221 B Baker St.

MS-DOS - Released - 1987

Based on the board game of the same name, 221 B Baker St. pits up to four players against each other in a race to solve mysteries set in Victorian London. After picking a character (Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Irene Adler, or Inspector Lestrade), players select one of the thirty available mysteries and read its case file in the game's manual. The case file presents the particulars of the case, mentions the people involved, and explains what the players need to deduce to win the game. Solving the mysteries entails moving around London (the game board) via a roll of the dice, entering locales to collect clues, and then piecing the clues together. Among the fifteen locations available are a pub, a park, and a bank, and each location is brought to life with voice synthesis. Each location will have a clue, but not all clues will be useful. Before solving the case, players must visit Scotland Yard for a badge. Players might also want to use a badge to lock a location with a useful clue, requiring other players to detour to the locksmith. Once a player believes they have solved the case, they must return to Baker Street and answer a quiz. If the player is incorrect, the other players can continue.

221 B Baker St.

Atari 800 - Released - 1987

Based on the board game of the same name, 221 B Baker St. pits up to four players against each other in a race to solve mysteries set in Victorian London. After picking a character (Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Irene Adler, or Inspector Lestrade), players select one of the thirty available mysteries and read its case file in the game's manual. The case file presents the particulars of the case, mentions the people involved, and explains what the players need to deduce to win the game. Solving the mysteries entails moving around London (the game board) via a roll of the dice, entering locales to collect clues, and then piecing the clues together. Among the fifteen locations available are a pub, a park, and a bank, and each location is brought to life with voice synthesis. Each location will have a clue, but not all clues will be useful. Before solving the case, players must visit Scotland Yard for a badge. Players might also want to use a badge to lock a location with a useful clue, requiring other players to detour to the locksmith. Once a player believes they have solved the case, they must return to Baker Street and answer a quiz. If the player is incorrect, the other players can continue.

221 B Baker St.

Apple II - Released - 1986

Based on the board game of the same name, 221 B Baker St. pits up to four players against each other in a race to solve mysteries set in Victorian London. After picking a character (Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Irene Adler, or Inspector Lestrade), players select one of the thirty available mysteries and read its case file in the game's manual. The case file presents the particulars of the case, mentions the people involved, and explains what the players need to deduce to win the game. Solving the mysteries entails moving around London (the game board) via a roll of the dice, entering locales to collect clues, and then piecing the clues together. Among the fifteen locations available are a pub, a park, and a bank, and each location is brought to life with voice synthesis. Each location will have a clue, but not all clues will be useful. Before solving the case, players must visit Scotland Yard for a badge. Players might also want to use a badge to lock a location with a useful clue, requiring other players to detour to the locksmith. Once a player believes they have solved the case, they must return to Baker Street and answer a quiz. If the player is incorrect, the other players can continue.

221 B Baker St.

Atari ST - Released - 1987

Based on the board game of the same name, 221 B Baker St. pits up to four players against each other in a race to solve mysteries set in Victorian London. After picking a character (Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson, Irene Adler, or Inspector Lestrade), players select one of the thirty available mysteries and read its case file in the game's manual. The case file presents the particulars of the case, mentions the people involved, and explains what the players need to deduce to win the game. Solving the mysteries entails moving around London (the game board) via a roll of the dice, entering locales to collect clues, and then piecing the clues together. Among the fifteen locations available are a pub, a park, and a bank, and each location is brought to life with voice synthesis. Each location will have a clue, but not all clues will be useful. Before solving the case, players must visit Scotland Yard for a badge. Players might also want to use a badge to lock a location with a useful clue, requiring other players to detour to the locksmith. Once a player believes they have solved the case, they must return to Baker Street and answer a quiz. If the player is incorrect, the other players can continue.

221 B Baker Street Case Library 1

Apple II - DLC - 1987

221 B Baker Street Case Library 1 is an expansion pack for 221 B Baker Street. It contains 30 all-new cases to play. Both the Apple II and MS-DOS versions were sold in the same box.

221 B Baker Street Case Library 2

Apple II - DLC - 1987

221 B Baker Street Case Library 2 is an expansion pack for 221 B Baker Street. It contains another 30 all-new cases, bringing the total number of cases up to 90 (base game + both case library expansion packs).

221B Baker Street Case Library 1

Atari 800 - DLC - 1986

221B Baker Street Case Library 1 is an expansion pack for 221B Baker Street. It contains 30 all-new cases to play. This expansion pack was released only for the Apple II, MS-DOS, and Atari 8-Bit versions of the game.

221B Baker Street Case Library 2

Atari 800 - DLC - 1987

221B Baker Street Case Library 2 is an expansion pack for 221B Baker Street. It contains 30 all-new cases to play. This expansion pack was released only for the Apple II, MS-DOS, and Atari 8-Bit versions of the game.

Alternate Reality: The City

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1987

In Alternate Reality: The City, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG features of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offers moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you become good or evil, and that affects how the environment reacts to you. Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system, but you can also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents. The storyline is non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time.

Alternate Reality: The City

Atari ST - Released - 1986

In Alternate Reality: The City, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG features of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offers moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you become good or evil, and that affects how the environment reacts to you. Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system, but you can also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents. The storyline is non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time.

Alternate Reality: The City

Atari 800 - Released - 1985

In Alternate Reality: The City, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG features of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offers moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you become good or evil, and that affects how the environment reacts to you. Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system, but you can also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents. The storyline is non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time.

Alternate Reality: The City

Apple II - Released - 1985

In Alternate Reality: The City, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG features of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offers moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you become good or evil, and that affects how the environment reacts to you. Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system, but you can also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents. The storyline is non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time.

Alternate Reality: The City

Commodore 64 - Released - 1986

In Alternate Reality: The City, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG features of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offers moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you become good or evil, and that affects how the environment reacts to you. Encounters are not necessarily just resolved with the turn-based combat system, but you can also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents. The storyline is non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time.

Alternate Reality: The City

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

In this old first-person RPG, you are one of many people who have been abducted from earth by aliens and transported to an alternate dimension where you are dumped in a strange, yet familiar city. Your quest is to explore the city, and find the clues that will lead you to your captors and help you get back home. In addition to standard first-person RPG's of that era, like skills, stats, experience points and a repertoire of shops and places to visit, the game offered moral evaluation of your character, and depending on your actions you would be good or evil, and that affected how the environment reacted to you. Encounters were not necessarily just resolved with combat, but you could also try to trick, charm or bribe opponents, and the storyline is very non-linear, for example allowing you to take a job in order to enhance a particular skill or just to pass away time. Alternate Reality: The City is the first part of an unfinished series of five planned RPG's.

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon

Apple II - Released - 1987

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon directly follows its predecessor: The player is still captured by aliens and imprisoned in an alternate reality. After visiting the city, now he proceeds to the dungeon with only one goal in mind: surviving. While the predecessor was more about exploring the city, this installment has a largely linear path - the dungeon consists of four levels which have to be visited in order. But the surroundings don't mean that there are only monsters to fight in the turn-based combat system or treasure to loot: the player still has the shops, e.g. an inn or a smithy, to his disposal. Even the six guilds (plus two additional ones) found their way into the dungeon; this time the player even may become a member. An important change in gameplay is that all items have a weight associated with them - carrying too much is bad for speed and endurance. The dungeon is separated from the city and after entering there is no turning back. Save games can be imported, but the player loses all potions but sixteen.

Alternate Reality: The Dungeon

Atari 800 - 1987

Alternate Reality is an unfinished role-playing video game series that has achieved cult status among many fans of RPGs. It was created by Philip Price, who formed a development company called Paradise Programming. Published by Datasoft AR: The City was released in 1985 and AR: The Dungeon was released in 1987. Price was unable to complete the second game in the series, and The Dungeon was finished by Ken Jordan and Dan Pinal. Gary Gilbertson created the music for both games.

Bismarck

Atari ST - Released - 1988

May 1941, operation Rheinübung. German battleship Bismarck is attempting to elude the Allied fleet in order to escape from the North Atlantic and be able to conduct shipping raids against Allied supply convoys. The player can take command of either the British or German side. You can conduct air searches on the map, read weather forecast, move your ships, fire their deck guns and torpedoes, control repairs during battle. You can also fly Fairey Swordfish and make a torpedo run. Germans win if Bismarck safely escapes south or returns to France after sinking enemy ships.

Bismarck: The North Sea Chase

Apple II - Released - July 26, 1987

From the back of the box: Germany's massive dreadnaught, Bismarck, sent Her Majesty's Ship Hood to the bottom of the icy Atlantic on the evening of 24 May 1941. Of the Hood's 1,415 crewmen, only 3 survived. Bismarck's guns are powerful enough to hurl automobile-sized shells for miles. With such awesome firepower, can she invincibly prowl the sea lanes? Can Britain stop her? Bismarck - The North Sea Chase is a taut, multi-level game featuring full joystick control; real-time action; and variable speed and difficulty levels. You're in charge of an exciting array of technical controls: Main Screen Map, Air Reconnaissance Screen, Weather Forecasting, Radar Search, Bridge Command and more! And when it's time for action, you direct the anti-aircraft and heavy guns; launch torpedo attacks; and manage damage control! If you tire of command from the bridge, you can pilot a Fairey Swordfish torpedo plane off a carrier flight deck. Hunt Bismarck from the air via this exciting, cockpit-perfect flight simulator. With options to control either The Royal Navy or the infamous German battleship, Bismarck - The North Sea Chase provides and abundance of intriguing, sharp-edged game play.

Bismarck: The North Sea Chase

Atari 800 - Released - 1988

May 1941, operation Rheinübung. German battleship Bismarck is attempting to elude the Allied fleet in order to escape from the North Atlantic and be able to conduct shipping raids against Allied supply convoys. The player can take command of either the British or German side. You can conduct air searches on the map, read weather forecast, move your ships, fire their deck guns and torpedoes, control repairs during battle. You can also fly Fairey Swordfish and make a torpedo run. Germans win if Bismarck safely escapes south or returns to France after sinking enemy ships.

Black Magic

Apple II - Released - 1987

Black Magic is a multi-directional scrolling action-adventure game written for the Apple II by Peter Ward and published by Datasoft in 1987. Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC versions were also released. The evil wizard Zahgrim has turned the good wizard Aganar to stone, removed his six eyes, and placed them in different locations across the land so they may view the destruction being reaped. The player's objective is to find the six eyeballs scattered across the land which are needed to pass the Blind Statue. Once the eyes are placed back in the Blind Statue's empty sockets, a message appears explaining how to end Zahgrim's rule over the land once and for all. It is achieved by entering his castle, a wicked and difficult maze of traps and monsters. Every 4000 points, a new rank is awarded. There are four ranks: apprentice, wizard, sorcerer, necromancer. The gameplay involves moving through a large, side-view scrolling world, collecting items, shooting arrows at enemies, and casting spells. The world scrolls both vertically and horizontally, and most areas within it do not have to be visited in a fixed order. Resources are limited. You are always on the verge of running out of food, and arrows are also in short supply. When one of the statue's eyes is collected, new types of monsters appear in the world making travel more difficult. This makes the game play differently depending on the order the eyes are collected. Spells provide alternate approaches to problems. You can turn yourself invisible, for example, so monsters can't hurt you. Or you can freeze water so the creatures in it cannot move. New spells are unlocked with each rank. A large bird can carry you to a different part of the world, similar to the bat in Adventure for the Atari 2600. Shooting the bird with an arrow makes it go away temporarily.

Borodino 1812: Napoleon in Russia

Atari 800 - Released - 1987

Napoleon in Russia is a scenario of what might have been. You can either play Napoleon's Borodino plan or devise your own. Game features include command over infantry, cavalry, and artillery divisions; scrolling battle map with prominent terrain; and several options covering fatigue, morale levels, battle speed, difficulty modes and player selections (two player or against computer).

Bruce Lee

Commodore 64 - Released - 1984

The late martial arts hero features in this platform game, with the aim of reaching a wizard in an underground lair, defeat of whom can offer him untold wealth. In each area you must collect the many strategically-placed lanterns before exiting through the newly-revealed passageway. Some rooms also have escalator-type sections to run along, and the standard (although slightly illogical in this context) ladders. There are 20 areas to be completed. On the way, you'll fight two enemies - a ninja and a green sumo warrior named Yamo. You can defeat them by punching, kicking, dropping on their heads or luring them into hazardous terrain, or even by making them accidentally hit each other. Even after they are killed, however, they keep coming back for more after a few seconds. Since they can move pretty intelligently (they even climb ladders), you should watch out for them. The game also allows a second player to take control of Yamo. There are lots of hazards to avoid by either walking round or jumping - walls of electrical charge and exploding bushes for example.

Bruce Lee

Atari 800 - Released - 1984

Bruce Lee is a platform/beat 'em up hybrid, in which the player controls Bruce Lee. The plot involves the eponymous martial artist advancing from chamber to chamber in a wizard's tower, seeking to claim infinite wealth and the secret of immortality. There are twenty chambers, each represented by a single screen with platforms and ladders. To progress, the player must collect a number of lanterns suspended from various points in the chamber. Most chambers are guarded by two mobile enemies; The Ninja, who attacks with a "bokken stick" and The Green Yamo, a large unarmed warrior, visually styled as a sumo wrestler but attacking with punches and "crushing kicks". On platforms with sufficient graphics support, Yamo's skin is actually pictured as green, though in cover art he has a natural human skin tone.

Bruce Lee

Apple II - Released - 1984

The late martial arts hero features in this platform game, with the aim of reaching a wizard in an underground lair, defeat of whom can offer him untold wealth. In each area you must collect the many strategically-placed lanterns before exiting through the newly-revealed passageway. Some rooms also have escalator-type sections to run along, and the standard (although slightly illogical in this context) ladders. There are 20 areas to be completed. On the way, you'll fight two enemies - a ninja and a green sumo warrior named Yamo. You can defeat them by punching, kicking, dropping on their heads or luring them into hazardous terrain, or even by making them accidentally hit each other. Even after they are killed, however, they keep coming back for more after a few seconds. Since they can move pretty intelligently (they even climb ladders), you should watch out for them. The game also allows a second player to take control of Yamo. There are lots of hazards to avoid by either walking round or jumping - walls of electrical charge and exploding bushes for example.

Bruce Lee

MS-DOS - Released - October 1, 1984

The late martial arts hero features in this platform game, with the aim of reaching a wizard in an underground lair, defeat of whom can offer him untold wealth. In each area you must collect the many strategically-placed lanterns before exiting through the newly-revealed passageway. Some rooms also have escalator-type sections to run along, and the standard (although slightly illogical in this context) ladders. There are 20 areas to be completed. On the way, you'll fight two enemies - a ninja and a green sumo warrior named Yamo. You can defeat them by punching, kicking, dropping on their heads or luring them into hazardous terrain, or even by making them accidentally hit each other. Even after they are killed, however, they keep coming back for more after a few seconds. Since they can move pretty intelligently (they even climb ladders), you should watch out for them. The game also allows a second player to take control of Yamo. There are lots of hazards to avoid by either walking round or jumping - walls of electrical charge and exploding bushes for example.

Canyon Climber

Apple II - Released - 1982

Obviously Donkey Kong-inspired, in Canyon Climber you try to climb to the top of the Grand Canyon, while avoiding various obstacles. There are three levels, each a single screen: In Level 1 you set bombs on each side of three bridges and then push the plunger at the top to blow them up, all while jumping or outrunning charging sheep. In Level 2 you climb ladders and run up long paths to reach the top of the screen while jumping over arrows shot by indians. In Level 3 you jump pits and climb ladders to reach the top while avoiding birds that drop bricks.

Canyon Climber

Atari 800 - Released - 1982

Obviously Donkey Kong-inspired, in Canyon Climber you try to climb to the top of the Grand Canyon, while avoiding various obstacles. There are three levels, each a single screen: In Level 1 you set bombs on each side of three bridges and then push the plunger at the top to blow them up, all while jumping or outrunning charging sheep. In Level 2 you climb ladders and run up long paths to reach the top of the screen while jumping over arrows shot by indians. In Level 3 you jump pits and climb ladders to reach the top while avoiding birds that drop bricks.

Canyon Climber 2

Atari 800 - 1982

Clowns and Balloons

Atari 800 - Released - 1982

Clowns and Balloons is similar to the 1977 Exidy arcade game "Circus", but more advanced in graphics and sound. In the game you control two clowns holding a trampoline, and use it to bounce a third clown in the air where balloons cross above. Popped balloons add up the score, and if the clown falls without hitting the trampoline he dies. There is a physics to controlling the angle and speed of the bouncing clown, much like Breakout or Arkanoid style games. Action can be very fast and the screen is colorful, with many sprits in motion. The music is also exceptionally smooth and catchy.

Clowns and Balloons

Atari 5200

Clowns & Balloons is a clone of the 1978 Bally/Midway arcade game CLOWNS, which itself was a clone of the 1977 Exidy arcade game CIRCUS. Your mission is to bounce your clown off of a moving trampoline and try to burst all of the balloons. The longer you keep him jumping, the higher (and faster) he will go, which you need to do in order to burst the highest balloons. You get bonus points for completing each row of balloons as well.

Conan

Atari 800 - Released - 1984

Conan is a side-view action-platform game with seven levels to conquer. Game play consists of combat with enemies (via thrown "power swords" that Conan carries), and avoiding various traps and pitfalls by leaping/vaulting through levels. The character is unusually well animated for games of the time. There is no save game facility. The Atari 800 version, like the C64, was a straight forward port of the Apple II version which came first. The Atari version features substantially improved music from the Apple original.

Conan

Commodore 64 - Released - 1984

You, Conan the Barbarian, must enter a castle and defeat the evil Volta. You are armed with ten boomerang swords and your own cunning. Along the way magic gems, keys and an "Avian Ally" will help you through seven very diverse levels in which you must navigate treacherous obstacles including lava pits, powerful geysers that hurl you into the air, spike pits, and floating platforms. Volta's castle is guarded by several of his nasty beasts: bats, scorpions, giant ants, fire-breathing dragons, floating eyeballs, and even a huge electrical generator gone haywire -- you'll soon realize why he calls himself "Volta".

Conan

Apple II - Released - 1984

Conan: Hall of Volta is a 1984 action-platform computer game, designed by Eric Robinson and Eric Parker, and published by Datasoft. It is based on the character Conan created by Robert E. Howard. Released in 1984, the game's launch coincided with the debut of the sequel to the 1984 feature film Conan the Destroyer. The game's box featured a painting of Arnold Schwarzenegger as the muscle-bound warrior with his new costume for Destroyer. Despite this attempted tie-in, the game has little to do with the movie series except that it features the Cimmerian in the title role. This is due to having originally been designed without the Conan tie-in, as a boomerang-throwing game titled Visigoth. One of the screenshots on the back of the packaging is from a prototype version, and shows a boomerang instead of a sword.

Cosmic Relief: Prof. Renegade to the Rescue

Commodore 64 - Released - 1988

This multi-level action/adventure takes players back 40 years to find Professor K.K. Renegade, who predicts that a catastrophic asteroid is heading straight for earth. You're in charge of finding Professor Renegade. Select one of the five most intrepid Adventurers from England, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.S. to spearhead the search. Professor Renegade was last seen in the unexplored region of the highest Tibetan ranges; an area populated by creatures and conditions of the professor's own design: venomous stone snakes, reptilian birds, and acid storms. Not only must your Adventurer survive these tests of courage, but he must and properly use such curious objects as spurs, a vacuum cleaner, and a unicycle. Once you locate the professor and convince him to help, you'll need to help him construct an anti-asteroid deflector to prevent the destruction of earth. You must now search for high-tech tools such as an atomic pile, a 9-volt battery, and a bent coat hanger! Use the joystick and the appropriate keys to maneuver the Adventurer across the landscape. You have 30 days to complete the mission. During the mission, the Adventurer collects various items (points are awarded for each). Some items serve little purpose; others are vital; and others only work in certain places. Only one item can be held at a time and it must be held to be used. Native bearers carry the items collected. To look at what each bearer has, type 1 or 2 to scroll through the bearers. The Adventurer can exchange the item held (press S) with a bearer that is closest to him. Its trial and error time. Good luck. The game comes with cheats and a map for those that require a little help.

Crosscheck

Commodore 64 - Released - 1986

A strategy crossword game. Tired of sharpening pencils for crossword puzzles? Now you can spend your time sharpening your wits with this exciting new game that provides the ultimate challenge fro crossword and work-game fans. Stop the spin on the on-screen die to determine the length of your word, answer the clue correctly, and place the first answer on your own Starting Bar in the center of the screen. Thereafter, place your answer anywhere on the board. It may stand by itself or cross any other word, even one of your opponent's, provided it forms a valid word with any one it crosses. Strategy is crucial. Place words where they will do you the most good or where they will interfere most with your opponent's next move. You may also have the option to place a single letter or a solid blocking square on the board. The goal is to build an unbroken chain connecting your Starting Bar and your Home Base. Up to four players or teams can play. Set point limits, time limits and set varying degrees of clue difficulty.

Crosscheck

Apple II - Released - 1986

Crosscheck is a trivia and word-based strategy game for 1 - 4 players. A combination of a crossword puzzle, and Scrabble, the players take turns rolling a dice numbered 1 - 9. Depending on the roll, they will be asked a trivia question, or allowed to directly post a tile on the table. The player's answer will always be as long as the number rolled. If the player answers the question correctly, the answer can be placed on the board. If the player rolls a 1 or 2, they are allowed to place a single tile of their choosing on the board. Players can have a timed game, a goal number of points, or play until they reach their home base. There are special bonus squares on the table, which award the player extra points.

Dark Lord

Commodore 64 - Released - 1987

Journey through a magic mirror, which leads you to the alterworld where you must defeat Nequam, the Dark Lord who killed your grandfather. Dark Lord is an adventure game that involves the player reading a description of each scene, and entering one- or two-word commands at the prompt. Some of the commands recognized include GET, EXAMINE, GIVE, and SAY (to have conversations with people you meet).

Dark Lord

Apple II - Released - August 7, 1987

Journey through a magic mirror, which leads you to the alterworld where you must defeat Nequam, the Dark Lord who killed your grandfather. Dark Lord is an adventure game that involves the player reading a description of each scene, and entering one- or two-word commands at the prompt. Some of the commands recognized include GET, EXAMINE, GIVE, and SAY (to have conversations with people you meet).

Dig Dug

Commodore 64 - Released - January 1, 1983

The objective of Dig Dug is to eliminate underground-dwelling monsters. This can be done by inflating them until they pop or by dropping rocks on them. There are two kinds of enemies in the game: Pookas, round red monsters (said to be modeled after tomatoes) who wear yellow goggles, and Fygars, green dragons who can breathe fire. The player's character is Dig Dug, dressed in white and blue, and able to dig tunnels. Dig Dug is killed if he is caught by either Pooka or Fygar, burned by a Fygar's fire, or crushed by a rock.

Dig Dug

Apple II - Released - 1984

Atari also obtained the license for home versions of Dig Dug, and released it for the Atari 2600, Atari 5200, Atari 7800, Intellivision, Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, VIC-20, Commodore 64, IBM PC and TI-99/4A. Namco ported Dig Dug to the Nintendo Family Computer in 1985. Gakken made a table top handheld game of Dig Dug in 1982. It was one of a series of 3 flip-top games with VFD screen and magnifying Fresnel lens. The objective of Dig Dug is to eliminate underground-dwelling monsters by inflating them with an air pump until they explode, or by dropping rocks on them. There are two kinds of enemies in the game: "Pookas" (a race of cute round red monsters, said to be modeled after tomatoes, that wear yellow goggles) and "Fygars" (a race of green dragons that can breathe fire while their wings flash). The player's character is the eponymous Dig Dug, dressed in white and blue and able to dig tunnels through dirt. Dig Dug will be killed if he is caught by either a Pooka or a Fygar, burned by a Fygar's fire, or crushed by a rock.

Dung Beetles

Apple II - Released - 1982

AKA "Tumble Bugs" in a later release. Dung Beetles is an Apple II computer game by Bob Bishop released in 1982 by Datasoft. The game was ported to Atari 8-bit computers, and also to the TRS-80 Color Computer, where it was distributed by Tandy. On the Color Computer, it was renamed Mega-Bug; however, some copies were sold as Dung Beetles. Later versions for both the Apple II and Atari were named Tumble Bugs; also the Atari version was renamed Magneto Bugs for the 1983 re-release by Gentry Software. In Australia, the game was re-branded Bug Attack. Sneak through unique maze after maze gobbling white dots while being hunted by the Mega-Bugs. Their job is made easier because The Mouth you pilot leaves behind a trail of colored dots which they will follow relentlessly the moment they come upon it. This makes the maze's dead-ends truly treacherous. Your job is made harder by the size of the maze (20x20), which requires a magnifier over your location to show the action, effectively creating a blind spot at a radius of three dots around you. To succeed, you must watch not only where you're going, but scan each randomly generated maze to plan your route and avoid the Mega-Bugs. If you do succeed, you're rewarded with a new maze and an additional Mega-Bug hunting you. If you fail, the bugs dance gleefully and shout, "we gotcha!"

Fathom's 40

Apple II - Released - 1982

Fathom's 40 realistically simulates the operations of a German U-Boat during the last days of World War II (1942-1944). It combines the strategic elements of popular board games with the computer's ability to provide animated action and automatic scoring. You, the captain, must guide your Mark XXI U-Boat into the Allied shipping lanes, seek out tankers and freighters, avoid depth charges, torpedo the convoy, and return safely to Brest, France. The game starts in strategic mode with a map display where you seek out a shipping lane to locate a convoy. Once a convoy is located the game shifts into tactical mode with a sonar display. As captain you can choose to operate in silent, normal or emergency running modes; to climb or dive; run on diesel engines or battery power; raise and lower the periscope; charge the batteries; reload torpedoes. Convoys are protected by destroyers and escorts that differ as to the number of weapons they carry and their sonar ability. The U-Boat can sustain damage to the engine room, battery room, torpedo room, torpedo tubes, rudder, periscope, dive planes. Damage limits what functionality the captain can utilise. Damage can be repaired by moving out of the combat zone and returning to Brest. There are three patrol missions in each game. The number of ships in each mission will vary. There are three sets of six torpedoes available in each mission. Reloading torpedoes takes 20 seconds. A combination of keyboard and joystick controls are needed to navigate, view through the periscope and attack. After each game, the evaluation screen shows total victory points awarded, total tonnage sunk and gives a final rank. There are three levels of difficulty to master. The manual provides some history on U-Boats, and some useful strategy to consider on your missions - for example the speed of various ship types is provided, and what capabilities each ship has for detecting the U-Boat.

Force 7

Apple II - Released - August 13, 1987

In Force Seven, the player is in charge of a specially trained squadron which consists of seven crew members, all with different expertise. Their task is to infiltrate the energy production plant on the planet KARIS by rescuing any survivors and destroying any aliens that are holding them captive. The player is equipped with a flame thrower which they can use to destroy the aliens, but caution must be taken so that they do not destroy survivors by accident. If the player spends too much time in a room, a green alien appears in their exact location. It is invincible to shots, so the player needs to get away as soon as possible. If the player comes into contact with any aliens, their energy is depleted. When the player has no energy left, the crew member they are controlling dies, requiring them to select another member. Also in each room are supplies, and the player can stock up on more ammo, grenades, or health if required. Teleports around the facility warp the player to a room with a blueprint reader. Using this lets players either travel between the plant's six floors or to another area within the same floor.

Genesis

Apple II - Released - 1984

An action game set at a time when nascent, insectoid life forms battled each other for survival and for domination of the ecosystem, in an ancient epoch at the dawn of life on Earth (or thereabouts). The player, cast in the role of a scorpion, is tasked with overcoming an incursion by a particularly mean strain of killer spiders. Similar to Tempest, the player patrols the top edge of a tunnel seen from a bird's-eye view, as enemies rise up from the depths. Firing volleys of venom will destroy the unwelcome arachnids as they try to scale the walls; if they manage to crawl their way to the top, they open holes in the tunnel wall (which spell death for the player). Each wave of attack adds an intermediate platform within the tunnel, which the spiders can move along, change directions and dodge the player's fire. Also traveling along the top edge is a special color-changing brick: one color means instant death for the player; the other can be picked up, which increases the score multiplier, acts as a shield and allows the player to fix broken sections of the tunnel wall. Good aim is encouraged - extra lives may be gained by keeping a high percentage of hits.

Genesis

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

An action game set at a time when nascent, insectoid life forms battled each other for survival and for domination of the ecosystem, in an ancient epoch at the dawn of life on Earth (or thereabouts). The player, cast in the role of a scorpion, is tasked with overcoming an incursion by a particularly mean strain of killer spiders. Similar to Tempest, the player patrols the top edge of a tunnel seen from a bird's-eye view, as enemies rise up from the depths. Firing volleys of venom will destroy the unwelcome arachnids as they try to scale the walls; if they manage to crawl their way to the top, they open holes in the tunnel wall (which spell death for the player). Each wave of attack adds an intermediate platform within the tunnel, which the spiders can move along, change directions and dodge the player's fire. Also traveling along the top edge is a special color-changing brick: one color means instant death for the player; the other can be picked up, which increases the score multiplier, acts as a shield and allows the player to fix broken sections of the tunnel wall. Good aim is encouraged - extra lives may be gained by keeping a high percentage of hits.

Global Commander

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

Armageddon Man (Global Commander in North Amerca) casts you as the Supreme Commander of a future barely balanced Earth. The Earth has been split into 16 separate nuclear capable countries, such as the Black African Republic, Japan and European Unite, and it's your job to make sure it doesn't become lifeless. The game is controlled by a point and click interface where you can check messages, deploy satellites and troops, send food to the regions which need it, and spy on nations. You will regularly get messages that a country is deploying forces or increasing its diplomatic presence in another nation, and can show support or criticism for these. Be aware that these decisions have consequences - the 16 nations all have feelings of importance and would not want to be sidelined.

Gunslinger

Atari 800 - Released - 1987

Gunslinger is set in the old wild west as you take the role of Kip Starr, a retired Texas Ranger, and you have to rescue your friend from being hanged by the Mexicans. You start your adventure stranded in the desert, and you explore the surrounding areas which will see you having to face Indians, cross wastelands, explore mine shafts and ghost owns, and have a shoot out with the Dalton Brothers. The game is a graphics text adventure where you see text describing your locations with a picture. You can either use the keyboard to type in commands to interact with your surroundings, or use the joystick to move an arrow to select commands.

Gunslinger

Apple II - Released - 1986

Gunslinger is set in the old wild west as you take the role of Kip Starr, a retired Texas Ranger and you have to rescue your friend from being hanged by the Mexicans. You start your adventure stranded in the desert, and you explore the surrounding areas, which will see you having to face Indians, cross wastelands, explore mine shafts and ghost owns, and have a shoot out with the Dalton Brothers. The game is a graphics text adventure where you see text describing your locations with a picture. You can either use the keyboard to type in commands to interact with your surroundings, or use the joystick to move an arrow to select commands.

Gunslinger (Datasoft)

Commodore 64 - Released - 1987

Gunslinger is set in the old wild west as you take the role of Kip Starr, a retired Texas Ranger, and you have to rescue your friend from being hanged by the Mexicans. You start your adventure stranded in the desert, and you explore the surrounding areas which will see you having to face Indians, cross wastelands, explore mine shafts and ghost owns, and have a shoot out with the Dalton Brothers. The game is a graphics text adventure where you see text describing your locations with a picture. You can either use the keyboard to type in commands to interact with your surroundings, or use the joystick to move an arrow to select commands.

Juno First

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

Waves of aliens are trying to destroy your fighter craft. Waves increase in difficulty, with every third or fourth wave being a formation wave where the aliens appear and attack in a particular pattern. Aliens mutate into more dangerous forms the longer they survive, so they should be killed as quickly as possible. The radar at the top of the screen shows what kinds of aliens are approaching and where they will appear. The aliens usually release white bombs these cannot be shot down, only avoided. They also release homing bombs, which are more dangerous but can be destroyed. Shooting the asteroid and capturing the "mystery" inside will stop the aliens from firing altogether for about 10 seconds, and give you bonus points for each alien you kill. You have 99 seconds to complete each wave. The quicker you complete the wave, the higher your bonus. An extra ship is awarded every 100,000 points. Using the warp button lets you escape from sticky situations. You have three warps for each wave, but warps do not accumulate from wave to wave.

Lancelot

Atari ST - Released - 1988

Travel back to the Age of Chivalry when knights were bold, galloping across the countryside and rescuing damsels in distress. This game recreates the time of wizards and the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot is a three-part interactive fiction adventure, spanning the complete saga from the foundation of the Order to its finest hour - the quest for the Holy Grail. Guide Lancelot through his many exploits at Camelot, battle with wayward knights, and win the love of Guinever and Elaine. The challenge which has fascinated treasure hunters through the centuries is now yours - and you'll need all your strength, wit and valor to achieve your goal. To get the highest possible score, you should only kill combat foes when it is absolutely essential to survival. The game's command set includes the ability to issue instructions to other knights, and to automatically GO TO a place you have previously visited.

Lancelot

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1988

Travel back to the Age of Chivalry when knights were bold, galloping across the countryside and rescuing damsels in distress. This game recreates the time of wizards and the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot is a three-part interactive fiction adventure, spanning the complete saga from the foundation of the Order to its finest hour - the quest for the Holy Grail. Guide Lancelot through his many exploits at Camelot, battle with wayward knights, and win the love of Guinever and Elaine. The challenge which has fascinated treasure hunters through the centuries is now yours - and you'll need all your strength, wit and valor to achieve your goal. To get the highest possible score, you should only kill combat foes when it is absolutely essential to survival. The game's command set includes the ability to issue instructions to other knights, and to automatically GO TO a place you have previously visited.

Lancelot

Commodore 64 - Released - 1988

Travel back to the Age of Chivalry when knights were bold, galloping across the countryside and rescuing damsels in distress. This game recreates the time of wizards and the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot is a three-part interactive fiction adventure, spanning the complete saga from the foundation of the Order to its finest hour - the quest for the Holy Grail. Guide Lancelot through his many exploits at Camelot, battle with wayward knights, and win the love of Guinever and Elaine. The challenge which has fascinated treasure hunters through the centuries is now yours - and you'll need all your strength, wit and valor to achieve your goal. To get the highest possible score, you should only kill combat foes when it is absolutely essential to survival. The game's command set includes the ability to issue instructions to other knights, and to automatically GO TO a place you have previously visited.

Lancelot

MS-DOS - Released - 1988

Travel back to the Age of Chivalry when knights were bold, galloping across the countryside and rescuing damsels in distress. This game recreates the time of wizards and the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot is a three-part interactive fiction adventure, spanning the complete saga from the foundation of the Order to its finest hour - the quest for the Holy Grail. Guide Lancelot through his many exploits at Camelot, battle with wayward knights, and win the love of Guinever and Elaine. The challenge which has fascinated treasure hunters through the centuries is now yours - and you'll need all your strength, wit and valor to achieve your goal. To get the highest possible score, you should only kill combat foes when it is absolutely essential to survival. The game's command set includes the ability to issue instructions to other knights, and to automatically GO TO a place you have previously visited.

Lancelot

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1988

Travel back to the Age of Chivalry when knights were bold, galloping across the countryside and rescuing damsels in distress. This game recreates the time of wizards and the Knights of the Round Table. Lancelot is a three-part interactive fiction adventure, spanning the complete saga from the foundation of the Order to its finest hour - the quest for the Holy Grail. Guide Lancelot through his many exploits at Camelot, battle with wayward knights, and win the love of Guinever and Elaine. The challenge which has fascinated treasure hunters through the centuries is now yours - and you'll need all your strength, wit and valor to achieve your goal. To get the highest possible score, you should only kill combat foes when it is absolutely essential to survival. The game's command set includes the ability to issue instructions to other knights, and to automatically GO TO a place you have previously visited.

Lost Tomb

Atari 800 - Released - 1984

Lost Tomb takes the player into the depths of an ancient pyramid, though its location is uncertain (the box covers of the home versions place it in Egypt, but in-game it is said to be deep in the Amazon). To escape, you will need to make your way from chamber to chamber - uncovering treasures, avoiding traps, and facing a variety of enemies from scorpions and spiders to mummies and gigantic bats. Like every self-respecting explorer and treasure-hunter, you've armed yourself with a gun and a whip: the whip clears away everything in your immediate vicinity - enemies, traps and even walls. Your gun can be infinitely reloaded, but whips are limited (though you can restock along the way). The pyramid itself dislikes your presence: if you loiter too long, or step onto a trap, the earth will shake and the walls will shoot! Alongside the treasure chambers, each level of the pyramid has a stairway which takes you deeper down, with two different exits; fortunately, you're equipped with a map to help you plan your route. Beware the special throne rooms, rarely encountered and chock-full of traps.

Lost Tomb

Apple II - Released - October 1, 1984

Lost Tomb takes the player into the depths of an ancient pyramid, though its location is uncertain (the box covers of the home versions place it in Egypt, but in-game it is said to be deep in the Amazon). To escape, you will need to make your way from chamber to chamber - uncovering treasures, avoiding traps, and facing a variety of enemies from scorpions and spiders to mummies and gigantic bats. Like every self-respecting explorer and treasure-hunter, you've armed yourself with a gun and a whip: the whip clears away everything in your immediate vicinity - enemies, traps and even walls. Your gun can be infinitely reloaded, but whips are limited (though you can restock along the way). The pyramid itself dislikes your presence: if you loiter too long, or step onto a trap, the earth will shake and the walls will shoot! Alongside the treasure chambers, each level of the pyramid has a stairway which takes you deeper down, with two different exits; fortunately, you're equipped with a map to help you plan your route. Beware the special throne rooms, rarely encountered and chock-full of traps.

Maxwell's Demon and Memory Mania

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

Maxwell's Demon and Memory Mania is a re-release of Bishop's Square and Maxwell's Demon originally published by Datasoft Inc. The release includes two games:- Memory Mania is a tile-sliding puzzle game. A picture is split into a number of separate tiles, from 4 - 64, and randomly shuffled. The player must restore the individual photo by sliding the rows and columns of tile pieces. Initially came with 3 photos: deer, cube, and desert. The game tracks the number of moves made to solve a puzzle, and the player can save a puzzle in progress. Maxwell's Demon is based upon the second law of thermodynamics, but in this case the goal is to prove it wrong. The player controls James Clerk Maxwell's imaginary demon which sits upon the gate of separation between two molecules, by attempting to separate a system of fast moving hydrogen and slow moving helium atoms by opening and closing a gate that separates two chambers. The gate can be moved vertically, and can be briefly opened to allow molecules through. The goal is to separate all the atoms in the system.

Mercenary

Atari ST - Released - 1986

Due to an engine malfunction, your spaceship crashes on the planet Targ. Unlike your trusty vessel, you survive the crash and now have to find a way to get away from this planet. But hey, while you're at it, you might as well try to get some money off your unplanned stay on Targ. You're a mercenary, and it just so happens that the two races on the planet are at war. So why not use that to your advantage and do some favors for each race... against cash? You play this game in a first-person perspective with vector graphics. There's a huge planet for you to explore, you can walk around on it or take airborne vehicles to reach elevated locations.

Mercenary

Atari 800 - Released - 1985

Due to an engine malfunction, your spaceship crashes on the planet Targ. Unlike your trusty vessel, you survive the crash and now have to find a way to get away from this planet. But hey, while you're at it, you might as well try to get some money off your unplanned stay on Targ. You're a mercenary, and it just so happens that the two races on the planet are at war. So why not use that to your advantage and do some favors for each race... against cash? You play this game in a first-person perspective with vector graphics. There's a huge planet for you to explore, you can walk around on it or take airborne vehicles to reach elevated locations.

Mercenary: Escape from Targ: The Second City

Atari 800 - DLC - 1986

Mercenary: The Second City is an expansion disk for Mercenary, which features the same gameplay and controls. Following the successes over Targ's Central City, the controller of the BENSON computer relaxes and enjoys himself. Soon however, he grows bored and starts looking around for new challenges on the still hazardous Planet Targ. Rumors about the Palyar Commander's brother-in-law living in the southern hemisphere suggest that this may be a good challenge. In this Second City, the battle between Palyars and Mechanoids still rages... and nothing is as it seems.s

Mind Pursuit

Commodore 64 - Released - 1986

Mind Pursuit is a trivia game where one to four players try to answer questions in a variety of subjects in three different game modes. The three game modes have you trying to win the game by answering questions either to a certain amount of points, get as many points within a time limit or play on a board. You press the space to throw a dice and the number corresponds to a subject which are Science & Nature, History & Geography, TV & Movies, Sport & Games, Culture or Grab Bag. There are three type of questions to choose from, Fill in the Blanks which is worth 100 points, Multiple Choice which is worth 50 points, or True or False which is worth 25 points. Get a question correct and the player gets another question but get it wrong and the next player gets a question. For point limit you have the choice of 500, 1000, 1500 or 200 points and you can select the time to answer a question, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds or no time limit. For time limit you have the choice of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes or 120 minutes, and you can select the length of answering a question. These modes are text only but the occasional question has music or sounds. The board game itself allows you the length of answering a question and you can choose a character as a piece. The board itself is an isometric view with the whole board shown on the screen. The players start in the bottom left and have to make it to the top left of the screen. There are various squares and each have 100, 50 or 25 on them. Once again you throw the dice to get a subject for a question and you move to the next square. 25 and 50 squares allow you the choice of question type but a 100 square only allows you to answer a Fill in the Blanks question. Getting a question correct and you move the amount dictated by the amount of the square you were on.

Mind Pursuit

Apple II - Released - March 1, 1986

Mind Pursuit is a trivia game where one to four players try to answer questions in a variety of subjects in three different game modes. The three game modes have you trying to win the game by answering questions either to a certain amount of points, get as many points within a time limit or play on a board. You press the space to throw a dice and the number corresponds to a subject which are Science & Nature, History & Geography, TV & Movies, Sport & Games, Culture or Grab Bag. There are three type of questions to choose from, Fill in the Blanks which is worth 100 points, Multiple Choice which is worth 50 points, or True or False which is worth 25 points. Get a question correct and the player gets another question but get it wrong and the next player gets a question. For point limit you have the choice of 500, 1000, 1500 or 200 points and you can select the time to answer a question, 30 seconds, 45 seconds, 60 seconds or no time limit. For time limit you have the choice of 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes or 120 minutes, and you can select the length of answering a question. These modes are text only but the occasional question has music or sounds. The board game itself allows you the length of answering a question and you can choose a character as a piece. The board itself is an isometric view with the whole board shown on the screen. The players start in the bottom left and have to make it to the top left of the screen. There are various squares and each have 100, 50 or 25 on them. Once again you throw the dice to get a subject for a question and you move to the next square. 25 and 50 squares allow you the choice of question type but a 100 square only allows you to answer a Fill in the Blanks question. Getting a question correct and you move the amount dictated by the amount of the square you were on.

Moon Shuttle

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

Aliens have invaded our asteroid belt! It's up to you to get rid of them. Your space ship on the bottom of the vertically scrolling screen dodges and shoots at asteroids, hostile ships and the like. By moving left and right and firing rapidly, first you must clear a path through the asteroids. Only then you can take on the alien craft. Pushing up on the joystick increases speed, but crashing into an asteroid means death. A bonus is awarded if you pass through unscathed. Once on the other side, the aliens attack from the top and sides of the screen and drop missiles. The first wave is just a teaser. Progressive waves are more aggressive and harder to kill. If you destroy a certain number of aliens, more asteroids must be avoided or destroyed, followed by yet another alien attack, and so on, until eventually all are defeated or you have no more lives.

Moon Shuttle

Commodore 64 - Released - 1983

Aliens have invaded our asteroid belt! It's up to you to get rid of them. Your space ship on the bottom of the vertically scrolling screen dodges and shoots at asteroids, hostile ships and the like. By moving left and right and firing rapidly, first you must clear a path through the asteroids. Only then you can take on the alien craft. Pushing up on the joystick increases speed, but crashing into an asteroid means death. A bonus is awarded if you pass through unscathed. Once on the other side, the aliens attack from the top and sides of the screen and drop missiles. The first wave is just a teaser. Progressive waves are more aggressive and harder to kill. If you destroy a certain number of aliens, more asteroids must be avoided or destroyed, followed by yet another alien attack, and so on, until eventually all are defeated or you have no more lives.

Mr. Do

Atari 800 - Released - 1984

You control Mr. Do has he tries to harvest all of the cherries on the screen. However, there are numerous bad guys out to get him! Mr. Do can defend himself from the badguys in two ways: first he can push the apples located throughout the playfield on top of the enemies and crush them. Secondly, Mr. Do is armed with a power ball. This can be thrown to destroy an enemy. Mr. Do has only one power ball, though, so he will need to wait for it to return to him before it can be used again. From time to time an alpha monster will appear on the screen bearing one of the letters in EXTRA. If you use the power ball to destroy an alpha monster you earn that letter; when you've earned the complete word EXTRA you receive an extra life. When you successfully collect all of the cherries, you will move on to the next, more difficult level.

Mr. Do!

Commodore 64 - Released - 1985

You control Mr. Do has he tries to harvest all of the cherries on the screen. However, there are numerous bad guys out to get him! Mr. Do can defend himself from the badguys in two ways: first he can push the apples located throughout the playfield on top of the enemies and crush them. Secondly, Mr. Do is armed with a power ball. This can be thrown to destroy an enemy. Mr. Do has only one power ball, though, so he will need to wait for it to return to him before it can be used again. From time to time an alpha monster will appear on the screen bearing one of the letters in EXTRA. If you use the power ball to destroy an alpha monster you earn that letter; when you've earned the complete word EXTRA you receive an extra life. When you successfully collect all of the cherries, you will move on to the next, more difficult level.

Mr. Do!

Apple II - Released - 1985

You control Mr. Do as he tries to harvest all of the cherries on the screen. However, there are numerous bad guys out to get him! Mr. Do can defend himself from the bad guys in two ways: firstly, he can push the apples located throughout the playfield on top of the enemies and crush them. Secondly, Mr. Do is armed with a power ball. This can be thrown to destroy an enemy. Mr. Do has only one power ball, though, so he will need to wait for it to return to him before it can be used again. From time to time an alpha monster will appear on the screen bearing one of the letters in EXTRA. If you use the power ball to destroy an alpha monster you earn that letter; when you've earned the complete word EXTRA you receive an extra life. When you successfully collect all of the cherries, you will move on to the next, more difficult level. The mobile version of the game includes the original arcade version, as well as an enhanced mode with new levels, power-ups, and graphics.

Napoleon in Russia: Borodino 1812

Commodore 64 - Released - 1987

Borodino, just outside Moscow was hit terribly by Napoleon and the Russians fled. Once the winter hit and the Russians were regrouped, they pushed Napoleon back into Europe. This game is the scenario that "might have been" and it's outcome of the Russians OR Napoleon is up to you.

Napoleon in Russia: Borodino 1812

MS-DOS - Released - 1988

Borodino, just outside Moscow was hit terribly by Napoleon and the Russians fled. Once the winter hit and the Russians were regrouped, they pushed Napoleon back into Europe. This game is the scenario that "might have been" and it's outcome of the Russians OR Napoleon is up to you.

Nibbler

Atari 800 - 1983

Nibbler is an arcade game by Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation. Its gameplay is a variant of Pac-Man and Snake: the object is to navigate a virtual snake through an enclosed maze, while consuming dots along the way. The length of the snake increases with each object consumed, making the game more difficult. The player must also avoid colliding with walls or obstacles, and must also avoid colliding with the snake's own body sections. After all the objects on the screen have been eaten, the player progresses to the next wave, involving harder obstacles and/or higher game speeds.

O'Riley's Mine

Commodore 64 - Released - 1983

As an Irish prospector named Timothy O'Riley, dig an unending series of mines searching for coal, gold, diamonds, rubies, and oil. But watch out for the evil creatures you've disturbed and the rising underground river - don't let either one touch you or you will die! And beware - the creatures move much faster while the moon is up. The river is unstoppable, but you can kill or block the creatures with a limited supply of dynamite. O'Riley's Mine is essentially a high-speed variant of Mr. Do! and Boulder Dash - you must race around collecting everything before returning to the top of the mine shaft while the creatures chase you and the water rises relentlessly.

O'Riley's Mine

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

In O'Riley's Mine, you take the role of an Irish miner by the name of Timothy O'Riley in a horizontally scrolling collect'em-up. Each level starts with you at ground level, where you have to make a quick decision as to where should you go to start digging, because straight at the bottom of the long narrow hole, a pile of dynamite is about to blow up, which will result in water flooding up the tunnels you are about to make. Your mission is to collect every bit of treasure scattered all over the limited area, but the constantly rising water acts as your timer, but it will only rise as far up as your tunnels allow it. So, in essence, it's a race against physics. To make things a bit trickier, the game will not allow you to mine more than one block's worth in any direction, but then again, you won't be able to get trapped under falling bits of ground. As an additional inconvenience, there are some roaming underground enemies trying to catch you, but being a seasoned prospector that you are, of course you have armed yourself with a few sticks of dynamite. The speed of monsters and water changes with the level of play, up to a point, so the game does offer a good deal of challenge. Like countless other arcade-style games of the time, O'Riley's Mine can be played by two players, but you will be taking turns, so the idea of fun there is shortlived. You also have the option to start the game from any of the first nine levels, so the more advanced players will not get bored as quickly. Still, it is an old-school arcade game at heart, so it does not have any long-term replay value to it, even with all the progressive difficult levels and two-player options and whatnot. It's just harmless bit of fun, with a couple of nice twists to it that make it stand out, and I can only recommend it as good way to waste your coffee break.

Pacific Coast HWY

Atari 800 - Released - 1982

Pacific Coast Highway is a Frogger variant that makes a few changes from the arcade original. The objective is still to guide an animal (here a tortoise or a rabbit depending on what instructions you read) across first a highway where various cars have to be avoided and then a river where the turtle has to jump between boats passing by. Unlike the arcade game the road and river sections take place on different screens but are still considered a single level. Once both have been completed the game moves on to the next difficulty level. From the second level the sidewalk in the middle of the screen start rolling. The game can be played by a single player or by two players simultaneously.

Pac-Man

Apple II - Released - June 13, 1982

One of the most popular and influential games of the 1980's, Pac-Man stars a little, yellow dot-muncher who works his way around to clear a maze of the various dots and fruit which inhabit the board. Pac-Man's goal is continually challenged by four ghosts: The shy blue ghost Bashful ("Inky"), the trailing red ghost Shadow ("Blinky"), the fast pink ghost Speedy ("Pinky"), and the forgetful orange ghost Pokey ("Clyde"). One touch from any of these ghosts means loss of a life for Pac-Man. Pac-Man can turn the tables on his pursuers by eating one of the four Power-Pills located around the maze. During this time, the ghosts turn blue, and Pac-Man can eat them for bonus points. This only lasts for a limited amount of time as the ghosts' eyes float back to their center box and regenerate to chase after Pac-Man again.

Pole Position

Commodore 64 - Released - 1984

In this game, the player controls a Formula One race car. The player completes a time trial lap within a certain amount of time to qualify for an F1 race at the Fuji Racetrack. After qualifying, the player races against other cars in a championship race. Pole Position is a Formula 1 racing game. Enter the Grand Prix, race against other racing cars to achieve the highest score possible in the shortest amount of time. Before the player can enter the Grand Prix, the player must first qualify by competing in the Qualifying Lap within 73 seconds or less. If the player however, does not qualify in the Qualifying Lap, the player may continue to race until the Race Timer runs after 90 seconds. The player will score 50 point per 5 meters and additionally 50 points for every racing car passed. When the time runs out - Game Over. The player will have to restart the Qualifying Lap. Qualifying will enable the player to start in one of the eight available positions. The faster the lap time was, the better the starting position in addition to bonus score points. The number one starting position, is the Pole Position. During the Grand Prix, the player will compete against the Race Timer as well as against other racing cars. If the player fails to beat the Race Timer in any lap, the player drops out of the race - Game Over. Completing the race by reaching finishing line will grant the player 200 points per each second left on the Race Timer, bonus score for distance covered, and passing bonus points.

Pole Position

Atari 800 - Released - November 1, 1983

The player controls a Formula One race car, and has to complete a time trial lap within a certain amount of time (between 90 and 120 seconds) to qualify for an F1 race at the Fuji Racetrack. After qualifying, the player races against seven other CPU-controlled cars in a championship race (but if he or she does not qualify, the car will stay on the track until the timer runs out). The player must also avoid going off the road so that he or she will not crash into the billboards. Pole Position was the first racing video game to feature a track based on a real racing circuit. It was also the first game to feature a qualifying lap, requiring the player to complete a time trial before they can compete in Grand Prix races. Once the player has qualified, they must complete the race in the time allowed, avoiding collisions with CPU-controlled opponents and billboards along the sides of the track. The game's publisher Atari publicized the game for its "unbelievable driving realism" in providing a Formula 1 experience behind a racing wheel. The game's graphics featured full-colour landscapes with scaling sprites, including race cars and other signs, and a pseudo-3D, third-person, rear perspective view of the track, with its vanishing point swaying side to side as the player approaches corners, accurately simulating forward movement into the distance.

Pooyan

Commodore 64 - Released - 1983

In Pooyan, you play the role of a pig, protecting its piglets from wolves. The first screen takes place near the pigs' home. Mrs. Pig rides up and down in a cable car, shooting at wolves, who are riding balloons downward, towards the ground. If the wolves land safely on the ground, then they can climb a ladder, near the cable-car, and catch Mrs. Pig. But if she shoots their balloons, they splat on the ground instead. The wolves shoot acorns at the pig. But Mrs. Pig has a food based weapon too. If she gets to the top, she can get meat, to toss at the wolves and make them jump off their balloons in pursuit. Each wolf taken out this way is worth bonus points (on a doubling scheme: 400, 800 1600...) The second scene takes place at the wolves lair. Here the wolves have reinforced balloons--it takes multiple hits to make them fall. Here they float upwards toward a big rock, which they push on top of Mrs. Pig, when seven wolves are present. Additionally, an alpha wolf (wolf leader) appears and summons wolves in packs.

Pooyan

Atari 800 - Released - 1983

In Pooyan, you play the role of a pig, protecting its piglets from wolves. The first screen takes place near the pigs' home. Mrs. Pig rides up and down in a cable car, shooting at wolves, who are riding balloons downward, towards the ground. If the wolves land safely on the ground, then they can climb a ladder, near the cable-car, and catch Mrs. Pig. But if she shoots their balloons, they splat on the ground instead. The wolves shoot acorns at the pig. But Mrs. Pig has a food based weapon too. If she gets to the top, she can get meat, to toss at the wolves and make them jump off their balloons in pursuit. Each wolf taken out this way is worth bonus points (on a doubling scheme: 400, 800 1600...) The second scene takes place at the wolves lair. Here the wolves have reinforced balloons--it takes multiple hits to make them fall. Here they float upwards toward a big rock, which they push on top of Mrs. Pig, when seven wolves are present. Additionally, an alpha wolf (wolf leader) appears and summons wolves in packs.

Pooyan

Apple II - 1984

In Pooyan, you play the role of a pig, protecting its piglets from wolves. The first screen takes place near the pigs' home. Mrs. Pig rides up and down in a cable car, shooting at wolves, who are riding balloons downward, towards the ground. If the wolves land safely on the ground, then they can climb a ladder, near the cable-car, and catch Mrs. Pig. But if she shoots their balloons, they splat on the ground instead. The wolves shoot acorns at the pig. But Mrs. Pig has a food based weapon too. If she gets to the top, she can get meat, to toss at the wolves and make them jump off their balloons in pursuit. Each wolf taken out this way is worth bonus points (on a doubling scheme: 400, 800 1600...) The second scene takes place at the wolves lair. Here the wolves have reinforced balloons--it takes multiple hits to make them fall. Here they float upwards toward a big rock, which they push on top of Mrs. Pig, when seven wolves are present. Additionally, an alpha wolf (wolf leader) appears and summons wolves in packs.

Pooyan

TRS-80 Color Computer - Released - 1983

In Pooyan, you play the role of a pig, protecting its piglets from wolves. The first screen takes place near the pigs' home. Mrs. Pig rides up and down in a cable car, shooting at wolves, who are riding balloons downward, towards the ground. If the wolves land safely on the ground, then they can climb a ladder, near the cable-car, and catch Mrs. Pig. But if she shoots their balloons, they splat on the ground instead. The wolves shoot acorns at the pig. But Mrs. Pig has a food based weapon too. If she gets to the top, she can get meat, to toss at the wolves and make them jump off their balloons in pursuit. Each wolf taken out this way is worth bonus points (on a doubling scheme: 400, 800 1600...) The second scene takes place at the wolves lair. Here the wolves have reinforced balloons--it takes multiple hits to make them fall. Here they float upwards toward a big rock, which they push on top of Mrs. Pig, when seven wolves are present. Additionally, an alpha wolf (wolf leader) appears and summons wolves in packs.

Saracen

Amstrad CPC - Released - 1987

A combination puzzle/action game from Datasoft. In each of the 100 levels, the player moves a crusader through an obstacle filled maze trying to reach the Saracen Chief and detonate a bomb next to him. The chief does not move, instead remaining in a set position. Along the way, he must avoid roaming guards, bouncing cannonballs, and other traps. The crusader is armed with a bow and can pick up directionally specific arrows that are used to stop guards or destroy walls. The arrows being limited to shooting in one of the four compass directions is exacerbated by only being able to carry one object (key, arrow or bomb) at a time. For these reasons, the game's puzzle leanings and the need for a methodical approach are strong. There is generally only one way to solve each level and proper use of the given tools is key to finding it.

Saracen

Atari 800 - Released - 1987

A combination puzzle/action game from Datasoft. In each of the 100 levels, the player moves a crusader through an obstacle filled maze trying to reach the Saracen Chief and detonate a bomb next to him. The chief does not move, instead remaining in a set position. Along the way, he must avoid roaming guards, bouncing cannonballs, and other traps. The crusader is armed with a bow and can pick up directionally specific arrows that are used to stop guards or destroy walls. The arrows being limited to shooting in one of the four compass directions is exacerbated by only being able to carry one object (key, arrow or bomb) at a time. For these reasons, the game's puzzle leanings and the need for a methodical approach are strong.

Saracen

Commodore 64 - Released - 1987

A combination puzzle/action game from Datasoft. In each of the 100 levels, the player moves a crusader through an obstacle filled maze trying to reach the Saracen Chief and detonate a bomb next to him. The chief does not move, instead remaining in a set position. Along the way, he must avoid roaming guards, bouncing cannonballs, and other traps. The crusader is armed with a bow and can pick up directionally specific arrows that are used to stop guards or destroy walls. The arrows being limited to shooting in one of the four compass directions is exacerbated by only being able to carry one object (key, arrow or bomb) at a time. For these reasons, the game's puzzle leanings and the need for a methodical approach are strong. There is generally only one way to solve each level and proper use of the given tools is key to finding it.

Shooting Arcade

Atari 800 - Released - 1982

Shooting Arcade is a shoot 'em up similar to the arcade game Carnival. Like that game it is based on an amusement park shooting gallery. Targets moving left and right appear in six rows and the aim of the game is simply to shoot them all down before the player runs out of shots. Each target has a different point value and some also have special features. These are the frowning faces which cause an extra rabbit to appear when shot, the bull's eyes which change the direction targets are moving and the diamonds which give extra bullets when hit. Between levels there are extra rounds where a bear runs across the screen. When the player shoots it, it changes direction and runs faster.

Sorcerer Lord

Atari ST - Released - 1988

Sorcerer Lord is a medieval fantasy game of tactical warfare. The evil Shadowlord's army is threatening to overrun the peaceful country of Galanor. The alliance of races in Galanor isn't very fond of suppression, slavery or extinction, so they are preparing for war -- it's your job to coordinate the Galanorian defense. Movement and combat are turn-based. You and the Shadowlord alternately recruit new troops, move armies on a 2D hex-map of the land and try to conquer the enemies garrisons. The outcome of fights is shown as plain text only. Although the gameplay is quite simple, there are a few tactical knacks like certain races fighting more fiercely in certain terrain types, fatigue levels and basic statistics for army leaders. Despite the game's title, magic is a rather unimportant element of chance in battles and not under your direct control. The game contains a time limit; you've got 40 turns in easy level, less in advanced levels.

Starfire Warrior

Atari 800 - Unreleased - 1983

A prototype and subsequently not commercially released game. It is a top down view shooter, with you in a spaceship scrolling from top to bottom over territory and shooting at items on the surface while AA fire comes up (seemingly randomly) towards you.

The Dallas Quest

Commodore 64 - Released - 1984

In the game, you are a famous detective who has been summoned to South Fork for a secret meeting with Sue Ellen. She has called you here to offer you a proposition. Sue Ellen is in possession of a letter from Jock Ewing written to Miss Ellie, describing an extremely rich oil field he had discovered during his stay in South America. When Jock left for his ill-fated trip back to Southfork Ranch, he carried a map of the oilfield with him. But he also took the precaution of leaving a copy of it with an old friend and former fellow wildcatter named "Chugalug" Jones who now runs a trading post in South America in a village called Playa Peligro. Should anything happen to Jock, Chugalug has been instructed to give the map only to the person who possesses a particular ring. This ring was enclosed with the letter written to Miss Ellie; also enclosed was a snapshot of Chugalug. Sue Ellen explains that she wants the map for herself. She wants to become financially independent of J.R. so that if he begins pulling any of his old tricks she can use her own wealth to either make him behave or finance her escape from him. You must, therefore, avoid J.R. at all costs; first, because he will want to stop Sue Ellen from obtaining this independence, and second, because he will most assuredly feel that the map and the oil fields are rightfully his. J.R. will use any means to stop you! Sue Ellen continues, saying that you will be paid very handsomely for your services and, if you find the map and return it safely to her, she will pay you a bonus of two million dollars. Unbeknownst to you and Sue Ellen, J.R. has been listening to your conversation while lurking in the hallway outside the living room doors. After Sue Ellen quickly gives you the snapshot, the ring, and $500,000 for expenses, she leaves you and proceeds upstairs to her room. You now must leave at once to meet the unknown challenges that await you.

The Dallas Quest

Atari 800 - Released - August 1, 1984

When a game is faithful to the poor writing and wildly implausible plot conventions of a soap opera, does that make it a bad game or an effective adaptation of its source material? In any case, this game situates you as a private investigator hired by Sue Ellen to find a map to hidden oil fields, in hopes to accumulate enough wealth to escape the sinister influence of J.R. Sue Ellen offers you a reward of $2 million for the map. You snoop around the grounds of the South Fork Ranch, superficially interacting with much-loved characters from the TV show and an assortment of extras from the animal kingdom. You must avoid J.R. who would like to put a stop to Sue Ellen's plans. So far, so good. Your travels ultimately lead you to the jungles around Playa Peligro, in South America, where you overcome a series of obstacles by using various techniques, but mostly by doping a friendly monkey with tobacco -- a firm reminder that we're descending beneath even soap opera plot conflicts and sitting squarely in an early-'80s text adventure game, with all of the internal logic-twisting that entails.

The Dallas Quest

TRS-80 Color Computer - Released - 1984

When a game is faithful to the poor writing and wildly implausible plot conventions of a soap opera, does that make it a bad game or an effective adaptation of its source material? In any case, this game situates you as a private investigator hired by Sue Ellen to find a map to hidden oil fields, in hopes to accumulate enough wealth to escape the sinister influence of J.R. Sue Ellen offers you a reward of $2 million for the map. You snoop around the grounds of the South Fork Ranch, superficially interacting with much-loved characters from the TV show and an assortment of extras from the animal kingdom. You must avoid J.R. who would like to put a stop to Sue Ellen's plans. So far, so good. Your travels ultimately lead you to the jungles around Playa Peligro, in South America, where you overcome a series of obstacles by using various techniques, but mostly by doping a friendly monkey with tobacco -- a firm reminder that we're descending beneath even soap opera plot conflicts and sitting squarely in an early-'80s text adventure game, with all of the internal logic-twisting that entails.

The Dallas Quest

Apple II - Released - August 5, 1984

When a game is faithful to the poor writing and wildly implausible plot conventions of a soap opera, does that make it a bad game or an effective adaptation of its source material? In any case, this game situates you as a private investigator hired by Sue Ellen to find a map to hidden oil fields, in hopes to accumulate enough wealth to escape the sinister influence of J.R. Sue Ellen offers you a reward of $2 million for the map. You snoop around the grounds of the South Fork Ranch, superficially interacting with much-loved characters from the TV show and an assortment of extras from the animal kingdom. You must avoid J.R. who would like to put a stop to Sue Ellen's plans. So far, so good. Your travels ultimately lead you to the jungles around Playa Peligro, in South America, where you overcome a series of obstacles by using various techniques, but mostly by doping a friendly monkey with tobacco -- a firm reminder that we're descending beneath even soap opera plot conflicts and sitting squarely in an early-'80s text adventure game, with all of the internal logic-twisting that entails.

The Goonies

Atari 800 - Released - 1985

The Goonies is based on the Steven Spielberg film of the same name, in which a motley crew of suburban kids in Astoria, Oregon, must save their homes from being foreclosed upon and find their salvation in a treasure map leading to an old pirate ship in a cavern. However, they must maneuver around an eccentric family of Italian criminals -- the Fratellis -- on the lam, who are also on the trail of the treasure. The game is divided into a series of eight screens based on scenes from the film, each of which contains puzzles that must be solved by coordinating the activities of two of the kids from the Goonies (and in the last screen, the elephant-man-like Sloth) without getting killed by deadly bats, homicidal Fratellis, flying demon-skull thingies, or other environmental hazards. For example, in one screen one player must wind up and hold a winch that lifts a large stone so that the other player can pass it, run backward on a ball floating in deadly water, bypass a series of three water buckets going up and down that kill you if you do not time your passage underneath correctly, jump to the top of a rail, and slide across to grab the key to the door below -- and all this without getting hit by a wandering bat. The game keeps a score and a high score, and you have a certain number of lives, which would be replenished at certain points or at certain score totals, and there is no save feature. In other words, the game had to be played all in one sitting, near-perfectly, to see the ending. The Goonies can be played single-player, with the joystick button used to switch between the two characters on-screen, or cooperatively, with each player controlling one of the characters.

The Goonies

Commodore 64 - Released - January 1, 1985

On the path of Goondock's children... Beware of the Yellow King. The Goonies are a group of kids or youths. Everything starts with an unscrupulous property shark who wants to purchase the kids' housing complex and the parents lack the money that is needed to prevent the pending sequestration. In the house of their leader Mikey the group makes an unusual discovery. They find a treasure map which is supposed to lead to the hideout of "One-eyed Willie", a pirate. Mikey can convince his friends to go for a treasure hunt. This starts in an abandoned restaurant. The evil Fratellis have settled in there. So after all Goonies, except for Chunk who is supposed to call the police, have entered a system of catacombs through a manhole in the restaurant, the adventure really begins. So the kids do not only have to beware of mean traps and bats, but also of Mama Fratelli. The game starts in the restaurant with the search for the manhole into the catacombs and contains 8 rather tricky levels full of riddles and adversities. The aim of the game is to bring safely both Goonies to the exit in Level 1-7 and in the eighth level to get to the treasure with both Goonies. Help the Goonies during their adventure...

The Goonies

Apple II - Released - 1985

The Goonies is based on the Steven Spielberg film of the same name, in which a motley crew of suburban kids in Astoria, Oregon, must save their homes from being foreclosed upon and find their salvation in a treasure map leading to an old pirate ship in a cavern. However, they must maneuver around an eccentric family of Italian criminals -- the Fratellis -- on the lam, who are also on the trail of the treasure. The game is divided into a series of eight screens based on scenes from the film, each of which contains puzzles that must be solved by coordinating the activities of two of the kids from the Goonies (and in the last screen, the elephant-man-like Sloth) without getting killed by deadly bats, homicidal Fratellis, flying demon-skull thingies, or other environmental hazards. For example, in one screen one player must wind up and hold a winch that lifts a large stone so that the other player can pass it, run backward on a ball floating in deadly water, bypass a series of three water buckets going up and down that kill you if you do not time your passage underneath correctly, jump to the top of a rail, and slide across to grab the key to the door below -- and all this without getting hit by a wandering bat. The game keeps a score and a high score, and you have a certain number of lives, which would be replenished at certain points or at certain score totals, and there is no save feature. In other words, the game had to be played all in one sitting, near-perfectly, to see the ending. The Goonies can be played single-player, with the joystick button used to switch between the two characters on-screen, or cooperatively, with each player controlling one of the characters.

The Hunt for Red October

Commodore Amiga - Released - 1987

In this adaptation of Tom Clancy's popular novel, you play the part of Captain Marko Ramius attempting to defect to the US. Once into the Atlantic, you must rendezvous with the US Navy and fake the destruction of the Red October. Your crew is not aware of the defection -- but the Soviet Navy is, and will try to stop you at any cost.

The Hunt for Red October

Apple Mac OS - Released - 1988

In this adaptation of Tom Clancy's popular novel, you play the part of Captain Marko Ramius attempting to defect to the US. Once into the Atlantic, you must rendezvous with the US Navy and fake the destruction of the Red October. Your crew is not aware of the defection -- but the Soviet Navy is, and will try to stop you at any cost.

The Hunt for Red October

Commodore 64 - Released - 1987

In this adaptation of Tom Clancy's popular novel, you play the part of Captain Marko Ramius attempting to defect to the US. Once into the Atlantic, you must rendezvous with the US Navy and fake the destruction of the Red October. Your crew is not aware of the defection -- but the Soviet Navy is, and will try to stop you at any cost.

The Neverending Story

Atari 800 - 1986

The Neverending Story is a text adventure based on the movie by Wolfgang Petersen (rather than the novel by Michael Ende). The world of Fantasia is about to be destroyed by the "All-consuming Nothing", it needs someone from the "Real World" to believe in it again in order to be saved from falling into oblivion. The player takes control of the young hero Atreyu who is the only one who can find the savior of Fantasia. The game uses different pictures to show the player's current location as well as the items he is holding, which companions are with him and any events that might be taking place. The game's parser has been deliberately kept simple (it has a vocabulary of about 40 words) in order to allow more room for the game data.

The Neverending Story

Apple II - Released - May 1, 1986

The Neverending Story is a text adventure based on the movie by Wolfgang Petersen (rather than the novel by Michael Ende). The world of Fantasia is about to be destroyed by the "All-consuming Nothing", it needs someone from the "Real World" to believe in it again in order to be saved from falling into oblivion. The player takes control of the young hero Atreyu who is the only one who can find the savior of Fantasia. The game uses different pictures to show the player's current location as well as the items he is holding, which companions are with him and any events that might be taking place. The game's parser has been deliberately kept simple (it has a vocabulary of about 40 words) in order to allow more room for the game data.

The Neverending Story

Commodore 64 - Released - 1985

The world of Fantasia is about to be destroyed by the "All-consuming Nothing", it needs someone from the "Real World" to believe in it again in order to be saved from falling into oblivion. The player takes control of the young hero Atreyu who is the only one who can find the savior of Fantasia. The game uses different pictures to show the player's current location as well as the items he is holding, which companions are with him and any events that might be taking place. The game's parser has been deliberately kept simple (it has a vocabulary of about 40 words) in order to allow more room for the game data.