Hunchback II: Quasimodo’s Revenge, ZX Spectrum

The sequel to the hit game Hunchback was released in 1985 by Ocean Software. Hunchback II is another platform game where you control Quasimodo on a mission to collect bells and survive through seven screens of conveyors and climbing ropes. Make it to the end and again rescue Esmeralda as she waits patiently for her green-coloured hero.

The first level – where Quasimodo has to walk over bells and climb up bell ropes – was actually the final stage of the Hunchback arcade game, but since it didn’t appear in the first home conversion of Hunchback it now pops-up here.

Hunchback II owes more than just a passing nod to the 1982 arcade hit Donkey Kong Jr. but is nowhere near as good. Graphically it’s much better than the first game, but in truth it’s still nothing special.

Hunchback II was an important release for Ocean, as was seen in the classic TV documentary Commercial Breaks, in which the game was featuring during development. It didn’t sell nearly as well as its predecessor, though.