| Time Traveler | |
|---|---|
 Apple II title screen | |
| Developer(s) | Krell Software |
| Platform(s) | Apple II, [1] Atari-8bit, [2] TRS-80, [1] PET [1] |
| Release | 1980 [3] |
Time Traveler [1] [4] is a 1980 fantasy text adventure developed by Krell Software. The game was released on the 16K, Level II TRS-80, Apple II, Commodore PET, and Atari 8-bit family
Time Traveler is a game in which the player goes back in time to 14 different eras to collect a hidden ring from each era, each one having a different special ability to help the player. The player then brings the rings back to the time machine laboratory. [5]
The game was reviewed in The Dragon #44 by Mark Herro. Herro said that his opinion of the game kept changing as he played it; he intended to evaluate the game negatively at first, but the more he played the more he found himself liking it despite its problems. As he was playing an early pre-production advance copy, he found a number of little bugs in the program. Krell Software told him they had taken care of the problems in later versions. [5]
Jon Mishcon reviewed Time Traveler in The Space Gamer No. 39. [6] Mishcon commented that "Overall I'd say this game has some great ideals but fails to give the player enough information so that you can just sit down and enjoy playing. Those who delight in delving into a long game may find this enjoyable. I'd recommend you wait for their next game." [6]
Terry Romine reviewed the game for Computer Gaming World , and stated that "I fear that, after a person develops a strategy, the game will quickly become a series of stale replays. There are no differences between eras other than the name of the era and its political factions." [7]
The Atari 8-bit family is a series of 8-bit home computers introduced by Atari, Inc. in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800. As the first home computer architecture with coprocessors, it has graphics and sound more advanced than most of its contemporaries. Video games were a major appeal, and first-person space combat simulator Star Raiders is considered the platform's killer app. The "Atari 8-bit family" label was not contemporaneous. Atari, Inc., used the term "Atari 800 [or 400] home computer system", often combining the model names into "Atari 400/800" or "Atari home computers".
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Temple of Apshai is a dungeon crawl role-playing video game developed and published by Automated Simulations in 1979. Originating on the TRS-80 and Commodore PET, it was followed by several updated versions for other computers between 1980 and 1986.
Jon Freeman is a game designer and co-founder of software developer Automated Simulations, which was later renamed to Epyx and became a major company during the 8-bit era of home computing. He is married to game programmer Anne Westfall, and they work together as Free Fall Associates. Free Fall is best known for Archon: The Light and the Dark, one of the earliest titles from Electronic Arts.
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California Games is a 1987 sports video game originally released by Epyx for the Apple II and Commodore 64, and ported to other home computers and video game consoles. Branching from their Summer Games and Winter Games series, this game consists of a collection of outdoor sports purportedly popular in California. The game was successful and spawned a sequel, California Games II.
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Computer Acquire is a 1980 video game published by Avalon Hill for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore PET, and TRS-80.
Conflict 2500 is video game published by Avalon Hill in 1981 for the Apple II, Atari 8-bit family, Commodore PET, and TRS-80.
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Threshold is a space-themed fixed shooter written by Warren Schwader and Ken Williams for the Apple II and published by On-Line Systems in 1981. Inspired by Sega's Astro Blaster arcade video game, Threshold introduces many enemy ship types and wave formations as the game progresses. Reviewers found the variety distinguished the game from the many similar shoot 'em ups.