Wizard Willy

Wizard Willy is a fantasy action-platformer developed by Codemasters in 1990 under their "Cartoon Time" budget label. You control Willy, a young wizard on a quest to rescue Princess Fifi from an evil Emperor's dark fortress. The game features four horizontally scrolling levels—enchanted forests, dungeons, stairways, and battlements. To progress, you must collect ten "Magic Eyes" in each level; only then can you reveal and defeat the end-of-level guardian, a fireball-spitting skull. Willy fires lightning bolts at enemies, which grow more aggressive in later stages. Power-ups include a "Vanish" smart bomb, health restoratives, extra lightning, and bonus lives. The gameplay delivers fast-paced platforming with exploration and combat at its core.

Amstrad CPC

The Amstrad CPC version, released in 1990 by Codemasters' Cartoon Time label, was priced at £2.99 on cassette. The game was developed under the original title Spellfire the Sorcerer, with the name changed for the 8-bit releases. This version is particularly noted for its graphics—Amstrad Action magazine awarded 93% for visuals, praising the "exceedingly well-drawn" sprites and atmospheric backgrounds that fit perfectly with the game. The standout feature is an impressive parallax scrolling technique, described as "really stunning" and providing a unique edge over other platform games. However, sonics received only 51%, with the reviewer noting the game is "virtually silent" during play, lacking in-game sound effects, though a "New Order-ish" soundtrack plays on the title page. The overall score was 77%, with criticism that despite its visual appeal, "it's just another platform game". Originally developed as Spellfire the Sorcerer, the name was changed for the 8-bit versions.