Label: Atlantis
Memory: 48K/128K
Price: £2.99 Tape, N/A Disk
Reviewer: Steve Keen
At first glance Hobgoblin is an impressive and appealing sight. The game's title is sprawled across the top of the screen in great style and every spare millimetre has been crammed with colour, incorporating some great scenery.
On the gameplay front Hoogoblin is very reminiscent of Ghost's n' Goblins. Taking the role of King Garath's only son Zanock, you have to travel the length and breadth of a land that has been overrun with ghouls, in search of the stolen Golden Orb which has brought darkness upon the country.
Well it's alright for old Garathy, sending out wayward members of his family to regain his kingdom while he curls up on his throne with a cup of Ovaltine! What's even more of a cheek is that he's only given his son an old penknife with which to vanquish the undead. Who needs family? Bigger and badder weapons can be found however, but they really have to be fought hard for. The speed in which your foe sprint towards you would put Ben Johnson to shame so the best course of action is to blast 'em as soon as you move onto a screen.
Scrolling is smooth as you'd want and graphics are lush as mansion houses. Colour has been used to great effect and gives the impression that there's more detail than there actually is. Yet the assorted ghosts, skeletons, flying fish(!?!) and bowmen are just too tough, even though extra lives are available and without a cheat most players will really get pigged off very fast indeed. Not the best gameplay I've ever seen, but definitely one of the prettiest.
Label: Atlantis
Memory: 48K/128K
Price: £3.99 Tape
Reviewer: Garth Sumpter
When I picked up the box for this little beauty, I was overcome by a strange feeling. What was it? Well it was all milky and chocolatey and I felt that it wouldn't ruin my appetite.
I was right too. Hobgoblin is an old game. A very old game but brought up to date by Atlantis so that you can use the good old Sinclair joystick ports to Dlug into (and a good job too, I can tell you).
It's your job to recover the Golden Orb of Altoris. Why? Well, someone's just noticed that it's missing and they'll have to buy a new ornament if they can't cover the patch on the sideboard where there's no dust.
Throughout sixty screens, you must jump and shoot your way past the denizen's of Hell that serve purely to bar your way (a bit like some Arsenal supporters I know!)
To help you there are several bits to collect that will help you in your quest: flaming arrows increase your range whilst glowing daggers and treasures increase your power.
A bouncy, colourful game that whilst simple, will take patience and skill before you'll be able to complete it.
ALAN:
I've never seen this before (See, I told you so - Ed) and it's pretty good with colourful graphics, speedy movement and straightforward gameplay.
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