Leader Board

Last updated
Leader Board
Leaderboard Coverart.png
Commodore 64/128 cover art
Developer(s) Access Software
Publisher(s)
Designer(s) Bruce Carver
Roger Carver
Platform(s) Commodore 64/128, Atari 8-bit, Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, ZX Spectrum, Amiga, Atari ST, Apple II, MS-DOS, Mac, Master System, Game Gear, Genesis, Archimedes
Release1986
1987 (World Class)
Genre(s) Sports
Mode(s)1-4 players alternating turns

Leader Board (sometimes Leaderboard) is a series of golf simulation video games that was developed by Bruce Carver and Roger Carver, and published by Access Software.

Contents

Summary

Teeing off on the first hole (Atari ST). Leaderboard in-game screenshot (Atari ST).png
Teeing off on the first hole (Atari ST).

Leader Board, the first game in the series, was released in 1986 and included four different water-based courses. It was well received, being rated as 97% overall by Zzap!64 magazine and being prized with their "Gold Award". [1] It was also highly rated by other magazines, with Your Sinclair rating it 9 out of 10, [2] Sinclair User giving it five stars, [3] and Crash rating it 80%. [4]

Leaderboard Tournament, released the same year, was a series of expansion disks each containing four new courses. [5]

The second game in the series was Leader Board: Executive Edition, which was released in 1987 and contained new landscape and course features, such as trees and bunkers. Despite these additions, the game was less well received than its predecessor, being given an overall rating of 72% by Zzap!64 magazine. [6]

World Class Leader Board was the last game in the series and included four courses; Cypress Creek, Doral Country Club, St Andrews, and the fictional Gauntlet Country Club. Three course expansion disks were later released. Special features in this final version included a course overview (overhead view), the punch shot, a printable score card, the use of RealSound, and a course editor which allowed changes to be made to the existing courses. It was considered a vast improvement on Executive, being given a 94% overall rating by Zzap!64 magazine, [7] and 9 out of 10 by Your Sinclair. [8]

Reception

Leaderboard was the best-selling Commodore 64 game 1986 in the United Kingdom. [10] Leader Board was Access' third best-selling Commodore game as of late 1987. [11]

Rick Teverbaugh reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World , and stated that "Leader Board has the most realistic putting feel of any golf game I've ever tried. When the ball finally makes it into the cup, the sound of that success is also amazingly realistic." [12] Compute!'s Gazette praised the Commodore 64 version's realism and amazing ("there is no other word for it") graphics. While noting Leader Board's use of only water hazards, and no difference in color between the fairway and green, the magazine concluded that it "is fun, a lot of fun, and as addicting as the real game". [13] Computer Gaming World stated that Leader Board for the Amiga improved on the Commodore 64 version, and praised the graphics, but preferred the also-outstanding Mean 18 . [14] Info gave the Amiga version four stars out of five, liking the gameplay and "nicely done graphics" but noting the absence of a practice green or course construction. The magazine concluded, "It's tough to choose between this and Mean 18". [15] Antic wrote that the Atari ST version "will keep you happy for hours", praising its graphics. While noting deviations from the rules of golf, the reviewer concluded recommending Leader Board "as an entertaining game for anyone, regardless of skill and knowledge of golf". [16]

Related Research Articles

<i>Silent Service</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Silent Service is a submarine simulator video game designed by Sid Meier and published by MicroProse for various 8-bit home computers in 1985 and for 16-bit systems like the Amiga in 1987. A Nintendo Entertainment System version developed by Rare was published in 1989 by Konami in Europe and by Konami's Ultra Games subsidiary in North America. Silent Service II was released in 1990. Tommo purchased the rights to this game and published it online through its Retroism brand in 2015.

<i>Mercenary</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Mercenary is a 3D action-adventure game written for the Atari 8-bit computers and published by Novagen Software in 1985. It was converted to the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Amiga, and Commodore 16/116/Plus/4. The game uses vector graphics renderings of vast, sparse environments and has various methods of completing the game. It was also released as Mercenary: Escape from Targ and Mercenary: A Flight Simulator Adventure.

<i>Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior</i> 1987 video game

Barbarian: The Ultimate Warrior is a 1987 video game developed and published by Palace Software for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game was ported to many other systems and was licensed to Epyx who published it as Death Sword in the United States.

<i>Uridium</i> 1986 video game

Uridium is a science fiction side-scrolling shoot 'em up originally designed by Andrew Braybrook for the Commodore 64, and later ported to other 8-bit machines. It consists of fifteen levels, each named after a metal element, with the last level being called Uridium. The manual quotes Robert Orchard, who invented the name as saying "I really thought it existed".

<i>Nebulus</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Nebulus is a platform game created by John M. Phillips and published by Hewson Consultants in the late 1980s for home computer systems. International releases and ports were known by various other names: Castelian, Kyorochan Land, Subline, and Tower Toppler.

<i>Trailblazer</i> (video game) 1986 video game

Trailblazer is a racing video game developed by Mr. Chip Software and published by Gremlin Graphics for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit computers, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 16 and Plus/4 in 1986. It was ported to the Amiga and Atari ST.

<i>Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal</i> 1987 video game

Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal is a 1987 computer game for the Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC and the Amiga based on the comic strip Garfield. It is the second video game based on Jim Davis' Garfield comics to be released, following 1986's Create with Garfield.

<i>Sanxion</i> 1986 video game

Sanxion is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Stavros Fasoulas for the Commodore 64 and published in 1986 by Thalamus Ltd. It was the first game released by Thalamus. A ZX Spectrum port followed in 1989. Fasoulas also wrote Delta and Quedex.

<i>World Games</i> (video game) 1986 video game

World Games is a sports video game developed by Epyx for the Commodore 64 in 1986. Versions for the Apple IIGS, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Master System and other contemporary systems were also released. The NES version was released by Milton Bradley, and ported by Software Creations on behalf of producer Rare.

<i>World Tour Golf</i> 1986 video game

World Tour Golf is a 1986 video game by Evan and Nicky Robinson, Paul Reiche III and published by Electronic Arts for Commodore 64, Amiga, Apple IIGS, and DOS.

<i>10th Frame</i> 1986 video game

10th Frame is a ten-pin bowling simulation game published by Access Software in 1986. Up to eight players can take part in open bowling or a tournament. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC compatibles, MSX, and ZX Spectrum.

<i>GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two</i> 1986 video game

GBA Championship Basketball: Two-on-Two is a sports video game for IBM PC compatibles Amiga, Apple II, Apple IIGS, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, and Commodore 64. It was developed by Dynamix and published in 1986 by Activision.

<i>Saboteur II: Avenging Angel</i> 1987 video game

Saboteur II: Avenging Angel, also known as Saboteur 2, is an action-adventure game created by Clive Townsend and released by Durell Software in 1987 for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems. A sequel to 1985's Saboteur, the player controls a sister of Ninja from the first game on a mission to avenge his death. Saboteur II was one of the first action-adventure games with a female protagonist and was well received by critics.

<i>Temple of Apshai Trilogy</i> 1985 video game collection

Temple of Apshai Trilogy is a remake of three games from the Dunjonquest series, Temple of Apshai, Upper Reaches of Apshai, and Curse of Ra.

<i>Fight Night</i> (1985 video game) 1985 video game

Fight Night is a boxing video game developed by Sydney Development Corporation and published by Accolade in the United States and by U.S. Gold in the United Kingdom. It was initially released in 1985 for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit computers, and Commodore 64. The game includes both a single player mode and multiplayer mode. It includes the ability to customize the player's boxer. In total, there are five boxers to beat.

<i>Jewels of Darkness</i> 1986 video game

Jewels of Darkness is a trilogy of text adventure games by Level 9. The individual games were initially released separately in 1982. They featured some themes and names inspired by the books of J. R. R. Tolkien and so became known as the Middle-Earth Trilogy. The individual releases were available for the BBC Micro unlike the compilation.

<i>World Class Leader Board</i> 1987 video game

World Class Leader Board is a 1987 golf video game published by Access Software. It is part of the Leader Board series.

<i>Boulder Dash Construction Kit</i> 1986 video game

Boulder Dash Construction Kit is the fourth game in the Boulder Dash series. It was published for the Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit computers in 1986 by Epyx. Ports were released for the Apple II, Atari ST, Amiga, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, and MS-DOS. The Spectrum version was rereleased as Boulder Dash IV: The Game. Boulder Dash Construction Kit includes new levels and a level editor.

<i>TV Sports: Football</i> 1988 video game

TV Sports: Football is a 1988 video game by Cinemaware for Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, DOS, and TurboGrafx-16.

<i>Tomahawk</i> (video game) 1985 video game

Tomahawk is a video game published by Datasoft in 1985.

References

  1. "Leaderboard". Zzap!64 . July 1986. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  2. "Leaderboard". Your Sinclair . April 1987. Archived from the original on 2013-03-08. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  3. "Leaderboard". Sinclair User . April 1987. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  4. "Leaderboard". Crash . April 1987. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  5. "Leaderboard Tournament". Your Sinclair . August 1987. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  6. "Leaderboard (Executive Edition)". Zzap 64 . April 1987. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  7. "World Class Leaderboard". Zzap!64 . July 1987. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  8. "World Class Leaderboard". Your Sinclair . January 1988. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  9. Zzap!64 review, Newsfield Publications, issue 15, page 19
  10. "Top 50 Games of 1986". Commodore User . No. 43 (April 1987). 26 March 1987. p. 12.
  11. Ferrell, Keith (December 1987). "The Commodore Games That Live On And On". Compute's Gazette. pp. 18–22. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  12. Teverbaugh, Rick (Jun–Jul 1986). "Sports Scoreboard". Computer Gaming World. Vol. 1, no. 29. p. 32.
  13. Keizer, Gregg (June 1986). "Leader Board: The Pro Golf Simulator". Compute!'s Gazette. pp. 50–51. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
  14. Wagner, Roy (December 1986). "Amiga Preferences". Computer Gaming World . No. 33. p. 44. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
  15. Dunnington, Benn; Brown, Mark R.; Malcolm, Tom (January–February 1987). "Amiga Gallery". Info. pp. 90–95.
  16. Weaver, Mark (June 1987). "Leader Board". Antic.