Boppin'
| Boppin' | |
|---|---|
| File:Boppinscreenshot.png | |
| Developer(s) | Accursed Toys |
| Publisher(s) | KarmaSoft (Amiga) Apogee Software (DOS) |
| Platform(s) | Amiga, MS-DOS |
| Release | 15th May, 1992 (Amiga) 15th November, 1994 (DOS) |
| Genre(s) | puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single Player |
Boppin' is a puzzle game developed by Accursed Toys, originally published for the Amiga by KarmaSoft. The Amiga version only sold 284 copies, according to the developers, and so it was ported to DOS and released as shareware, published by Apogee Software.
The primary differences between the Amiga and DOS versions are that the graphics of the Amiga version only had 32 colours compared to the 256 colours of the DOS version, that the Amiga version had different music and sound (considered by Accursed Toys to be superior to the DOS version) and the DOS version had a different plot to make way for an increased number of levels - the plot below is from the DOS version.
Accursed Toys have since re-released a Windows version of Boppin', based on the DOS version but with the Amiga music and sound included, and have given permission for older versions of Boppin' to be freely distributed. See also list of commercial games released as freeware.
Plot
The two heroes are Yeet and Boik, computer game characters, inhabitants of an alternate universe (Arcapaedia) created and maintained by the dreams and belief of their fans. Each episode has a plot, the first involving the pure and sweet Hunnybunz trapping the monsters of computer games inside specially-shaped blocks in an attempt to 'clean up' the world of computer games, and the rest repeating this plot with slight changes - with the antagonist being a meaner version of Hunnybunz, or a family member. The heroes must rescue the monsters by "bopping" these shaped blocks, as explained below. There are multiple endings to the game, depending on the player's actions.
Gameplay
Levels are made up of blocks, elevators, refractors, prizes and two starting points. The game involves throwing blocks picked up from the starting point (one for each player in two-player games, only one is used in one-player) at blocks of the same type which are already in the levels. The blocks are thrown at 45 degree angles, and can be bounced off refractors placed in strategic parts of the levels. The blocks already in the level can be pushed around, and of course the prizes can be collected.
If a thrown block hits a wall/floor, flies off the level or hits a block of another type, then the block is destroyed and the player loses a life. If a thrown block goes through a randomly-chosen space on the level called the mystery spot, then the player gains bonuses. If a thrown block, when it collides with the blocks of the same type, makes a special shape - a square or a cross - then a monster is freed from the blocks. At the end of a level, bonus points are handed out for freed monsters. A two-player mode is available, which is simply the same as the one-player mode except the other starting position is used, and you're competing for points, which makes the game a lot more fast-paced.
Levels
There are 150 levels in the Amiga version, and 160 levels in the DOS registered version, most of which have completely different graphics. Most levels generally require new tactics to be conquered. The editor used to create all of the levels in the game is included, and you can use it to edit any level which came with the game, as well as create your own.
The first episode, which was released freely as shareware, is called "Bothersome Hunnybunz!". The other three episodes, which were only available with the registered version, are called "Significant Other of Hunnybunz!", "Love Child of Hunnybunz!" and "Hunnyvunz Defrocked!". The last episode listed ingame is "Aleph-Zero Hunnybunz!", but is actually just the option to play custom levels created using the editor.
Censorship
The game was extremely bloody, with depictions of suicide when you lost all your lives, leading to concern from Apogee that led to the blood being disabled in later versions of the game, along with a replaced splash screen with a note claiming it to be a "politically corrected version". It should be noted that the original version offered a censorship option for the suicide animations (but not for the 'Deaddy Bear' logo).
It could, however, be uncensored with the command-line option blood, and the censorship is not present in the re-released version.
References
- Information present in the menus of the DOS version of the game.
- Boppin' site. Accessed March 11th, 2006.
- Boppin' Amiga demo readme. Accessed March 14th, 2005.
External links
- Classic DOS Games has the DOS version available for download.
- Boppin' at MobyGames