Cosmic Wartoad
{{Short description|1985 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Cosmic Wartoad
| image = Cosmic Wartoad Coverart.png
| developer = Denton Designs
| publisher = Ocean
| designer =
| engine =
| released = 1985
| genre = Action
| modes = Single player
| platforms = ZX Spectrum
}}
Cosmic Wartoad is an action game developed by Denton Designs for the ZX Spectrum. It was published by Ocean and released in the UK in 1985.{{WoS game|name=Cosmic Wartoad|id=0001086}}[http://www.mobygames.com/game/zx-spectrum/cosmic-wartoad Cosmic Wartoad] at MobyGames
Gameplay and Plot
The queen of the cosmic wartoads has been kidnapped by the Rygellian Slime Beasts, turned into a human and is being held captive beneath the Slime King's Sludge Saw, which descends over the course of ninety minutes and will kill her if it is not stopped.
The player controls the Cosmic Wartoad as he attempts to rescue the queen. To achieve this he must travel across the Rygellian Timevoid, an 8x8 grid of "nodes", by entering a node, successfully completing the minigame within, and then entering an adjacent node, all the while collecting the eight pieces of the Cosmic Toolkit that will shut down the Sludge Saw. Each node contains one of several repeating minigames, which typically involve the Cosmic Wartoad fighting enemies.
The game finishes either when the Cosmic Wartoad successfully collects all eight pieces of the Toolkit and navigates his way across the grid to shut down the saw; when the Cosmic Wartoad loses all of his three lives; or when the ninety-minute game period expires.{{cite news | title = Cosmic Wartoad | date = March 1986 | publisher = Newsfield Publications | url = http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=Crash/Issue26/Pages/Crash2600137.jpg | work = Crash | pages = 137 | accessdate = 2011-07-27}}{{cite news | first = Chris | last = Bourne | title = Cosmic Wartoad | date = March 1986 | publisher = EMAP | url = http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue048/Pages/SinclairUser04800049.jpg | work = Sinclair User | pages = 49 | accessdate = 2011-07-27}}
Development
Cosmic Wartoad was developed by Denton Designs for the ZX Spectrum. It was designed and drawn by Steve Cain, with code provided by John Gibson.{{cite web |url=http://www.retrogamesmaster.co.uk/john-gibson-imagine/ |title=John Gibson Imagine |work=Retro Games Master |last=Ward |first=Peter |accessdate=May 14, 2023}} It ultimately released in 1985, published by Ocean.
Reception
The game received generally positive reviews on its release. Crash awarded it 88%, Sinclair User gave it four stars (out of a possible five), Your Sinclair scored it 8/10{{cite news | first = Gwyn | last = Hughes | title = Cosmic Wartoad | date = March 1986 | publisher = Dennis Publishing | url = http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/cosmicwartoad.htm | work = Your Sinclair | accessdate = 2011-07-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110610220712/http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/cosmicwartoad.htm | archive-date = 2011-06-10 | url-status = dead}} and Your Computer rated it 3/5.{{cite news | first = Simon | last = Beesley | title = Cosmic Wartoad | date = February 1986 | publisher = IPC Electrical-Electronic Press | url = http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=YourComputer/Issue8602/Pages/YourComputer860200031.jpg | work = Your Computer | pages = 31 | accessdate = 2011-07-27}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games about amphibians
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Category:ZX Spectrum-only games
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