Count Duckula/Gameplay

Count Duckula | Table of Contents | Gameplay | Walkthrough

Table of Contents

Controls[edit]

A, B, and C: In the ZX version, use these keys at the start to pick keyboard control, Kempston joystick control, or Interface II joystick control.
O, P, and Space: In the ZX and CPC versions, use these keys to make Count Duckula walk left, walk right, and jump; in the C64 and Amiga versions, you must push the joystick left, right, and up instead (you may also push the joystick down for the menus at the start of the Amiga version).
1, 2, and 3: In every version of the game, use these keys to make Count Duckula use one of the items in the respective slot of his inventory (he can have a maximum of three at a time; if he already has three when he comes to a fourth one, he shall simply walk past it without picking it up).

Characters[edit]

Count Duckula XVII of Transylvania[edit]

The protagonist of this game; you must guide him around the Great Pyramid while avoiding and jumping over mummies, bats, stone slabs, and the Crow Brothers (who were on his castle when he teleported it to Egypt!). In the ZX and CPC versions, the timer starts at 0:00, and advances faster whenever Duckula is in contact with an enemy - but in the C64 and Amiga versions, it starts in at 9:59 but still advances faster whenever Duckula is in contact with an enemy. When the timer reaches 12:00 (or 0:00 in the C64 and Amiga versions) the castle will automatically return to Transylvania, leaving Duckula and his servants stranded in Egypt (which will end the game); he can gain extra time by running into Igor (who will give him a broccoli sandwich and add an "hour", or minute in real terms, to his time), and collecting ankhs (which will add three "hours" to his time upon use).

Igor the Butler[edit]

Duckula's vulture butler, who is responsible for him being vegetarian due to use of tomato ketchup instead of blood in the reincarnation process, may occasionally be found walking around the pyramid; if Duckula runs into him, he will give him a broccoli sandwich and add an "hour", or minute in real-life terms, to his time as the text of "Have More Time Master." (ZX/CPC) or "WELL DONE DUCKULA IGOR GIVES YOU A BROCCOLI SANDWICH AND AN HOUR IS ADDED TO YOUR TIME." (C64/AMI) is seen on screen for a few seconds.

Nanny the Housekeeper[edit]

Duckula's sixteen-stone, seven-foot hen housekeeper who always had her right arm in a sling and called her Master "Duckyboos" on at least one occasion in every episode of the show except the eleventh one ("The Ghost of McCastle McDuckula"); for the C64 and Amiga versions, she looks more "yellow" than she did in the show (like a Simpson), but for all four versions she occasionally randomly crashes through the walls (just like in the show), to help Duckula get around the pyramid without using keys to unlock doors. However, she does not do this very often and not always in the same places - so you shouldn't rely on her crashing through the walls on specific occasions.

Enemies[edit]

There are four types of enemies that Duckula will have to watch out for as he explores the pyramid: Mummies walk backwards and forwards in a given area, while Bats fly backwards and forwards in a downward curve (the manuals also incorrectly state that you lose points if they touch Duckula), Slabs move up and down in a given area, and Crow Brothers (one of whom was named "Alfonso Ruffles" after the show's animation director Carlos Alfonso, and another of whom was named "Burt") climb up ropes then fall down them again. While Duckula is in contact with them, the timer will advance faster.

Mummy
Bat
Slab
Crow Brother

Items[edit]

There are two main types of items that Duckula will have to watch out for as he explores the pyramid: Keys will open most of the doors while Ankhs will add three "hours" (minutes) to your time upon use; there are also four special items (a Sandbag which must be placed upon the stand in front of the first door that cannot be opened with a key, a Death Mask which must be placed in the slot in front of the second door that cannot be opened with a key and a Canopic Jar which must be smashed open with a Hammer to reveal a Large Key which must be used to unlock the power of the Mystic Saxophone).