Crazy Climber (Ted Reynolds)

Title – Crazy Climber
System – Commodore 64
Author – Ted Reynolds
Publication – COMPUTE!, Issue 42, November 1983
Page Scans – 1 2 3 4
Preserved by – eboy71
Recommended Emulator – VICE

Download ROM

Loading the Game –

Mount the disk image (Compute 042 Crazy Climber.d64) in your emulator. In VICE, this is done by selecting File → Attach Disk Image
Load the app by typing LOAD”CRAZY CLIMBER”,8
Once loaded, type RUN to start

Game Instructions –

This game requires a joystick in port 1.
Your game will automatically start after the sprites & machine language load into memory.
The goal of the game is to travel as high up the building as possible, accumulating points along the way.
On the way up, you will need to avoid falling objects (e.g. safes, barbells, tv’s, etc.). You can move across windows so long as you are touching the bricks.
Your character appears at the bottom of the screen at the beginning of the level, and moves higher and higher as the level progresses. Once you hit a score of 150, the speed of the falling objects doubles.
Your game is over if you are hit by a falling object or are entirely within a window.

Article Text

As you scale the side of a building, maneuvering around windows, watch out for the falling powerpots and attacking birds. Originally written on the VIC with joystick, versions are included for the 64 (with joystick) and the TI-99/4A with Extended BASIC.

“Crazy Climber” is a game requiring manual dexterity and judgment. With a joystick, you control the Crazy Climber as he scales the side of a brick building, avoiding windows and falling objects. The higher he climbs, the higher your score.

The 64 Version
In this version, there are some major differences in play. First, plug the joystick into Port 1. Hit the space bar to start the game. Unlike the VIC version, you can climb onto a window as long as you have some contact with the wall. A variety of objects are tossed down at you – TVs, pianos, barbells, safes {it’s one of those wild and crazy apartment buildings) – and they come twice as fast after your score reaches 150.

Editor’s Notes:

Ted Reynolds is credited with two additional games on GB64.com – Forbidden Crypt and Vampire’s Lair.
It was originally written for the Commodore VIC-20.
The end screen (where it asks you to hold the joystick button to continue) does not work perfectly, and the game seems to re-start automatically after a short delay.
There is a correction in the February, 1984 issue of COMPUTE! (CAPUTE, p.181) indicating that the “AND” statement in line 1440 should be changed to “OR”. This is the line that is waiting for the joystick button press. However, after making this change, the game wouldn’t re-start at all.