Action Biker
A snack-food tie-in with two very different game versions.
Action Biker (also known as KP Skips Action Biker with Clumsy Colin in the UK) is a 1985 video game released for Atari 8-bit computers, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum by Mastertronic. It was a tie-in with the snack food KP Skips, whose mascot Clumsy Colin appeared in television adverts at the time. The game is notable for having significantly different versions across platforms, with the ZX Spectrum version being so distinct that Retro Gamer magazine featured it in their 'Same Name, Different Game' column.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Action Biker
- Developer
- Mastertronic
- Composer
- Rob Hubbard
- Released
- 1985
- Genre
- Action
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In Action Biker, the player controls Clumsy Colin on a motorbike, navigating a landscape to collect forty pieces of equipment to improve the bike. Once all pieces are collected, a final drag race is performed. The game has a time limit and a limited number of lives, reduced by crashing into background objects. The Atari and Commodore 64 versions feature an isometric view of a town that wraps around at the edges, while the Spectrum version has a different viewpoint. Key areas include a petrol station for refueling, lakes with an initially inaccessible island, a rollercoaster (rideable on C64 and Atari), and a building site that changes shape as the game progresses. Collectible extras include a new gearbox for low-gear acceleration, water-skis or a snorkel to cross water, and a larger fuel tank.
Reader's Guide
The ZX Spectrum version of Action Biker shares basic gameplay elements with the other versions—navigating a motorbike around a scrolling city and collecting objects—but differs significantly in plot and execution. According to the instructions, the aim is to find Colin's friend Marti and take him to the spaceport, with items found inside houses. However, the alarm is set to go off at 8 o'clock and wake him up, and Colin also wakes up if he collides with other vehicles. The instructions do not explicitly state that the game takes place within a dream, despite the incongruous spaceport reference. Picking up Martin gives a message to take him to the 'airport', not the spaceport. Colin's bike has limited fuel, but he can gain energy by eating Skips or refueling at a garage. The Commodore 64 version was positively reviewed by Zzap!64, receiving an 83% overall score, while the ZX Spectrum version received generally poor reviews, with a Sinclair User review commenting that 'why Colin is asleep is a mystery.'
Did You Know?
- The game was a tie-in with KP Skips snack food, whose mascot Clumsy Colin featured in television adverts.
- The music was composed by David Whittaker.
- The ZX Spectrum version differs so much from the Atari and C64 versions that Retro Gamer featured it in their 'Same Name, Different Game' column.
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