Game: Killer Gorilla
Console: Amstrad CPC 464
Developer: Micropower
Release Date: 1984
Looking at the title of Killer Gorilla, I did wonder for a moment whether it might be even slightly similar to Donkey Kong. After all, with its year of release and the shameless copying that went on back in the 80s on home computer style games consoles, I wouldn't be surprised. As soon as the first screen loaded, I knew that I was correct, and that I'd be judging them game solely on how well it played compared to Donkey Kong. After all it's almost a complete port of the game, with extremely similar levels and concepts.
There's good control and on the whole it's very playable compared to some other CPC titles. The main character jumps very similarly to Jumpman in the original game and this helps with precision control whilst navigating through levels. I play my CPC games with a Master System controller if possible, so that may have helped also, but it's way easier than using the keyboard.
Graphically the game is slightly more basic than Donkey Kong on the NES or in arcades, but that's to be expected. It still bears visual similarities to the original and the simplicity of the game as a whole makes it easy to progress, but some of this is due to the fact that they've clearly copied an already successful video game. The music is far less enjoyable than what's featured in the original DK, but the soundchip of the CPC is far inferior to the NES it seems.
Overall for a port/clone game Killer Gorilla is pretty nice; it plays about as well as Donkey Kong and features the same sort of levels, I gave Donkey Kong on the NES a 30.7/100, so it's only fair that this game receive a slightly lower score, but it's almost as good.
Rating: 30/100
Grade: E
Game: Chuckie Egg
Console: Amstrad CPC 464
Developer: A'n'F
Release Date: 1985
Chuckie Egg is a fairly simple platformer, conceptually. Players control a little man (presumably the title character) who runs, climbs ladders and jumps around collecting eggs from platforms whilst avoiding blue hens of some sort. There's a large yellow duck which is caged in the top left corner of the screen until players reach level 9 which is the same as level 1, only now they're pursued by the duck instead of having to avoid hens. If players can make it through all 8 levels again, they'll be greeted with playing against the hens and the duck, and these increases in difficulty continue up to level 40 which technically is the last unique level in the game.
Things can become fairly tricky around level 5 or 6, but the game is generally great fun. Although some versions were released without "realistic physics", the Amstrad CPC version was lucky enough to have been programmed with these, meaning that the control is spot on, and gameplay is fun and addictive. This is one of the best 8-bit games I've ever picked up, controlwise and thanks to most 8-bit games being somewhat lacking in the graphics department, good control goes a long way towards making a classic 8-bit title.
Graphically the game is simple, like most CPC titles, and the colours are lurid and very much typical of the era. There's not much in the way of music, save for a tune which plays once a life is lost, but the walking and jumping sound effects are classic arcade style and make up for the lack of other sounds nicely.
With up to 4 player support (turn taking, of course), Chuckie Egg is a game that I'd actually consider showing friends in the modern day, as there's skill, strategy and timing elements and getting further into the game is fun and addictive, to the point where I played it for far longer than most CPC games get when they're reviewed.
Rating: 71/100
Grade: C
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