Pharaoh's Tomb
| Pharaoh's Tomb | |
|---|---|
 Screenshot of Level 1 | |
| Developer(s) | Micro F/X Software |
| Publisher(s) | Apogee Software |
| Designer(s) | George Broussard |
| Engine | FAST |
| Platform(s) | DOS |
| Release date(s) | 1990 |
| Genre(s) | Platform |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Pharaoh's Tomb is a DOS platform game created by George Broussard and published by Apogee Software.
The game features CGA graphics based on the FAST (Fluid Animation Software Technology) engine. Notoriously, objects' positions are determined by their bounding volumes, not their pixel precise positions on screen.
Plot
The protagonist, Nevada Smith (a play on Indiana Jones), is an archaeologist and adventurer who is exploring an Egyptian pyramid, hoping to find the Pharaoh's Tomb and get evidence of his findings.
Gameplay
Gameplay is straightforward. In each level, the player navigates and avoids obstacles by jumping or falling, evading or killing enemies, and find keys to exit each level. Nevada Smith has no life bar, and is killed instantly when he touches enemies or traps. Lethal obstacles include pyramid themed traps, such as blocks that fire projectiles when Smith passes in front of them, wall spikes, ceiling spikes and floor spikes. Navigational challenges include moving platforms and elevators. Bonus points are randomly concealed in some bricks, which are awarded when hit from below. The game contains many dead-ends as 'traps' where Smith can become permanently stuck, forcing the player to either quit or reload a saved game. Collecting 100 coins or 5 masks earns the player an extra life.
Release
The game started out as a 80-level commercial game called Pharaoh's Pursuit published by Lone Star Micro, before it was remade into a four-episode game, with the first episode being released as shareware. Each episode contains 20 levels, each level consisting of a single room. The episodes are:
- "Raiders of the Lost Tomb" (a reference to Raiders of the Lost Ark)
- "Pharaoh's Curse"
- "Temple of Terror"
- "Nevada's Revenge"
The game was discontinued on March 2, 2000, and was released as freeware on March 20, 2009.[1]
A sequel, Arctic Adventure, based on the same engine, features Nevada Smith as the protagonist and has similar gameplay.
Reception
Computer Gaming World called Pharaoh's Tomb "lively and imaginative", praising the FAST engine's animation and level design. The magazine said that the low price of the full game made it an "outstanding value".[2]
Trivia
- George Broussard, the creator of the game, misspelled his own name on the title screen.
See also
- Monuments of Mars - Another game that uses the FAST engine
References
- ↑ "Several old games released as Freeware". 3DRealms. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
- ↑ Lasky, Michael S. (March 1991). "Share the Wealth". Computer Gaming World. p. 63. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
External links
- Pharaoh's Tomb page at 3D Realms
- Pharaoh's Tomb at MobyGames