Gobbler

Gobbler on the Tangerine Microtan 65 is a delightful piece of early British software that sought to bring the maze-chasing craze into the homes of electronics enthusiasts. The Microtan 65 was initially sold as a barebones kit, meaning that its visual capabilities were severely restricted to a low-resolution, chunky graphics mode. Despite these harsh hardware limitations, this particular game successfully distils the fundamental gameplay loop of the globally massive arcade hit Pac-Man. The entire labyrinth is drawn using solid monochromatic blocks, offering a primitive yet perfectly functional playground for the action to unfold.

The mechanics of the game will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played classic arcade titles. The player controls the titular Gobbler, tasked with navigating a monster-infested dungeon and consuming every single dot scattered across the grid. Roaming the maze are deadly ghosts that must be avoided at all costs, requiring quick reflexes and careful pathfinding. Just like its arcade inspiration, the game includes special power pills that temporarily reverse the roles, allowing the Gobbler to aggressively hunt down the ghosts for valuable bonus points. Once the maze is entirely cleared of dots, the player must locate and head through the exit to progress further.

Because the system was often built by hobbyists with varying setups, the control scheme reflects the utilitarian nature of the hardware. Players had to use specific keyboard inputs to direct their character, with the keys mapped to A for up, Z for down, and the angled brackets for left and right. Crucially, the software demanded that these inputs be made using capital letters, adding a slight quirk to the physical act of manoeuvring the Gobbler out of tight corners. The lack of sophisticated audio hardware on a base machine meant that the experience was mostly silent or restricted to basic beeps, yet the addictive core of the chase remained entirely intact.