Kickman (Commodore 64)

Kickman
Developer: Commodore Publisher: Commodore Platform: Commodore 64 Released internationally: 1982 This game has revisional differences.

The C64 Kickman is a low-quality port of the arcade game Kick, distributed on cartridge. The objective is to direct a unicycle-riding clown to pop or catch balloons on his head, but the port is mired down by the quick reaction time required along with the joystick control that only gives a fixed movement rate.

Revisional Differences

Earlier	Later

The title screen was given an overhaul, looking much nicer in the later version. Notably, the earlier version includes a version number ("V02").

Not pictured in the later version is Kickman moving back and forth, as well as the instructions and copyright info disappearing from time to time. When the instructions disappear, the bottom row of balloons also disappear as if the title screen is being reconstructed.

Earlier
Later

In both versions, Kickman is constrained to the same X-coordinates on-screen. This causes the later version's background to be misaligned with Kickman's movement range, with a slight overlap on the left edge and stopping short from the right edge. It's more accurate in that respect to the arcade game, but lacks the decorations on the right-hand building that would otherwise make it appear as a normal limit.

The earlier version puts the lives and scores on the rightmost building. The later version puts the scores at the bottom and the lives indicator on the yellow background line.

In the earlier version, kicking balloons is worth 1,000 points each, compared to popping them for 50-200 points. While kicking is supposed to be worth points, the arcade version doesn't value it that high. The later version removes this scoring method.