Basil is an AI experiment. It started off by seeing if I could create a ZX Spectrum platform game in the style of Manic Miner or Monty Mole. Except this was a basset hound, doing basset hound things.
And that was it. Pretty much the prompt I gave it. It created a TAP file, loadable in a Spectrum emulator and it just worked. You can see that version on itch.io.
So I created a SNES port. And a RISC OS port. And here is Basil.
Basil has a very busy day ahead of him. He has a nose for sausages, a soft spot for socks, and one dream: to fall asleep on the Big Comfy Sofa. First, though, he has to sniff out every treat in the house and well beyond it.
Guide Basil through eight screens:
- The Kitchen: dodge hoovers and wasps, and keep his ears clear of the hob flames while he grabs the sausages.
- The Back Garden: dig up the bones while the cat prowls and the wasps buzz around the thistles and roses.
- Bath Time!: gather the socks, steering clear of rubber ducks, soap and rising bubbles.
- The Park: fetch the balls while squirrels and pigeons try to stop him, and nettles lurk in the grass.
- The Supermarket: collect the bangers, avoiding runaway trolleys, a robovac, mousetraps and broken glass.
- Postman's Round: reclaim the slippers from a postman with his flying parcels, a nemesis older than time.
- The Vet's: grab the treats, steering clear of fleas, syringes and pills.
- The Big Comfy Sofa: gather the biscuits, past the cat, the Lego and the cactus, to reach the sofa at last.
A basset's legs are short, but his ears are magnificent. Hold jump while falling and Basil flaps them to glide gently down. Crumbling floors give way under him, conveyors carry him along, and a long fall will leave him in a heap.
Keep an eye on the AWAKE bar. Bassets need a lot of naps, and if the bar runs out, Basil nods off and loses a life. Collect everything on a screen to open the exit, and whatever is left of the bar is added to your score.
Gather every sausage, sock and bone, and Basil finally gets his snooze on the Big Comfy Sofa. Good boy!
Requirements
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