Brainache by Codemasters

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PeteProdge
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Brainache by Codemasters

Post by PeteProdge »

...covered in depth on the latest ChinnyVision video, which looks at both Spectrum and Amstrad versions (er, the only versions).

It was the only ZX Spectrum title by the author, and he coded it back in 1985 when he was 16, and left it in a drawer. He admits it could have been a full price game at that point, but a meeting with the Darlings in 1987 had the game released on their budget label.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mNXMYAjSKE
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Ast A. Moore
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Ast A. Moore »

The Spectrum version has surprisingly smooth vertical scrolling for such large scenery + attributes.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Alessandro »

At full price Brainache would have been a rip-off, but was not bad for £1,99 (or Lit 5.000 as it was priced here). The large colored scrolling area, as Ast pointed, is a surprising novelty.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by druellan »

I've found this game while streaming blindly titles starting with B, and it caused an impression, specially the full-color pixel smooth scroll.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Kweepa »

Yes, he's done a good job of minimizing colour clash when scrolling.
But the name... oof.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Wall_Axe »

crash gave it about 30% and YS 5/10 which is probably why i didnt buy it back then
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by chinnyhill10 »

Alessandro wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 5:49 pm At full price Brainache would have been a rip-off, but was not bad for £1,99 (or Lit 5.000 as it was priced here). The large colored scrolling area, as Ast pointed, is a surprising novelty.
Yes but you are looking at a difference between 1985 and 1987. In 1985 'full price' could have meant £5.95 depending on the publisher.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by chinnyhill10 »

Wall_Axe wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 9:05 pm crash gave it about 30% and YS 5/10 which is probably why i didnt buy it back then
Oddly harsh considering the price point and how well it stacks up against other budget releases at the time.

I was trying to think of other games where you can climb the scenery in a similar way and the one that springs to mind is Chiller. But it works much better here IMO.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by PeteProdge »

I found this and Transmuter to be very addictive back in the day. Not the usual Dizzy/...Simulator big hitters that CodeMasters would provide.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Wall_Axe »

yeah i thought transmuter was pretty good.

Brainache was going up against I,Ball Amaurote and Thrust II though :)
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by RMartins »

From which game, is the character that seems to be Chinny Vision profile photo (on youtube) ?
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by PeteProdge »

RMartins wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 11:01 pm From which game, is the character that seems to be Chinny Vision profile photo (on youtube) ?
Zub.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Juan F. Ramirez »

I didn't knew this game.

It's got a short but interesting map:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/pub/sin ... inache.png
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by chinnyhill10 »

Juan F. Ramirez wrote: Mon May 07, 2018 7:03 am I didn't knew this game.

It's got a short but interesting map:

https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/pub/sin ... inache.png
It's lovely to see it like that. All drawn by a school kid as well. Nice layout of the mine as you go down.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by chinnyhill10 »

PeteProdge wrote: Sun May 06, 2018 8:08 am
RMartins wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 11:01 pm From which game, is the character that seems to be Chinny Vision profile photo (on youtube) ?
Zub.
And it's Zub (or Zob as he was originally called until the Pickfords and Mastetronic found out that was a rude word in France) taken direct from an Amstrad CTM 644 monitor.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Alessandro »

chinnyhill10 wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 9:09 pm
Alessandro wrote: Sat May 05, 2018 5:49 pm At full price Brainache would have been a rip-off, but was not bad for £1,99 (or Lit 5.000 as it was priced here). The large colored scrolling area, as Ast pointed, is a surprising novelty.
Yes but you are looking at a difference between 1985 and 1987. In 1985 'full price' could have meant £5.95 depending on the publisher.
The game was actually released in 1987, not in 1985, and in that year, a Spectrum full price game in the UK did not sell for less than £7.95. Moreover, £5.95 is almost three times £1.99, so a large difference anyway.
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Re: Brainache by Codemasters

Post by Morkin »

I remember seeing this game reviewed in Crash but didn't played it at the time. I didn't realise (and couldn't believe) that the screenshot was actually one from the game, rather than a just a still picture. I was also surprised how low it was rated.

I might give it a try later, I recall playing it once but don't remember much about it.
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