Ricochet (computer game)
Encyclopedia
Ricochet is an arcade adventure game, originally written for the BBC Micro
and Acorn Electron
home computers, published by Superior Software
in 1989. It was written by Neil Davidson and David Williams, with some graphics work by Nik Weston and Guy Burt.
The object of the game is to retrieve five hourglass
es from diverse scenarios to restore the flow of time. It features elements of both platform
and puzzle games. The puzzles are mostly logic
al (keys unlock doors, gold placates a burglar), though there are exceptions.
While the game shares many elements made popular in earlier Superior arcade adventures such as Citadel, it has a unique feel due to the movement of the main character. The player controls a creature named "SPRAT" (Small Partially Robotic Alien Time-traveller), depicted as a red sphere wearing sunglasses. SPRAT moves by rolling but can only do so along level ground or down slopes. There are ladders to climb but many platforms require a special movement to be reached. By holding 'down' (SPRAT squashes himself) to build up potential energy, then releasing, SPRAT can bounce at either a 45 or 90 degree angle.
Ricochet is one of a range of 1980s Superior games that have been recently remade and re-released for PCs by Superior Interactive
in an updated form, with new graphics and added levels.
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....
home computers, published by 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...
in 1989. It was written by Neil Davidson and David Williams, with some graphics work by Nik Weston and Guy Burt.
The object of the game is to retrieve five hourglass
Hourglass
An hourglass measures the passage of a few minutes or an hour of time. It has two connected vertical glass bulbs allowing a regulated trickle of material from the top to the bottom. Once the top bulb is empty, it can be inverted to begin timing again. The name hourglass comes from historically...
es from diverse scenarios to restore the flow of time. It features elements of both platform
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...
and puzzle games. The puzzles are mostly logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
al (keys unlock doors, gold placates a burglar), though there are exceptions.
While the game shares many elements made popular in earlier Superior arcade adventures such as Citadel, it has a unique feel due to the movement of the main character. The player controls a creature named "SPRAT" (Small Partially Robotic Alien Time-traveller), depicted as a red sphere wearing sunglasses. SPRAT moves by rolling but can only do so along level ground or down slopes. There are ladders to climb but many platforms require a special movement to be reached. By holding 'down' (SPRAT squashes himself) to build up potential energy, then releasing, SPRAT can bounce at either a 45 or 90 degree angle.
Ricochet is one of a range of 1980s Superior games that have been recently remade and re-released for PCs by Superior Interactive
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...
in an updated form, with new graphics and added levels.