Arcade Adventure Games

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ATIC ATAC
(Ultimate - 1983)
This was more or less the game that the term 'arcade adventure' was coined for and one that spent months at the top of the charts of every games magazine. It is set in a castle of 200 rooms and hidden somewhere in those chambers are the three parts of a key needed to escape. You can take the role of a knight, a wizard or a serf in your quest, each having different weapons and being able to use different secret passages. After a few seconds in each room, it fills with a variety of different baddies who are out to suck you of your life energy. Despite the clumsy controls, Atic Atac is a genre-defining game, and one whose very name evokes memories of the Spectrum era.

EVERYONE'S A WALLY
(Mikrogen - 1985)
They say that film sequels are never as good as the original, but this theory doesn't apply to computer games. Following Automania and Pyjamarama came this excellent follow up. In the first two games you played the part of Wally Week, but in Everyone's a Wally a host of new characters are introduced, all of whom you have the chance of controlling. The aim is to crack the bank safe and steal the money by collecting all the code letters required. The letters represent objects and need to be taken to the bank in the correct order. To make matters worse, each character has a task which must be completed using the right tools, while avoiding hazards which drain on their energy. A large, well thought out and involving game and the finest of all the Wally titles.

FRED
(Quicksilva - 1984)
This is certainly a memorable game for me because it was the first one that I ever bought. Despite its shortcomings, it obviously fondly held by many other too, because here it is at number three. In essence, this is an old fashioned maze game but one with enough original twists to make it a winner. You play the intrepid archaeologist of the title and must explore the passageways of an Egyptain tomb, gathering as much loot as you can, before escaping. Fred is armed with a pistol to defend himself against the ghosts, mummies and other nasties that roam the ancient passages, but bullets are in short supply, so its best to use them wisely. The graphics are large, smooth and cartoon-like and the game is easy and fun to play.

THE GREAT ESCAPE
(Ocean - 1986)
This one only just scraped into the Golden Years, being released at Christmas 1986. I'm glad it did though, because this was a great game, despite being released amongst a torrent of other isometric arcade adventures. True to the film of the same name, it is set in a World War II German POW camp and like any plucky Tommy, you feel it's your duty to escape. You can try to tunnel your way out, snip through the fencing or use bribery, but be careful not to miss any of the daily duties, such as roll call or exercise, or the Hun will be onto you before you can say Steve McQueen. If you're rumbled, your morale will plummet and will need to be boosted again to avoid defeat. Scattered about the camp are objects crucial to any escape plans and by collecting them, you'll keep your morale up. An intricate and testing game.

SABOTEUR
(Durell - 1986)
In Saboteur you play a ninja warrior with a mission to break into a security building and escape with a computer disk. The building is maze of platforms and ladders, but there's no irate gorilla at the top hurling barrels at you, but a team of security guards trained in martial arts. Fortunately, you're a dab hand with the high kicks yourself and if you manage to collect some of their weapons, you can avoid scuffing your shoes by using knives and throwing stars to deadly effect. If you manage to find the disk, your next job is to find the helicopter waiting to whisk you to safety. The graphics are large and clear and the game is packed full of playability.

ARCADE ADVENTURES

Now here's a tricky one. There has been plenty of chin stroking over the description 'arcade adventure'. It first appeared in the early 1980s to describe games such as Atic Atac, but soon people were applying it to any arcade game that required a little thought or exploration. This led to the likes of Jet Set Willy being described as such when it clearly falls into the platform genre. Why can't a game be both I hear you ask. Well, I suppose they can be, but for the sake of convenience and to avoid having to list around twenty different categories, I've decided that - if only on my website - they will live as two separate entities.

Used here, Arcade Adventure describes those games that involve the arcade element of guiding an on-screen character about a multi-screen environment, coupled with adventure-like puzzle solving (however slight). Even if a game includes these elements, but also entails platform-game-style jumping, it has been excluded. I hope that clears things up.

In the June 1984 issue of Sinclair User, the term 'arcade strategy' was used to describe games of this type. They said:

"The 'zap-em' type of arcade game, although still around, has undergone a transformation which started in earnest in the middle of last year. Games manufacturers with an eagle eye on the industry saw that the time would arrive when arcade games, such as Space Invaders and Centipede, would fade in popularity and that something had to be added to make them more appealing.

The one aspect which games such as those already had was strategy. In games such as Space Invaders, strategy is needed to evade the aliens and at the same time fire at them. A good game will infer a strategy to the player and a good player is one who can assimilate that method of play quickly.

To succeed, arcade-strategy games must produce an effect for the player like that produced by an ordinary zap-em game. It is the way the addiction is created which makes the difference. In an ordinary arcade game the effect is created through a need to destroy aliens and make a high score. Arcade-strategy games are different, as they rely on the user's mind. It is the strategy as well as the graphics which keeps the player returning for more.

The combination of arcade techniques and strategic thinking has made the arcade-strategy game very popular. The insurgence of that type of program means that the customer has two types of game in one and the reality of the plot, through the realism of the arcade graphics, takes the games industry one step forward. The main criticism for a long time is liable to be that the plots on which the games hang are not original enough. We are, however, just beginning to see a change in arcade style, where bang and zap are replaced by plot and thought."

If you liked those, try these.

Here some more top quality adventure games that I can recommend to you.

Ant Attack (Quicksilva - 1984)
Like Atic Atac, this game will forever be synonymous with the early years of the Spectrum. When its 3D graphics were first seen, they impressed everyone. When the author Sandy White - a sculptor by trade - sent it Quicksilva, they flew him down from Scotland to sign a contract immediately. Forget whether the game lacked depth, because when Ant Attack represented a giant leap forward in computer graphics. The game is set in a massive city swarming with giant ants. Somewhere in the city is your other half (you can play a boy or a girl) who must be rescued. To defend yourself you can either jump on top of the ants to stun them or use your supply of hand grenades to blow them away. Despite the game's revolutionary features, it is difficult to control and its appeal wears thin after a while, but it should always be remembered as a landmark program in the history of the Spectrum.

Avalon (Hewson - 1984)
A landmark game for the Spectrum. It claimed to be the first 'Adventure Movie' and tf it is then it paved the way for many of today's games. You play Maroc, the wizard. Actually you control the astral projection of Maroc (presumably the man himself is safely at home with his feet up). You must explore the rooms, passages and dungeons of the Avalon castle and destroy the Lord of Chaos. On your way you will learn new spells which will aid you in your quest. These spells are at the heart of the game and allow you do things like freeze time and become invisible. The graphics look a little erratic at times, but the strength of the game is in its role-playing elements and the depth of its gameplay. A great title that was followed by Dragtorc, an sequel that was even better.

Fairlight (The Edge - 1986)
Despite the proliferation of isometric 3D games since Ultimate released Knight Lore a couple of years earlier, Fairlight still managed to wow the critics and the public with this astounding game. As Isvar, you find yourself trapped in a castle and can only escape by finding the Book of Light hidden within its walls and taking it to the sorcerer. There are plenty of guards and vicious beasts roaming the castle that can be fought using Isvar's sword, but some are probably best avoided. Unlike earlier 3D efforts, the enviroment is extremely realistic with objects behaving according to the laws of physics rather than being there merely for decoration. This a large and brain-teasing game and spawned an equally fine sequel.

Halls of the Things (Crystal - 1983)
The game is set in a maze-like series of stairs, rooms and corridors and your character must explore them in search of a number of magic rings. Standing in your way are evil creatures who hurl lighting and fireballs at you. Fortunately, you have weapons of your own with which to defend yourself and should you lose too much health, you can repair the damage using a store of magic, of which you have a limited supply. Despite looking fairly basic compared to the likes of Atic Atac, Halls of the Things was the only arcade adventure on the market for some time and was arguably the first of its kind.

Kokotoni Wilf (Elite - 1984)
Having changed their name from Richard Wilcox Software, Elite's first title was this unusual arcade adventure. As Wilf, you must collect the 63 parts of a dragon amulet scattered through time. You must travel through the time zones to locate the parts, avoiding the kind of nasties associated with the different periods, for instance dinosaurs in prehistoric times and warriors from the Middle Ages. Quaintly enough 2001 is represented by a futuristic space age. How distant the new millenium must have seemed in 1984. A difficult, but imaginative and addictive game.

Skool Daze (Microsphere - 1985)
As Eric, the schoolboy, you must snatch your end of term report from the headmaster's safe to prevent your parents from being exposed to the true horror of its contents. To obtain the combination code, you must set all the school shields hanging on the walls flashing. You do this by hitting them with your catapult. Once they are all flashing, you must extract a code letters from each of the teachers by knocking them over. All except the history master who has had his code letter implanted in his brain by hypnosis. There are all sorts of school-related methods of knocking over the teachers and obtaining the codes and it is great fun, even if it seemed like a bit of a busman's holiday at the time. Perhaps the most enjoyment to be had is watching all the other characters going about their business.

Sabre Wulf (Ultimate - 1984)
This section would not be complete without mentioning the most successul Spectrum title of them all? Sabre Wulf is a maze game, but with some of the most beautifully colourful graphics you'll find on the Spectrum and enough clever features to make it stand above the crowd. The premise is similar to the likes of Atic Atac: find the four parts of an amulet and escape from the jungle. Snakes, scorpions and natives are just a few of the terrible beasties that pester Sabreman from start to finish, but fortunately he is armed with a trusty sword with which to see them off. It's enormous success just goes to show that although countless other games used similar ideas, Ultimate did it best.

Underwurlde (Ultimate - 1984)
Despite being released alongside Knight Lore at Christmas 1984, Underwurlde was certainly in no way inferior to its 3D-touting partner. It marked the return of Sabreman in a vast and attractive game that represented a superb development on Atic Atac and Sabrewulf. It is set in a maze of caverns, rooms and passageways and your task is to escape. The nasties that materialise around you don't actually cause any direct harm, but they hinder your movement and force you into costly errors. It was slightly overshadowed by Knight Lore at the time, but it is actually a more involving title.

Wriggler (Romantic Robot - 1985)
Romantic Robot were a company more associated with hardware, but their first release was a fine game and well worth a mention. At the beginning, it looks as though you are about to take part in a race. Four maggots line up and an ant fires a starting pistol, but three of the maggots race off and become your extra lives. Now you realise that you are infact at the start of a maze game. Apart from winding your way towards the exit, you need to ensure that your maggot keeps his energy up by feasting on the snacks that litter the trail. You know, the sort of grub that you can always find in your average garden maze: milshakes and cups of tea. What's more, there are other nasty obstacles in your way which will require the correct objects to ovecome. Although it is essentially an old fashioned maze game, there are enough bright ideas to keep you hooked.