What is it?
Compared to the original Paratrooper, there are some changes in gameplay. These changes have been for the better. In the original, as soon as three paratroopers made their way to the ground, game was over. Here, they burn down some plants. Only when all your plants are dead, the game is over.
The history of Ganja Farmer is somewhat obscure. Most of the graphics were finished in 1995 (according to the timestamp of the files), but the game was not released until 1998. It uses VGA mode and is supposed to run on a 486.
You are John Parker, fearless Rasta soldier, and this is your last stand! The Man has come to destroy your humble herb field and you must stop him! You have mounted a 20mm machine gun atop your 1969 VW microbus and will blow the hell out of anyone or anything, that tries to kill you or your herb!
At first, it's paratroopers. You have to shoot them before they reach the ground; you can't get them then any more, and every paratrooper that lands burns down three of your herbs. You can shoot down the helicopters for extra points, but it's optional.
Then come the bombers. Those bombs are hard to hit, so it might be your better bet to go for the planes before they can drop their load. One good thing about the bombs is that they might just as well hit plants that are already dead.
Next come Pipers spraying poison gas. They are easy to destroy, but extremely dangerous. A single one could kill all your plants.
Well, that is about as far as I got. Arcade games are not my forte. Nor do I care much about them. But this game is different. It's the whacky theme of course, and the music. This is the only game where I turn my speakers up.
If you like to smoke pot, if you like reggae music, if your country got recently bombed by the USA, or if you just enjoy a fast-paced shooter game with a twist, this game might be for you. Does that leave anybody out?
Single cheat I know of: Typing gras or crack takes you to level 14.
