1st June 1984
Wally Kong
The Wally of Kong probably refers to the way your man leaps about like a wallaby in this version of the venerable platform game with four screens. On each screen there are generally five platforms each connected with various ladders. The features include lifts, moving platforms, barrels, fireballs and bonus objects.
The object of the game is quite traditional, climb to the top of each screen and rescue the maiden from Kong's clutches. This is done against the clock. Ends of platforms are dangerous in as much as you can fall to your death from them! The game claims to have an amazing 200 skill (speed) levels, but since the slowest and fastest have about the same relationship that you would expect from a game with 9 levels, this seems rather pointless.
Comments
Control keys: curs(e)rs and 0 to fire or Q/Z up/down, U/I left/right and P to jump
Joystick: Kempston, Protek, AGF
Keyboard play: good responses, pity man won't jump while any other key is depressed
Use of colour: good
Graphics: average to good
Sound: poor
Skill levels: 200
Lives: 200
Screen: 4
Comment 1
'Wally Kong is a fairly typical 'Kong' game and not bad either. The graphics and movement are both reasonable, and the man jumps very well. I liked this version but I still feel that the Ocean Kong is the best. This version tends to lack sound.'
Comment 2
'I didn't quite know what to make of the graphics in this game. They are clear and bright and reasonably detailed, and yet they still manage to look quite primitive. Your man leaps with gusto, but not while he's moving forward, which is silly. He can't jump near a ladder either, so it's important to time the run up to a ladder rather well. There are other oddities too. If you have the forward key pressed when a life starts, your man is invisible! But he still dies when a barrel rolls over where he ought to be. The second screen is pathetically simple, while the third with its two lifts is almost impossible because of their speed. It has good points, but it fails to be a very good or playable version.'
Comment 3
'The four screens are fairly copied from the original arcade version, first two screens being easy to clear, while the third is incredibly difficult due to the extreme speed of the lifts. Most of the characters are small and fairly primitive in their drawing. Not the best Kong around. Unlike the other Calisto games I've seen, this one offers a second keyboard option as well as the 'cursers' as they refer to them on the menu - I'm sure the spelling is intended!'
Screenshots
