“If you have fond memories of Core War, or if you think the Mars
rover would have been more interesting with a rocket launcher
strapped on, then MindRover: The Europa Project is for you. Lee
Anderson lays out the basics of designing your own rover and then
setting it free to blast away other people’s creations.”
“CogniToy’s debut release has caught many in the PC gaming
industry by surprise. The combination of independent, programmable
vehicles and challenging puzzles has proven to be a successful
game-play partnership on the Windows platform. With a company name
that embodies thinking (cogni, or cognition) CogniToy’s MindRover:
The Europa Project adds a new perspective to the rare strategy and
programming genre pioneered by Core War (see Resources for a link)
and offers a feast of addictive and entertaining features. There is
both good and bad news for Linux gamers: Loki Entertainment
Software has ported MindRover to Linux but may not release it for a
month or so yet because of printing problems with the boxes.”
“The MindRover story goes like this: A group of researchers on
the moon Europa spend their spare time reprogramming robot rovers.
The modified rovers compete against each other in events such as
battles, problem solving, racing, and even sumo wrestling. If you
can imagine a couple of Mars Pathfinder-type rovers with souped-up
engines and various weaponry (including rocket launchers!) you’ve
pretty much got the idea.”