''Frantic Freddie'' is a 1983

platform game A platformer (also called a platform game, and sometimes a jump 'n' run game) is a subgenre of action game in which the core objective is to move the player character between points in an environment. Platform games are characterized by levels wi ...

for the

Commodore 64 The Commodore 64, also known as the C64, is an 8-bit computing, 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, January 7–10, 1982, in Las Vegas). It has been listed in ...

written by Kris Hatlelid and Gregor Larson and published by

Commercial Data Systems Commercial Data Systems, Ltd. (CDS) was a software publisher and technology company based in Emerald Park, Saskatchewan. In the 1980s, CDS was primarily involved in the production of computer games for 8-bit computers such as the Commodore 64. T ...

Gameplay

The player uses a joystick to control the eponymous Frantic Freddie, a

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engineer. Each level takes place on a single screen, each with five full-width platforms connected by

telegraph pole A utility pole, commonly referred to as a transmission pole, telephone pole, telecommunication pole, power pole, hydro pole, telegraph pole, or telegraph post, is a column or post used to support overhead power lines and various other public util ...

s. Freddie runs along the platforms; he cannot pass through the telegraph poles but may climb up and down either side of them. The goal of the game is to collect the pots of gold resting on the platforms, as well as optional bonus items which scroll through the playing area. Each level is patrolled by three to five monstrous "Greeblies" that Freddie must avoid, lest he lose a life. The game has a total of sixteen playable levels punctuated by animated intermission sequences. The 17th level has a game breaking bug, as this level mistakenly has all poles removed. This means that Freddie cannot reach the platforms above him, making this level impossible to clear. The Greeblies, at the top of the screen, have now taken the form of Freddie, and since they cannot reach Freddie, because of the missing poles, this is the end of the game. The player is forced to reset/turn off the system.

Soundtrack

The game's synthesized soundtrack mingles arrangements of popular and ragtime songs: * "

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Boogie Fever "Boogie Fever" is a song recorded by Los Angeles, California-based R&B group the Sylvers, from their 1975 album '' Showcase''. Their most lucrative single, it reached No. 1 in the US on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles charts ...

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The Easy Winners "The Easy Winners" is a ragtime composition by Scott Joplin. One of his most popular works, it was one of the four that had been recorded as of 1940. Title and cover The title of the composition is a reference to athletes who are expected to ...

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Scott Joplin Scott Joplin (November 24, 1868 – April 1, 1917) was an American composer and pianist. Dubbed the "King of Ragtime", he composed more than 40 ragtime pieces, one ragtime ballet, and two operas. One of his first and most popular pieces, the ...

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A Fifth of Beethoven "A Fifth of Beethoven" is a disco instrumental recorded by Walter Murphy and the Big Apple Band, adapted from the first movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The record was produced by production music and sound effects recording pro ...

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Walter Murphy Walter Anthony Murphy Jr. (born December 19, 1952) is an American composer, keyboardist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known for the instrumental " A Fifth of Beethoven", a disco adaptation of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony which topp ...

) * "Pine Apple Rag" (Scott Joplin) * "

Elite Syncopations "Elite Syncopations" is a 1902 ragtime piano composition by American composer Scott Joplin, originally published in 1903 by John Stark & Son.Maple Leaf Rag The "Maple Leaf Rag" (copyright registered on September 18, 1899) is an early ragtime musical piece composed for piano by Scott Joplin. It was one of Joplin's early works, becoming the model for ragtime compositions by subsequent composers. It ...

" (Scott Joplin) * "The Sycamore" (Scott Joplin)

Reception

The game was positively received by ''

Your Commodore ''Your Commodore'' was a magazine for Commodore International, Commodore computers, including the Commodore 64, Amiga, and the Commodore Personal computer, PC range. It was published in the UK from October 1984 until late 1989 when the name was s ...

'' who said it was "A stunning graphics and music game worth playing." It was given a 4 out of 5 star rating. Reviewing a budget release of the game in 1988, Pete Connor of ''

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'' described ''Frantic Freddie'' as "a pretty tired game" that promised only "a modicum of fun".

Legacy

An unlicensed

fangame A fan game is a video game that is created by fans of a certain topic or IP. They are usually based on one, or in some cases several, video game entries or franchises. Many fan games attempt to clone or remake the original game's design, game ...

sequel for the Commodore 64, ''Frantic Freddie II'', was released in 2019.

References

1983 video games Commodore 64 games Commodore 64-only games Platformers Single-player video games Video games developed in Canada {{platform-videogame-stub