WEEK 3 | Spy Vs Spy Review

Released in 1984, this two player, split screen game was based on a MAD Magazine comic strip, featuring two spies trying to kill each other (think Coyote and Road Runner!).   The basic premise behind it is to kill the other player (whether it be the computer or another person) using a variety of traps and weapons as many times as possible while trying to collect all the items needed to finish the round before the timer runs out.  

The game is set in an Embassy made up of a series of interconnecting rooms laid out in a grid pattern.  Player 1's game play is viewed from the front of the room and takes place in the top screen, with Player 2's in the bottom screen.  




The basic mechanics are moving around, fighting and using objects in the scene to search/place traps.  The feedback given when searching is:

• have the player spring a trap and subsequently die in a comical way
• the player finds an item to use
• or the player finds nothing (you can't reward the player all the time - boring!).  

The challenge is to search the rooms as quickly as possible before your opponent has a chance to set traps in the objects that you are searching, and for you to set traps along the way too.   The added difficulty is presented through each players timer, which decreases by 30secs with each death.

The only story given is in the title itself and the characters reactions to setting a trap (sniggering!).  I loved the slapstick nature of the kills - ie electrocution or explosion leading to the character turning into an angel and floating off to heaven, as it gives the game a cute, quirky feel to it.  

Overall:  I struggled at first to understand how to play, even in the training mode which gives absolutely NO TRAINING at all! That's one thing I've found while play testing these older games actually, that while there are a smaller amount of keys utilised with these older games, I'm finding them harder to play than the modern games.  This may be due to: 

• hardware issues - most games play too fast, and the sound some of the features don't work properly
• a lack of instructions or in-game training
• or I'm just not used to them!  

Well, I almost packed it in, but persevered and was rewarded with a few minutes of delightful distraction from work.  This game style is great for varied game play, as the outcome relies on the cunning and skill of your opponent.