Dr. Franky and the Monster is a 1984 platform game written by Martin Wheeler (who created the original Sorcery) and published by Virgin Games for the ZX Spectrum. It’s a cartoony, satirical take on the Frankenstein story, and – to be honest – it isn’t very good.
Tag Archives: 1984
Future Spy, Arcade
In Sega‘s 1984 arcade game, Future Spy, you fly an F-15 jet fighter across an isometric landscape, shooting down enemy aircraft while at the same time dropping bombs on ships, submarines, and ground forces.
Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory, Arcade
This obscure 1984 arcade game is a spin-off from Data East‘s classic 1982 hit, BurgerTime, in that it features Peter Pepper, the burger-dropping chef from that game. In Peter Pepper’s Ice Cream Factory, though, he is again navigating various screens of platforms and ladders, except this time he is trying to push scoops of ice cream into cones, as well as trying to take out chasing enemies by pushing or throwing ice cream at them.
Chip Factory, Commodore 64
Chip Factory, by Supersoft, was first released for the Commodore 64 in 1984 and is a BurgerTime variant that at least tries to do something different with the concept of dropping objects down a series of platforms and ladders.
Burger Time, Commodore 64
This Commodore 64 clone of Data East‘s classic BurgerTime was coded by Lee Braine, with music by Chris Cox, and was first published Interceptor Software in 1984.
Mr. Wimpy, Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 version of Ocean Software‘s Mr. Wimpy was programmed by David Selwood and was first published in 1984. And unfortunately this simple BurgerTime rip-off has a similar problem to the terrible BBC Micro version, although this time it’s an issue getting on to ladders – not off of them (which is a big problem in the BBC version). In the C64 version you’ll lose lives unnecessarily, because the fast-moving enemies will often get you while you’re struggling to line yourself up to climb a ladder. Which can be hugely frustrating. It’s not quite as bad as the BBC version, but it’s still a tangible problem with the controls.
Mr. Wimpy, BBC Micro
The BBC Micro conversion of Ocean Software‘s infamous BurgerTime rip-off, Mr. Wimpy, was coded by Richard Kay and first released in 1984. And – without any hesitation – I can say that it is absolutely terrible.
Chiller, Commodore 64
Chiller is a simple platform game set over five different screens, and the aim is to rescue your girlfriend who is located in a haunted house at the end of the game. You jump around and collect ‘magic crosses’ to transition to the next screen. An energy bar indicates the player’s health. Touching enemies, or red mushrooms, depletes health, and collecting pink mushrooms increases it. If the bar reaches zero it’s game over – you only have one life.
Galaxian, ColecoVision
The Galaxian conversion for the ColecoVision was first released in 1984 by Atarisoft, and it is a decent port of the classic 1979 arcade game from Namco. A secret message in the game credits James D. Eisenstein for writing the graphics and program (he also dedicates the game to his then wife/girlfriend, Jeneane).
The Evil Dead, ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum version of Palace Software‘s The Evil Dead video game was never released as a stand-alone title, although it was given away as a freebie on the b-side of the cassette for the ZX Spectrum version of Cauldron. Probably because Palace realised that no person in their right mind would pay money for a game this bad.
The King of Grabs 