MasterType
A typing game that blends arcade action with keyboard practice.
Last updated
MasterType, a typing game released in 1981, was developed by Bruce Zweig for the Apple II and published by Broderbund Software. Versions later appeared on the Atari 8-bit line, IBM PC, and VIC-20. In the game, the player controls a ship at the screen's center.
Letters, words, numbers, or symbols appear at the four corners, each linked to a missile, satellite, or fireball that drifts toward the ship. Typing the displayed text destroys the incoming object, and a new one appears at that corner. The ship has four shields, one per corner, each able to absorb one hit.
A second projectile from the same corner destroys the ship and ends the game. Reviewers praised it: Steve Stone of Ahoy! noted it was great fun and useful for those with a disk or datasette, while Eric Freedman of PC Magazine gave it 12.5 points, calling it enjoyable regardless of typing goals. Games Magazine described it as a playful way to learn touch typing, and Robert DeWitt of Antic said teachers and educators would find it a godsend.
Lore & Background
In MasterType, the player controls a ship positioned at the center of the screen. Letters, words, numbers, or symbols appear in the four corners, each accompanied by a missile, satellite, or fireball that moves toward the ship.
The player must type the associated word to destroy the incoming object, after which a new word and object appear in that corner. The ship is protected by four shields, one per corner, each able to withstand one hit. If a second projectile from the same corner strikes the ship, the game ends.
Reader's Guide
MasterType is significant as an early fusion of typing instruction and video game mechanics, predating many later educational games. Its reception was generally positive: Steve Stone of Ahoy! noted that the game is great fun and very useful if the player has a disk or datasette device, but limited otherwise.
Eric Freedman of PC Magazine rated it 12.5 points, calling it fun regardless of typing goals. Games Magazine described it as a playful way to learn touch typing, and Robert DeWitt of Antic suggested teachers and educators would find it a godsend. The game's legacy lies in demonstrating that typing practice could be engaging, influencing subsequent typing software and educational game design.
More in Typing video games
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: MasterType (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced