Zzap


Hi Bouncer!
By Mirrorsoft
Commodore 64/128

 
Published in Zzap #3

Colourful arcade fun for kids young and old

Hi-Bouncer

Jolly! Mr Bounce in his own arcade game - what fun! In fact, boys and girls, this jolly little game not only stars Mr Bounce but also his friends, the Mr Men.

The game takes place over four different screens and eight levels. Each of the four screens have a Mr Bounce rolling and bouncing around a different part of town, giving his friends a helping hand in different ways.

Mr Bounce loves to bounce. He can bounce high and low, left and right, by use of the joystick or keys - isn't it clever?! As he bounces around town, he must be very careful not to bump into any of his friends. If he should be so silly, then he will be bounced around the screen and lose one of his four lives.

Hi Bouncer!

If Mr Bounce loses all four lives then... all the fun will be over and the game will end. Never mind, you can always play another time.

If you help Mr Bounce score enough points, then you can type-in your name and see it at the top of the screen - isn't it exciting?!

When Mr Bounce finishes helping one of his friends, he bounces merrily round the screen to a jolly little tune. He then moves on to another part of town to give help to his other friends. How nice. After helping all four friends, he starts again, but this time there's more to do.

The Four, Fun screens

  1. Screen One: Oh no! Poor Mr Tall! His scarf and gloves have been blown into the road by a rotten gust of wind. Mr Bounce had better quickly catch them and return them to Mr Tall. Oops! There is falling fruit to avoid on later levels - watch out Mr Bounce!
  2. Screen Two: Tsk! Tsk! Dozy Mr Lazy is just too idle to finish building his house - gosh! How lazy! Mr Bounce gets things moving by jumping on the seesaw and catapulting the windows into place. Mind he doesn't step in the puddle!
  3. Screen Three: Poor old Mr Bump! He's feeling too bruised and battered to knock any more apples off the trees. Well done Mr Bounce! He will give Mr Bump a rest by catching the falling fruit and putting it in the basket. Better be careful, though, that puddle is back again!
  4. Screen Four: My! What a sunny day! It is so hot that Mr Snow is melting - fast! Still, Mr Bounce will help by collecting the clouds and covering the sun with them. Thanks Mr Bounce, but watch out for the birds!

BW

If you're young enough at heart you'll like this game, but don't expect much demanding gameplay. The later levels do get tougher, but it's a cute, colourful and interesting game, which even had us three kiddies in the office playing it.

GP

The Mr Men aren't by any means graphically wonderful on screen, and unfortunately don't capture any of their cartoon strip qualities. The simple bouncy noises and merry little tune are fitting for such a 'nice' game. But, despite being a fairly repetitive game, I found myself playing it frequently and enjoyed it a lot (blush). Fun for all children, no matter their age.

Verdict

Presentation 66%
Playful instructions but no game options.

Originality 70%
Cute Mr Men characters and some unusual gameplay.

Graphics 56%
Colourful with some animation and recognisable Mr Men.

Hookability 69%
Cuteness of the game provides humour and interest.

Sound 48%
Few sound effects and a simple tune throughout the game.

Lastability 69%
The screens are easy but there are increasing difficulty levels.

Value For Money 64%
Good fun for all kids - we liked it!

GP

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