Sink or Swim (video game)

Sink or Swim is a video game that was released in 1993 for MS-DOS Developed by Zeppelin Games, it is an action/puzzle game similar in style to Lemmings. The game was ported to the Amiga and the Super NES. Sega Genesis and Game Gear versions were renamed to S.S. Lucifer: Man Overboard!.

Sink or Swim
Developer(s)Zeppelin Games
Publisher(s)Zeppelin Games
Designer(s)Andrew Drake
Anthony Gallop
Steven Wannell
Robert Tucker
Platform(s)MS-DOS, Amiga, Atari ST, SNES, Genesis, Game Gear
Release1993
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Plot

Players control Kevin Codner, the aquatic hero. After hearing that the SS Lucifer has suffered some sort of mishap (the exact nature of the incident is not made clear in the game. Somehow the captain is shown pulling the plug from his bath, and a fountain of water shoots up and starts flooding the ship.), Kevin gets into a yellow submarine and begins saving the passengers.

Gameplay

Each level has a certain number of passengers on it, and a certain quota to save to pass. Kevin must guide the passengers to their level exit, and then make his way to his own exit. There may be obstacles in the way, and there may also be water pouring into the ship's compartment, forcing the player to play quickly.

Kevin surrounded by passengers he has to save

Kevin has explosives at his disposal, allowing him to blast open doors or blast apart cargo crates that are blocking the way. There may be gaps that the passengers need to cross to reach their exit. These may be covered by pulling a simple lever and activating the bridge, but other times Kevin will have to build a bridge from cargo crates.

There are conveyor belts and magnetic hoists to help in this task, but the conveyor belts may prevent the passengers from reaching their destination also. Kevin will have to find the correct levers to switch the direction of the belts.

The passengers do not avoid dangers, and will walk into fires or off platforms and get themselves killed if not guided correctly. Kevin can use his life-boat to give them a little time in the water, but if they have not reached a ladder by the time it deflates, they are back where they started, in the freezing water. If they stay there too long, they will die. There are a few jetpacks that passengers can use for instant escape, but never enough to transport all the passengers.

The player must patch up burst pipes spraying scalding steam, prevent passengers from falling into pools of acid, and cover up fires with cargo crates.

Reception

Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the SNES version a 6.4 out of 10. They commented that the graphics could be better but that the gameplay is both strategic and addictive.[1] GamePro took the reverse position, praising the graphics but criticizing the lack of multiplayer and concluding that the gameplay is not entertaining enough to captivate puzzle veterans.[2]

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References
  1. "Review Crew: Sink or Swim". Electronic Gaming Monthly (65). EGM Media, LLC. December 1994. p. 40.
  2. "Sink or Swim". GamePro (67). IDG. February 1995. p. 68.
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