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Fiendish Freddy's Big Top O'Fun |
Copyright/Publisher: Mindscape/Gray Matter,
Created by Chris Gray, Conversion By:
Imagitec Design Ltd, Production: Neil
Young & Phil Harrison, Managed by: Axel, Coding: Axel,
Leslie Long & Simon Golding,
Graphics: Kristi Louise Herd, Music By: Imagitec Design Ltd,
Game Design By: Chris Gray,
Rob Andersson, Ed Zolnieryx, Raymond Cheang &
Dennis Turner, Release year: 1989,
Genre: Multi Events, No. of Players: 1 to 5
If the Poll Tax wasn't bad enough, I.M. Tightwad's blasted bank is demanding instant
repayment of its $10.000 loan otherwise it's going to seize the circus! There's only
one way to raise the money - to put on the performance of a lifetime... but the
traitorous clown Fiendish Freddy has been sent to sabotage the show!
After a hilarious scene-setting intro, prospective circus savers are asked to
step forward by a carnival hawker. Up to five people can participate, either
putting on a whole show or choosing to practise one of the six event. Each event
is a separate load, divided by an appearance by the five judges who award each player
cash for his performance.
The first act is Phenomenal Feats Of Diving Daring, where Horace climbs an
immensely high platform ti dive into a barrel first, then as the height increases,
a teacup! You must ensure he lands on target, despite Fiendish Freddy trying to blow
him off course with a fan, and also perform various manoeuvres. Waggling the joystick
builds up momentum until you can assume such positions as Ballet and Dive Bomb!
Genuine Juggling Genius is required by Jeffy-Joe the unicycling clown, with a seal
tossing him skittles and flaming torches. Left/right moves the clown or, if fire is
held down, causes the appropriate hand to throw up. Jeffy-Joe must also watch out
for bombs and even a baby which has to be returned to its cot!
In Breattaking Bravado from Hazardous Heights the scantily clad Finola must leap
from swinging trapeze to swinging trapeze.
The Deadly and Dangerous Daggers of Death has Knancy tied onto a spinning wheel
with several balloons. You must hurl a limited number of knives, bursting the
balloons without hitting the girl.
Tony Tiptoe is the star of Tense Travel Techniques on Tightrope. A screen-long
stretch of rope has to be traversed using forward to move across, with left/right
controlling the vital balancing pole. Relatively easy - until Freddy starts
throwing razor-edged Frisbees!
The final event is the explosive Combustible Cannons of Colossal Courage.
Fernando climbs into a cannon filled with TNT. You must then quickly place a trampoline
where you think he'll land. Then the cannon begins to fall down; press fire when
you've got the right angle and Fernando goes flying!
However badly you mess up an event, you carry on through all six to be
rewarded by an amusing end-game sequence.
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SL |
When Amiga Freddy Sizzled last year, we regarded C64 conversion with scepticism.
But a sensible C64 multiload means almost nothing has been lost - there's even the
hilarious intro. Considering the manic cartoon-style humour of the original,
including a scene where the fallen tightrope walker clings to the rope before
Freddy smashes his hand, this is an incredible achievement. But behind the graphics
there's lots of playability - the juggling is particularly fun. In effect Freddy
offers six hilarious above-average mini-games which can be combined into a single
big game, all at a bargain price. Great fun!
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Phil |
The Amiga game was hilarious fun and Fiendish Freddy has lost none of its humorous
appeal in the conversion to the 64. The events are pretty much the same as they
were: all very playable in their own right and brilliantly presented with
gorgeous cartoon graphics.
Of course there's most fun is with more than one player - even if you don't save
the circus, you can have brilliant multi-player competitions. The game's strongest
point is undoubtedly its wicked sense of humour, which makes even losing very
amusing. If Fiendish Freddy doesn't raise a smile you must have a worse sense of humour
than the Scorelord!
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