Previous Next

Monty Mole, the miner, was wanted by the police, captured and sentenced to years of hard labour in the horrible Scudmore Prison. With the help of Sam Stoat, he escaped and is now on the run. He must now collect gold coins on his way to the cross-Channel ferry and freedom.

Monty On The Run is the classic platform game and was a huge success on the C64. The C16 version compares favourably. The game offer 30 screens and the switch between screens is excellent, faster than your eyes and totally flicker-free. There are thirty totally different screens where a different strategy is needed for each one, with platforms, loads of different nasties, ladders, ropes, wire fences, poles and all sorts of things.

And the graphics? Terry Doid, the graphics man, has done a great job on them. The C64 version was acclaimed for its graphics and the C16 graphics are every bit as good. The sound, however, isn't. Only a few FX when you collect a coin or die. Not particularly good. But the graphics are *so* good you don't worry about the sound. If you don't like playing games in total silence, may I suggest the wearing of a Walkman.

the thing is... you just can't get everything for 16K. But the controls are simple: left and right; up and down for ropes, ladders and wire etc; fire jumps you straight up into the air and fire left and right jumps you sideways. Okay, all this is excellent, but how does it compare with the C64 version?

The C64 version had 49 screens, this only has thirty. The graphics are about the same, but the C64 version has an amazing in-game soundtrack, one of the best I've ever heard. The C64 version also had a hi-score table which the C16 doesn't, so you can't use the cheat mode which worked on the C64, trying in "I want to cheat" in the hi-score table.

Consequently, the C16 doesn't have the even more amazing bit of music that the C64 had, whilst entering your name, the best bit I've ever heard. But it doesn't (thank God) have the freedom bit and Monty doesn't somersault when you jump sideways. Now, if the C16 owners bought a ram pack, they could then incorporate many of these features. But, even as it stands, this is an excellent game.