Review of: Magicland Dizzy (1990)
- Game:
- Codemasters
Reviewed by: David M. Brown
- Rating:
- 5
On July 3, 2013Last modified:July 3, 2013
Summary:
Magicland Dizzy is more than twenty years old but still looks fantastic for its age.
More Details
Review: Magicland Dizzy (Amiga)
Arguably the best Dizzy game there ever was, this sixth outing for a close relative of Humpty Dumpty was released in 1990 and saw our hero in the midst of yet another exciting adventure. It was great to revisit yet another gem from the Amiga days but how does it hold up today?
Dizzy arrives in Magicland to face off against his old foe, the Evil Wizard Zaks. Dizzy has the added complication of six of his friends being trapped in this world and you’ll need to free them before taking on Zaks. Working his way through Magicland, Dizzy must locate a series of items and solve some pretty nasty puzzles if he is to save his friends and defeat Zaks. Not that the wizard isn’t prepared for Dizzy.
Magicland Dizzy is graphically one of the better Dizzy games by far. The settings are simple yet intricate, ranging from treetop dwellings to the depths of a volcano. Dizzy’s six friends are each in a different state of peril. Dylan is a half egg half bush, Dozy is in the midst of an enchanted sleep, Denzil is trapped in a block of ice, Dora has been transformed into a frog, Grand-Dizzy is stuck in a mirror and Daisy is so big she can’t leave the room she has been left in. Each of your friends require you to locate a specific item or solve a puzzle to liberate them. You are limited to carrying three items at a time so will need to be selective when visiting different areas and collecting further objects on your adventure.
Dizzy’s path is by no means a straightforward one. He has a troll, a snarling rat and even ghosts standing in his way, not to mention an encounter with Zaks as you reach the game’s conclusion. Some of the puzzles are more straightforward than others and as you collect items you may find yourself resigned to some trial and error in searching for the answers. Dozy for example requires Dizzy to find three items in total which help wake him up but I’m not saying what those items are. Other puzzles are more obvious and you shouldn’t be stuck for too long with many of them.
Magicland Dizzy contains some fun references to fairy tales including a troll guarding a bridge with a goat nearby, a friendly witch and there’s even a genie tucked in there somewhere too. As with all Dizzy games the experience is relatively short but this is quite possibly as good as these games ever got. The graphics are great, the puzzles are head-scratching but intriguing and there are some brilliant characters to meet along the way. There’s even a chance to pull the fabled sword Excalibur from a stone but can our hero Dizzy succeed in this challenge?
Magicland Dizzy is more than twenty years old but still looks fantastic for its age. Yes, the experience is sadly a short one and once you’ve been through it some of the charm will have been lost. However, this is for me a contender for the best Dizzy game that was ever made. There is little if anything to fault with it.
Verdict: 5/5