Converted for the Commodore 64 by Ian Andrew and Steve Zodiac, and published by Incentive Software in 1984.
Converted for the Amstrad CPC by Ian Andrew and Paul Shirley, and published by Amsoft in 1985.
Converted for the SAM Coupé by Colin Jordan, with music by Colin Jordan and František Fuka, and digitized speech by Edwin Blink. Published by Revelation Software in 1991.
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INTRODUCTION & GAME STATUS
After last month's mayhem with Mastertronic games, I wanted to start off this summer with something less demanding, but which would offer something rare for the blog. In the case of Splat!, the rare element is a SAM Coupé version of the game, which I found when doing research for Endless Forms Most Beautiful. I didn't find Splat! until after emulation had arrived, but it has still been a favourite of mine for over 20 years now (it did get featured in one of My Nostalgia Trip Games episodes), so I decided to have a look at all its official versions before the game's 40th anniversary.
Currently, the game has a score of 7.7 from 9 votes at the Spectrum Computing website, but if we search for the old archived World of Spectrum website, 55 voters had given it 7.62. Surprisingly close, I'd say. The C64 version isn't nearly as well-known, as it has only 9 votes at Lemon64, with a score of 6.4. The Amstrad version has a score of 14.67 at CPC-Power, while the review at CPC Game Reviews has a 7 out of 10. Basically, it's a pretty solid game all around. As you might expect, there are no current ratings for the SAM Coupé version, but the three archived reviews included on the World of SAM website range from 64 to 70 out of 100, so it's still in the same area. But let's see about the specific differences, shall we?
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DESCRIPTION & REVIEW
Before Incentive Software made their name with Freescape 3D-based adventures, such as Driller, Total Eclipse and Castle Master, their efforts were a bit scattered across various platforms in various genres. It is said (whether this is true or not is uncertain, but Wikipedia mentions this), that the name for the company was decided upon the marketing for their first game, Splat!, where they offered the aforementioned £500 to the player with the highest score by 14th of January, 1984. Giving the gamers an incentive to play, naturally. It wasn't the first game to offer such an incentive, but it did give the company something of a reputation to keep up, at least for a while. Of course, in hindsight, the competition was a bit unfair on gamers that had a C64 at the time, and Amstrad didn't even have their CPC out on the market until June 1984.
What made Splat! such an ingenious title to kick off Incentive's career was it's simplicity combined with unpredictability. It's a collect'em-up in a constantly moving maze, in which your movements are confined to the area shown in the screen. Touch any border, spikes or water, and you're dead. Black walls are harmless, and the grass and plum items are collectables. The challenge in the game comes from the way the camera moves over the area, which changes directions rather randomly, and which also becomes faster as you level up. Zippy, the game's player character, moves around so quickly it appears smooth, but everything in the game is animated on the basis of a single character block's movement. In a way, it's surprisingly basic, but considering that, Splat! is an amazingly addicting game. Perhaps it's not "true classic" material, but it's certainly a cult classic, and should be mandatory learning material for Spectrum newbies.
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LOADING
Considering Splat!'s origins, I find it a bit surprising, that the original Spectrum version has the slowest tape loader, although it isn't much worse than Incentive's original C64 release. Frankly, I'm a bit shocked, that the Amstrad version loads the quickest, but then it is the newest of the three. It's the re-releases, which took the loading speeds up to proper levels.
AMSTRAD CPC: 4 minutes 11 seconds
COMMODORE 64 - Incentive: 4 minutes 27 seconds
COMMODORE 64 - Alternative: 1 minute 55 seconds
SPECTRUM - v1: 4 minutes 30 seconds
SPECTRUM - v2: 2 minutes 29 seconds
SPECTRUM - Alternative: 3 minutes 52 seconds
SPECTRUM - System 4: 3 minutes 42 seconds
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| Loading screens where available, left to right: Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, SAM Coupé |
Then, of course, the SAM Coupé version is a disk game, since that was the machine's primary format. But because the C64 version has no actual loading screen in either release, the SAM loading screen sort of takes its place, and it's the only version that uses the same idea as the cover art. The SPECTRUM loading screen has the flashing title logo smacked into the middle of the game's basic action screen, and the AMSTRAD loader uses a default Amsoft loading screen with the necessary adjustments.
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PLAYABILITY
As simple as Splat! is to play, I was forced to try the game out on all the real hardware I have in my possession, to get a realistic view of how well the game controls in reality. Unfortunately, for the SAM Coupé version, I must rely on the experiences through emulation.
Controlling Zippy is simple enough: you only need the four cardinal directions. You are given control options for pre-set keyboard mapping and a user defined set of keys, as well as a joystick or two, depending on the version. The SPECTRUM version allows for a cursor-mapped joystick, a Kempston-compatible and an A.G.F. joystick, while the C64 version uses the usual port 2. The AMSTRAD version uses the cursor keys or any compatible joystick. I cannot say for certain about the SAM version, but the machine has varying kinds of DB9-joystick ports, so I'm guessing anything goes, because the game doesn't offer any alternatives for joystick.
When I playtested all four versions back to back through emulation (using Spectaculator, VICE, WinApe and SimCoupe), the only version that seemed to respond to my controls perfectly was the SPECTRUM version. Every other version had some problem or another. The C64 version seemed too eager to overstep my intended controls, while both the AMSTRAD and SAM versions seemed to be slightly unresponsive, but not devastatingly so. Just enough to raise the question.
So, how does the game feel like on real hardware? Happily, the C64 version plays perfectly fine on the real thing. Less happily, the WinApe emulator gives you a fairly accurate experience, because the main problem that the AMSTRAD version of Splat! has, is the jerky scrolling. And I do mean it's notably jerkier than even the original SPECTRUM version, which moves around in a similar style, but at least it's smoother. I suspect the problem might be with the oversized action screen given for the CPC version, which might require more processing power, but as I'm no expert on hardware limitations, I shall not speculate further - only report my findings.
So far, the game is pretty much the same in essentials for all platforms. However, after the original, they added new elements into the C64 and AMSTRAD versions. Both versions feature unstable blocks, which can be either deadly or collectable, depending on their state. The AMSTRAD version replaced spikes with drawing pins, which appear similarly in level 3. With the tradition of adding new stuff into each new version, the SAM version added two other difficulty levels in the form of new maps, also featuring teleports and stunners, but now the unstable blocks are missing. In the light of all that knowledge, there's nothing else to do but give the SAM version the top spot here, regardless of my not being able to test the game on a real SAM Coupé. The addition of the unstable block honestly doesn't add all that much to the gameplay, so I'm kind of leaning on not caring about it. The C64 version plays just that little bit better than the CPC version, that I'm going to have to let it share the second spot with the SPECTRUM original.
1. SAM COUPÉ
2. ZX SPECTRUM / COMMODORE 64
3. AMSTRAD CPC
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GRAPHICS
As basic as Splat!'s graphics are, there's enough of charm in there to spare for other, higher budget games even. It is a very Spectrum-oriented game, however, and it shows in all the other versions, too.
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| Title screens and instructions, left to right: Sinclair ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, SAM Coupé |
Obviously, the SPECTRUM version sets the standard here, and although the basic style for the title screens and instruction pages have been kept in largely similar, there are notable differences in detail. The C64 version, in particular, is surprisingly direct in its approach, only it enhances the game title logo by having a more rounded look to it - similar to the logo in the tape cover art. The SAM version is a bit more graphically advanced, but barely enough for noticing. What really makes the SPECTRUM version feel like a Spectrum version is not only the use of lower case letters alongside the upper case letters, but more importantly, the sudden change in colour for the control options screen, which makes little sense, but somehow feels right, only because it's Spectrum.
Of course you can see the AMSTRAD version has been altered a bit more radically with its funky black-and-pink styling, and it also has a separate title screen shown only once upon loading the game, prior to the instructions or starting the game. From a design point of view, the AMSTRAD version's instructions screens look like none of them fit together. Each screen has a different primary font, different primary text colour, and the texts don't feel like they've been properly aligned for any particular thing. But maybe that's what they were after here, seeing as they couldn't have made it too similar to the previous two versions.
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| Screenshots from the Sinclair ZX Spectrum version. |
Each level brings in new graphical elements, although you don't necessarily see all the new elements every time you play, due to the random way the game scrolls the play-area. But you will always see the water hazards and plums appear in level 2, and the spikes in level 3. Each level is also represented by a different wall pattern surrounding your immediate area. There are no visual effects as such, apart from the quick flashing effect of the walls changing between levels, but it doesn't really take away from the effectiveness of the original game.
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| Screenshots from the Commodore 64 version. |
First off, Zippy now has a death animation worthy of the game's title, as shown in the lower left screenshot there. Second, the surrounding walls have very different-looking patterns. Then of course, you do get the random blocks which are built into patterned areas in level 4 and onward. You also shouldn't dismiss the fact that your restricted play-area is slightly larger than the original, with 28 blocks in width and 15 blocks in height, plus borders, which is probably why they decided to include the level progression bar on the side, to decrease the possible width of the action screen. But, for me, what really makes the C64 version's graphics above the original, is the fading-in effect of adding new elements to the new levels, when possible.
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| Screenshots from the Amstrad CPC version. |
Considering the AMSTRAD CPC is very much capable of the same screen mode as ZX SPECTRUM, it is a bit odd that using that got opted out in favour of a wider-pixeled, smaller resolutioned multicolour mode. The info panel is again restricted to the small area below the stupendously large action screen, now missing the high score entry, because the game now features a full high score table. There is also a space reserved for the level bonus counter within the top wall, but you don't get the Yippee!-message here.
Because of the screen mode, the action screen is practically the smallest one of the lot, being 24 blocks wide, which is the same as what the SPECTRUM version has, but only 12 blocks high - 2 blocks less than the SPECTRUM version. The 7 optional background colours don't really add to the enjoyment of the game, but that combined with the very different looking border walls do give the AMSTRAD version a very distinct look, which is, for better and for worse, unmistakable. Zippy's death animation is also notably different here, but works just as well as the C64 equivalent. The only real problem with this version is its scrolling, which is jerkier than you would expect, considering it's a block-by-block scrolling method. Despite of that, the AMSTRAD version is the most interesting version, graphically.
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| Screenshots from the SAM Coupé version. |
Many years later, the SAM COUPÉ version got made. While the machine is undoubtedly capable of higher quality graphics than the other machines here, this remake of Splat! was clearly treated as a tribute to the original game, rather than an unnecessarily upgraded full overhaul of the game. Yes, the SAM version takes advantage of the machine's colours, but the action screen is exactly the same size as the original, and the info panel is built similarly to the original. Surprisingly, though, Zippy is not animated in any way, so it looks like you're controlling a lifeless drone instead of a spider-creature. Also, the border wall patterns don't change by the level. So at least in terms of graphics, the SAM version falls short of its frankly non-existing expectations.
In terms of quantity of graphical content, the AMSTRAD version can be considered an easy winner. It just falls short in quality, though, which is what the C64 version is more about. Sure, the SPECTRUM version does set the standard, but it suffers in comparison by the simple fact that it was the first version to exist, so the C64 version could be considered the fine-tuned version of the original, and the AMSTRAD version was where they decided to give the player some options to make up for the lack of fluency. The SAM version looks nice enough in basics, but lacks in practically everything that gives the original game its charm.
1. AMSTRAD CPC / COMMODORE 64
2. SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM
3. SAM COUPÉ
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SOUNDS
It will come as no surprise to anyone, that Splat! being a SPECTRUM game from 1983, music is the furthest thing you would expect for the game to have, at least as a prominent feature. The game does, however, start off with a quick four-note ascension as soon as it has loaded, follow by quick beeps for each new screen. Selecting a control method plays a higher beep in addition to the other, now familiar beeps. A couple of short series of more beeps are played when you start the game. During play, there are two sounds: picking up an item results in a more wholesome "blut" noise, than you've heard the game utter so far, and the other one is your death noise, which is a low bump, coupled with a series of low, descending notes. The highlight of the game is a surprisingly clear voice sample saying "YIPPEE!", a level-clearing message that is displayed simultaneously in case you don't have sounds enabled. This, of course, is followed by a series of clicky beeps counting down the bonus score. While this is pretty much all there is to the sounds of the original Splat!, it's a surprisingly rich environment considering everything. Having no in-game music or sounds beside the "blut" noises when picking up items, rather only intensifies the experience in a good way, but it doesn't mean a little bit of music wouldn't go amiss.
The C64 version is, rather oddly, even more understated in its repertoire of sound effects, and there's still no music. Once the game has loaded in, the first thing you will hear is a very quick pair of high, ascending "pip"-notes, and the instruction screens and control options screens don't make any sounds at all. The same pair of high "pip"-notes are played when you start the game proper, and the in-game sounds are a chipmunk swallowing noise and a short stab of white noise when dying - although it should be probably noted, that upon hitting water, the bit of white noise is longer and softer. Most unfortunately, the "YIPPEE!" sound is missing. Bonus score countdown is softer than in the original version, and the Game Over sounds are completely missing as well. A really disappointing set of sounds, overall.
If you thought the C64 version was bare in sounds, the AMSTRAD version doesn't make it much better. The first sound you will hear is an odd three-note jingle when you start the game - the same jingle plays at the beginning of each new level. Picking up a grass item plays a low, booming short ascending noise, which sounds more like bumping into an object rather than gaining something positive out of picking up an item. Picking up a plum, however, plays a high-pitched variation. Dying emits a low noise followed by a crash. Finishing a level plays ascending whirring sound with two notes on top of each other, followed by a sort of a muffled ringing noise, as the game counts your bonus scores. When the game is over and you are given the opportunity to write your overly long message onto the high score table, the game plays a series of five ascending notes. So, there is at least some more variation in the AMSTRAD version's sound effects compared to the often unparalleled C64. But then, this was time before the real SID wizards.
Imagine my surprise, when I first loaded up the SAM COUPÉ version, and heard some actual music! Mind you, the music doesn't begin until the first level graphics are rolled in and you get a "Get Ready" fanfare, and even before that, Zippy's gradual appearance on the field is coupled with something like a building noise. The main theme is an amazingly built, quirky and high-energy tune with so many parts it's easy to lose count while focusing on the gameplay; and it seemingly never stops progressing until Game Over hits you. Game Over itself has its own little jingle, and you have two death sounds: a two-note thing when you hit a wall, and if you hit water, you get a brief excerpt of "The Sailor's Hornpipe". It also helps, that the SAM Coupé uses a Philips SAA1099 sound chip, which can use six channels and produce stereo sound, which also sounds closer to the SID chip than the Spectrum and Amstrad's AY-chips. And, for a change, the "YIPPEE!" voice sample has been included here, and it sounds cleaner than on the SPECTRUM, so there's really nothing weak about the SAM version's sounds. Well, you don't really get the focus on sound effects as you do in all the other versions, but you don't really need more than a few pips and blips in the background, when there's great music.
1. SAM COUPÉ
2. SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM
3. AMSTRAD CPC
4. COMMODORE 64
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OVERALL + VIDEO
In many ways, the Overall scores are no more than what you would have expected in the first place. Really, the only reason the winner here would be a surprise is the fact that it's not the easiest version to come across, nor is the most advertised version of the lot. The rest of them just follow a certain pattern.
1. SAM COUPÉ: Playability 3, Graphics 1, Sounds 4 = TOTAL 8
2. SINCLAIR ZX SPECTRUM: Playability 2, Graphics 2, Sounds 3 = TOTAL 7
3. COMMODORE 64: Playability 2, Graphics 3, Sounds 1 = TOTAL 6
3. AMSTRAD CPC: Playability 1, Graphics 3, Sounds 2 = TOTAL 6
Because the PC remake by Retrospec was not written as a straight conversion, I decided to only give it a brief mention here. Similarly to the SAM version, you get a complete soundtrack and somewhat upgraded graphics, but the PC remake is notably quicker and acts even more randomly than the original game, and the map design is completely different. In fact, it's so different, that you get a separate map for each level. Splat! PC is old enough to require DOSbox for you to be able to play it on a modern PC, but it works perfectly well with it.
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| Screenshots from the PC remake. |
Splat! is the type of game you can't really get too much wrong regardless of the platform. If you're looking for authenticity, the SPECTRUM version is the way to go, but all the other versions do offer something unique to them. The SAM version offers the best overall experience, but it is missing Zippy's animation and some of the graphical enhancements you have come to expect the game to have since the C64 version. If you're still uncertain of what I'm talking about here, check the video below, or better yet, play the four versions (or five, if you count the PC remake) by yourself.
That's it for now, I hope that filled some unspecified quota. Next time, I'm hoping to tackle something much more categorizable, and perhaps even definable as classic. Until then, cheers!
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