C&VG


Gilligan's Gold

Publisher: Ocean
Machine: Commodore 64

 
Published in Computer & Video Games #35

Gilligan's Gold

It's treasure that you're after in this game from Ocean.

The action takes place in a long-deserted gold mine and your job is to find bags of gold. The bad news is that there's a band of outlaws who also want that gold.

This game is another of those Manic Miner clones. What you have to do is to collect the bags of gold which are dotted around the screen and dump them in the wheelbarrow at the top.

Gilligan's Gold

Help comes in the form of bogeys which are small trucks that travel on the mine's railway. If you grab one of the overhead handles, then you can drop yourself into one of the passing trucks.

You are immune to death when you're in a truck. If you are walking normally, then any contact with one of the outlaws will kill you instantly.

The game is played against the clock and you have to collect all the bags before time runs out. As you collect each bag, you are given more time. A bonus score ticks away at the top of the screen and you get the bonus amount of points for collecting a bag and putting it in the wheelbarrow. The longer you take, the less points you get.

I found the game quite awkward to control. The joystick response is fast enough but, unless the bag is exactly on top of the wheelbarrow, then it won't register.

Sound effects are good. There's music while you play and a great tune before the game starts. Graphics are above average. The outlaws are realistic and the opening title screen with the Ocean logo is an example of how to get the most from sprite graphics.

Gilligan's Gold is more like China Miner than Manic Miner. If you're trying to decide between China Miner and Gilligan's Gold, you'd be better off with Gilligan's Gold. It's more fun and I enjoyed it.