Home Computing Weekly


Screwball

Author: D.B.
Publisher: Blue Ribbon
Machine: BBC Model B

 
Published in Home Computing Weekly #128

Screwball is basically a very simple game. You are the "Screwball" and it is your job to jump around the 3-D maze changing the colour of the squares in order to progress to the next screen. You have 60 seconds in which to complete your task before you die. However, 60 seconds is a long time and there are some rather awful little black bugs which are there just to make your task a little more interesting.

By simply moving over the squares they would have difficulty catching you, so to help, they do not always move onto the squares. Your defence against the bugs is your ability to dig holes into which they will fall. In case of deep trouble there is also a hyperspace function which returns you to the top of the screen. Of course this has no guarantee of working and you can often die using it.

The instructions are quite adequate and the graphics are very pretty. Needless to say, there are problems with the game. By cunningly placing the holes where the bugs appear it is possible to gain extremely high scores, but this also makes the game quite boring. The main criticism I have is that the game contains a bug which I'm sure was not intended. Occasionally a second stationary screwball will appear which cannot be moved and when eaten by a "black bug" causes you to die. Though, I must say, on the whole the game is of a high standard.

D.B.

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