From one oddly named game to another today, we leave Eric and the Floaters and zoom over to the rather colourful Knot in 3D which arrives at number #60 in the Your Sinclair Top 100.
Knot in 3D was was created by Malcolm E. Evans in 1983, and was released via New Generation Software – Malcolm’s own publishing company – for which he had released a number of titles, including the highly popular 3D Monster Maze and Trashman.
Initially in loading Knot in 3D you’ll be confused as to what you’re actually doing! You’re greeted with a blank screen, then rectangular columns appear in the void around you and your hurtling towards them, then damage is taken and it’s game over. In truth the idea of the game is a rather simple affair and you only need to look at Tron to understand it – this is technically the famous Light cycle battle replicated within a 16x16x16 cube. The columns you can see are the trails from the other contenders and it’s your goal to fill this cube with your trial – which can be green or yellow – and you score points by filling said cube.
Knot in 3D is a curious game; it’s original and enjoyable to an extent. After a while of coursing through the void the game becomes a wee built dull, then on the flipside when the game becomes overly packed with coloured trails, you feel that panic and luck is pulling you out of the flames rather than careful planning.
It’s odd to think when you look at this game that this came from the same creative mind as Trashman – which was released in 1984 – but here is a game that in truth looks (also plays) years ahead of anything the ZX Spectrum should have been delivering back in 1983! Knot in 3D is worth loading up just to experience it, though in terms of longevity I don’t think it will hold you for a long time.
Originally published June 29, 2016. Updated November 10, 2022.
