Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game

Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game is developed by Mattel Electronics in 1980 and posted to a hybrid game. This is a licensed product based on the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons rules.

Gameplay

One to two players compete to explore a maze and recover the treasure hidden therein, which is guarded by a dragon. The game plan is square and is divided into 8x8 play fields. Two die-cast warrior figures symbolize the players still there, also as die-casting, a dragon figure and a treasure chest. In addition there are 50 plastic plug, which symbolize the walls of the maze.

Each player chooses at the beginning of a starting point for his character, the personal secret room to where the treasure must be brought later. From there, the player platoons explore the maze game plan, each figure per turn may advance eight fields. The structure of the labyrinth is calculated based random for each game of an integrated computer and will remain for the time being unersichtlich player. The playing fields are touch-sensitive. With each advance a pawn to the next field, the electronics are by light and sound signals information about the quality of the environment. Thus, may be applied after the wall blocks and it gradually creates an image of the field and after. Also randomly positioned is the dragon, which is located at the beginning of the sleep mode. Only when a character has approached to a certain distance, it will be active. He pursued the nearest player character and tries to attack. In contrast to the warriors he can fly over walls. If a warrior hit by the dragon, he suffers a wound and its movement is reduced. The fourth wound means the end of the game for the player.

If you play with a teammate and was the treasure is found, the other players can try to relieve him of the treasure. These two pieces have to collide. The computer then indicates which character emerges as the winner of the clash. Alternatively, Dungeons & Dragons Labyrinth Game can be played against the computer, but also alone. The game also has two different game modes. In the advanced mode, the game includes, among other things secret doors.

Reception

Mattel introduced the game in 1980 for around 50 U.S. dollars on the market, in addition to the original English edition, there was also a French version of the game. It appeared in a difficult market environment. After prolonged shortage in the same year, the market for electronic chips was oversaturated due to overproduction, which affected up to the following year. While game consoles in 1981, were able to record high sales, the market stagnated for hybrid electronic games between 30 and 60 % of the previous year. Some titles such as Dungeons & Dragons Computer Labyrinth Game, Milton Bradley's Dark Tower and other so-called educational electronic games, however, could defy the trend and also posted good sales numbers. Two months before the holiday shopping season in 1981, Mattel had sold his entire stock of the game, TSR could partly thanks to the high revenues from the royalties its annual turnover 1981/82 to double to 27 million U.S. dollars in December 1981 listed the U.S. business magazine Inc TSR. 6th place its top 100 fastest growing private companies in the United States. According to the author Mark Bellomo Mattel has sold " tens of thousands of units of this aesthetically pleasing Electronics adventure ". The toy manufacturer applied the game, including a TV commercial. 2008, the U.S. ameriklanische Online Magazine Dvice listed the game among the 13 best electronic D & D conversions.

Mattel continued his license number 1981 with the LCD - playing game Dungeons & Dragons Computer Fantasy Game and 1982 with his two console games Advanced Dungeons & Dragons: Treasure of Tarmin continued for the in-house game console Intellivision: Cloudy Mountain and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.