Bounty Bob Strikes Back
Raging against the machine.
It's long been acknowledged that Miner 2049er inspired Matthew Smith to develop the wonderful Manic Miner, but its superb 'official' sequel never seems to get the credit it deserves - so let's put that right.
Admittedly, the horrendously blocky sprites did almost nothing to inspire confidence in the C64's graphical capabilities back in 1985. But those who saw beyond the chunky pixels and bleepy sound effects were treated to one of the best examples of old school platform gaming.
Unlike most platformers of the day, the game wasn't merely about collecting all the keys, but making sure Bob covered the ground of each and every platform. Walking over each portion of a platform would effectively colour it in, while picking up the various artefacts dotted around allowed you to 'eat' enemies for a brief period, Pac-Man style.
Failure to time jumps correctly or bumping into enemies inevitably resulted in instant death, so picking it up these days can be a tad frustrating. Saving your progress as you go along via an emulator or the trusty Action Replay on the real thing, there's still plenty to admire about this inventive, cunning and addictive platformer.
