Super Munchers. (computer game) (Evaluation)
by Carol Holzberg

Super Munchers offers fast-paced, arcade-style family entertainment in the classic Pac-Man tradition--but with a brain-teasing twist. You move a friendly animated character know as a Muncher around an electronic game board, gobbling up words that match a target rule. You earn points for each correct item munched, but you lose a Muncher if you chomp down on an object that doesn't fit the rule. The game ends when no reserve Munchers are left for board duty. High scorers earn a place of honor in the Super Munchers Hall of Heroes.

Five types of Troggles, or Muncher-gobbling meanies, make life difficult for morselmasticating Munchers. Troggles pop up onscreen at random locations and devour unsuspecting Munchers on contact. The higher the level of gameplay, the greater the Troggle menace. Munchers find temporary relief in Troggle-repelling Safe Zones, which Troggles can't enter.

To spice up the action, a special transformation cell appears whenever Munchers clow down on 20 correct items in a row. If players direct their Munchers to this cell, their game pieces change into Super Munchers! Super Munchers have 20 seconds to earn bonus points by trouncing every Troggle in sight. They earn extra super time if they chomp down on correct items as they navigate the board. As an added treat, after every three levels of play, players get to help Super Munchers on a special problem-solving mission.

Super Munchers is a terrific computer game because success requires more than just hand-eye coordination. Players also have to think. How well you do depends upon your ability to identify, classify, and categorize. The package features six major subject areas: Animals, Famous Americans, Food and Health, Geography, Music, plus Odds 'n' Ends. Each topic, in turn, has several target rules for a total of 150 categories (twice that many if you include negations). If you're looking for the ultimate in mind-building challenges, Super Munchers is a gaming enthusiast's dream come true.