Bouncing Berty + Eskimo Capers

Crash

Use of Computer 45%

Graphics 36%

Playability 28%

Getting Started 25%

Addictive Qualities 15%

Value For Money 47%

Overall 33%

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Power Soft Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £3.50 Language: Machine code Author: Ian Richards Bouncing Berty is a 'Q-Bert' type game while Eskimo Capers is a 'Pengo' type game. The two come together on this budget-priced cassette. Neither game type needs much explanation. Bouncing Berty has the familiar seven-tier pyramid structure with one ball hazard on the first screens, but these increase as you progress, two balls, then the balls and a snake and so on. The other feature is the discs on either side of the tower onto which Berty can jump to escape to the top of the screen again. Eskimo Capers has a rather small maze with the traditional blue ice blocks which can be burned away or fired in the direction of travel to squash any of the four bugs that might be in the way. There are also three red blocks which can be moved but not destroyed. There are four bugs on screen at one time but to get to the next screen, eight in all must be killed off, and these are shown at the base of the playing area. COMMENTS Control keys: B.B. uses Q/A and P/L, E.C. uses an odd combination of 'shifted' cursors, actually the sinclair keys but used as cursors so 6/9 is left /right 7/8 is up/down with zero to fire Joystick: Kempston Keyboard play: not very responsive Use of colour: fair Graphics: small, jerky and uninteresting, although in B.B. the pyramid works quite well Sound: poor Skill levels: 1 Lives: 3 Screens: 1

Graphically, not a bad 'Q-Bert' type game in BOUNCING BERTIE.

The large scoreline makes for a tiny playing area in ESKIMO CAPERS.

Personal Computer News

Overall 8/10

Ian Scales 8/10

PRICE: £3.50 PUBLISHER: Power Software [redacted] It was inevitable we should get the micro equivalent of the K-TEL all-time greats. Especially as the bumper Christmas season looms large for software houses trying to make a crust. Power Software is not in the K-TEL league but its latest 'Budget Series' illustrates the trend. For £3.50 it can sell two well-proven game types, so what chance do new games have? The Power Software Budget Series packages Bouncing Bertie and Eskimo Capers on the one cassette for the 16K and 48K Spectrum. Bouncing Bertie is a variation of Q'bert which was very popular a year or so ago. It's low on excitement and impressive screen action, and is more of a strategy game. The idea is to jump up and down filling in the tops of the cubes on a pyramidal structure while avoiding the bouncing balls and snakes. You can land on a disk to get back to the top of the structure. Bouncing Bertie is frustrating to play at first, but becomes more likeable as you get more successful. In Gameplay jargon we could call this the 'familiarity threshold factor'. Resistance to high FTF is probably one of the main reasons derivative games tend to be popular with the game player: when you know how to play a close relative, you can play it with effect more quickly. Its companion, Eskimo Capers also has a familiar feel to it. A maze of snowmen can be pushed about by the terrified Eskimo to block or eradicate what appear to be cold-resistant pac-men, busy gobbling their way around the maze. The cast of characters become progressively more voracious - hatching snow devil eggs, dancing snowmen etc. There are two complaints. Without joysticks, you're expected to manipulate the 6,7,8,9 and 0 keys for left, up, down, right and push/crumble respectively. Surely Q and A etc would be easier? Another drawback concerns the persistent tunes. Even with five they still get tedious - no wonder the hatching snow devil eggs have such nasty personalities. Two good versions of old games - good value.