Bounder (video game)

Last updated
Bounder
Bounder c64 cover.jpg
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.

Contents

Gameplay

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]

Reception

Bounder received a Gold Medal Award from Commodore 64 magazine Zzap!64 as well as a Your Sinclair Mega Game award. [4] [5]

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References

  1. "Retro Gaming". gremlin.co.uk. Archived from the original on January 19, 1997. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  2. Edgeley, Clare (July 1986). "Arcade Review - Bounder". Sinclair User . No. 52. EMAP. p. 40. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Hetherington, Tony (June 1986). "Reviews - Bounder". Computer Gamer . No. 15. Argus Specialist Publications. p. 60. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Penn, Gary; Rignall, Julian; Liddon, Gary (February 1986). "Bounder/Metabolis". Zzap!64 . No. 10. Newsfield Publications. pp. 20, 21. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Maughan, Teresa (February 1986). "Bounder". Your Sinclair . No. 7. Dennis Publishing. p. 29. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  6. Game review, Amstrad June magazine, Future Publishing, issue 9, June 1986