Everygamegoing


Castle Raider

Author: Dave E
Publisher: Retro Software
Machine: Acorn Electron

Castle Raider

The bad news is that, for the BBC/Electron, 2014 saw the release of only a single game but the good news is it's a cracker. Produced by Retro Software (http://www.retrosoftware.co.uk), Castle Raider is a scrolling graphic adventure of the keys-locks variety, setting you the task of exploring a huge castle and escaping with some of the treasure. You can wander left and right, and jump the patrolling nasties, whilst entering the doorways takes you to other areas of the castle. You'll need to map it all out to find the quickest route to the keys you need to progress the quickest.

Actually, the most impressive thing about Castle Raider isn't the premise but the actual scrolling itself. Limitations of the hardware meant that not a single smooth-software-scrolling game on the Electron ever made it to completion back in the day; even classics such as Stryker's Run scrolled on the BBC but became flick-screen on its baby brother. Programmer David Boddie set himself the personal challenge of writing code that could do it - and, on top of that achievement, it's fair to say that he hasn't managed a bad little game in Castle Raider too!

Castle Raider is available, again for free, on both tape and disc from Retro Software. However, rather than charge you for the game itself, the site supplies an inlay for you to print out yourself.

Dave E

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