Traps N Gemstones (Donut 80) Free
Game title: Traps N Gemstones
Game description: Traps N' Gemstones is a multi-screen flick-screen platformer set within a classic adventure fare: strange things are stirring deep within an ancient pyramid, and it falls to a whip-cracking explorer to descend into its forgotten chambers and uncover the truth. Gameplay centres on exploration and puzzle-solving across a series of flick-screen rooms spanning crumbling corridors, treasure-filled vaults, and submerged passages. Players must collect keys to unlock doors and open new paths, while using their whip to smash vases and reveal hidden coins. Gems, artefacts, and sacred birds are scattered throughout, rewarding thorough exploration, while snakes, bats, mummies, shifting traps, and pressure plates all stand between the player and progress. The explorer's toolkit extends beyond the whip — dynamite boxes provide five explosive charges, and ammo crates load the player's gun with six bullets. Traversal is equally varied, with ladders, bars, perilous ledges, and freely swimmable underwater sections all featuring across the pyramid's many rooms. A single misstep into lava means instant death, and the adventure builds towards a boss encounter that draws on the full range of mechanics accumulated along the way.
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Production - 80%
80%
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Fun - 68%
68%
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Depth - 75%
75%
Summary
Traps N’ Gemstones is a perfectly competent flick-screen platformer that slots neatly alongside Donut 80’s growing catalogue of C64 releases. If you’ve played Egg Feud, The Last Pumpkin, or any of their other titles, you’ll know exactly what you’re in for here — and that’s both the game’s greatest strength and its most telling limitation.
On the production front, there is little to fault. The graphics are crisp, well-defined, and carry an appealing old-school charm that suits the hardware and the setting well. The pyramid aesthetic is consistently presented throughout, and the overall visual polish is a level above many homebrew releases. It’s not pushing the C64 to its limits, but it looks good, and no one is going to complain about what’s on screen.
Where the game begins to show its cracks is in the challenge department. The enemies and hazards — snakes, bats, mummies, and the various traps scattered across the pyramid — are far too linear and predictable in their behaviour. Experienced players will read the patterns almost immediately, and the sense of danger that a game of this type relies on never really materialises. It’s squarely aimed at the casual end of the spectrum, which is a perfectly valid design choice, but those looking for something to truly test their reflexes will find themselves largely underwhelmed.
The exploration side of things fares better. There are plenty of screens to work through, and navigating the pyramid’s chambers — swimming through submerged passages, cracking vases with the whip, hunting down keys — provides a satisfying enough sense of progress. The puzzles, however, never really rise above the surface level. Nothing here will leave you scratching your head or reaching for a second attempt out of sheer determination to crack a clever design. They do the job, but they don’t linger in the memory.
In terms of length, the game strikes a reasonable balance given what it offers. For a single sitting, it’s appropriately sized, and given the lack of depth in its gameplay systems, overstaying its welcome would have done it no favours. Play it through once, enjoy it for what it is, and move on.
Ultimately, Traps N’ Gemstones is another solid, dependable entry from Donut 80 — but that’s precisely all it is. It brings nothing new to the flick-screen platformer genre and offers no real reason to return once the credits have rolled. If you’re a fan of the developer’s previous work and enjoy a relaxed, no-frills pyramid romp, you’ll find something to like here. Just don’t expect to be surprised.
Overall
74%User Review
( vote)Pros
Solid Production Values: The graphics are crisp and well-defined, delivering a polished old-school aesthetic that suits the C64 hardware and the pyramid setting well.
Satisfying Exploration: With plenty of screens to navigate and a variety of traversal mechanics — swimming, climbing, whip-cracking — working through the pyramid provides a genuine sense of progress and discovery.
Accessible to All: The casual difficulty level and straightforward controls make it an easy pick-up-and-play experience, particularly well-suited to less experienced players or those after a relaxed gaming session.
Cons
Predictable Enemy Behaviour: The hazards and enemies follow linear, highly readable patterns that offer very little genuine challenge, removing much of the tension and excitement the setting promises.
Shallow Puzzle Design: While the puzzle elements are present, they never rise above surface-level simplicity and are unlikely to engage or challenge players looking for something more mentally stimulating.
Nothing New to Offer: Traps N’ Gemstones adds nothing new to the flick-screen platformer genre and sits comfortably — perhaps too comfortably — alongside Donut80’s existing C64 library without distinguishing itself in any meaningful way.
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