Fantastic Dizzy
Encyclopedia
Fantastic Dizzy is a 1991 video game developed by Codemasters
. It was published to several platforms, including Sega Mega Drive
/Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, NES
, Amiga
and DOS
.
The game was originally intended to be released in time for Christmas
in 1990, but because of a legal action between Codemasters and Nintendo over the Game Genie
the title was released in April, 1991 missing the Christmas rush it was originally slated for and only sold 125,000 units instead of the expected 500,000. Despite this, the game was awarded the 'NES Adventure Game of the Year 1991' by Game Players
Magazine and given the coveted 'Parents Choice Award'.
The game scrolls horizontally, but most areas do not scroll vertically. When Dizzy climbs a ladder or jumps to an off-screen platform, a new screen is loaded. As game play continues, the scenery cycles between night and day.
, Dizzy is vulnerable to all enemies while unable to eliminate them, and puzzles are completed by bringing an object to a location (in the same fashion as Gods
and adventure game
s), and also has to capture all 250 stars scattered in the game. The game can also be seen as a union of all the previous games where the player can find a lot of familiar puzzles (e.g. Elevators, magic beans) and places (e.g. mines, deep sea) as well has several arcade
minigame
s based on older games in the series (like Bubble Dizzy
).
s required to complete it, plus one to get all the stars.
Codemasters
The Codemasters Software Company Limited, or Codemasters is a British video game developer founded by Richard and David Darling in 1986...
. It was published to several platforms, including Sega Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
/Genesis, Master System, Game Gear, NES
Nes
-Localities:In Norway:* Nes, Akershus, a municipality in the county of Akershus in Norway* Nes, Buskerud, a municipality in the county of Buskerud in Norway* Nes, Hedmark, a former municipality in the county of Hedmark in Norway...
, Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
and DOS
DOS
DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...
.
The game was originally intended to be released in time for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
in 1990, but because of a legal action between Codemasters and Nintendo over the Game Genie
Game Genie
The Game Genie is a series of cheat systems designed by Codemasters and sold by Camerica and Galoob for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Mega Drive/Genesis, and Sega Game Gear that modifies game data, allowing the player to cheat, manipulate various...
the title was released in April, 1991 missing the Christmas rush it was originally slated for and only sold 125,000 units instead of the expected 500,000. Despite this, the game was awarded the 'NES Adventure Game of the Year 1991' by Game Players
Game Players
Game Players was a monthly video game magazine founded by Robert C. Lock and published by Signal Research, in Greensboro, North Carolina. The original publication was titled Game Players Strategy to Nintendo Games...
Magazine and given the coveted 'Parents Choice Award'.
Story
The evil wizard Zaks casts a spell on the Yolkfolk and kidnaps Dizzy's girlfriend Daisy. It is up to Dizzy to undo Zak's doings and rescue Daisy from the castle in the clouds.Characters
Fantastic Dizzy contains all 16 characters in the series. While most of the Yolkfolk were harmed by Zaks, others have different problems. Other characters include Good Wizard Theodore, Blackheart the Pirate, the Palace Guard, Prince Clumsy, Rockwart the Troll, Shamus the Leprechaun and the Shop Owner.Locations
There are several places for Dizzy to visit, including the whole complex of the Yolkfolk secret treehouse, the mine, the neighbouring city of Keldor, a pirate ship, a castle, the grasslands, Carber Bay, the cemetery and finally Zaks' Cloud Castle.The game scrolls horizontally, but most areas do not scroll vertically. When Dizzy climbs a ladder or jumps to an off-screen platform, a new screen is loaded. As game play continues, the scenery cycles between night and day.
Concept
The game is hard to qualify in a genre: while it seems at first a platform gamePlatform 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...
, Dizzy is vulnerable to all enemies while unable to eliminate them, and puzzles are completed by bringing an object to a location (in the same fashion as Gods
Gods (video game)
Gods is a 1991 video game by The Bitmap Brothers where the player is cast as Hercules in his quest to achieve immortality. The game was first made for Amiga and Atari ST computers and then ported for various other platforms...
and adventure game
Adventure game
An adventure game is a video game in which the player assumes the role of protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and puzzle-solving instead of physical challenge. The genre's focus on story allows it to draw heavily from other narrative-based media such as literature and film,...
s), and also has to capture all 250 stars scattered in the game. The game can also be seen as a union of all the previous games where the player can find a lot of familiar puzzles (e.g. Elevators, magic beans) and places (e.g. mines, deep sea) as well has several arcade
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
minigame
Minigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
s based on older games in the series (like Bubble Dizzy
Bubble Dizzy
Bubble Dizzy is an arcade style action video game developed by the Oliver twins and published in November 1990 by Codemasters for the Amstrad, Spectrum, DOS, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and Amiga....
).
Stars
Depending on the version of the game, 100 or 250 stars are scattered around the game which must be collected to grant access to the final confrontation with Zaks. While most stars are accessible in the regular parts of the game, some are placed inside the minigames, which forces the player to run through them as many times needed to get all stars. If the player tries to reach the tower without the stars, Dizzy is stunned by the electric door.Objects
Dizzy can carry up to three items like keys and objects to be used to solve puzzles. Some objects are meant to be traded, given to another characters or placed in certain locations. Others are used to reach other otherwise inaccessible areas or to protect from danger. This element is similar to the game Puggsy, also released for Sega.Minigames
While most of the game is passed in the slower platform sections, there are three minigameMinigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
s required to complete it, plus one to get all the stars.
- Mine carts: Dizzy can travel in the carts found in the mine into other places in the game, collecting stars along the way. There are a number of dangers in the rails, from falling rocks, dead ends and carts in the opposite direction. Nearing the end, both cart speed and number of dead ends increase.
- Dizzy Down the RapidsDizzy Down the RapidsDizzy Down the Rapids is an arcade style action video game that was published in 1991 by Codemasters for the Amstrad CPC, Spectrum, DOS, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and Amiga....
: Some versions of Fantastic Dizzy feature a section where Dizzy must ride a barrel down a river avoiding a pursuing troll and several natural hazards while riding surface currents and attempting to collect stars. This minigame is omitted from several versions, including the Mega Drive/Genesis and PC releases. - Castle Capers: A minigame based on the Operation WolfOperation WolfOperation Wolf is a one-player shooter arcade game made by Taito in 1987. It spawned three sequels: Operation Thunderbolt , Operation Wolf 3 and Operation Tiger .-Description:...
concept, Dizzy, armed with a crossbowCrossbowA crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
, has to get a 5 hit advantage over the trolls, who are occupying the castle. However, if the trolls get the same advantage, Dizzy loses a life. - Bubble Trouble: Dizzy has to reach a small island before his oxygen wears out. To do so, he has to ride air bubbles formed in the sea bed, and jumping into the platforms in the sides or other bubbles before they burst. Larger bubbles endure more, but are slower, while smaller ones are fast but burst shortly after Dizzy rides them. This minigame was adapted into a standalone title, called Bubble DizzyBubble DizzyBubble Dizzy is an arcade style action video game developed by the Oliver twins and published in November 1990 by Codemasters for the Amstrad, Spectrum, DOS, Atari ST, Commodore 64 and Amiga....
however due to further development required on Fantastic Dizzy and Dizzy Down the Rapids, Bubble Dizzy was released November 1990. - Theodore's magic puzzle: The extra life1-up1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
minigame is a regular 4x4 shuffling puzzle, which has to be completed in inside a time limit. As the number of lives increase, so does the complexity of the puzzles.