| Pyjamarama | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Chris Hinsley |
| Publisher(s) | Mikro-Gen |
| Platform(s) | ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC |
| Release date(s) | 1984 |
| Genre(s) | Arcade adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | N/A |
| Media/distribution | Cassette |
Pyjamarama is a computer game for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64. It features Wally Week as the central character and is the second (after Automania) of a series of games featuring Wally and/or members of his family. It was published by Mikro-Gen (through Amsoft for the Amstrad version). The game takes its name from the second single by the band Roxy Music.
There are two different versions of the game - the only user differences are between the theme tune on the title page - the original version plays Popcorn, the second release plays an unknown (possibly unique to the game) tune. There were also internal code changes as different Pokes were required to cheat on the different versions - however the same walkthrough would work on either version.
Contents |
Pyjamarama is an arcade adventure set across several interconnecting rooms. The player takes the role of Wally, who has gone to bed for the night and has to wake up early in the morning for work. Unfortunately, his alarm clock has not been wound, and thus he will sleep late in the morning, and his boss will fire him. However, in his sleep, Wally's consciousness travels around his home, and other places, wearing his pyjamas, in search for the key to rewind the alarm clock and wake himself up.
The game is made up of static single-screen rooms, each of which can include platforms in various arrangements, objects to pick up, and enemies to avoid. Wally can walk through the screens to progress through the game's map and to pick up objects. Wally can only carry two items at a time, so each time he picks up an item, he drops an old item in its place. Contact with an enemy drains Wally's "snooze energy", and if it runs out, Wally loses one of his "lives". When all three "lives" are lost, Wally returns to sleep and doesn't wake up until late in the morning, losing the game.
Pyjamarama can be played either with a joystick or with the keyboard. Only three controls are needed: walk left, walk right, and jump.
Four other Wally Week games were released. These are: Automania, Everyone's A Wally, Herbert's Dummy Run and Three Weeks in Paradise.
The game mechanics also inspired various other titles, sometimes colloquially called "Wally-games", a notable being Sceptre of Baghdad.[1]
A remake of Pyjamarama was released for Windows and Mac OS in 2005. It can be downloaded via the Remakes Zone website. [1]
The ZX Spectrum version of Pyjamarama received the Game of the Month award in the November 1984 issue of "Personal Computer Games". This was somewhat controversial as Pyjamarama beat the BBC Micro version of Elite to the title.