[Coco] worst game ever review: pooyan

[Nick Marentes]

It's a great little arcade game based on the smash arcade hit. The CoCo 
version is quite a faithful repoduction considering the graphics 
limitations of the CoCo 1/2.

The game ran at .89Mhz on a CoCo 1/2 but considering the number and 
quality of the moving objects on screen, a great effort.

Run the patched version for CoCo3 and you're playing at 1.78 Mhz and a 
better improved 4 color PMODE3 color palette.

The goal in the first round is to prevent the wolves from floating down 
from above using the balloons to cushion their fall. Don't allow them to 
land otherwise they climb the tree behind you and try to byte you (the 
piglet) from behind.

In the next round they are inflating balloons and try to float to the 
top in order to gather together as a group to push the rock over the 
edge and send you crashing to the ground.

Not so silly once you know what's going on eh?   :)

A great arcade game for anyone who like classic 80's arcade video games. 
If you prefer chess, then this (and most other arcade games) are not 
your cup of tea.

The scanned documentation is in the excellent CoCo Archives repository.

To see a really nice remake on the PC, go to: 
http://www.underwaredesign.com/?page=programs.Pooyan


Nick


On 28/01/2015 4:58 PM, Willard Goosey wrote:
> So this game apparently got mentioned as one of the Worst Games Ever
> because of Radio Shack false advertising. Anyway.
>
> Pooyan (CoCo3 patched) is a silly little single-screen arcade
> game. cats/alligators/whatevers jump down from the top of the screen
> and you have to shoot their balloons to make them drop. You can move
> up and down, and shoot arrows. The enemy critters throw apples(?) at
> you. Something unspecified but apparently bad happens if they make it
> all the way to the ground.
>
> The game's engine seems pretty well thought out. Arrows and apples
> both travel in arcs, and fairly precise hits have to be made for the
> weapons to be effective. Shooting the critter doesn't bug them, you
> have to shoot their balloon. Likewise the critters have to hit "you",
> not the elevator cage you're riding. They can block your shots with
> their apples.
>
> Speed was mentioned as an issue with this game. I haven't lasted 2
> full minutes yet so I don't really think the game moves too slow. ;-)
> I think I mentioned that I stink at games.
>
> The intro music is pretty good, and the sound effects work well. This
> is apparently a port? So I'm sure purists object to there being
> no music during play, but whatever.
>
> Since the game was patched to be in color on an RGB coco3 it wouldn't
> be fair to talk much about graphics. Besides, what else do I need to
> say beyond "PMODE 3"?  I do wonder what the critters are supposed to
> be though. :-)
>
> In summary: Not a bad little game. Will play again.
>
> Willard