~3 minute readCritically Speaking...Multi-Systems
Fooblitzky
FOOBLITZKY (⭐⭐⭐ / ⭐⭐⭐½) is the unexpected: a game from Infocom with graphics! (The graphics are of the simple and cute variety.) Quite a departure from their usual interactive fiction, this is a multi-player game of deduction and strategy for ages 14 to adult. The setting is the city of Fooblitzky, a dog-eat-dog world where your goal is to figure out and then obtain the four objects needed to win the game. Fooblitzky is a pleasant little city laid out in quadrants, one visible at a time on your screen. Its inhabitants, of which you will become one, are all dogs. (No, that doesn't make it a dog of a game!) Each player begins by secretly selecting one of the 18 items (toothpaste, screwdriver, banana, basketball, pig, teddy bear, etc.) in the game, which is then placed in one of his or her lockers in the city. (If there are only two or three players, the computer will select items until a total of four is reached.) The computer then displays the cost of each of the four correct items, an important clue to be noted. Each player is issued money (foobles), exactly twice as much as needed to buy each one of the correct items.
Similar to a Boardgame
Gameplay is similar to that of a boardgame, except that the computer keeps track of things and avoids problems like losing small game markers and dice. The idea in FOOBLITZKY is to move among the quadrants of the city, visiting the stores to purchase items and learn what's out of stock (another possible clue to what the correct items are). There are six different kinds of stores, each carrying three different items. Each quadrant has the same six kinds of stores, but their stock may not be the same. Instead of visiting a store in person, though, you can use a turn to phone and find out what's in stock. The game has a variety of "activity squares" such as restaurants (earn foobles by washing dishes), UGH (Underground Gliding Highway for moving between quadrants), pawn shops (buy or sell items), lockers, hospitals (where you're sent when hit by a car at a crosswalk), check point (tells how many correct items you're carrying), and Charity Central (donate all items you're carrying). There are additional activities, such as bumping another player or running into the Chance Man (who may do nice or not-so-nice things to you, depending on his mood). And if the standard game doesn't please you, it's possible to enter an option screen to change the rules.
Traditional Family Fun
FOOBLITZKY offers the traditional kind of family fun that has always appealed to fans of boardgames. The difference is that the computer can add a dimension not found in any boardgame because it can hide things and keep track of the "secrets" of the game without the need for a non-participating referee. Although the game is very different from the usual Infocom fare, it still shows the Infocom touch -- a wry sense of humor. (Who else would populate a city with dogs and call it Footblitzky?) If you're looking for a good game for the family or friends, one that will make everyone think and yet not be too serious, you'll enjoy FOOBLITZKY. (2 to 4 players; Joystick and/or keyboard; 128K disk.) Reviewed on 128K Apple IIe; also available for IBM PC/PCjr, Atari XL/XE; Coming soon for Macintosh.
Recommended. (MSR $39.95)
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