Duck Out Prototype (ZX Spectrum)

Next up in the Games That Weren’t archives is a special prototype/demo version of Dro Soft’s Duck Out for the ZX Spectrum, which was likely sent out to different publishers at the time in the hope that someone might pick the game up. The demo has been saved thanks to Dean Hickingbottom, who preserved it from a set of disks that were part of Clockwize’s archives. Dean suggests that Clockwize were likely sent a copy to see if they might be able to help market the game.

At this stage, the demo has no sound and contains what seems to be around two levels, along with cut scenes. The full title sequence is missing, as are the options to redefine keys or select a joystick. Instead, the demo jumps fairly quickly into the first level after part of the title screen and some introductory text.

You can move the main character around and attack with your frying pan, though at this stage you don’t seem to be able to die or kill any of the enemies. Moving off the left-hand side of the screen triggers the demo to load the next level.

In total, there seem to be just two levels present. Attempting to progress to a third will display the relevant cut scene, but instead of loading another level, the game jumps straight to the end sequence.

It is possible that parts of the maps differ from the final release, and there could be other content tucked away in the demo that has yet to be discovered or wasn’t used in the finished game. If you spot anything of interest while exploring the prototype, please let us know and we’ll update the page.

A huge thank you to Dean Hickingbottom for preserving the demo and allowing us to add it to the Games That Weren’t archives.

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• Preview_DuckOut(ZX)

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