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As the title suggests you are a dustman who wanders the sleepy residential streets collecting bins and emptying them into your dustcart. The pluses are plenty of fresh air and some tips if you stop for a friendly chat with the locals. On the downside, you're up against the clock and if the time runs out the punters complain and you're out of a job. There is also traffic to avoid and ferocious dogs who will nip at your ankles and slow you down. Oh yes, and don't walk on those lovely, manicured lawns or you'll be docked points. It's a tough life.

"Strange concept, simple gameplay, fabulous game"

The player takes on the role of Trashman, a garbage collector. Walking along various streets, Trashman picks up dustbins (apologies to American readers, but this game is so English that I must use some British terminology), takes them to his van to be emptied, and then returns them.
A bonus timer counts down. When Trashman finishes the level by emptying all dustbins and leaving the street, the remaining points are added to your score. If it reaches zero before the end of the level, the game ends.
After he returns a dustbin to a house, Trashman will be invited inside. He has a brief conversation with the occupant (these are mostly video game in-jokes from the eighties; references include The Hobbit and Maniac Minor), and points are added to the bonus timer. But he will not be invited inside if you walk on the grass. This also makes the timer count down faster, and sometimes brings the family dog out to bite Trashman.
The main threat in the game comes from cars. It's all too easy to get hit by a car when crossing the road. After playing the game for a while, you will work out a strategy, but the game still usually ends in a fatal collision. This is one of the few negative points of the game; even the most minor collision results in death. It would be more fair if Trashman was occasionally allowed to walk away with a limp (like when he's hit by the bikes on the pavement, or bitten by a dog).
The graphics are simplistic, although the depiction of a suburban street on a lazy morning is quite lovely. The sound of cars going by adds to this evocation of a leafy, peaceful England. However, after playing for some time, becoming all too aware of the possibility that sudden death is around the next corner, it all seems very sinister.
The only music in the game is an annoying rendition of ''My Old Man's A Dustman'' on the title screen. Fortunately this does not play during the game.
As you progress, the game becomes trickier, with longer streets, parked cars in awkward positions, and other obstacles. New features are introduced, such as the cafe, which gives Trashman a huge bonus when he goes inside, but may have some effect on his ability to work.
In describing the game, it's impossible to convey just how enjoyable it is. It is not, as it may sound, a poor man's Paperboy. This is one of the most entertaining games ever, and very addictive. It can be played for hours. A two-player mode gives an opportunity to compete for the highest score, encouraging rivals to dash madly along the streets grabbing dustbins, while avoiding those deadly cars. Even when playing alone, the desire to beat your last score or get onto a new street is incredibly strong. You'll have to drag yourself away from this.
Trashman was probably created in somebody's bedroom (in fact, I believe it was originally created on the Spectrum, and later ported over to the Commodore 64), it has a home-made feel rather than the air of a game created only for profit. It demonstrates how a very simple game, with originality and good gameplay, can be better than any flashy, superficial title.


Reviewer's Score: 9/10 | Originally Posted: 08/15/02, Updated 08/15/02