The Young Ones_GUESSWHO Commodore 64 game

The Young Ones (Video Game)

The Young Ones is an 8-bit home computer game based on the British comedy television series "The Young Ones." Published in 1986 by Orpheus Software, the game was developed for the Amstrad CPC, Commodore 64, and ZX Spectrum platforms by Orpheus.

Gameplay

Set in the students' home, the game allows players to choose characters such as Vyvyan, Rick, Neil, or Mike to explore the house and enter different rooms. The other characters are computer-controlled players. Players can move around the house, pick up and drop objects, break and fix things, and receive clues through character dialogue.

The objective is to move out of the house with all the characters' belongings in the shortest time possible. This proves challenging as possessions are often not in their preferred condition or are hidden, requiring players to use various tools to retrieve them. Computer-controlled characters move around the house, behaving in-character, making the task more difficult.

Production

The game's concept was created by Orpheus director Paul Kaufman, with the majority of the programming done by John Marshall and input from Geoff Phillips. The characters from "The Young Ones" were licensed from the owners of the BBC television series, namely Ben Elton, Rik Mayall, and Lise Mayer.

Due to licensing issues with the original series music, an alternative soundtrack was commissioned. The game sold over 10,000 copies, primarily through Boots stores, Woolworths, and independent computer stores.