The Adventures of Robbo
| Robbo | |
|---|---|
Atart 8-Bit Cover art
|
|
| Developer(s) | X LanD Computer Games |
| Publisher(s) |
LK Avalon Epic MegaGames (MS-DOS) |
| Designer(s) | Janusz Pelc |
| Platform(s) | Atari 8-bit (original) Atari ST, C64, MS-DOS |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Robbo is an action puzzle video game designed by Janusz Pelc and published by LK Avalon in 1989 for the Atari 8-bit family. A success on the Polish domestic market, it was later ported to other computer platforms and released in the United States as The Adventures of Robbo.
The game's design was partly inspired by Boulder Dash, but with the gravity aspect removed. The player controls the titular little robot through a series of planets (56 in the original Atari version), each being a vertically-scrolling maze filled with various objects and obstacles. The goal of each level is to collect a preset number of bolts scattered around (there could be extra bolts on the map, and bolts could also be acquired from random item generators), and then reach a capsule that takes the hero to the next planet. On his way Robbo must avoid deadly obstacles that include moving creatures, laser turrets, and large magnets. Various items can be found, including keys that open doors, bullets that kill enemies and destroy impassable walls of rubble, crates that can be pushed, bombs that explode upon being shot, and mirrors that teleport the hero around the level.
Robbo was designed and programmed by Polish programmer Janusz Pelc in 1989 for the Atari XL/XE computers, and was the first product of the company Laboratorium Komputerowe Avalon, which he established together with his school mate Tomasz Pazdan that same year in Rzeszów; both were 19 years old and had just passed the matura. A demo version was also published, as an advertisement for both the game and the company, that contained 4 unique levels, and listed addresses of Avalon's software distributors that sold Robbo.
The game's initial release announced a contest in the on-screen manual, in which the first five players that finished Robbo and sent description of the ending sequence to Avalon, would receive the company's next game as a prize. By 1991, the company received a few thousand solutions.
The game was a success for the company, with them receiving letters from customers describing amazement that a game of such quality was not of foreign origin but Polish and demanding a sequel. That success, however, didn't translate into financial gain, as Poland at the time had no law restricting software piracy.
...
Wikipedia