Cannonball Blitz

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

There were three different levels, the third of which is particularly challenging. After completing the third level, the player views a small celebration scene and then restarts at the first level. Repeated levels only differ from those of the first round in the harsher timing patterns of the game.

Cannonball Blitz achieved some notoriety in the Apple hacking community as being rather difficult to crack. Track 17, sector D of the game contained the message "YOU'LL NEVER CRACK IT".^[1]

Reception

Ahoy! wrote that "Cannonball Blitz [for the VIC-20], make no mistake about it, is Donkey Kong in dress blues. Not a bloody thing new here. However, you're going to find it a barrel of fun". The magazine favorably reviewed the animation and the "unbelievable" sound effects, and concluded that it was "a very good version of a fine game".^[2]

References