The Goonies: 8-bit gaming goodness
As promised, I’m here to talk about The Goonies, not really much about the movie of the same name, but the 8-bit video game that inspired an entire generation of video game addicts.
Actually, there’s not much to talk about as game features go. The only news concerning The Goonies is the fact that it has already celebrated its 20th anniversary and that a remake of the classic game is now available as shareware. More on this later. For now, let me share a bit of video game history.
There are two versions of The Goonies video game, one for the MSX and another for the Nintendo Family Computer. A sequel, The Goonies II (duh!) was released for the Famicom a few years later. It should be pointed out that these versions of the game had little to do with the movie, but it featured the same set of characters. Take the Fratellis, for example. They’re still the bad guys in the video games.
In The Goonies video game, however, the Fratellis have managed to kidnap all of the Goonies (except Mikey, our lead protagonist in the game) and hide them in hidden cages across a map of caverns, mazes and abandoned buildings. Mikey’s goal: to rescue all the Goonies and free a mermaid named Annie. Where Annie is in the movie, I know not.
If you’re more of a movie tie-in buff, then the Datasoft-produced Goonies may be the video game for you. This version of the video game, which features eight screens where a player has to use two members of the Goonies to solve puzzles and reach an exit to advance to the next stage, was released for 8-bit computers like the Commodore 64, the ZX Spectrum, the Amstrad CPC, the Atari, and the Apple II (I played the game on this archaic machine). Unlike its MSX and Famicom counterpart, this version made use of designs from the actual sets and the puzzles seen in the movie.
Sigh. Those were the days. Hey, if you’re looking for a rush, why don’t you try the remake of the video game by Brain Games. The remake was made for the 2006 competition organized by Retro Remakes. Take a gander at these screenshots:
