Amidar was a Konami arcade game where the player control one of two characters, a gorilla or a pain roller, on a maze to paint all the sections that complete said maze. The game was adapted to several home systems, including the 2600. This version does capture the gameplay of the arcade, though it does have to make some compromises due to the limitations of the hardware. You start off controlling the gorilla, who is a yellow glob and looks nothing like a gorilla, on a maze while being pursued by a bunch of warriors. All you want to do is paint and all they want to do is stop you.
You can turn the tables on them by painting the four corners of the maze which turns the warriors into chicken (imagine that!) who are now vulnerable to your touch. Catch them and get bonus points but we quick about it because they don’t stay chicken for long. You can also activate short bursts of invulnerability where pressing the fire button lets you pass through the warriors unharmed. Again this only lasts for a few seconds and it can only be done four times in each maze. Finish painting a maze and you’ll move into the next, this time taking control of a paint roller that is being chased by pigs! Were you expecting something logical? Amidar may not have the most beautiful graphics but it most certainly captures the fun of the arcade. The game is addicting and you’ll just want to keep on playing. Definitely a worthwhile title on the 2600.
