 | "Ooo-arrr! I'm Oliver Tomorrowpeople, a farmer. Annoyingly, some bloody townie ramblers left open one of my gates, and because of them many of my horses have escaped! "I've managed to track them down to this list of games based upon British comedy institutions. "I don't suppose you could help me look for them could you? I know they're around here somewhere! And please: watch where you tread! I don't need my crops getting trampled. Like I need more to worry about with the uncertain impact of Brexit on the farming community! Ooo-arrr!" |
THE YOUNG ONES
To a teenager in the early-80s, The Young Ones was a revelation. Anarchic, rude, surreal, and a literal two-fingers to the establishment, it was to my generation what Python was to everyone a decade or more earlier. I mean, it's tame by the standards of today's "social experiments" and coarse, anything-goes, humour, but jokes about farting and erections was proper edgy back then.
The game - released on most of the main home computer formats of the mid-80s - allowed you to choose your favourite character (i.e; anyone other than Mike) with a view to gathering up your belongings and moving out of your student accommodation as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, said belongings were hidden or broken, and reaching them required you to find helpful items. The other characters would typically get in your way, or give clues as to where you might find what you need.
It wasn't very good, it had a game-breaking bug which made it impossible to complete, and without the input of the show's creators, its slow-paced adventuring was a far cry from the series that spawned it.
The game - released on most of the main home computer formats of the mid-80s - allowed you to choose your favourite character (i.e; anyone other than Mike) with a view to gathering up your belongings and moving out of your student accommodation as quickly as possible.
Unfortunately, said belongings were hidden or broken, and reaching them required you to find helpful items. The other characters would typically get in your way, or give clues as to where you might find what you need.
It wasn't very good, it had a game-breaking bug which made it impossible to complete, and without the input of the show's creators, its slow-paced adventuring was a far cry from the series that spawned it.
MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS: THE COMPUTER GAME
One of several disappointing games based upon Python, in much the same way that The Young Ones failed to evoke the spirit of that show, so Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Computer Game did a piss-poor job of understanding the brilliance of its source material. Why, it almost could've been created by Eric Idle!
Released in 1990 - 20 years after the show first aired - it was, absurdly, a shoot 'em up, in which the player adopted the role of Mr Gumby, in an attempt to retrieve the pieces of his mind.
With a graphic style inspired (but failing to capture) the essence of Terry Gilliam's animation, it was littered with Python references, in a sort of "Do you remember this?" way. Each level ended with a mini game based upon the classic Argument Sketch, and even its copy-protection was based upon Cheese Shop.
"Spam!" - ha ha! I remember that! So funny. Nice one. Love it. Let's have some more of that, yeah?
"Sorry to interrupt, but has anybody seen my horses yet? I'm starting to get a little anxious."
Released in 1990 - 20 years after the show first aired - it was, absurdly, a shoot 'em up, in which the player adopted the role of Mr Gumby, in an attempt to retrieve the pieces of his mind.
With a graphic style inspired (but failing to capture) the essence of Terry Gilliam's animation, it was littered with Python references, in a sort of "Do you remember this?" way. Each level ended with a mini game based upon the classic Argument Sketch, and even its copy-protection was based upon Cheese Shop.
"Spam!" - ha ha! I remember that! So funny. Nice one. Love it. Let's have some more of that, yeah?
"Sorry to interrupt, but has anybody seen my horses yet? I'm starting to get a little anxious."
VIZ: THE GAME
Get this: I was introduced to Viz Comic by teletext graphics legend Horsenbuger. He bought a copy on his way to school one day, and I recall us all gathering around as showed us. Interestingly, it was also the first time I ever saw the c-word in print.
Though featuring many of the profane comic's characters (Biffa Bacon, Johnny Fartpants, Buster Gonad et al) - albeit involved, inexplicably, in a series of side-scrolling races - Viz: The Game was a watered-down affair. Though the characters recurred between races in the form of mini-games, it was - again - little more than a case of its creators' thinking that off-hand references would somehow be sufficiently authentic.
Though featuring many of the profane comic's characters (Biffa Bacon, Johnny Fartpants, Buster Gonad et al) - albeit involved, inexplicably, in a series of side-scrolling races - Viz: The Game was a watered-down affair. Though the characters recurred between races in the form of mini-games, it was - again - little more than a case of its creators' thinking that off-hand references would somehow be sufficiently authentic.
HORSE
"There's one!!! Somebody grab it!!! Take this bag - and put it over its stupid face!!!!"
'ALLO 'ALLO CARTOON FUN
It's unlikely anybody was crying out for a game based upon innuendo-laden BBC sitcom 'Allo 'Allo, but we got one anyway.
It was a surprisingly twee little platformer, with subtle adventure undertones, in which you'd play as René or resistance leader Michelle, tasked with finding the painting of the Fallen Madonna, or locating Officer Crabtree ("Good moaning..." etc.). A co-operative two-player mode succeeds in marking this out as one of the better sitcom-to-game translations.
"Well, we've caught one horse, but there are still plenty out there. Keep looking, and if you see one be sure to give me a shout. I'll be right over here."
It was a surprisingly twee little platformer, with subtle adventure undertones, in which you'd play as René or resistance leader Michelle, tasked with finding the painting of the Fallen Madonna, or locating Officer Crabtree ("Good moaning..." etc.). A co-operative two-player mode succeeds in marking this out as one of the better sitcom-to-game translations.
"Well, we've caught one horse, but there are still plenty out there. Keep looking, and if you see one be sure to give me a shout. I'll be right over here."
LITTLE BRITAIN: THE VIDEO GAME
I really enjoyed the pilot of Little Britain when it was shown on BBC Three. Then by about episode three it was apparent that they'd basically just recycle the catchphrases week in week out in lieu of, y'know, jokes. Furthermore, as it wore on I became increasingly uncomfortable with some of the characters.
Yes, its creators have since distanced themselves a bit from the transphobia and blacking up, but even at the time it made me uncomfortable. Maybe I'd have enjoyed it more if it had actually held up a mirror to our country, instead of insisting that minorities were somehow inherently funny.
Unlike the other games in this list, Little Britain: The Video Game was a collection of eight mini-games, which played like interactive versions of the show's sketches. Among them was a skating game for Vicki Pollard, some sort of Lou and Andy diving game, a Pac-Man clone for that woman from Fat Fighters, and a thing where you had to make those racist old women vomit on people.
In that respect, it had all the sophistication, intelligence, and searing social commentary of the TV show.
Yes, its creators have since distanced themselves a bit from the transphobia and blacking up, but even at the time it made me uncomfortable. Maybe I'd have enjoyed it more if it had actually held up a mirror to our country, instead of insisting that minorities were somehow inherently funny.
Unlike the other games in this list, Little Britain: The Video Game was a collection of eight mini-games, which played like interactive versions of the show's sketches. Among them was a skating game for Vicki Pollard, some sort of Lou and Andy diving game, a Pac-Man clone for that woman from Fat Fighters, and a thing where you had to make those racist old women vomit on people.
In that respect, it had all the sophistication, intelligence, and searing social commentary of the TV show.
HORSE
"There's another one! Bloody hell!! It's going to get away - knock its legs out from under it! Use this brick if you have to!!!"
YES, PRIME MINISTER
Yes, Prime Minister was - apparently - Margaret Thatcher's favourite TV show, despite being an undervalued skewering of British politics. It's good to know she could laugh at herself, even though she was an evil, power-crazed, hag.
The game was surprisingly faithful to the sitcom, playing like a choose-your-own adventure in which you - as, yes, the Prime Minister - had to survive a week of political chaos. It had a slightly sneery streak of political incorrectness - rolling its eyes at "radical feminists" and the like - but certainly hewed closer to its origins. It probably would've been Margaret Thatcher's favourite computer game.
The game was surprisingly faithful to the sitcom, playing like a choose-your-own adventure in which you - as, yes, the Prime Minister - had to survive a week of political chaos. It had a slightly sneery streak of political incorrectness - rolling its eyes at "radical feminists" and the like - but certainly hewed closer to its origins. It probably would've been Margaret Thatcher's favourite computer game.
HORSE
"That's it! We're getting them now! Grab its nose and drag it back into the paddock! Hook your fingers into its nostrils. Come on - we've almost got them all!!"
HOW TO BE A COMPLETE BASTARD
In the wake of The Young Ones, we got Nigel Planer capitalising on the show's success by trying to establish his hippy character, Neil, as his own separate entity.
Following a hit single, an album and a tour (indeed; the first gig I ever went to was to see Neil live), Planer released Neil's Book of the Dead.
It wasn't quite as big a success as The Young Ones' own tie-in book - and was printed on horrible, cheap, paper - but did well enough that his fellow cast member Adrian Edmondson released his own literary opus: How To Be a Complete Bastard (and a sequel: The Complete Bastard's Book of the Worst, AND a board game). Unfortunately, Edmondson didn't own the rights to his Young Ones character Vyvyan, so for the purposes of the books he assumed the role of a chaotic version of himself.
The inevitable computer game version had you as Edmondson gate-crashing a party, and attempting to convince the guests that you were a "bastard" by vomiting, farting, urinating on things, cutting off the guests' hair, wearing a pair of dirty knickers, and the like. Sounds easy, but you also had to make sure you didn't accidentally kill anyone, as that would result in your arrest.
"Oh sweet Mary! When you were putting that last one back you forgot to close the gate - now all the others have escaped!!!! You utter idiot!!! I should never have asked you to help. This is literally the second worst day of my life. Between this and Brexit I'm ruined!"
Following a hit single, an album and a tour (indeed; the first gig I ever went to was to see Neil live), Planer released Neil's Book of the Dead.
It wasn't quite as big a success as The Young Ones' own tie-in book - and was printed on horrible, cheap, paper - but did well enough that his fellow cast member Adrian Edmondson released his own literary opus: How To Be a Complete Bastard (and a sequel: The Complete Bastard's Book of the Worst, AND a board game). Unfortunately, Edmondson didn't own the rights to his Young Ones character Vyvyan, so for the purposes of the books he assumed the role of a chaotic version of himself.
The inevitable computer game version had you as Edmondson gate-crashing a party, and attempting to convince the guests that you were a "bastard" by vomiting, farting, urinating on things, cutting off the guests' hair, wearing a pair of dirty knickers, and the like. Sounds easy, but you also had to make sure you didn't accidentally kill anyone, as that would result in your arrest.
"Oh sweet Mary! When you were putting that last one back you forgot to close the gate - now all the others have escaped!!!! You utter idiot!!! I should never have asked you to help. This is literally the second worst day of my life. Between this and Brexit I'm ruined!"
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