Crash


Killer Knight

Author:
Publisher: Phipps Associates
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Crash #3

Killer Knight

Killer Knight sounds adventurish, especially coming from Phipps Associates, who are noted for their adventures, but in fact this is an arcade game, indeed, a thinly disguised 'Donkey Kong'. The scenario has you whipped back in time through some fault in the space/time continuum, hand in hand with your girlfriend. A wicked knight comes up out of the blue, so to speak, and kidnapped your girl, taking her to the top of his castle.

You decide to climb up and rescue her while the knight rolls barrels down at you. There are also 3 or 4 holes in each of the four floors which must be jumped. If you fall through your man doubles up in pain and succumbs. A green umbrella sits on the ground floor beyond the first ladder, and this may be used once to help break a fall.

Comments

Control keys: 6/7 jump/walk left, 8/9 walk/jump right
Joystick: Kempston
Keyboard play: very responsive
Colour: average
Graphics: small, but neat and reasonable
Sound: continuous, good
Skill levels: 1
Lives: 4
Screens: 3

Comment 1

Killer Knight

'It's a pity the instructions are contained in the first part of the load, although the control keys are repeated between any game, as one never seems to remember all the detail. The graphics are very bright and clean. The layout of the first screen is quite simple, the ground and four floors being connected by ladders at either end in a zigzag formation. Control of your man is nice and simple and he moves very positively, automatically climbing ladders as soon as he touches them. A fast game, and a worthy addition to the Kongs.'

Comment 2

'You must be precise in jumping the barrels, , and mastering this takes some time. A nasty programming trick is the automatic climbing of ladders. While this certainly saves a control key, I found that if you still have a walk key pressed when he reaches the top, he falls over the edge of the floor to his death! Getting the umbrella was difficult at first because it's located beyond a ladder, and the man goes up it as soon as he reaches the ladder. The trick was to get one character from the ladder and then jump across its base. I didn't see the second screen. This is a hard game.'

Comment 3

'The graphics are quite good, although rather small, and I liked the continuous sound. This 'Kong' type game is above average, it's very fast and difficult. Its difficulty makes it rather addictive.'

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