Round 42

There is a formation of enemies above your ship, and the next wave can change the rules. Round 42 offers forty-two rounds of space combat, with different types of adversaries and stretches that require dodging along a course. Mike Pooler is the author of the program, and the title screen shows the name Elven Software Company and the 1986 copyright.

The DOS edition uses a very low-resolution display. The enemies are drawn with a few color blocks, enough to tell their shapes apart and follow their movements. The RetroBat copy keeps the file ROUND42.COM, with the original menu and instructions in English.

Two attacks with different uses

The arrow keys control the ship's movement. F1 fires the standard projectiles and F2 activates the phasor, a weapon with limited charges. Its reserve appears next to the score in the form of rays. Spending it on the first enemy leaves less margin when a formation becomes hard to get through.

Every four rounds a warp stretch arrives: there, moving left and right to follow the available path is what matters. The built-in manual also explains recovery after taking a hit and grants an extra ship upon reaching each multiple of 7,500 points. The phasor charges are replenished at the start of a round and upon reaching that same figure.

Instructions inside the executable

After the initial notice, the menu lets you begin with Enter, consult the instructions with I, or open a note for programmers with P. That note describes the use of Turbo Pascal and the Lores Toolbox graphics library. The main functions are documented within the game, without depending on a manual from another edition.

The cover image is the original title screen preserved at RetroBat. The gallery screenshots come from the game.