| Genre: | Arcade Game: Adventure |
| Publisher: | Piranha |
| Cover Art Language: | English |
| Machine Compatibility: | Spectrum 48K, Spectrum 128K |
| Release: | Professionally released on Cassette |
| Available For: | Amstrad CPC464, Commodore 64/128 & Spectrum 48K |
| Compatible Emulators: | ZXSpin (PC (Windows)) Nutria (PC (MS-DOS)) |
| Original Release Date: | 1st October 1986 |
| Original Release Price: | £7.95 |
| Market Valuation: | £2.50 (How Is This Calculated?) |
| Box Type: | Bubble Clamshell single cassette black |
| Author(s): | Don Priestley |
Variant Items
There are 5 other items featuring this same game (that we know about!). Click any of them for their details.
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Computer & Video Games
1st December 1986
The graphics are wonderfully big and colourful and hugely entertaining. The Trap Door is fun with a capital F. Read Review
Computer & Video Games
1st November 1986
This is a brilliant game - one of the most original and entertaining I've seen for ages. Read Review
Computer Gamer
1st October 1986
The attention to small details is amazing, and the satisfying feeling of solving a problem before the angriometer reaches maximum is the main hook to this game. Read Review
Crash
1st October 1986
Feed the boss in this excellent, responsive graphic adventure. Superb big characters, and great animation. Read Review
Sinclair User
8th July 1986
As original to play as it is to look at. The Trap Door may be one of the most imaginative games of the year. Read Review
Your Sinclair
1st October 1986
Don't be put off by the naff packaging - this is one of the best arcade games ever on the Spectrum. Read Review
ZX Computing
1st November 1986
The animation is so good that it's fun to just sit and watch all the action in front of you. Read Review
Full Instructions
Playing The Game
Somewhere in the dark and nasty regions where nobody goes, stands an old and spooky castle - home of the Bad Tempered Thing. In the dark lower regions of the castle, Berk grudgingly slaves away - carrying out the orders of the Thing. To win his ultimate reward - a safe full of loot - Berk has to complete up to five bizarre tasks (Four in Learner mode) quickly and accurately before the Thing's anger boils over. Each task is complete when Berk sends his offering Upstairs on the dumb waiter and the Thing accepts it.
Learner Berk
Before the game starts you can choose to be a Learner Berk or a Super Berk. When you first play it is a good idea to try the humble Learner mode. It's easier, even if you don't score so highly or earn Berk's pay!
The Trap Door
Under the trap door lurk 'orrible monstrosities all eager to escape as soon as the trap is opened. Most have a useful role in completing Berk's tasks. The problem is knowing which monster is needed for which task. If the wrong one gets out, it can be a real time-waster and a danger to life and limb! Get rid of wrong 'uns (somehow!) as quickly as possible.
Spooks
If the trapdoor is left open, spooks fly out. Like almost everything in Berk's world, they're hungry and the only way Berk can get rid of them is by feeding them. They'll eat anything - worms, eggs, eye-juice, eyes, even Boni the skull! If Berk hasn't got food to hand, the spooks will send him reeling. In Learner Berk mode, the spooks have been given a holiday and won't trouble you.
Boni and Drutt
Boni's pretty bright as skulls go. Each time Berk picks him up, he utters a few words, sometimes useful advice on how to complete a task. Drutt the Spider spends his time hopping about getting in Berk's way and eating worms. It's hard to get rid of him!
The Tasks
They can all be done! Wait for the Thing to announce what it wants then get cracking. All the props for the tasks can be found in the lower regions. But you'll need some ingenuity to figure out how to use the various objects (and their contents). Each task needs for completion a particular Trap Door Monster. The Anger-Meter at the bottom of the screen warns you that time is running out. When the Thing gets really mad, it yells at Berk that time's up. If Berk hasn't finished, the task in hand is cancelled and a new one is set.
Containers
Berk can shove some objects and a shoved object can shove other objects. Berk can put things into containers, carry them around and tip out the contents. Some are vital to particular tasks!
Score
Your score reduces as time ticks by and increases with bonuses for the successes you achieve.
Super Berk
Your real objective is to become a Super Berk! If Berk completes all the tasks he'll be awarded his wages. Thing sends them down in a tough-looking safe. To get his loot and become a true Super Berk, the safe has to be opened. There's an exact procedure that guarantees success. Finding it is the final challenge.
Strategy
Once you've figured out how to carry out the tasks you can start using strategy to maximise your score. For example, if you complete a task early, you can make preparations for any of the other tasks. Objects already in the best locations can save time later and win you extra points.
Miscellaneous
This game was mentioned in the following articles:
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
- The Trap Door (Piranha)
Screen Designers
The following utilities are also available to allow you to edit the supplied screens of this game:
Cheats
Download
A digital version of this item can be downloaded right here at Everygamegoing (All our downloads are in .zip format).
| Download | What It Contains |
|---|---|
 | A digital version of The Trap Door suitable for ZXSpin (PC (Windows)), Nutria (PC (MS-DOS)) |
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