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Turmoil (1984 video game)
Encyclopedia
Turmoil is a computer game released in for the ZX Spectrum
, and in for the MSX
by Bug Byte.
The player takes control of Mechanic Mick who has been employed by a rich Arabian Sheikh
. the Sheikh has refused to pay Mick for work done, so Mick decides to steal his collection of expensive cars in lieu of payment. He must build the cars by collecting oil from a dripping oil tank. The oil can also be used as an offensive weapon against the pursuing Arabian guards.
, but as on subsequent levels the cars become more sleek and expensive.
Also present on each level are a number of enemies (resembling Arabs) who will attack Mick and cause him to lose a life. Unlike other platform games, the main character cannot jump by himself, but must fall onto one of the springs which are present on each level to bounce to a different platform. The Arabs will also make use of the ladders, ropes and springs.
gave the game 90% (a "CRASH Smash"), while Your Spectrum called it a "Hit" with 3.5/5.
Dave Nicholls of Your Spectrum said that "The springs are a great idea.", and CRASH
called it a "slick, well excecuted program".
Retrogaming
website Retro View, despite commenting on the politically incorrect
nature of using Arabs as enemies, claims that "when it comes to pure, fun-filled platforming on the speccy, they don't come much better than Turmoil - the 'It's a Knockout
' of 8-bit videogaming" and decided that "Turmoil earned a Crash Smash on its release, and in my opinion, it was well deserved." giving it an overall rating of 93%.
was developed by Steven Watson and Ric Lumb for Space-time Games. In the new version, named Turmoil PC, the "Arabs" are replaced by robots.
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, and in for the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
by Bug Byte.
The player takes control of Mechanic Mick who has been employed by a rich Arabian Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
. the Sheikh has refused to pay Mick for work done, so Mick decides to steal his collection of expensive cars in lieu of payment. He must build the cars by collecting oil from a dripping oil tank. The oil can also be used as an offensive weapon against the pursuing Arabian guards.
Gameplay
The playing area consists of a number of platforms, ladders, conveyor belts and swinging ropes which Mick must negotiate. First he must collect an oil can, which he must take to a tap which is dripping oil. The oil that has been collected must be taken to the garage. Once there Mick can empty his can, a drop at a time, to fill his car. The car is invisible initially, and is built up as each drop of oil is deposited. On the first level the car is a MiniMini
The Mini is a small car that was made by the British Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 until 2000. The original is considered a British icon of the 1960s, and its space-saving front-wheel-drive layout influenced a generation of car-makers...
, but as on subsequent levels the cars become more sleek and expensive.
Also present on each level are a number of enemies (resembling Arabs) who will attack Mick and cause him to lose a life. Unlike other platform games, the main character cannot jump by himself, but must fall onto one of the springs which are present on each level to bounce to a different platform. The Arabs will also make use of the ladders, ropes and springs.
Reception
Reviews were overwhelmingly positive. CRASHCRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
gave the game 90% (a "CRASH Smash"), while Your Spectrum called it a "Hit" with 3.5/5.
Dave Nicholls of Your Spectrum said that "The springs are a great idea.", and CRASH
CRASH (magazine)
Crash was a magazine dedicated to the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was published from 1984 to 1991 by Newsfield Publications Ltd until their liquidation, and then until 1992 by Europress.-Development:...
called it a "slick, well excecuted program".
Retrogaming
Retrogaming
Retrogaming, also known as old-school gaming, is the hobby of playing and collecting older computer, video, and arcade games. These games are played either on the original hardware, on modern hardware via emulation, or on modern hardware via ports or compilations...
website Retro View, despite commenting on the politically incorrect
Political correctness
Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,...
nature of using Arabs as enemies, claims that "when it comes to pure, fun-filled platforming on the speccy, they don't come much better than Turmoil - the 'It's a Knockout
It's a Knockout
It's a Knockout was adapted from the French show Intervilles. It ran between from 7 August 1966 to 25 December 1988 on BBC1, 28 May 1990 on ITV, 3 August 1991 to 24 December 1994 on S4C and from 3 September 1999 to 6 January 2001 on Channel 5, produced by Richard Hearsey and Ronin Entertainment...
' of 8-bit videogaming" and decided that "Turmoil earned a Crash Smash on its release, and in my opinion, it was well deserved." giving it an overall rating of 93%.
Remake
In 2002 an unofficial version for Microsoft WindowsMicrosoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
was developed by Steven Watson and Ric Lumb for Space-time Games. In the new version, named Turmoil PC, the "Arabs" are replaced by robots.
External links
- Turmoil PC at Space-time Games
- http://www.generation-msx.nl/msxdb/softwareinfo/2682