Dung Beetles (video game)

Dung Beetles
Developer(s) Datasoft
Publisher(s) Datasoft
Tandy
Gentry Software
Designer(s) Bob Bishop
Programmer(s) Bob Bishop (Apple)[1]
Steve Bjork (TRS-80)[2]
Platform(s) Apple II (original)
Atari 8-bit, TRS-80 Color Computer, NEC PC-6001
Release 1982
Genre(s) Maze
Mode(s) Single-player

Dung Beetles is an Apple II maze game by Bob Bishop published in 1982 by Datasoft.[1] The portion of the maze around the player is enlarged by a magnifying glass effect.

Dung Beetles was ported to Atari 8-bit family and the TRS-80 Color Computer. The Color Computer version was sold by Tandy and renamed Mega-Bug.[2] Later versions for both the Apple II and Atari were named Tumble Bugs.[3] The Atari version was re-released in 1983 by Gentry Software with another name change: Magneto Bugs.[4] In Australia, the game was re-branded Bug Attack. It was also released for the NEC PC-6001.

Gameplay

The game concept and gameplay are based on Pac-Man, but features a much larger maze and a moving "magnifying rectangle" which makes it easier to see graphic detail of the main character and the opponents, but also obscures a small area of the map near the main character, making short- to medium-range navigation more difficult. In addition, whenever the main character passes through a part of the maze, it leaves a trail of dung. When a dung beetle finds this dung, it eats it and follows the trail; however, if the trail branches, or it encounters a point along the trail, it picks at random which branch to follow, thereby giving the player anywhere from a 50% to 66⅔% chance of losing the pursuer. The player can back-track over his own trail (often necessary as the map can contain dead ends) creating false leads for his pursuers.

Whenever the player is caught, the game plays a digitized voice saying, "We Gotcha!" This is the only use of voice in the game.

Reception

Softline called Tumblebugs' magifying glass "an impressive programming feat," and concluded that it was "a solid game ... It could stand some more variety, but it certainly does not lack challenge".[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Hague, James. "The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers".
  2. 1 2 Boyle, L. Curtis. "Mega-Bug". Tandy Color Computer Games List.
  3. ↑ "Tumble Bugs". Atari Mania.
  4. ↑ "Magneto Bugs". Atari Mania.
  5. ↑ Durkee, David (May 1982). "Tumblebugs". Softline. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  • Mega-Bug at the TRS-80 Color Computer Games List
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