Hard Hat Mack
| Hard Hat Mack | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Publisher(s) | Electronic Arts |
| Designer(s) | Michael Abbot Matthew Alexander |
| Platform(s) | Apple II (original) Amstrad CPC, Atari 8-bit, C64, IBM PC (booter) |
| Release |
1983 1984 PC, Amstrad |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
Hard Hat Mack is a platform game developed by Michael Abbot and Matthew Alexander for the Apple II which was published by Electronic Arts in 1983. Ports for the Atari 8-bit family and Commodore 64 were released simultaneously. It is one of the first batch of five games published by Electronic Arts, and EA specifically calls it out as "truly EA's first game." Versions for the Amstrad CPC and IBM PC (as a PC booter) followed in 1984
Hard Hat Mack is similar in theme and gameplay to Nintendo's Donkey Kong arcade game of 1981.
The player guides a construction worker through a series of goals, making use of open paths, springboards, conveyor belts, and elevators, taking care not to run out of time. Assuming the role of the titular Hard Hat Mack, the player has three lives.
Level One (building framework). The goal is to replace four holes in the floor, and capture a moving jackhammer to secure the plates. At the same time, the player must avoid getting hit by bolts thrown from above, being tagged by a vandal and OSHA representative who circulate through the building, and falling off the edge of the building.
Level Two (construction site). The player guides Hard Hat Mack through a four-level construction site with the goal of collecting five lunchboxes. An OSHA representative blocks the final hurdle, requiring a carefully timed jump.
Level Three (factory). The player collects five boxes and drops each one into a processor. An OSHA representative moves back and forth near one of the boxes, requiring a very careful jump.
At the completion of a round, the game cycles anew with faster gameplay.
Softline stated that the Apple version of Hard Hat Mack "bears a certain similarity to Miner 2049er, but it's a good game in its own right and the animation is a little better".Video also reviewed the Apple version in its "Arcade Alley" column where it was described as "a 'must' buy for Apple arcaders" and "indisputably one of the finest programs ever made for the Apple". Reviewers noted that the game's "look and play" were inferior to the Atari version, but this was attributed to the Apple II's systemic limitations and designers Abbot and Alexander were recommended for a "round of applause" from readers.
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