Personal Computer News


Bongo

Author: Nickie Robinson
Publisher: Anirog
Machine: Commodore Vic 20

 
Published in Personal Computer News #065

Mousey Marvel

BONGO

It's not every day you get the chance to win the hand of a princess, particularly one in a miniskirt, as depicted on the cassette's cover. Normally it helps to be a frog, but in this game you're Bongo the supermouse.

Objectives

The avaricious King, more keen on his diamonds than his daughter, announces that he will hand her over to anyone who finds his stolen jewels. As rodent hero Bongo, that's what you set out to do.

You find yourself in a cave where the diamonds are hidden, and where you are constantly being pursued by determined pig-like monsters.

In Play

The cave's five levels are joined by ladders. There are several gaps in the layer floors, which you can jump over using trampolines, or you can slide down chutes to lower floors. When the game starts the first flashing diamond appears.

Hot on your tail is the smarter-than-average porky monster who can jump across the gaps unaided. He is, though, frightened of using the chutes.

As you make your way to the first diamond, you must catch letters making up Bongo's name to score 1000 points. This is definitely a game of strategy and, until you increase your cunning, the monster will nab you infuriatingly quickly.

Using two transporters at the left of the screen craftily will gain a little time, as does sliding down a chute just as the monster jumps over a gap, but any slight adjustment in your timing is fatal.

The monster shadows you at the same plodding speed, and even the slightest contact (disputable sometimes) means you topple into the river below. Surprisingly for a mouse, however, you have nine lives.

An extra life is given to Bongo on 10,000 points. Control is joystick only, using the fire button to trampoline, slide or transport. There are three levels of difficulty, the second and third having two monsters. One's bad enough - two is nigh on impossible.

Verdict

Bongo and the monsters are impressively large and detailed but that means the action is slow. This does not result in a simple game and only the most cunning and patient of Bongos will win the princess and live happily ever after.

Nickie Robinson

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