
Dingbat, Commodore 16 and Plus/4, Mastertronic - IC 2250 (note: should be 2C 0250)
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7/10
Summary
Dingbat on the Commodore 16 and Plus/4 was Shaun Southern’s final single release Mastertronic game for the system (with Laza as part the C16 Compilation being his final game), and once you get used to the control system you have a very playable little shooter that really does get more addictive the further you go, with sensible increased difficulty levels and new features being added to keep up the interest. It may look simple at first, but looks are deceiving, with the bonus of being able to top up the power periodically to keep the game from being too frustrating.
User Review
( votes)Dingbat (or to give it its full title screen name: Dingbat, Wombat, Kick a Kangaroo) was Shaun Southern’s final single (not compilation) release Mastertronic game for the Commodore 16 and Plus/4. At the time, Mr Chip were also licencing games for Alternative Software too, which is why the elder brother of this game, Hummdinger, was released on the Commodore 64 by Alternative instead. An interesting anomaly is also with the catalogue number. Ideally, the catalogue number would have been 2C 0250, but ended up on the packaging as IC 2250, so definitely some confusion there.
Extra Dry
The blurb in the inlay has a very dry sense of humour which makes you wonder if Shaun himself wrote it. “Well, this is it, death or glory, do or die, and all those other tired phrases that come up whenever somebody is trying to persuade you to act as a complete and utter mug.” and later “Good luck and do not let the baddies past. Well, at least not too quickly.” The aim of the game is to complete sixteen levels by shooting anything that moves and collecting objects that drop after shooting a certain number of enemies. Collecting a certain number of those objects will then complete the level and move on to the next one.
Jetting Off into Space
You only need to use left and right to move your man in that direction. The fire button fires shots at enemies but also boosts your jet pack’s thrust, allowing you to head up and battle against the gravity that takes you to the ground. Bear in mind that if you crash into any backdrop, then that is one of your five jets lost, and there are no extra ones to be had. You also have a power bar to the bottom left (indicated by P L) – if you power runs out, jet lost. Your power is also used up by firing the thrust or firing at enemies, and if enemy bullets or enemies hit you, power is also lost. At least that means it is not one hit deaths, which we all should be happy about. The inertia of your jet is extremely responsive, and it does take some getting used to.
Collecting Quandary
After shooting a predetermined number of enemies (it is normally three on the first four levels, then changes after that – can be as little as one) one of two objects appear to be collected. On each level, the first one is the B which tops up your power to full, and can be very handy especially on later levels. The second is the main object to collect – the number varies each level, but the A L at the bottom right of the status display shows how many left. Collect them all, and the level is completed, and whatever power you have left is then added to your score – and on to the next of the sixteen levels accordingly. You can also go off the left or right edges (if there are no backgrounds in your way) and appear on the other side – quite handy if you want to zoom across and get more enemies.
Lighthouse of Pain
The first few levels gradually add additional elements, such as the ships firing from the ground, different enemy aliens such as flying saucers, and tanks, with several of those also firing at you. The background at this point is mainly the bottom of the screen – do not crash into that. The fifth level, Lighthouse Blues, adds an obstruction to the gameplay area to also avoid, but less shots for an object to be dropped as a sensible compromise. It is nonetheless is difficult as if you miss the B for the power top up, you can lose power very quickly from the lighthouse firing all sorts at you.
Later levels include backdrops that have parts at the top of the screen you cannot also touch, and some where you are surrounded and you must stay and shoot in the central level. This is where adjusting your response to the power of the booster thrust really helps – short sharp stabs of the fire button may be a lot better than holding down for some more accurate controls, and means you can turn or drop down for an object without too much risk. Getting the controls mastered really helps and the inertia of the gravity is also well handled too, showing what can be done with the right amount of tweaking to get the gameplay just right.
Graphics and Sound
The graphics in Dingbat are reasonable, with single colour enemies on each level showing off some nice drawn planes, helicopters and so on. Your lead character whizzes around well and you always feel like you are in control. The main piece of music on the title screen is also very nice, with some good meaty sound effects to back up the action taking place. There are also some nicely constructed backdrops later such as the lighthouse blues level which give the game an authentic look.
Final Thoughts
Dingbat may not look the best game graphically, and with some good sound effects and a title tune to boot, but where it excels is the playability. Once you get used to the control of the character with gentle taps of fire, your shooting becomes more accurate – as will your ability to swoop down for the objects needed to complete the level. The first couple of levels give you a good initial taster and means you can get into the game more as the other features are introduced, such as the gravity and the need to adjust the way you fire and boost the thrust to avoid the backgrounds, more so in later levels. Once again, Shaun Southern has come up with the goods and proven to be a quality name to trust for all Commodore 16 and Plus/4 owners.
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