| Bounder | |
|---|---|
 C64 Cover art | |
| Developer(s) | Gremlin Graphics |
| Publisher(s) | Gremlin Graphics |
| Designer(s) | Robert Toone Christian P. Shrigley Andrew Green |
| Platform(s) | Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Commodore 64, Commodore 16 / Plus/4 |
| Release | 1985 1986(ZX Spectrum) [1] |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Bounder is a 1985 action game published by Gremlin Graphics in which the player navigates a variety of courses as a bouncing tennis ball.
Courses are composed of numerous tiles, which are suspended high above ground. The ball must be bounced past walls and over enemies; coming into contact with either, or plummeting over the edge of the course, results in the loss of one of the player's seven lives. [2] Courses feature power squares, which push the tennis ball forward and allow longer jumps. These must be utilized to complete the course. Power squares are also used to enable the tennis ball to reach mystery spaces, tiles with question marks, which contain extra lives and bonus jumps which are used on bonus screens. Mystery spaces can also destroy the tennis ball, resulting in the loss of a life, through instant destruction or by freezing the ball in place while a missile flies across the play area and explodes. [3]
The bonus screen is accessed every time a course is completed, it consists of mystery spaces which increase the player's score when bounced on for the player to receive. 40 bounces are allowed on each bonus screen, though this figure can be increased by the player uncovering more from mystery squares during the preceding course. Once all bounces are used or all of the mystery spaces are bounced on, play moves to the next course. [3] Bouncing on all mystery spaces awards the player 10,000 points as well as an extra life. [4]
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Your Sinclair | 9/10 [5] |
| Zzap!64 | 97% [4] |
| Publication | Award |
|---|---|
| Crash | Crash Smash |
| Your Sinclair | Megagame |
| Amstrad Action | Mastergame [6] |
Bounder received a Gold Medal Award from Commodore 64 magazine Zzap!64 as well as a Your Sinclair Mega Game award. [4] [5]
Zany Golf, also known as Will Harvey's Zany Golf, is a fantasy take on miniature golf developed by Sandcastle Productions and published by Electronic Arts in 1988. The game was originally written for the Apple IIGS and subsequently ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, and MS-DOS compatible operating systems. In 1990, a port was released for the Sega Genesis. The game was developed by Will Harvey, Ian Gooding, Jim Nitchals, and Douglas Fulton. Harvey was pursuing his advanced degrees at Stanford University at the time.
Wizball is a horizontally scrolling shooter written by Jon Hare and Chris Yates and released in 1987 for the Commodore 64 and later in the year for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. Versions for the Amiga and Atari ST were released in the following year. Wizball was also ported to IBM PC compatibles and the Thomson MO5.
Gremlin Graphics Software Limited, later Gremlin Interactive Limited and ultimately Infogrames Studios Limited was a British software house based in Sheffield, working mostly in the home computer market. Like many software houses established in the 1980s, their primary market was the 8-bit range of computers such as the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, MSX, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64. The company was acquired by French video game publisher Infogrames in 1999 and was renamed Infogrames Studios in 2000. Infogrames Studios closed down in 2003.
Underwurlde is a 1984 action-adventure platform video game in the Sabreman series by Ultimate Play the Game for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. The player controls the adventurer Sabreman as he jumps between platforms in a castle and its caverns to find an escape past the exit guardians. Underwurlde features about 600 flip screen areas. Unlike other games of its time, Sabreman is not injured when touched by enemies and is instead knocked backwards. Underwurlde is the second game in the series, between Sabre Wulf and Knight Lore, and released shortly before the latter for the ZX Spectrum in late 1984. Another developer, Firebird, ported the game to the Commodore 64 the next year.
Thing on a Spring is a side-scrolling puzzle-platform game released in 1985 for the Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 by Gremlin Graphics. The player controls a character resembling Zebedee from The Magic Roundabout through a toy factory while avoiding evil toys.
Trailblazer is a racing video game developed by Mr. Chip Software and published by Gremlin Graphics for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit family, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 16/Plus/4 in 1986. It was ported to the Amiga and Atari ST.
Bomb Jack is a platform game published by Tehkan for arcades and later ported to home systems. The game was a commercial success for arcades and home computers. It was followed by several sequels: the console and computer game Mighty Bomb Jack, the arcade game Bomb Jack Twin, and Bomb Jack II which was licensed for home computers only.
Badlands is a 1989 arcade video game published by Atari Games. It was ported by Domark under the Tengen label to the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game is a re-themed version of Atari's previous racing games Super Sprint and Championship Sprint with the addition of vehicular combat. Badlands is set in the aftermath of a nuclear war and races around abandoned wastelands with many hazards. Three gun-equipped cars race around a track to win prizes.
Spindizzy is an isometric video game released for several 8-bit home computers in 1986 by Electric Dreams Software. It combines action and puzzle video game elements. Players must navigate a series of screens to explore a landscape suspended in a three-dimensional space. Development was headed by Paul Shirley, who drew inspiration from Ultimate Play the Game games that feature an isometric projection.
Cauldron II: The Pumpkin Strikes Back is a video game developed and published by British developer Palace Software as a sequel to their 1985 game Cauldron. The 2D platform game was released in 1986 for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC home computers. Players control a bouncing pumpkin that is on a quest of vengeance against the "Witch Queen". The roles of the two were reversed from the first game, in which the witch defeated a monstrous pumpkin.
Sanxion is a horizontally scrolling shooter developed by Stavros Fasoulas for the Commodore 64 and published in 1986 by Thalamus Ltd. It was the first game released by Thalamus. A ZX Spectrum port followed in 1989. Fasoulas also wrote Delta and Quedex.
Super Glove Ball is a game made by Rare in 1990 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, specifically designed to be played with the Power Glove controller. However, it can also be played with a standard NES controller. It was sold separately from the Power Glove.
10th Frame is a ten-pin bowling simulation game published by Access Software in 1986. Up to eight players can take part in open bowling or a tournament. It was released for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, IBM PC compatibles, MSX, and ZX Spectrum.
Cosmic Causeway is the sequel to the video game Trailblazer written by Shaun Southern. While the original game featured a split-screen two player mode, the sequel is single-player only. The display is a full screen 3D view of the "road" ahead. Another major change is the addition of tunnels, with the player able to roll along upside down if the necessary icon has been selected.
Leader Board is a series of golf simulation video games that was developed by Bruce Carver and Roger Carver, and published by Access Software.
Revolution is an isometric 3D puzzle video game released by U.S. Gold in 1986 for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC. It was programmed by Costa Panayi and is a development of the earlier 3D games Highway Encounter and Alien Highway.
Chimera is an action-adventure video game written by Shahid Ahmad and published by Firebird in 1985.
Switchblade is a 1989 side-scrolling action-platform run and gun video game originally developed by Core Design and published by Gremlin Graphics in Europe for the Atari ST home computers. The first installment in the eponymous two-part series, the game is set in a dystopian future where players assume the role of Hiro from the Blade Knights as he embarks on a journey to defeat Havok, the main antagonist who broke free from his imprisonment after the sacred Fireblade was shattered into several pieces. Its gameplay consists of run and gun action mixed with platforming and exploration elements, with a main single-button configuration.
Friday the 13th: The Computer Game is the first game adaptation based on the films of the same name. It was released in 1986 by Domark for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum. The game was released on floppy diskette and cassette tape. The player's goal is to find and kill Jason, while making sure their friends or they themselves are not killed by Jason.
Yabba Dabba Doo! is a 1986 video game developed by British studio Taskset and published by Quicksilva for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 (C64), and ZX Spectrum. It is based on the television series The Flintstones and is the first Flintstones video game.