Zzap


Edd The Duck
By Impulze
Amiga 500

 
Published in Zzap #70

Edd The Duck

Television will never be the same! At last, Edd the Duck has been given his own TV series. However, Wilson the Butler is a bit miffed at being left out. He reckons he had a hand in Edd's rise to fame, so he sets out to sabotage the show.

Edd's TV series is split into nine episodes, three for each of the three BBC Departments: Weather, Special FX and Children's TV. In each vertically scrolling episode Edd must jump between platforms, collecting stars and avoiding Wilson's cronies - including fish, bumblebees and even Arglefrags from the Alpha Centauri System (you've got to hand it to Wilson, he's got contacts). If Edd collides with any of these he takes a fall and the director orders a retake - Edd has four takes (lives) in all.

Edd also has a special snowball firer which freezes nasties for a short time, allowing him to safely pass through them. When Edd has collected all twenty stars, he can star in the next episode.

Stu

Edd The Duck

Edd is a peculiar little game: the basic style and some attractively cute sprites give a Rainbow Islands feel, but actual gameplay is more dated - in fact, Jet Set Willy has more sophistication!

Still, leaping from platform to platform while dodging, or shooting the baddies certainly isn't easy. Edd jumps a set distance, so picking where to jump from is often crucial, as is working out alien movement cycles. The aliens don't home-in, but they have to be beaten to get those stars and can't be killed - falling often lands you on top of a baddy who has just woken up!

So, although basic, play is challenging and somewhat compulsive. Quality graphics and a nice soundtrack on the Amiga mean Edd fans will no doubt be hooked, even if I wasn't.

Edd The Duck

The C64 version plays much the same, and although baddie sprites are generally Spectrumesque, colourful platforms and a good main sprite compensate.

Phil

First impressions are of Rainbow Islands, what with the vertically scrolling, platform-filled levels. However, Edd The Duck plays much simpler than that: just collect the stars without touching the nasties.

Maybe it's the cute main character, but the game has a certain simple charm that keeps you coming back for another try. Technically, neither version impresses. Despite some Spectrumesque sprites, the C64 version comes off the better, mainly due to the 8-bit nature of the game.

Edd The Duck

Eddis also slightly smaller in relation to the screen size, so you can see more above him. Nonetheless it's more difficult than the Amiga game - even the first level is a challenge to complete.

Sound is good on both formats, with the jolly Amiga tune particularly pleasing.

All in all, not quite a quacker but good fun for Edd fans.

Amiga

Edd The Duck

Presentation 55%
Same as C64.

Graphics 69%
Simplistic for nicely animated and shaded.

Sound 72%
Pleasant in-game tune and tunelets, no FX.

Edd The Duck

Hookability 68%
Very easy to get into.

Lastability 62%
Only nine levels, and not as challenging as the C64.

Overall 66%
Simplistic but good fun for Edd fans.

C64

Presentation 62%
No multi-load, high score table, simple death and 'episode complete' screens.

Graphics 63%
Monochrome nasties ook a bit Spectrummy, but the overall look is cheerful.

Sound 66%
Jolly title tune, in-game spot FX and tunelets.

Hookability 71%
Simple concept makes it immediately playable.

Lastability 68%
Only nine similar levels, but they're challenging enough.

Overall 70%
Good simple fun.