"Ghetto Blaster" is a

computer game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This feedbac ...

that was released for the Commodore 64 in 1985. It was developed by two former employees of Taskset, a software house, Tony Gibson and Mark Harrison.

Gameplay and Story

Rockin' Rodney is the

player character A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not control ...

and protagonist of the game, and has been employed as a

courier A courier is a person or organisation that delivers a message, package or letter from one place or person to another place or person. Typically, a courier provides their courier service on a commercial contract basis; however, some couriers are ...

for the fictional

record company A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produ ...

''Interdisc''. The player must find and collect batteries for their

ghetto blaster A boombox is a transistorized portable music player featuring one or two cassette tape recorder/players and AM/FM radio, generally with a carrying handle. Beginning in the mid 1980s, a CD player was often included. Sound is delivered through ...

and afterwards locate ten cassette tape

demos Demos may refer to: Computing * DEMOS, a Soviet Unix-like operating system * DEMOS (ISP), the first internet service provider in the USSR * Demos Commander, an Orthodox File Manager for Unix-like systems * plural for Demo (computer programming ...

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

. When this is done, the player must get people to dance to the tape demos by listening to them on their boombox. The main aim of the game is to deliver the tapes to ''Interdisc''http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=003&page=062&thumbstart=0&magazine=zzap
/ref> by navigating through a maze of streets, alleyways, and

cul-de-sacs A dead end, also known as a cul-de-sac (, from French for 'bag-bottom'), no through road or no exit road, is a street with only one inlet or outlet. The term "dead end" is understood in all varieties of English, but the official terminology ...

, which are laid out and populated by various characters. The street names are named after famous songs (e.g. "

Blackberry Way "Blackberry Way" is a 1968 single by British band The Move. Written by the band's guitarist/vocalist Roy Wood and produced by Jimmy Miller, "Blackberry Way" was a bleak counterpoint to the sunny psychedelia of earlier recordings. It nevertheless ...

", "

Desolation Row "Desolation Row" is a 1965 song by the American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. It was recorded on August 4, 1965, and released as the closing track of Dylan's sixth studio album, ''Highway 61 Revisited''. It has been noted for its length (11:21) and ...

"). A map is provided in the cassette inlay, and some of the characters reference others.

Reception

Zzap!64 ''Zzap!64'' was a computer games magazine covering games on the Commodore International series of computers, especially the Commodore 64 (C64). It was published in the UK by Newsfield Publications Ltd and later by Europress Impact. The magazi ...

'' praised the game's music and gameplay, but criticized its repetitive nature and lack of a real scoring system, which removes any potential

replay value Replay may refer to: * Replay (sports), a replayed match between two sport teams Technology * Game replay, a recording of a game session. * Instant replay, in motion pictures and television, a showing again of part of a film * Replay Professiona ...

References

1985 video games Action games Commodore 64 games Commodore 64-only games Dance video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games featuring black protagonists Single-player video games {{action-videogame-stub