Summary

Release Year: 1980
Genres: Arcade, Shooter, Strategy
Platforms: Arcade, Bally Astrocade, Commodore C64/128/MAX
Developers: Dave Nutting Associates
Publishers: Astrocade, Inc., Commodore Business Machines, Inc., Handic Software, Midway Manufacturing

Wizard of Wor: A Retro Classic

Wizard of Wor is an action-oriented game for one or two players that was released in arcades in 1980. The game takes the form of several maze-like dungeons infested with monsters. The players’ characters, called Worriors, have to kill all the monsters in each dungeon in order to advance to the next one.

Wizard of Wor was developed by Midway Games, which was also responsible for other classic arcade games such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Joust. The game was designed by Dave Nutting, who was inspired by the 1979 arcade game Berzerk.

Wizard of Wor is a simple game to learn, but it is difficult to master. The player’s Worrior can only move left, right, up, and down, and can only fire in the direction it is facing. The monsters, on the other hand, can move in any direction and can fire in multiple directions at once.

There are a total of 64 dungeons in Wizard of Wor. The first few dungeons are relatively easy, but the later dungeons become increasingly difficult. The monsters become more numerous and more aggressive, and the mazes become more complex.

In addition to the monsters, there are also a number of other obstacles in the dungeons, such as fireballs, bombs, and force fields. The player must avoid these obstacles while trying to kill all of the monsters.

If the player’s Worrior is hit by a monster or an obstacle, it will lose a life. The player has three lives, and if all three lives are lost, the game is over.

However, the player can earn extra lives by completing certain tasks, such as killing a certain number of monsters in a row or completing a dungeon without losing a life.

Wizard of Wor was a critical and commercial success. It was one of the most popular arcade games of the early 1980s, and it has been ported to a number of home consoles and computers.

The game has been praised for its simple but addictive gameplay, its challenging difficulty, and its innovative use of two-player cooperative gameplay.

Gameplay

Wizard of Wor is a maze game in which the player controls a Worrior that must kill all of the monsters in each dungeon in order to advance to the next one. The player’s Worrior can only move left, right, up, and down, and can only fire in the direction it is facing.

The monsters in Wizard of Wor can move in any direction and can fire in multiple directions at once. There are a variety of different types of monsters, each with its own unique abilities.

If the player’s Worrior is hit by a monster or an obstacle, it will lose a life. The player has three lives, and if all three lives are lost, the game is over.

However, the player can earn extra lives by completing certain tasks, such as killing a certain number of monsters in a row or completing a dungeon without losing a life.

Two-Player Cooperative Gameplay

One of the most innovative features of Wizard of Wor is its two-player cooperative gameplay. In two-player mode, the players control two Worriors that must work together to kill all of the monsters in each dungeon.

The two players can share lives, and they can also shoot each other’s Worriors to earn bonus points. This makes it possible for the players to develop their own strategies for completing the game.

Legacy

Wizard of Wor is a classic arcade game that has stood the test of time. It is still enjoyed by gamers today, and it is considered to be one of the most influential arcade games of all time.

The game has been ported to a number of home consoles and computers, and it has also been featured in several video game compilations.

Wizard of Wor has also been the inspiration for a number of other video games, including the 1982 arcade game Super Worrior and the 1983 home computer game Worrior of WZor.