Treasure Island Dizzy

Last updated

Treasure Island Dizzy
Treasure Island Dizzy Coverart.png
Developer(s) Oliver Twins
Publisher(s) Codemasters
Series Dizzy
Platform(s) Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, NES, Amiga CD32, Jaguar
ReleaseEarly 1989 [1]
Genre(s) Adventure, platform
Mode(s) Single-player

Treasure Island Dizzy is a puzzle video game published in 1989 [1] by Codemasters for the Amstrad CPC and ZX Spectrum, and later ported to the Commodore 64, NES, Amiga, Atari ST and Atari Jaguar. [2]

Contents

Treasure Island Dizzy is the second game in the Dizzy series, and is the sequel to Dizzy – The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure . The game was developed by the Oliver Twins with graphics being designed by Neil Adamson and music by David Whittaker.

Design

The first screen of the ZX Spectrum version Treasure Island Dizzy.png
The first screen of the ZX Spectrum version

This game is quite different from its predecessor, with a new inventory system and improved animations. The game contains fewer enemies than the previous title. It is more centred on inventory-based problem solving. The aim of the game is to solve various puzzles in order to obtain a boat so that Dizzy can return to his friends and family, the Yolkfolk. To do this Dizzy must journey through haunted mines and tree villages, as well as underwater. The game also features a subquest (albeit one essential to completing the game) in which thirty gold coins must be collected. Such subquests were found in many of the sequels.

Critics consider this one of the most difficult Dizzy games as the energy bar system of later titles was not yet implemented and Dizzy is provided with only one life—contrasting with five in the first game and three in Fantasy World Dizzy , the immediate sequel, and most subsequent titles. Also unique to this game, the player is unable to select any particular item from the inventory for use—Dizzy simply puts down whichever item is at the top of the list. If Dizzy is underwater and the snorkel happens to be at the top of the inventory list, he will drop the snorkel when the player collects another item and instantly die. Treasure Island Dizzy therefore requires more foresight and planning than the other games in the series.

Adding to the difficulty of the game was the fact that the player had two main tasks to complete; the escape from the islands, and the collection of the thirty coins. Upon escaping the final island, the Shopkeeper character appears and tells Dizzy that he cannot leave without finding all thirty coins. Given that a number of the coins were hidden behind scenery, this second task proved to be more difficult than the main game. Commodore Format printed a "complete" solution and map which did not include the hidden coins, frustrating many players.

Ports

A version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was published by Camerica as part of the video game compilation Quattro Adventure . This version was released for the Evercade handheld game system in October 2020 as part of The Oliver Twins Collection compilation cartridge. [3]

Codemasters released a version of Treasure Island Dizzy for Microsoft Windows on the company's website in December 2004. Available for download after registration, it was in fact the Commodore 64 version bundled with the CCS64 emulator in a single executable. [4] The download is no longer available.

Reception

The game spent over two years in the Gallup All Formats Top 40. [1] The ZX Spectrum version alone sold over 100,000 copies [1] and was voted the 16th best Spectrum game of all time in a special issue of Your Sinclair magazine in 2004. [5]

Related Research Articles

Andrew Nicholas Oliver and Philip Edward Oliver, together known as the Oliver Twins, are British twin brothers and video game designers.

<i>Dizzy</i> (series) Video game series

Dizzy is a series of video games, created by the Oliver Twins and published by Codemasters. It was one of the most successful British video game franchises of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Originally created for the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC, the series appeared on multiple home computer and video game console formats, with over a dozen games being published between 1987 and 1992.

<i>Dizzy – The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure</i> 1987 video game

Dizzy – The Ultimate Cartoon Adventure is an adventure-platform game, the first video game featuring the character Dizzy, an anthropomorphic egg. The game was designed by two British brothers, the Oliver Twins. Dizzy was published by Codemasters and was released in 1987.

<i>Impossible Mission</i> 1984 video game

Impossible Mission is a video game originally written for the Commodore 64 by Dennis Caswell and published by Epyx in 1984. The game features a variety of gameplay mechanics from platform and adventure games, and includes digitized speech. Impossible Mission, which casts the player in the role of a secret agent infiltrating an enemy stronghold, is widely considered one of the best games for several platforms.

<i>Fast Food</i> (1989 video game) 1989 video game

Fast Food is the title of two slightly different maze video games in the vein of Pac-Man. Both feature Dizzy an anthropomorphic egg designed by the British-born Oliver Twins. The game was originally released in April 1989 and published by Codemasters. It was the third title to feature Dizzy.

<i>Fantasy World Dizzy</i> 1989 Codemasters video game

Fantasy World Dizzy is an arcade adventure video game released in October 1989 by Codemasters and designed by the Oliver Twins.

<i>Kwik Snax</i> 1990 video game

Kwik Snax is an arcade style maze video game play developed by the Oliver Twins and was published in 1990 by Codemasters for the Amstrad CPC, Spectrum, Commodore 64, MS-DOS, and Amiga. It was the fifth game in the Dizzy series and is considered a sequel to Fast Food.

<i>Magicland Dizzy</i> 1990 video game

Magicland Dizzy is a platform adventure game published in Europe in 1990 by Codemasters for the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amiga platforms. By 1992 there were also MS-DOS, Atari ST and Amstrad CPC versions available. It is the sixth game in the Dizzy series, and the fourth adventure-based Dizzy title. The story, set in a fantasy world called Magicland, follows on from the events of Fantasy World Dizzy, the previous adventure title. In Magicland Dizzy the player controls Dizzy, an egg-shaped character, who is trying to save six of his friends who have been placed under spells by the Evil Wizard Zaks.

<i>Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk</i> 1991 video game

Dizzy: Prince of the Yolkfolk is an adventure video game published in December 1991 by Codemasters for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS, NES and Amiga. It was the sixth game in the Dizzy adventure series. Initially it was only released as part of the Dizzy's Excellent Adventures compilation. The creators of the series, the Oliver Twins, outsourced the video game company Big Red Software to design and develop the game. The game interface and mechanics resemble those of Magicland Dizzy, discarding changes introduced in the fifth game.

<i>Spellbound Dizzy</i> 1991 video game

Spellbound Dizzy or Dizzy 5 is an adventure video game, featuring the character Dizzy, released in November 1991 by Codemasters. The series was originally developed by the Oliver twins but they had little involvement with this title other than executive sign-off, leaving Big Red Software to redesign the graphics engine and design the game and puzzles.

<i>Crystal Kingdom Dizzy</i> 1992 video game

Crystal Kingdom Dizzy is an adventure video game featuring the character Dizzy released in December 1992 by Codemasters. The Oliver Twins – who were heavily involved in the design and programming of previous Dizzy games – had less involvement with this one.

<i>Ghost Hunters</i> (video game) 1987 video game

Ghost Hunters is a platform game written by the Oliver twins for the Amstrad CPC and published by Codemasters in January 1987. It was also converted and released for the ZX Spectrum (1987) and Commodore 64 (1989) platforms. The game combines platform-style action with shooting gameplay similar to that found in the game Operation Wolf. It was conceived as a sequel to Super Robin Hood, although it has little to do with this game other than using a modified version of its engine. The twins have credited the film Ghostbusters and the cartoon series Scooby-Doo for influencing the game.

<i>Slightly Magic</i> 1991 video game

Slightly Magic is an action-adventure game published in 1991 by Codemasters for the Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. It was written by Colin Jones, author of Rock Star Ate My Hamster.

<i>Captain Dynamo</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Captain Dynamo is a vertically scrolling platform game developed by Codemasters and released in 1992. Captain Dynamo, an aging superhero, is brought out of retirement to recover a haul of stolen diamonds from the trap-infested rocket-ship of the villainous Austen Von Flyswatter. It was published for the Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, and MS-DOS. Versions for Game Gear and Mega Drive were planned but never released.

<i>CJs Elephant Antics</i> 1991 video game

CJ's Elephant Antics is a platform game developed by Genesis for the Commodore 64 with conversions made for the Amiga, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum and Nintendo Entertainment System. All ports were handled by Genesis with the exception of the ZX Spectrum version which was handled by Big Red Software. The computer versions were published by Codemasters in 1991, with the NES game arriving in 1992 as part of the unlicensed compilation cartridge Quattro Arcade. The player controls a baby elephant by the name of Columbus Jumbo on his way home to Africa.

<i>BMX Simulator</i> 1986 racing video game

BMX Simulator is a racing video game designed by Richard Darling and released by Codemasters in 1986 for the Commodore 64. It is part of a series of games that includes ATV Simulator, Grand Prix Simulator, Professional Ski Simulator, and a sequel: Professional BMX Simulator. BMX Simulator was ported to the Amiga, Atari 8-bit family, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, MSX, ZX Spectrum, Commodore Plus/4 and Commodore 16.

<i>Grand Prix Simulator</i> 1987 video game

Grand Prix Simulator is a racing game developed by The Oliver Twins and published by Codemasters for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64 and Atari 8-bit family. The ZX Spectrum conversion was done by Serge Dosang. The game was endorsed by Ayrton Senna's 1986 Formula One teammate Johnny Dumfries.

<i>Seymour Goes to Hollywood</i> 1991 platform and adventure video game

Seymour Goes to Hollywood, also known as Seymour at the Movies, is a platform and adventure game developed by Big Red Software and originally published in Europe by Codemasters in 1991. Players control Seymour, a small potato-like creature who wishes to be a film star. The film's script has been locked in a safe, meaning Seymour must solve puzzles by collecting and using objects scattered throughout the game in order to progress, ultimately retrieving the script and allowing filming to start.

Quattro is a series of video game compilations released in the 1990s. They consisted of games developed by Codemasters. The NES versions were released as multicarts and were published by Camerica without a license by Nintendo.

<i>The Race Against Time</i> 1988 adventure video game

The Race Against Time is a 1988 adventure video game designed by the Oliver Twins, and developed and published by Codemasters. The player controls Sudanese runner Omar Khalifa, who has to venture to six continents to light torch bowls and raise flags to begin the 1988 Sport Aid, a sport-themed charity organization. A tie-in to the Sport Aid charity, all proceeds were donated to the campaign. The game was released for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum platforms.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Stuart Campbell (13 July 1991). "Dizzy Heights". New Computer Express. No. 140. Future Publishing. p. 50. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  2. ↑ "Defender of the Crown et Treasure Island Dizzy sur Atari Jaguar!". 21 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "The Oliver Twins Collection". Evercade.
  4. ↑ "Codemasters: Downloads: Download details". Codemasters.co.uk. 15 December 2004. Archived from the original on 17 April 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Top 50 Games of All Time". Your Sinclair. Imagine Publishing. November 2004.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.