DESCRIPTION

You are a coil known as the Thing on a Spring. You must make it through four side-scrolling areas, collect important items and evade a horde of enemies. When you touch enemies, a temperature meter at the bottom of the screen dwindles. This meter shows how much oil (health) you have remaining.

Each room contains a series of platforms and hazards. Located on most screens is an item that must be collected, as well as some much-needed oil. Enemies include electric balls, birds, insects, blobs and various monsters of different shapes and sizes. Because the coil cannot attack, it must avoid these enemies at all costs.

Levels are divided into corridors and actual rooms. When Thing on a Spring begins, the coil is located in a corridor. Corridors connect rooms and levels, and these halls also contain lots of enemies. Actual rooms act as levels in that hazards, items and platforms are predominant. Aside from enemies, hazards include breakable bricks and conveyer belts that lead to the coil's demise.

When you leap onto a series of breakable bricks, the bricks break a little. After a while, the brick will be demolished. Because of their breakable nature, items are sometimes stored in rooms made of the frail bricks. Use caution when collecting the item as the coil can become stuck if all bricks are not broken. There are times when the coil cannot jump out of the room. In order to succeed, you must think and plan ahead.

Whenever all items and levels have been cleared or when the coil reaches its demise, the game is over. Before Thing on a Spring starts, you'll be asked to enter in a brief name for score purposes. If the overall score is higher than those found on the points list, the name entered and score will be added. ~ Matthew House, All Game Guide