The Jetsons Longplay (C64) [QHD]

Game Info
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Developer: 221b Software Developments
Publisher: Hi-Tec Premier
Year of Release: 1992

Game Review & Impressions
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The only reason I longplayed this travesty is because ‪@zappedpast3297‬ requested it. In retrospect, it seems more like a dare than a request, because it's absolute garbage. Zzap!64 magazine awarded this an absolutely ridiculous 90% AND gave it a Sizzler, neither of which it deserves. I suspect the Amiga and other 16-bit versions were the primary releases, because the C64 version seems like an afterthought in comparison.

Obviously, the game is based on the Hanna-Barbera cartoon show, which first aired during the 1960s. The show had been on hiatus for over 20 years, eventually resurfacing in the mid 1980s for a couple of seasons. I guess it was sufficiently popular enough and, what with licensed animations being right up Hi-Tec's alley, to warrant basing a game around.

The objective of the game is to help George Jetson and the rest of the family bunk off from their respective jobs, education, or whatever the heck it is they do all day, in order to jet off to holiday at the luxurious resort of Las Venus (my sides are splitting). Each stage sees one of the principle human members of the family engaging in a walk-and-seek series of fetch quests, trying to locate items that disable certain obstacles in other locations, allowing them to progress. Dollar bills can be found in certain rooms which, when collected, add money to the bank balance (score) displayed in the bottom of the screen. The cash acts as insurance against getting pulled over by the cops (I assume they're police...) when speeding during the driving stages which separate the main levels.

There's really nothing positive to say about this game at all. There's no explanation as to what any of the items are when you pick them up, and figuring out how and where to use them is next to impossible. Each level is full of holes in the floor that teleport you to a fixed room back at the start of the level, should you fall in to them, which means the game becomes impossible to complete due to the amount of time lost. There's a strict time limit in effect, represented by what looks like a rainbow-coloured liver in the status HUD at the bottom of the screen. The lower "liver" is actually your health, which depletes every time you fall through a hole, or get hit by any of the various hazards found in the various rooms.

As for the "driving" sections, these are just crummy padding that are devoid of any fun. You face the same aggressive time limit in which to reach the end of the section, and despite needing to use your space-car's turbo feature, you're constantly pulled over by what I think are space cops, which hook on to your car and syphon off some of your cash. It's virtually impossible to figure out what the heck triggers them to come after you, but it's definitely triggered by using the turbo whenever certain structures are present on screen.

I think I've wasted enough words on this game. It's a waste of a license, devoid of fun or any merit. Games from 1984 looked, sounded and played better than this, and it's a shambolic affair that definitely wasn't worth the £6.99 Hi-Tec were asking for this.

Stage 1 Items
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Wrench in the wall cache used to repair turbo lift; needed to reach the exit
Briefcase behind wall cache required to exit the level
Control device has no apparent use; I thought it might stop Mr Spacely, but doesn't do anything

Stage 2 Items
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Robo-dog scares off burglar occupying certain screens
Hoverboots let you cross the water
Control device stops the blue rocketship in the bedroom killing you

Stage 3 Items
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Collect all the hearts to get past the rocker at the end of the stage

Stage 4 Items
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Collect keys to open doors and find the level exit

Chapters
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00:00 Attract mode
00:16 Stage 1
08:57 Stage 2
15:33 Stage 3
21:22 Stage 4
27:32 Ending