Alfred Chicken

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Alfred Chicken
Image:Alfred Chicken NES Box.png
Developer(s) Twilight Games
Publisher(s) Mindscape Group
Platform(s) Amiga, Amiga CD32, NES, Game Boy, SNES, PlayStation
Release date 1993 (UK), February 1994 (US)
Genre(s) Platform game
Mode(s) Single player
Rating(s) ESRB: Everyone (E), cartoon violence

Alfred Chicken is an action-adventure game originally created by Twilight Games. It was released in the United Kingdom in 1993 for the Amiga, Amiga CD32, Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy. It was released in the United States in February 1994 for the Game Boy and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Contents

[edit] Computer Game

[edit] Gameplay

The player takes the role of a chicken named Alfred who must find his way through bizarre levels full of balloons, telephones, cheese and other strange elements. While he is on the ground, Alfred can walk, jump, and peck balloons and ground switches. While he is in the air he can dive bomb enemies or springs. Dive bombing enemies will destroy them. Dive bombing springs will bounce Alfred much higher so he can reach platforms well above his normal jumping ability. If he does not hit an enemy or a spring, Alfred will get stuck in the ground for a short time.

To complete a level, Alfred must find and peck all the balloons. The last balloon will take him to a boss fight. If Alfred dies, he starts as an egg located at the last balloon pecked.

Alfred can receive a few powerups during the game. For one power up, he must answer a telephone in secret areas to make a giant flower give him a pot of jam. The jam gives Alfred the ability to shoot a bomb (about the size of Alfred himself) which bounces around the screen collecting things and hurting enemies. Another power up is a worm that spins around Alfred destroying enemies that it touches. You must find a can of worms to get this power up.

The music in Alfred Chicken is usually upbeat and silly. Mixed with the gameplay and characters, the overall feel of the game can be described as similar.

[edit] PlayStation

A new Alfred Chicken game was released on April 12, 2002 for the PlayStation. It was developed by Mobius Entertainment and published by Sony Computer Entertainment in Europe only. While the game received praise for combining cutting-edge 3D visuals with classic Alfred Chicken gameplay, it did not sell well. Diehard AC fans continue to petition for a new sequel.

[edit] Marketing

[edit] The Alfred Chicken Political Party

Karl Fitzhugh, the Product Manager of the Amiga version of the Alfred Chicken video game, ran as the Alfred Chicken Party candidate in the 1993 by-election in the Christchurch, Dorset constituency. The exercise was done to promote the original game's release. Fitzhugh finished second last with 18 votes, two votes ahead of the Rainbow Party candidate.[1]

The marketing attempt was partially successful. The Alfred Chicken Party was cited, along with other "frivolous or 'commercial' candidates" as a reason to increase the number of signatures required for an individual to be nominated as a political candidate at election.[2]

There was also a toll free number set up where you could call and Alfred himself would give a promotional speech about the game. It was setup after the game was released in the United States.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ British Parliamentary Election Results 1983-1997
  2. ^ Parliament.uk - Memorandum by the Director of Campaigns and Elections of the Liberal Democrats
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