Скачать или смотреть Chuck Rock - Core Design, 1991 - Commodore Amiga (4K)

A "complete" playthrough of Chuck Rock, published by Core Design for the Commodore Amiga in 1991.

0:00 Intro
2:15 Level 1
14:23 Level 2
23:17 Level 3
29:15 Level 4
39:56 Level 5
44:36 Level 6 (I died at the very last boss battle but started a new game with cheat, just to show the very short ending).

In the early 1990s, Core Design was quickly rising to prominence in the European game development scene. Based in Derby, England, and founded in 1988 by a group of ex-Gremlin Graphics employees, the studio quickly gained a reputation for slick, technically proficient games across 16-bit home computer platforms, especially the Commodore Amiga. Among Core’s early efforts to establish a signature style was a bizarre and boldly animated platformer that leaned into prehistoric slapstick.

Released in 1991 for the Amiga, Chuck Rock epitomized Core Design’s strengths and ambitions. It was colorful, character-driven, and bursting with personality. More than that, it showed that Core could go toe-to-toe with the likes of Team17, The Bitmap Brothers, and other titans of the British Amiga development scene. Before Chuck Rock, Core had already made waves with titles like Rick Dangerous (1989), which enjoyed critical acclaim for its Indiana Jones-inspired gameplay and its brutal, memorization-heavy level design.

The idea behind Chuck Rock was born from a desire to blend humor, platforming, and eye-catching visuals in a way that felt uniquely British but also globally accessible. The lead designer and artist behind the game was Simon Phipps, a rising talent with a keen eye for character animation. Chuck himself was anything but a standard hero, an overweight, pot-bellied caveman who headbutted enemies while bellowing his now-famous catchphrase: “Unga Bunga!”

Phipps handled much of the game design and visual identity, while Martin Iveson composed the funky, percussive soundtrack that echoed the game’s offbeat tone. The game's engine was optimized for smooth scrolling and large sprites, showcasing Core’s technical capabilities.

When Chuck Rock was released in 1991, it quickly gained attention. Amiga magazines praised its graphics and animation. Amiga Power called it “beautifully silly and polished,” while CU Amiga highlighted its infectious charm and technical prowess. It didn’t redefine the genre, but it didn’t need to. It was fun, fresh, and stood out among the grittier fare of the time.

The game was soon ported to a wide range of platforms, including the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Sega Master System, Game Gear, SNES (in Japan), and even the Commodore 64. Core’s relationship with U.S. Gold and later Virgin Games helped secure international distribution, expanding Chuck's notoriety beyond European shores. The Mega Drive version in particular was notable for retaining much of the Amiga original's visual fidelity, and gave Core a strong foothold in the growing console market. The game was successful enough to warrant a sequel, Chuck Rock II: Son of Chuck (1993), in which players controlled Chuck’s diaper-wearing baby, Chuck Jr., on a quest to rescue his kidnapped father. While the sequel had its fans, the original retained more iconic status, likely due to the novelty of its lead character and the sheer absurdity of its world.

Chuck Rock helped establish Core Design’s reputation as a creative and technically capable studio. This would pay off in the years to come. Just a few years later, Core would make history with Tomb Raider (1996), a global phenomenon that elevated the studio to AAA status and made co-founder Jeremy Heath-Smith a high-profile figure in the industry.

Chuck Rock only allowed either music or sound effects, and not both simultaneously.
I played with sound effects and added the music in post.

Enjoy, and please remember to visit my blog at https://www.retro365.blog, where I post new articles every month.