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	Title: (REVIEWS) Fooblitzky
	Author: James V. Trunzo
	Source: COMPUTE!, v8(10)
	Date: October, 1986
	Transcription by Steve Derby
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*Requirements: Apple II+, IIe, or IIc computer with a minimum of 128K; Atari XL
or XE computer with a minimum of 48K and 810 or 1050 disk drive; or IBM
PC/XT/AT computer and compatibles with 128K, graphics card, and preferably a
composite monitor.*

Fooblitzky is a city. The "coin of the realm" is the fooble. The inhabitants of
Fooblitzky (meaning you and any other players) are dogs. Except for the Chanceman:
He's the guy in the black cape who might give you foobles or a free
turn — or drop a piano on your head, sending you to the hospital. Sound bizzare?
It is. Sound like fun? You bet.

*Fooblitzky* is a new release from Infocom, and it's unlike anything previously
offered by the company. Combining many elements found in popular
board games, *Fooblitzky* is a computerized scavenger hunt, enhanced by
animated graphics. Each player — personified by a dog — must acquire 4
correct items out of a possible 18 and return them to a checkpoint to be
declared the winner. Certainly, it's not as easy as it sounds.

Standing between you and success are numerous obstacles,, not of the
monster type, but more appropriately, of the nuisance type. The Chanceman,
for instance, might appear on any turn and swipe one of your cherished
objects; or another player may choose to bump you by landing on your space,
knocking all the objects you are carrying to the ground, and then taking one
of them. You could also get hit by a car while crossing a street and end up in
the hospital. Or you simply might have the wrong objects.

If this sounds too juvenile, not to worry. The game's mechanics are
amusing and simple, but the underlying principles around which the game is
built are the same ones which make Monopoly a classic. The need for logic
and strategy are essential and challenging. As a player, you must always
observe, eliminate, and plan. You must constantly make decisions. How to
move, where to move, how many foobles to spend, what objects to buy, to
cross against traffic or to lose time waiting for a light to change are questions
that must be resolved. Like a game of chess, it helps to think several turns
ahead because you're racing against the other players, whose purpose is the
same as yours.

<img class="float-left" src="/public/img/articles/compute-fooblitzky-review/fooblitzky-screen-shot.png">

Probably no game on the computer software market today gives one the
feel of playing a board game as much as does *Fooblitzky*. From the spinning
roulette-type wheel (which dictates how many moves you have per turn) to the
movement around the game board on the screen, *Fooblitzky* marries the
bookkeeping skills of the computer to the tactile satisfaction of board gaming.
Also adding to this board game quality are the package contents: four colorful
wipe-off workboards, four matching markers, the Fooblitzky Official
Ordinances, and, of course, the computer disk.

*Fooblitzky* is a tough game to review. It's so different from other
computer games that it almost requires that one look at the entire package before
buying it — because it probably isn't for everyone's tastes. However, if you're
looking for a game which the entire family can play and enjoy, this 2-4
player game might be the ideal choice.

Fooblitzky<br>
*Infocom<br>
125 CambridgePark Dr.<br>
Cambridge, MA 02140<br>
$39.95 (all versions)*