My favorite thing about video games? Layers. Stack those sweet sweet systems high and lemme get a slice. Flicky’s got more layers than an ogre’s onion. All these systems — collecting chicks, avoiding cats, holding a projectile, firing that projectile, cat spawn points, chick exit points, level design dependent platforming — are all coexisting and informing each other. On top of that delicious design it’s also technically stunning. All of these myriad objects onscreen are clear and concrete and feel like they physically exist in a real space, even if it’s a cartoon. When you get hit, the chicks you drop stay where you dropped them. They don’t reset. They don’t flicker. You can leave them offscreen and come back later. In short, Flicky is an immersive sim.

In Flicky, you play as a small bird who has to rescue chicks. Once you run into them, they’ll follow you, but disperse if a cat touches them (if the cats touch you, do die). You have to gather them all up and take them to a door. These can be done one at a time, but you’ll score far more points if you cash them all in at once.

It’s a simple game, but surprisingly good fun. The jumping can be difficult in the tighter maze-like levels, especially as Flicky bounces off walls, but it’s all very charming – it reminds me of a game I used to play called QWAK.

Game #61 of my challenge

Before I start this review, this game was added to the list of game that I have recently, and this was release in may 1984. The game I was playing before this one released in december 1987. So this is a game that I need to catch up for my challenge. For reference purposes, this was release after Pinball in my game list, so I will judge it on that. (FYI, my next couple of review will be some catch up as well).

Flicky is an Arcade game that really have it's own identity. A game made by Sega, Flicky is a platform game that the main goal is to save some Chirps from some cats named Tigers (they are actually cats, not tigers) and some Green Iguanas called Iggys.

The visual is really good compared to all other games that I played before this. The only game that is visually better than this game that was released before was Dragon's lair. The main character Flicky, the flightless blue bird, is really standing out in terms of protagonist. The sprite of Flicky is well detailed. The background is also charming and the enemies looks good.

The music is simplistic and also charming. It fits the theme of the game and although the music loops a lot, it never bothered me to listen to that song.

The controls are good, but not the best. Since you can't fly as a bird, you can only jump. The momentum of the jump feels good, but it's annoying when you touch a wall, because you bounce out of it like if you were a bouncing ball. This makes the platforming precision kind of hard. Also, the controls are only the D-pad and one button that does everything. It would have been fine if you would only jump with it, however, that button does another thing as well. In the levels, you can grab random objects that the character can grab by simply running into it. You can throw them at enemies, but with the same button as when you jump. So that means you need to jump to throw the object, which can be a pain at times.

Gameplay wise, you need to collects some chicks spread throughout the level and bring them to the exit door. When you grab one of the chicks, it will follow you behind. You can collect multiple of them and they will all follow you in a line (which is really cute). Bringing multiple of them at the same time to the door will gain you more points. You will lose a life if a cat or iguana touches you. The enemies can also break the line behind you if they touch to the chicks. Depending on the type of chick (sunglasses or not) they will run away with different behavior. You can grab them again without issues or penalty (except for the time bonus at the end of the level).

The bonus level is simply Flicky with a net that tries to catch the chicks launch by some cats with a seesaw. It's chaming and kind of easy when you understand the path of the chicks.

With all 48 levels, I was starting to be tired of playing since the game is kind of redundant. The last level have Sega being part of the level design, which is great. Something that I noticed is that this bird seem familiar. After further investigation, I learn that this bird is the one that Sonic the hedgehog can save from Dr. Eggman. This bird is part of the tiny animals that are captured.

The experience was short, but redundant at the end. I still enjoyed my time and though it wasn't a bad game at all. Would recommend to try.

I adore this so much I own an arcade cabinet! If you're in the UK you can play it at Arcade Club, Bury, Greater Manchester.

It's deterministic (no randomness) so you can figure out a repeatable route and turn playing into a zen experience. Controls use leaf switches so feel very analogue.

The Mega Drive version is a decent port but not 1:1 to the arcade original, so I find it slightly lacking.

https://blog.gingerbeardman.com/2010/10/07/flicky/
&
https://www.flicky1984.com

Para época, cumpre muito bem o seu papel. É um jogo que aparenta ser simples mas ao avançar os rounds você percebe que Flicky é um jogo extremamente desafiador.

A dificuldade do jogo é consideravelmente alta e pelo jogo ser antigo, tem certos momentos que as limitações da época te atrapalham (como por exemplo o passarinho azul que você controla ricochetear na parede em vários momentos).

A trilha sonora do jogo é ótima, e como um jogo de plataforma ele funciona, tendo uma jogabilidade viciante.

Mesmo sendo antigo, esse é um jogo que funcionaria perfeitamente como um game mobile gratuito atual.

Sega does what Namcon't. A rich alternative to Mappy. Looks great for 1984, an infamous year for some but not a hint of complete government control is reflected in the game, it feels great to be in the good timeline. This is... surely... the first game where you control a periodt, I mean mother and since daddy ain't home you have to retrieve your children to apply for full custody of the kids at the local town hall. My media literacy is unmatched hmmm yes I believe that's the story. And some of your kids have a sense of fashion already! That or, they're blind, probably that they keep running away from me like they don't want none of that child support. The Flickies bout to turn into the Nuggies if I wasn't the good gamer I claim to be.

Mama's enemies are birds' apex predators, cats! And lizards. Yeah they're in the mix who cares any kind of content is impressive in these old games. They didn't have Unreal Engine yknow they struggled for every line of code. You're in for a bad time if they catch you, but no worries... they won't. I'm on the case. That and I have the steam collection with rewind features, damn look what you got me to admit. I'm ending the review right here idc you think I care do you well not on my watch I never asked for any of this you know daddy he just came into my life just like that and just like that I gotta take care of a dozen unruly kids like you you think it's easy huh but no you just had to be the man if you'd done your job known your place we'd all be fine right now

Played as a kid.

Don't let the cuteness distract you. This game is HARD.

Also if you get a very high score you get to see a pixel woman dancing on a screen. I'm as confused as you are about that.

wow, I actually made it to the end of this game. Really satisfying to play and infinitely replayable to get a higher and higher score. Because the game levels are one screen big and loop infinitely, you always know where everything is and where you need to go. The controls are also floaty yet smooth and precise, and the levels are designed in a way that rewards speed and mastery of said control style. It just clicks with me, I guess. Definitely one of my favorite games on the mega drive and I constantly have kept coming back to it to top my high scores for the past like over 10 years honestly.