Games Computing


Gilligan's Gold

Publisher: Ocean
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Games Computing #15

Gilligan's Gold (Ocean)

Here is a game that has an extremely uncomplicated plot and so it proves my theory that some of the best games are those that have the simplest storylines.

The scenario has Gilligan in a gold mine where the gold has been mined and placed in bags, strewn in the shafts deep within the mine. The basic object of the game is to use Gilligan to collect all of the bags of gold and place them in the wheelbarrow, at the top of the screen/mine, before the time runs out or the Outlaws get you. Gilligan's movements are controlled with a joystick in either port 1 or 2.

The entire mine is spread over three screens which scroll as you move to the edge of the screen either left or right. Different levels of mine shaft are connected either by ladders or continuously moving lifts.

Gilligan's Gold

Loss of life can occur when Gilligan falls down a mine shaft, runs out of time or is accosted by a bandit. Bandits can be temporarily stunned by dropping a bag of gold through a mine shaft, on top of them.

The game's status as displayed on the screen shows the current score, high-score and number of lives remaining. At the start 4,000 units of time are allocated and these steadily decrease as the game progresses. Each bag of gold that is deposited in the wheelbarrow gives Gilligan another 4,000 units of time to attain the next bag of gold.

The graphics are excellent, in that they are extremely realistic and good use is made of the Commodore's music facilities.

I found this game to be exceedingly addictive as I found myself repeatedly playing the game with the incentive of going for just that one extra bag of gold each time I lost a life.