Cholo (video game)

Cholo
Developer(s)	Solid Image Ltd (Glyn Williams, Joey Headen)
Publisher(s)	Firebird
Platform(s)	Amstrad CPC, BBC Micro, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Release date(s)	1986
Genre(s)	First-person shooter, Vehicle simulation game
Mode(s)	Single player
Media/distribution	Cassette Floppy disk

Cholo is a classic wireframe 3D-style computer game with nonlinear gameplay, originally released in 1986 for the BBC Micro computer but quickly ported to a number of other 8-Bit systems, such as the Sinclair Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64.

Description

Cholo's gameplay is similar to that of Paradroid, but with wireframe graphics. The story is set out in a novella which was included in the game's packaging. Following a nuclear war, humanity is trapped underground by a robot defence system that rules the irradiated surface. Your character assumes control of a robot drone, transmitting to a terminal below ground, and is given the task of freeing the trapped humans.

The robot - "Rizzo the rat", a diagnostic model - is equipped with a single laser, computer/robot link capabilities and very limited armour. The player's first task is to explore the city and take over stronger robots in order to complete the mission. Gameplay consists of movement around a virtual 3D world, taking over other robots by shooting them until 'paralysed', running into them and entering a password to gain access.

Each robot has different properties. "Aviata" is an aircraft who can fly, and transport other robots; "Igor" is a hacker who can access computer systems. The player can only control one robot at a time. All robots have four slots for 'rampacks' which are essentially files, either text files or programs which add extra functionality to your robot. The gameplay often involves swapping between robots in order to complete a certain task. Ultimately the player must discover a hidden island, and abduct a dangerously unstable robot that can be used to blow open the nuclear dome.

Robot types

There are a number of different robot types in Cholo, nearly all of which can be controlled at some point in the game. These include:

Hacker and Flying eye robots

• Vidbot - Fixed position camera robot
• Leadcoat - Heavy duty radiation proof robot
• Ratdroid - Diagnostic robot
• Hacker - Hacker robot (unarmed)
• Flying Eye - Mobile camera robot
• Autodoc - Maintenance robot
• Guard - Police robot
• Grundon - Police tank robot
• Flyboy - Aircraft robot
• Ship - Ship robot

Map

CHOLO city map

This deliberately incomplete map showing the pre-war city shipped with the game in the form of an A3 size poster. The map also contains a partial robot identification chart.

PC remake

In 2005, a remake of this game was created by ovine by design for Windows-based PCs. While this version shares the same concepts and gameplay, it is not a straight port of the original. It features a very different interface, different passwords, music and much smoother 3D graphics, strongly influenced by the movie Tron.

See also

• Elite - A classic space trading and combat game with a similarly epic scope
• Mercenary - A 3D wireframe adventure game

External links

• Cholo at World of Spectrum
• Full CHOLO novella text at ovine.net
• Windows PC remake by ovine by design