River Rescue

River Rescue is an action game for the VIC-20 published by Thorn EMI Computer Software in 1982. It was designed by Jeremy Smith and programmed by Will Kemp. Ports were released for the Atari 8-bit family[2] and ZX Spectrum in 1983 and the Commodore 64 in 1984. A TI-99/4A version was advertised but never released.[4]

River Rescue
Publisher(s)Thorn EMI Computer Software
Designer(s)Jeremy Smith
Programmer(s)VIC-20
Will Kemp[1]
Atari 8-bit
Kevin Buckner[2]
ZX Spectrum
Phil Snell[3]
Platform(s)VIC-20, Atari 8-bit, ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64
Release1982: VIC-20
1983: Atari 8-bit, Spectrum
1984: C64
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Up to 2 players


Gameplay
VIC-20 version

The player guides a boat along a river, which scrolls from right to left across the screen in a top-down view. The boat must avoid colliding with various hazards in the river - these include small islands, crocodiles and logs. The aim is to rescue explorers lost in the jungle.

The boat periodically passes a pair of docks arranged across from each other on either side of the river. If the boat moves to the upper dock, an explorer will run out of the jungle onto the boat. Stopping at the lower dock causes any explorers already on the ship walk back off to safety. Because of the scrolling motion, it is not possible to land at both docks in one go, you must pick up an explorer and then continue along the river until the dock reappears.

Depending on the version and level, between three and five explorers have to be rescued to complete a round. Once the round is complete, the game starts again, faster.

Reception

Alternative Software acquired the rights to the game when Creative Sparks Distribution went into receivership in 1987.[5][6] Their subsequent budget release of River Rescue reached number 4 in the Gallup Atari 8-bit chart in 1988.[7]

See also

References
  1. "About Me". November Echo Romeo Delta - A Blog by Will Kemp. 2009-03-26.
  2. River Rescue, Atarimania. Article retrieved 2010-08-28.
  3. "River Rescue". Crash. No. 2. Newsfield. March 1984. p. 9. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  4. "Thorn EMI Advertisement". Personal Computer Games. No. 2. VNU. December 1983. p. 4. Retrieved 25 November 2022. Submarine Commander and River Rescue now on TI 99/4A, Vic-20 and Atari 400/800.
  5. "Equinox may see the light of day". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 38. Focus Magazines. 25 September – 1 October 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  6. David Lester (10–16 December 1987). "Risen from the ashes". Popular Computing Weekly. Vol. 6, no. 49. Focus Magazines. p. 32. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  7. "Gallup Software Chart". Atari User. Vol. 4, no. 3. Database Publications. July 1988. p. 4.
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