Overview
Harlequin is a side-scrolling platformer created by The Warp Factory and published in 1992 by Gremlin Graphics. You play Harlequin, who upon returning to his homeland of Chimerica finds that its heart has broken into four pieces. Harlequin must find them and mend the heart in the clock tower which lies at the center of the world.
Gameplay
Gameplay consists of traveling across the landscape via running and jumping, while enemies are dispatched by spraying hearts at them. Many of the levels also feature puzzles which must be solved. The game is not linear in the typical platformer fashion; instead of running through a level from start to finish in order to proceed to the next, switches are scattered across the gameworld which open and close various paths between the game's levels. Careful exploration is required to figure out how to progress and where to go each time. Backtracking to previously visited levels is also sometimes vital.
One of the game's more interesting features is a big level dedicated to parodying the Super Mario Bros. games, filled with objects that smile at the player and look eerily out of place when compared to some of the other levels.
Reception
The game received rave reviews from enthusiast magazines at the time of release, but the lackluster sales prevented it from ever getting a sequel.
Trivia
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