Pengwyn

Author: SC
Publisher: Postern
Machine: Acorn Electron

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #6

Pengwyn

You find all manner of creatures in the arcades these days. I suppose penguins were bound to make it sooner or later. Now they've come home to roost in your Acorn computer.

The BBC and Electron versions are identical, and both come on the same cassette. This is something of an advantage for BBC owners. When you get tired of the BBC version, you load up the Electron version, which runs at breakneck speed on the Beeb! Try getting a high score on that!

The idea of this game, in case you're not familiar with life in the Antarctic, is simple. A penguin has to improve his living conditions by getting some boxes in a line. His task is complicated by blocks of ice and a couple of penguinivorous Pac-people.

Pengwyn

The monsters chase the bird about the screen, and you can only get rid of them (temporarily) by pushing blocks of ice on to them.

The bird can melt blocks of ice if they're in the way, but otherwise he just has to shove and push to get things into the shape he wants.

Melting the ice can be dangerous, because the monsters have the annoying habit of hiding inside the blocks and leaping out at you.

Pengwyn

The monsters in Postern's game are intelligent and very aggressive. There are two to start with, and more turn up as the game progresses.

One important omission is that, unlike most versions of Pengy, you can't stun the monsters by electrifying the maze's outer walls. This considerably cuts down your strategy options.

Despite this, good graphics and challenging play make Pengwyn an enjoyable version of Pengy for stay-at-home arcade freaks.

SC

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