Countdown

The Good
By 1983, games for the VIC-20 were becoming very sophisticated, containing several features that were unheard off. Bewitched had a good use of overscan, where the playing area goes beyond the standard VIC border. Another game that comes to mind is Paramount’s Countdown. Not only does it contain levels you have to complete, but you also must do so within a time limit.

Sure, you have three time limits to choose from – 2 minutes, 2 minutes and 30 seconds, and 3 minutes – but even at three minutes, it’s pretty tight. I was just able to collect all the keys and defuse the bomb with only two seconds to spare. The game is also quite harsh; if the bomb explodes, that’s it. The game ends and you have to start again. If you lose a life it takes some time before you reappear at the bottom of the screen, but meanwhile the bomb is still ticking away.

The tape loads in five parts, and one of them consists of instructions you can read so you’ll know what the game is about. The white text stands out against the pink background, and there are illustrations of what each hazard looks like. I wish that more games would feature instructions of the same quality. The high score table with the bricks surrounding the entries looks good.

The game makes full use of 8K; the graphics are not in the standard PETSCII set, and the major sound effects are reserved only for certain events such as completing a level or losing a life. I like how the game gets more challenging every level you pass. The sound effects are good and more appropriate for this kind of game.

The Bad
Nothing is bad about the game.

The Bottom Line
Paramount is one of the few companies that weren't scared to push the VIC-20 to its limits. With its multiple screens, various time limits, and high score table, Countdown is a well-presented game that any person can enjoy. The graphics and sound are nice, and I think that this type of game had never been done before. It is more suitable for people who like being kept on edge.