Christmas Carol vs. The Ghost Of Christmas Presents - New In

[TL]

[size=140]Review[/size]

Can you save Christmas?  That is the question you are asked when you read the manual to this holiday title for the Intellivision.  You play the role of Carol Greenleaf, an elf who has been tasked by Santa Claus to recover the presents the Evil Snowman has stolen from his shop.  The Evil Snowman has taken the games into Frozen Ice-Cube Caverns in the Himalayas and this is where you must go.  The Ghost of Christmas Presents assists the Snowman by haunting the caverns to protect the presents.  Though his touch won't kill you, the Ghost will take any presents you've recovered back into the caverns forcing you to start again.  Of course, the Evil Snowman doesn't leave the Ghost to do all the work.  He enters the caverns seeking to freeze you with his touch.  Thankfully, Santa's magic will thaw you back a limited number of times so you can continue your mission.  To assist you on this mission, the caverns have been filled with magical snowflakes that you can use to confuse your enemies temporarily, giving you an opportunity to avoid their touch.  Elves love candy and there is plenty of bon-bon candy Carol can pick up as she moves through the caverns for extra points.  Should Carol pick up all the objects on each cavern without being frozen, she is awarded bonus points.  Christmas Carol is a fantastic title for the Intellivision.  The title screen has a beautifully rendered Christmas tree and it plays "Carol of the Bells."  You can choose practice levels or get into the game itself.  You can practice in all but the final level of the game.  There also are some very entertaining intermissions every two levels that always make me smile.  This is another winner that no Intellivision owner should be without.

[size=140]Score: 9/10[/size]

Fantastic stuff Trek! I would love to play this at some point!

[TrekMD]

If you go to the contest page, you can download the ROM and play through emulation.  Maybe not the same thing as the real console, but you get to test the game that way.

[DZ-Jay]

Wow! Thanks for that review!

[DZ-Jay]

You know I have to ask... Why the 9 and not a 10?

   dZ.

[TrekMD]

You know I have to ask... Why the 9 and not a 10?

   dZ.

LOL  It's the rating scale that we use.  A 10 is a game that is deemed perfect.  9 is an excellent title, a go get it game. 

[DZ-Jay]

You know I have to ask... Why the 9 and not a 10?

   dZ.

LOL  It's the rating scale that we use.  A 10 is a game that is deemed perfect.  9 is an excellent title, a go get it game. 

Ah, I see.  I can live with that. 

    dZ

[TrekMD]

You know I have to ask... Why the 9 and not a 10?

   dZ.

LOL  It's the rating scale that we use.  A 10 is a game that is deemed perfect.  9 is an excellent title, a go get it game. 

Ah, I see.  I can live with that. 

[DZ-Jay]

You know I have to ask... Why the 9 and not a 10?

   dZ.

LOL  It's the rating scale that we use.  A 10 is a game that is deemed perfect.  9 is an excellent title, a go get it game. 

Ah, I see.  I can live with that. 

You know, my original vision included incidental music during the intermissions, and a simple rendition of "Winter Wonderland" during the level (which is why it ends with the jingle when you pick up all the presents).

However, I had a technical problem getting the music tracker to behave with the sound effects engine simultaneously (both built by different people), so I had to scrap that at the last minute.

I did get a few "jingles" here and there.

My next game will have more and better music.

    dZ.

[TrekMD]

You know, my original vision included incidental music during the intermissions, and a simple rendition of "Winter Wonderland" during the level (which is why it ends with the jingle when you pick up all the presents).

However, I had a technical problem getting the music tracker to behave with the sound effects engine simultaneously (both built by different people), so I had to scrap that at the last minute.

I did get a few "jingles" here and there.

[DZ-Jay]

You know, my original vision included incidental music during the intermissions, and a simple rendition of "Winter Wonderland" during the level (which is why it ends with the jingle when you pick up all the presents).

However, I had a technical problem getting the music tracker to behave with the sound effects engine simultaneously (both built by different people), so I had to scrap that at the last minute.

I did get a few "jingles" here and there.

In retrospect, for a first project, I think it was overly ambitious.  I wanted to put in it everything I ever wanted games to have, including a bunch of cut scenes, music score, practice mode, boss level, the works!

I was afflicted with a classic Second System Syndrome.  Made worse by the fact that I didn't know how to do any of it!

Left to my own devices, I could have continued on it for another year; if it weren't for some level-headed people (and my limited technical knowledge) reining in my ambitions, it probably would not have been completed.

That it received so much praise from you and others is just unbelievable.

    dZ.

[TrekMD]

Goes to show the good job you did.  That means that we have to look forward to your next project because I'm sure it will be a blast! 

[DZ-Jay]

Goes to show the good job you did.  That means that we have to look forward to your next project because I'm sure it will be a blast! 

I make games for the 9 year-old kid that I was, when I first dreamt of becoming a game programmer.

   dZ

[TrekMD]

Goes to show the good job you did.  That means that we have to look forward to your next project because I'm sure it will be a blast! 

I make games for the 9 year-old kid that I was, when I first dreamt of becoming a game programmer.

   dZ

Excellent!  Can't wait to learn more! 

[zapiy]

Following Laird's example on Impulse X,  here is my short review of Christmas Carol and The Ghost of Christmas Presents!

[size=140]Review[/size]

Can you save Christmas?  That is the question you are asked when you read the manual to this holiday title for the Intellivision.  You play the role of Carol Greenleaf, an elf who has been tasked by Santa Claus to recover the presents the Evil Snowman has stolen from his shop.  The Evil Snowman has taken the games into Frozen Ice-Cube Caverns in the Himalayas and this is where you must go.  The Ghost of Christmas Presents assists the Snowman by haunting the caverns to protect the presents.  Though his touch won't kill you, the Ghost will take any presents you've recovered back into the caverns forcing you to start again.  Of course, the Evil Snowman doesn't leave the Ghost to do all the work.  He enters the caverns seeking to freeze you with his touch.  Thankfully, Santa's magic will thaw you back a limited number of times so you can continue your mission.  To assist you on this mission, the caverns have been filled with magical snowflakes that you can use to confuse your enemies temporarily, giving you an opportunity to avoid their touch.  Elves love candy and there is plenty of bon-bon candy Carol can pick up as she moves through the caverns for extra points.  Should Carol pick up all the objects on each cavern without being frozen, she is awarded bonus points.  Christmas Carol is a fantastic title for the Intellivision.  The title screen has a beautifully rendered Christmas tree and it plays "Carol of the Bells."  You can choose practice levels or get into the game itself.  You can practice in all but the final level of the game.  There also are some very entertaining intermissions every two levels that always make me smile.  This is another winner that no Intellivision owner should be without.

[size=140]Score: 9/10[/size]

Brilliant stuff, sounds like a great game and one i really want a bash on..

Seriously need to look at my Intellivision and try and fix it or buy another one.

[TrekMD]

Following Laird's example on Impulse X,  here is my short review of Christmas Carol and The Ghost of Christmas Presents!

[size=140]Review[/size]

Can you save Christmas?  That is the question you are asked when you read the manual to this holiday title for the Intellivision.  You play the role of Carol Greenleaf, an elf who has been tasked by Santa Claus to recover the presents the Evil Snowman has stolen from his shop.  The Evil Snowman has taken the games into Frozen Ice-Cube Caverns in the Himalayas and this is where you must go.  The Ghost of Christmas Presents assists the Snowman by haunting the caverns to protect the presents.  Though his touch won't kill you, the Ghost will take any presents you've recovered back into the caverns forcing you to start again.  Of course, the Evil Snowman doesn't leave the Ghost to do all the work.  He enters the caverns seeking to freeze you with his touch.  Thankfully, Santa's magic will thaw you back a limited number of times so you can continue your mission.  To assist you on this mission, the caverns have been filled with magical snowflakes that you can use to confuse your enemies temporarily, giving you an opportunity to avoid their touch.  Elves love candy and there is plenty of bon-bon candy Carol can pick up as she moves through the caverns for extra points.  Should Carol pick up all the objects on each cavern without being frozen, she is awarded bonus points.  Christmas Carol is a fantastic title for the Intellivision.  The title screen has a beautifully rendered Christmas tree and it plays "Carol of the Bells."  You can choose practice levels or get into the game itself.  You can practice in all but the final level of the game.  There also are some very entertaining intermissions every two levels that always make me smile.  This is another winner that no Intellivision owner should be without.

[size=140]Score: 9/10[/size]

Brilliant stuff, sounds like a great game and one i really want a bash on..

Seriously need to look at my Intellivision and try and fix it or buy another one.

There will be plenty more to read on this game once the full review is posted.   
You should give it a spin on an emulator in the meantime.  Well worth it.