Personal Computer News


Kong
By Ocean
Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Personal Computer News #031

Monkey Business

Kong just cannot keep his paws off women and here he is again with another hapless victim. Perched on high with his screaming captive, Kong once more defies another section of the population. This time his rage is directed at any 48K Spectrum owner who has a penchant for rescuing damsels in distress.

Objectives

You must endeavour to reach Kong's lair by climbing ladders and hitching riders on elevators. Kong does his utmost to deter you by tossing down barrels, hot and cold, and dumbbells. There are four screens to conquer, points being gained by smashing barrels with a hammer, completing screens and by picking up mystery objects.

In Play

A title page is displayed while the main program loads. A very good menu gives you the option of keyboard, Kempston, Quickshot or Protek Joysticks. As well as the normal game, there is a demo mode and a training mode.

Kong

The game starts with Kong climbing up the right side of the screen. He jumps up and down, causing some of the girders to move. The word 'help' appears in a speech bubble from the captive's mouth.

You control a tiny Morph-like figure who trots briskly along in the direction you point him. He seems to exude confidence, perhaps unwisely in view of the difficulties before him. Pressing the fire button causes him to leap forward in the direction he is facing.

Kong starts swinging one of his arms and barrels come rolling down at an alarming pace. Jumps need to be timed perfectly as your figure is quite small and the barrels large. Later screens bring in the burning barrels (or are they bowls?) which move much slower but tend to float down through solid matter.

The game is quite fast. Fortunately, response to joystick movement is very good. Sound effects are minimal but appropriate.

Verdict

I particularly liked the comprehensive menu and the animation of the hero. The inclusion of a training mode is a useful idea and one other games should emulate. A good, if somewhat uninspired, version of a classic game.

Bob Chappell

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