In this Dam Busta review we are going to play a game that is highly enjoyable. I actually recall to have played it before.
Even though I recall the game. The title is totally unfamiliar with me. I will do some research and come back with my findings about this.
The game itself is from one perspective a Space Invaders Clone. Adding to it a sidewize game play and with a mission to be completed. Consisting of blowing a block and in the final cave. You need to have blown three in a row to complete the game.
We have two main screens. The first one where you have a bunch of fishes swimming towards you and you need to kill them all. But beware your oxygene level needs to be on a good level. New oxygene is added when going up to the surface and swimming there.
Dam Busta Cave 1
Remember to be filled up with oxygen when you move to the second screen through the caves. On the second screen you find a helicopter bombing you with sinkbombs and a wall of canons shooting towards you.
When you have killed the wall of canons you need to put a bomb in the black wall. But hurry in returning to the first screen and seek shelter in the cave before it explodes.
Our conclusion
This game is simple and has a lot of strategic thinking to be made. I mean what positions are the best in the moving up and down and avoiding the sinkbombs. It is a framed game and a clear mission that makes you fully concentrated in the game. The graphics are really good for the Vic 20 and the soiund effects really add to the game.
But beware, that darn oxygene level has really got me frustrated. Not because it is hard to get more but because you get som much into the killing that you forget.
Well worth playing and recommended by us.
%
Our Playability Rating
In the Magazines
This could have been just another game rigidly enacting a shallow plot, but real effort has been put in here. For starters there are two screens for the convincing-looking frogman to operate in and accomplish his dam busting. In order to place his bombs he first has to harpoon and wriggle his way through a shoal of variously coloured barracuda. Which brings him to screen two, where he slugs it out with a phalanx of pugnacious piscene guardians – at the same time avoiding depth charges dropped willy-nilly by a chopper.
Dam Busta Cave 2
Assuming he had the foresight to surface and replenish his air supply, he could well place a bomb against the darn and dash back to screen one just in time for the explosion. He will need three in a row in order to pull out the plug. No easy task, but at least the graphics are of sufficient quality not to pall during a long session. A neat, interesting game with a lot happening in 3.5K.
Dam Busta Cave 2 – two to go
from Commodore User Issue 10 July 1984 By LS
On the covers
To start with I’m really fond of the Rabbit software covers. The red embeding colour is really highlighting the main picture. I really like the so vivid and action filled covers. Always being able to relate to the game that you end up playing.
%
Our Cover Rating
Playing Instructions
The goal of the game is to blow up a dam on the second of two screens by planting explosive charges. You carry the charges to the dam by controlling your diver, who has to fight his way through various enemies to accomplish the task. Three successfully exploded bombs at the same depth level in the dam are needed to win, and your skill is judged by the time it took you to do it.
After the title page, start the action by pressing the fire button. A series of numbers on the top of the screen give the status of the game. The first number is the number of divers you have left (including the one on the screen— maximum 9). The second is the air supply. It counts down as the game proceeds, the air can be replenished by moving the diver to the surface of the water. If you run out of air, you die, get 100 penalty time points, and continue with the next diver from the base (press fire button).
The third number is the game timer, and the fourth is the bomb timer (see below). The diver is controlled with the joystick. He starts from his base on screen 1, and must fight his way down to the bottom of a barracuda infested pool to the tunnel on the lower right, which leads to the second screen. Collision with a barracuda kills the diver — but you can use your harpoon to kill them. On the second screen the enemies are in a tightly controlled formation, controlled by the black command centre in the third row. This formation moves to defend the dam, and takes pot shots at you. You can use your harpoon to destroy the enemies. If the command centre is hit, they stop moving, but still shoot. Occasionally a helicopter flies over, dropping depth charges, 100 penalty points if you get a hit. A bomb is placed on the dam by touching it with the head of the diver. The bomb timer is now activated. You then have to make it back to your base on screen one before the timer expires.
If you do, a shaking of the screen indicates that you have successfully exploded the bomb, and the next time you see the dam it will have a hole in it. If you do not make it back to the base, the bomb fizzles and a bomb without a fuse left in the dam. The dam is broken if you place and successfully blow up three bombs in a horizontal row. You will then see the water level drain down to the hole.
To start a new game, use the fire button. Use “Return” to reset the game to the beginning while action is going on.
