''Bone Cruncher'' is a

puzzle video game Puzzle video games make up a broad genre of video games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles can test problem-solving skills, including logic, pattern recognition, sequence solving, spatial recognition, and word completion. H ...

for the

Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron (nicknamed the Elk inside Acorn and beyond) was a lower-cost alternative to the BBC Micro educational/ home computer, also developed by Acorn Computers Ltd, to provide many of the features of that more expensive machine at a ...

BBC Micro The British Broadcasting Corporation Microcomputer System, or BBC Micro, is a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers in the 1980s for the BBC Computer Literacy Project. Designed with an emphas ...

, and Commodore 64 first published by

Superior Software Superior Software Ltd (also known as Superior Interactive) is a video game publisher. It was one of the main publishers for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron computers in the 1980s and early 1990s. It currently releases games for Microsoft Windo ...

in 1987. It uses the "rocks and diamonds" mechanics of ''

Boulder Dash ''Boulder Dash'' is a 2D maze-puzzle video game released in 1984 by First Star Software for Atari 8-bit computers. It was created by Canadian developers Peter Liepa and Chris Gray. The player controls Rockford, who collects treasures while e ...

''. An Amiga version was released in 1988.

Gameplay

left, BBC Micro screenshot showing Fozzy (red), Bono (green), a skeleton, and a Glook (white) The player controls a dragon called Bono, who operates a soap business. He collects bones from around the chambers of his castle and uses them to make soap in a

cauldron A cauldron (or caldron) is a large pot ( kettle) for cooking or boiling over an open fire, with a lid and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger and/or integral handles or feet. There is a rich history of cauldron lore in religion, mythology, and ...

. He then delivers the soap to sea-monsters, situated at various exits from the castle. The game uses the gameplay mechanics popularised in ''Boulder Dash'' and Superior's own ''

Repton Repton is a village and civil parish in the South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, located on the edge of the River Trent floodplain, about north of Swadlincote. The population taken at the 2001 Census was 2,707, increasing to 2,8 ...

'' series. The player can dig through earth and push boulders but where boulders will fall from above if area below them is cleared. The main difference in this game is that, although the characters are depicted in side profile, the camera is meant to be overhead so objects are not subject to gravity in the same way. The 'boulders' are living creatures known as Glooks and rather than just heading down the screen, they will head in the direction of a bathing sea-monster. As such, they change direction during play which changes the layout of the maze. This means the player must decide the order that the soap is delivered. Glooks are generally harmless but can crush the player when they move. There are two other deadly creatures in the castle: monsters and spiders. Monsters can be trapped by pushing Glooks onto them. If they can't move, they turn to skeletons which Bono can collect to make soap. They can also be lured into trapdoors but then their bones are lost. Spiders, as well as being deadly to Bono, eat skeletons. Another character in the game is Bono's assistant Fozzy who can be used to hold back monsters or spiders but can become trapped. There are also keys and doors and on each level a hidden 'volcano' that will spew out Glooks if walked over. It takes five skeletons to make a bar of soap and five bars of soap must be created, and delivered to the sea-monsters, in each chamber. There are 22 chambers in the castle.Original instructions, Superior Software

Development and release

The game was designed by German programmer Andreas Kemnitz, originally for the Commodore 64. He submitted the game to Superior Software, who had recently published the similar '' Repton 3'' on the C64. Superior commissioned conversions to the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron, machines on which they were market leaders, and also Amiga. All versions of the game are almost identical, with no real changes for the

16-bit 16-bit microcomputers are microcomputers that use 16-bit microprocessors. A 16-bit register can store 216 different values. The range of integer values that can be stored in 16 bits depends on the integer representation used. With the two mo ...

Amiga version. The game was launched before Christmas 1987 with all four versions being advertised but the Amiga version was delayed, finally getting released in Spring 1988.

Reception

The game received mostly positive reviews but there was a mixed response. ''

ACE An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...

'' gave the C64 version a score of 943 (out of 1000)''Bone Cruncher'' review
Advanced Computer Entertainment, Issue 6, March 1988 and the Amiga version 948.''Bone Cruncher'' review
Advanced Computer Entertainment, Issue 8, May 1988 ''

Electron 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. Initially it was included as a 1 ...

'' gave an overall score of 9/10, particularly praising the humour of the game and the "beautifully animated" sprites."Good Clean Fun"
Electron User #5.04, January 1988 ''

The Games Machine ''The Games Machine'' is a video game magazine that was published from 1987 until 1990 in the United Kingdom by Newsfield, which also published ''CRASH'', '' Zzap!64'', '' Amtix!'' and other magazines. History The magazine ran head to head wi ...

'' also picked out the character animation for praise in their review of the BBC Micro and C64 versions and while generally positive, awarding a score of 70%, the review questions the relevance of this type of game; "''Bone Cruncher'' is an old-style game and its general aim is a little tired by today's standards. However, it is cleverly designed, presents sufficient challenge for worthy gameplay and the creatures' representation adds considerable charm"."It Just Won't Wash"
The Games Machine, Issue 3, February 1988 When reviewing the Amiga version, they gave a lower score of 61% as while conceding it "plays just as well as the 8-bit game", the fact that "it lacks any attempt at improvement" on a much more capable machine was considered a mistake."Soap operandum"
The Games Machine, Issue 6, May 1988 ''

Zzap!64 ''Zzap!64'' was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 (C64). It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact. The magazine ...

'' were less impressed, giving a score of 56% and concluding that the game is a "polished, but merely average addition to an already jaded format".''Bone Cruncher'' review
Zzap!64, Issue 34, February 1988 '' Computer and Video Games'', reviewing the C64 version, went further, saying the game is "antiquated" and "a load of dross", awarding only 5/10 for playability and 4/10 for sound, graphics and value.''Bone Cruncher'' review
Computer and Video Games, Issue 76, February 1988

Legacy

The BBC and Electron versions were included on the ''Play It Again Sam 7'' compilation in 1989 and reissued as part of the Superior/

Blue Ribbon The blue ribbon is a symbol of high quality. The association comes from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners and, prior to that from Cordon Bleu, which referred to the blue ribbon w ...

budget series in 1990.

References

External links

*
''Bone Cruncher''
at the Amiga Hall of Light {{Superior Software 1987 video games Amiga games BBC Micro and Acorn Electron games Commodore 64 games Europe-exclusive video games Rocks-and-diamonds games Superior Software games Video games developed in Germany Single-player video games