Previous Next

There've been a number of variations on the platform game, but few have as original a scenario as this one.

Percy the Penguin is attempting to reach the sea to replenish his stock of sprats. On the way he has to avoid the attentions of seals, skuas, crabs, octopi and other assorted wildlife - Richard Attenborough, eat your heart out! A number of pots of radioactive waste have been buried in the ice fields and these will play havoc with a penguin's metabolism.

The game loads to display a set of instructions and indicate the keys to use. (I wish software hosues would record across both channels of the cassette. I can't be the only player to use a stereo deck to load software, and swapping the leads round is irritating.) The main game loads to a nicely drawn picture of Percy and, once started, the scenario is displayed. This consists of a number of white icefloes interspersed with blue pools, blue fish and black seals. You avoid the pools and the seals and jump on the fish for extra energy.

Your energy level is displayed at the top of the screen and declines with each step or jump you take. If it drops too low, your maximum jump distance is affected. The sun provides a time element as it slowly slides across the sky before sinking over the horizon.

If you fall in any of the pools or off the bottom of the screen (and it takes a lot of skill to avoid this) the scene below is not nearly so wholesome. Apart from all the animals and nuclear waste, icicles with evil eyes detach themselves from ledgers overhead as you pass. The ledges are in the same place each time around, but there are hidden barriers and slides to catch the unwary Percy. The music is persistent but may be turned down.

Everything about The Perils Of Percival Penguin is up to scratch, and yet I didn't really enjoy playing it. It lacks variety of scene and is rather too tough.