Cannonball Blitz

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Cannonball Blitz was a game released in the early 1980s by Sierra On-Line (then known as "On-Line Systems") for Apple II, VIC-20, and TI-99/4 computers. The game is essentially a Donkey Kong knock-off, although cannonballs and cannons replaced barrels and a soldier replaced the large ape. Also, on the first level, the player character catches a flag instead of rescuing a girl.

Although the creators attempted to put a different spin on the Donkey Kong style of gameplay (such as replacing ladders with teeter-totters or see-saws in the first level, so that a falling cannonball would send the player character to the next floor), the game is marred by frustrating and inflexible gameplay. For example, the player character has a much lower jump than Mario from Donkey Kong, making it much harder to clear the obstacles (and much easier for the character to die).

Another criticism is that there were only three different levels. The third level was particularly challenging. However, after completing the third level, the player would view a small celebration scene and then restart at the first level. The repeated levels only differed from those of the first round in the harsher timing patterns of the gameplay.