B.C. II: Grog’s Revenge is a 1984 video game by Sydney Development for the Commodore 64, ColecoVision, Coleco ADAM, and MSX. It is the sequel to B.C.’s Quest For Tires and is based on B.C., the newspaper comic strip by Johnny Hart. The game was advertised for the Atari 8-bit computers, ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Amstrad CPC, but those ports were never released.
Plot
Thor, a caveman, who rides a stone unicycle, is searching for the “meaning of life” within several mountains.
Gameplay
The player must navigate Thor through the mountains, collecting clams. As in the comic strip, clams are used as money. The object of the game is to collect enough clams to pay a toll to another caveman, Peter, which will allow Thor to access the next mountain.
The player moves Thor along the mountainside and through caves. When on the mountainside, Thor can move in all four directions, but must avoid falling off the cliff, slamming into a wall, or hitting a rock or hole. When in a cave, the screen is dark except for a beam of light emanating from the player’s position. Here, Thor may move from side to side, avoiding stalagmites.
There are two enemies that Thor must avoid: One is the ‘Tiredactyl’ which chases Thor upon sight, hoping to consume his tire (and costing him one life). The other is Grog; if he and Thor are on the same level, an alarm melody will play. If Grog catches up to or meets Thor, he will shout “GROG”, launching Thor skyward and ending the game.
If the player collects enough clams before arriving at the end of the mountain trail, he proceeds to the next mountain; otherwise, he must go back and collect more clams.
Ports
The Commodore 64 and Coleco ADAM versions have 15 stages (5 per set). The MSX and ColecoVision versions only have 5 stages.
Due to a programming error, none of the MSX releases can be completed. The same goes for the ColecoVision version, although the bug was fixed for the Coleco Canada release. This bug was fixed by Félix Espina, a programmer from Spain in 2019.
Reception
Zzap!64 gave the game a 91% rating in June 1985, describing it as a “stunningly impressive programme”. Computer and Video Games rated the ColecoVision version 87% in 1989 and praised “hilarious graphical touches and jolly gameplay”. It was depicted as “both addictive and highly amusing”.
In a retrospective feature from 1994 on old video games, Commodore Format said Grog’s Revenge was “definitely a game of the old school” but remained “a fun little diversion.” They rated it 70%.
References
External links
- B.C. II: Grog’s Revenge at MobyGames
- Game of the Week: B.C. II: Grog’s Revenge
Gamer24h Editor's Take
B.C. II: Grog’s Revenge caught our attention with its unique design and has shaped up to be a must-play masterpiece candidate thanks to the depth of its experience. The visionary approach of developer Sydney Development, combined with the expertise of publisher Comptiq, Eaglesoft, Erbe Software, Sierra On-Line, Spectravideo, US Gold, has resulted in an exceptionally refined product. Its innovative take on the Action genre offers a breath of fresh air for fans of the category. All in all, the Gamer24h team stands firmly behind our rating. This is a unique journey you won't want to miss.