Rick Dangerous

Rick Dangerous is a platform game developed by Core Design for the Acorn Archimedes, Amiga, Atari ST, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and MS-DOS based PCs. The game was released in 1989 and published by Rainbird Software in Europe and the rest of the world, and on the MicroPlay label (part of MicroProse) in America. Later, it was released with two other games, Stunt Car Racer and Microprose Soccer, on the Commodore 64 Powerplay 64 cartridge. The game was followed by a sequel, Rick Dangerous 2, in 1990. Loosely based on the Indiana Jones film franchise, the game received mixed reviews from critics.

Rick Dangerous
Developer(s)Core Design
Publisher(s)Rainbird Software
Designer(s)Simon Phipps
Platform(s)Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, Acorn Archimedes, C64, ZX Spectrum, MS-DOS
Release1989
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

The plot of Rick Dangerous is largely based on the Indiana Jones movie Raiders of the Lost Ark. Set in 1945, British agent Rick Dangerous travels to the Amazon jungle to search for the lost Goolu tribe. His plane crashes in the jungle, and Rick must escape from the enraged Goolu. When the game starts Rick finds himself in a cave running from a rolling boulder, a famous scene from the Indiana Jones movie.

Armed with a pistol and dynamite, Rick must fight hostiles and evade traps in three more levels. The second level of the game is set inside a pyramid located in Egypt. In the third level, Rick must venture to the Nazi stronghold of Schwarzendumpf castle to rescue captured Allied soldiers. The rescued soldiers tell him that the Nazis are planning a missile attack on London. Therefore, in the last level, Rick must infiltrate their secret missile base.

Gameplay

Rick can jump and climb, as well as carry a limited amount of dynamite and ammunition for his gun. This gun is Rick's primary means of disposing of enemies. Most traps throughout the game that can kill Rick can also kill his enemies, which can be to the player's advantage. The dynamite sticks that Rick carries are generally used for solving puzzles, such as through exploding certain blocks (some of them fly towards the explosion, potentially killing Rick in the backfire). Rick is also armed with a pogo stick that allows him to paralyze enemies.

Many of the traps in Rick Dangerous have no visible warning, which means that a player's initial progress through the game may consist of trial and error. This was criticized by some reviewers.

Reception

Your Sinclair awarded Rick Dangerous with a 78% rating, stating that the game was "A trekkin' good arcade adventure. Simple but tricky, with that vital just-one-more-go element,"[13] while Computer and Video Games gave the Spectrum game an 87%, plus a "C+VG Hit" award, saying that it was "An excellent platform game ..."[5]

The C64 version met with lukewarm reviews; an 84% from CU Amiga-64[9] and a 73% from Zzap!64. Zzap!64 pointed out that the game was "A playable and fun platform-style game but not much more than that."[16] Zzap!64 only gave Rick Dangerous 1 & 2 a 73% and 75% overall rating respectively, pointing out that the first game was "A playable and fun platform-style game but not much more than that."[16] The Amstrad version also received the same response getting a 76% from The Games Machine,[15] although the game fared slightly better with Amstrad Action who rated it 83% and awarded it with an "AA Rave" accolade.[10]

ACE gave the Amiga version an 890 rating,[19] and Amiga Format gave an 89%.[2] Amiga Power was highly critical of both games and the reliance on pattern learning.[17][18]

The Atari ST version received positive reviews; 88%[4] and 87%[5] from The One for 16-bit Games and Computer and Video Games, respectively. The One magazine explained that "Rick Dangerous rates as one of the most enjoyable 16-bit arcade games in a long time."[4]

Game developer David Cage considers Rick Dangerous to be his favourite game.[20]

References
  1. Watsham, Jools (December 1991). "Cheap and Cheerful - Rick Dangerous". The One for Amiga Games. No. 39. EMAP Images. p. 96.
  2. Smith, Andy (September 1989). "Screen Play - Rick Dangerous". Amiga Format. No. 2. Future Publishing. p. 27. ISSN 0957-4867.
  3. "Reviews Directory". ACE. No. 52. EMAP Images. January 1992. p. 108. ISSN 0954-8076.
  4. Nesbitt, Brian (June 1989). "Rick Dangerous". The One for 16-bit Games. No. 9. EMAP Images. pp. 66–68. ISSN 0955-4084.
  5. Rignall, Julian. "Review - Richard Dangerous". Computer and Video Games. No. 93. EMAP Frontline. pp. 80–81. ISSN 0261-3697.
  6. Skeat, Alison (July 1989). "Games Review - Rick Dangerous". Sinclair User. No. 88. EMAP B&C. p. 60. ISSN 0262-5458.
  7. Rand, Paul; Dykes, Alan (May 1992). "Rerelease - Rick Dangerous". Sinclair User. No. 123. EMAP Images. p. 60. ISSN 0262-5458.
  8. Sumpter, Garth; Dykes, Alan (February 1992). "Rerelease - Rick Dangerous". EMAP Images. No. 120. Sinclair User. p. 41. ISSN 0262-5458.
  9. Dillon, Tony (June 1989). "64 Screen Scene - Rick Dangerous". CU Amiga-64. No. 69. EMAP Frontline. p. 33. ISSN 0963-0090.
  10. Broadley, Emma; Carey, Steve (August 1989). "Action Test - Rick Dangerous". Amstrad Action. No. 48. Future Publishing. p. 47. ISSN 0954-8068.
  11. Dunn, Mike; Roberts, Nick (July 1989). "Reviews - Rick Dangerous". Crash. No. 66. Newsfield. pp. 40–41. ISSN 0954-8661.
  12. Green, Alan (April 1992). "Crashback - Rick Dangerous". Crash. No. 92. Europress Impact. p. 79. ISSN 0954-8661.
  13. Ryan, Jackie (July 1989). "Rick Dangerous". Your Sinclair. No. 43. Dennis Publishing. p. 61. ISSN 0269-6983.
  14. Pelley, Rich (April 1992). "Replay - Rick Dangerous". Your Sinclair. No. 76. Future Publishing. p. 60. ISSN 0269-6983.
  15. Lapworth, Warren (July 1989). "Reviews - Rick Dangerous". The Games Machine. No. 20. Newsfield. p. 44. ISSN 0954-8092.
  16. Wynne, Stuart; Hogg, Robin (August 1989). "Zzap! Test - Rick Dangerous 64". Zzap!64. No. 52. Newsfield. p. 12. ISSN 0954-867X.
  17. "Definition of Sound: The Great Leap Forwards". Amiga Power. No. 11. Future Publishing. March 1992. pp. 83, 86. ISSN 0961-7310.
  18. Winstanley, Cam (November 1994). "Budgets - Rick Dangerous". Amiga Power. No. 43. Future Publishing. p. 85. ISSN 0261-3697.
  19. Lacey, Eugene (October 1989). "Screentest - Rick Dangerous". ACE. No. 25. EMAP B&CP. p. 44. ISSN 0954-8076.
  20. Stevens, Laura (February 16, 2018). "A Videogame Developer Who Finds Power in Pathos". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018.


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