Reviews

This game has the dubious distinction of being the first licensed conversion of an arcade game to the Spectrum, although this didn't seem so much of a big deal at the time given the huge number of unlicensed ones. You play the part of Quasimodo who must jump and swing on ropes past a number of screens filled with obstacles in order to rescue Esmerelda.

It's reasonably faithful to the look of the arcade game, at least within the capabilities of the Spectrum's graphics. In terms of the gameplay though, it's terribly finicky; pixel perfect positioning and split second timing are required on nearly every screen and it's difficult to judge where it's safe to stand without falling to your death.

I can't say I ever thought much of the arcade game and this didn't really do much to improve my opinion.

This was one of my favorites back in the day and it remains an old Spectrum classic due to its simplicity and charm . . . 4 / 5 .

Oh yes, the game that really got Ocean going with reputedly very big sales. Also a notably early official arcade licence/conversion.
Sadly, as a game, Hunchback is truly dire. As Hunchback sets off, camply tottering on his stiletto heels, you think 15 or so screens of left-right step and jump will be a breeze, and they would be except that the many ropes swing right through our hero death comes often through exasperating pixel imperfection.
The marvellous FD Thorpe loading screen completely wrongfoots expectation of a polished and playable aracde romp.

Ahh, Hunchback. It was one of the first games I played on the Spectrum; I also played it extensively many years ago on an early edition of the Speccy Tour, managing to get the top score; even nowadays I have a soft spot for it.

Yes, the timing is unforgiving, especially in the rope swing screens; it reveals to be very short once you learn how to negotiate its 13 levels; and as far as visuals are concerned, it was already dated a few years after its release. But - how to say it? To me, it conveys the feeling of simple things which are enough to entertain you when you are young and not used to more sophisticated stuff.

Not a terrible game, but not far off!

It's alright, not great but fairly playable and decent.

An official conversion of the classic Century arcade based, in turn, on the famous Victor Hugo's novel, coded by Paul Owens & Christian F. Urquhart in 1984, when it was not very common that Ocean releases official licenses, quite the opposite: Kong, Pogo or Digger Dan are just a few examples.

The game is a succession of screens (15) avoiding arrows, pits, fireballs and even a chasing knight. And the end, your beloved Esmerelda awaits you to be rescued. Some obstacles, like the pit, are just frustrating as it must be pixel-perfect. Others are much easier, so the game in all is a bit boring after some tries. The tune, repetitive and depressing.

Anyway, it's a Spectrum classic from the early years, a very accurate conversion of the original arcade game that also includes the works of two great Spectrum artists: F. David Thorpe for the loading screen and Bob Wakelin for the inlay artwork.

Having done other Hunchback clones in the past, I say other the only one I can remember doing is Punchy, but whatever, it's time finally to look at the official conversion of the arcade game by Ocean, and holy shit it's bad! The controls are a pain in the ass, the jumping is rubbish, level 2 is a nightmare because you can never get the jump right despite it looking like you landed on the platform, and then even level 3 is the easiest level on Punchy and here it's a pain because of the bad controls. I never thought I'd be sitting here saying Punchy's the better game but here we are, this certainly looks nicer but it plays more badly. That has taken me aback.