Boffin (computer game)

Boffin is a platform game released in 1985 by Addictive Games for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro. The cassette contained two different versions of the game. The first version on the tape (confusingly referred to as "version 2" and sometimes known as "Boffin 2") featured twenty five caverns and was playable on both machines. The second version on the tape ("version 1") was for the BBC Micro only featuring twenty different caverns. The versions were so different as to almost be different games; "version 2" was in the very blocky graphical Mode 5 (possibly Mode 2), and "version 1" was in the much more defined (but less colourful) Mode 1. The graphics and puzzles differed considerably between the two versions, although the underlying theme was identical.

After a freak accident, a scientist (the Boffin) is shrunk to only a few centimetres tall. He must navigate through his laboratory to reach the antidote which will restore him to his normal size.

The player controls the Boffin by moving him around the obstacles on the levels. The Boffin can only jump short distances, but he can fall from any height by opening his umbrella to safely slow his descent to a safe speed. Each level ends when the player touches an owl which is usually located at the bottom of the screen.

Both versions of the game featured huge and menacing spiders, which were very detailed and well animated. The spiders could not be killed, and only advanced across the screen in one direction (right to left). Each spider would remain motionless until the Boffin was in its line of sight, then it would rapidly run forwards.

"Boffin" played in a similar way to many platform games of the era (such as "Manic Miner") but was notable for a number of reasons. The 'umbrella' mechanic was unique at the time, and meant that many levels progressed from the top of the screen to the bottom, which was unusual as most platformers since "Donkey Kong" required the player to travel from bottom to top. Also the use of Mode 5 graphics on the 'version 2' version of the game meant that the graphics were much larger and more colourful than many contemporary games (although the trade-off was that it was very blocky). However, since the game only appeared on the BBC and Electron and never surfaced on more popular machines such as the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 or Amstrad CPC it remains fairly obscure and its innovations were never developed further.

"Boffin" was written by 17 year old Paul Julian O'Malley, who at the time was a resident of Romsey, Hampshire, UK.

Superior Software released a similar game "Elixir", also in 1985, in which a scientist is shrunk to miniature size and must navigate around his laboratory to collect items to restore his size. The similarities are thought to be coincidental.

External links

* [http://www.bbcmicro.net/old-8bs/elecgame/boffin.htm Game Description]