Deathtrap Dungeon

Last updated
Deathtrap Dungeon
Ff3puffin.jpg
The original Puffin Books cover
Author Ian Livingstone [1]
Illustrator Iain McCaig [1]
Cover artist
  • Puffin: Iain McCaig
  • Wizard: Mel Grant
Series Fighting Fantasy
  • Puffin number: 6
  • Wizard number: 3
GenreFantasy
Publication date
  • Puffin: 1984 [1]
  • Dell/Laurel-Lead: 1984 [1]
  • Wizard: 2002
Media typePrint (Paperback)
ISBN 0-14-031708-2 (Puffin)
ISBN   1-84046-388-0 (Wizard)
Preceded by City of Thieves  
Followed by Island of the Lizard King  

Deathtrap Dungeon is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Iain McCaig. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1984, the title is the sixth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002.

Contents

Story

Deathtrap Dungeon is a fantasy adventure taking place in the hazardous labyrinth known as Fang. [1] The player takes the role of an adventurer who decides to enter Baron Sukumvit's "Trial of Champions" and brave "Deathtrap Dungeon". Competing against five other adventurers, the player must defeat monsters, navigate the maze of dungeons and collect certain gems, which are the key to escaping and winning the Trial. [2]

Rules

Sequels

The title was followed by two sequels, Trial of Champions (21st title, 1986), and Armies of Death (36th title, 1988).

Reception

Marcus L. Rowland reviewed Deathtrap Dungeon for the May 1984 issue of White Dwarf , rating the title 8 out of a possible 10. Rowland stated that the format of Deathtrap Dungeon was "extremely simple, and resembles the plot of many early D&D scenarios". [3]

Other media

In 1998, a Deathtrap Dungeon video game was released, developed by Asylum Studios and published by Eidos Interactive for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows.

The gamebook was also converted into a 40-page d20 System role-playing adventure by Jamie Wallis. It was published by Myriador in 2003 [4] [5] [6] and reissued in pdf format by Greywood Publishing in 2008. [7]

In 2010, the title was re-released in electronic form for the iPhone and iPad by Big Blue Bubble. When Big Blue Bubble later lost the license, all its apps were withdrawn.

In 2011, Mark Holdom Inc. announced a project to adapt Deathtrap Dungeon for the cinema, "a cross between Saw and Gladiator ". [8] [9]

In 2018, the audio company FoxYason Music Productions, known for their work with Big Finish Productions announced that they would be releasing an original, full-cast audio drama based on Deathtrap Dungeon in a CD boxset with The Citadel of Chaos , The Forest of Doom , and Creature of Havoc for summer 2018. It will be written by David N. Smith, directed by Richard Fox and will feature Rachel Atkins returning to the role of Vale Moonwing from FoxYason Music's first release based on The Warlock of Firetop Mountain , sub-titled The Hero's Quest. [10]

In 2020, an interactive video game called Deathtrap Dungeon: The Interactive Video Adventure featuring narration by Eddie Marsan was released, developed and published by Branching Narrative Ltd on Steam for PC and Mac, iOS and Android.

Related Research Articles

<i>Fighting Fantasy</i> Roleplaying gamebook

Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player role-playing gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volume in the series was published in paperback by Puffin in 1982.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ian Livingstone</span> Fantasy writer and entrepreneur

Sir Ian Livingstone is an English fantasy author and entrepreneur. Along with Steve Jackson, he is the co-founder of a series of role-playing gamebooks, Fighting Fantasy, and the author of many books within that series. He co-founded Games Workshop in 1975 and helped create Eidos Interactive as executive chairman of Eidos Plc in 1995.

A gamebook is a work of printed fiction that allows the reader to participate in the story by making choices. The narrative branches along various paths, typically through the use of numbered paragraphs or pages. Each narrative typically does not follow paragraphs in a linear or ordered fashion. Gamebooks are sometimes called choose your own adventure books or CYOA after the influential Choose Your Own Adventure series originally published by US company Bantam Books. Gamebooks influenced hypertext fiction.

<i>Titan</i> (Fighting Fantasy book)

Titan: The Fighting Fantasy World is a book in the Fighting Fantasy series of children's role-playing gamebooks, first published by Puffin Books in 1986. Although credited to Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, it was actually written by Marc Gascoigne, although mostly based on locations, characters and events already described in other books in the series. It is written in the manner of an encyclopedia about the fantasy world of Titan, in which the majority of Fighting Fantasy gamebooks are set.

<i>The Warlock of Firetop Mountain</i> Adventure gamebook

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Russ Nicholson. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1982, the title is the first gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002, and Scholastic Books in 2017. As well as launching the Fighting Fantasy series, the gamebook inspired two direct sequels and five novels, and has been adapted into a board game, an audio drama and a video game.

<i>Deathtrap Dungeon</i> (video game) 1998 video game

Ian Livingstone's Deathtrap Dungeon is an action-adventure video game developed by Asylum Studios and published by Eidos Interactive for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows in 1998. It is based on the adventure gamebook Deathtrap Dungeon written by Ian Livingstone, and published by Puffin Books in 1984.

<i>Steve Jacksons Sorcery!</i>

Sorcery!, originally titled Steve Jackson's Sorcery!, is a single-player four-part adventure gamebook series written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Blanche. Originally published by Penguin Books between 1983 and 1985, the titles are part of the Fighting Fantasy canon, but were not allocated numbers within the original 59-book series. Sorcery! was re-published by Wizard Books in 2003 and recreated as the Sorcery! video game series by Inkle.

<i>The Citadel of Chaos</i>

The Citadel of Chaos is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by Russ Nicholson. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the second gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. The gamebook was also adapted into a video game.

<i>Starship Traveller</i>

Starship Traveller is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by Peter Andrew Jones. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the fourth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. A digital version developed by Tin Man Games is available for Android, iOS, Windows 10, MacOS, and Linux.

<i>Island of the Lizard King</i>

Island of the Lizard King is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Alan Langford. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1984, the title is the seventh gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. A digital version developed by Tin Man Games was released for Android and iOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Endless Quest</span>

The Endless Quest books were three series of gamebooks. The first two series were released in the 1980s and 1990s by TSR, while the third series was released by Wizards of the Coast. Originally, these books were the result of an Educational department established by TSR with the intention of developing curriculum programs for subjects such as reading, math, history, and problem solving.

<i>The Forest of Doom</i>

The Forest of Doom is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, and illustrated by Malcolm Barter. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the third gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series, and the first of several to feature the character Yaztromo. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. The gamebook was also adapted into a video game.

<i>City of Thieves</i> (gamebook)

City of Thieves is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Ian Livingstone and illustrated by Iain McCaig. Originally published by Puffin Books in 1983, the title is the fifth gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002.

<i>Caverns of the Snow Witch</i>

Caverns of the Snow Witch is a single-player roleplaying gamebook, written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Gary Ward and Edward Crosby and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2003. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 9th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031830-5) and 10th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-432-1).

<i>House of Hell</i>

House of Hell is a single-player adventure gamebook written by Steve Jackson, illustrated by Tim Sell and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 10th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031831-3) and 7th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-417-8). A digital version was developed by Tin Man Games for Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS.

<i>Trial of Champions</i>

Trial of Champions is a single-player roleplaying gamebook, written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Brian Williams and originally published in 1986 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2003.

<i>Talisman of Death</i>

Talisman of Death is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Jamie Thomson and Mark Smith, illustrated by Bob Harvey and originally published in 1984 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2006. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 11th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-031859-3) and 24th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-566-2).

<i>Creature of Havoc</i> Fighting Fantasy book

Creature of Havoc is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by British game designer Steve Jackson, illustrated by Alan Langford and originally published in 1986 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2002. It forms part of Jackson and Ian Livingstone's fictional Fighting Fantasy series, and is the last Fighting Fantasy gamebook written by Jackson. It is the 24th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-032040-7) and 4th in the modern Wizard series (ISBN 1-84046-391-0).

<i>Armies of Death</i>

Armies Of Death is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Nik Williams and originally published in 1988 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2003. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series.

<i>Eye of the Dragon</i>

Eye of the Dragon is a single-player roleplaying gamebook written by Ian Livingstone, illustrated by Martin McKenna and published in 2005 by Wizard Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 21st in the Wizard series. Eye of the Dragon was the first new Fighting Fantasy gamebook published by Wizard, although the book is an extended version of the adventure from Ian Livingstone's earlier book Dicing with Dragons rather than a completely original adventure. The book is made up of 407 references rather than the usual 400.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 366. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. "Deathtrap Dungeon: Revisiting a classic Fighting Fantasy book". 31 May 2018.
  3. Rowland, Marcus (May 1984). "Open Box". White Dwarf . Games Workshop (53): 16–17.
  4. "Review of Deathtrap Dungeon - RPGnet" . Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  5. "SFandFantasy.co.uk - Deathtrap Dungeon. 2003" . Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  6. "Reviews - Deathtrap Dungeon - OgreCave.com" . Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  7. "Deathtrap Dungeon - RPG Geek" . Retrieved 23 August 2014.
  8. Holdom lines up Marcel, Deathtrap Dungeon, ScrrenDaily, 26 May 2011
  9. Can You Survive the Deathtrap Dungeon ? , IMDb, 26 May 2011
  10. "Fighting Fantasy Audio Dramas". www.fightingfantasyaudiodramas.com. Retrieved 23 April 2018.

Official sites: