Your Spectrum
Issue 13, April 1985 - Hunchback II & Kong Strikes Back
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RETURN OF THE HEROES!

HUNCHBACK II

Hunchback "I had a hunch you'd want to know a little bit about me! After a book or two, several movies and the odd play, I starred in a classic Computer game written for the Speccy called ... would'ja believe ... Hunchback! Now, over two years since its release, I'm back in action in Hunchback II ..."
"I've known Esmerelda for a while now ... but she will keep getting herself trapped in towers! And I seem to be the only one gullible enough to save her ...
If you saw me in the original epic, Hunchback, you'll be pleased to know that I can walk now ... instead of mincing about on tippy-toes. I've also been given a decent set of threads - I never really felt very comfortable prancing around on-screen in a ballet outfit (not very good for the street credibility!). Also, if you're into bells (and who isn't I ask myself) - this game's full of 'em!
Someone up at Ocean must have realised that games need to be full of bright colours, lots of them. And there's far more to do in Hunchback II; the original just had me jumping over a few fireballs whereas here, I'm fair whacked out after just one screen! I don't know where the guards have got to this time around - perhaps it's their day off - but watch out for the malicious wildlife, they're not there to conserve you ... that's for sure!
Ageing rock addicts will love the blues riff in between levels ... myself, I'd have preferred something tasteful from Duran Duran!
All in an, a much improved game over the original -but why take so long to sequel a game with such a good- looking hero? I hope those characters up at Ocean know what they're doing!"
         
LEVEL 2
DIFFICULTY RATING: 2/5
When you've fought your way to this point, swing on the rope - that'll ring the bell and promote you to the next level.
LEVEL 4
DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5
From the top of this platform, all you have to do is jump across to the right-hand corner of the screen, ring the bell and you're home free.
This platform is for you to jump on, in between ferry rides - if you don't want to end up in the drink, that is! Tricky this! You have to jump on the trolley on the conveyor belt when it's travelling to the left. But make sure you time your jump carefully at the far end or you're liable to get sucked down the gap. Nasty! Your first aim is to get across the bottom of the screen to the rope ... but watch out for that bat - it may not be a vampire but it's equally deadly. You'll find that there's some pretty massive rodents (the dirty rats), eager to block your path as you traverse the chains. As you haven't got a weapon to kill them with, you'll just have to keep out of their way!
Novice hunchbacks start here ... and watch out you don't get your feet wet! You'll have to leap onto the ferry that buzzes to and fro at the bottom of the screen to get across in safety. Once off the ferry, clamber up these ropes until you're on a level with the conveyor belt. Now, it's one small leap for mankind ... For those with nervous dispositions, this is a safe place to hide! The rats follow a set pattern of movement - it won't take you long to work out your path to safety. To get on the first platform, you've got to shimmy up these chains and jump for all your worth!
LEVEL 6
DIFFICULTY RATING: 4/5
There are even more bats on this screen - which doesn't make life any easier for poor ol' Quasi!
LEVEL 7
DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5
Esmerelda - looking prettier than ever! Once you've finished this screen, you'll probably have to wait three more years to see her again!
Another screen, another story - this time you've got to ring all four bells to go through to the next level.   For any nostalgia fans out there, this is pretty similar to the original Hunchback. This time, however, you've got to run along the top of the battlements nutting the bells as you go. So that's what made ol' Quasi deaf! The scenery is much prettier than you'll find in Hunchback. But it's still a waste of most of the screen, as all the action happens up there on the battlements.
There's a definite technique for ringing these bells. First, you've got to leap onto the right-hand side of the bell rope and start climbing. Once at the top, jump onto the left-hand rope. Your weight pulls the rope down and the bell rings when it hits the top. Once you've rung all four bells, leg it to here and you'll be whisked away to the next screen. As you jump up to get the bells, watch your landings - with that arrow flying about, they're not always happy! The bird flies (relentlessly) across the screen, hoping to peck you as you jump for the bells.

KONG STRIKES BACK

Kong "After being turned down for a part in the Kong re-make in favour of an electronic toy, I moved into the arcades and used my brute strength to push Space Invaders and Pacman out of the top machines. But now, two years on, Kong Strikes Back seems a poor follow-up."
"Things have certainly changed around here since I was captured in Kong.
In the original game, I dumped my victim at the top of some scaffolding, and ended up throwing barrels, fireballs and everything else I could find down at ol' 'stickman' (as I used to call him!). This time, I've lugged her, screaming, to the highest place I can find in a fairground - the roller coaster! I have this feeling that I should be looking around for my old stomping ground - the Empire State Building - where I've spent many an enchanted evening with Faye and Jessica, but the people at Ocean assure me that that's irrelevant!
Back to the fairground and the hero of the piece (which isn't me, heh heh!) is trying to climb the roller coaster. Hmm, he seems to have put some weight on since last time we met - which should make it all the more difficult for him to avoid the four cars I'm setting in motion. Gnash, gnash - he's only got those bombs again ... still, he's only got four of them, so he'll have to watch out on the next level.
Talking of putting on weight, I must say I look a little more substantial than I did in Kong. Which is something I console myself with when I see how little imagination has gone into the four levels of play - OK, there are pies, springs and roller coasters cars ... but it does get a bit repetitive!
If Ocean can't do better than this, I'm back off to the jungle - maybe, me and my old big-screen chum, Faye Raye, can get a part of the latest Tarzan re- make!"
         
LEVEL 1
DIFFICULTY RATING: 1/5
The roller coasters move quite fast, but they're not that difficult to predict; they do, however, pick up great speed on the downhill track - probably due to the following wind!
LEVEL 3
DIFFICULTY RATING: 3/5
The ladders provide sanctuary from the roller coaster cars - in a crisis, you can let them trundle underneath while you stay safe at the top of the ladder. Watch that your head doesn't touch the track above, though - you wouldn't want to lose your head, would you?
This is the end of the roller coasters' route - once they've been round the entire circuit, they'll pass through here ... only to reappear a matter of seconds later! This is where Kong appears, setting the roller coaster cars in motion. You'll only see Kong for a few short seconds, so keep those eyes peeled. Intersections in the track certainly make life difficult. Where two tracks meet, it doesn't matter which one you're standing on - the roller coasters could get you. A little unfair - but that's life (or death!). Above some of the ladders, you'll see the red heart shapes, tokens of your love for your sweetheart trapped in Kong's grasp. To grab some bonus points, nip up the ladders and touch them.
The number of lives and bombs you've got left are displayed on-screen. You're given four bombs on each screen, but you've only got five lives and when they're all used up, it's curtains. Now here's a familiar skyline - the good ol' Empire State Building where Kong staged many a drama on the silver screen. Here, though, the pretty graphics are just that ... shame!   There's a time limit for each screen, but in the YS playtest this never actually proved to be a contributing factor to on-screen loss of life. Apparently, though, on higher levels, it does make things a bit awkward!  
LEVEL 2
DIFFICULTY RATING: 5/5
The hero of the piece has a total of four bombs each screen - and these are designed to destroy the roller coaster cars. You've got to fire a bomb to destroy a car on the straight; as soon as a bomb tries to manoeuvre for a corner, it self-destructs!
LEVEL 4
DIFFICULTY RATING: 4/5
When the hero's killed, he falls on his back with his legs in the air. Not a pleasant experience!
You'll notice that when you get the hero going downhill on the track, he slides down on his backside! It's certainly quick, but he's probably got piles now ... This is where the hero's sweetheart has been stashed away. Although she appears on each screen, it's only when you get onto the fourth screen that you actually get to touch her; usually, if you get anywhere near her, you're transported onto the next level! This here's your first good look at Kong. All he does is sit there like a parrot on a perch making no contribution to the game at all. He does, however, close his eyes if you manage to catch up with your sweetheart. Thrills! As you progress through the levels, the track may look the same ... but some of these spaces are filled with all sorts of obstacles. For example, try avoiding the bowls of black custard if you can!
The 'BONUS' marker here acts like a fruit machine, with each of the individual letters spinning. The idea is to collect the hearts and keep the letters spinning - and when you've got them all going, you get bonus points. Confused? You will be! Yes, you've probably noticed by now that all the screens look pretty much alike. However, this screen is by far the hardest to complete!   When you get through this level, play begins back at Level 1 again; this time, though, you collect Spectrums instead of hearts. (No-one managed to get through to the third level so we don't know if you then have to collect Spectrum+s!)  
The Kong screenshots were printed in the wrong sequence in the magazine; they have been rearranged correctly here.
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