74: Harlequin

Number 74
(81.8 points)
Harlequin
1992: 15 (17.2)
1993: 12 (35.6)
1996: 72 (29.0)

This platformer would have just missed out on the top 100 of my list were it not for coming back into favour in the final 1996 list, pushing it up to where it is. What made this particular platformer change the minds of the Amiga Power team?

Your character can run, jump and throw hearts at enemies. There are some light puzzle-solving elements, and you can receive clues on how to progress from certain locations. There are a few items you can collect, such as an umbrella that slows your descent.

Highly ranked in two of the Top 100 lists, and seemingly well liked by Amiga fans of the day... but frankly, I don't see what all the fuss is about. The gameplay, and especially the graphics of the main character, feel more like an 8-bit console game than the 16-bit action we get from a lot of the other platform games we've seen on my list thus far. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad game, but for a game from 1992, it seems slow and unexciting compared to many similar games I could mention. I must have missed something.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
Harlequin (1992)(Gremlin)(Disk 1 of 3)(Intro)[cr SR]
Harlequin (1992)(Gremlin)(Disk 2 of 3)(1 & Program)[cr SR][bootable]
Harlequin (1992)(Gremlin)(Disk 3 of 3)(Level)[cr SR]