Rick Dangerous

STORY
The game is largely based on the Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Set in 1945, British agent Rick Dangerous travels to the Amazon jungle to search for the lost Goolu tribe. His plane crashes in the jungle and Rick must now escape from the enraged Goolu. When the game starts Rick finds himself inside a cavern running as hell away from a rolling boulder (a scene taken from the Indiana Jones movie).

GAMEPLAY
Rick can jump, climb and carry a limited amount of bombs and ammunition for his pistol. The gun is mostly used to shoot enemies, although most traps that can kill Rick can also kill his enemies if used correctly. The bombs are generally used for puzzle solving, such as blowing out certain blocks. The difficulty level is quite high since you have to always be aware of traps and foes, so it might frustrate some players. But showing some patience and giving the game some time, you may learn the patterns and, perhaps, finish it.

GRAPHICS
The C64 version is easily identifiable by the SID sounds, its slightly "washed out" colors and the bizarre mixture of single and double pixel graphics. Comparably, the graphics on the C64 are more detailed than the Spectrum and CPC counterparts. However, although Rick is made with single pixel graphics and looks remarkably close to the 16bit versions, the background is 2-colored and the foreground scenery is limited to a rather ugly double pixel! The sprites and scrolling are way smoother and faster on the C64 and thus, the game plays better.

SOUND
Sound-wise, the C64 version is great, including the original intro tune (found on the Amiga and ST) as well as few nicely done (and funny) sound effects. Note that there are also some short tunes playing at the beginning of each stage (found also on the 16bit versions and the 128k Spectrum).