Magicland Dizzy was the sixth game to be released by Codemasters in the Dizzy series. It was however the fourth puzzle/adventure style Dizzy game to be released; consequently the game was unofficially known as Dizzy 4. Originally released in February 1990 and once again designed by the brilliant and truly original Oliver Twins, it was the first Dizzy game to be contracted by a different software company (Big Red Software).
Being the eagerly awaited sequel to the superb Fantasy World Dizzy, the game had high expectations from the large fan base that a small egg dressed in red boots and boxing gloves had built up in the mid to late 80s.
It didn’t disappoint.
You play the egg Dizzy, a member of a gentle band of eggs named the Yolkfolk. Dizzy’s nemesis wizard Zaks has come back from the dead and transported the Yolkfolk to Magicland. Your job is to rescue your friends by releasing them from the spells that Zaks has inflicted on them (and of course to destroy Zaks once again). You do this by walking around Magicland meeting trolls and princes, dodging ghosts and using the various odds and ends you find, such as lightening rods and flaming lanterns, to solve the many puzzles along the way.
The game is a true delight to play, continuing the ethos of all the Dizzy titles: fun, unpretentious games that make you laugh as you’re playing.
The game is in the familiar platform format with the puzzles as difficult as ever. At times the puzzles can be fiendish (I ashamedly confess to using a walkthrough at times when I first played this game), but persistence is rewarded, and this makes for a very addictive gaming experience. Graphics are as you expect, simple brightly coloured sprites bouncing around the screen, pleasant enough to look at. The sound is great, really adding a truly magical air to the game.
It is also a little less frustrating than the previous Dizzy games as you’re now given three lives and an energy bar. There truly was not a worse feeling than spending hours on the game to drown because you forgot to carry your scuba gear, just as you were about to complete it!
I was a Spectrum owner and a big Dizzy fan, and this was my favourite of all the 15 Dizzy titles that were released. I can’t recommend this egg enough. They simply don’t make games like this anymore!
