Spitting Image (video game)
Encyclopedia
Spitting Image is a video game released in 1989 featuring Spitting Image
puppet show. It was beat them up arcade programmed by Walking Circles and published by Domark
has determined that within the next seven years, there will be a world war
which is instigated by a "mysterious leader"; so terrible that the Italians
have already surrendered and so violent that the Swiss
will be involved. To avoid this fate, six world leaders have agreed to duke it out - the winner being the undisputed ruler of the world.
The player chooses one of six world rulers: Margaret Thatcher
from the United Kingdom
, Ronald Reagan
from the United States of America, Mikhail Gorbachev
from the USSR, Pope John Paul II
, Ayatollah
Khomeini
and PW Botha
from South Africa
. The game selects a random opponent and the player's character travels to the country of the world leader to duke it out in a best of three fight. Elizabeth II
adjudicates and comments on the fights, appearing in a postage stamp
at all times.
Being launched on an 8-Bit
gaming platform, the fights are two dimensional with the characters being limited in moves they can perform. The characters can attack on the ground or in the air through jumping and each has special moves - Khomeini can land damage by using his beard
as a third fist while Thatcher can headbutt
opponents. Each character can call an aide
twice in a fight to assist them. This aide typically throws some sort of projectile
in the melee which has a specific arc
so a seasoned player can avoid the attack.
After all five opponents have been defeated, the player has to fight the "mysterious leader". Elizabeth announces that the mud wrestling
equipment from Prince Philip's
last party is still available and the fight takes place in the dark as someone switches out the lights. Mud occasionally stains the screen and the only clue as to the whereabouts of the player's opponent and the player's character are their eyes.
If the player is able to beat the "mysterious leader", it is revealed that all this was a ploy for John Rambo
to take over the world and the game ends.
There is also a two-player mode available where the opponents can do combat at any of the six main game locations (non-story mode).
Spitting Image
Spitting Image is a British satirical puppet show that aired on the ITV network from 1984 to 1996. It was produced by Spitting Image Productions for Central Television. The series was nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards, winning one for editing in 1989....
puppet show. It was beat them up arcade programmed by Walking Circles and published by Domark
Gameplay
According to the game's pre-amble, a prophetProphet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
has determined that within the next seven years, there will be a world war
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
which is instigated by a "mysterious leader"; so terrible that the Italians
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
have already surrendered and so violent that the Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
will be involved. To avoid this fate, six world leaders have agreed to duke it out - the winner being the undisputed ruler of the world.
The player chooses one of six world rulers: Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
from the United States of America, Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
from the USSR, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
, Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
and PW Botha
Pieter Willem Botha
Pieter Willem Botha , commonly known as "P. W." and Die Groot Krokodil , was the prime minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and the first executive state president from 1984 to 1989.First elected to Parliament in 1948, Botha was for eleven years head of the Afrikaner National Party and the...
from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The game selects a random opponent and the player's character travels to the country of the world leader to duke it out in a best of three fight. Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
adjudicates and comments on the fights, appearing in a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
at all times.
Being launched on an 8-Bit
History of video game consoles (third generation)
In the history of computer and video games, the third generation began on July 15, 1983, with the Japanese release of both the Nintendo Family Computer and Sega SG-1000...
gaming platform, the fights are two dimensional with the characters being limited in moves they can perform. The characters can attack on the ground or in the air through jumping and each has special moves - Khomeini can land damage by using his beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
as a third fist while Thatcher can headbutt
Headbutt
A headbutt is a strike with the head, typically involving the use of robust parts of the cranium as areas of impact. Effective headbutting revolves around striking a sensitive area with a less sensitive area, such as striking the nose of an opponent with the forehead...
opponents. Each character can call an aide
Personal assistant
A personal assistant or personal aide is someone who assists in daily business or personal tasks. It is common in design to have a PDA, or personal design assistant....
twice in a fight to assist them. This aide typically throws some sort of projectile
Projectile
A projectile is any object projected into space by the exertion of a force. Although a thrown baseball is technically a projectile too, the term more commonly refers to a weapon....
in the melee which has a specific arc
Arc (projective geometry)
In mathematics, a -arc in a finite projective plane π is a set of k points of \pi such that each line intersects A in at most d points, and there is at least one line that does intersect A in d points...
so a seasoned player can avoid the attack.
After all five opponents have been defeated, the player has to fight the "mysterious leader". Elizabeth announces that the mud wrestling
Mud wrestling
Mud wrestling is defined as physical confrontation that occurs in mud or a mud pit. The popular modern interpretation specifies that participants wrestle while wearing minimal clothing and usually going barefoot, with the emphasis on presenting an entertaining spectacle as opposed to physically...
equipment from Prince Philip's
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
last party is still available and the fight takes place in the dark as someone switches out the lights. Mud occasionally stains the screen and the only clue as to the whereabouts of the player's opponent and the player's character are their eyes.
If the player is able to beat the "mysterious leader", it is revealed that all this was a ploy for John Rambo
John Rambo
John Rambo is an iconic fictional character and the basis of the Rambo saga. He first appeared in the 1972 novel First Blood by David Morrell, but later became more famous in the film series, played by Sylvester Stallone...
to take over the world and the game ends.
There is also a two-player mode available where the opponents can do combat at any of the six main game locations (non-story mode).
Critical Reaction
Spitting Image fared poorly in magazine reviews; Zzap 64 rated it as 39% in issue 47. It was praised for its excellent rendition of the Spitting Image theme tune however.External links
- Spitting Image at rnry.co.uk