Jinxter

Jinxter is a text adventure with graphics from Magnetic Scrolls from the year 1987.

Action

Jinxter is located in the Science Fantasy genre. Scene of action is the fictional land of Aquitania that significant features of Britain carries the first half of the 20th century. Several centuries ago Aquitania was threatened by the power of the evil green witches, however, managed the magician Turani, an artifact called to create " Turanis Bangle", which contained pure luck, distributed over Aquitania and thus the Greens held witches at bay. However, the Great Witch Jannedor developed a plan to break the power of the bangle. Jannedor stole the bracelet, removed the attached five magical talismans, hid them in different places and waited for the magic of the bangle become weak enough that they destroy it and then could bring disaster on Aquitania. This is where the game: The five talismans have been found promptly and be reinstated in Turanis bangle because Aquitania otherwise run out of luck and the country falls under the influence of the Green Witch. The player is recruited by a mysterious organization called " Guardians " and is given the mission to rescue his kidnapped from the Green Witch friend Xam, to procure five talismans, join them together with Turanis bracelet to defeat with the help of the restored bangle Jannedor and their castle to destroy.

Gameplay and technology

Jinxter is a text adventure, that is, surroundings and events are made and the actions of the player entered as on-screen text also as text using the keyboard. In almost all versions of the scene illustrative, hand drawn still images are displayed; only the Spectrum 3, and the Apple II version have to survive because of the limited memory without any graphic accompaniment. In contrast to most text adventures of the time, it was virtually impossible to die in Jinxter and lose the game that way. Whatever one dangerous hires as a player, it always comes one of the mysterious Guardians and saves the player. Only in the final encounter with Jannedor a deadly gaffe is possible.

Production Notes

Jinxter is the third adventure by Magnetic Scrolls by The Pawn and The Guild of Thieves. It was originally written by Georgina Sinclair, sister of Magnetic Scrolls co-founder Anita Sinclair. Due to discrepancies between Anita and Georgina but had Michael Bywater, editor of the British satirical magazine " Punch", create the entire script within three weeks new. The vegetables Jinxter contained an " Old Moose Bolter " coaster, a sealed envelope with work instructions for Guardians and an output of "Independent Guardian", a daily newspaper for members of the " Guardians " organization.

Reception

Jinxter received in the trade press generally positive reviews.

They commended the clever plot, the atmospheric Narratives, the humor of the game and the beautiful graphics. There was criticism of some places very specific parser.