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Adventure is a game created for the Atari 2600 home console. It was released in 1979 by Atari and did considerably well, selling a million copies. Adventure is remembered mostly, however, for being the first graphical action-adventure game. This game also introduced the idea of containing moveable objects that the player could pick up and carry around. Finally, this game was the first to contain an “Easter Egg”; a hidden room where the game's creator, Warren Robinett, was displayed across the screen. It was the only credit Robinett was able to receive for the game.
Published by: Atari
Developed by: Atari
Designer: Warren Robinett
Platform: Atari 2600
Year Released: 1979
Significant Contributors to Game Development: Based on the text-game “Colossal Cave Adventure” by Willie Crowther
Genre: Action-Adventure
Other Games in Series: Adventure II. Forerunner to games like Swordquest and The Legend of Zelda
History
History
The game was created to be a graphic version of the text-game “Colossal Cave Adventure”. However, the text game ran on considerably larger memory than Robinett had to work with on the Atari 2600. Although his boss told him that it was impossible to do this and wasn't worth trying, Robinett decided to tackle the game anyway, with obvious success.
Adventure was completed in June of 1979 and sold very well, although Robinett did not receive any more than his normal yearly salary for it.
At the time, Atari had a policy of not giving its designers credit for their games, for fear that doing so would create bidding wars over the designers, thus raising their salaries. Despite this, Robinett found a way to include his name in the game, by writing it across the screen in a secret, difficult to reach room; the gaming world's first “Easter Egg”.
A hidden room displaying the designer's name: Warren Robinett
Game Design Elements
Game Design Elements
Gameplay
Gameplay
Adventure is, very basically, a game of “Capture the Flag”. The overall objective is for the player to find the magic chalice and then bring it back to the yellow castle, where they started.
The main objective of the game: to return the magic chalice to the yellow castle.
There are many challenges keeping the player from attaining this goal. The chalice is likely hidden in a locked castle, which the player must locate a key of the same color to enter. There are also three labyrinths that the player may have to navigate, some of which are poorly lit, so that the player can only see a small square around them. Dragons roam throughout the screens and will eat the player if they can catch them. Finally, a black bat flies around the world stealing items.
There are also many items that the player can pick up and use to help. Three keys (black, white, and yellow) are scattered throughout the game that can be used to gain access to its three castles. The player can use a sword to kill the dragons. A magnet can be used to pull items towards the player, and retrieve items that are stuck in walls. A bridge can also be picked up and moved around, so that the player can traverse the labyrinths more easily. Finally, the chalice must be picked up so that the player can take it back to the yellow castle.
There are three variations of the game that can be played, each containing different levels of difficulty. The first mode is the easiest, as it only includes one maze to navigate, two dragons to avoid, two castles to unlock, and the black bat is not present. The second mode contains all three mazes, dragons, and castles, as well as the black bat. The third mode is essentially the same as the second mode, except that the placement of items and characters is randomized, and can appear anywhere in the game. There are also two “difficulty switches”: one controls how quickly the dragons can eat the player after capturing them, and the other determines whether the dragons will run towards or away from the player when they are wielding the sword.
If the player is eaten by a dragon or stuck in some other way, they can press the restart button to “resurrect” their character back at the beginning, in front of the yellow castle. The items that they have moved will remain where they were dropped, although any slain dragons will be revived along with the player.
Controls
The game is controlled with the Atari 2600's joystick. The player can use it to move their character in any direction. An item can be picked up simply by touching it, and put down by pressing the joystick's red button. A player can only hold one item at a time. A dragon is slain if it is touched by a sword, and a castle door opens when it is touched by the key.
Plot
Plot
The player's character is sent on a quest in “Adventure” to retrieve the magical chalice, which was stolen by an evil magician. Although the magician never makes an appearance in the game himself, he does hide the chalice away and send out his three dragons to prevent the player from finding it. If the player can defeat or avoid the dragons, locate the magic chalice, and return it to the yellow castle, they win.
The player's character is sent on a quest in “Adventure” to retrieve the magical chalice, which was stolen by an evil magician. Although the magician never makes an appearance in the game himself, he does hide the chalice away and send out his three dragons to prevent the player from finding it. If the player can defeat or avoid the dragons, locate the magic chalice, and return it to the yellow castle, they win.
The Black Bat: A monster that likes to pick up items and move them around. It can pick up items that are on the ground as well as items that the player is holding. The bat can also pick up dragons, alive or slain. Even worse, it can trade an item it is holding for one the player has. This means that it could steal the player's sword, and in return give them a dragon.
The Black Bat: A monster that likes to pick up items and move them around. It can pick up items that are on the ground as well as items that the player is holding. The bat can also pick up dragons, alive or slain. Even worse, it can trade an item it is holding for one the player has. This means that it could steal the player's sword, and in return give them a dragon.
The Evil Magician: The villain who stole the magical chalice. He never actually appears in the game, but his actions are the reason the player must embark on this adventure in the first place.
The Evil Magician: The villain who stole the magical chalice. He never actually appears in the game, but his actions are the reason the player must embark on this adventure in the first place.
The Hero, armed with his sword.
The Hero, armed with his sword.
The Dragons: The magician sends three man-eating dragons after the player to protect the chalice:Yorgle: The yellow dragon who tends to wander the game's screens. It is a cowardly dragon that is afraid of the yellow key: if the player is holding it, Yorgle will run away from them.
Grindle: The green dragon who guards objects that the player can use, such as the magnet and the bridge. It is braver than Yorgle and will chase the player no matter what they are holding.
Rhindle: The red dragon that usually guards keys or the magic chalice. It is the fastest dragon: it moves at the same speed as the player, which makes it very difficult to escape.
Characters
The Hero: The player character, represented by a simple square.
The Hero: The player character, represented by a simple square.
Art
Art
Visual
While the game was on an 8-bit console, which allowed for color, but the game's memory was still considerably limited. With the addition of such an expansive world, the art of “Adventure” had to be very simple. The player is represented by a simple square, their sword by an arrow, and many of the other tools in equally simple forms. The dragons, although more recognizable as such, have been said to more closely resemble ducks or seahorses. Most of the rooms (screens) are mirror images on the left and right half, also to conserve memory. This is made particularly clear inside the blue labyrinth, although in the other labyrinths it is hidden by only allowing the character to see a small area around them.
The blue labyrinth, where the player can clearly see the mirrored layout.
Versus the Dark labyrinth, where the player can only see a small square of their surroundings.
Sound
Sound
“Adventure” does not contain any music to play by. Sound effects are limited to beeps and other such simple noises. A different beep sounds when a player either picks up or sets down an object. A quick trill of beeps plays when a dragon is killed. A harsh blip that sounds like a growl sounds when a dragon opens its mouth to eat the player, and a sad trill of beeps plays if the player is eaten. Finally, an long upward series of beeps plays if the player brings the chalice to the yellow castle, thus winning the game.
References
References
"Adventure (Atari 2600)." Knowledgerush. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.knowledgerush.com/kr/encyclopedia/Adventure_(Atari_2600)/>.
"Adventure for the Atari 2600." Warren Robinett's Home Page. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.warrenrobinett.com/adventure/index.html>.
Daily, John N. "GameFAQs: Adventure (2600)." GameFAQs. 6 Jan. 2000. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. <http://www.gamefaqs.com/portable/zod/file/921499/6475>.
Wallis, Alistair. "Playing Catch Up: Adventure's Warren Robinett." Gamasutra - The Art & Business of Making Games. 29 Mar. 2007. Web. 23 Feb. 2010. <http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13280>.
Links
Links
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/391061 - Play a very accurate internet version of Adventure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO8ad_Ksiqo&feature=related - Watch Adventure's "variation two" be played.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW33-KaGgOY&feature=player_embedded - Watch Adventure's "variation one" be played.
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