Wizard's Lair Commodore 64 game

Building on the basic gameplay and visual ideas of Ultimate's Atic Atac, Wizard's Lair stars an explorer named Pothole Pete, who is stuck in the Lair unless he can find all four pieces of the Golden Lion. The game is viewed slightly top-down, with indoor rooms bordered by line drawn vectors rather than the fuller jungle graphics.

The pace of the game is quite fast, and the challenge of the action elements is increased by not having infinite weaponry. The route through the game is non-linear, with multiple exits and secret rooms commonplace. Although the screens always contain a particular area, rather than the sections of different areas viewed in Atic Atac (meaning that the player would often have to work out how to reach some sections via other screens), a river is a central aspect of the layout, delimiting some sections of the screens.

The game is essentially an arcade adventure with a bit of shoot-anything-that-moves thrown in for good measure. Pothole Pete, intrepid explorer extraordinaire, was out on a subterranean stroll when he stumbled across the legendary Wizard's Lair (hence the title). Pete knew of the legend (probably read the instructions as well) but was foolish enough not to take its warning seriously. Which explains why he's in the predicament he's in now.

The search for the four pieces of the amulet, sorry Golden Lion, takes place deep inside a massive 256-screen network of underground caves, rooms and passages, complete with all the objects and nasty creatures one would expect to find in such a dire and foreboding place. Most of the objects can be taken to aid Pete in his quest, but there are a couple of exceptions -- one or two things have a rather terminal effect when picked up!

You start the game with five lives and a limited amount of weaponry. Each life has a continually depleting energy supply, and should this run out then a life will be lost. Both energy and lives can be replenished though -- energy through picking up any food found around the cavern, and lives from glowing chalices. Other useful objects are wings that temporarily speed you up (winged feet?), bits of armour for limited protection, crosses to enable you to pass through certain barriers, and weapons to increase your weaponry. Rings, diamond keys and spells also lie about the place for the taking, the last two being of considerable importance . . .

Certain doors in the cave can only be passed through when in possession of a key. Each time You go through a door a key is used up, so you have to choose your exits carefully -- it's very easy to get 'locked in' a few rooms when your keys run out! Further keys, though, can be picked up in the cave or obtained via magic in the form of spells.

The latter can only be used if you have some form of gold (chests, crowns, coins and bars), since the spell draws its power from the precious metal. The gold can be turned into either keys, rings, diamonds, extra energy or weaponry, the quantity of which depending upon how much gold you have managed to amass.

The locations are displayed in the same manner as Atic Atac, ie a perspective plan view, and are all different, being composed of rock, stone, flora, fauna and even rivers and streams! Unlike the Ultimate game though, the main character, Pete, is also viewed from 'above', giving an effective overhead look. On moving from one location to another the screens 'flick', as opposed to scroll, and many nasties appear very quickly thereafter. Most of the doors separating the locations open and close frequently, which means you have to time your exit well. There are even secret passages to be found!

The 256 rooms of the lair are spread over seven levels and each can be accessed by elevator in one of two ways. The first is the Wardrobe Lift, which simply takes you up from one level to the next. The other is the Magic Lift, whereby if you type in the name of the level you wish to go to, you will be magically transported there. Very handy.

As Pete knew there were such a variety of monsters in the lair, he took the initiative to bring some axes and the like with him. Any creature that gets in the way can be disposed of with a carefully, or even recklessly, aimed shot. Bear in mind you have a limited quantity of ammunition though! There are two particular nasties (Knights and Executioners) that kill Pete on contact (others merely drain him of energy) and therefore they must be disposed of on sight.

On losing all of your lives you are given a message and a chance to 'etch your initials into the legend's cave' (the high score table), previous scores permitting, of course. You are also told what percentage of the 'adventure' you have completed and how many pieces of the Golden Lion you managed to recover.