Home Computing Weekly


Steeple Jack

Author: D.R.
Publisher: English
Machine: Atari 400/800

 
Published in Home Computing Weekly #37

This game features a little boy called Steeple Jack who, one day seeing real steeple jacks at work, decides to become one himself.

It is at this point that the player becomes involved, by moving Steeple Jack up a network of randomly-generated ladders on the world's tallest chimney while avoiding the falling elephants, a rather tame-looking ghost and gaps in the ladder system, which all cause Jack to fall off as he attempts to climb higher.

Jack's animated face adds a touch of humour to this game as it blinks and squirms - why didn't the programmer continue this idea with the ghost and the elephant?

Steeple Jack

When Jack dies, his face splits into two separate pieces which fly about the screen while the TV speaker emits a high-pitched squealing noise.

In an attempt to find an undocumented pause button I hit the 'Option' button, causing the game display to freeze.

The letters on the scoring readout appear to be slightly corrupted - perhaps this is deliberate, although to me it looks like a sign of shoddy programming. The screen display features very smooth vertical scrolling of the main play area.

An original game which, in my opinion, would have benefited from some further development.

D.R.

Other Atari 400/800 Game Reviews By D.R.


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