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Pang was converted to the Amiga in 1990 by Ocean Software (France), and to many accounts it is an almost perfect conversion of the Arcade original. The game was coded for OCS Amigas and required just half-a-meg of memory to run; although it is also compatible with nearly all of the later Amiga models and chipsets. It came on just one disk, and was not originally hard drive installable outside of a WHDLoad installation.
The Title Screen
What's In A Name?
The history of Pang is long and complex, so for the sake of this review I'll be keeping it short. The initial concept for the game was developed way back in 1983 by the Japanese producers Hudson Soft for the Atari MSX system, under the name Cannon Ball - which was later ported to the ZX Spectrum machine; and later renamed 'Bubble Buster'. Six years thereafter, the Tokyo based software developer Mitchell Corporation began to update the concept for their next generation arcade machines under the name of Pomping World. Released through arcade giants Capcom and Taito, Pomping World received a very warm welcome in Japan, and the arcade rom was then exported around the world. In the U.S, the game was renamed as Buster Bros; while in the UK, the title was changed (yet again) to Pang.
The arcade machine then paved the way towards a host of conversions for the 8bit and 16bit computers of the day; such as a multi-load mono-colour ZX Spectrum version, a cartridge-only flat-ball Commodore 64 version, a dinosaur themed MS-DOS version, and near arcade quality conversions for the Amstrad CPC, Atari ST, and the Commodore Amiga.
Mount Fuji Stage 1
I Am Not A Number!
The back-story sees the Buster Brothers in a desperate situation. Apparently a group of aliens on a tourist trip have formed quite a sour opinion of Planet Earth. So much so that they decide to launch a number of bouncing balloons across 17 of the worlds most popular landmarks in an attempt to terrorize the area. Only two guys can save the planet from being swallowed up by these giant red bubble balls, and it's our job to make sure they achieve it. Starting in Japan, the Brothers must destroy all the balloons by 'popping' them out of existence using a custom-made harpoon device. When all the bubbles are gone, it's on to the next screen to take care of a few more.
Around The World In 50 Screens
The 17 locations in the game are spread around the globe, and include: Mt. Fuji, Mt. Keirin, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Angkor Wat, Ayers Rock, the Taj Mahal, Leningrad, Paris, London, Barcelona, Athens, Egypt, Kenya, New York, the Mayan ruins of Central America, the Antarctic, and finally Easter Island. Each location is split over three screens/scenarios - which means a total of 50 screens altogether - and the player will find the Big Red Balls have already begun their bouncy-bouncy campaign, so I suppose we'd better get on with it.
Climb Every Mountain, Ford Every Stream
Taking Down The Enemy
Each screen basically comprises of five key elements; the balls/balloons themselves, the platforms, the item drops, the bonuses and the animals. The balloons are limited in number to begin with to enable the player to get to grips with the task ahead. Only one large balloon appears on the first three stages (played around Mount Fuji) and it will not take long to split this down to two medium balloons, then four smaller balloons, and then finally eight of the smallest balloons. Once these eight are disposed of, it's on to the next level.
The player also has to negotiate around a number of platforms on each level. The platforms start off quite small and easy, but soon require the player to climb ladders to scramble over them. Some of the later stages contain destroyable platforms (depicted by their semi-transparent colour); which the player can remove using their custom harpoon - and some of these destroyable blocks will drop extra bonuses; such as weapons and even extra lives.
Bonus Lives - Where Are They?
Ooops Up!
To get the action really rocking and rolling, there are a number of power-ups and collectable items available to pick up. These items will fall to the ground as the balloons are divided, with an average of three appearing per level. There include: the Twin Harpoon (the player can shoot twice as rapidly), the Grappling Hook (the harpoon will last longer on screen), the Lazer Gun (for rapid-fire action), a Clock (to pause the balloons, but not the time!), an Hourglass (to slow the balls down), an Energy Shield (to survive one contact), and Dynamite (to reduce all the balloons down to their smallest sizes). Picking these up will either make life easier or harder depending on your current situation, so care must be taken to grab the right pick-ups at the right time. For example, the Lazer Gun can be fun to shoot, but you can't destroy blocks with it. The Dynamite may save a considerable amount of time by blowing the balloons to their smallest sizes, but do you really want a wave of extra small balls heading your way??
There are no ammunition limits to any of the weapons, but there are always considerations to be made. The Grappling Hook will stay on screen for about five seconds - which is fine if you want to leave it hanging there to harpoon any wandering passers by, but not very helpful if you desperately need to shoot your weapon at another target. Similarly, the Clock will pause all the spheroids on screen, and the Energy Shield is an ideal protection device; but do you rush into the hullabaloo to grab one of these or wait and see if it's still there by the time you battle your way towards it? All these items don't hang about on screen very long, so it's a gamble at the best of times.
Mayhem In India
The Beauty and The Beasts
The bonuses come in all shapes and sizes, from fruits to hamburgers, and are worth a variety of points. The bonuses start small, and at the start of the game it isn't really worth making a special effort to get them. On later levels this theme is reversed, and some 'fast food' bonuses are worth as much as the whole bubble blasting action itself. If you can't snatch them from the ground, you can always consider shooting them as they drop. On screens containing plenty of destroyable blocks, it is also possible to gain an extra item by removing all the destroyables out of existence. Sometimes this may be an item you need to be able to complete the level - such as a Grappling Hook or an Energy Shield. Sometimes, when facing a whole screen of destroyable blocks, an extra life is dropped; and there are at least two extra lives to be found hidden somewhere within the game. You will also gain extra lives at certain score checkpoints too; such as at 50,000 and 100,000 points.
The final essential ingredient in the mix is in the array of animals which wander around some of the levels. These come in various shapes and sizes, but in general there are two types: 'helpers' and 'hinderers'. The helpers include a hummingbird and a large crab (which pop the balloons as they bounce nearby), and the hinderers include a hermit crab and a parrot (which will temporarily jam your weapon). Sometimes other birds will appear too – like the eagle - which will move the balloons around, or force them in another direction. It is possible to remove all these from the screen before they do any damage, but if you happen to get caught out by a 'beasty' you may have to wait up to 6 seconds for the effect to wear off before you can strike back.
Napoleons Doom, and Hitlers Too!
Slip-Sliding Away
Another concern manifests on any level which contains snow. The first of these crops up as we reach Leningrad, and there are more: -one in the Mayan zone and again when we reach Antarctica. Snow becomes a problem because of a factor called Inertia - which means the player will continue to slide if they rush too quickly over the icy terrain. Sliding can see you heading smack into the face of an approaching orb, and can make shooting the smaller globules really difficult to judge, so extra (extra!) kid gloves must be used when dealing with these levels.
Big Ben Vs The Mighty Balloons of Death
Capcom, We Are Go For Launch
Comparing this to the Arcade original, the Amiga port of Pang stands up as probably the best conversion out there, but there are a number of differences over the Arcade version. First and most obviously, the resolution of the graphics has taken a dip on the Amiga version compared to its Hi-Res big brother. This means the balloons are much larger in size on the Amiga, and the whole screen has been flattened to compensate. Yet compared to it's decidedly Lo-Res ported counterparts, only the ST version comes anywhere close to matching the Amiga for looks and style. Where it lacks resolution, Amiga Pang makes up for it by adding polish and smoothness to all the graphics, and the screens themselves are impressively smooth compared to the often jaggy arcade originals.
There are a few more subtle differences from the Arcade: the Arcade has more drops and collectables (up to six item drops per level compared to the Amigas three), extra graphics and animations (including an odd space-man who appears on one level), and the characters start some levels in a different position on the Arcade version. Having said that, the format of the screens is very much in line with the Arcade original, and any player familiar with the coin-op will be instantly familiar with this conversion.
The Temples Of Doom
Sensational Sonic Upgrade
Compared to the Arcade, the Amiga port of Pang has also received a very nice and welcome upgrade in the sound department. As Arcade machines tend to be on the quite side (so as not to interfere with a room full of similar systems), the Amiga version don't have this consideration, and as such the sound effects and the music are now much louder and much more more fleshed out. The gun-jam noise is now suitably more annoying, the balloons burst with a meaty pop!, and the music ties in better with the whole manic globoid-bashing experience.
United Spherical States
I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
Overall, Amiga Pang is a very playable game. Very smooth and fast (the speed now depending on a selectable preference rather than a default setting), and can be highly addictive. The two play co-op mode is just as fun and furious as on the Arcade original, and having two players hammering through it together adds a tremendous amount of extra entertainment to the experience. Every feature has been lovingly crafted, and even the eyes of the characters can be seen blinking if you watch closely enough. With this type of attention to detail, the game could even be said to be friendlier and, dare I say it - easier - in many respects, on the Amiga.
Pang is one of these games that often rewards the player and encourages them to progress just a little further each time. The final result is displayed on a highscore table at the end of each play, and the WHDLoad version will save these scores to disk for an even longer-term challenge. It's actually very hard to fault this game. On one hand some of the levels are quite frustrating and can sap lives away needlessly. On the other hand, just one life can take the player through endless stages; and Pang is always keen to reward progress with a few more of those precious extra lives. In closing then, Pang on the Amiga is a classic title with much to offer the seasoned gamer and the newcomer alike. It will appeal to all ages, old and young, and is a title a player can come back to again and again. Highly recommended!
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Although the graphics are smooth and fluid, they are still not as large or as detailed as their Arcade counterparts. The backgrounds and sprites have been faithfully reproduced, as well as some of the animations between the stages - which really complements the personality of the game. The rest of the Arcade omissions are hardly noticeable.
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The music of Pang is a neat upgrade from the much quieter and softer Arcade original. The sound effects have also gained a lot in translation, and this all helps to flesh out the game experience on the Amiga.
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Some stages will have the player tearing their hair out - while others are simply a pushover. The animals can be a pain to have to deal with, and sometimes the game is more forgiving when balloons are in close proximity than other times. Yet none of this seems to spoil the game too much.
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| For balloon popping fun, Pang is a game for all ages and abilities. Easy to get into, easy to play through, and easy to die if you're not too careful! But there is a very special and unique charm surrounding Pang which will keep players constantly coming back for more. A near perfect arcade conversion. Highly recommended! |
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