5th September 2020
Introduction
This is a solution to the BBC Micro version of Palace Of Magic, a game also made available for the first time on the Electron as Palace Of Magic 2016. Originally published in The Disk User, I have left much of the text untouched but added in screenshots and broken the solution into sections to aid readability.
So if you've never got hold of the Magic Sword or the Magic Boots, and never restored the hero to his original size, then now's your chance...
Note: Co-ordinates are given as they appear on screen - 'y' and 'r' are yellow and red respectively and keys are coded thus: m(agenta), (w)hite, (c)yan, (b)lue, (g)reen and (r)ed. So the starting point (The Main Palace) is y0:y0.
Also, you will be aware (if you have any experience of the game) that there are energy-giving top hats scattered throughout the palace. This solution does not (except in one instance) give any direction as to whether or when you should collect these; it is up to your own judgement.
Part 1: The First Jaunt
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Start the game and proceed to The Rooftop (y1:y2). |
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Collect the m/w key, then go down to The Passages (y0:r2). |
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Open the m/w gate. Then go left to The Passages r3:r1. |
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Collect the rope then go left again to r4:r1. |
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Get the c/b key here, then go back right through the passages and up again to the Main Palace (y0:y1). |
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Drop the rope then go east to the East Palace (y1:y1). |
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Open the c/b gate then continue right and up to East Tower (y3:y2). |
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As you come up the rope on the right, climb left over the central pillar and descend the rope on the left into (y3:y2). |
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Collect the bricks, climb back up the to the top of the tower then jump left to Rooftop (y2:y2). |
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Collect the w/g key then continue left and down to Main Palace (y0:y0). |
Part 2: The Church And The Dungeons
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Drop the bricks and collect the rope here. Next go left and down to The Tower Base (r4:y0). |
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Open the w/g gate. |
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Next, go right to The West Palace (r3:y0). |
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Drop rope and get the cross here. Now, proceed to The Rooftop (r3:y3). |
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Collect the statue then go down and right to The East Exit (y3:r1) and through the East Wood to The Balcony (y8:r1). |
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The Priest will take the cross as you enter. Continue right and up to The Church (y8:y0). |
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Collect the Halo here, then go left and down to y9:r1. |
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Get the y/r key and leave the Statue. Now go all the way back to The West Palace (r2:y0). |
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Open gate and then pass through where it was. You will fall into (r2:r1). |
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Collect the candle in here and then head right to (y1:r1). |
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Return up and right to The Church (yA:r1), then drop down into The Cellar (yA:r2). |
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Open the gate here but don't pass through it. Instead, return back up to The Church (y9:y1). |
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Collect the statue, then go straight back to The Cellar (yA:r2) again. |
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Go down to The Dungeons (yA:r3). |
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Be careful here - the only safe exit from this room is via the passageway in the middle at the bottom. Drop through it to land in (yA:r4). |
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Survived? Good, fall through the bottom of the screen to (yA:r5). |
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Now head down and left to yA:r7. |
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Take the passage to the left then go up and left to y7:r6. |
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Drop the Statue to neutralise the dragonheads. |
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Now return to yA:r7. |
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Collect bowl and return to y7:r6. |
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Here you should aim to get over the ropes without falling to your doom. Continue to y5:r6. |
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And on to y4:r6. |
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And up to y3:r4. |
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And up to y3:r2. |
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And finally back to The Main Palace at r1:y0. |
Part 3: The West Tower
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Drop the Candle and take the Halo. |
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Then go left to The West Palace (r3:y0). |
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Drop the bowl, take the rope and go left and up to Guardhouse (r4:y3). |
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Go up to West Tower (r4:y5). |
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Take the r/y key and drop the rope. |
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You might be tempted to climb up the rope, but don't! Instead, retrace all of your steps back to r1:y0. |
Part 4: The Caves
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Take the candle, then go right and down to y2:r1 (The East Exit). |
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Drop the r/y key, take the b/c key then go all the way right to The Church and down to y8:r7. |
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Open the b/c gate then walk left through where it was and continue to The Caves (y7:r7). |
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Navigate the ropes to reach y6:r7. |
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Then descend the only rope to y6:r8. |
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Halfway down the rope, turn left into the hidden passage. |
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You will eventually emerge next to the frog, and can collect it before heading to y3:r5. |
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And eventually finding your way back to The West Palace (r3:y0) again. |
Part 5: The Firepit Puzzle
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Drop the Candle here and take the bowl. Then go left and up The West Tower to r4:y1. |
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This room is a little tricky and requires some precise timing. When you've perfected the jump and climb combination, proceed to r4:y5. |
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Now you get to climb the rope you placed here earlier - and you'll arrive at The West Tower (r4:y6). |
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Here, place the bowl on the stand and wait for it to fill with rainwater. Then pick it up again and jump off the right hand side of the screen, holding down the right key so that you fall all the way through the blank screens to right r2:y3. |
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Descend the rope to r2:y2. |
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Now go down and right to the East Exit (y2:r1). |
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Drop the frog, take the r/y key, then go right through the woods again to The Church (y8:r1). |
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Open the r/y gate but don't go through the opening yet! |
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Instead, retrace your steps to y2:r1. |
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Pick up the frog and then go back again to yB:r1. |
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Now go through the opening and keep going right until you reach The Firepit (yH:r1). |
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Put out the fire with the bowl of water and go right to Royal House (y1:r1). |
Part 6: The Princess And The Frog
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Give the frog to the princess and go right to yJ:r1. |
Part 7: Entrance To The West Woods
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Pick up the w/m key, then go back left all the way back over the bridge, through the church, through the woods and to The East Exit (y2:r1). |
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Head down into The Basement (y2:r2)... |
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...and unlock the gate with the w/m key. |
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Go through the opening to y1:r2. |
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Then find your way to y1:r1. |
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Collect the gold bar and then escape The Passages back to The Main Palace (y0:y1). |
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Get the bricks then return to The Passages again and go down and left through them to the West Exit (r4:r1). |
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Drop bricks to reveal hidden exit. |
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Now head left to The West Wood (r5:r1). |
Part 8: The Death Sword
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Now, before you give the Gold Bar to the dwarf, this next part is extremely time-critical. What happens next is that (a) the dwarf disappears, and (b) you are given a sword which survives for approximately two minutes. As soon as you make the exchange, you must find your way to the location (y1:y1) as quickly as possible. You also need at least half-energy to stand much chance - so find a spare top hat somewhere if your energy is any lower. If you're confident you can do it, go ahead and make the trade... |
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The sword appears. Run right through all the passages and up, left, up, right to (y1:y1). Barge your way through all the patrolling nasties. |
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Done it! Now head right to y2:y1. |
Part 9: The Magic Boots
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Either leap the gap or, if the sword is still working, fall into the gap and kill the baddies with it. Then collect the magic boots. These boots give you a much greater jumping ability, and fundamentally change how you must navigate some of the familiar rooms. Try them out for a while, before going all the way back right (through the woods, the church, the river and the firepit) to The Royal House (yJ:r1) again. |
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Collect the treasure chest. Then head back to The Passages (y1:r1). |
Part 10: Endgame
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And find your way back to the bricks and the entrance to The West Wood, finally arriving at r6:r1. |
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Here, a knight guards the transporter home. Give him the treasure chest. |
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Go left to The Transporter (r7:r1). |
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Drop the magic boots on the panel and enjoy the show. |
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Boom! |
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Well done! You have transported. You are home. And you'll remember that you were originally "reduced to half of your normal size" before being confined to the Palace Of Magic too...? |
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You're big again! |
