Home Computing Weekly


Catterpillar

Categories: Review: Software
Author: N.W.
Publisher: CDS
Machine: Spectrum 16K

 
Published in Home Computing Weekly #11

A blue spider, a green flea, a red scorpion and a purple caterpillar are your main foes in this game. Try to destroy the caterpillar a segment at a time as it descends on you through a field of mushrooms. If it touches your gun, you are dead.

Each time the caterpillar touches a mushroom it moves one stage lower - and if the mushroom is red, it drops straight to the bottom of the screen.

While all this is going on, a yoyo-esque spider is doing its utmost to bounce on you, while clearing the mushrooms from the bottom of the screen. If it succeeds, the flea comes hurtling down, leaving a trial of mushrooms behind it.

Points are scored for destroying anything on the screen except yourself in this highly complicated arcade game - which could be highly enjoyable too, were it not for the limitations of the Spectrum keyboard.

A joystick is a must for a game like this, but the program doesn't provide for one. Matters aren't improved by the keys chosen for control. With one hand on the cursor keys and the other on the bottom row for firing, you could tie yourself in knots once the action hots up. A good game, let down by its hardware.

N.W.

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