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Most gamers over the age of 23 must have some recollection of the Miner Willy
Spectrum games. Quite simply, they laid the foundation for the modern
platform genre. First came Manic Miner, then the seminal classic Jet Set
Willy, along with a Capcom-esque series of Jet Set Willy "sequels" - and then
nothing. Not a thing. Miner Willy practically vanished. There were rumours for some years of a bona-fide third Willy game, Miner Willy Meets the Taxman, but it never arrived. What has Miner Willy been doing all this time? We caught up with him at his luxury subterranean abode in the Mendip Hills.
WILLY, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS?
"I've been writing poetry, mostly. I got very rich, very quickly from the two Miner games, and I went a little crazy. All that stuff in Jet Set Willy with the hangover and the wine glasses everywhere - it wasn't that far from the truth. If hedonism were a bag, I'd have filled that bag with helium and burst it. I've been there. I've lived life on the edge. I've done things you wouldn't believe. So, a few years back I checked myself into a clinic, got the poisons drained from my system and came out a whole new man. I've blown all the money, but I'm happier than I've ever been. What's more, I've discovered poetry." WHAT ARE YOUR FONDEST MEMORIES OF THE MINER WILLY GAMES? "Obviously all the attention was nice at first, 'though it got to be a drag. I was appearing in every games magazine in the country, and it got so I couldn't walk out my front door without someone whistling 'If I Were a Rich Man' at me. Probably my favourite moments were spent working with Maria Castenetta who played Maria the housemaid in Jet Set Willy. I know she came across as a dragon in the game, but she was a very sweet lady. We were actually dating for a short time, though I broke it off when she ordered me to kiss her hairnet. We've remained friends." WHY DID YOU NEVER MAKE ANOTHER GAME? "I was rich and a drunk, with a string of beautiful women on my arm - I went out with her from the Babarian adverts for a while, you know. I had everything I needed. By the time I'd come out from the alcoholic haze, and realised I was broke, I couldn't be bothered. I'm too old now. That's why I write poetry. It helps to focus my mind on the future. Poetry is my religion." WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MODERN GAMES? "To be honest, I don't pay much attention to them. It all seems a lot of
noise and blood and swearing nowadays. I saw one game... Tune Raider I think
it was called, which had a very beautiful woman in it. But even that was full
of blood with heads falling off and things. It may sound a little peculiar to
the likes of you, but if there was more poetry in games then perhaps the
world would be a better place."
THEN WHAT WAS THE LAST GAME YOU PLAYED? ""I haven't played any games for a long time now. I just write poetry." WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECITE SOME OF YOUR POETRY? "Yes I would. Here's a poem I call 'The Last Temptation of Miner Willy':
THAT WAS REALLY AWFUL. GOODBYE. Check out our features archive   |