Gunfright

Gun Fright - MSX

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Gunfright
Developer(s)	Tim and Chris Stamper
Publisher(s)	Ultimate Play The Game
Engine	Filmation II
Platform(s)	ZX Spectrum Amstrad CPC MSX
Release date	1985
Genre(s)	Arcade adventure; Maze
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	N/A
Media	Cassette
System requirements	48K (Spectrum) 64K (Amstrad CPC)
Input methods	Keyboard, joystick

Gunfright is a ZX Spectrum video game developed by Ultimate Play The Game for U.S. Gold in 1986. The game makes use of the same scrolling isometric projection engine used previously in Nightshade. The player takes the role of sheriff in the town of Black Rock. Some outlaws are headed into town and Sheriff Quickdraw needs to take them down. Gunfright was released on the ZX Spectrum at the same time as another wild west-themed title, Outlaws, for the Commodore 64.

Introduction

Typically for an Ultimate release, players are given a tantalising and humorous introduction :

Gameplay

Taking on the role of Sheriff Quickdraw, players must track down and kill a band of outlaws who have arrived at, and are terrorising, the town of Black Rock. The game begins with a short targeting sub-game, in which vertically-scrolling bags of money can be shot at using crosshairs. This supplies the player with an initial sum of cash to buy ammunition.

After this stage, the action mostly takes place within a scrolling 3D environment, similar to that used in the earlier Ultimate release, Nightshade. Streets and buildings are rendered isometrically, with walls disappearing to outlines when the player enters a building or walks behind a wall (see images below).

In this stage, the sheriff must locate the wanted outlaws one by one. Once an outlaw has been found and shot (shooting the outlaw does not kill him, but only initiates a duel), the action again shifts to the targeting sub-game. This time, the player must try to shoot the rapidly moving outlaw as quickly as possible. The player can either wait for the outlaw to draw first, which is advisable in the early stages, since he stops moving to do so and draws his gun slowly; or the player can take the initiative and shoot first, which makes the bandit draw as well. This latter strategy is necessary in the later stages, since each outlaw is faster than the last. If the player successfully shoots an outlaw, a bounty is paid (increasing with every round), and a new outlaw enters the play environment.

During gameplay, players often encounter helpful townsfolk who will point the way to outlaws. They need to be protected, and the player has to pay a fine if any are shot by either bandits or the player themself (the latter is sometimes necessary to avoid losing a life). Some outlaws are mounted on horseback and the player may have to saddle up to pursue them. In a characteristically humorous touch, players do this by using a pantomime horse.

Levels

The levels are marked by each outlaw to be found, shot and defeated on a duel.

Some of them are named after real-life bandits.

1. Buffalo Bill
2. Billy the kid
3. Sundance Kid
4. Jesse James
5. Butch Cassidy
6. Ma Baker
7. Wild Bill
8. Rumpo Kid
9. Cleacer Kid
10. Milkie barkid (a reference to the Milkybar kid)
11. Klondike Pete
12. Bronco Colorado
13. Wayco Kid
14. Lone Ranger
15. Tonto
16. Qd Mcgraw
17. Mexicans
18. Gun singler
19. Bandits
20. Hill Billys

Once reaching level 20, the game loops on the last four characters (Mexicans, Gun Singlers, Bandits or Hill Billys).

Images

References

1. ^ Looking For An Old Angle. Crash Magazine, Issue 51. Newsfield. Retrieved on 2006-10-03.

External links

• Gunfright at Ultimate Wurlde
• Gunfright at World of Spectrum
• Gunfright review at CRASH magazine