Bruce Lee


by F. David Thorpe, L.T. Software, Ocean Software Ltd
U.S. Gold Ltd
1985
Sinclair User Issue 38, May 1985   page(s) 34

Publisher: US Gold
Price: £7.95
Memory: 48K
Joystick: Sinclair, Kempston, Protek

Leaping from the big screen to the small screen, Bruce Lee encourages you to practice the ancient art of Kung-Fu from the safety of an armchair.

You would think that immortality on screen would be enough, but no, Bruce wants infinite wealth as well - no doubt to keep him going in the afterlife - from a wizard who dwells beneath a temple in the Himalayas.

In this exciting game from US Gold you have to pass through three screens on ground level to a secret entrance to the caverns below. To uncover the entrance all the lanterns in those screens must be collected. Lanterns play a key part throughout the game uncovering secret entrances.

It is no simple job penetrating the wizard's stronghold. All your skills as Kung-Fu expert are called to the fore in order to defeat the evil Green Yamo and deadly Ninja - the wizard's minions.

It is worth spending a few moments before play to practice kicking and punching - very simple with joystick control - as the Yamo and Ninja will soon knock you out. The Yamo is a fat, wobbly giant but is a keen fighter and has to be knocked down three times before he collapses. The Ninja - no less deadly - needs to be knocked out only twice.

Once underground there are many traps to catch the uninitiated - exploding t'sung lin bushes and pan lights streaming across the ground are two such hazards.

Tunnels and passages have to be negotiated - watch out for electrical fields which must be dodged. Lanterns must be collected, ladders climbed and you will have to make use of a moving column of particles which change direction at random - a bit like running up a down escalator.

The graphics are decorative and clearly defined with good use of colour. Bruce Lee, the Ninja and Green Yamo - who incidentally is white in the Spectrum version - could be more clearly defined but are quite recognisable, and the lack of detail in their make-up doesn't detract from the game.

The options at the start are many and varied - you can play against the computer or an opponent or two players against the computer.

There is little sound and more tasks could have been incorporated. However, there are a number of tricky obstacles to avoid and 20 chambers to get through. An enjoyable game and worth buying.


Overall: 4/5

Transcript by Chris Bourne

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