Rick Dangerous

A hat, a whip, and a trap at every step, but this time with a typically British sense of humor. Rick Dangerous, released by the studio Core Design in 1989, is an action platformer that light-heartedly parodies adventure film and Indiana Jones while also being able to drive you to despair with its trap-laden difficulty.

The gameplay principle rests on cautious progress and memorization. Rick passes through levels full of hidden traps, spikes, rolling boulders, and enemies who appear exactly where you don't expect them. You have a pistol, dynamite, and a stick with which to stun opponents at your disposal, but the real weapon is your memory; the game punishes you for every carelessness, and advancing is a series of trial and error until you memorize the placement of every ambush.

Core Design was a British studio that later became famous for the Tomb Raider series, and Rick Dangerous is among its early successes. The game was released on a number of home computers including the Amiga, Atari ST, and 8-bit machines, and became one of the characteristic titles of the British gaming scene of the time. Its style, combining adventure parody with merciless design, captivated players and reviewers alike.

Culturally, Rick Dangerous captures the spirit of the turn of the 80s and 90s, when home computers hosted games with a distinctive authorial signature and idiosyncratic humor. The figure of the fearless adventurer with a hat became a small icon, and the game saw the sequel Rick Dangerous 2. For many who remember it, it remains synonymous with games at which they laughed and cursed in equal measure.

Today Rick Dangerous attracts players who like an old-school challenge and don't mind learning the route by heart. It is an honest example of the British platformer school with humor and teeth.

Why play: For the adventure parody with British humor and an uncompromising trap at every step that will test your patience.