Page 20 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #3

Platform: Magnavox Odyssey 2 fire-breathing dragons, which
Stock number: AC 9429 could usually only be defeated
Released: 1981 by sacrificing one of the two
players (not much of a sacrifice,
The Odyssey 2 was the Atari VCS’ really as both players would be
main competition for several years, but alive and well at the beginning
even as much as some ardent of the next room!). The game’s
Odyssey fans (such as myself) still objective was incredibly simple:
adore this system, there’s no doubt that to evade or fend off all of the
it was lacking in some areas. The above nasties and reach the
Odyssey 2 initially fell behind in the glowing ring. The quest is
race to produce games that mimicked completed upon the recovery of
popular coin-ops. At a time when such ten rings.
titles as “Haunted House” and The Odyssey 2 has always
“Adventure” caught on like wildfire for been notorious among some
VCS owners, nobody had even gamers for its incredibly simple,
conceived of an extended adventure and largely pre-programmed,
game for the Odyssey; possibly graphics set. “Quest For The
because the system’s hardware could Rings,” however, demonstrated
barely support such a game. that custom characters such as
Magnavox’s answer was elegant the dragons and spydroths
and elaborate, driving the price of a were not an impossibility. (I
single game cartridge up dramatically. hated the spydroths too - they
The first Odyssey 2 adventure game, jump on top of your man and
“Quest For The Rings,” not only devour him slowly. Ick!)
featured the ever-popular “multi-mode” So, was the Odyssey 2
cartridge, but it also included such finally a contender in the
extras as a rather nice-looking game adventure genre with “Quest
board, pieces, and a keyboard overlay For The Rings”? Well...barely.
(which eliminated most of the keys The game’s higher price tag
from play, leaving only specific keys was a deterrent to some
important to the game). The package by Earl budget-minded gamers back
was sturdier and easily twice the size Green then. With hindsight, it’s
of the normal Odyssey 2 game possible that the cartridge could
packaging. Even the instruction have been a hit with the elimi-
booklet was longer and larger than game board and convoluted quest nation of the game board’s elaborate
usual, with gold foil accents on its rules. trappings that only served to distract
cover (also on the label of the cartridge The video game component of from a perfectly enjoyable video game.
itself). I don’t think these things ever “Quest For The Rings” was simple - “Quest” has also become one of the
added to my enjoyment of the game, two players choose their characters’ more sought-after Odyssey games
but they certainly added to the retail classes (warrior, wizard,
price. changeling, or phantom -
Even with all the extras, “Quest For does this remind you of
The Rings” still wasn’t “Adventure” - D&D just a little yet?) and
not by a long shot. The game derived go into battle in a variety of
most of its complexity from the game environments. The
board and the confusing rules for dungeon environment is
incorporating it into the game. The fairly straightforward, with
“quest” took place on the board, and maze-like configurations of
the video game only came into play for walls. Shifting halls have
action sequences. This is a bit of a walls that constantly slide
crime, since the game cartridge was across the screen,
actually quite a lot of fun on its own and sometimes trapping both
could easily be enjoyed without the players and their
adversaries.
Inferno rooms
have walls of molten lava; (providing one still has all of the original
normally a phantom can walk game pieces), along with the other
through walls, but in this room Odyssey 2 video/board game hybrids,
his power is useless. Crystal “Conquest Of The World” and “The
Caverns’ walls vanish entirely - Great Wall Street Fortune Hunt.”
but you still can’t walk through It may not have been a grand quest
them unless you’re a phantom. on the scale of “Adventure,” but “Quest
All of these rooms could be For The Rings” was certainly a
randomly populated or pre- worthwhile swipe at the genre for the
programmed with such Odyssey 2.
menaces as armies of orcs,
doomwinged bloodthirsts, the
spydroth tyrantulus, and huge

Classic Gamer Magazine Spring 2000 20