Your Spectrum


Orm And Cheep: The Birthday Party

Author: Ross Holman
Publisher: Macmillian
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Your Spectrum #21

Orm and Cheep: The Birthday Party

Rick: Orm and Cheep doesn't exactly roll off the tongue like Starsky and Hutch or Arfur and Tel but they're the teeny heroes of the TV screen. Macmillan are definitely aiming this little offering at the under eights. However, in the best tradition of Watch With Mother (or Dad) this game is well presented and requires enough thought to allow oldies to play along too.

The game starts with a reaction test which will determine the ability level you start on. A memory test follows with Cheep, a flighty little thing, having to choose the ingredients for Orm's (the caterpillar with the gorms) birthday.

Cheep, the chatty little canary, then has to round up all the guests for the party too. Hedgehog, snail and mouse can be found through a simple maze which even has signposts to help the lost. Mole's underground tunnels are a little more complex and require some mapping out - all good practice for a budding computer buff. It's not that easy though you've got to avoid those nasty baddies the cat, crow and rat whilst you search.

Orm and Cheep: The Birthday Party

Once the gang's all there they have to be seated in the correct chairs. Having achieved that, the crow turns up and causes a kerfuffle so you have to start again. Never mind. The program cunningly adjusts the skill level the more accomplished you become.

Good, clear and colourful graphics, excellent sound effects and unpatronising instructions and attitude toward the younger user all go to make this a solid starter and, dare I say, educational game. 8/10

Ross: Takes you back to your childhood, dunnit? Shame about Cheep's broken wing though ... 7/10

Dougie: Educational software always seems to have the best graphics routines - why can't other publishers get to this standard? 8/10

Ross Holman

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