Lexi Cross

(Interplay, 1991)

Game-show thrills have been attempted on game systems for years. However, it's very rare that a game designer takes advantage of the potential of a PC system compared to an actual game show set, and creates a totally PC-friendly game show never seen before. In short, Lexi Cross is an inspired vision of what a game show of the future might look like, if it had the proper funding to make such an inspired set! Adding to the fun is a cyborg host of this "show," an option to play the game as if it were on actual TV (including a snappy opening theme song), and single player and two player options ...including an option to play with a friend over the phone line! The game itself involves clicking on squares to reveal the crossword underneath, all while trying to get special bonus squares (like an extra turn, or more cash), and avoiding the hidden "bad squares" (a lost turn, for example). Once the crossword puzzle board is revealed, you must guess the hidden words of the crossword, in a style not unlike Wheel of Fortune (yet far more cool). Win the game, and you'll even make it to the bonus round. To top it all off, your character can look like whatever you wish (via multiple faces/outfits to choose from), and his/her stats are saved automatically. The game even responds to your birthday, and actually gripes if you've been gone to long. It's cute touches like this that put this game prominently in Techtite's list of Top 50 Multimedia Classics. To me, it was as addictive as Tetris!

Rating : Deep Impact.

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