Bristles (video game)

Bristles is a video game written by Fernando Herrera for the Atari 8-bit family and published by the company he cofounded, First Star Software, in 1983.[2] It was ported to the Commodore 64,[3] ZX Spectrum,[1] and Exidy's Max-A-Flex arcade system.[4] In Bristles, the player uses ladders and elevators to move Peter the Painter through a cutaway view of a house to paint all the walls.

Bristles
Developer(s)First Star Software
Publisher(s)First Star Software
Statesoft (Spectrum)[1]
Designer(s)Fernando Herrera
Programmer(s)Atari 8-bit
Fernando Herrera
Commodore 64
Adam Bellin[2]
ZX Spectrum
Richard Huddy[1]
Composer(s)Jerry White
Platform(s)Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, Arcade, ZX Spectrum
Release1983: Atari 8-bit, C64
1984: Arcade, Spectrum
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player
2-4 player multiplayer

Gameplay
Gameplay screenshot (Atari 8-bit)

In Bristles the player controls a Peter the Painter with a task to paint walls of eight different houses within a given time limit. To move between the different floors Peter can ride an elevator or climb a ladder. If he gets caught in an open elevator shaft, Peter is sent to the bottom of the building.

Dangerous objects that hinder Peter's task include "flying half pints" that knock him down and "dumb buckets" that steal Peter's brush. Later levels add "Brenda the Brat", who leaves handprints all over the freshly painted walls, and the "Bucket Chucker" who never stops chasing Peter. Fortunately, Brenda can be pacified with a candy cane and Bucket Chucker can be temporarily trapped in a paint mixer.

The player starts with 10 brushes serving as lives and additional two brushes are added after finishing the paint job on every level.

Music

Bristles soundtrack uses arrangements of different pieces from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a. The main theme is II. Danses caractéristiques - a. Marche. A soundtrack can also be described as one of the first examples of adaptive music. For example: when the player is knocked down, the game will react with a IIc piece: Russian Dance, or, when Brenda is ruining freshly painted walls, piece IIe Chinese Dance will be played.

Reception

In a review for Antic in 1984, George Adamson wrote: "The game's action is fast and furious. It doesn't get faster in higher levels, though. Instead, Bristles offers more novel challenges".[5] Video Games magazine wrote, "As excellent and colorful as the visuals are, the melodies throughout this contest are the real show stoppers."[6]

In a 1985 ANALOG Computing review of reduced price games, Andy Eddy cautioned, "Many users will find Bristles too difficult and demanding, as it's a very hard game to master."[7]

Legacy

In 2004, an authorized modification of the Atari 8-bit computer version was released as an Atari 5200 cartridge.[8]

References
  1. "Bristles". Spectrum Computing.
  2. Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  3. Bristles at Lemon 64
  4. Stulir, Mike. "Exidy Max-A-Flex System". American Classic Arcade Museum.
  5. Adamson, George (April 1984). "Product Reviews: Bristles". Antic. 3 (1): 93.
  6. Salamone, Ted (May 1984). "Computer Corner: Bristles". Video Games. Pumpkin Press. 2 (8): 80.
  7. Eddy, Andy (November 1985). "Bargain Bin". ANALOG Computing (36): 19.
  8. "Atari 5200 Bristles (First Star Software)". AtariAge.
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