Ms. Astro Chicken
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Ms. Astro Chicken: Flight of the Pullet is a computer game embedded within Sierra On-Line's 1991 adventure game Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers. Ms. Astro Chicken appears within the context of the game in the form of an arcade game. It is a sequel of sorts to Astro Chicken, an arcade game that appeared in Space Quest III: The Pirates of Pestulon.
In Space Quest IV, the lead character, Roger Wilco, travels extensively in time, visiting locations in past Space Quest games as well as hypothetical "future" games. While in the world of Space Quest X: Latex Babes of Estros, Roger visits a mall arcade that contains Ms. Astro Chicken.
Gameplay, as it was in the original Astro Chicken, is simple. The player uses the arrow keys or mouse to maneuver a flying chicken. The chicken's enemies include flying squirrels, windpumps, shotgun-wielding hunters and hunting dogs. Dropping eggs on enemies immobilizes them and increases the player's score. After some time of playing the game, the arcade cabinet explodes, though this has no effect on the player or his progress in SQIV.
The game's presence within the game is somewhat bizarre. In Space Quest III, Roger defeated the Pirates of Pestulon and rescued the Two Guys from Andromeda, presumably ruining ScumSoft in the process. Additionally, the events of Space Quest X would have taken place decades after SQ III. Nevertheless, Ms. Astro Chicken bears the ScumSoft logo.
The game's name is a parody of the actual arcade game Ms. Pac Man. The Astro Chicken theme music is a variation on the Chicken reel, a traditional folk song best known for its use in animated cartoons.
