Posted By
MIK
on 2004-07-25
17:02:45
 |  Re: Plus 4: A Celebration
To be honest and this in my view, if half the games were coded much like the Spectrum in terms of looks a whole lot more could of been done. After all the machine was created as spectrum competition selling at the lower end of the market.
Take Ghosts N Goblins, it can't make its mind up if its Spectrum or C64 graphics. By mixing and matching both types of graphics memory was wasted and left very little for the game code its self. Having the game as a multi loader with only 16k to play with was the right idea, but imainge if the kept the game GFX simple and mono coloured looking more like the Spectrum version. I believe the C16 version could of had it all. I have a soft spot for the C16 version of Ghosts N Goblins. It fails trying to be something it wasn't but on the other hand the essence of the original is in there.  4.5/10 from 4 votes is a very honest score indeed!
This Spectrum & C64 GFX look is not the fault of the programmers. Jump back in time and you can only imagine what the hell was this machine all about to them. With a Commodore badge and the C64 doing so well people could only try and imitate its bigger brother. Bomb Jack is one such imitation. It trys to look like a C64, but with no sprites ment it became one blocky and ugly mess. Thats a little harsh but not far from the truth. Saying that though its does play rather well. Its more of a unique version to the C16 with side A and side B of the tape having different background, but essentially the same game.
Sometimes I wonder what if the coders took up the Commodore Challenge and coded the machine as they intended - The Spectrum competition. There is only one game that comes as close to being Spectrum than any other in my view as in GFX looks and game feel. A real insight to the world of spectrum on a C16 is Video Meanies. Its a little unfair to say that because at the time mono GFX sprites was the trend even on C64, but this is a fine example which was erleased years later of how the machine could of been marketed and oh so much more may of been done!!
Dont get me wrong, I love many many and even more than that C16/Plus4 games, but Video Meanies is one of these unique moments that makes you ask the question of what if.
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