Sir Randolf Returns

Sir Randolf defeated? Banished to a dungeon full of traps and monsters? The answers, of course, are really up to you.

Born the only son of poor parents in 974 A.D., our hero grows up with a dream of leading the king's army of knights. One fateful day he discovers a suit of armor which belongs to a knight visiting the king's castle. It seems logical for him to claim the knight's horse. He climbs aboard and a legend is born. In his travels, Sir Randolf makes many friends, but some powerful enemies as well. Among those who despise him the most is Ruth, an evil sorceress, because Sir Randolf thwarted her attempts to conquer a remote area in the southwest corner of the kingdom. Ruth's response is to cast an evil spell over Randolf, during which he is transported into a maze of dungeons below her habitat. Here, she feels, her "house pets" will keep Sir Randolf out of her hair until old age finally does him in.

Unbeknownst to Ruth, however, there is an escape to the outside world a gate, even. But it is locked and the keys are somewhere in the dingy dungeon. There are also 22 monsters roaming around which will make the search difficult. They have different levels of strength and vitality, which vary according to the harm they inflict upon Sir Randolf. Thankfully, food has been stored at different locations in the dungeons. Our hero does not have to eat every time he finds food. It will remain fresh until Sir Randolf needs nourishment, which usually is after an encounter with a monster.

Sir Randolf's strength level, along with that of the various monsters, is displayed on the screen throughout the game. When he gets close to a key, an asterisk appears on the screen. As he collects keys, he becomes stronger. To move, enter the first letter of the direction. The up arrow means the same as "Look in the sack." An exclamation point (!) is the same as "Hit with the sword." An equal sign (=) means "Stab with dagger." SEARCH will examine the area around you.

Before loading be sure to enter POKE25, 5: POKE25, 1: NEW to reserve maximum memory. Also, unplug your disk controller.

Combat Tips: If you are told "there is a wolf attacking," you have no choice but to fight. However, if "there is a wolf to the west," the element of surprise is in your favor. First, you attack with the sword and you must move in that direction. You can move in another direction if you are not eager to fight. Be aware that monsters take retreat as a sign of weakness. Their strength and vitality levels increase when they are intentionally avoided. Some of the monsters are real cream puffs; others are killers.