Madballs

Overview

On the planet Orb live a gang of notorious Madballs who decide what is passed through parliament. They have no leader, and this is where a ball simply known as Dust Brain comes in. It is his quest to persuade the other Madballs on the planet to join him in his quest for power, and he does this by bumping them off the multi-directionally scrolling platforms. Once a Madball has been persuaded, it appears in a tube at the bottom of the screen. When a Madball ends up in the tube, Dust Brain must find the 'downtube' exit so that he can pursue other Madballs. While searching for other Madballs, Dust Brain encounters many obstacles that include trampolines, springboards, catapults, ramps, pyramids, and oil slicks; and these obstacles can either help or hinder Dust Brain. Each platform has its own dustbin, and if Dust Brain bounces over this, he changes into a Madball already in the tube. Also, he will make contact with three bureaucrats who will make his task harder, but they can also be pushed of the edge of platforms, giving Dust Brain plenty of time to bounce around before the bureaucrats have the chance to resurrect themselves. Each Madball has its own speed and strength, and it can be difficult for a strong Madball to fall off a platform. Each of them also have their own energy source, which include cabbages, fish heads, bones, and Coke. When eight Madballs have been persuaded, this tube is full. When the active Madball falls off the platform, another one takes its place. When the last Madball in the tube falls off the platform, his quest for power has failed.