KING OF THE SWINGERS: TOKI

What do you call a gorilla with a banana in each ear? Anything you like, he can’t hear you! Haw! Haw! That probably came off a Curly Wurly wrapper (depressing, isn’t it?) But enough of this crap frivolity, Ocean’s back on the Speccy scene with a smart new game coming your way starring a gorilla (of sorts) called Toki. ‘It’s an arcade extravaganza of a platform nature taken from the graphically brilliant Fabtek coin-op’ pipes a knowledgeable RICHARD EDDY.

Toki may be the king of the swingers (and, indeed, the jungle VIP) but he’s certainly not happy about being a gorilla. He was once a hunky warrior who was doing all right for himself: a few kingdoms to rule over, a gorgeous love called Miho, that sort of thing. But the wicked wizard Bashtar, in a fit of spell-casting, turned Toki into a lowly neanderthal gorilla with nothing better to do than delouse his armpits.

To top it all, the wizard scarpered, taking Miho with him (the bast). And now, guess what, you’ve got to battle through loads of challenges to rescue Miho and regain your manhood (which no doubt Miho’ll be pleased to see — fnarr). So that explains why you’re controlling a mad gorilla who keeps tripping over his dragging knuckles (hasn’t quite got the hang of it yet).

Now, the game: six levels of multi-directional scrolling platform action. Each of the levels is set in a different location and all are littered with obstacles for Toki to overcome — thankfully he can use his ape skills to negotiate most of them!

CAVES, CAVERNS AND CREATURES

Commencing his quest at the Labyrinth of Caves, Toki pursues his goal through the Caverns of Fire, the Golden Palace, and the Dark Jungle of prehistoric mystery brings him into confrontation with over 30 evil creatures! Then it’s off to the Gate of Moornah to defeat the shower of eyeballs in the underwater bit of Lake Neptune before finally meeting up with Bashtar himself!

The game comprises over 300 screens and with every level, apart from the streaming hordes of foes (including dragon-hatching eggs, ghosts, zombies, flying devils, exploding pyramids, airborne werewolves, lizards, scorpions and hungry plant life), there are end-of-level and mid-level monstrosities to overcome.

Toki, being an ape, can’t cope with a gun of any description so instead he knocks attackers off by spitting lumps of gorilla gob at them. But (but! BUT!) there are pick-ups to collect which improve Toki’s powers: fire-breathing, extra jumping height and speed, bonus time and points.

And that, viewers, is what Toki’s all about (and doesn’t it sound fun?) Ocean are hoping to have the game soon, until then look out for the review and practice banana juggling, or something.