Phantomas (computer game)
| Phantomas 1 + 2 | |
|---|---|
| Studio | Dinamic software |
| Publisher | Dinamic Software (Spain), Codemasters (England, Europe) |
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
1986 |
| platform | Sinclair ZX Spectrum , Amstrad CPC , MSX , Commodore 64 |
| genre | Jump 'n' run |
| Game mode | Single player |
| control | joystick |
| medium | cassette |
| language | Spanish, English |
Phantomas is a two part platformers Run - Computer game series , which the Spanish was developed and companies "Dinamic Software" in 1986 sold in Spain. Codemasters took over the distribution in England and Germany .
While Phantomas only appeared on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum , Phantomas 2 was also ported for the Amstrad CPC , MSX and Commodore 64 . Phantomas 2 was distributed by Codemasters in Europe under the name Vampire .
Both games were developed at the same time: Phantomas by Enrique Cervera and Phantomas 2 by Emilio Pablo Salgueiro Torrado . The porting of Phantomas 2 to Amstrad CPC and MSX was carried out by Emilio Pablo Salgueiro Torrado, that to the Commodore 64 by Adrian Sheppard. In addition to the original hardware, the games can now also be played on emulators such as the VICE for the Commodore 64.
Due to the same game principle, Dinamic Software decided to give the two characters from both games the same name, “Phantomas” .
Gameplay and technology
Both games were distributed on cassette and are played by joystick . The player controls the playing figure from one room to another, which are displayed to the player in the side view. In order to realize the large number of rooms, the rooms consist of small repeating picture elements. The game therefore does not contain any larger graphics. Opponents, dangerous or useful objects are waiting for the player in the individual rooms. Opponents and dangerous objects such as flames must not be touched and lead to the loss of life energy. In return, objects exist, such as food, that replenish life energy. Other objects, such as keys, must be collected by the player in order to open locked doors or the like.
It is not possible to save the game state , so the game has to be repeated completely if the character loses all of its life energy. The game review in Zzap! 64 was negative: Vampires are boring and the controls, graphics and music are bad. ( "Vampire has no redeeming features to save it from being left on the shelf [...] the control method is awful, [...] it's also very hard on the eyes and dull to the ears." For example: Vampire hat no saving feature that protects it from being put aside, the controls are terrible, it is also ugly and has monotonous music.)
action
Both games have only a rudimentary framework that results from the spaces crossed.
Phantomas contains about 80 rooms and is about a thief who wants to rob a villa. To do this, he first has to cross a junkyard, clear out the villa and then escape through an underground cave system.
Phantomas 2 contains 95 rooms that together form a castle with underground passages. The goal is to kill Dracula. To do this, a hammer, a wooden stake and a cross must be found. These are in turn distributed around the castle and keys must be found in order to reach these objects.