Adventure Quest

Sinclair ZX Spectrum - Released - 1983

The sequel to Colossal Adventure is an interactive fiction game with a VERB NOUN interface. The fantasy setting takes a clear influence from Lord of the Rings. After centuries of harmony, Middle Earth has hit problems due to a cataclysmic sequence of events - a crop failure leading to animals turning violent, and then an attack from a mysterious enemy to the north. The evil Demon Lord Alagiarept is discovered to be responsible, and as such the Wizards are given a week to beat him, before Middle Earth must surrender. You play a rookie magician with Meditation, Mysticism and Moneymaking skills. While the main war goes on, you attempt a much bolder mission - locate the four Stones-of-the-Elements and the Medallion of Life to enter Alagiarept's Dark Tower and kill him. Your quest will take you through Beaches, Moors and Rocky Outcrops, as well as more specific locations such as the Pillar in the Desert, the Cave of the Sun-Dial and the Mills of God. Wolves, skeletal hands, sharks and octopuses must be dealt with.

Colossal Adventure

Commodore 64 - Released - 1983

Colossal Adventure takes its cue from the very earliest mainframe text adventures. Our hero must rescue the elves and find fifteen pieces of treasure. There are many dark areas, so lights and batteries are at a premium. Be careful of vicious dwarves, who can be killed using axes. You can carry up to four objects at a time; the useful ones include a newspaper, keys and sandwiches. The vocabulary includes saying spell names, DROPping items to stay within the carrying limit (and for other specific reasons), CATCHing a bird, and standard directions plus IN and OUT.

Dungeon Adventure

Commodore 64 - Released - 1983

Dungeon Adventure concludes Level 9's Middle Earth lineage of fantasy interactive fiction games (later reprogrammed with graphics in Jewels of Darkness). The player is searching for magical treasures within the Demon Lord's fortress, after his defeat in Adventure Quest. There are over 200 specific locations, including rooms within the tower and outdoor locations to navigate en route. Objects range from a coffin and a giant belt to nasty images and a packing case; also watch out for Orcs, Dwarves and other creatures. The parser's vocabulary contains all the standard terms - EXAMINE, TAKE, OPEN and FILL for example.

The Price of Magik

Atari 800 - Released - 1986

In the final installment of the Time and Magik series of interactive fiction, the light from the Red Moon is under threat. It was captured and harnessed by the magicians of Baskalos, but its keeper Myglar has turned against them and is using it for himself. He must be defeated before the crystal is exhausted. The typing interface is typical of Level 9 games of the era. Time saving features include an ALL command can apply TAKE and EXAMINE to every object you can see, and the ability to type future commands while the screen is still scrolling. 18 spells are available, activated using 3-letter codes you will discover while exploring. These range from confusing or angering an enemy to healing yourself and detecting danger.

The Worm in Paradise

Commodore 64 - Released - 1985

Eden has been successfully colonised, by creating several domed cities. Society is rigidly functioning, unemployment, crime and poverty all non-existent. The economy functions on fines rather than taxes, making for a plethora of petty rules and no penal punishment. Robot employees make everything run cheaply. Body part reselling allows hospitals to turn a profit. Robots can even control human reproduction. The end result is a society in which humans have no useful role. Who would live in a 'paradise' like this? The Worm In Paradise is the culmination of the Silicon Dreams series of interactive fiction. The game relies on strict timing and a day/night cycle (using a decimal clock with 10 100-minute hours) – return to your home before darkness falls, and don't expect robots to help with tasks which will not be finished in the day. Vital buildings can be located using colour-coded co-ordinates, but these change every time you load the game, so be careful to write them down.