Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle

Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's castle puts eveyone's favorite Belgium woodland creature in a daring adventure where he must jump over fences in search of Smurfette.

Overview

Smurf: Rescue in Gargamel's Castle is an early platformer in which the player takes control of a smurf in order to rescue Smurfette from Gargamel's castle. The game was released for ColecoVision and Atari 2600, with the former offering superior graphics. An Intellivision was initially planned but never saw release. The game features, in a sound chip version, a movement from Beethoven's 6th symphony.

Story

Gargamel has kidnapped Smurfette. While  Gargamel has wanted to eat Smurfs, turn them into gold, or simply destroy them throughout Smurf canon, it is not clear what his motivations are here. Regardless, the player takes control of a Smurf who must rescue Smurfette.

Gameplay

The levels scroll right to left while the player must execute jumps to traverse obstacles. These include fences and stalagmites, while enemies include spiders and bats. The player has an energy bar that depletes over time, while failure to negotiate an obstacle will kill the player. Jumping is the only method in which the player can negotiate obstacles (other than moving the Smurf left and right). The game requires exact jump and timing.

Levels include a forest, cavern, and eventually Gargamel's laboratory.