Previous Next

Billed as a game in glorious Cinevision - black and white for those readers under 50 - Laurel And Hardy from Advance would at first sight appear to be something new and original.

The fact that it is programmed by Andy Wilson - the man behind the classic Dan Dare on the C64 - does nothing to dampen initial enthusiasm. Unfortunately, this excitement turns out to be unjustified.

The aim of the game is to hit your opponent - either Stan or Ollie, controlled by another player or the computer - full in the face with a predetermined number of flans.

To do this, you have to visit various locations and collect objects to help you in your quest. You can also enlist the help of a stray dog whilst avoiding the Keystone Cops.

However, since the long arm of the law refused to show itself during several hours of play, I can only assume they were avoiding me!

During play, the screen is divided horizontally into three windows, Ollie and his immediate surroundings at the top and Stan likewise at the bottom.

In the middle of the screen is a green strip containing a pianist - more of him later - and icons to show the status of both characters.

To carry out any action you must first stop moving. You then press fire and move your joystick up or down to choose an option.

These come in the form of silent screen "captions" which appear in your playing area and give you a description - if sometimes a little cryptic - of what you can do.

These are a nice idea, but they're hell to use. It is very easy to select the wrong option because of the awkward way you have to choose.

The skill in this game ought to be your ability to collect a pie, lay traps for your opponent, catch him off guard and slap him right in the mush while avoiding a similar fate yourself.

If you could actually do this, not only would the game be fun, but it would also capture the slapstick style that Advance has tried so hard to create. Instead, you spend ages trying to achieve what should be routine tasks in the game.

In the game's favour I have to say the animation is brilliant, especially in the way that is used to bring Stan and Ollie to life, but this alone cannot save the game. It's just a pity that Advance couldn't put it together.