This is a copy of the first ever text adventure game which was written to run on a large mainframe computer. The aim of the game is to search for hidden treasure, which is often guarded, and then return it to your home base.

Tony: The program responds almost immediately. And with your commands appearing in yellow and the program's messages in white, the game is fairly simple to play. 7/10

John: This is a good conversion of the original which requires plenty of concentration and practice to be successful. The cassette insert is colourful and includes very comprehensive instructions. 8/10

Mark: An adventure that has an extensive vocabulary, always keeps you interested and puts your brain to work. A good adaptation of the original. 9/10

Producer: C P Software, 48K
£7.95
Author: Abersoft

Also known as Adventure 1 by Abersoft, this is a traditional style adventure where you must find the treasure left behind by a Wizard, and in which you will meet dragons, trolls, snakes and other dark denizens. When the program has finished loading the adventure begins instantly without instructions. These are available on command. The game is strictly text only and uses repeat locations when travelling along, say, a valley. Finding the cave in the first place is already an adventure in itself, and the whole game may take days, even weeks to complete satisfactorily. One of the classic computer adventure games. Recommended.

Producer: C P Software, 48K
£7.95
Author: Abersoft

Also known as Adventure 1 by Abersoft, this is a traditional style adventure where you must find the treasure left behind by a Wizard, and in which you will meet dragons, trolls, snakes and other dark denizens. When the program has finished loading the adventure begins instantly without instructions. These are available on command. The game is strictly text only and uses repeat locations when travelling along, say, a valley. Finding the cave in the first place is already an adventure in itself, and the whole game may take days, even weeks to complete satisfactorily. One of the classic computer adventure games. Recommended.

Producer: Melbourne House, 48K
£6.95
Author: John Jones-Steele

Also known as Adventure 1 by Abersoft, who originally marketed this adventure through CP Software under the the title of Colossal Caves. Classic Adventure was originally written in the 70s in Fortran and took up over 200K of memory. As the name suggests, this is the epitome of traditional D & D adventures. You must find a treasure of untold riches by penetrating a deadly complex of caverns. When the game starts you are standing by a brick building which must be entered, and where you will find a number of objects to help you in your quest. Then the entry to the caverns must be discovered. On your travels you will meet giant snakes trolls, dragon and other wierd creatures. Although requiring some careful thought, most of the puzzles presented are easily overcome. A fast moving and enjoyable adventure.

Producer: C P Software, 48K
£7.95
Author: Abersoft

Alsknown as Adventure 1 by Abersoft, this is a traditional style adventure where you must find the treasure left behind by a Wizard, and in which you will meet dragons, trolls, snakes and other dark denizens. When the program has finished loading the adventure begins instantly without instructions. These are available on command. The game is strictly text only and uses repeat locations when travelling along, say, a valley. Finding the cave in the first place is already an adventure in itself, and the whole game may take days, even weeks to complete satisfactorily. One of the classic computer adventure games. Recommended.

DREADFUL DWARF

Murderous dwarfs, misty caverns and mysterious objects all play a part in the new Abersoft adventure game for the 48K Spectrum, Adventure One.

Anything can happen during the adventure but one thing to look for is a dwarf who throws knives. He could put a quick end to any adventuring.

The adventure is displayed as text on the screen and reads like a book written by Tolkien with shades of Agatha Christie included. It is ideal for a beginner at adventure games because the computer helps the player more than other games so far released for the Spectrum. The game should prove advantageous for the experienced Dungeons and Dragons player who cannot find a Dungeon Master against which to pit wits.

Adventure One is available from Abersoft, 7 Maes Afallen, Bow Street, Dyfed SY24 5BA and costs £9.95.

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K
SUPPLIER: Melbourne House
PRICE: £6.95

Spectrum owners who like their locations to be vividly described, and who aren't content with Castle Blackstar, might like to try Melbourne House's Classic Adventure. This is a version of the program Colossal Cave (or just 'Adventure'), the game that started it all, back in the days when you used your computer to heat the room and did your calculations on a slide-rule.

Adventurers on most home micros have already had a crack at this classic, thanks to Level 9, but Melbourne House's offering is £3.00 cheaper. How does it compare?

Well, it has to be admitted that the difference in price is reflected in the quality of the program. However, what I liked about Melbourne House's game was that it was subtly different from the original Colossal Cave. Even if you're familiar with the older program or one of its modern versions, you could find yourself in trouble in Melbourne House's version.

The locations in this game are excellently described by comparison to most of today's text-only programs, so if you haven't already tried this game, and can't afford the extra for Level 9's version, then Classic Adventure looks like a good bet.

STILL A CLASSIC BRAINTEASE

MICRO: Spectrum 48K
PRICE: £6.95
FORMAT: Cassette
SUPPLIER: Melbourne House, 131 Trafalgar Rd, Greenwich

Back in the dim, distant past (well, 1978 actually) two bored mainframe programmers came up with the idea for a game. They used over 200K on their mainframe to write it in Fortran, and when they'd finished they called it Adventure. Six years and several computer lifetimes later the Classic Adventure is available for the Spectrum 48K.

Actually, Abersoft have been selling the same adventure for some time, and there is a first-class version from Level 9 under the name Colossal Adventure, but Melbourne House's commercial muscle will doubtless win many new admirers for this classic textual brainteaser.

The screen display is an elegant white-on-black, very restful on the eyes when the first location pops up on screen and you find yourself on a deserted road beside a building. The plot is familiar (but bear in mind it is the original), sending you into a labyrinthine cave system in search of treasure, and inviting you to plunge in and explore.

Respect for its pivotal role in adventuring history would not alone make this a game worth playing. However Classic Adventure has much more going for it than mere historical significance. The descriptions of the locations are detailed, literate and frequently lengthy, while the locations themselves are varied, unusual and fascinating. Starting out is a pleasure, since there is plenty to explore at the beginning before the problems really being.

The problems are thorny and unpredictable - some have very logical solutions, while others defeated all my best efforts until in a fit of pique I typed something quite daft, only to find that was what I should have done all along. Crowther and Woods, the mainframe programmers, have a wicked sense of humour, but they are always fair.

The caverns house a selection of flora and fauna ranging from fluttering birds, fierce snakes and baleful dragons to axe-wielding dwarves and larcenous trolls. These are considerably less aggressive than their Level 9 counterparts, which is a relief, and Classic Adventure is refreshingly calm, allowing the adventurer to get on with exploring without the constant danger of attack.

On the minus side, some of the descriptions are mis-spaced or mis-spelled, the vocabulary, while extensive, is a little picky and some of the responses can be odd, but these are very minor complaints about an excellent games in the future.

48K Spectrum
£5.95
Melbourne House

Aptly named, this test adventure is closely based on the famous Crowther and Woods Colossal Cave.

If you've never played it before, you're in for a treat. There are a large number of problems to solve and locations to explore, the latter being described in some detail.

Among the old favourites are the well house, the looked grate, the black rod and the hall of mists. Those pesky dwarves are there as well, still sneaking up and hurling axes at you. Seasoned adventures will know how to best deal with these nuisances.

Although not as comprehensive as Level 9 Computing's version (Colossal Adventure), it does include most of the flavour and delights of the original classic. Definitely one for your collection.

IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE

Now that the Christmas rush if over, Paul Holmes takes a look at some of the latest software for the ZDX Spectrum.

I expect that by now you are as sick of turkey sandwiches and Christmas cake as I am, and are now on the lookout for some post festive inspiration for your ZX Spectrum. Whether you managed to survive the Christmas period with some cash or you are wondering what to do with that fiver you received from your Auntie, here are a number of goodies to choose from.

This is an adventure game, and for the uninitiated an adventure game is one of a 'search' usually for treasure of some description hidden in caves, passages, jungles, Egyptian pyramids and the like. just to make matters more complicated, there are usually a number of monsters and mysterious objects whose sole aim in life is to hinder or help you on your quest.

Abersoft's adventure, however, has no harmful monsters but makes you rely on your own intelligence to get around the passages and utilise the objects you find to help you win the treasure. In the first scene, you are looking at a water house and you can see a large set of keys, a shiny brass lamp, some tasty food and a bottle of water. You can instruct the computer by giving it simple one or two word instructions such as 'get keys' or 'take lamp'. Using these keywords, you can pick up a number of items that you might think will be of use to you at a later point in the game; you are allowed to 'hold' up to eight items.

To find out what you are holding at any stage in the game, you type 'inventory'; the computer's recognition of vocabulary is very good, and fast too due to the fact that the vast majority of the program is written in machine code. The computer only scans the first four letters of each keyword so 'inve' is the same as 'inventory'.

To move about in the game, simple compass directions should be given such as 'N', 'E', 'S' and 'W'. Instructions such as 'enter' are obeyed such that if you are next to a building or the entrance to a passage, you will appear inside.

A 'SMASHING' GAME

The adventure is based on a series of caves, canyon crawls and passages. There are countless rooms with a white mist lingering on the floor (similar to a Top of the Pops rehearsal, maybe?). Most passages, rooms, etc, are empty but some will contain useful objects and treasure. The treasure varies from extremely heavy golden nuggets to easily breakable Ming vases.

The Ming vase had me in some confusion for a few days. I don't get the idea that you'll manage to finish this game in a week!. The problem with the vase is that the only way to put something down is to use the command 'drop' which is countered with the reply 'you hurled it delicately to the ground'. (You have to put some of the objects down again as for every item of treasure you return to the water house, you receive 10 points.) So all I got the first few times I tried this was a smashed vase! Until I found the pillow, of course...

There are 21 items of treasure to find in the game in all, so don't expect an easy time. The adventure holds many secrets for the player to work out, one of which is the meaning of the secret messages on the walls in certain rooms. I managed to work out most of them, but I won't spoil your fun by telling you.

LACK OF TALENT?

At one point in the game I came across a very strange room in which I was standing at a window looking down on a pit (complete with mist). Opposite me I could see a man at another window waving back at me. It has been a puzzle to me ever since what is the relevance of the eerie figure? Perhaps he was, like me, another player driven to madness by this game.

I fear he might have been, as the game is non-graphical and requires great enthusiasm to play for more than a few hours at a stretch. Pure text, with no colour or sound, is a clear waste of the ZX Spectrum's talent and would clearly wear the interest of the player. (There is also a ZX81 version of the game available for £8.95.)

Far too often in the game, I found myself going round and round in circles. However, there's no resting to cook the odd meal or read a book or two while you await some happening - the computer always has a quick answer for you. For instance, in the depth of frustration, I told the computer 'where to go' to which it promptly told me 'Watch it. The wizard is watching you'. I found its understanding of my use of 'non-Queen's English' quite amusing and prompts me to applaud the author's sense of humour.

One of my main criticisms of the game is the actual quality of the cassettes themselves. One of the two copies I had for review had a header that was full of rubbish, so that the normally tolerant Spectrum rejected it. The whole program was littered with clicks and buzzes. However, I did manage to load the second copy, albeit with some difficulty.

Adventure is priced at £9.95 and is available from Abersoft, 7 Maes Afallen, Bow Street, Dyfed SY24 5BA.