Repton (video game)
| Repton | |
|---|---|
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| Genres | Puzzle game |
| Developers | Tim Tyler (Repton 1 & 2), Matthew Atkinson (Repton 3), David Lawrence and David Acton (Repton Infinity), Gary Partis (EGO: Repton 4), Gil Johnson-Smith (ZX Spectrum Repton 1 & 2), David Bratton (PC Repton 1 & 2), John Wallace (Archimedes Repton 3) |
| Publishers | Superior Software |
| Platforms |
BBC Micro Acorn Electron Commodore 64 Acorn Archimedes ZX Spectrum Risc PC Microsoft Windows Nokia Series 60 Linux / KDE MS-DOS Game Boy Advance Sony PSP Apple iPod Touch Apple iPhone Apple iPad Android |
| Year of inception | 1985 |
Repton is a computer game originally developed by 16-year-old Briton Tim Tyler for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron and released by Superior Software in 1985. The game spawned a series of follow up games which were released throughout the 1980s. The series sold around 125,000 copies between 1985 and 1990 with Repton 2 selling 35,000 itself. The games have since been remade for several modern systems, including iRepton for the iPhone / iPod Touch in 2010, followed by Android Repton 1 and Android Repton 3 in 2016.
The author was inspired by a review of the recently released Boulder Dash, but had never played the game. Compared with Boulder Dash, Repton was a much more calm and organized playing experience with the emphasis on puzzle-solving as opposed to arcade-style improvisation. This remained true as more types of object were added in the sequels.
1985 - Repton, Repton 2
1986 - Repton 3
1987 - Around The World in 40 Screens, The Life of Repton
1988 - Repton Thru Time, Repton Infinity
1989 - Repton Mania
1992 - EGO: Repton 4
2006 - Repton Spectacular
2010 - iRepton, Repton: The Lost Realms
2014 - Repton's Mystic Challenge
2016 - Android Repton 1, Android Repton 3
Repton, the eponymous protagonist, is moved around an underground maze in a quest to find all the diamonds (some are held in safes, their release being triggered by finding and collecting a key) within a time limit for each of several levels, while avoiding being trapped or killed by falling rocks and monsters hatched from eggs. The original Repton game was released in the summer of 1985 and has 12 levels, with passwords making it possible to jump directly to later levels. If passwords are employed, on completion of the final level the displayed message challenges the player to complete the game without using them. The new versions of Repton for the PC, iOS and Android introduce additional levels; and new Repton levels are also contained in Repton Spectacular and Mystic and Challenge.
The sequel to the game, Repton 2, released for Christmas 1985 (release date 14 November 1985 ) is much bigger. It introduces several new features: spirits (that follow walls and objects to their left and must be guided into cages, turning them into diamonds) and skulls, both of which are fatal to Repton on collision. There are also jigsaw puzzle pieces to collect, which eventually spell out the message "Repton 2 is ended". There are no levels as such in Repton 2: instead transporters move Repton between different screens which, subject to some restrictions, can be completed in any order desired. The entire game is in effect one very large level without passwords, meaning that it must be completed in one attempt. Finally, some screens also contain an exposed 'roof', where meteors (predictably fatal to Repton) fall from the sky.
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