Personal Compuer Games


Cuthbert In The Jungle
By Microdeal
Dragon 32

 
Published in Personal Computer Games #7

Have a swinging time on Cuthbert's crazy safari

Cuthbert In The Jungle

Cuthbert's has a pretty tough old life. First he had to go Walkabout, filling in lots of squares on the screen. Then he went off digging, pursued by the Moronian monsters. He'd scarcely had time to get his breath back before he was off again, this time to a steamy jungle infested with ferocious wildlife.

Cuthbert In The Jungle sees our hero engaged in a search for treasure which can only be found after successfully negotiating a series of terrifying hazards. Cuthbert, dressed top-to-toe in his maroon jungle-jogging suit, begins his perilous quest against the exotic background of blue trees and green screen (after all, this is a Dragon jungle). You press the fire-button and, suddenly, enormous boulders are rolling towards Cuthbert.

No problem - Cuthbert's a mean jumper. Anyway, these rocks won't kill him but only knock points off the 2,000 he started with. There are also holes in the ground which Cuthbert tends to fall through if he mistimes his leap. Again, you don't lose one of your three lives: you just waste time climbing back up the ladder. But if he stays in the depths he will encounter the large scorpion which lives there.

Cuthbert In The Jungle

The first major obstacle Cuthbert comes up against is the pond, a wide expanse of shimmering blue water. The only way across is to catch the vine swinging above and get carried over Tarzan-style. If you miss it or fall off then you drop through to the stinging subterranean scorpion.

The vine is pretty tricky, but not nearly so difficult as the next pond, where three snapping alligators are waiting to make a meal of Cuthbert.

Their red heads pop out of the water and white teeth gleam in their gaping jaws. Cuthbert can only cross when the 'gators' gobs are shut. This requires a fine sense of timing; often Cuthbert ends up in the gullet of the last reptile.

Cuthbert In The Jungle

Beat the alligators and it's on to the strange appearing/disappearing pond; one minute it's there, the next it's gone.

And so is Cuthbert. Lurking evilly on the far side of the water is a writhing, venom-spitting snake. There's no known antidote.

A hot blue flame is the final obstacle before Cuthbert can start collecting treasure and accumulating points before the 20-minute time limit expires.

From now on the same dangers reappear, but in strange permutations. What makes Cuthbert In The Jungle such fun is the variety of hazards the player is faced with and the skill needed to get through them. The frustration you suffer makes success all the more pleasurable.

When you add to this the excellent animation of Cuthbert himself and the good sound effects, you realise that this is one of the most enjoyable Dragon games around.

PC

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