Raiders of the Lost Ark

Relive the abstract Atari 2600 adventure by Howard Scott Warshaw from far 1982 on the 48K ZX Spectrum!

INSTRUCTIONS

In this adventure game you must make your way past obstacles to find the Lost Ark of the Covenant. Along the way you'll acquire adventure points, which will be scored at the end of the game.

The Ark of the Covenant is hidden somewhere outside the Egyptian city of Cairo. The Valley of Poison is studded with towering mesas, one of which holds the Well of the Souls and the Ark. Each time you restart the game, the Well of the Souls is placed randomly inside one of the mesas.

To reach the secret Map Room, you'll first need to enter the cavernous Temple of the Ancients, where you'll pick up objects to help you on your journey. The journey is a dangerous one; you are given three lives to play.

Good luck, Indy!

CONTROLS

In the original version two joysticks were required. Here the mechanics are optimized with only one additional key to scroll through the inventory.

Default keyboard controls are:

LEFT = 5 / RIGHT = 8 / UP = 7 / DOWN = 6
ACTION = 0 / INVENTORY SELECTION = 1

Controls are redefineable, Kempston joystick option included.

INVENTORY STRIP

Some objects just need to be selected, others need to be used pressing the fire button.
If you need to use the whip or shoot with your revolver (having purchased the bullets), Indy must be in motion.
To purchase an item in the Marketplace, select the bag of money and move over the item, then press the fire button.

HELPFUL HINTS

Move carefully from a room to another; for example, the route of the Marketplace leads to the Mesa Field: to avoid falling into the ravine, walk close to the route borders.

The Merchants in the Black Market are deadly: you have to give away a bag of money to the Raving Lunatic before walking over the merchandise. 

In the Mesa Field, a moving cursor represents a grappling hook. Press the fire button when the grappling hook is over the mesa you want to reach.

ADVENTURE POINTS

When the game ends, the steps from the pedestal measure the adventure progress. How well did you do?

OBJECTS DESCRIPTION

Notes:
As in the original, the solution sheet is included. Even if it's almost an abandoned practice in modern times, a reading is strongly recommended ;-)

The zip package includes:
- TZX & TAP files
- Inlay cover art with instructions
- Solution sheet
- Map in A4 format
- Cassette labels

The game, originally released in 2017, was revised in 2023 and deliberately preserves the same Atari 2600 feeling and graphics.
The revision includes a new menu with the redefineable keys option, music by Rich Hollins, minor fixes and improvements.