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New Hunchback adventure with 4-way scrolling screen

The bells, the bells return in the latest and greatest Hunchback game. Although not having anything to do with the Ocean offerings, this can still be classed as the return of the hump, with the familiar figure hobbling around his new tasks.

This game has an original scenario, more of a collecting game then the 'rescue Esmerelda' tones of Hunchback, even though the familiar battlements, soldiers and bells, make an appearance.

Collecting jewels is what it's about and there is a reasonably large, smooth-scrolling playing area, which you have to explore to find them.

When you start a game, and at the start of each new level, you are presented with an Orc Attack type screen where the battlement walls are being sealed. Ladders are put up and soldiers, whilst throwing many spears, will attempt to climb to the top and attack you. Never fear, you have plenty of rocks to hurl down on their heads, which will stop them with a grizzly thud. The animation here is excellent as you throw the rocks in any of five directions (down, left, right and diagonals).



Once these have been disposed of, it's exploration time: collect the jewel from its box and take it to its rightful place on a pedestal at the bottom of the playing area. Depositing the jewel will give you access to further sections by extending a ladder you can climb up.

You then have to work your way round the playing area, swinging across chasms on bell ropes and avoiding deadly bats, until you reach the battlements again. The use of the ropes, in particular jumping off them, requires careful timing. Unlike Hunchback, you actually have to swing the rope yourself, and when you've reached full momentum, this causes the bell to ring with a wonderfully authentic sound.

While you're swinging on the bell ropes you're safe from a bat attack. But if you're in mid air or walking about, the bats carry a deadly touch.

If you can safely complete your tour, it's back to the soldiers and level two. As you move through the levels new playing screens are made available to you, but on each new level there's an extra bat to content with.

JR

Even level extra screen

On each even-numbered level a new playing area opens. Scale the castle walls to acquire the gem which rests atop its battlements, and then go back down.

There are windows all the way up the walls, from which soldiers with crossbows lean and shoot. This makes going rather perilous, and to make things harder still, four soldiers patrol the battlement and drop rocks on you.

Once you have the gem you'll have to wend your way back down to the bottom of the screens to deposit it and start the next level.

Despite first appearances, there is an easy way of doing this screen on the early levels. As you'll maybe discover...


PRESENTATION
54% No high score feature. 1 or 2 player game.

ORIGINALITY
58% A nice collection of familiar arcade ideas.

GRAPHICS
72% Smooth movement, pleasing 3D effects.

HOOKABILITY
85% Immediately compelling. Very enjoyable game-play.

SOUND
34% Excellent bell noise. Most other effects are simple and annoy.

LASTABILITY
74% Ultimately not too big a playing area, but plenty of challenge.

VALUE FOR MONEY
76% Addictive arcade game with great new action for Hunchback fans. A little more variety and it would be a smash hit for sure.