Amstrad Action


Hard Hat Mack
By Ariolasoft
Amstrad CPC464

 
Published in Amstrad Action #1

Mack is involved in a very hairy piece of construction work high among the girders of an unfinished building. You have to complete the building work on three progressively harder screens. The first screen is made up of five levels of girders, four of which have a chunk missing out of them. Lying about are blocks which you have to pick up and drop into the gaps. Once in place you have to catch a rivet gun that bounces around the site and rivet the blocks into position. A springboard at the right of the screen, a lift at the left and chains help you get between girders but there are dangers that may knock you off.

If you complete three screens you go through them again with additional hazards. Each screen has a bonus time that ticks down and if this runs out you lose a life or get it as points if you finish the screen in time.

Good News

  1. Clever ideas for screens and animation.
  2. Calls for good timing and reflexes.
  3. The screens are very tough.

Bad News

  1. There are only three screens.
  2. Some of the jump timing is too finicky for comfort.
  3. There's no music - just sound effects

Second Opinion

The game's very attractive to look at - it seems dead easy, but it isn't quite. Unfortunately, it really shows its age (1983) with only three screens, and the gameplay won't test veterans of more recent programs.