The Adventures of Captain Comic
Description official description
You are Captain Comic, galactic hero. Your mission is to recover three treasures from the planet Omsoc, which have been stolen away and hidden on the remote planet of Tambi.
Captain Comic is a platformer featuring a huge nonlinear playfield divided into several different terrains. As Comic, you must search throughout Tambi for power ups and items that will aid you in your quest to recover the three treasures. The Captain's main weapon is 'Blastola Cola', a can of drink that allows him to hurl fireballs at his foes. For each can that he finds, an additional fireball can be thrown.
There are many different paths that are available from the start, but without the right item or weapon, it can be impossible to progress through certain paths, or even to commit suicide. It's up to the player to decide the correct route to take, and which places to return to at a later time.
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (DOS version)
| Design | |
| Programming | |
| Graphics / Artwork | |
| Sound |
Reviews
Critics
Average score: 57% (based on 5 ratings)
Players
Average score: 2.6 out of 5 (based on 47 ratings with 8 reviews)
For those who were around at the time, this is wonderfully nostalgic.
The Good
This was the first game of any kind I played on the PC, so I guess I'm looking at it through rose-tinted spectacles. At the time it was ground-breaking - 16 colour graphics, cool sound effects, great action, utterly addictive. Wonderful stuff.
The Bad
Then again, when it was the only game I had, I guess it was the novelty of playing it that kept me going rather than any inherent addictiveness.
The Bottom Line
It obviously doesn't compare to modern games, but that's not the point, is it? This game was free (well... shareware) at the time, so I guess still is. For anyone who's old enough to remember the quality of early games, I heartily recommend a look at this.
DOS · by Steve Hall (329) · 2000
For once, I agree with Tomer Gabel!
The Good
I really liked the fact that it was on loan from the local library, so that I couldn't throw it out the window. I mean, it was a perfectly good floppy disk (a floppy floppy, BTW) otherwise. The basic concept is also nice...
The Bad
...too bad the game is crap. I quite frankly had no fun at all playing it. The gameplay is reminiscent of the most irritating CBM 64 platformers, and the graphics are amateurish at best.
The Bottom Line
It really was the first EGA platformer I ever played, but I feel about as nostalgic about it as one would feel about one's first enema. Or something. I assume. Haven't had one myself. Not ever. No sirree...
DOS · by Late (77) · 2001
Not classic, but not horrible either.
The Good
Well, do you know how rare it was to find a good platformer on PC? We had 2 companies: Apogee and Epic. This was a nice little diversion.
The graphics aren't great, but they don't suck either. I guess they're pretty good for the time.
This also is a very good way to get your little brother away so you can play Captain Blood in peace.
The Bad
Control. The control was, in a word, pathetic. What the heck were they thinking? It responds 20 minutes after you hit the key!
Also, the speed was slow on older machines, but in the day of Pentium III, that isn't a problem.
The Bottom Line
Not great, but not horrible either. A good diversion for a few hours. After that, it will annoy you.
DOS · by emerging_lurker (160) · 2000
Trivia
Cancelled port
Ron Risley's PAL port from the NTSC NES version was complete, but never marketed.
Development
After Scott Miller saw Captain Comic, he tried hard to recruit the author, Michael Denio, but Michael didn't have faith that shareware games could make money, and so he stayed at his normal job.
Music
For the NES port, the programmers chose classical music from the public domain so that they would not have to pay royalties to other music companies.
Names
The planet "Omsoc" where the treasures are stolen from is really "Cosmo" spelled backwards. Michael Denio used this trick for naming several things in the series.
Theme song
The theme song for Captain Comic was traditionally a rendition of the United States' Marine Corps Theme.
Information also contributed by Andrew Shepard and Sciere
Analytics
Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!
Related Games
Released 2019 on Windows
Released 2010 on Xbox 360
Released 2017 on Macintosh, 2018 on iPhone, 2021 on Nintendo Switch...
Released 2018 on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Released 2011 on Nintendo DSi
Released 1991 on Dedicated handheld
Released 2011 on Xbox 360, 2012 on PlayStation 3, 2013 on Windows...
Released 1990 on DOS
Released 2011 on Nintendo DS
Related Sites +
-
Crapshoot
A humorous review on PC Gamer
Identifiers +
Contribute
Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.
Contributors to this Entry
Game added by IJan.
NES added by lugnut.
Additional contributors: Frenkel, Shoddyan, Patrick Bregger.
Game added November 30, 1999. Last modified April 2, 2024.