The Hobbit (1982 video game): Difference between revisions

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| developer=[[Melbourne House|Beam Software]]
| developer=[[Melbourne House|Beam Software]]
| publisher=[[Melbourne House]], [[Tansoft]] (The Hobbit) and [[Addison-Wesley]] (The Hobbit Software Adventure)
| publisher=[[Melbourne House]], [[Tansoft]] (The Hobbit) and [[Addison-Wesley]] (The Hobbit Software Adventure)
| platform=[[wikipedia:Amstrad CPC|Amstrad CPC]], [[wikipedia:BBC B|BBC B]], [[wikipedia:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]], [[wikipedia:MSX|MSX]], [[wikipedia:Oric-1|Oric-1]], [[wikipedia:ZX-Spectrum|ZX-Spectrum]]<br/>[[wikipedia:Apple II|Apple II]], [[wikipedia:Macintosh|Macintosh]], [[wikipedia:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]] (The Hobbit Software Adventure only)<ref>[http://www.faqs.org/faqs/tolkien/games/ FAQS, Tolkien Games] (retrieved 16 August 2010)</ref>
| platform=[[wikipedia:Amstrad CPC|Amstrad CPC]], [[wikipedia:BBC B|BBC B]], [[wikipedia:Commodore 64|Commodore 64]], [[wikipedia:MSX|MSX]], [[wikipedia:Oric-1|Oric-1]], [[wikipedia:ZX-Spectrum|ZX-Spectrum]]<br/>[[wikipedia:Apple II|Apple II]], [[wikipedia:Macintosh|Macintosh]], [[wikipedia:MS-DOS|MS-DOS]] (The Hobbit Software Adventure only)<ref name="FAQ">[http://www.faqs.org/faqs/tolkien/games/ FAQS, Tolkien Games] (retrieved 16 August 2010)</ref>
| releasedate=[[1982]]
| releasedate=[[1982]]
| genre=Illustrated text-adventure
| genre=Illustrated text-adventure
|}}'''''The Hobbit''''' (also known as '''The Hobbit Software Adventure''' in North America and Australia) was the first licensed video game based on Tolkien's work, being the first part of ''[[The Tolkien Trilogy]]'' (also known as ''[[The Tolkien Software Adventure Series]]''). The game was designed by [[Philip Mitchell]] and [[Veronika Megler]],<ref name="WoS">[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0006440 World of Spectrum] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref> and every game included a copy of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and an instruction book.<ref name="Newspaper">[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref> There are 80 locations in the game of which 30 were illustrated by [[Kent Rees]].<ref name="Newspaper"/>  
|}}'''''The Hobbit''''' (also known as '''The Hobbit Software Adventure''' in North America and Australia) was the first licensed video game based on Tolkien's work, being the first part of ''[[The Tolkien Trilogy]]'' (also known as ''[[The Tolkien Software Adventure Series]]''). The game was designed by [[Philip Mitchell]] and [[Veronika Megler]],<ref name="WoS">[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0006440 World of Spectrum] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref> and every game included a copy of ''[[The Hobbit]]'' and an instruction book.<ref name="Newspaper">[http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=ZXComputing/Issue8304/Pages/ZXComputing830400076.jpg ''ZX Computing'', iss. 8304, p. 76] reproduced at [http://www.worldofspectrum.org/archive.html World of Spectrum - Archive] (retrieved at 14 August 2010)</ref> There are 80 locations in the game of which 30 were illustrated by [[Kent Rees]].<ref name="Newspaper"/>  


In [[1984]] [[David Elkan]] published a book, ''[[A Guide to Playing The Hobbit]]'', to help players complete the game.<ref>[[David Elkan]], ''[[A Guide to Playing The Hobbit]]'' ([[1984]]: Melbourne House) ISBN 0-86161-161-6</ref>
In [[1984]] [[David Elkan]] published a book, ''[[A Guide to Playing The Hobbit]]'', to help players complete the game.<ref>[[David Elkan]], ''[[A Guide to Playing The Hobbit]]'' ([[1984]]: Melbourne House) ISBN 0-86161-161-6</ref> Beam Software planned a sequel, [[Where Hobbits Dare]], but cancelled it eventually.<ref name="FAQ"/>
{{S|1}}
 
== Reception ==
== Reception ==
With a retail price of £14.95,<ref>Rusel DeMaria and Johnny L. Wilson, ''High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games'',  (Berkeley, California:  McGraw-Hill/Osborne,[[2002]]), p. 347, ISBN 0-07-222428-2</ref> ''The Hobbit'', sold over 100,000 copies in the first two years,<ref>Mike Gerrard, "Adventuring into an Unknown World", in ''The Guardian'', [[1984]]-[[August|08]]-[[August 30|30]], section Micro Guardian/Futures, p. 13</ref> and had sold over a million copies by the end of the decade.  
With a retail price of £14.95,<ref>Rusel DeMaria and Johnny L. Wilson, ''High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games'',  (Berkeley, California:  McGraw-Hill/Osborne,[[2002]]), p. 347, ISBN 0-07-222428-2</ref> ''The Hobbit'', sold over 100,000 copies in the first two years,<ref>Mike Gerrard, "Adventuring into an Unknown World", in ''The Guardian'', [[1984]]-[[August|08]]-[[August 30|30]], section Micro Guardian/Futures, p. 13</ref> and had sold over a million copies by the end of the decade.  

Revision as of 13:49, 16 August 2010

"...It is a long tale..." — Aragorn
This article or section needs expansion and/or modification. Please help the wiki by expanding it.
The name The Hobbit refers to more than one character, item or concept. For a list of other meanings, see The Hobbit (disambiguation).
File:Hobbit videogame 1982-1-.jpg
The Hobbit
Video game
DeveloperBeam Software
PublisherMelbourne House, Tansoft (The Hobbit) and Addison-Wesley (The Hobbit Software Adventure)
PlatformAmstrad CPC, BBC B, Commodore 64, MSX, Oric-1, ZX-Spectrum
Apple II, Macintosh, MS-DOS (The Hobbit Software Adventure only)[1]
Release date1982
GenreIllustrated text-adventure

The Hobbit (also known as The Hobbit Software Adventure in North America and Australia) was the first licensed video game based on Tolkien's work, being the first part of The Tolkien Trilogy (also known as The Tolkien Software Adventure Series). The game was designed by Philip Mitchell and Veronika Megler,[2] and every game included a copy of The Hobbit and an instruction book.[3] There are 80 locations in the game of which 30 were illustrated by Kent Rees.[3]

In 1984 David Elkan published a book, A Guide to Playing The Hobbit, to help players complete the game.[4] Beam Software planned a sequel, Where Hobbits Dare, but cancelled it eventually.[1]

Reception

With a retail price of £14.95,[5] The Hobbit, sold over 100,000 copies in the first two years,[6] and had sold over a million copies by the end of the decade.

In 1983's Golden Joystick Awarda it was the winner of the category Best Strategy Game and came second in the category Game of the Year.[2]

See Also

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 FAQS, Tolkien Games (retrieved 16 August 2010)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 World of Spectrum (retrieved at 14 August 2010)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 ZX Computing, iss. 8304, p. 76 reproduced at World of Spectrum - Archive (retrieved at 14 August 2010)
  4. ↑ David Elkan, A Guide to Playing The Hobbit (1984: Melbourne House) ISBN 0-86161-161-6
  5. ↑ Rusel DeMaria and Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, (Berkeley, California: McGraw-Hill/Osborne,2002), p. 347, ISBN 0-07-222428-2
  6. ↑ Mike Gerrard, "Adventuring into an Unknown World", in The Guardian, 1984-08-30, section Micro Guardian/Futures, p. 13
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