Kong Strikes Back

Your Spectrum

Craig Rawstron

RETURN OF THE HEROES! "After being turned down for a part in the Kong re-make in favour of an electronic toy, I moved into the arcades and used my brute strength to push Space Invaders and Pacman out of the top machines. But, now, two years on, Kong Strikes Back seems a poor follow-up. "Things have certainly changed around here since I was captured in Kong. In the original game, I dumped my victim at the top of some scaffolding, and ended up throwing barrels, fireballs and everything else I could find down at ol' 'stickman' (as I used to call him!) This time, I've lugged her, screaming, to the highest place I can find in a fairground - the roller coaster! I have this feeling that I should be looking around for my old stomping ground - the Empire State Building - where I've spent many an enchanted evening with Faye and Jessica, but the people at Ocean assure me that that's irrelevant! Back to the fairground and the hero of the piece (which isn't me, heh heh!) is trying to climb the roller coaster. Hmm, he seems to have put some weight on since last time we met - which should make all the more difficult for him to avoid the four cars I'm setting in motion. Gnash, gnash -- he's only got those bombs again ... still, he's only got four of them, so he'll have to watch out on the next level. Talking of putting on weight, I must say I look a little more substantial than did in Kong. Which is something I console myself with when I see how little imagination has gone into the four levels of play - OK, there are pies, springs and roller coasters cars ... but it does get a bit repetitive! If Ocean can't do better than this, I'm back off to the jungle - maybe, me and my old big-screen chum, Faye Raye, can get a part of the latest Tarzan re-make!"

LEVEL 1 DIFFICULTY RATING: 1/5 The roller coasters move quite fast, but they're not that difficult to predict; they do, however, pick up great speed on the downhill track - probably due to the following wind! This is where Kong appears, setting the roller coaster cars in motion. You'll only see Kong for a few short seconds, so keep those eyes peeled. Now here's a familiar skyline - the good ol' Empire State building where Kong staged many a drama on the silver screen. Here, though, the pretty graphics are just that... shame! The number of lives and bombs you've got left are displayed on-screen. You're given four bombs on each screen, but you've only got five lives and when they're all used up, it's curtains. This is the end of the roller coasters' route - once they've been round the entire circuit, they'll pass through here ... only to reappear a matter of seconds later!

LEVEL 2 DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5 The ladders provide a sanctuary from the roller coaster cars - in a crisis. you can let them trundle underneath while you stay safe at the top of the ladder. Watch that your head doesn't touch the track above, though - you wouldn't want to lose your head, would you? Above some of the ladders, you'll see the red heart shapes, tokens of your love for your sweetheart trapped in Kong's grasp. To grab some bonus points, nip up the ladders and touch them. There's a time limit for each screen, bit in the YS playtest this never actually proved to be a contributing factor to on-screen loss of life. Apparently, though, on higher levels, it does make things a bit awkward! Intersections in the track certainly make life difficult. Where two tracks meet, it doesn't matter which one you're standing on - the roller coasters could get you. A little unfair - but that's life (or death!).

LEVEL 3 DIFFICULTY RATING: 5/5 The hero of the piece has a total of four bombs each screen - and these are designed to destroy the roller coaster cars. You've got to fire a bomb to destroy a car on the straight; as soon as a bomb tries to manoeuvre for a corner, it self-destructs! This is where the hero's sweetheart has been stashed away. Although she appears on each screen, it's only when you get on to the fourth screen that you actually get to touch her; usually, if you get anywhere near her, you're transported to the next level! Yes, you've probably noticed by now that all the screens look pretty much alike. However, this screen is by far the hardest to complete! The 'BONUS' marker here acts like a fruit machine, with each of the individual letters spinning. The idea is to collect the hearts and keep the letters spinning - and when you've got them all going, you get bonus points. Confused? You will be! You'll notice that when you get the hero going downhill on the track, he slides down on his backside! It's certainly quick, but he's probably got piles now..

LEVEL 4 DIFFICULTY RATING: 4/5 When the hero's killed, he falls on his back with his legs in the air. Not a pleasant experience! As you progress through the levels, the track may look the same... but some of these empty spaces are filled with all sorts of obstacles. For example, try avoiding the bowls of black custard if you can! When you get through this level, play begins back at Level 1 again: this time, though, you collect Spectrums instead of hearts. (No-one managed to get through the third level so we don't know if you than have to collect Spectrum+s!) This here's your first good look at Kong. All he does is sit there like a parrot on a perch, making no contribution to the game at all. He does, however, close his eyes if you manage to catch up with your sweetheart. Thrills!

Sinclair Programs

Rating 65%

Colette McDermott 65%

PRICE: £5.90 Kong Strikes Back is based on a very simple concept, which is surprisingly successful and addictive. Your aim is to travel along a curving and looping track in order to reach the other end. Moving in the opposite direction are roller coaster cars, which Kong pushes towards you. You can avoid the cars by climbing ladders, but you must be careful to position yourself near a ladder as a car approaches, and you must keep an eye open to check that no car is approaching on the track above. Movement of cars is completely predictable, and you have a supply of bombs with which you can fend off on-coming cars at the last minute, but this remains a remarkably difficult game to perfect. Added complications are that if you pick up bonus points at the right time, you will be able to collect a bonus life and that, if you complete a screen quickly, you will gain more points. These distractions are enough to divert all but the most eagle-eyed players. There are four screens, each with a different track layout. Once you have completed these four, you run through the same track layouts again, this time with the additional hazards of what appear to be rolling balls, and bouncing hour glasses, but which the cassette sleeve describe as pies and springs. A well-thought out and immaculately constructed arcade game, Kong Strikes Back is produced by Ocean, [redacted].

Crash

Use of Computer 80%

Graphics 79%

Playability 77%

Getting Started 81%

Addictive Qualities 63%

Value For Money 55%

Overall 73%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Ocean Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £6.95 Language: Machine code Author: N. Alderton & J. M. Smith Ocean's original attempt at Kong brings back painful memories for some people. It wasn't really what you would call the definitive version. Some liked it a lot and others thought it was chronic. Well over the last year or so things have changed at Ocean and Kong Strikes Back isn't a rehash of Kong but an entirely original game. Oddly enough, Ocean's Hunchback II has more in common with the traditional 'Kong' format. The idea of the game, however, hasn't changed and it is to rescue the damsel in distress. The damsel is distressed up at the top of a fairground roller coaster and you start at the bottom. The object is to climb to the top of the roller coaster ride by walking along the rails to achieve your goal but ... well as per usual it's not that easy. Kong, from whom you are rescuing the damsel, sends roller coaster cars at you and if you are hit by one a life is lost. These can be avoided by climbing ladders or by destroying them with your limited stock of bombs. Upon reaching the top, the time left is added to your score and then onto the next sheet, of which there are four of increasing complexity. Bonuses are received by collecting objects like hearts from the tops of some ladders. When you have finished the four sheets you start all over again but with some new nasties added to the scenario. COMMENTS Control keys: user definable, four directions and fire needed Joystick: almost any via UDK and provided options Keyboard play: responsive, although a bit finicky on positioning for the ladders Use of colour: average Graphics: different! Reasonable size, although characters are not very well drawn Sound: not much Skill levels: 1 but progressive difficulty Lives: 4 to start, but bonus lives add Screens: 4

Another game from Ocean this month that features a screaming damson in distress - though this one's a bit of a scarecrow. This is the first screen from the game, and as you can see, it's nothing like the KONG we know.