Boffin (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Boffin is a platform game
released in 1985 by Addictive Games
for the Acorn Electron
and BBC Micro
. It was written by 17 year old Paul Julian O'Malley, who at the time was a resident of Romsey
, Hampshire, UK. There are two versions of the game that were released together.
to slow his descent to a safe speed. Each level ends when the player touches an owl
which is usually located at the bottom of the screen. The 'lucky' owl can only be touched without resulting in death if all of the 'unlucky' upside-down horseshoes
have been destroyed.
Boffin plays in a similar way to many platform games of the era (such as Manic Miner
) but is notable for a number of reasons. The 'umbrella' mechanic was unique at the time, and means that many levels progress from the top of the screen to the bottom, which was unusual as most platformers since Donkey Kong
required the player to travel from bottom to top. Also the use of Mode 5 graphics on the 'version 2' version of the game meant that the graphics were much larger and more colourful than many contemporary games (although the trade-off was that it was very blocky).
The game features giant menacing tarantulas, which are very detailed and highly animated for the era. The tarantulas cannot be killed, and only advance across the screen in one direction (right to left). They remain motionless until the Boffin is in their line of sight, then rapidly run forwards.
for both the BBC Micro
and Acorn Electron
. The cassette contains two different versions of the game. The first version on the tape (confusingly referred to as 'version 2' and sometimes known as Boffin 2) features twenty five caverns and is playable on both machines. The second version on the tape ('version 1') is for the BBC Micro only, featuring twenty different caverns. The versions are so different as to almost be different games; 'version 2' is in the very blocky graphical Mode 5 (possibly Mode 2), and 'version 1' is in the much more defined (but less colourful) Mode 1. The graphics and puzzles differ considerably between the two versions, although the underlying theme is identical.
particularly praised the tarantula: "He is drawn in superb detail and the characteristic jerky movement of such arachnids - not a programming defect - is impeccable". Although at the time the magazine did not award scores, the review concludes that despite there being many similar games on the market, "...Boffin has sufficient originality to succeed against all the competition".
, Commodore 64
or Amstrad CPC
it remains fairly obscure and its innovations were never developed further.
Superior Software
later released a similar game Elixir
, in which a scientist is shrunk to miniature size and must navigate around his laboratory to collect items to restore his size. The similarities are thought to be coincidental.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
released in 1985 by Addictive Games
Addictive Games
Addictive Games was a UK video game publisher in the 1980s and early 1990s. It is best known for the Football Manager series of games created by company founder Kevin Toms...
for the Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
and BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
. It was written by 17 year old Paul Julian O'Malley, who at the time was a resident of Romsey
Romsey
Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley...
, Hampshire, UK. There are two versions of the game that were released together.
Gameplay
The player must guide the Boffin through a series of caverns by moving him around the platforms and obstacles on the levels. The Boffin can only jump short distances, but he can fall from any height by opening his umbrellaUmbrella
An umbrella or parasol is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain...
to slow his descent to a safe speed. Each level ends when the player touches an owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
which is usually located at the bottom of the screen. The 'lucky' owl can only be touched without resulting in death if all of the 'unlucky' upside-down horseshoes
Horseshoes
Horseshoes is an outdoor game played between two people using four horseshoes and two throwing targets set in a sandbox area. The game is played by the players alternating turns tossing horseshoes at stakes in the ground, which are traditionally placed 40 feet apart...
have been destroyed.
Boffin plays in a similar way to many platform games of the era (such as Manic Miner
Manic Miner
Manic Miner is a platform game originally written for the ZX Spectrum by Matthew Smith and released by Bug-Byte in 1983 . It is the first game in the Miner Willy series and among the pioneers of the platform game genre. The game itself was inspired by the Atari 800 game Miner 2049er...
) but is notable for a number of reasons. The 'umbrella' mechanic was unique at the time, and means that many levels progress from the top of the screen to the bottom, which was unusual as most platformers since Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong
is a fictional gorilla in the Donkey Kong and Mario series. He is roughly twice the size of a normal gorilla, weighing approximately 800 pounds. Donkey Kong first appeared in Nintendo's popular 1981 video game of the same name. Since then he has appeared in over 20 games in his own series, as well...
required the player to travel from bottom to top. Also the use of Mode 5 graphics on the 'version 2' version of the game meant that the graphics were much larger and more colourful than many contemporary games (although the trade-off was that it was very blocky).
The game features giant menacing tarantulas, which are very detailed and highly animated for the era. The tarantulas cannot be killed, and only advance across the screen in one direction (right to left). They remain motionless until the Boffin is in their line of sight, then rapidly run forwards.
Release and versions
The game was released in 1985 on one cassetteCompact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
for both the BBC Micro
BBC Micro
The BBC Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers for the BBC Computer Literacy Project, operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation...
and Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
The Acorn Electron is a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. It has 32 kilobytes of RAM, and its ROM includes BBC BASIC along with its operating system....
. The cassette contains two different versions of the game. The first version on the tape (confusingly referred to as 'version 2' and sometimes known as Boffin 2) features twenty five caverns and is playable on both machines. The second version on the tape ('version 1') is for the BBC Micro only, featuring twenty different caverns. The versions are so different as to almost be different games; 'version 2' is in the very blocky graphical Mode 5 (possibly Mode 2), and 'version 1' is in the much more defined (but less colourful) Mode 1. The graphics and puzzles differ considerably between the two versions, although the underlying theme is identical.
Critical reception
The game received positive critical reaction. Jon Revis of Electron UserElectron User
Electron User was a magazine targeted at owners of the Acorn Electron microcomputer. It was published by Database Publications of Stockport, starting in October 1983 and ending after 82 issues in July 1990....
particularly praised the tarantula: "He is drawn in superb detail and the characteristic jerky movement of such arachnids - not a programming defect - is impeccable". Although at the time the magazine did not award scores, the review concludes that despite there being many similar games on the market, "...Boffin has sufficient originality to succeed against all the competition".
Influence
Since the game only appeared on the BBC and Electron and never surfaced on more popular machines such as the ZX SpectrumZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
or Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
it remains fairly obscure and its innovations were never developed further.
Superior Software
Superior Software
Superior Software is a video game publisher. It was established in 1982 by Richard Hanson and John Dyson, two graduates of the University of Leeds, England...
later released a similar game Elixir
Elixir (computer game)
Elixir is a computer game for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro released in 1987 by Superior Software. It was later included on the compilation Play it Again Sam 5.-Gameplay:...
, in which a scientist is shrunk to miniature size and must navigate around his laboratory to collect items to restore his size. The similarities are thought to be coincidental.