- Knight Tyme
Infobox VG| title = Knight Tyme
developer = David Jones,David Whittaker ,Rob Hubbard (music)
publisher =Mastertronic
designer =
engine =
released =1986
genre = Graphic adventure
modes =Single player
ratings = N/A
platforms =Amstrad CPC ,Commodore 64 ,MSX ,ZX Spectrum (separate 48K and 128K versions)
media = Cassette
requirements =
input = Keyboard,joystick "Knight Tyme" is a computer game released for the
ZX Spectrum ,Amstrad CPC ,Commodore 64 andMSX compatibles in1986 . It was published byMastertronic as part of theirMastertronic Added Dimension label.Two versions of the ZX Spectrum release were published: a full version for the 128K Spectrum (which was published first) and a cut-down version for the 48K Spectrum that removed the music, some graphics and some locations (which was published later).
It was programmed by David Jones and is the third game in the
Magic Knight series. The in-game music was written byDavid Whittaker on the C64 version andRob Hubbard on the Spectrum and Amstrad versions. Graphics were byRay Owen .Plot
Having rescued his friend Gimbal from a self-inflicted white-out spell, Magic Knight finds himself transported into the far future aboard the
starship USS "Pisces". Magic Knight must find a way back to his own time, with the help of the Tyme Guardians, before he is apprehended by the Paradox Police.Gameplay
Gameplay is very similar to "Knight Tyme"'s predecessor, "Spellbound". Once again, the game's wide range of commands are carried-out using "Windimation", a system whereby text commands are carried-out through choosing options in command windows.
The importance of watching Magic Knight's energy level and keeping him from harm is rather different this time around. Whilst "Spellbound" required you to be vigilant about his health and needed the player to occasionally avoid flying objects that could sap his strength, "Knight Tyme" is much more focused on the puzzle-solving aspect (although there are still some "death rooms" as in "Spellbound"). For this reason, it should be regarded as a true graphic adventure.
As before, the gameworld features a large amount of characters that our hero can interact with. This time around, however, he is not so responsible for their welfare and they are more there to help him on his quest. They do, after all, belong to the time Magic Knight has found himself in. He is the only displaced person this time around.
"Knight Tyme" also involves some space travel, with Magic Knight commandeering the USS "Pisces" and using it to journey to various planets and star systems. All of these planets can be communicated with and some can be beamed-down to via the USS "Pisces" transporter system. Magic Knight also needs to keep note of the ship's fuel as if it runs out both he and the starship will be stranded which means the end of the game. Refuelling can take place at many of the planets the USS "Pisces" visits.
equels
One further Magic Knight game, "Stormbringer", was released in
1987 .Trivia
*This is the first of two Magic Knight games to feature the (originally-useless) "advert" as a platform that can be jumped on to reach higher areas
*Hooper, one of the planetary rulers in the game, is represented on-screen using the same graphics as the King from "Finders Keepers", the first Magic Knight game.
*One of the crew of the USS "Pisces" is a robot called S3E3, ahomage to the droidR2D2 from theStar Wars films. On examining S3E3, the player is told "S3E3 has a famous cousin".
*The ZX Spectrum version has an option allowing the player the ability to choose whether Magic Knight's attributes will be emphasised or ignored meaning that he will either "blend" with his background or his background will turn white to accommodate him. This is a result of the Spectrum'sattribute clash problem.
*In the Commodore 64 version, Magic Knight begins the game holding a personal stereo. If he wears this, in-game music plays.External links
* [http://www.crashonline.org.uk/29/knighttyme.htm Review of the ZX Spectrum version] from CRASH magazine.
*WoS game|id=0002722
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