Addams Family Download (1992 Amiga Game)

KOOKY...

Taking notice of past licensed failures. Ocean have opted for the Hudson HawK route, adopting a single gamestyle rather than a mishmash of sub-games. It had always been Ocean's Gary Bracey's intention to rival Mario, and on perusing the film's script, he decided that Addams had the perfect setting for it. The game is played within the Family's sprawling mansion, and this allows the game to bo broken down into five distinct areas - ie, wings of the building. The scenario tells of an evil property developer who is forwarding plans to flatten the mansion so that ho can build a series of towerblocks on its estate. Obviously, this has encountered resistance from the kooky clan, but such protesta- tions have been silenced with the kidnapping of Granny. Morticia. Fester and the kids, leaving head of the house. Gomez, with little option but to scour the house's many dark corridors and rooms in search of them, and, in doing so, defeat the mysterious kidnappers. Just as the scenario is far removed from that of the film, though, the Gomez spnte is equally unrelated to the film's Raul Julta character. With his squat physique, handlebar moustache and incredible running and jumping finesse, all Gomez requires is a set of red dungarees before the transformation into Mario is complete. However, that said. Gomez can match Mario move for move, and even has a few extra tricks up his smoking jacket's sleeves. For example, a flying Fez (a Fez-Copter) can be found in some levels, and can be collected to get Gomez airborne and past particularly nasty areas.

MYSTERIOUS...

Starting in the hallway, five doors await Gomez's attentions. These form the entrances to the five wings, and contain a series of creature-infested rooms and the guarded members of the family. Behind these doors lie the garden, the kitchen, a dungeon, and other such rooms, and follow either a horizontally or eight-way-scrolling path. Ocean's studying of all things Mano also shows up m the animation and control over Gomez. As can be expected, the joystick sends the moustachioed hero scurrying to and fro and pressing the firebutton prompts him to leap, but these simple controls belie the true athleticism of the sprite. The length of each |ump can be determined by keeping the joystick pressed m the direction Gomez is leaping, and his direction can also be altered mid-|ump. The flexibility over tho character is essential to the game, as to destroy the rampaging nasties. Gomez can either jump on them or avoid them. The lumping method is obviously the most favourable, as several thousand points are given as a reward, but avoidance is less nsky.

Each of the wings follows the set pattern of avoiding or killing the nasties until the door to the next area is found, and, ultimately, the Boss' creature guarding your family member is defeated. However, this simplicity is the basis for The Addams Family's complete payability. Nobody could ever say that Super Mario Brothers was the most taxing or original of games, but such is the implementation of the ideas and the ease of use of both Mario and, indeed. Gomez that there's no room for unnecessary sub-games or complications. So, what you get are hundreds of nasty-infested screens, all ready for a good bouncing. Additionally. Addams' nasties are all tied in with their respective levels, so the gardon features horticultural horrors, whilst the kitchen has cutlery-wielding chefs and the like.

SPOOKY...

Gomez begins the game with a set of five lives, the length of which are determined by a series of hearts which act as energy indicators. These are steadily reduced should Gomez come into contact with a nasty or hit by one of the many swinging axes or raptd-fir-ing cannons that form the game's plentiful static obstacles. Howover, to replenish any lost health, throughout the game there are a series of Dollar signs which our agile hero can collect Twenty-five of these money signs go towards an extra energy point, whilst a hundred grants Gomez with a much-needed extra life. The goodies don't stop there, though, and useful power-ups, such as limited invulnerability, can also be collected

With The Addams Family. Ocean have produced what is quite easily their best game yet - with the possible exception of the brilliant Rainbow Islands (but it is very, very close) Forget the likes of Batman The Mowe, the excellent Robocop III. and even Parasol Stars. The Addams Family is platform perfection. Everything about the game, from the tinkly John Dunn music and effects to the little dust clouds Gomez kicks up when he skids to a stop, make it a polished-looking game - but as in Mario, the gameplay still outweighs the aesthetic pluses. The complete control over the Gomez sprite, coupled with the devious layouts of traps, nasties and obstacles makes for a real challenge. Due to programming limitations, there's usually never more than three moving nasties on the screen at any one time, but they are timed to move or patrol so that it isn't really noticeable. In addition, these objects behave In such a way that they, too, can be used in your favour. For instance, above the flight path of a cannonbail, there may be a series of Dollar signs and the only way to reach them is to jump in the path of the cannonbail and bounce off it to reach them.

ALTOGETHER OOKY...

For anyone who has seen Mario in action on an NES or Super NES. then you need yearn no longer for the same style game. Addams may not be as busy or as fast as any of the Super Mario Brothers games, and I doubt that Gomez will attain the cult status of the Brooklyn U-bend fixer, but, even so. The Addams Family is a massive achievement. It somehow ties in with the film without compromising its variety, and even manages to get across some of the film's darker humour. I'm not sure whether it's just becauso The

Addams Family movie was crying out for a decent game based on it, or whether Ocean's programmers have simply pulled out all the stops to produce one of the best platform games ever, but whatever the reason for Addams'content and style. Ocean deserve to be rewardod. It seems that they have listened to people complaining about the likes of Darkman. Total Recall, and

Terminator II. and come up with the perfect answer. The Addams Family has instantly become one of my all-time favourite games, residing up their with the likes of Kick Off II. Rainbow Islands, and Jimmy White's Snooker, and as a decidedly picky git when it comes to what I'll actually play in my own time, that's praise indeed. Steal a copy if you have to, but this is an essential addition to every Amiga's software library. They're certainly ooky by me...

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