Summary
- Release Year: 1987
- Genres: Adventure, Platform, Puzzle, Strategy
- Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, Atari Jaguar, Atari ST/STE, Commodore C64/128/MAX, MSX, ZX Spectrum
- Developers: Ocean Software
- Publishers: Ocean Software
Head Over Heels (1987): A Unique and Challenging Arcade Adventure
Head Over Heels is a unique and challenging arcade adventure game that was released in 1987. It is presented from an isometric perspective and features two distinct characters, Mr. Head and Mr. Heels, who are separated at the shoulders but capable of joining together to maximize their abilities in some situations (but reduce them in others, so they can be split again).
The game is set in a series of 3D levels, and the player must guide Mr. Head and Mr. Heels through these levels, collecting crowns and solving puzzles. The puzzles involve switches, jumps, and climbs, and the player must use the unique abilities of each character to overcome them.
For example, Mr. Head can jump higher than Mr. Heels, but Mr. Heels can crawl through small spaces. The player must therefore switch between the two characters to solve the puzzles.
Head Over Heels was a critical and commercial success, and it is still considered to be one of the best arcade games of all time. It was praised for its innovative gameplay, its challenging puzzles, and its charming graphics.
Gameplay
Head Over Heels is a puzzle-platformer game in which the player controls two characters, Mr. Head and Mr. Heels. The characters are separated at the shoulders, but they can join together to form a single entity.
Each character has their own unique abilities. Mr. Head can jump higher than Mr. Heels, but Mr. Heels can crawl through small spaces. The player must use the unique abilities of each character to solve the game’s puzzles.
The game is set in a series of 3D levels, and the player must guide Mr. Head and Mr. Heels through these levels, collecting crowns and solving puzzles. The puzzles involve switches, jumps, and climbs, and the player must use the unique abilities of each character to overcome them.
For example, in one level, the player must use Mr. Head to jump over a gap, and then use Mr. Heels to crawl through a small space to reach a crown.
Development
Head Over Heels was developed by the British video game company Ocean Software. The game was designed by Jonathan Smith and David Perry, and it was programmed by Steve Brown.
The game was originally released in arcades in 1987, and it was later ported to a number of home computers, including the Commodore 64, the ZX Spectrum, and the Amstrad CPC.
Reception
Head Over Heels was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its innovative gameplay, its challenging puzzles, and its charming graphics.
The game was awarded the Golden Joystick Award for Best Arcade Game of the Year in 1987, and it was ranked number 10 in the Your Sinclair Official Top 100 Games of All Time in 1993.
Head Over Heels is still considered to be one of the best arcade games of all time. It is a challenging and rewarding game that will appeal to fans of puzzle-platformers and arcade games alike.
Legacy
Head Over Heels has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. It is one of the first games to feature two playable characters with different abilities, and it has inspired many other games, such as The Lost Vikings and Trine.
The game has also been praised for its innovative use of 3D graphics. Head Over Heels was one of the first arcade games to use 3D graphics, and it helped to pave the way for the use of 3D graphics in video games.
Head Over Heels is a classic arcade game that is still enjoyed by many people today. It is a challenging and rewarding game that will appeal to fans of puzzle-platformers and arcade games alike.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
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