Brace yourself for a corker!
I think everyone has played Beyond the Ice Palace at some time, and I got mine free with my first Atari ST computer. Until then, I was a Spectrum user, so I'm sure you can imagine the look on my face when I first loaded the ST version with its colourful graphics, smooth scrolling, and jazzy sounds. It was something!!
Much like Ghosts & Goblins, this is a scrolling platformer with three monster-infested levels designed to test your dexterity, skill, and reflexes. Predictable, yet there’s also something oddly special about it, too. Everything works perfectly: superb joystick control, a generous variety of enemies, and delightfully cruel level design. Annoyingly enough, it’s a platformer that has absolutely everything to make it downright awesome.
Let's break this pointless trip down memory lane with a couple of funky screenshots...
I knew this game was gonna be great from the start but choose your weapon carefully.
Hey, I think I've found a severed head!! Hmm, what could it possibly be?
Play the game
The first level is a trip through scary woods and is the typical platformer environment with peculiar baddies and a freaky end-of-level boss. Actually, each level follows the same formula with interesting places and many monsters to shoot/avoid/run away from. The second and third levels are, more or less, the same: a vertically scrolling cavern filled with hideous creatures before eventually reaching the wicked witch.
You're not alone: a good spirit can be summoned, which helps clear the screen of the baddies. This feature is limited to a certain number of uses (check out the funny face in the status bar). So choose your moments wisely when you are most vulnerable - then watch it zig-zag down your screen, killing baddies for you.
Ice Palace isn't complex, but it can be tricky due to awkward mechanics. For example, the blue demon is irritating as he cunningly appears just as you begin to use the elevating platforms. My advice: leap off at the moment he appears, as it's easier to kill. Otherwise, you are stranded on the platforms and vulnerable.
Hey, I think that we need two more screenshots of our hero with his flowing blonde locks...
Argh, you've blown it by staying on that life. Now the battle is much harder!
Oh no, here is the end-of-level green worm guardian!
A 16-bit jaw dropper
I've always felt the graphics are extraordinary and demonstrate our superiority over the 8-bit computers. The 1980s were an era of no-lame Amiga ports, so this game has been programmed well (thank you, Time Moore). The scrolling is smooth, the landscapes are great, and we have gorgeous sprites. Heck, even dying is a beautiful moment, and I'll never tire of its flicky death effect as my soul ascends into heaven!
The sounds are ravishing, with a sharp arcade-like style throughout. David Whittaker's music plays alongside these using a technique we saw in Xenon (ie, one channel is replaced as and when for the sound effects). After all, there are only 3 channels, so blame Yamaha. Look, the music is awesome. Nuff said.
So, it plays brilliantly while looking and sounding superb. What a game, eh? Screenshot time...
Level two ramps up the difficulty with weird wolfmen roaming the labyrinth!
Let's leap for joy, for we have collected another severed head!!
The CryptO'pinion?
After all these years, it’s still incredibly fun and utterly addictive. The great joystick controls, smooth scrolling, and gameplay make it a joy. The only downside is the small size of each level; I wish they were bigger. Yes, I want more!! :) Hey, he might wear cute green boots, but I guarantee you will love this platformer.
Get this downloaded and experience a platformer that’s nothing short of legendary.
Maps for the ZX Spectrum game aren't needed, but nice to have.
My Hi-Score. Can you beat me????? No, you cannot! ;p
