Is there any reason to play Swordquest?

[godzillajoe]

I never really played these but was thinking of trying them just to see if I could "solve" them. Do they have any playability? Especially 30 years later with no prize incentive?

[IAMAMRA]

Same reason there is to play pacman

[godzillajoe]

So is that yes or no?

[IAMAMRA]

Only you can awnser it, I beat sword quest in 15 min with no clue what I was doing...

[LidLikesIntellivision]

I was thinking about it too. But I guess I'll need to buy the cart with the cartoon in good shape. It doesn't sound good to follow a scanned one.

 

Or am I wrong and we have good scanned cartoons avaible?

[godzillajoe]

http://www.atariage.com/comics/comic_thumbs.html?MagazineID=45

 

looks good to me

[LidLikesIntellivision]

http://www.atariage....l?MagazineID=45

 

looks good to me

Thanks for the link.

 

Back to your question, I think it's hard to get a good advice from people without knowing too much.

I didn't know the sword quest games before watching a review of the story and, guess what?

Maybe a good part of the challenge was lost for me... But I'm not really sure it was bad to have the clues I had because everything seemed too hard to discover!

 

Maybe it's a bad comparison but what would you think about Castlevania 2 without the good game play? Just the riddles, that tornado, right combination of stones etc? Well, personally I don't like spoilers but I searched the internet for directions in Castlevania 2 and I'm glad I've done that.

[StanJr]

I still play them from time to time for nostalgia reasons. I loved Earthworld and Fireworld as a kid (remember video games were fairly new), and loved the comic books almost as much.

 

Are they fun, a little bit, but the mini-games are so-so and those in FW are glitchy as hell and there is no real way to work the puzzles out other than follow a guide (which I do).

 

So I would say unless you have fond memories or just want to check them off your list, you can give them a miss and not miss them.

[+thegoldenband]

Nostalgia is pretty much the only reason. That said, I got a rush several years ago from playing through & finally beating Earthworld after all these years, admittedly with the help of a walkthrough.

 

Only you can awnser it, I beat sword quest in 15 min with no clue what I was doing...

 

 

Assuming you're talking about Earthworld, I find that a little implausible, unless you used a walkthrough too. I think it took me at least a half-hour even with the walkthrough. Not sure about the latter two games, those might be doable with help in 15 minutes...

[IAMAMRA]

Nostalgia is pretty much the only reason. That said, I got a rush several years ago from playing through & finally beating Earthworld after all these years, admittedly with the help of a walkthrough.

 

 

 

 

Assuming you're talking about Earthworld, I find that a little implausible, unless you used a walkthrough too. I think it took me at least a half-hour even with the walkthrough. Not sure about the latter two games, those might be doable with help in 15 minutes...

 

All i know is that after 15 min i was given a code....

[+thegoldenband]

Oh, getting one code is easy -- you just need to walk through six of the rooms or so in a row (IIRC). But to beat the game, you have to get all twelve. Back in the 1980s, I never got more than two; maybe I or someone in my family got a third clue once, but I certainly didn't know how to pull it off.

 

BTW hearing the other ten sounds was part of what was so uncanny about beating SQ:EW after all that time. I've got "doot, doot doo-doo doo doo" and "doot doo-doo doo doo doo!" burned into my brain forever (or if you prefer, D# B D# F# A# B and B B B F# A# B).

[+Random Terrain]

I played the first one when it was new and I was so pissed off and disappointed that I felt like vomiting and throwing my own poop at people. You'd have to pay me a million bucks before I'd play a Swordquest game again.

[IAMAMRA]

Oh, getting one code is easy -- you just need to walk through six of the rooms or so in a row (IIRC). But to beat the game, you have to get all twelve. Back in the 1980s, I never got more than two; maybe I or someone in my family got a third clue once, but I certainly didn't know how to pull it off.

 

BTW hearing the other ten sounds was part of what was so uncanny about beating SQ:EW after all that time. I've got "doot, doot doo-doo doo doo" and "doot doo-doo doo doo doo!" burned into my brain forever (or if you prefer, D# B D# F# A# B and B B B F# A# B).

 

 

ahh ok, well then nevermind..I never could get in to it but still have it none the less.

[Master Phruby]

I could beat it in 15 minutes... with a stick!

Edited September 26, 2012 by Master Phruby

[IHATETHEBEARS]

Ah... memories. And I see I'm not the only one.

 

To answer the OP's question, there was very little playability in 1982. And there's very little now as well. On New Years's Eve 2008, I exorcised my Swordquest demons. I was so excited I had to brag about it in a blog here: http://www.atariage....est-earthworld/

 

And you know what? I'm going to play it again. It's like some sort of lingering sickness that won't go away. Earthworld, Frieworld and Waterworld. Here I come!

Edited September 26, 2012 by IHATETHEBEARS

[Blacklight]

I would say "no".

 

There's no prize incentive. Even if you have the comic book with the hidden words in it, it doesn't make up for the fact that the games are boring, uninspired, pieces of crap.

The only reason I could see in playing those games is if you're a major puzzle freak. But even in that case, there are far better and more entertaining puzzle games to play.

[Torr]

It's a common misconception that the comic books will help you with the game.

They don't.

They ONLY have the hidden words for the contest, otherwise, the book's story opposed to the gamplay/item placement are darn near completely different.

[LidLikesIntellivision]

It's a common misconception that the comic books will help you with the game.

They don't.

They ONLY have the hidden words for the contest, otherwise, the book's story opposed to the gamplay/item placement are darn near completely different.

Hmm. Then the game may have a goal... I think we play to get codes to search the comic book... If the comic bood doesn't help I assume there's somthing to do with the game other than get clues. If I'm right there isn't a score in the games so can we somewhat finish the quest?

[IHATETHEBEARS]

Hmm. Then the game may have a goal... I think we play to get codes to search the comic book... If the comic bood doesn't help I assume there's somthing to do with the game other than get clues. If I'm right there isn't a score in the games so can we somewhat finish the quest?

 

The goal of the game is to obtain the Warrior's Sword. If you find it, then you've beaten the game.

 

But the only way to find it is to first get the 11 clues. And to get each of those clues, you have to place the right objects in the right rooms. He's right. The comic book doesn't help with the actual gameplay at all. It's merely a place to find the hidden words that were used in the contest.

[Blacklight]

One thing I've always wondered since I was a youngster playing those carts, can't you just go through the comics and find the hidden words and be done with it without having to go through the game part? Or did they hide more words in there than what you needed to find?

[IHATETHEBEARS]

One thing I've always wondered since I was a youngster playing those carts, can't you just go through the comics and find the hidden words and be done with it without having to go through the game part? Or did they hide more words in there than what you needed to find?

 

Yes you can, if you had really sharp eyes. I tried exactly that. And I found about seven of them. But some of them are hidden really well.

[LidLikesIntellivision]

Yes you can, if you had really sharp eyes. I tried exactly that. And I found about seven of them. But some of them are hidden really well.

Doesn't you need to find them in the correct order which I suppose is only discovered by playing?

[IHATETHEBEARS]

Doesn't you need to find them in the correct order which I suppose is only discovered by playing?

 

There were actually 10 words: Spire, Search, The, Quest, In, Espied, Tower, Talisman, Gold & Found. This was the order they were found - based on the clues in the game.

 

You had to somehow figure out a sentence based on those 10 words. The correct solution was actually "Quest in tower talisman found."

 

How people were able to figure that out is beyond me. Hell, how they were ever to figure out which items went where is even further beyond me.

[Chuck D. Head]

The solution to these games is an arbitrary set of goals, leaving certain items in certain rooms, then moving them all around time after time after time. As I posted recently in a different thread, I have fun with them every once in awhile, but not as an adventure game but just kind of a mini-game collection as I do enjoy most of the single screen obstacles.

[schuwalker]

I remember my dad picking this up in one of our family shopping outings. I was huge into Indiana Jones at that time so when I saw the box - the description was right up my alley! I still recall not knowing what the hell is going on. In fact, I kept going into the rooms w/ the challenges cause for some reason that was fun to me.... After awhile of frustration it was relegated to the back of the stash of games.

 

Fast forward to about '85, I was still playing the hell out of the Colecovision along with the 2600 adapter. Well this game irked me enough to give it a try and solve it. (I definitely remember the contest was long over.) I literally put item after item in a certain room and rise, repeat. I *believe* I found either 4 or 5 clues total by this method. I'm still amazed that people were able to find all the clues - if this was indeed done (?)

 

I did manage to pick up Fireworld at Zayre on sale. Not knowing why even though I was duped by Earthword - I guess it was cheap! I did manage to see Waterworld at Kaybee when they were blowing out 2600's catalog on the cheap. Man, I wish I loaded up on W.W's!

 

I did start playing this again cuz I WANT closure! What really befuddles me, I still can't figure out a correlation from Zodiac symbols to items. None! So, what it comes down to is a damn guessing game! Bah!!!!

 

Here is a vid of a fellow that solved Earthworld...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=437mNddF5sI&feature=related

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N79bM3EkR0s&feature=relmfu

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ETdPShzv0A&feature=relmfu

Edited September 27, 2012 by schuwalker