Monty on the Run (CPC/Spectrum)

One of the absolute classics of 8-bit era platform games. Included are the Spectrum and Amstrad versions... Not the Commodore 64 version, so at best you get a slightly disappointing SID-less version of the legendary Rob Hubbard theme. I understand there may be some licensing issues in emulating the C64 vs. the Speccy/Amstrad, but this is one of those games that was most at home on the breadbin and the extra effort would have made a difference. Anyway, it's still Monty on the Run, and there's still a lot of teeth-gnashing platforming frustration to be had.

Has no manual so I had no idea what keys do what and how to use the items. And everytime I try to save via the in-game menu, the games crashes to desktop. Refunded the game within an hour.

This is more Jet Set Willy Esque Jumping and Running then the straightforward first game but this is also not only the Spectrum but also the Amstrad version (which I played through, due to nostalgic reasons). The spectrum version is a bit nicer but the sound of the Amstrad is fantastic, and although it's not a straight port but looks genuinly new programmed for the amstrad it plays very very smooth and nice as well. Gameplay wise this is probably one of the high up Amstrad CPC games, and one of the best spectrum games hands down. It is very varied and the jumping and running is very well done. Took me about 2 hours to finish the game with saves, without saves it might take a lifetime as there are some very very hard sequences that oyu would need to know and perform by heart plus there is some randomness that might keep you playing in circles, this will test your patience. But perfectly fine and fun expirience to play with savegames.

I fondly remember by 14yr old self enjoying the colourful graphics and the catchy tune of this game on my CPC monitor. I also remember that I never got further than a few screens and also wondered what was further on. Surely my grown up self can now complete the game my lazy arsed teenage self couldn't be bothered to, I thought. Wrong! This game is brutal! The randomly timed crushers, the pixel perfect jump sequences and the mysterious survival kit requirements add up to ultimate frustration and not a game. I am sorry I ever thought my teenage self was too lazy to complete this game. I have just watched someone else complete it on YouTube, which is what I should have done in the first place. It's a thumbs up from me, only to keep this retro stuff available but I wish I hadn't bothered, and now I have that annoying tune burrowing into my brain again.

Monty, despite ageing like milk, deserves a better port than this. Overly basic presentation and absolutely no attention brought to anything but making these games playable. Avoid.

Fantastic!