Nebulus
| Developer: Epyx | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Hewson | Sound: |
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| Year: 1988 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Platformer | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 alternating | Rating: |
6/10 | |
Also known as Tower Toppler in the United States (and Castelian on the NES and Game Boy), Nebulus was originally developed for 8-bit computers (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64) before being ported to the Amiga and Atari ST a year later.
The goal is simple: reach the top of a cylindrical tower by climbing a tangle of precarious platforms, sometimes connected by elevators or doors. Along the way, avoid bumping into critters – doing so will send you tumbling down several floors and cost you precious seconds, all while the clock is ticking.
Its originality lies in its presentation: the character stays fixed at the centre of the screen while the entire environment rotates around the tower’s axis, clockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on whether you move left or right – creating a rather impressive 3D effect.
Though outrageously difficult and maddening, you’ll keep coming back to it for its polished design and the endearing mug of its hero (a cross between a pig and a frog, with huge eyes that wiggle as he walks).
Its sequel, Nebulus 2: Pogo a Gogo, was released on the Amiga in 1991.
In a similar vein: try FEZ (PC, 2013).
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