The Collection Chamber: SPACE DUDE

AAAAhhhhhhhh!!!!

...the fierce battle cry of Space Dude, Hero of the Galaxy, as he tumbles head over surfboard towards the surface of the bizarre planet X. Only our hero can free its helpless inhabitants from the awesome destructive power of KingDorf and his advancing attack forces.

It's not yet noon, and already SpaceDude's been busy - dodging guided missiles, swimming from hungry sharks, scrambling from crushing boulders, fleeing from gigantic bats, scampering from sliming spiders, evading octopus arms, firing laser cannons, surfing the ozone, bombarding bouncing adversaries - but wait, there's bound to be some unexpected surprises ahead.

This offbeat game will keep everybody entertained and laughing for hours! It's an interactive motion picture where you control the action. You'll quickly find yourself caught up in this zany, fast-paced, and often unpredictable shoot-n-scoot game. It's a far-out 3D gaming extravaganza unlike anything you've ever experienced!

FEATURES
Hilarious, fast-paced action will have you laughing out loud.
The game automatically adjusts to your abilities - guaranteeing limitless hours of challenging fun.
Easy to play, but hard to stop playing.
Sensational 3D graphics and animations for a totally immersive experience.
Fresh & irreverent digital voice track and music.
Ideal for every member of the family!

~ from the back of the box

Releasing after Space Kids in the same year of 1994, Space Dude hit the scene. How did it compare to Evryware’s other title Space Kids? Was it any good? Why am I asking you these questions?

If you’re familiar with Space Kids, some things that you'll probably remember it by are the variety of things you can control, the eccentric range of characters and vibrant colors. It had a lot going on. Well, Space Dude sort of does and sort of doesn’t. Let me explain.

In terms of gameplay, Space Dude actually has a more digestible and realized gameplay loop. Players have to go through on-rails shooting sections, overhead shooting sections, endurance sections that involve avoiding space hazards, flying sections where you gather resources, and overall just defending Golden City and fighting to keep the planet safe. I guess one could say the gameplay is more coherent in this game, but not as exciting and unique as its predecessor.

The arcade sequences either consist of dodging stuf (left) or shooting stuff (right).

Problems stem from the fact that gameplay mechanics, like the shooting, do not lend themselves well to the same loose mouse controls brought over from Space Kids. Landing shots is extremely difficult and awkward, not to mention there is seemingly zero way to avoid enemy fire. The mouse controls are simply not accurate enough to fully rely on making success more about luck than skill.

If one can manage to get through the shooting sections, everything else seems doable enough, although I will say you will consistently die before you even have a chance to figure out what’s going on half of the time. The goal is to ultimately defeat the leader of the Dorf Troopers, King Dorf. They're trying to destroy everything, and it is up to you to save the day. But be careful, as this game has a limited number of screw ups and has game overs, unlike Space Kids.

Death is frequent and often violent, but if the Golden City still stands you can try again.

In terms of content, Space Dude is a little more rough for kids. It has that signature Evryware uncanny cartoony-ness, but has objectively more frightening scenarios. Brief scenes of blood (including one graphic scenario showing it burst out of a snake’s head), being burnt alive and even some sound effects that could spook a child (the shrill screams of people being shot still haunt me) are all ready to scar the minds of children. For example, Dude fell into a cave with spiders scuttling on the ceiling. One wrong move towards one, and it pounced him in an intense and forceful fashion (almost like a mini jumpscare). Another area was deep water, with sharks swimming everywhere. One wrong move and he was devoured like a full course meal. Not really sure who the demographic was for this game. Tweens I guess?

While most of the gameplay is short arcade sequences, there is a small strategy element. The Golden City has to be defended by any means, and what time is left in these sections will allow the Dorf Troopers to advance more quickly. From the map screen, you can build defense structures, fend off approaching troops or even attempt capture them, but that is all done through the power of another mouse-based arcade sequence.

The map screen plays like a minor tower defense game (left).
Send Dude off to place defensive structures (right) or defeat soldiers of the Dorf Troopers.

Graphically, Space Dude is more advanced than Space Kids. It has some better effects and modeling, but it lacks the vibrancy, colors, and visual variety of Evryware's previous game. I think that’s a big issue with this game, and actually had me feeling bored faster due to that fact.

Overall Space Dude is just not very good, especially when under Space Kid’s shadow. It certainly isn’t as memorable or intriguing, but still remains sort of unique in its execution. Give this one a shot if you want to play something akin to Space Kids, or are just curious about Evryware’s other creations.

To download the game, follow the link below. This custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses the DOSBox-X build of DOSBox to bring the game to modern systems. Read the ChamberNotes.txt for more detailed information. Tested on Windows 10.

File Size: 23.0 Mb. Install Size: 55.4 Mb. Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

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