Spy vs. Spy: The Island Caper

Spy vs. Spy II: The Island Caper is a game developed by Michael J. Riedel and published by First Star Software initially in 1985 for Commodore 64. It was ported to Apple II, Atari 8-bit, and MSX in 1986. The Amiga and Atari ST versions were published in 1989.

This installment of the popular video game saga based on the cartoon Spy vs. Spy places the two protagonists on an island, where, as always, they try to kill each other. In this case, the main objective is to gather parts of a missile scattered in this location and escape from the island before time runs out. Thus, both spies must elaborate exaggeratedly complex and questionable traps to delay the other while they accomplish their mission. The death of one of the characters not only results in a time penalty but also in the loss of all his items.

Like its predecessor, Spy vs Spy, the title is a game for 2 players with a split-screen. There are some changes compared to the first game, for example, the side-scrolling play area or the mechanics of the traps. Basically, instead of picking up traps already made, the players have to collect the materials to make them.

The design of the image and sound seeks to be as minimalist as possible. It's very clear that this game started on an 8-bit platform. When it was converted to more powerful computers like the Amiga, the graphics were not made from scratch, just improved a little. But they have better colors, they are very polished, and they do their job.

The critics' ratings turned out to be mixed. Some of them considered the title superior to its predecessor. In contrast, some others criticized it for not being at the level of such a successful title. Likewise, this entry is well remembered by the fans who were looking to transfer the memories of the original installation to a new arena.

Whether or not you fall into this category, Spy vs Spy II is a great alternative to play something fast, simple, and competitive.