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Java Gaming :
The Best of Java Games

By David Reilly

Java Gaming highlights some of the great applet games out there written in Java. Sure, you won't see Quake on the web, but the games that are out there will astound and amaze you. Each month, we'll take a look at a sample of the great games out there.

Hi! Welcome to Java Gaming, a monthly guide to great Java games. This month marks the return of the Java Gaming column, and we've got a great arcade platform game for you. 

Mr Platfoot

Mr Platfoot is an exciting arcade scroller, written by Christian Hvid. The protagonist in this game is a brightly dressed little dog, Mr Platfoot, whose mission is to travel from level to level while avoiding a serious of traps, bombs, falling blocks and fearsome monsters. The levels are tricks, and sometimes require special thought, as setting off a trap too early may block passageways to treasure and the exit.

While the hero of the game may be only a dog, he has special powers of levitation and flight, that allow him to zoom through the air. He's also a mean shot with a magic red boomerang, which can be used to smite foes and detonate explosive bombs from a safe distance. A boomerang, for those who have never seen one, is a hunting weapon used by the Aboriginal people of Australia - the reputation of the boomerang is that it always comes back to its owner when thrown skillfully. Zipping through the air, Mr Platfoot battles against ghostly enemies and fiendish traps - giving even Lassie a run for her money!

Gameplay

As Java games go, Mr Platfoot isn't bad. I suspect it will be more popular with a younger puppy loving audience, but the gameplay is fairly addictive, and the range of moves afforded by a flying dog armed with a boomerang is fairly large. I particularly liked the puzzles and traps, which give gameplay that extra edge, and requires you think before blowing things up. All in all, Mr Platfoot is a powerful example of Java gaming in action, let down only by a lack of good sound effects and music.

A race against time to avoid a falling ceiling 

Game title	Mr Platfoot
Author	Christian Hvid
URL	http://www.daimi.au.dk/~chvid/platfoot/

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