MAGICLAND DIZZY By: Codemasters Download: dizzy4.zip Hints & Tips Dizzy is back in his fourth graphic adventure, but so is his arch nemesis from the first Dizzy game. Like all famous villains the evil wizard Zaks doesn't let the small handicap of being dead keep him from making a comeback and getting revenge on the hero. After making a deal with the devil himself, Zaks returns to life by transferring his soul into an indestructible ring and gets to work on his master plan to ruin Dizzy's day.

The game starts with Dizzy being transported to Magicland by Zaks' supernatural powers. After exploring the land Dizzy will find out that his family (the Yolkfolk) have also been transported to Magicland and it's your job to control Dizzy and save the day. By avoiding enemies and solving puzzles (as is always the case in Dizzy adventures) you have to find the members of the Yolkfolk and send them back home. It's not a simple case of finding the Yolkfolk either, when you encounter one of the Yolkfolk members you will see that Zaks has cast a spell on them which must be broken. Most of the puzzles you will need to solve in the game are tasks which need to be done to help the Yolkfolk. For example you will have to find ingredients for a potion to turn Dylan back to normal as when you meet him early in the game you will see that Zaks has turned him into a bush. Perhaps Zaks should have cast a spell on Dizzy himself rather than leave the hero completely unharmed and in a good position to thwart his diabolical scheme once again.

In case you think that saving all the Yolkfolk characters is not enough, Codemasters have added a new family member in the form of Dizzy's sister Dora. Also saving all the Yolkfolk won't suffice. Once everyone is back home safe and sound, Dizzy has to go off to defeat Zaks and finally find a way of getting back home himself. Sounds like quite a bit to keep the seasoned Dizzy addict occupied, but how does the game itself play?

Well the game is pretty similar to Fantasy World Dizzy in terms of playing. The game engine was changed more between Dizzy/Dizzy 2 and Dizzy 2/Dizzy 3 than between Dizzy 3/Dizzy 4. Still that isn't a bad thing as the last Dizzy adventure was excellent. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. There is however a notable difference… an energy bar! In previous Dizzy games touching enemies resulted in instant death. This no longer the case. Dizzy will still die straight away if he falls into a pit of spikes, water etc but most enemies won't kill him in one hit. Coming in contact with creatures like say vampire bats will result in loss on energy but not death (unless you hang around enough for the energy bar to empty). This is a nice touch that helps reduce the frustration you always feel when Dizzy dies because you make a silly mistake.

As has been the case since the second Dizzy game, you need to collect thirty items to finish the game. Instead of the bog standard coins of Dizzy 2 and 3 you now need to collect diamonds. These diamonds are needed for the spell which will ultimately teleport Dizzy back home. What is the point of replacing diamonds with coins I hear you ask? Well they look nice as they shine :-) More importantly though picking up diamonds replenishes your energy. This makes collecting the thirty items more interesting for people like me who hate hunting around for them once you have finished the main game. The diamonds are also not too hard to find although three of them will give the player some headaches as they are hidden behind rails with no clues to where exactly they are.

Three lives? Energy? Wow this must surely be the easiest Dizzy game to date. Well not really. Only Treasure Island Dizzy can claim to be harder out of the first four Dizzy adventures. Size wise it's just right. Not so short that you feel ripped off but not so long that it gets tedious when you die and have to redo everything you did in your last attempt. The puzzles themselves aren't too hard thanks to the clues you get. Most of the puzzles are also based on fairy tales so most people will have a rough idea how to solve them when they see a problem and the available objects. The game also starts off fairly easy but it gets harder as you progress. Unlike previous Dizzy games some objects do not vanish when you use them as they have more than one use. The thing that makes it tough is the number a couple of sections where a mistimed jump will see you die (the shark bit and going across the volcano on clouds are the main culprits of this). There are also many more enemies than in the last game. If your not careful you will need to use good strategy in deciding when to pick up diamonds for an energy boost so your lives last as long as possible.

So is this game better than the previous three? It's all a matter of taste. If you enjoy a challenge and aren't the kind of person that loses their rag when you die in a game it probably is. If your not so patient, Fantasy World Dizzy will probably be more fun for you.

Rating: 89%