Spy vs. Spy III: Arctic Antics

A somewhat disappointing end to one of the best two-player splitscreen series ever, Spy vs Spy 3: Arctic Antics marks the comeback of those wicked spies Black & White from MAD Magazine to the computer screen.

This time, the location of their never-ending feud is the arctics, with a variety of new, creative weapons for the pair to maim each other with. Similar to the first 2 Spy vs. Spy games (which unfortunately were never made for PC), the first thing you have to do in Spy vs. Spy 3 is find some high-powered equipment and weapons. Each "stage" is made up of a number of interconnected rooms that conceal items that are the objectives of your quest. The problem, of course, is that they are also the objectives of the opposing spy and he will do everything to get his slimy hands on them before you can. There is one catch: you cannot hold all of the items in your hand. To capture everything you must first find and acquire the suitcase. After finding everything you need, you must immediately exit as quickly as you can, avoiding contact with the enemy.

Of course, a Spy vs. Spy game would not be complete without the mayhem and wanton destruction MAD fans are familiar with. In this game, there are many kinds of traps that you can set for your opponent to find, ranging from the typical (time bomb) to the creative (traps, water bucket). You must be careful of the other Spy, who has access to the same weapons and items that you do.

As with earlier Spy vs. Spy games, the game is best played with a friend, since computer Spy is quite stupid. The clock is constantly ticking, so you must be quick on your toes and sharp on your wit. Since the game is set in the Arctics, the playing area looks much more boring and barren than the previous two games, and give you less room to set up devious traps. The frantic fun and charming gameplay still makes it a Top Dog, but for the best of the series, play the Commodore 64 version of the first 2 games instead.

Review By HOTUD