Count Duckula - No Sax Please, We're Egyptian!

Count Duckula - No Sax Please, We're Egyptian!

Game No.	346
Voting	6.57 points, 7 votes
Developer	Programmer: Stuart A. Cook Graphican: Pete Tattersall
Company	Enigma Variations
Publisher	Alternative Software
HVSC-File	GAMES/A-F/ Count_Duckula.sid
Release	1989
Platform	C64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad, Amiga, Atari ST
Genre	Platformer (Multi Screen)
Gamemode	Single player
Operation
Media
Language
Information	Full title: Count Duckula - No Sax Please, We're Egyptian! aka: Duckula Follower: Count Duckula 2

Description[edit | edit source]

The beginning of the game...

Count Duckula is a multi-screen platformer released for the ZX Spectrum, Amstrad, and Commodore 64. The objective is to collect a saxophone found at the top of a pyramid, and to do so you will need to collect a few items to get past obstacles.

Count Duckula and his faithful servants Igor and Nanny have transported themselves and their castle over to the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt. There they decide to search for the mystical Sax, an ancient saxophone with strange magical powers. They know that the Sax is hidden somewhere in the tomb of the great Pharaoh Upanatem, a gigantic pyramid in the middle of the desert. What they do not know is that they have also brought along some unwanted guests in the shape of the Crow Brothers.

Duckula must explore the pyramid, solving puzzles and collecting useful items, while keeping an eye out for wandering Mummies and Crows. With Igor keeping an eye on the time and Nanny keeping an eye on Duckula he must find the mystical Sax before the dawn breaks in Transylvania and the castle returns him home.

Scene of the game...

Count Duckula and his faithful servants Igor and Nanny have transported
themselves and their castle over to the land of the Pharaohs, Egypt.
There they decide to search for the mystical Sax, an ancient saxophone with strange
magical powers. They know that the Sax is hidden somewhere in the tomb of the
great Pharaoh Upanatem, a gigantic pyramid in the middle of the desert. What
they do not know is that they have also brought along some unwanted guests in
the shape of the Crow Brothers.

Design[edit | edit source]

In some situations, you have to think a bit to get ahead...

Alternative Software released the computer game Count Duckula - No Sax Please, We're Egyptian!. In the game, Igor, Nanny and Count Duckula have decided to search the tomb of the great Pharaoh Upanatem (a pun on "up and at 'em") to find the mystic saxophone. What they do not know is that they have brought along some unwanted guests in the form of the Crow brothers.

The game was a basic jump and run platform-type game. At the start, the castle was transported to an ancient pyramid. Then, players had a set amount of time to go through the pyramid, evading the various baddies inside the pyramid, to retrieve the mystic sax before the Count's castle automatically returns to Transylvania, leaving the player stranded in Egypt.

The title of the game was a parody on the title of a British comedy play "No Sex Please, We're British!".

The game was available for various 8-bit computers such as the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 and Amstrad CPC. There was also a Count Duckula 2 sequel in 1992.

Screenshots

At this point, using one of the precious keys is pointless...

There are many rare and magic items to find...

You can fall deeply, very deeply...

Hints[edit | edit source]

Controls

& : Move left or right
: Jump
1 , 2 & 3 : Use the items in the slots

Players control Duckula. The count must explore the pyramid, solving puzzles and collecting useful items, while keeping an eye out for wandering mummies and crows. Duckula must avoid the mummies, falling rocks and the Crow Brothers. If the count is touched by any of these then he is "frozen" and the clock advances by one hour. Duckula can pick up various useful items; if you don't want an item then Duckula must jump over it. Duckula can carry only up to three items.

Solution[edit | edit source]

Even the faithful Igor has his guest appearance in the game...

There is a time limit of approximately 10 minutes. On a PAL system, one second is counted every 68 frames. Being touched by enemies reduces the timer rapidly.

Head to the right of the first floor. You'll first need a key, found by going straight right. Backtrack to the stairs that let you reach one screen up, and head right to the next down stair case. The bottom-right corner has a sandbag.
Climb the pyramid, on the right-hand side. This brings you to a pedestal, where you can use the sand bag.
Head left, clibm the stairs, and jump across the gaps. This leads to the deathmask.
Backtrack to the stairs left of the pedestal door. Head down the stairs, jump across the gaps, and get the key. Fall down the trap floor, open the door to the left, and get the container.
Return to the Pedistal - you have to drop down and climb the right-hand side again. Climb the stairs and head right to reach the top of the pyramid.
On the top floor, head right to get the hammer. Use the hammer to break the container.
On the top floor, use the deathmask on the slot to open the door, then use the key on the keyhole to get the saxophone.

Map of the Pyramid

With minor differences, a general map of the pyramid is found on World of Spectrum.

Cheats[edit | edit source]

While playing type "BURN THE WITCH". Count Duckula turns black and you can walk through doors without opening them.

The crack on Gamebase64 has an includet trainer menü.

Voting[edit | edit source]

Voting of the C64-Wiki-User (10=the best vote):
6.57 points at 7 votes (rank 616). You need to be logged in to cast a vote.
C64Games	7	3rd April 2019 - 7 out of 10 points - 22890 downs
Lemon64	6	3rd April 2019 - 5,8 out of 10 points - 19 votes
Ready64	6	3rd April 2019 - 6,4 out of 10 points - 5 votes
Kultboy	-	3rd April 2019 - no vote - 0 votes
Commodore Format	9	Issue February 1994 - 90% - p16
Your Commodore	9	Issue August 1990 - 91% - p58

Reviews[edit | edit source]

Commodore Format, issue February 1994: "An excellent platform romp type thing. Get it. Now. Pity about the sequel, really. 90%"

Shmendric: "I did not like the tv series Count Duckula, and I did not know until 2019, that there is a C64 game. Clean graphics, no bad sound, technically good implemented - all in all, Count Duckula is a pretty solid jump & run."

Miscellaneous[edit | edit source]

Trivia[edit | edit source]

Count Duckula is a British animated comedy horror television series created by British studio Cosgrove Hall Films and produced by Thames Television as a spin-off from Danger Mouse, a series in which the father of Count Duckula was a recurring villain.