Personal Computer Games


Bonzo

Author: BM
Publisher: Audiogenic
Machine: Commodore Vic 20

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #3

Bonzo

The loading gave no problems, but any difficulties would have been minimized because Audiogenic gives you two copies on each side of the tape.

You use the joystick or four well-chosen keys to move the little workman around. The figure is really endearing. In fact, the use of colour graphics is good all-round.

You are presented with a screen of various layers, linked by ladders of varying lengths.

A good feature is that every game is different, because the placing of the ladders, and the boxes, which you must collect, are random. You always start at the bottom layer, and the evil monsters which try to stop you start at the top.

You pick up the boxes simply by walking past them, and you go up and down the ladders under your own control.

You can't jump off a ladder other than when you have precisely reached a particular floor so that you must operate coolly under stress as the Bonzos get near.

You score highest by clearing all the boxes without being caught. This takes you to the next level of play, with the boxes worth more points - but the Bonzos doubled in number. So getting to the third and highest level takes a lot of skill.

I liked this game. It is not a shoot 'em up, and your interest is likely to be kept going by the commiseration 'Next time the ladders and boxes may be more suitably placed.'

It lacks skill levels, which is a pity, but score ratings means it can be used by any number of people as a form of competition.

BM

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