Head Over Heels
Two heads are better than one
Jon Ritman and Bernie Drummond's isometric masterpiece split control between two characters with complementary abilities.
97% in CRASH
CRASH gave it 97% in April 1987, a mark it handed out a handful of times in its life. Sinclair User went 5/5, Your Sinclair 9/10. The praise was not for novelty — Knight Lore had established isometric play three years earlier — but for what Ritman and Drummond built inside it.
📘 The later scores tell their own story: 65% in CRASH in 1988 and 89% in Sinclair User in 1990, both for budget re-releases. The same game, re-reviewed against a moved bar.
Two characters, one puzzle
Head Over Heels took the isometric formula Jon Ritman had pioneered in Batman and added a twist: two characters with different abilities who needed to work together. Head could jump high and control objects; Heels ran fast and carried items. Separate or combined, they explored an interconnected world to free the enslaved planets.
Fast facts
- Developers: Jon Ritman (code), Bernie Drummond (graphics).
- Publisher: Ocean Software.
- Release: 1987.
- Platforms: Spectrum (original), C64, Amstrad, Atari ST, Amiga.
- Characters: Head (jumps high, uses doughnut weapons) and Heels (runs fast, carries one item).
- Structure: 300+ rooms across multiple worlds.
The characters
Head:
- High jumping ability.
- Can fire doughnuts (stun enemies).
- Slower movement.
- Controls hooters (robot devices).
Heels:
- Fast running speed.
- Can carry one item in bag.
- Lower jump height.
- Sprinting through danger.
The combination
Head and Heels could join together:
- Head rides on Heels.
- Combined: high jump + fast run + item carrying.
- Essential for certain puzzles.
- Strategic separation and reunification required.
The world
Four enslaved planets to liberate:
- Egyptus, Penitentiary, Safari, Book World.
- Each with distinct visual style.
- Interconnected through teleport systems.
- Non-linear exploration within structure.
The puzzle design
Head Over Heels rewarded thinking:
- Environmental puzzles using both characters.
- Timing challenges for action skills.
- Item collection and transportation.
- Multiple solutions to some problems.
Technical achievement
Ritman’s engine improved on Batman:
- Larger, more complex rooms.
- Two simultaneous character states.
- Smooth isometric movement.
- Ambitious scale for 8-bit hardware.
Bernie Drummond’s graphics
The visual design enhanced gameplay:
- Distinctive, readable characters.
- Clear environmental graphics.
- Enemy designs with personality.
- Consistent aesthetic across worlds.
Legacy
Head Over Heels showed isometric games could have depth beyond technical showcase. The two-character mechanic created puzzles impossible with a single protagonist. Ritman and Drummond proved that innovation and polish could coexist on limited hardware.