Muscha Disk 42 - Interesting that this finds itself on the same disc as the classic "Bruce Lee" Atari game, as it has a similar running pace to it. Whelp, I need a little break from my usual routine of crushing virtual candies, so why not another Len Dorfman classic? There aren't that many left! Well, like the magical disappearing "Erg," this is another exercise in frustrating game play. Erg. More like Arrrgh! Hah! See how I did that?
Oh, never mind. ANYWAY... I think there's only one way to do this. Clearly, I must take the text from the original packaging, which I will put in italics, and then add my snarky, smart-ass comments in between in regular font. Here goes! Hoh boy!!!...
KARMIC CAVERNS, by Len Dorfman, is a 100% machine language arcade-style game that will entertain you hour after hour!
I should probably explain. See, there are games like my beloved Vorrak / Zardon, which are half BASIC, half machine language. Floyd of The Jungle's another one. Why can't I be playing THAT one right now?
You must find your way through the maze-like caverns avoiding the deadly plasmatic guards (not to mention the electrified walls) and acquire as many energy pods as you can.
I assume the plasmatic guards are the flower-looking things. The electrified walls are the ones that are purple. Also, the left side of the screen is deadly too. If you touch either one, you die by getting a full body scan four times. Strangely enough, the flying bullets from "Jumpman" are worth 100 points! Oops.... SPOILER ALERT.
You must climb ever upwards [comma] striving to acquire enough energy points to reach the next level before time runs out for you.
Not to worry: you'll run out of lives before time runs out for you. By the way, another Spoiler Alert. By "climb ever upwards," they also mean that you should keep running left to right as well, because even though you have a basically rail-thin avatar, you nevertheless keep sinking at the rate of about four or five pixels per second. The gravitational pull must be stronger down in the Karmic Caverns. And not only that, your aim must be true when you climb up a ladder, especially on the ground level. If you're unable to start your climb in time, you will sink through and hit the timer and die. Or worse, you sink through and keep falling forever! No wrap-around here, folks. No hitting a vertical 255 and appearing back up at the top. Len Dorfman planned for that. Instead, it's a forever fall, forcing you to reboot. Don't worry, you won't have to reload Karmic Caverns. The Atari will do it for you!
KARMIC CAVERNS utilizes the full sound and graphics capabilities of the Atari computer!
No, something like Ultima III utilized the full sound capabilities of the Atari, and a LucasArts game the full graphics capabilities.
Fun for all ages.
I am curious about the title. Guess they just needed a different one. The only way I can think of the concept of karma applying to this game is that it provides balance to the more entertaining games that you choose to play instead. Life isn't all power pills and the bashing of barrels, folks.
Requires 48K RAM and one disk drive.
Funny, seems more like a 12K game to me. After all, only ONE MAZE!!!
$34.95
For $34.95, you BETTER be entertained hour upon hour! Okay, I've been mean enough to this one.
This Just In: The Time Clock DOES reset when you reach 5,000 points! Nice game and all; I just wish there was a little more certainty on those few points where being able to climb a ladder is the difference between life and death. Must be part of the fun of the game or something.
Mushca Disk 42 ... I didn't stray too far, did I? Also featuring Midas Maze!! The previous one I profiled!!
Len Dorfman's Karmic Caverns at Atarimania, featuring screenshots of the original packaging!
Len Dorfman in general at Atarimania
