The Collection Chamber: AIRBALL

“Now you’re really in trouble” said the Evil Wizard, “I’m turning you into a ball and sending you into a mansion with over 150 rooms!!” “If that sounds easy I’m telling you it’s not, the ball’s got a slow puncture and you’ll need to jump on a pump to pump it up in some rooms, but take heed, if you pump it up too much it will burst! In the rooms you’ll have to pick up objects I’ve left, such as crosses, tins of beans, a Buddha, a dragon statue, a pumpkin, a flask and also crates that you’ll need to get over obstacles! At the end of the maze is a spellbook that will turn you back into a human again.” “Sounds easy” you say to the Evil Wizard. “Does it now! Well I’m putting spikes in the rooms as well, not just one kind but different kinds that react differently and killer pads on the floor, you’ve got no chance of success . . . Ha! Ha! Ha!”

Airball . . . The latest and greatest game from Edward SCIO.

~ from the back of the box

First released in 1987 by MicroDeal, Airball is one of the better isometric puzzle platformers from the 80s. You play a cursed young scamp, turned into an inflatable ball by the wizard whose castle you've just broken into. With an annoying slow puncture to contend with, you have to constantly refill your air whenever you're running low. Be warned though, if you take on too much gas, you'll pop like a balloon.

As you cautiously bounce and roll around the trap-filled rooms, you are on the lookout for the spellbook that holds the key to your redemption. Some rooms are darkened but if you are carrying a torch or candle in your one inventory slot, they'll illuminate nicely for you. There are a number of items to use throughout the adventure, some of which are puzzles in and of themselves making a nice change from forced-perspective platforming.

The game was released on a number of platforms, originally on the Atari ST (it's not included as I haven't set up an emulator for it yet - plus the Amiga version is almost identical). Other than the slightly inferior though perfectly playable PC port, an NES game was in development by Tengen and Novotrade. With a planned release in 1990, it was even completed before it's tragic cancellation. Thankfully, the uncovered Beta was found and is part of the package along with an unofficial port to the GameBoy Advance derived from the Atari ST original. The NES game has a different, smaller map than the original and the GBA version feels a little unfinished. Out of all of them, the Amiga version looks and plays the best.

The management of your one item along with the ever-depleting air and treacherous platforming combine to make an absorbing game, even if it's rather simplistic by today's standards.

To download the game, follow the link below. This custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses FS-UAE to emulate the Amiga and DOSBox to bring the DOS games to modern systems. Uses Retroarch with the NEStopia and VBA Next cores to emulate the NES and GBA respectively. XBox 360 controllers supported for console and Amiga games. Text Amiga Manual included. Tested on Windows 10.

File Size: 64.8 Mb. Install Size: 172 Mb. Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

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