Villordsutch reviews Crazy Kong City – Episode One: Saving Helen Blond on the ZX Spectrum…
Everyone on the planet is more than aware of Donkey Kong from Nintendo. Here we find Mario, actually known as Jumpman on the original release, who must scale numerous iron girders to rescue his current squeeze Pauline (Princess Peach was yet to become a constant kidnap victim for Mario). Well now from Gabriele Amore, on the ZX Spectrum, comes Crazy Kong City – Episode One: Saving Helen Blond and this 8-bit steel platformed world has become a lot bigger for Jumpman!
The first thing you’ll notice is that Gabriele has designed all the sprites for this game, rather than simply lift all the classic Mario images, delivering a ‘copy and paste’ world; he’s took the time and effort to generate something new and his own, for this praise needs to be given. The next thing you’ll pick up on is the lack of music, but this is a minor negative; yes we’ve been delivered some excellent ZX Spectrum noises for jumps, meanies and deaths but it would have been nice to have something playing away in the background.
However, the lack of music doesn’t in truth detract from the overall gameplay, as we’re given something that on initial viewing looks like a basic game of Donkey Kong and you’ll snort in disbelief when you see that you’re handed, “90 lives!?”. However, as you progress through the game, falling foul to the numerous hurdles that block your path towards Helen Blond, you rapidly realise that 90 lives really isn’t enough. You almost wish that, instead of so many lives, Gabriele had introduced a “level code” system, as your progress is wiped out by barrel chucking monkeys! This isn’t a basic game of Donkey Kong at all, this is something that will test your nerves… and fill up the swear jar a lot quicker.
You are tested mainly by timing and passing meanies upon platforms. One mistimed jump and you’re back at the start, however introduced part way through is a spring and a balloon which pricked my attention. I could see this being a fantastic addition to making the game a hair-pulling puzzler and I hoping that further into the game I’ll witness more of this. You’ll also come across Iced-Tea “power-up” which gives you limited ammunition to freeze flaming-barrels, though finding these are few and far between and you shouldn’t count on them at all.
Crazy Kong City – Episode One: Saving Helen Blond pays homage to Nintendo’s Donkey Kong whilst rather firmly keeping both its 8-bit pixelated feet firmly planted in the ZX Spectrum soil. It’s an enjoyable game that will test both your reflexes and your ability you not turn the air blue. This seems to be the first game in the saga, so hopefully for the second release Gabriele will bring on board somebody with some musical skills just to fill in the quiet spaces.
Pros
- Enjoyable game to play
- The right side of taxing
- The graphics delivered are rather splendid
Cons
- It’s a bit quiet, and could do with some music
- Instead of lives perhaps a level code system
- A High Score table would be a nice addition too
Rating:- 7/10
Crazy Kong City – Episode One: Saving Helen Blond is available here for the ZX Spectrum; however if you don’t have a ZX Spectrum but would like to play it there are numerous emulators – I’d recommend Spectaculator.
Originally published November 9, 2016. Updated April 16, 2018.
