Mail Order Monsters
Create, customize, and battle monsters in tactical combat.
In 1985, Electronic Arts published Mail Order Monsters for the Commodore 64, with an Atari 8-bit version following in 1986. Designed by Paul Reiche III, Evan Robinson, and Nicky Robinson, this action-strategy game lets players design their own creatures and pit them against friends or the computer.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Paul Reiche III
- Evan Robinson
- Nicky Robinson
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts (NA); Ariolasoft (EU)
- Designer
- Paul Reiche III
- Released
- 1985: C64; 1986: Atari 8-bit
- Genre
- Action, strategy
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
- Platforms
- Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Reiche had previously worked with designers Jon Freeman and Anne Westfall of Free Fall Associates on the game Archon for EA.
- Mail Order Monsters was originally envisioned as dark and gritty, but Electronic Arts demanded a more whimsical style.
- During development, Reiche spent a few weeks consulting on his friend Greg Johnson's game Starflight before realizing he was supposed to be working on Mail Order Monsters.
Reception
Mail Order Monsters for the Commodore 64 was considered a very good game, but it fell short of true greatness because its combat lacked tactical depth, making it best suited for younger players. Its action was described as pure light-hearted mayhem, with excitement that partly made up for the absence of mental challenge. The game is seen as a forerunner to the Pokémon series. According to one critic, a modern remake would need to change what made the 1985 original unique.
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