Mudpies

Moby ID: 39810

Description official description

Mudpies is best described as a single screen, overhead, arcade shooter played for high scores.

Similar in style to Robotron the player takes control of Arnold, a young boy who has disrupted a circus by throwing pies at the clowns. The clowns however are not happy and soon they begin throwing things back.

By controlling Arnold, the player must navigate around the play area avoiding angry clowns and hitting them with pies to collect points. Clowns will attack by throwing juggling clubs and if hit by a clown or club will be sent to the First Aid tend and lose a life. Three trips to First Aid and it's game over (extra visits awarded for each 10,000 points scored).

Arnold also has a food meter to keep an eye on which must be replenished to keep him moving. Picking up burgers, fries and shakes are just what he needs but overfeeding is just as bad as under feeding however and if the meter gets too low or high he will slow to half speed.

There are six main rooms in the game which can be left when the doors become open, some rooms are Random Challenge rooms and have no pies to pick up for ammunition. If you can get out without getting caught you are awarded big bonus points. Also, after every 20,000 points you can exit into the Mudslinging Round, here the clowns are stationary and do not attack but are still deadly if ran into.

The game has support for two players with play alternating between each life lost.

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Credits (Atari ST version)

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 40% (based on 1 ratings)

Players

Average score: 2.7 out of 5 (based on 3 ratings with 1 reviews)

Addictive game, underrated and original

The Good
Mudpies was one of a number of quality releases by Microdeal for the Dragon made after Dragon data went bust. The game has tended to be overshadowed by graphically superior games developed around this time such as Time Bandit, Touchstone, Downland and Cashman, all of which were fantastic games that pushed the limits of the 6809 machines and showed at last what was possible with the machine.The game has hugely impressive sound, and enough variation in its gameplay to make you want to keep playing. A quality collision detection is essential in such games and again Mudpies delivers to a tee. The game is relatively easy to start, perhaps a little to easy, but the progression through the levels is well pitched. A nice change to shoot em ups- who doesn't love clowns- the game appeals to all ages.

The Bad
If anything lets the game down it is the graphics, which are serviceable but nothing more. Strategically it is pretty simple to work out, perhaps too simple but in a time where games tended to be shoot em ups or platform games, it is nice to see a bit of variation- not every game should involve hours trying to crack one screen. I guess they could have put more variety with an extra screen or challenge beyond the bonus round, and at times it feels like a pre release Beta version with one more level to add.

The Bottom Line
Fun, addictive but it won't blow you away.

Dragon 32/64 · by drmarkb (105) · 2020

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  • MobyGames ID: 39810
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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Mr Almond.

Dragon 32/64 added by Rola. TRS-80 CoCo added by Kabushi.

Game added May 23, 2009. Last modified March 11, 2024.