9 Lives (video game)
{{Short description|1990 video game}}
{{Lead too short|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = 9 Lives
| image = File:9_Lives_1990_Atari_ST_Cover_Art.jpg
| genre = Platform
| modes = Single-player
| designer = Graham 'Kenny' Everett
}}
9 Lives is a platform game released in 1990 for the Amiga and Atari ST. It was developed by ARC, a software division of Atari Corporation. The player takes the role of Bob Cat, who must rescue Claudette from a mad scientist who kidnapped her.
Plot
Gameplay
9 Lives is a platform game where the player takes the role of Bob Cat, and accessing different areas of the level relies on jumping. The longer the player holds down the joystick, the more power is used to jump; the height and distance of a jump is determined by how much power the player uses.
Mutant animals are scattered throughout each level and attack Bob if he gets too close, causing the player to slowly lose energy while touching them. Bob can attack enemies using a ball of wool, stunning them temporarily. Bob's energy and jump meters are represented by icons of Bob's tail on the left and right of the screen. The player has nine lives, and the player loses a life when they run out of energy, fall onto a spike trap, or fall too far down. Six cats are locked in cages on each level; the player must find keys throughout the level to unlock them. Freeing all six cats allows the player to go to the next level. Keys can also be used to unlock secret rooms, which have items such as powerups or extra lives.
The game has four levels, with the final level being the mad scientist's warehouse. Each level has more than a hundred rooms. Throughout each level Bob can pick up powerups giving the player various temporary abilities including flight, invisibility, and immunity to damage; potions created by the mad scientist may have negative effects if picked up. Food restores energy when picked up, and items such as jewels award points.
Development
9 Lives was developed by ARC, a software division of Atari, and was released for Amiga and Atari ST in November 1990. The game's designer Graham 'Kenny' Everett said in regards to the artstyle of the game that "Cartoon style games have never really taken on in computer games, which is really surprising as it lends itself so well to animation. I think the gameplay aspect has always been lacking in these games and so we decided to try and combine comical cartoon style characters with fast moving gameplay." Bob Cat was named after Bob Katz, an ARC staff member.{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =November 1990 |url =https://archive.org/details/st-action-31-1990-11/page/n23/mode/2up |magazine =ST Action |publisher =Interactive Publishing |issue =31 |pages =22, 23|issn=0955-1395}}
In 1991, the Atari ST version of 9 Lives was included in the compilation Discovery Xtra.{{cite magazine|title =New Direction for the ST |date =November 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/One_for_ST_Games_The_Issue_038_1991-11_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n17/mode/2up |magazine =The One for ST Games |publisher =EMAP Images |issue =38 |page =18}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| rev1 = Atari ST User
| rev2 = Raze
| rev2Score = 93% (Atari ST)
90% (Amiga)
| rev3 = ST Action
| rev4 = The One
| rev5 = Amiga Action
| rev6 = Zero
| rev6Score = 79/100 (Atari ST)
| rev7 = Pelit
| rev7Score = 76/100 (Amiga, ST)
| rev8 = ST Format
| rev9 = Datormagazin
| rev10 = Amiga Format
| rev11 = Aktueller Software Markt
| rev11Score = 6/12 (Amiga, ST)
| rev12 = Amiga Joker
| rev13 = Power Play
}}
9 Lives' cartoon graphics and sense of humor were praised by critics, and reviews noted the game's difficulty. Amiga Format criticized its difficulty, noting the game's jump mechanic as a "nice idea" that is "almost impossible" in practice due to the precision required, and Datormagazin said that the game was "rather difficult" to the point of being "utterly impossible" and "tiresome".{{cite magazine|title =Katten Bob slåss mot ondskan |date =May 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/Datormagazin1991Nr22/Datormagazin_1991_nr09/page/n57/mode/2up |magazine =Datormagazin |last =Wester |first =Pia |volume = 6|page =58|language=Swedish|issn=0283-3379}} Power Play called the game "antiquated", summarizing the game as a whole as "a wasteland of ideas combined with amateurish technical execution".{{cite magazine|title =Katzenjammer |trans-title=Hangover|date =April 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/Power.Play.N37.1991.04-kultpower/page/n115/mode/2up |magazine =Power Play |publisher =Markt&Technik |last =Lenhardt |first =Heinrich|page =116|issn=0937-9754|language=German}}
Raze noted the game's "impressive" graphics,{{cite magazine|title =9 Lives |date =December 1990 |url =https://archive.org/details/raze-magazine-02/page/n33/mode/2up |magazine =Raze |publisher =Newsfield |last =Boardman |first =Julian |issue =2 |pages =34, 35|issn=0960-7706}} and ST Action stated that it has "originality, inventiveness, and great playability all in one game", and noted its "large variety" of animations and sprites.{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =December 1990 |url =https://archive.org/details/st-action-32-1990-12/page/n97/mode/2up |magazine =ST Action |publisher =Interactive Publishing |issue =32 |pages =96, 97|issn=0955-1395}} The One compared 9 Lives to "mediocre" games based on licensed characters, stating that the game is "what [they] should have been", praising its visuals and gameplay, calling it "an exciting platform game which guarantees hours of absorbing fun".{{cite magazine|title =9 Lives |date =December 1990 |url =https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-27/page/n159/mode/2up |magazine =The One |publisher =EMAP Images |last =Hamza |first =Kati |issue =27 |pages =161, 162 |issn=0955-4084}} Amiga Format expressed that the game "captures that Tom and Jerry feel" and praised its "big and bold" graphics, but criticized the game as shallow, stating that "great graphics are no substitute for gameplay"{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =January 1991 |url =http://amr.abime.net/review_826 |magazine =Amiga Format |publisher =Future Publishing |last =Waring |first =Adam |issue =18 |page =63 |issn=0957-4867}}
Several magazines praised the games' sense of humor; ST Format praised its Looney Tunes-style humor,{{cite magazine|title =9 Lives |date =January 1991 |url =http://www.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-issue-st-format-issue-18_1425.html |magazine =ST Format |publisher =Future Publishing |last =Ide |first =Andy |issue =18 |page =79 |issn=0957-4859}} and Atari ST User called the game "a delight" that "oozes charm and humour".{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =December 1990 |url =http://www.atarimania.com/atari-magazine-issue-atari-st-user-issue-058_1081.html |magazine =Atari ST User |publisher =Interactive Publishing |issue =58 |pages =47, 49|issn=0952-3006}} Multiple critics from Amiga Action reviewed the game, with Steve Merret calling the game "an excellent platform romp", praising its variety and visuals, calling it "extremely well animated" and expressed that the game's humor "add[s] to its character". Doug Simmons from Amiga Action was more critical, stating that he "didn't enjoy it in the slightest", describing its gameplay as "very awkward".{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =December 1990 |url =https://archive.org/details/amigaaction15/page/n33/mode/2up |magazine =Amiga Action |publisher =Interactive Publishing |last1 =Johns |first1 =Doug |last2 =Simmons |first2 =Alex |last3 =Merret |first3 =Steve |issue =15 |pages =32, 33 |issn=0957-4050}}
Amiga Joker praised the game's visuals but criticized its gameplay, calling it a "neat platform game ... ruined by imprecise controls and stuttery scrolling".{{cite magazine|title =9 Lives |date =March 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/AmigaJoker199103/page/n83/mode/2up |magazine =Amiga Joker |publisher =Joker Verlag |last =Borgmeier |first =Carsten |page =85 |language=German}} Aktueller Software Markt criticized the game's "imprecise" controls, expressing that the game "performs badly" and that the game is too expensive.{{cite magazine|title =Katzenjammer |trans-title=Hangover|date =December 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/asm_magazine-1991-12/page/n55/mode/2up |magazine =Aktueller Software Markt |publisher =Tronic-Verlag |last =Alter |first =Sandra |page =56 |language=German|issn=0933-1867}} ASM and Power Play criticized the game's music, with the former comparing it to a charivari, and the latter stating that "the music is half of a professional standard".
Zero expressed that the game "falls slightly flat", criticizing it as unoriginal, stating that "there's nothing outstandingly new here, just a fairly well put together platform game".{{cite magazine|title =Nine Lives |date =January 1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/zero-magazine-15/page/n43/mode/2up |magazine =Zero |publisher =Dennis Publishing |last =Lakin |first =Paul |issue =15 |page =44 |issn=0957-9303}} Pelit criticized the small color palette of the Amiga version.{{cite magazine|title =9 Lives |date =1991 |url =https://archive.org/details/pelitvuosikirja1991syksy/page/n91/mode/2up |magazine =Pelit |publisher =Erikoislehdet Oy Tecnopress |last =Ihander |first =Tony |page =92 |language=Finnish|issn=0784-4824}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{moby game|id=/9-lives}}
- {{abime|id=2369}}