Treasure Island (video game)
Encyclopedia
Treasure Island was a computer game made in the mid-1980s, based on the book
by Robert Louis Stevenson
. In the game, the player takes on the role of Jim Hawkins
(the protagonist
of the book), and has to battle through hordes of pirates
before a final showdown with Long John Silver
. The game view did not scroll
, but used a flip-screen
style, as was popular in the 1980s.
at Jim if he moved in range. The pirate in question did not lose his cutlass if he does so - he always had another to use himself. A pirate would very rarely throw more than one cutlass.
If Jim was hit by a cutlass thrown at him, or if he touched a pirate, he would lose a life
and start again from the beginning of the screen. However, if he moved out of the way in time, the cutlass would land on the ground, and he would be able to throw it at a pirate of his choosing to kill him. A killed pirate disappeared, thus allowing Jim to pass.
At the start of the game, Jim had just escaped the stockade
. He was unarmed, and had only one possible exit to the next screen, to the right. Here he would find a throwing pirate, whom he could trick into throwing a cutlass, and thus obtain it for himself. However, it would be foolhardy to kill that same pirate with it, since that pirate was not blocking access to anything.
Instead, the player should find a pirate who was blocking access to an exit (or perhaps a power-up
) and kill him with it, thus advancing progress through the game. This strategic rationing of cutlasses (i.e. knowing where to pick them up and where to use them) in order to progress around the island was a major gameplay
element.
Jim would collect a percentage of points within this game by killing pirates and collecting cheese, barrels, bones, shovels, a key and a treasure chest.
When Jim collected the treasure chest an invincible moving pirate known as Long John Silver would start to chase after him. The player would then have to remember exactly how they progressed within the game so that Jim could be navigated off the island and back onto a waiting ship. If Jim did get caught or blocked in a dead end he would be killed and the game would start all over again, from the beginning.
and MSX
was released in 1984, and the Commodore Plus/4
version was from 1985.
in the year 1985.
Treasure Island
Treasure Island is an adventure novel by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson, narrating a tale of "pirates and buried gold". First published as a book on May 23, 1883, it was originally serialized in the children's magazine Young Folks between 1881–82 under the title Treasure Island; or, the...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
. In the game, the player takes on the role of Jim Hawkins
Jim Hawkins (character)
James "Jim" Hawkins is a fictional character in Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island. He is both the protagonist and narrator of the story.-Appearances:...
(the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the book), and has to battle through hordes of pirates
Piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence at sea. The term can include acts committed on land, in the air, or in other major bodies of water or on a shore. It does not normally include crimes committed against persons traveling on the same vessel as the perpetrator...
before a final showdown with Long John Silver
Long John Silver
Long John Silver is a fictional character and the primary antagonist of the novel Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Silver is also known by the nicknames "Barbecue" and the "Sea-Cook".- Profile :...
. The game view did not scroll
Scrolling
In computer graphics, filmmaking, television production, and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display. "Scrolling", as such, does not change the layout of the text or pictures, or but incrementally moves the user's view across what is...
, but used a flip-screen
Flip-screen
In video games, flip-screen is a principle whereby the playing environment is divided into single-screen portions...
style, as was popular in the 1980s.
Gameplay
None of the pirates moved around, but some of them would throw a cutlassCutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard...
at Jim if he moved in range. The pirate in question did not lose his cutlass if he does so - he always had another to use himself. A pirate would very rarely throw more than one cutlass.
If Jim was hit by a cutlass thrown at him, or if he touched a pirate, he would lose a life
1-up
1-up , pronounced "one up", is a term in console video gaming that commonly refers to an item that gives the player an extra life, to complete the game. In certain games, it is possible to receive multiple extra lives at once...
and start again from the beginning of the screen. However, if he moved out of the way in time, the cutlass would land on the ground, and he would be able to throw it at a pirate of his choosing to kill him. A killed pirate disappeared, thus allowing Jim to pass.
At the start of the game, Jim had just escaped the stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
. He was unarmed, and had only one possible exit to the next screen, to the right. Here he would find a throwing pirate, whom he could trick into throwing a cutlass, and thus obtain it for himself. However, it would be foolhardy to kill that same pirate with it, since that pirate was not blocking access to anything.
Instead, the player should find a pirate who was blocking access to an exit (or perhaps a power-up
Power-up
In computer and video games, power-ups are objects that instantly benefit or add extra abilities to the game character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a benefit and can be used at a time chosen by the player...
) and kill him with it, thus advancing progress through the game. This strategic rationing of cutlasses (i.e. knowing where to pick them up and where to use them) in order to progress around the island was a major gameplay
Gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and player's connection with it...
element.
Jim would collect a percentage of points within this game by killing pirates and collecting cheese, barrels, bones, shovels, a key and a treasure chest.
When Jim collected the treasure chest an invincible moving pirate known as Long John Silver would start to chase after him. The player would then have to remember exactly how they progressed within the game so that Jim could be navigated off the island and back onto a waiting ship. If Jim did get caught or blocked in a dead end he would be killed and the game would start all over again, from the beginning.
Credits
The programming was done by Greg Duddle, and the music was rendered by David Whittaker. The version for the Commodore 64Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
was released in 1984, and the Commodore Plus/4
Commodore Plus/4
The Commodore Plus/4 was a home computer released by Commodore International in 1984. The "Plus/4" name refers to the four-application ROM resident office suite ; it was billed as "the productivity computer with software built-in"...
version was from 1985.
See also
Another adventure game named Treasure Island was published by Windham ClassicsWindham Classics
Windham Classics Corporation was a subsidiary of Spinnaker Software. The corporation was founded in 1984 and went defunct circa 1985/86 or later. The headquarters were in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.- Adventure games :...
in the year 1985.