Bobby Is Going Home

How to play Bobby Is Going Home online

• Walk forward and back: right and left arrow keys
• Jump: Space bar (you can still steer left or right while in the air)
• Start a new game: F12 (the console’s Reset switch)
• Save and load your progress: Ctrl + 0–9 saves to a slot, Alt + 0–9 loads it

Gameplay

Each trip home is made up of eight scenes. The first seven are obstacle courses, each with its own set of hazards: rocks and broken bridges, water and wildlife such as ducks and hawks, holes that open and close, butterflies, bats and things that roll towards you. The eighth scene is clear, and Bobby simply walks into his house while a short tune plays. Then he sets off again, and the animals get faster each time. The manual counts 256 screens in total, which works out to 32 trips home.

The scoring is unusual. You start with 3,000 points, and the score counts down steadily while you play, so speed matters. Clearing a scene adds 1,000 points. Oddly, losing a life also gives you 1,000 points, which the manual calls a reward “for encouragement”. The game ends after Bobby has failed five times.

Tips

• Use your air control. Because you can steer during a jump, you can take off early and pull back, or stretch a short jump to clear a wide pond.
• Time the holes. Pits that open and close are safe to cross only while shut, so watch one full cycle before you go.

Versions and history

The game was released under different names in different countries. In Germany it appeared as Bobby geht heim, and it was also sold as Bobby geht nach Hause by the mail-order company Quelle. In Brazil it was released by CCE. The background music is a simple chip version of the old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”.