Whizz

Whizz is a video game in the action genre developed by Flair Software Ltd. and published by Flair Software Ltd. originally released in 1994. It is currently playable on DOS, Amiga.

Whizz is a colorful isometric platformer that lives up to Flair's usual graphics, though it sadly lacks gameplay.

You are Whizz, a cartoon rabbit who must quickly negotiate a network of platforms and obstacles to finish a race in the allotted time. Your path is not rosy, of course: it's full of deadly enemies and numerous traps. Controlling Whizz is very simple: press one key to jump and another to attack enemies. There are three difficulty levels, but even the easiest level is quite difficult, especially since you have to complete several runs before reaching a 'password save point'. This feature of console games may put PC gamers off, although fortunately the races are not so difficult that anyone would give up on replaying them several times. The game is definitely geared towards younger players, or at least those with a soft spot for 'cute' characters. If you do nothing for a while, Whizz will start juggling colored balls, rolling a die and throwing cards towards the camera. Which is not to say that the game is for children: the combination of reflexes and mental quickness is quite demanding. On the screen, you have an hourglass and a countdown timer, the number of lives remaining, a small mushroom representing your life and your score in the game. To increase your score, you must run over various pick-ups and jump over buttons to launch rockets. There are also a series of colored flags to collect, while your health can be replenished by spinning into enemies and chewing on the red toadstools that appear. The puzzle element of the game is present in the form of immovable objects, such as solid brick walls, glass doors and wooden fences. To knock them down and move on, you must look for the corresponding magic icon that will allow you to break through these barriers. When you complete a level within the allowed time limit, you will move on to a new course, with more hazards and, of course, a tighter time limit. Despite the colorful graphics and intriguing puzzle/action concept, Whizz ultimately proves disappointing due to its restrictive control scheme. You can only move in four directions, i. e. , in a straight line. If you reach a corner, you must move forward a little further and then make a 90ฐ turn. In the game it is not possible to simply turn around. If you don't get to the 'hole' perfectly, you have to go a little further still until you get to the next accessible 'hole'. Very frustrating. In contrast to such clever puzzle games as Chip's Challenge or Deadly Rooms of Death, the level design of Whizz is rather poor. The objects in each level seem to have been thrown into the play area, without meaning or purpose. Sometimes you get through a level seemingly by sheer luck, running blindly down the path, avoiding enemies. When a game boasts of being a 'puzzle' game, this is not a good sign.

Overall, the appeal of Whizz is only superficial. Once the 'wow' effect of the shiny graphics wears off, we are left with a mediocre action/puzzle game that may appeal to action lovers, but lacks any kind of ingenuity or long-term gameplay value.

It is possible that we have multiple downloads available when different versions exist.