Head over Heels

"Hi! My name's Mr. Head. Some say I'm the one with the brains but I don't think my flat footed friend would agree. I'm a real sharp shooter, but without my pal Mr. Heels I'd get nowhere fast... or slow! I can jump like a flea and even glide but Heels is the Daley Thompson of the two of us he's FAST! Together, if we can find each other, we really do make an awesome twosome, and that's the only way we can overcome the emperor Blacktooth. The last time we entered Castle Blacktooth we found the crowns of THREE of the suppressed kingdoms but by that time I'd run out of doughnut ammunition and my buddy was lost somewhere in the Safari world it was the closest we had come to defeating that rapscallion we were jumping for joy, splitting our sides, dying with laughter... we were HEAD OVER HEELS! "

Ocean released this on just about every 8/16bit home computer at the time. The Amiga game retains the high resolution gfx style of the zx spectrum game but the map/room layout is much closer to the Commodore64 version of the game although having said that maybe its more like the Amstrad CPC version with the way it has been colourised.

The game is displayed in isometric form which was quite popular on the spectrum as they generally ran quite smoothly. Not so much on the C64. You take control of Heels and Head which have different abilities. Some rooms require one or the other to take specific routes or solve particular rooms. Head can jump higher and fire donuts to freeze enemies. Heels can move faster and carry a single item. The two can be combined and are then able to move quickly as well as jump higher and further. There is plenty of precision jumping required and the isometric view can mess with you. One frustrating thing about these type of games is that any obstacles on the ground usually kills you just be being near it so you cant even brush up against any barriers or walls in the room.

The game is split up into multiple zones via transporters and your objective is to explore each area, find the five crowns and defeat the emperor. I have shown most rooms and where all collectables are for lives and abilities. I tried to visit them all even those not on the main path although there are some trap rooms which I maybe didn't do much more than poke my head through the door.

I followed Philip Kendall's game guide for the most part with just a few minor deviations as I did with the C64 game. I was never a big fan of these style of games mainly due to the size of them. they do require some precision movements much like dizzy games which can lead to some frustration. However the game does save your position after completing areas and maybe collecting fish allowing you to continue or start a new game from the main menu.

Overall, it may be the best version with it being colourised and moves at a nice pace. However there is not much in the way of music and the sfx is lacking with non of the jingles that are in the C64 game. You cant do everything on the joystick and need to use keyboard controls which can be cumbersome. Shift to fire, F3 to Pickup/drop an item, F1 to swap or combine character and F5to jump collect at same time. Joystick fire Jumps. Presentation is lacking compared to the 8bit games as we don't even get a loading screen and it goes right to the game which might be better depending on your point of view.

00:00:00 To The Marketplace
00:10:43 To the Main Teleport Station
00:15:40 Penitentiary
00:26:22 Safari
00:38:02 Book World
00:47:33 Egyptus
00:58:50 Blacktooth
01:05:32 Freedom!