| Crash's Christmas Special of 1986 reviewed Elite's Spectrum version at £7.95 and rated it 77% overall, with the general verdict "a near miss": 75% for use of computer, 78% for graphics, 76% for playability, 76% for getting started, 72% for addictive qualities and 72% for value for money. Its next issue printed a letter from Mark Edwards of Redcliffe Bay, Bristol, who had seen the game made a five-star Sinclair User Classic and objected to Crash's verdict. The reply said that Steve Wilcox of Elite, among others, had found the reviewers a bit harsh, but that the reviewers stood by their ratings, finding not that much of a game there, and asked readers whether they were wrong. | p. 46 (image 46), letters, "Unfair!"p. 46 (image 46), lettersp. 46 (image 46), replyp. 46 (image 46), replyp. 46 (image 46), reply | Magazine |
| Imagine published the ZX Spectrum Terra Cresta at £7.95, for the 48K and 128K machines. Crash credited it to Jonathan Smith; Sinclair User's credit line read "in-house". | p. 23, Terra Crestap. 23, Terra Cresta | Magazine |
| Crash gave the Spectrum version 81% overall in February 1987, with 88% for presentation, 75% for graphics, 84% for playability, 82% for addictive qualities and 76% for value for money, calling it "a slick, enjoyable shoot 'em up". | p. 23, Terra Cresta, ratingsp. 23, Terra Cresta, ratingsp. 23, Terra Cresta, ratings | Magazine |
| Crash's three reviewers, Ben, Paul and Mike, liked the Spectrum game. One found it the most successful of the recent vertically scrolling shoot 'em ups despite its tiny playing area and high difficulty, though its layout was little like the arcade original's. Paul found it close to US Gold's Xevious but much more fun, regretted that one mistake sends the player back to the beginning, and wanted a two-player option. The third found the graphics tiny, the scrolling smooth, and the game slightly unoriginal and expensive but a lot of fun. | p. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticismp. 23, Terra Cresta, criticism | Magazine |