Microsoft Adventure

Microsoft Adventure is a 1979 interactive fiction game from Microsoft. It is an implementation of the PDP-10 mainframe game Colossal Cave Adventure. Microsoft originally released Microsoft Adventure in 1979 for the TRS-80 and the Apple II under its new division, Microsoft Consumer Products. It was programmed for the company by Gordon Letwin of Softwin Associates.[1]

Microsoft Adventure
TRS-80/Apple II cover
Developer(s)Softwin Associates
Publisher(s)
Programmer(s)Gordon Letwin
Platform(s)TRS-80, Apple II, IBM PC
Release1979: TRS-80, Apple II
1981: IBM PC
Genre(s)Interactive fiction
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

Microsoft Adventure is a text game of cave exploration and treasure gathering where the player enters one- or two-word commands to direct the computer to move and manipulate objects, and points are awarded for areas explored and for treasure acquired.[2] It contains 130 rooms, 15 treasures, 40 useful objects and 12 problems to be solved. The progress of two games can be saved on a diskette.[3]

Release

IBM later included Microsoft Adventure as the only game in the initial software releases for the IBM Personal Computer.[2] making it one of the first two games available for the new computer,[4] along with DONKEY.BAS (which was included in the operating system.) It was released on a single-sided 5​1⁄4 inch disk, required 32K RAM, as a self-booting disk; it could not be opened from MS-DOS or IBM PC DOS.

Reception

Carrington Dixon reviewed Microsoft Adventure in The Space Gamer No. 49.[2] Dixon commented that "No game that exists on several different computers can fully demonstrate the potential of any one computer. Even so, your [money] buys many hours of cave exploring and treasure snatching. There is only one 'set-up' but that one is rich and complex enough to keep anyone busy for many games. I suspect that many people will come back to the one after some flashier games have been permanently set aside."[2] PC Magazine also reviewed the game positively, writing, "This hoary old classic should be included in any player's collection of games for the IBM PC."[5]

IBM PC version manual cover

References
  1. "Microsoft Consumer Products Continuing the Microsoft Tradition". Byte. 4 (12): 179. December 1979. Only Microsoft offers Adventure complete, as originally written for the DEC PDP-10, now implemented on personal computers. The ultimate fantasy/logic game, Adventure allows you to explore the depths of the "Colossal Cave,' [...] Adventure fills an entire disk with everything you need for your exploration. Written by Gordon Letwin, of SOFTWIN, Associates. Adventure for the TRS-80 requires a single-disk, 32K system. For the Apple II" a single-disk, 32K system with either the standard disk or language card system. For just $29.95.
  2. Dixon, Carrington (March 1982). "Capsule Reviews". The Space Gamer. Steve Jackson Games (49): 34.
  3. "IBM Archives: Product fact sheet". 03.ibm.com. 1981-08-12. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
  4. Lemmons, Phil (October 1981). "The IBM Personal Computer / First Impressions". BYTE. p. 36. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  5. "Adventure (Microsoft)". PC Magazine. 1 (8): 179–180. December 1982.
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