FUJI NO YAMA by Epic Incredible Games for ZX Spectrum 48K
Fuji No Yama translates as Mountain of Fuji.
ふじのやま (Fuji no Yama)
Mt. Fuji
Traditional Song
あたまをくもの うえにだし
しほうのやまを みおろして
かみなりさまを したにきく
ふじは にっぽんいちのやま
あおぞらたかく そびえたち
からだにゆきの きものきて
かすみのすそを とおくひく
ふじは にっぽんいちのやま
"On top of the mountain, look at the clouds below
There's no higher peak than up here
The thunder rolls far away from my feet,
Mt. Fuji is the highest peak in Japan.
The blue sky in the background, standing nobly
Wearing a white crown on her head
Flowing, her purple skirt trails far away,
Mt. Fuji is a treasure of the world."
- Ministry of Education song from 1911
The cultural and intellectual calibre of our participants is overwhelming. This time, with the help of Epic Incredible Games, we travelled across countries, continents and seas to reach Japan's sacred mountain.
And that's not all! The intro promises us 100 screens of non-stop action. One hundred screens!!!
But before that, disable fast loading in your emulators to appreciate the author's effort in giving us an original loader.
(CARGANDO - spanish for LOADING)
I'll insert the intro screen again, which provides instructions, and I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that this game uses five keys for control. I assume this means four directional keys and one action key.
SPACE.
We see the slope of Mount Fuji. We watch a snail float gently down until it reaches the ground.
A snail ? In a videogame ? What do we know about snails ?
Our mission to spread culture, science and fun means we have to include facts about these curious living beings.
1. They have thousands of teeth: Snails have a radula, a tongue-like structure covered with thousands of tiny teeth that they use to scrape or cut food before swallowing. - Will this help in the adventure?
2. Snails can sleep for years: Some land snails can enter a state of hibernation or estivation, lasting several months or even years, especially during unfavorable weather conditions. - I feel a deep sense of envy.
3. Snails produce mucus that helps them move: Their slime reduces friction and helps them glide smoothly over rough surfaces. This mucus can also protect them from sharp objects and bacteria. - That is why it has been chosen by the author to climb volcanic rocks.
4. Some snails are very fast: While most are slow, the common garden snail can move at a speed of about 0.013 miles per hour (around 0.02 km/h). - I fear that this is relevant to the game.
5. Snails have been around for a long time: They have existed for over 500 million years, making them one of the oldest animals on Earth. - So, in reality, humans are the novices when it comes to climbing volcanoes.
6. They can be found in diverse environments: From lush gardens and forests to deserts and freshwater habitats, snails are incredibly adaptable. - The protagonist feels at home.
The snail points right, so right we go.
Well, as we can see from the screenshot, the gastropod is climbing up the mountainside. However, I need to explain in detail what just happened, which left me in shock.
The snail changes, adapts, and deforms as it slides over the uneven terrain. And it does so with unprecedented ease and smoothness. You have to see it to believe it.
Deep Fried Ice Cream points rocketing right now.
But, before I recover from the shock of seeing the snail move, something as spectacular happens before we reach the top of the hill.
Lightning strikes !!!
Once again, you have to see it to believe it! I'm going to have to create a new scoring system to rate this. It's not just how well the lightning is done, with its effect of darkening everything around it; it's also the sound. The sound is... Can you do that on a 48K?
And now my eyes are closing
But I still feel the land
Leaning out for the touch of my hand
The world spins so fast
That I might fly off
The world spins so fast
That I might fly off
The world spins so fast
I might fly off
Waiting for the sound of thunder
I'm waiting for the sound of thunder
I'm waiting for the sound of thunder
- Duran Duran
You will be playing just to see the snail animation and the lightning effect, I can assure you.
But... After the amazement comes reality, lightning strikes you and it's over.
One slope follows another. And then another. And then another. Mount Fuji is enormous!
Apparently, each side of the mountain is one mile long. If our snail is one of the “fast” ones, it will take about 77 hours to complete each screen. Fortunately, the author has not sought to implement the reality of displacement in that sense. Our snail must be an ultra fast mutation. Great!
Where reality has been fully implemented is in the lightning bolts that fall from the sky, striking anywhere and at any time. It is a matter of luck whether we advance more or less in our mission to reach the summit of Mount Fuji. My best attempt so far:
Far from the top. I hope someone will tell the rest of us what the view is like from up there.
The jar containing all the snail slime: Ingenuity, originality, lots of humor (that list of keys), and programming that still baffles me define this game as a true marvel. Not to mention the correctly centred texts...
Scrambled Smile: 10/10
Broccoli and Squid Yoghourt: 1/10
Deep Fried Ice Cream: 10/10
Strawberry Monosodium Glutamate: 9/10
Affable Hot Chocolate Sauce: 2/10
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