Spherical

The classic arcade puzzler re-animated by Rafal Miazga

Magic and Logic. Skill and intelligence. Spherical is a game of opposites based on the classic arcade game, Solomon's Key.

Take control of a wizard and use your magic powers to solve each puzzling level, every one more brain-teasing than the last.

Override the laws of gravity and use your superior magical knowledge to demonstrate your mastery of both the physical and the ethereal...

Face chilling, fantastical bosses as you progress through 80 different screens to prove yourself as a master magician. Bend nature and the elements to your will once and for all!

Presented her for the first time on cassette, this is Rafal Miazga's re-imagining of the classic original, updating the game for 128K systems.

Instructions

Mirgal the dragon is awakening and threatens to plunge the land into darkness as he did many thousands of years ago before he was banished into an uneasy slumber. You and your brother are the only wizards in the kingdom powerful enough to make your way through his magical prison to reach him and once again send him back to sleep. If you fall, the time of your people is at an end and all will become scorched and blackened by the dragon's wealth.

In each room of the magical prison, you must get the magical starball across obstacles and to the next room. You do this by preparing the ball's passage magically, thus directing it onto the exit tile which will transport it magically (along with you) to the next area. The ball itself contains powerful magic that will be able to seal the dragon's prison forever. Without it, your quest is impossible.

You may choose to go on the quest alone (1 player mode) or along with your sibling (2 player mode). The prison has been wrought in another dimension that is able to morph depending on who sets foot inside it so you can expect a different set of challenges if you face the quest alone or as brothers.

It is possible also to travel first to a training area. This is a space in the wizard's home that is reserved for learning about the positioning, creation and removal of the magical blocks that they must use in order to perform their heroic task. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the basics of block placement and removal before beginning on the main quest.

You will find other items, potions and suchlike as you are inside the dragon's prison. Each have different effects and uses. Experiment with them and remember what they do so that you can use them at important moments! Don't forget to collect them if you need them for as soon as the starball hits the exit tile you will be spirited to the next room.

Game Controls

Controlling the wizard in one player mode is done by either the keyboard or the Sinclair joystick. The keyboard controls are as follows:

O - Left, P - Right, Q - Up, A - Down, Space - Place or remove magical block

Extra Controls:

T - Release magical starball early
R - Re-try the current area (limited retries)
F - Forfeit game (returns to the title screen)
S - Enable/Disable in-game music

The second player is controlled using the Sinclair joystick.

To place or remove a magical block, simply press the Space bar in the direction you are facing to place one in front of you. To place or remove one in front and above or below, hold the up or down button and press the Space bar to place or remove a block in that area.

When you reach a certain part of the dragon's prison, you will receive a password. This means that, should you fall, you may return to the dimension at this point instead of starting again from the beginning. The password can be entered from the main menu.

Good luck. Experimentation is the key! Succeed and banish the dragon into eternal sleep once and for all!