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ProfessorGator plays Chip's Challenge after being out of practice for a few years

ProfessorGatorProfessorGator
edited 2012-02-17 15:58:56 in Liveblogs
Ah, Chip's Challenge. This was one of the first video games I ever played, and I'm a bit nostalgic for it.

Chip's Challenge is a puzzle game created by Epyx for the Atari Lynx handheld console in 1989. It was ported to several other consoles, but the most well-known version of the game that came with the Microsoft Windows Entertainment Pack. The game has a very simple story. Chip McCallahan is your typical 80s nerdy high school student. He has a crush on Melinda the Mental Marvel, the head of the school computer club, the Bit Busters. One day, Melinda invites him to take part in a challenge that new members of the Bit Busters must go through: to navigate the magic clubhouse and retrieve the "cosmic computer chips" from the 144 mazes within. But these chips are guarded by vicious monsters, dangerous traps, and devious puzzles. Nonetheless, Chip is brave enough to attempt the challenge so that he can join the club that he's been looking forward to so much.

I'm going to play through each of the levels and make brief (apparently not) comments on them, perhaps providing visuals on occasion. Hopefully, this will be a fun and informative exercise, albeit a bit monologue-y.
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Comments

  • INUHINUH
    Oh, wow, I remember that game! I played it when I was, I dunno, six or seven.
  • ProfessorGatorProfessorGator
    edited 2012-02-17 18:52:43
    Remember back in the 50s when they'd record like Elvis singing YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG and then they'd turn the record over and reverse it and it was all NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP and people were all like, "That is actually the voice of Satan coming from that song."
    All right, then, now that I've played through the first several levels, I'd better get started commenting on them. I'll explain the game mechanics as I encounter them, mainly because the first 8 levels are the tutorial levels and most of them are covered there. These levels are appropriately named Lesson 1 through Lesson 8.

    Before I begin, I should probably mention that each level has a four-letter password, shown each time before you start it. This is basically the game's "save system." I'll be sharing the passwords for the tutorial levels, but if anyone doesn't want to be spoiled all at once, I'll leave out most of the rest of the passwords.

    Anyhow, we begin with Lesson 1 (BDHP). As it's the first level, it's simple, easy, and the only way to lose is to let the time limit run out. There are 11 chips in this level, and eight of them are in rooms with locked, color-coded doors. There are four colors: red, blue, yellow, and green. As the question-mark panel in the middle of the room helpfully tells you, you unlock the doors by using the corresponding colored keys, which are laid out on the ground throughout the level. Green keys can be used on as many green doors as you want, while for the other colors, you can only use one key on each door. Apart from that, there's no difference between the different colored keys besides which doors they can be used on, at least not in the Windows version. Once you've collected all of the chips, you can pass through the chip socket (that little tan H-shaped thing on the map) and into the blue exit square.

    At the end of each level, you get a score based on how quickly you completed the level and how much you managed to avoid dying.

    Wow, that took longer than I thought. More to come later, and with more interesting commentary.
  • ProfessorGatorProfessorGator
    edited 2012-02-17 15:59:33
    Remember back in the 50s when they'd record like Elvis singing YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG and then they'd turn the record over and reverse it and it was all NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP NYERP and people were all like, "That is actually the voice of Satan coming from that song."
    Moving on to Lesson 2 (JXMJ). Unlike the first level, this one has things that can kill you, two to be exact. The first is the pool of water to your left. Like most of us nerds, Chip isn't particularly athletic, so he can't swim without an item that we introduce in the next level. Fortunately, the two dirt blocks next to us can help us out with that. These blocks are useful for many things throughout the game, one of which is turning water panels into dirt panels that Chip can walk on safely. But keep in mind that they can only be pushed, not pulled, so don't push them into corners. Collect the chips to your right and make a bridge with the blocks. You'll have to pat the dirt down into a normal panel before you push the second block.

    Next, you'll come across the first monsters of the game, the bugs. These little ant-bee-spider things come from a collection Melinda brought back from a trip to Africa, according to the game manual. They're one of the nine types of creatures that guard the chips in the levels. Chip can't fight off the monsters himself; if they end up on the same panel, he's dead. But fortunately, most monsters have patterns that you can use to your advantage. Bugs hug the walls immediately to their left. If there is no wall, they'll just keep turning left and run around in little circles. To get past these bugs, just wait for the opening in their line, grab the last two chips, and hug the wall on the left end of the "maze" to get to the exit safely.
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