''180'' is a

darts Darts is a competitive sport in which two or more players bare-handedly throw small projectile point, sharp-pointed projectile, projectiles known as dart (missile), darts at a round shooting target, target known as a #Dartboard, dartboard. Point ...

video game released for the

ZX Spectrum The ZX Spectrum () is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer developed and marketed by Sinclair Research. One of the most influential computers ever made and one of the all-time bestselling British computers, over five million units were sold. ...

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

Amstrad CPC The Amstrad CPC (short for "Colour Personal Computer") is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spec ...

, and

Atari 8-bit computers The Atari 8-bit computers, formally launched as the Atari Home Computer System, are a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc., in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. The architecture is designed around the 8-bit MOS Technology 650 ...

in 1986 and

MSX MSX is a standardized home computer architecture, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was initially conceived by Microsoft as a product for the Eastern sector, and jointly marketed by Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corpo ...

in 1987.

Gameplay

The player competes in 501 darts against other darts players waiting in a championship tournament with normal darts rules applying, subtracting your score from 501 to zero whilst finishing on a double. Beginning at the quarter-finals, the player must win a best of three match to advance through the tournament. Win another match in the semi-final stage to advance to the final and face the World Champion Jammy Jim. In the final match however, the player needs to win just one leg against him to win the tournament. Players can also compete against another human player or play Round the Clock, throwing darts around the dartboard from 20 to 1 within a time limit.

Opponents

There are a total of eight computer-controlled opponents in the game. Before the start of the match, the computer randomly selects an opponent, though Jammy Jim can only be played in the final. The opponents are Del Boy Desmond Sure Shot Sidney, Devious Dave, Limp Wrist Larry, Beer Belly Bill, Mega Mick, Tactical Tel, and Jammy Jim.

Reception

At the time of its release, ratings for the game were favourable. The Spectrum version got a 72% rating from '' Crash'' magazine who labelled it as "the best darts game ever". The Commodore 64 version received a 70% rating from ''ZZAP!'' magazine. The Amstrad version got a rating of 67% from ''Amstrad Action''. The game was reviewed in ''

Sinclair User The ''Sinclair User'' was a magazine dedicated to the Sinclair Research range of home computers, most specifically the ZX Spectrum (while also occasionally covering arcade games). Initially published by ECC Publications, and later EMAP, it was pub ...

'', which rated the game 5 out of 5, stating "Darts ought to be boring and tedious, but with 180 it has been made funny, exciting and very impressive, a closet hit." The game was reviewed in ''

Your Sinclair ''Your Sinclair'', originally ''Your Spectrum'' or ''YS'', is a discontinued British computer magazine for the Sinclair range of computers, mainly the ZX Spectrum. It was commercially published between 1984 and 1993. History The magazine was la ...

'', which rated the game 9 out of 10, stating "In its presentation, ''180'' does veer toward the macho, crafty

cockney Cockney is a dialect of the English language, mainly spoken in London and its environs, particularly by Londoners with working-class and lower middle class roots. The term ''Cockney'' is also used as a demonym for a person from the East End, ...

Bristow school of darts rather than that of Gentleman John Lowe, but otherwise there's little to quibble about - a winner across the board!" The game was reviewed in ''

ACE An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or a club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the ...

'', stating "The definitive computer darts game. If you must play arrows on your micro then this is the one to get."

Reviews

*''BiT'' #37 - 1994/Oct (Slovak) *''MicroHobby'' #111 - 1987/Jan (Spanish) *''

Popular Computing Weekly ''Popular Computing Weekly'' was a computer magazine in the UK published from 1982 to 1990. It was sometimes referred to as ''PCW'' (although that abbreviation is more commonly associated with ''Personal Computer World'' magazine). Overv ...

'' v.5 #44 - 1986/Oct/30 special "week#5" *'' Your Computer'' v.6 #12 - 1986/Dec *''ZX Computing'' #34 - 1987/Feb

References

External links

* * * {{atarimania, id=15 1986 video games Amstrad CPC games Atari 8-bit computer games Commodore 64 games Darts video games Mastertronic games MSX games Multiplayer and single-player video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom ZX Spectrum games