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Games Computing
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Jungle Jive (Virgin Games)
First of all, may I welcome this innovative approach from Virgin Games, in supplying versions for both the BBC and the Electron on one cassette. With many owners of the latter machine perhaps thinking of upgrading the Beeb when finances allow, it will be handy to be able to use some software again. I hope other manufacturers follow suit, especially with programs designed for educational purposes, which could then be run at school on the BBC and at home on the Electron.
Getting back to the subject, I have played various Virgin games on several micros, and they have always seemed to be good or very poor indeed. This particular offering tends to disprove my theory, being a fair game with reasonable graphics, poor sound and not really much of a plot. The end result is a game which is quite frustratingly fun to play, but which will never get me hooked in the same way other tapes might do.
The scene is a jungle, and you are an intrepid explorer who realizes he is not really alone. All around are an assortment of animals which are closing in from both sides of the screen and whose every touch is deadly.
Your movements are limited to upwards or downwards (with a wraparound feature between the two), and you fire either to the left or right. Shooting the animals brings slight relief and some points, although there is a well drawn snake which cannot be killed and which glides around the screen. There are supposed to be some baboons which must be kept be alive for your safety, but I found the graphics didn't allow me to decide which they were! There are some pink (!) elephants, and several hippopotami which give the game a little comic content, but overall the idea behind the game just doesn't justify the price-tag.