Summary
- Release Year: 1992
- Genres: Adventure, Arcade, Platform, Puzzle, Strategy
- Platforms: Amiga, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS
- Developers: Bones Park Software Artistic
Ugh! (1992): A Stone-Age Adventure in the Skies
Ugh! is an arcade/flight game developed by Bones Park Software Artistic and published in 1992 by PlayByte for the Amiga, Commodore 64, and DOS. The game is a clone of Space Taxi, but with a unique caveman setting.
Gameplay
The player controls a caveman who, in order to appeal to his beloved future mate, controls a stone-age muscle-powered helicopter. The helicopter is powered by the player’s own arm strength, and the player must flap its wings to stay in the air. The player must pick up passengers and fly them to the desired location for money. The player must venture through 69 levels, and must evade natural obstacles as well as hostile Dinosaurs and “Birds” (actually pterosaurs). Collisions with obstacles, hard landings, and touching obstacles with the helicopter’s rotor inflict damage to the helicopter. Also, powering the helicopter exhausts the pilot, which may be recovered by picking up fruits knocked off trees with stones. Stones may also be dropped on hostile monsters, knocking them out for a short time.
Development
Ugh! was developed by Bones Park Software Artistic, a small development team based in the United Kingdom. The game was inspired by the classic arcade game Space Taxi, but the developers wanted to create a game with a more unique setting. They decided to set the game in the Stone Age and to make the player character a caveman.
The game was developed on a budget of £10,000 and took six months to complete. The developers used a variety of techniques to create the game’s unique graphics and sound effects. For example, they used rotoscoping to animate the caveman character.
Release
Ugh! was released in 1992 for the Amiga, Commodore 64, and DOS. The game was a critical and commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies worldwide. The game was later distributed as shareware, mainly from Bulletin Board Systems and magazine cover disks.
Reception
Ugh! was praised for its unique setting, challenging gameplay, and charming graphics. The game was also praised for its innovative use of sound effects.
The Commodore 64 version of the game was particularly well-received, with reviewers praising its smooth scrolling and detailed graphics. The DOS and Amiga versions of the game were also well-received, but reviewers noted that the graphics were not as detailed as the Commodore 64 version.
Overall, Ugh! was a critical and commercial success. The game is still enjoyed by many today and is considered to be a classic of the arcade/flight genre.
Legacy
Ugh! has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. The game’s unique setting and challenging gameplay have inspired many other games, including the popular mobile game Tiny Wings.
The game has also been praised for its innovative use of sound effects. The game’s sound effects are simple but effective, and they help to create a sense of atmosphere and immersion.
Ugh! is a classic arcade/flight game that is still enjoyed by many today. The game’s unique setting, challenging gameplay, and charming graphics make it a must-play for fans of the genre.
Additional Information
- The Commodore 64 version of the game also features a two-player hotseat mode, in which two players compete to finish the level.
- The DOS and Amiga versions of the game feature a cooperative simultaneous two-player mode.
- The game keeps track of the player’s progress using level codes. The codes for single-player levels are Christian Death song titles, and the two-player codes are song titles by Current 93.
- Ugh! was later ported to the Atari ST and Jaguar CD.
- The game was also released on the Wii Virtual Console in 2008.
Review Score
8/10
Art
Cover Art
Screenshots
