Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp (<1Mb)
Yes, here’s yet another retro platformer, but what’s in a name between friends? Perhaps it’s tea or coffee you need with the biscuits here! There are rather a lot of retro platform games around, so what makes this one different? Well it’s available for the GBA, DS and Xbox for a start. You’ll need a GBA/DS emulator (freeware link below) for the PC and do use the download links given as some other sources don’t work. It’s a homebrew game, for the GBA/DS so you can play it without any copyright issues, and is a remake of an original Amiga game.
While the graphics are not spectacular, gameplay certainly is and this is one for all who love platform games and especially, hardcore platformers! You’ll need to make some very precise jumps, and some timings are very tight indeed! Each level is quite short but that doesn't detract from the difficulty levels involved! The game voice-insults you on your demise (and congratulates major successes), but you only have to restart the level you are on provided you have at least one life left. You have 3 lives initially. Lose these and it’s game over, and restart from the beginning. There’s no choice of levels with the emulator version, which have to be played through in order, though there are gamesave checkpoints every five levels. The game’s difficulty rises pretty steadily and starts out really quite easy, once you master those all-important tricky double-jumps! You have to defeat all of the enemies on some levels (jump on them) before the exit appears, and some screens wrap around; though it will be obvious when you need to proceed off-screen either way.
There are various ‘mechanics’ you can use to proceed such as being able to form a human bridge for a huge rolling biscuit by standing under it, that are not uncommon throughout the game. You can perform death-defying double jumps by tapping the Spacebar and then quickly tapping the Spacebar twice very quickly while in mid-air. You can move left or right a little in mid-jump. Crouching might avoid some enemy fire! You get added health and bonuses by collecting cups of coffee. The game introduces many standard platform elements, such as spikes, death traps, movable blocks etc. The difficulty level of some higher levels is well on a par with the best platformers around. This is not just a platformer that relies on your platforming skills (though these are essential too!); but your logic is just as important!
The emulator is very easy to use. When the emulator is run, browse to the game file location and choose ‘all files’ and then select either the gba or ds game file which will then automatically load when you click OK. You might then well wish to use the emulator options to reset and save the directional movement controls. You can adjust settings and controls once a game has loaded, or while the game is running. Use the ‘Enter’ key to start the game playing.
The game, as you would expect plays in a smaller window, but that does not detract at all from playing the game. Some later levels are absolutely manic, but if you get that far, you’ll probably have some (!) chance of completing them. The emulator and hence the game should run on all versions of Windows since Win 95, with a moderately reasonable cpu.
There are 50 levels in this version. The Xbox version has an extra 5 levels and tutorial signs (available for 80 points or $1 on the Microsoft Xbox Live Community site). There are walkthroughs on YouTube which you might well need when you get stuck! You might find some levels frustrating until you get the knack, or some (or plenty of!) extra practice!
When you look at the very small size of the emulator file, it does make GBAs and DSs seem somewhat over-priced, at least in terms of their minimalist OSs! They certainly aren’t that complicated electronics-wise! The emulator is freeware and you’ll be downloading the latest stable version. You can also find sites to download backup copies of GBA or DS ROMs that you own, to use with the emulator.
As noted, graphics are quite simple, but really colorful. For an amateur game, it is really rather a good and quality game.
An exceptional and really very playable platformer, where gameplay and level design has been put before graphic style!
Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4JLARI4ZGE
Emulator Download HERE
Game Download HERE
