Kettle

Kettle

Game No.	421
Voting	5.80 points, 15 votes
Developer	Antony Crowther
Company	Alligata Software
Publisher	Alligata Software
Musician	Ben Daglish
HVSC-File	Daglish_Ben\Kettle.sid
Release	1985
Platform	C64
Genre	Arcade, Miscellaneous
Gamemode	Single player 2 players (simultaneous)
Operation
Media
Language

Description[edit | edit source]

The plot[edit | edit source]

In this skill game by Alligata Software you take over the role of one or two kettles that are caught in a labyrinth, from which they need to escape. Equipped with a propeller and armoured with tea bags they start their journey.

The gameplay[edit | edit source]

The labyrinth consists of 30 levels (stages), which are divided by a metal door. The aim of each level is to find the key and collect as many points as possible on the way to the exit to finally leave the level. The keys are in one of the clay jugs that are standing around. But you need to be careful.
1st These clay jugs attack our kettle with bubbles and
2nd a mean monster can hide in these jugs, which will now chase use. Furthermore, you should keep away from the walls, because these also cause energy reduction. Some rooms are separated from each other by very narrow tunnels and can only be reached with well tuned movements or a great energy loss. The game ends when you have crossed all 30 levels or used up your life energy.

The starting screen[edit | edit source]

MUS (music)

play music (play background music during the game)
play sound (play sounds during the game)

LEV (difficulty grade)

easy mode (easy)
hard mode (hard)

TIME (time of day)

day time (day)
night time (night)

CRIZZA (tea bag)

retreat (is automatically drawn back when it meets an obstacle)
procede (is not drawn back wenn it meets an obstacle)

PLAY 1 (1 player)

1 kettle
2 kettles
kill everything (you can destroy all aliens)
kill your aliens (you can only destroy your own aliens)

PLAY 2 (2 players)

see your aliens (you only see your own aliens)
see all aliens (you see all aliens)
kill everything (you can destroy all aliens)
kill your aliens (you can only destroy your own aliens)

START GAME

01 (start at level 01)
04 (start at level 04)
click on the space in between to see the highscore

The controls[edit | edit source]

Joystick left/right: move kettle left/right
Joystick up/down: move kettle up/down
Joystick fire button: fire tea bag

Keyboard

RUN/STOP : return to main menu
N : pause (fire button ends pause mode)

Design[edit | edit source]

The scrolling is smooth and the sprites are well-animated, in return, the background graphics are kept simple and hardly change during the different levels. Nevertheless does KETTLE distinguish itself by a fully developed 2-player mode (simultaneous in split screen), a heavily motivating gameplay and the great soundtrack by Ben Daglish.

Hints[edit | edit source]

When in the 2-player mode one player has reached the next level and the other one does not follow within 15 seconds, the game ends.

Try and click the word „ratt“ or „Kettle“.

Player One is the red kettle in the upper half of the screen. The corresponding score and energy display is at the lower left.
Player Two is the green kettle in the lower half of the screen. The corresponding score and energy display is at the lower right.

Solution[edit | edit source]

Cheats[edit | edit source]

Call up overview map

- point the cursor the the word RATT in the main menu

- press 1x fire button (pointer turns into a rat)

- start game

- press the key "O" (not zero) in the game

- now you see an overview map of the whole level

- continue playing with fire button

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki users (10=the best vote):
5.80 points at 15 votes (rank 844). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	7	14th September 2008 - "very good" - 1567 downs
Lemon64	6,6	14th September 2008 - 10 votes
ZZap64	35%	Issue 87/01

Reviews[edit | edit source]

H.T.W: "Two kettles equipped with propellers and throwing tea bags try to escape a labyrinth... I wouldn't have come up with this!! idea in a million years!! A somehow funny game in its own way, the split screen mode for two players is successful".

Bergo79: "I have just loved this game at that time, especially in twos....9 points from me."

Robotron2084: "Dreary, repetitive and flawed inexplicably in the controls if you want to steer into the opened tubes. Kettle seems to me somehow to be unfinished and unidimensional, the scenario might be quite inventive, but that is all. One of the most boring shooters that I know, what a pity for the really great music. 4 out of 10 points."