Game Review: Bruce Lee (ZX Spectrum, Americana)

Fortress, Chambers and Labyrinths

As the start of the game, you start in the top-left of the fortress which has mountainous terrain in the distance.

During the game, you venture underground through the chambers and labyrinths where certain openings appear once when some objects have been collected.  That said, there is not too much complexity to opening walls and sections of the screens.  At most, you’ll usually only have to go one or two screens to do so.  For example, the second screen has a red area which opens once you have collected the lanterns on the first of the three screens to progress further downwards underground.

Friend or Foe?

From the main menu screen, you can also choose if you want your opponent to be the computer or a human opponent.  If you choose the latter, you’ll get 09 falls.  Player one being playing as Bruce Lee and the bigger foe being played by a mate of yours.  This is a welcome addition to the gameplay.  It also saves the other person possibly waiting ages to have a go themselves too!

Playability

You begin with 5 lives (shown as Falls).  The screen displays 04 but they are your remaining lives.

Bruce Lee plays well and the controls are very responsive.  The only fighting moves however are a running sideways drop-kick or when standing still, a chop.  In this respect, it can feel rather limited.  The chops are more powerful (but need to be closer to your enemies) than the drop-kicks.  Bruce Lee runs along when moving and can jump upwards, either vertically or diagonally left and right.  You can also crouch down low on the floor.

Throughout the game, two foes generally follow you about on most screens.  One is a bigger built character whilst the other is smaller guy with a stick.  Being struck with the stick will knock you backwards along the floor and doesn’t do so much damage.

Some screens have what look like half snooker cue balls running across a green surface.  These move along smoothly and follow set-patterns.  Some move in one direction, others join in the middle but there is one when you collect an object, makes the object change in the opposite direction.  Sneaky, if you’re not ready for it to happen!  You can jump over these, or another method is to do well timed running drop-kicks.

Chop-Chop!!!  Not so Fast…

It is possible to stand level with the foes.  If you don’t move, they tend to stay very still or not at all.     They move a tiny bit, but it does look rather odd.  It’s as if the game has been written to move left or right towards Bruce Lee but doesn’t know what to do if on the same position on the screen.

Climbing up and down moving dotted areas can also seem a bit slow paced and arduous.  The foes can also do this too.  You’ll need to be fairly patience as if you get it wrong and you could up get a pointed dagger in your head and losing a life.

The guy with the stick can also hit you or the bigger foe (which will also stun him), which does make sense.

Graphics and Animation

The loading screen is detailed showing a few drawings of Bruce Lee and martial arts poses and kicks.  All the detail is however in a windowed area on the right-hand side it, with the left-hand side being taken up with three logos for Datasoft.  Further down that side, it mentions the conversion to the Spectrum has been done by Ocean Software.  Along the top, are the words Bruce Lee which flash in red and black.

Other screens have what I would call a trigger fan effect on them.  These are light blue (cyan) dots on the ground and after a second or two, they spring open like a fan effect.  If you get caught in one of those, you’ll lose a life or if the foes get caught in those, they will flicker and re-appear a short-while later re-spawned elsewhere.

Later levels can involve moving across the screen (a bit like using monkey bars to avoid what looks like electricity) whereas on other screens, you must navigate through dotted areas (which change direction if you collect items in time).  When falling, you will see Bruce Lee or the foes gradually falling downwards in a vertical direction but facing the screen.

You and the foes can also climb the ladders too.  A well-timed flying kick can kick your opponents of the ladders.  Of note, the hippopotamus later open and close their mouths but that’s for effect only and are harmless!

Music and Sound Effects

Once the game has loaded, you are instantly presented with a tune which plays whilst on the menu screen to choose between keyboard and joystick.

During the game, you will hear tapping sounds (when running), a few clinks when collecting the lanterns or gold, slightly longer taps if you or the opponents are hit or a high pitch noise if you lose a life.  Sound effects can be switched off or on from the main menu.  Losing a life results in 3 notes being quickly played.

Completion of the game, results in another tune being played, in the same vein the one on the title screen, keeping consistency. Considering it’s all on a 48K Spectrum beeper, it’s rather good.

The Wizard

The final screen contains the Wizard.  At the top, it looks like he is behind bars and the only thing that happens is for him to fire at 45- or 90-degree angles at you.  You just need to quickly run along and grab the item on the right-hand side of the screen to defeat him.  No magic moves or anything, more like a static ogre!

Final Thoughts

My main criticism of Bruce Lee is that it is rather easy to complete.  Despite being 20 chambers long and not having played it in over 30 years, I managed to complete it on my first attempt!

Admittedly, back in past though, it did seem more like a challenge, and I know I didn’t complete it first time back then, but do remember completing back then, none-the-least.

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