Head over Heels (video game)
{{Short description|1987 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
|title = Head Over Heels
|image = head over heels cover art.jpg
|developer = Ocean Software
Retrospec (remakes)
|publisher = Ocean Software
Piko Interactive (Jaguar, Steam)
QUByte Interactive (Switch)
|producer = D. C. Ward
|designer =
|programmer = Jon Ritman
|artist = Bernie Drummond
|composer = Guy Stevens
|engine =
|platforms = Amstrad CPC, Amstrad PCW, Atari 8-bit, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Amiga, MSX, ZX Spectrum, Windows, Mac OS X, BeOS, Linux, Jaguar, Nintendo Switch
|released = 1987
|genre = Action-adventure
|modes = Single-player
}}
Head Over Heels is an action-adventure game published by Ocean Software in 1987 for several home computers. It uses an isometric engine similar to the Filmation technique first developed by Ultimate Play the Game. Head Over Heels is the second isometric game by Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond, after their earlier Batman computer game was released in 1986. The game received favourable reviews and was described by Zzap!64 as an "all time classic".
In 2003, Retrospec released a remake of Head Over Heels for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, BeOS, and Linux. In 2019, Piko Interactive released an Atari ST port of Head Over Heels for Atari Jaguar. A Nintendo Switch port was released in October 2021.{{cite web|last=Whitehead|first=Thomas|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/10/round-up-18-intriguing-switch-games-shown-in-qubyte-connect-2021|title=Round Up: 18 Intriguing Switch Games Shown In QUByte Connect 2021 — Prepare your virtual wallet|work=Nintendo Life|publisher=Nlife Media|date=October 29, 2021|access-date=2021-10-29}}
Gameplay
Image:Head over heels amstrad 1.png
The player controls two characters with different abilities.
Head can jump higher than Heels, control himself in the air, and fire doughnuts from a hooter to paralyze enemies.
Heels can run twice as fast as Head, climb certain staircases that Head cannot, and carry objects around in a bag.
These abilities become complementary when the player combines them after completing roughly a sixth of the game. Compared to its predecessors, the game offers unique and revolutionary gameplay, complex puzzles, and more than 300 rooms to explore.
Drummond contributed some famously surreal touches, including robots (controlled by push switches) that bore a remarkable resemblance to the head of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) on the body of a Dalek. Other surreal touches include enemies with the heads of elephants and staircases made of dogs that teleport themselves away as soon as Head enters the room.
Plot
Headus Mouthion (Head) and Footus Underium (Heels) are two spies from the planet Freedom. They are sent to Blacktooth to liberate the enslaved planets of Penitentiary, Safari, Book World and Egyptus, and then to defeat the Emperor to prevent further planets from falling under his rule.
Captured and separated, the spies are placed in the prison headquarters of Castle Blacktooth. They must first escape, then break through the market to the orbiting Moonbase. From there they can teleport down to each planet and locate and reclaim the stolen crowns. Liberating the planets and defeating the Emperor will allow Head and Heels to return to Freedom as heroes.
Development
Jon Ritman re-used and modified the isometric engine he created for Batman to support the control of 2 players instead of just 1. Modifications were made to the code for the C64 version to lower processor load, but in the end there was little difference between the versions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.jonritman.f2s.com/games/hoh/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710215826/http://www.jonritman.f2s.com/games/hoh/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2011-07-10|title=Head over Heels|date=2011-07-10|access-date=2019-06-02}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| YSinclair = 9/10 (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Head over Heels|date =June 1987 |url =https://archive.org/stream/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair18-Jun87#page/n69/mode/2up |magazine =Your Sinclair|publisher =Dennis Publishing |last =Berkmann |first =Marcus |issue =18 |pages =68–69 |issn=0269-6983}}
98% (Spectrum re-release){{cite magazine|title =Bargain Basement - Head over Heels |date =August 1990 |url =https://archive.org/stream/YourSinclair37Jan89/YourSinclair/YourSinclair56-Aug90#page/n75/mode/2up |magazine =Your Sinclair |publisher =Future Publishing |last =Berkmann |first =Marcus|issue =56 |pages =76–77|issn=0269-6983}}
| CRASH = 97% (Spectrum)
65% (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Looking for an Old Angle - Run it Again! - Head over Heels |date =April 1988 |url =https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-51/Crash_51_Apr_1988#page/n84/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield |last =Brooker |first =Will |issue =51 |page =84 |issn=0954-8661}}
89% (Spectrum re-release){{cite magazine|title =Big Budget Bonanza - Head over Heels |date =August 1990 |url =https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-79/Crash_79_Aug_1990#page/n49/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield |last =Roberts |first =Nick |issue =79 |page =48|issn=0954-8661}}
| SUser = 9/10 (Spectrum re-release){{cite magazine|title =Review - Head over Heels |date =July 1990 |url =https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-101/SinclairUser_101_Jul_1990#page/n61/mode/2up |magazine =Sinclair User |publisher =EMAP Images |last =Jenkins |first =Chris |issue =101 |pages =62–63|issn=0262-5458}}
{{rating|5|5}} (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Head over Heels|date =May 1987 |url =https://archive.org/stream/sinclair-user-magazine-062/SinclairUser_062_May_1987#page/n27/mode/2up |magazine =Sinclair User |publisher =EMAP Business & Computer Publications |last =Douglas |first =Jim |issue =62 |pages =28–29 |issn=0262-5458}}
| CVG = 34/40 (Amstrad){{cite magazine|title =C+VG Reviews 8 - Head over Heels |date =May 1987 |url =https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-067/CVG067_May_1987#page/n27/mode/2up |magazine =Computer + Video Games |publisher =EMAP |last =Boughton |first =Paul |issue =67 |page =28|issn=0261-3697}}
93% (Spectrum re-release){{cite magazine|title =Budget - Head over Heels |date =July 1990 |url =https://archive.org/stream/computer-video-games-magazine-104/CVG104_Jul_1990#page/n65/mode/2up |magazine =Computer + Video Games |publisher =EMAP|issue =104 |pages =66–67 |issn=0261-3697}}
| AAction = 95% (Amstrad){{cite magazine|title =Action Test - Head over Heels |date =May 1987 |url =https://archive.org/details/amstrad-action-020/page/n43/mode/2up |magazine =Amstrad Action |publisher =Future Publishing |last1 =Wade |first1 =Bob |last2=Monteiro|first2=Richard|issue =20 |pages =46–47|issn=0954-8068}}
| rev1 = Zzap!64
| rev1Score = 98% (C64){{cite magazine|title =Zzap! Test - Head over Heels |date =August 1987 |url =https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-028/page/n13/mode/2up |magazine =Zzap!64 |publisher =Newsfield |last1 =Rignall |first1 =Julian |last2 =Jarratt |first2 =Steve |issue =28 |pages =14–16|issn=0954-867X}}
| award1Pub = Crash
| award1 = Crash Smash
| award2Pub = Sinclair User
| award2 = SU Classic
| award3Pub = Zzap!64
| award3 = Gold Medal
| award4Pub = CVG
| award4 = CVG Hit!
| award5Pub = Amiga Power
| award5 = 24th best game of all time{{cite magazine|title =The Amiga Power All-Time Top 100 |date =May 1995 |url =https://archive.org/details/amigapower49/page/n13/mode/2up |magazine =Amiga Power |publisher =Future Publishing |issue =49 |page =14|issn=0961-7310}}
| award6Pub = Amstrad Action
| award6 = MastergameGame review, Amstrad June magazine, Future Publishing, issue 20, May 1987
}}
Your Sinclair awarded Head over Heels 9/10 in the June 1987 issue and the game was placed at number 5 in the Your Sinclair official top 100. Sinclair User also awarded 9/10. It was chosen by Your Sinclair editors and readers as the ZX Spectrum's 1987 Game of the Year.{{cite magazine |title=Game of the Year |magazine=Your Sinclair |date=10 March 1988 |issue=28 (April 1988) |pages=64–5 |url=https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-28/page/n63/mode/2up}}
Crash magazine gave Head over Heels 97% and called the game "the best fun you are likely to have with a Spectrum for quite some time".{{cite magazine|title =Head over Heels |date =April 1987 |url =https://archive.org/stream/crash-magazine-39/Crash_39_Apr_1987#page/n19/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield |last1 =Sumner |first1 =Paul |last2 =Dunn |first2 =Mike|last3 =Stone |first3 =Ben|issue =39 |pages =20–21|issn=0954-8661}}
Zzap!64 gave the Commodore 64 conversion of the game 98%: enough for its coveted Gold Medal Award; the joint highest score in the magazine's history; and the first Gold Medal of the year - in its August 1987 issue. It was described as "an all time classic - not to be missed for any reason".
Commodore Force said it was the 3rd best Commodore 64 game of all time.Commodore Force issue 11, November 1993
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.mobygames.com/game/head-over-heels Head over Heels] at MobyGames
- {{WoS game|id=0002259|name=Head over Heels}}
- {{Lemon64 game|id=1158|name=Head over Heels}}
- {{abime|id=677}}
- [http://www.gamestudies.org/0302/vanlooy/ Analysis of Head over Heels] at gamestudies.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Head Over Heels (video game)}}
Category:Action-adventure games
Category:Atari 8-bit computer games
Category:Crash Smash! award winners
Category:Piko Interactive games
Category:QUByte Interactive games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom
Category:Video games set in castles
Category:Video games set on fictional planets