C&VG


Jungle Quest

Publisher: Solar
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #40

Jungle Quest

Not another Pitfall rip-off, I thought, as Solar's Jungle Quest dropped onto my desk. With a slightly anti-feeling I loaded the game up and came away extremely surprised!

Jungle Quest has elements of Pitfall, but the game is still pretty original. The basic idea of the game is to help Jungle Jim rescue Jane from the cannibals' cooking pot - braving many jungle dangers along the way. He begins his quest being chased by a lion while unseen natives throw spears at him. He has to duck and jump the spears while keeping ahead of the roaring lion (a neat sound effect!) - who wants to take a bit out of our hero.

Then Jim has to swing over a swamp-infested with man-eating plants, swim a river full of evil-looking crocodiles, climb a mountain dodging rolling rocks and then finally take on the cannibal witch-doctor who is putting poor old Jane in the pot for his evening meal!

Jungle Quest

Jungle Quest is addictive and very playable. The graphics are pretty and the sound is nice too - a great version of I Want To Be Like You from the Jungle Book movie plays over the intro screen and The Rivers Of Babylon tinkles away as you play.

One minor point of criticism. I did find it difficult to spot the spears coming at me in the first of the five screens. A different colour choice would have made all the difference.

Overall, a nice looking game with that extra added mystery ingredient - playability!