Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! - Xbox

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Zapper: One Wicked Cricket! (Xbox)
Also for: PC, PS2, GameCube
Viewed: 3D Combination Genre:
Adventure
Platform
Media: DVD Arcade origin:No
Developer: Blitz Games Soft. Co.: Infogrames
Publishers: Infogrames (GB)
Released: 14 Mar 2003 (GB)
Ratings: 3+
Accessories: Memory Unit

Summary

Combining elements from current generation 3D-platform games with some traditional, old school, Frogger-style gameplay, Zapper places players in control of the cricket of the same name and casts them into a quirky insect world of tile-based platform jumping.

As the story goes, Zapper's little brother Zipper has been kidnapped by Maggie the Magpie and is being held captive in her nest. It's therefore up to the little six-legged hero to hop and dodge his way through an assortment of challenging levels and rescue his snatched sibling.

The gameplay in Zapper sees players hop, one tile at a time, through various colourful environments, whilst avoiding an array of hazards such as fire, water, and an assortment of bizarre insect creatures. Going some way to explaining his strange title, Zapper has at his disposal a useful defensive trick that allows him to zap enemies with his electrical antennae.

There are a total of 18 levels, spread across four different worlds, that Zapper must battle his way through, each one containing a number of eggs that must be collected along the way. More often than not you'll come across hidden areas in the game and there are also a few bonus levels to be unlocked too.

Zapper doesn't exactly offer much in the way of originality as far as platformers are concerned, but it's a fun and challenging game, featuring nicely rendered environments and a well developed, old school gameplay mechanic.