Page 23 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #2
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DUMBO’S
DUMBO’S
DUMBO’S
W FLYING mans, and mutants in Defender,
when the clowns are being carried
to the top, they are harmless and
hat happens when
™
you take elements of
past the tightrope, they begin to
the arcade classics Joust, De- CIRCUS need to be rescued. Once they get
fender, and Kickman, toss in some ride a unicycle back and forth while
Disney magic, a clever control A prototype for the Atari 2600 tossing projectiles of some sort at
scheme, and engaging game play? poor Dumbo. The message here?
You get a delightful cocktail known By Kyle Snyder SAVE THE CLOWNS, AND DON'T
as Dumbo's Flying Circus for PISS THEM OFF!! As in the
the Atari 2600. This was in- famous human rescuing proce-
tended to be another of the Dis- dure, Dumbo can shoot the
ney/Atari series of cartridges balloon holding the clown, then
that began with Sorcerer's Ap- swoop beneath to catch him
prentice, and continued with for points. If the clown falls to
Donald's Speedboat Race. the ground however, no pen-
Unfortunately, due to the alty is incurred.
crash of '83 - '84, neither A bonus round comes
Dumbo nor Donald ever saw every few screens involving
their games progress beyond something red (I think it's a
prototype status. This is a hat, but my friend Alan claims
shame as Dumbo's Flying Cir- it's Dumbo's little mouse
cus is an excellent game that friend). Whatever it is, it gets
would've sold quite well given a flung from one side of the
chance. screen and speeds over to the
The scenario involves other side. Your goal is to
Dumbo flying around under- catch it, which results in bonus
neath the big top catching or points and the playing of a
popping balloons. The player cutesy little tune.
maneuvers the pachyderm with The game play speeds up
the joystick, controlling his di- considerably in later rounds,
less cutie collides with them, it's so much so that you will find your-
curtains in the big top. Addition- self crowded by a quickly lowering
ally, if an "evil balloon" is permit- tightrope, smothered by the "evil
ted to reach the top of the balloons," and pelted by the angry
screen, a tightrope will descend clowns atop the tightrope.
one level, restricting Dumbo's This game is not for the claustro-
flying area. All is not lost, how- phobic! But for the rest of us,
ever, as Dumbo's
these Flying
evil Circus
bal- does not
loons disap-
rection in the conventional manner, can be point.
and using “up” to flap his ears for de- Too bad
lift. He flies rather similarly to the stroyed Atari did-
ostriches in Joust and the momen- with a n't re-
tum is comparable. Balloons rise peanut lease
from the floor, which Dumbo can shot. this to
catch by colliding with them, or can Be- stores,
pop by firing a well-timed peanut ginning but at
from his trunk. on the least the
The flies in the ointment here second game is avail-
are some strange multi-colored pul- screen, various Screenshots Courtesy www.atarihq.com able from sev-
sating things that rise at the same clowns appear, eral internet sites as a copied car-
speed as the balloons. They slowly making their ascension to the tight- tridge. If you can afford
home in on Dumbo, and if the hap- rope by holding onto balloons. it, be sure to grab this
Borrowing from the landers, hu- one!
CGM
Classic Gamer Magazine Winter 2000 23
