you would expect given the nature of the game, we are treated to the occasional nice sound should you land on specific cash bonuses and a few bleeps for everything else. Obviously there is no music on this title but its not something you would expect to see anyway. I?ve certainly heard better sounds than those found here in other fruit machine games, even the freebie by Amsoft had some nice sound effects.

Gameplay

Well, this is the most difficult thing to write about. Most of us are of the impression that Fruit Machine games are beyond pointless, the introduction on the back of the packaging says it all really, this game is just like a real fruit machine but it doesn?t pay-out. You?re not playing it as a simulation because most Fruit Machines are rigged anyway and there?s no set method to winning any of them. You?re not playing the game in the hope of spending a few hours spare time enjoying yourself because you simply wont find that level of play in this genre.

It all depends on what kind of person you are. I personaly loved playing the Fruit Machine game that was given free with the Amsoft collection against my family, me and my little brother would play against each other to see who could clock up the most winnings. The best out of 10 for example. There?s nothing stopping you from doing the same with Zeppelins simulator, but it could certainly have been better given the time difference between each title.

It looks ok, it sounds ok, it even plays ok. Whether or not you would want to load it into your CPC or emulator depends entirely on where you stand with this type of game.