Head Over Heels: Deluxe

Some suggestions: -Game is too fast, even on the classic setting. The classic speed should be a little slower. -The complete lack of shading+shadows causes confusion and 3D perspective issues on what blocks are lined up with what for example on some early chicken rooms. A shadow showing where the character is going to fall would help too. -It's too easy to die and lose lives at simple obstacles like jumping over toasters, Would benefit from a setting to start with more lives, or a save anywhere option. -Sometimes when making multiple jumps forward the character is facing backwards. -Enemies could change colour to show they have been hit by a doughnut? Also would a level editor or "maker" be possible? I've had ideas for screens since I was a kid. Looks a fun remake of one of my all time favourite games, but a few issues are making it frustrating.

So, anyone looking at this will likely fall into one of two camps: those who played the original version back in 1987, and those staring in indecision, wondering whether this game is for them. I suspect Camp A has already made up their minds but might just need a little nudge, whereas Camp B will need a bit more convincing. Head Over Heels was one of the finest isometric games of the 8-bit era. Yes, it eventually made its way onto 16-bit computers, but its heart firmly belongs to the previous gaming generation. It perfected the 3D isometric style that Ultimate Play the Game pioneered with Knight Lore, becoming an essential title in the genre. Fast forward to the present day, and Rusty Pixels has successfully remade the game for the Spectrum Next—a crowdfunded computer backed by thousands of ZX Spectrum fans. This modern version breathes new life into the classic with fantastic visuals and enhanced gameplay. So, what is Head Over Heels? It’s a marvellous 3D platforming adventure where you control two characters—Head and Heels, spies (for the good guys) who have been imprisoned in the evil emperor's dungeons. Their mission is to escape captivity and retrieve the stolen crowns to liberate each sub-world. The game’s brilliance lies in its character mechanics. Each has unique abilities: Head can jump high and float down, while Heels can run as fast as a vegetarian’s poop. You can switch between them at any time, and eventually, they meet up and combine forces via symbiotic mutualism, allowing them to run and mega-jump simultaneously. The game’s multiple pathways encourage players to separate and reunite the duo strategically to solve puzzles. With over 500 screens, it’s a vast exploratory adventure. Sadly, 3D isometric games faded from popularity, denying the gaming world their unique charm, whimsy, and immersive atmosphere. But Head Over Heels is back, lovingly reimagined with stunning artwork by industry veteran Simon Butler, music by Space Fractal, and the ever-tight coding of Mike "Flash" Ware. It’s a nostalgic treat for those who remember the originals, but I urge newcomers to give it a go. Step out of your comfort zone, experience something different, and discover the brilliance of 3D isometric games that once ruled the gaming world.

I'm really loving Head Over Heals which is running perfectly on my Steam Deck. It's actually so much more than a tribute to the original Spectrum game as the whole experience is elevated far beyond its forebear. Everything is crafted and honed and the game itself is expanded way beyond the game you may remember. As such, it deserves to stand on its own as a valid gaming experience that belongs very much in the modern era. Hats off to the developers for bringing us this work. Highly recommended.

This is the first time I am playing Head Over Heels - I grew up in Ukraine and Spectrum was certainly not the PC model that's been around. I would say that Spectrum games are the least discovered one - despite owing 13 consoles and playing tons of games I only started to discover them after I subscribed to the Retro Gamer magazine. Still, I dig it. It's exactly what I imagined after reading about it and personally, as for the first playthrough, this remake suits me well. The game still feels fresh and it's easy to see why it's considered a classic. I found the controls to be easier on the keyboard, though, for some reason. Other than that - I see no issues so far. Yeah, it looks hard as ♥♥♥♥ sometimes but that's to be expected.

I can't review this game without mentioning the original. When I first loaded Head over Heals (onto my ZX spectrum back in the mid 80's) I was hooked. It was basically the 'Apple' of computer games - meaning it was at first glance a rip off of Ultimate play the game's "Knight Lore", however in reality it took what Ultimate gave us and damn well perfected it. The game was basically a bunch of mini escape rooms testing your logical abilities to either overcome obstacles, get out of traps, or simply forcing you to rely on luck to get past randomly moving nasties like mechanical gorillas! The delicious graphics, smooth gameplay, great music and novel idea that the two characters can be combined giving the player both abilities is pure genius, and at the time all this was squeezed into only 48 kilobytes of code. This remake? It took me right back to those days in the 80's. The game plays almost exactly how it should - the only 2 differences is that there is a button to jump and pick up at the same time (a god-send!), the other is that you can no longer mash the swap button whilst jumping, causing Heels to jump higher than normal (it was a cheat back in the day). The developer has included extra rooms, plus there is an extra world to explore (the IT department - btw, nice touch that you fall down to the basement to get there - a nod to the I.T Crowd? All these new rooms only add to the game and sit so well that I'm sure that if you'd never played Head over Heels before, you would not know what is new or old. What more is there to say? It's cheap to buy, It'll give you hours and hours of pleasure, it'll make you think, it'll make you happy, it'll make you swear, and it'll make you want to write a good review!

The original Head over Heels! A brilliant game but a game i was not a fan of back in the day on the original spectrum. I found the perspective and controls frustrating and tedious to be honest. Fast forward a few 30 (Cough) odd years and suddenly i'm playing it on my PC! This new version is an enhanced version from the original spectrum one i remember. In fact, this is the 1 to 1 copy of the Spectrum Next version i own. This PC version has beautiful colourful pixel art graphics and also maintains the enhanced spectrum next AY sound and music, unlike the original spectrum monochrome graphics and limited spot effect sounds. But how does it play? Well, to be honest i still find it a challenge, yet the game keeps bringing me back, and in my book if a game can do that then addictive quality is king. I still find the perspective and controls with a pad a nightmare at times but there are plenty of options to adjust the controls sensitivity and speed of the game which improves game play massively. In this version there are new levels and even the backgrounds are animated which is a lovely addition. I could easily jot down a list of things in this review that could have been added or changed in this version over the Spectrum Next version but then it would of lost its retro pixel art charm. This is a great retro game experience and also a game with a lot of history behind it. Rusty Pixels have done a fantastic job of improving on whats considered by many as a classic game from the past.

Everyone has their own personal defining moments in games. Those moments of wonder, achievement or just pure joy that affirms that yeah, this gaming lark is for you. For me, one of my first and most impactful gaming memories was Head over Heels. Specifically, when Head and Heels reach the same room but they are separated by a tunnel. That tease that you are so close to meeting up yet you must go your separate ways again, for now. I remember that as one of my first WOW moments in gaming! Yeah, showing my age here but that moment for me is up there with performing a quirkafleeg, or finding a secret exit in Super Mario World or unlocking the undead parish shortcut in Dark Souls. Those wow moments that you never forget. This version of Head over Heels is a modern remake of the 8bit classic with updated graphics, sound, controls and a whole lot of new content. It’s an isometric platformer where you control 2 characters who start in a prison cell, separated by bars with no way to get to each other. Head is slow but can jump high and glide. Heels is very fast but can’t jump high and drops like a stone! The first act of the game is to get them together where they become Head over Heels and combine their powers. After that the game really opens up and you can explore the many worlds. Best played with keys or the digital pad, the controls are very tight and if you find the game too difficult, the modern convenience of difficulty levels have been added. A game for retro heads and new comers alike!

Great game, probably my favourite from back in the day. Love the remake and the extra rooms. Some of these golden chickens are tough. Prefer to play it on Classic speed, I struggle a bit on the faster speeds. Plays and feels like the original :)

Oh my word what frantic fun this game is! Beautifully presented pixel art with super smooth gameplay. Totally gives justice to the original, expanding the classic in a sympathetic and pleasing way. It's faster than the original but this is a massive positive as gamers expect to more around a bit quicker than back in the Spectrum days! Would definitely recommend, for the price of 20 MCDonalds nuggets it's totally worth that value!

8.5 / 10 Completed this on Hard Mode on Classic Speed. Better than I expected. I previously played the Retrospec remake and its original ZX Spectrum version, and it’s good to see a remake that doesn’t just repeat the same level layout. There are a number of new areas to explore, many additional obstacles, new enemy designs, and a completely brand new level which is good. Found this a little bit tougher than the original because of the new obstacles, but the Fish save points and the Golden Chicken perks balance the challenge. And there are many 8 bit tracks from its soundtrack which I like, they do capture the rich nostalgic quality of the old 8 bit games of the time. My only beef with this remake is that the graphics are really a climbdown from the 2003 Retrospec version, but the game has enough content to satisfy as it is, and the background graphics still have a bit of life to them. There are other users online who want the game to have a Level Editor mode to muck around with, and possibly share via Steam Workshop. That would be nice if the devs can do that.