Spy vs Spy
| Developer: First Star | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Wicked | Sound: |
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| Year: 1989 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Unclassifiable | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 simultaneous | Rating: |
6/10 | |
The adaptation of the 8-bit game from 1984, itself based on a 1960s Cuban comic strip by Antonio Prohías. Two spies compete to steal three hidden items from an embassy and make it to the exit. Along the way, they sabotage each other with traps galore. It’s mostly fun as a two-player game—once you’ve figured out how it works. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered!
You control your character using either the joystick or the keyboard (note: if you use arrow keys to emulate the joystick, it will create a conflict that locks up the menus). During gameplay, double-tap to access the set of controls displayed on the right side of the screen. There are five types of traps, listed in icon order: the bomb and the spring (used to booby-trap furniture, like a desk), the electrified water bucket (placed on a door), the string-attached revolver (hidden in furniture but aimed at a door), and finally, the time bomb (casually dropped on the floor before you make a dramatic exit). The last icon is the map, which you can check sparingly since it costs points. Other items can counter traps in a rock-paper-scissors fashion—feel free to experiment!
Be warned: if you drop an item (by clicking or when both spies land in the same room), it won’t just fall to the floor. Instead, it magically teleports to the nearest piece of furniture. Don’t ask me how that makes sense—I’m still figuring it out myself.
Two sequels were released on the Amiga in 1989: The Island Caper and Arctic Antics. A remake followed in 2005 for Xbox and PlayStation 2.
Looking for a spiritual successor? That’s easy: Among Us (2018).
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