Dragon User


Miser's Dream

Author: Mike R. Vine
Publisher: Microvision
Machine: Dragon 32

 
Published in Dragon User #051

Pennies From Above

Miser's Dream is the sort of excellent program that doesn't sell owing to lack of publicity and/or reviews. (I've been on at Microvision, but I gather the chap in charge of marketing hasn't twigged that you do actually have to draw people's attention to games a few times before they get around to parting with cash! - Ed)

Another game from Jason Falcus of Eddie Steady Go fame, it simply involves collecting coins that fall from a cash-bag at the top of ten progressively harder screens, and guiding them so that they fall into a piggy bank at the bottom.

The joystick controls a pointer, to move ledges, see-saw style, either up or down to guide the falling coins into the littie pig, though there are moving platforms to aid or hinder the falling on several screens. Out to stop all this is The American Express (a train, not a card!), chuffing happily across the top of each screen, which drops dollars down as it passes. These destroy any coins that touch them, but can be shot away if you reach them quickly enough. Also to be tackled is the Money Spider, which eats any coins it encounters on the way to the pig. This must be filled within the time limit, with bonus points equal to remaining time once the little pig has been filled.

The start menu allows keyboard control if desired (The keys being redefinable), and a skill level that ranges from 'Simpleton' to 'Expert'. Then onto the PMODE3 game screen, nicely detailed and laid out, the coins bouncing realistically from ledge to ledge. Again, like Eddie Steady Go, some screens look ridiculously easy, while the later ones require some careful thought. The result of getting to the tenth screen will have to wait for a true "expert" to discover, though.

This is a very original, definitely a 'just one more go' game, dealing with a subject close to my heart, and retails for £7.95, at which price it gives good value for money. A nice finishing touch is that should you beat 'M. T. Wallet' in the 'Hall of the Rich' table, it is possible to reset and save your achievement when you next play.

Mike R. Vine