This obscure isometric action/maze game was published by German company Starbyte in 1989 and is basically a clone of the 1983 Atari 8-bit game Flip and Flop. And it’s not a bad game, even though the title of it doesn’t make sense (it really should be “Clown-O-Rama” or “Clown-Mania” – the use of the “O” in this context doesn’t work in English).

As Beppo the clown you must negotiate a series of maze-like platforms, connected by ladders, collecting gems and pellets while avoiding contact with hostiles.

There are warp tiles (that transport you to another place in the maze); spikes (that either prevent hostiles passing, or even destroy them if touched); booster tiles (that accelerate you in the direction you entered them); one way tiles (allowing you through in only one direction); funnels (dropping you to lower platforms); death tiles (that will kill you if you walk over them), and reverse tiles (that turn a level upside-down or revert it back to normal).

A surprise in the game is that Beppo can jump across gaps, but only if he has enough jumps in his inventory (which can be collected by running into the yellow bubble type things). He can also collect razor blades (the grey ‘O’-shaped objects) and throw them at enemies to destroy them. Some levels have what look like small pyramids on the floor; these can be picked up (by standing on them and pressing fire), and dropped to use as barriers, which is useful.

Clown-O-Mania is a reasonably fun game to play on the Amiga. The presentation is good throughout, although I did find the music to be a bit weak. It’s not a cacophony by any means, but it did remind me of very commercial country and western type-pop… Which may appeal to some, but didn’t to me.

More: Clown-O-Mania on Moby Games