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JAIL BIRD ESCAPES

DESCRIBED as an animated cartoon adventure Rapacallion from Bug-Byte is more a series of hazardous arcade screens interlinked and controlled by a central theme. The villain Rapscallion has stolen the title deeds to your castle and hurled you into the dungeon. A fairy princess turns you into a bird which enables you to escape.

From the dungeon you move through an assortment of rooms each of which contains various human, animal or physical dangers. Your aim is to find gems and informative pixies.

In the first section, the Wilderness, the task is to find a key to the Magic Labyrinth and a shield which will protect you from the guard. Once that is achieved the wizards who protect the castle gate must be approached, again after many dangers. If you avoid Rapscallion and enter the castle you will then need a magic wand to defeat him and win the deeds.

In all the sections you must trace and enlist the aid of friendly magical creatures. Losing a life turns you into a ghost. That lets you explore the screens of the current section unharmed but to continue the exploration properly your ghost must be reunited with your body. Making a map is recommended. In each new game the helpers and gems which give help are relocated.

Although the graphics seem rather blocky, the range of obstacles is enormous. There is also a save-game option. The graphics are not as sophisticated as Atic-Atac or Manic Miner but Rapscallion is still a difficult and complex game.

Memory: 48K Price: £6.95 Joystick: Kempston, Fuller, Protek, Interface 2