Already available on the C64, this has to be *the* Manic Miner game for the
Beeb. Alligata have squeezed no less than twenty screens of tortuous action into
this game, making it a real challenge. Conquering every level will take you a
long, long time.
Blagger - in case you didn't know - is East End slang for 'Burglar'. You must
live up to your name by collecting keys to open a safe and move on to the next
level.
There are four keys on each screen, and getting them isn't at all easy. The display is broken up by platforms, conveyor belts, and moving ladders. You
must climb or jump from one level to another to collect the keys.
Some platforms collapse once you've crossed them and cannot be used for a return journey. Worst of all, each screen is patrolled by sprites of various shapes
and sizes. They may look harmless enough - after all, who's afraid of a toffee? - but they kill on contact. Timing is crucial to get past them without losing one of your four lives.
As you work your way through the different levels, you'll encounter model trains, flying saucers, mad nightwatchmen, and other hazards. To make things even more difficult, there is a time-limit on each screen.
My only gripe with Blagger is that, every time you lose a life, you have to start all over again on the first screen. There's also no way of turning off the sound effects, which get a bit irritating after a few hours play.
But as one of the very few multi-screen games available on the BBC machine these minor negative points aren't worth too much fuss: this is a great game.
Definitely a best buy for the Beeb. A game to beg, borrow or blag.