Tower of Babel (1989 video game)
A 3D puzzle game about robot robots seeking energy packs.
Tower of Babel is a puzzle video game released in 1989 for the Amiga, Atari ST and Acorn Archimedes systems. It was programmed by Pete Cooke, developed by Rainbird Software and published by Microprose Software. The game presents a three-dimensional tower-like grid rendered in vector graphics with filled polygons.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Rainbird Software
- Publisher
- Microprose Software
- Designer
- Pete Cooke
- Released
- 1989 (EU)
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Amiga
- Atari ST
- Acorn Archimedes
Facts from the source article.
Background
The plot draws from the biblical Tower of Babel. During construction, the tower attracted a Zandorian spaceship. The Zantorians left three spider-like robots to help the Shinarians, but distrust led the humans to steal the robots' energy packs, called Klondikes. The player controls the robots to recover the Klondikes and return home.
Gameplay
The game is purely puzzle-based and does not feature the Tower of Babel itself; instead, it presents several differently-configured towers, each consisting of four floors of 8x8 squares. The player controls three types of Zandorian robots: the Grabber, the Pusher, and the Zapper. The Grabber can collect Klondikes and operate devices, the Pusher can push objects, and the Zapper can destroy things. Depending on the tower, the player may be assigned any combination of these robots. The goal in each tower is either to destroy a set number of objects, collect a set number of Klondikes, or both. Towers requiring Klondike collection need the Grabber, but other robots may be superfluous; destroying them is sometimes necessary to complete a tower. Movement is square-by-square in rectangular directions, with vertical movement possible only via special lifts. Various devices, sentry mechanisms, and autonomous robots inhabit each tower, some helpful and some hindering. The game includes a construction kit allowing players to design their own towers, save them to disk, and optionally password-protect them. A notable feature is the ability to program each robot with up to eight orders, such as Forward, Left, Fire, or Right. In some levels, programming is mandatory to coordinate robot actions. The game also includes several objects: blocks that can be pushed but not shot; converters that change laser beams into pushing beams and vice versa; exchangers that switch places with the Grabber and vanish, deflecting lasers back; flags that do nothing but get in the way; force up/down devices that move all lifts not holding something; freezers that temporarily freeze everything except robots and lifts; and glass blocks that deflect laser beams back to their source.
More in Puzzle Games of the 1980s
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