Serpy

Puzzle 1986 Dos Arcade style

Another cynical cash-in

Another one of those games where the need for its very existence must be questioned, Serpy is a perfect example of a cynical cash-in and thus joins the dubious ranks of PC Man and Tetrix. In this case, which the rather punning title gives away, the inspiration is Snake or Centipede, which any mobile phone user is likely to be familiar with. Just in case you've been hiding under a rock for some time, the concept here simply requires you to guide a snake-like creature around the screen, gobbling down food or somesuch item. Doing so makes the snake grow larger and it is here where the challenge comes in. There are no enemies to avoid, and instead the game tests players' ability to manipulate the snake around the screen, avoiding its own tail as it grows ever larger. There's little point other than this to Serpy in the tradition of arcade classics like Pacman and Space Invaders, the whole thing is an exercise in high score chasing, so if you do find such activities of interest, then you are likely to find this amusing. There's nothing really wrong with Serpy, except perhaps the very minimalist graphics, where it is slightly tricky to make out what exactly it is you're controlling. The controls are fine and the gameplay is undeniably hypnotic in some strange way and it does get quite compelling, guiding your ever growing snake around, desperately trying to avoid your own excesses. However, as with all clones which bring nothing new to the table, you've got to question why anyone needed to bother creating Serpy in the first place and if you don't play it, you're really not missing much.

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