Friday, July 06, 2018

Kev's World



Another GEM lurking within the ST's library!

Kev's World was developed for FloppyShop by Ben Pritchard and is the prequel to The Curse Of Bolda. In this flick-screen platformer, we explore many rooms, grabbing stars and shooting monsters in order to rescue our beloved Katherine from the clutches of Bolda. Okay, I know what you're thinking but stay with me on this one!

This platformer features many pitfalls and even the odd puzzle to solve using keys and teleporters before eventually battling the deranged-looking Bolda in a rather crude end-of-level boss fight. Okay, remember this wasn't commercial, so you should forget Magic Boy or Rainbow Islands when you take a gander at my screenshots...



There are many different baddies but watch out for the little green alien thing - I hate those!


It's time to be a 2D hero again!

Any platformer needs good, responsive controls which blend well with the basic mechanics of the game. Think something simple like Manic Miner. Well, the joystick controls are perfect and I love how agile Kevin's movements are which is brilliant. This is a typical game but there are a few neat touches that I love: keep this Krazy Kid busy otherwise, he complains that he's bored using a speech bubble which isn't new but a fun characteristic.

This bubble can also be used to indicate when Kev's hurt along with any items/power-ups he's collected. Floor panels are randomly placed and stepping on one will reward you with extra points or a smart bomb that kills everything on-screen. However, this is totally random so may instead cause a rockslide, alert the baddies to your location or reverse the controls. Are you ready to take a chance? I know right, it's something different and I love that!!
Lots of bonuses are scattered throughout and offer a variety of features:
QuintStar contains the value of five individual stars.
Aurora Of Invincibility provides temporary invulnerability from everything but spikes.
Hero Head ... well, don't get too excited because it's a 1UP!!
Power Heart boosts Kevin's health.
Sands Of Time adds to the ever-decreasing time limit.
Oh, and Kevin's also partial to playing arcade games, if you happen to find one...


Shoot Bolda in the face to save your girlfriend from this fiend!


Aesthetics

A platformer needs to have a clear and concise design and one that not only looks nice but isn't too obtrusive -  the enemies need to be clearly visible, objects aren't easily missed, nor will you accidentally bump into something deadly. Well, Kev's World might not look as good as Magic Boy but its design works superbly so appears interesting and eye-catching. When I say eye-catching that's because of the extremely insane colour palette!

The sprites look ace and very comical. Some of the nasties are very cute and I think it's obvious Ben spent most of his time getting these looking just right. Sadly, no Atari STe hardware is being utilised so STOS is struggling somewhat. I'd have loved to see Ben utilise the Blitter for a slightly faster feel.

The audio is excellent with tons of samples used throughout. However, like the visuals, Kev's World isn't using the DMA so it not only sounds rough but the playback is pushing STOS to its limits. Don't get me wrong, I love the effects but I think the YM chip would have been best. Can we all chip in and buy Ben an Atari STe?



Argh, that damn Bolda. My girlfriend is (slowly) whisked off once again!!


The CryptO'pinion?

What I love about Kev's World is its traditional oldskool gameplay which is just downright excellent and so enjoyable. The joystick controls are superb! The additional bonuses, along with smart bombs and other surprises, really makes this game stand out from most other PD/Shareware platformers available for the ST.

Sadly, it's a little sluggish so I'm sure the Blitter would have helped along with the DMA for the samples? (Sadly, no Atari STe features are being used). Anyhow, I have enjoyed playing this two-level demo and it's definitely something I would have bought back in the mid-90s because it's great fun. We need the full registered game!!

The two-level demo of Kev's World can be downloaded for either floppy or a hard disk.



Completed!! I made 12th place and even beat Metallica. Can you beat me?

4 comments:

  1. Very nice tiles, it seems entertaining, although I have not played it, it seems easy because it seems slow, I wish they could increase the speed. I would like to do it in Amiga

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    1. No. I'd love to see a STe enhanced version using the Blitter and DMA for sounds ;p

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  2. Is it only a demo or technically thew full game? I wonder.

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    1. It's a two-level demo but the full game is somewhere in Ben's house. I'm hoping he finds it :)

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