Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1988 video game)
An NES action game based on the 1984 film.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is an action game released in 1988 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. Based on the 1985 arcade game and the 1984 film of the same name, it gives the player control of Indiana Jones through a series of 12 levels. The game was originally published by Mindscape and later re-released by Tengen after the rights reverted.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Tengen
- Publisher
- Mindscape (original); Tengen (re-release)
- Programmer
- Bob Flanagan
- Artist
- Susan G. McBride; Sam Comstock
- Composer
- Brad Fuller
- Series
- Indiana Jones
- Platforms
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- Released
- December 1988
Facts from the source article.
Version history
The film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was released in 1984. Atari Games released an arcade version in 1985, which was a platform game with theme music and sound clips from the film. Ports for the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, ZX Spectrum, and MSX appeared in 1987, followed by versions for the Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, and Apple II in 1989. The NES version was released twice: first by Mindscape in December 1988 as a standard grey cartridge licensed by Nintendo, and later by Tengen in a black, differently shaped cartridge after the rights reverted. Tengen had split from Nintendo and was releasing unlicensed games that attempted to circumvent the 10NES lockout chip; Nintendo sued and Tengen lost, forcing its NES games off the market. The software of both NES releases is identical, differing only in cover art and cartridge form. The NES adaptation introduced new expanded play mechanics, including more weapons and items from freed slave children and the ability to jump upward.
Plot and gameplay
The NES version follows the film's storyline: Indiana Jones reaches the Pankot Palace to free slave children, recover the Sankara Stones, and defeat Mola Ram and his Thuggee followers. The player advances through 12 levels called waves. In the first nine waves, Jones travels through the palace to recover the Sankara Stones; after reaching these waves, the player can restart with all items intact at the last area reached. If the player dies afterward, they must return to the Chamber of Kali (Wave 9) and finish from there. Each level has a timer counting down from 99; if time runs out, Mola Ram appears and the player loses one life and all items. Levels contain mine cart rooms where Jones rides rails past hazards and enemies. Wave 9 requires crossing a river of lava by stunning monsters, then grabbing the Sankara Stones to reach the Map Room, where map pieces reveal a secret exit in Wave 10. A secret idol in Wave 8 can also reveal the hidden exit. Passing requires TNT and the Sankara Stones. Wave 11 leads to the exit, and Wave 12 recreates the rope bridge battle with Mola Ram. Jones uses TNT, guns, swords, hats for extra lives, jewels for extra time, and his whip. Enemies include bats, rats, snakes, spiders, and Thugee servants. Landing in lava pits, crashing a mine cart, or hitting a boulder or spike trap costs one life.
Reception
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom met with generally negative reception. A reviewer for TheRaider.net noted the game's difficulty and a glitchy jumping ability that causes Jones to leap downward unless the player holds the direction button. Other cited flaws include poor controls, unappealing graphics, the number of enemies, and a text-only ending screen. The same reviewer acknowledged the game's attempt to preserve John Williams' musical score as one of its only highlights. The arcade version had speech capability, which the NES version lacked due to hardware limitations. Allgame reviewer Skyler Miller called the graphics recognizable but missing much of the original's detail and character, judging it a passable effort that compares unfavorably to the arcade version. Edward J. Semrad of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel included the game in a list of watered-down arcade adaptations and praised the PC version as superior.
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