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and then fall down through available gaps (for the first time), has to hop on vari- Name: Spike
in the platform to advance through the ous suspended platforms and bop Birth: 1983
game. Spud clones. Summary: Adventurous and likeable individual with varied work

Alex Nicholson of Vectorzoa Logo fame Although never updated and missing experience and skills. Excels at resolving conflicts and is not
afraid of heights. Seeks challenging role.
released ―Spikes Circus‖ in 2006. Accord- sound and scoring, it is still an inter-
ing to the text introduced at the beginning esting demo. After controlling Spike Work Experience:
of the game and accompanied by circus some distance in the game the Star- Title Re- Author Role Notes
music, Spike is a circus owner and Spud is ship Enterprise from Star Trek is lease
a lion tamer. Spike has to make Spud encountered! Spike 1983* MB/GCE Lead First console video
redundant, as Lions (and caged animals in game with sampled
general) aren't popular. Like the original ―Spike Super Sports‖ by Martijn sound
plot 20 years earlier, Spud has kidnapped Wenting looks to be the most ad- All good 1996** John Lead First released on
Molly, This time though Spud wants to vanced in terms of completion for an things - 2001** Dondzila the All good things
humiliate Spike and this is where the game unfinished game. The game features Spike’s cartridge, then on
starts. If you have a VecVox (the home- Spike, Molly and Spud who are pitted Water the Vectopia car-
tridge with ana-
balloons
brew speech synthesizer) plugged in, Spud against each other in sports events logue control.
will actually sing this plotline as part of the such as 100m dash, long jump, arch- Spike 1997** John Lead Based on the arcade
intro. ery, 110m hurdles and key toss. The
game is also said to support the Hoppin Dondzila game Q*bert. In-
You control Spike, who has to ride a unicy- VecVox. However, as yet the game cludes sampled
sound.
cle across a tightrope. With over 50 varied has not been released.
games levels, Spike has to scale hills and Vectopia 2001** John Guest Easter egg appear-
Dondzila
- Spike’s
ance on menu, ana-
ramps, juggle Indian clubs, balance objects Spike‘s most recent appearance to Water logue control ver-
on his head and bounce balls off his head date is in Andy Coleman‘s one button balloons sion of Spike’s
to hit targets, all whilst on his unicycle. An controlled game called ―City Bomber‖, (analogue Water balloons.
interesting fact is that Spikes Circus was which was released in late 2007. If control)
originally called ―F=ma‖ which is quite an you manage to bomb down all the sky
apt title considering the physics behind the scrapers so that you can land your
unicycle motion and game play. falling plane, out jumps Spike from the VecCaves/ 2001** Mark De Lead Contains undiscov-
cockpit. Unfortunately, this is the only Spike’s Smit ered easter egg
On his website Alex did say he would be appearance made by Spike in this Spree
working on a ―Spike Circus‖ version two: game. The limited edition ―City
―Spud Bounces Back‖, but it is unknown if Bomber‖ cartridge is also a double Vec Sport 2002** Manu Guest Spike stars as one
this game will ever be continued. In this game cartridge that includes the title Boxing Pärssinen of the four boxers.
game Spud is the star hero and has him ―Spike Goes Skiing‖. Also available as Spike 2003** Alex Lead Hidden mini bonus
bouncing around on a pogo stick. a free downloadable demo, ―Spike goes down Herbert raster-like game
Goes Skiing‖ has Spike adorned with
There have also been a number of other skis travelling down a scrolling ski run -Limited after scoring
unfinished games announced or demoed with the aim of skiing between slalom Edition 20,000.
where Spike is the star character. Although flags and avoiding trees. Protector
these games have been announced on the
respective author‘s sites and even together As you can see, Spike is alive and
with screen shots, it is unknown when and well. Who knows, had history been
if they will be actually released. For most if different, perhaps today in addition to Spikes 2006** Alex Lead Second ever Vectrex
not all home brewers, the land of Vectors the now famous video game icons Circus Nicholson Spike game to use
an overlay.
is second to real life and as such even the such as Nintendo‘s little fat Italian
best laid plans for game development can plumber and Sega‘s hyper active VecVox introduc-
be upset by real world time pressures. hedgehog, the world would have tion.
also been familiar with MB / GCE Spike 2006** Andy Lead Free downloadable
In 2006, John Dondzila produced his last spiky little video game character. So goes ski- Coleman binary
released Vectrex game to date called what of the activities of Spike‘s origi- ing
―Space Frenzy‖. Of interest is that on the nal creator? Well, Tom Sloper went Super 2006** John Lead Unfinished demo
same cartridge is an unfinished game on to design many other games, not Spike Dondzila game on Space
demo called ―Super Spike World‖. This is a just for the Vectrex but later (and to World – Frenzy cartridge
horizontal scrolling platform type game and this day) other video games consoles Space
Spike, who is viewed from his side profile Frenzy
as well. He also offers consultancy
service on games design at
Super Spike World www.sloperama.com. Visiting this Bomber 2007** Andy Guest Jumps out of plane
site, Tom‘s connection to Spike can Coleman after landing.
still be seen as Spike is immediately Limited Edition
visible as the website‘s icon on the Bomber cartridge
address bar! includes Spike Goes
Skiing
Acknowledgements Spike 200?** Martijn Lead Announced in 2006 –
Super Wenting 75% complete but
This article wouldn‘t have been possi-
sports currently on hold.
ble without the help of Tom Sloper, Spike's 200?** Alex Lead Progress unknown.
John Dondzila, Mark De Smit, Richard
Sea Snap Nicholson
Hutchinson and Alex Nicholson. Safari
Spike’s 200?** Alex Guest Progress unknown.
Circus 2: Nicholson
Spud
Bounces
Back.
* Vintage Commercial, ** Homebrew
www.VideoGameTrader.com • Winter 2009/2010 • Issue #14 • Video Game Trader Magazine • 7