CONVERSION CAPERS

DISCOVER HOW THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS MATCH UP

ATARI ST

■ The game was developed on the ST, so all other versions were based on this one. As a native ST game the presentation is top notch, featuring cartoon-style sprites and detailed backgrounds. The audio is excellent too, with effective sound samples used throughout.

PC

■ In EGA mode this is like a halfway house between the ST and 8-bit versions, while in CGA mode it gives the Spectrum a run for its money in the crazy colour stakes. As for music: there isn’t any. Not a note. There are sound effects in the form of blips and beeps.

AMSTRAD CPC

■ This is pretty good. The graphics are nice and colourful, if a little blocky, and the CPC’S palette is a good fit for the game (particularly the Egypt stage). The downside is there’s no music at all – even when played on a 128K machine. The sound effects are fine, but still.

AMIGA

■ Visually the ST and Amiga versions are like for like: same number of onscreen colours, identical levels of detail and matching screen sizes. The audio is also carried over, although the music on the Amiga is richer and samples can be played simultaneously.

C64

■ This is very good. Almost everything from the 16-bit versions has made the transition, including the intro scenes that open each stage. The only things missing are the full-length stages and the famous “WAAAAH!” sound effect. This is the best 8-bit version by far

ZX SPECTRUM

■ This is not bad. It’s colourful for a Spectrum game, but the sprites and backgrounds share the same colours, so it’s easy to lose sight of Rick, making a challenging game even trickier. That aside, it plays as well as the other versions, and the 128K music sounds great.