Puzzle Games #24

Skweek a.k.a. Slider (1988)
By: Loriceils Genre: Puzzle Players: 1 Difficulty: Medium-Hard
Featured Version: Atari ST First Day Score: 40,710
Also Available For: PC Engine, Game Gear, Amiga, Amstrad CPC

I'm not sure why but I've long been intrigued by gonks. I've had many fine examples adorn my shelves or desks over the years, but I think when I played this game at my good friend Luke's house so many years ago it was the first time I had actually controlled the actions of one of the fuzzballs. The gonk in question fittingly stars in a puzzle game. I'm not sure why it's fitting, it just seems right. This rightness also extends to his name. I'm not sure I could've come up with a better name for a yellow gonk who waddles around tiled stages in a puzzle game if I tried. He's actually an alien, you may not be surprised to hear, from a place called Skweezland which has apparently been overrun by the minions of some flange called Pitark who has, for some reason, turned the lush pink countryside of Skweezland blue.

Film Round-Up #41

I don't think any regular readers here need reminding of my fondness for things of the 80s. Admittedly, my main focus in that area is normally games, but we must never forget the wonder that was 80s cinema. I saw many fine examples at the time, I've seen some others long after that glorious decade ended, and there are even some well known titles I've never seen. In the first of what will probably be several posts on the subject, here's a look at five (hopefully) great examples:

WarGames (1983)

I only seem to recall watching this one with my dad when I was pretty young but I thought I remembered it. It turns out that was only partly true but one thing's for sure - it must've been one of the first films based around computery stuff. Matthew Broderick stars as nerdy Seattle student David Lightman who hacks into what he believes is a videogame company only to set in motion a 'war game' simulation by accident. This wouldn't be so bad but the simulation is being run by WOPR, the NORAD computer which was actually the one David hacked into, and it makes the US military think the Soviets are really attacking! I thought I remembered there being more time spent in front of computer screens with David and the WOPR contraption trying to outwit each other but he spends most of his time sneaking around NORAD or running around with Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) trying to save the day. My poor memory doesn't make it a bad film though, and despite the obviously-outdated technology, perhaps even because of it, I really enjoyed seeing this one again... 8/10