Summary
- Release Year: 1982
- Genres: Platform, Puzzle
- Platforms: ZX Spectrum
Hungry Horace: The Spectrum’s Pac-Man Clone
Released in 1982, Hungry Horace was one of the first arcade games available for the ZX Spectrum home computer. It was developed by William Tang and published by Melbourne House, and was one of the few Spectrum games that were also available in ROM format. Hungry Horace was a critical and commercial success, and helped to establish the Spectrum as a serious gaming platform.
Gameplay
Hungry Horace is a maze game in which the player controls Horace, a purple blob with arms and legs, as he wanders around a maze, eating everything in his path. The maze is filled with dots, fruits, and other objects that Horace can eat to score points. However, Horace must also avoid the park guards, who are out to capture him.
Horace can momentarily scare the guards, making them vulnerable, by ringing a bell in the maze. Once Horace is able to escape capture and leave the maze, he moves to the next, more challenging level.
Development
Hungry Horace was programmed by William Tang, but Alfred Milgrom was responsible for the design of the inimitable Horace, an artful creation of character using the minimum grid available. Through Melbourne House’s relationship with Sinclair, the “Horace” games would come boxed with the ZX Spectrum, making them often the first games that many people played on their home computers.
Reception
Hungry Horace was a critical and commercial success. It was praised for its addictive gameplay, charming graphics, and catchy music. The game was also a hit with the public, and helped to establish the Spectrum as a serious gaming platform.
Legacy
Hungry Horace is considered to be one of the classic games of the ZX Spectrum era. It is still enjoyed by many people today, and has been ported to a variety of other platforms. The game has also been cited as an influence on other maze games, such as Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man.
Horace Goes Skiing
The success of Hungry Horace led to the development of a sequel, Horace Goes Skiing, which was released in 1983. Horace Goes Skiing is a winter sports game in which Horace must ski down a mountain, avoiding obstacles and collecting items. The game was another critical and commercial success, and helped to further establish the Horace character as a popular icon.
Horace and the Spiders
In 1984, a third game in the Horace series was released, titled Horace and the Spiders. Horace and the Spiders is a platform game in which Horace must navigate a series of levels, collecting keys and avoiding spiders. The game was not as well-received as the previous two games in the series, but it still has its fans.
Horace to the Rescue
A fourth game in the Horace series, titled Horace to the Rescue, was planned but never released. The game was reportedly a puzzle game in which Horace had to rescue his friends from a mad scientist.
The Horace Trilogy
In 2015, a compilation of the first three Horace games was released for the PC, Mac, and Linux. The compilation, titled The Horace Trilogy, includes updated graphics and sound, as well as new features such as online multiplayer.
Hungry Horace Today
Hungry Horace is still enjoyed by many people today, and is considered to be one of the classic games of the ZX Spectrum era. The game has been ported to a variety of other platforms, and is also available to play online.
Conclusion
Hungry Horace is a classic maze game that was one of the first arcade games available for the ZX Spectrum home computer. The game was a critical and commercial success, and helped to establish the Spectrum as a serious gaming platform. Hungry Horace is still enjoyed by many people today, and is considered to be one of the classic games of the ZX Spectrum era.
Review Score
7.5/10
Art
Cover Art
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