Joe Blade Longplay (C64) [50 FPS]

Channel:

AL82 Retrogaming Longplays

Subscribers:

109,000

Published on February 2, 2014 6:02:19 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_sSLTX_y-E

Game:

Joe Blade (1986)

Duration: 18:42

5,159 views

41

Developed Kevin Parker & Chris Johnson and published by Players in 1987.

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Al82_Retro
Add me on Google+: http://bit.ly/1tPwL1u

I think that Joe Blade is another game that I can throw on the pile of games that just weren't finished.

The objective of the game is to rescue six hostages and to activate six bombs, before heading for the exit. The C64 version seems to have seven hostages and seven bombs (which you'll see by the time I get to the exit). I played through two copies of the game and got the same result; I hunted high and low and found no other way to complete the game. The ending was obtained by using a recently cracked version of the game (courtesy of Vincenzo Mainolfi) that allows you to skip straight to the end screen, which really isn't worth the wait.

The game is basically just a big maze that needs to be mapped out. The location of bombs/hostages and items appears to be randomised each time you play.

Access to certain areas is blocked by locked cell doors, which require a key to open. However, passing through a door does not unlock it permanently; should you walk through the door again, it will consume yet another key. I suspect that this means that there is the potential to get stuck if you run out of keys, although I avoided this as I knew what to expect.

Joe is equipped with a machine gun (with limited ammunition) with which he can dispatch prison guards. Once ammo has been expended, it's possible to avoid enemies by jumping over them. Enemy placement is quite poor as it's not uncommon to pass through a door and find an enemy spawns right on top of the player.

Although the game is something of a minor classic on the Spectrum, the C64 version is genuinely poor to say the least. The game has no in-game music, rudimentary sound effects and the graphics are worse than the Spectrum version.

Joe would return in a sequel one year later and, for the most part, is a big improvement, at least on the C64. At least it can be completed!
#retrogaming