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Spelunker (video game)

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396: 578: 383:. There are six caves total. While using the same game and scenery elements, the NES and MSX levels (which are shared with the Wii and 3DS versions) are far smaller than the Atari/C64 levels. The Arcade version uses additional game elements (such as shooting and scuba diving) and has an original level design, and the same is true for 468:. Three former programmers from this company – Tim Martin, Robert Barber, and Cash Foley – subsequently formed MicroGraphicImage. Martin had been previously worked on games for the Atari 2600 and Foley developed for the Atari 8-bit family. When Games by Apollo went into insolvency, Martin and Barber developed a game entitled 534:
Although MicroGraphicImage was able to maintain a steady stream of contract work, the company was not profitable due to the overheads of financial business focus going into publishing. The game recession that started in the winter of 1982 deteriorated, and it was very difficult to find distributors
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Martin and Barber's expertise was with the Atari 2600, and they were dissatisfied with the money being made through contract game development. Their strategy was to utilize the contract programming to leverage the funding of a software publishing company. Cash Foley joined as a technical specialist
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haunting the cave, randomly appearing to take the player to the shadow world. The player character can send a blast of air to push the ghost away, but this renders the player's character immobile for a few seconds, thus vulnerable to other dangers and further depleting their air supply. Objects to
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was Martin's original idea and he programmed the game logic, the game was issued with his name as the lead game developer, with the intention to alternate this role for subsequent games, but the short lifespan of the company meant that this did not happen. In 1984, they turned publication over to
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game design for some time, but it went beyond the specifications for the Atari 2600. Martin was responsible for game logic, Foley developed the graphic engine and game level editor, and Barber was the graphic designer and level editor. As
371:. Although the levels connect seamlessly to each other, forming one large map, the game clearly signals a level change at certain points by showing the name of the next level and giving the player a bonus, consisting of an 535:
to take games, especially from small publishers. Eventually, MicroGraphicImage ran out of money and ceased operations. Martin continued working with Broderbund on a business level and was able recover all debt through
691:. It received the PlayStation Store best sales award in 2009 from Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan. The game is a remake of the NES port, with high definition graphics and 10 large caves with 10 levels in each. 414: 405: 464:, creating a glut of cheap games. In the pre-Christmas market of 1983, Games by Apollo became insolvent, with several games still in development for a number of platforms, including the 336:
The player must walk and jump through increasingly challenging parts of the cave, all while working with a finite supply of fresh air, which can be replenished at various points.
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as title music. All other versions of the game, including the Atari re-release feature a different title theme. The NES and MSX versions have additional music during gameplay.
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starting at the cave's entrance at the top, and the objective is to get to the treasure at the bottom.
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in Japan on August 28, 2007, and in 2008 for North America on March 17, and Europe on September 5 on
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on their February 15, 1986 issue as being the fourth most-successful table arcade unit of the month.
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The game was met with positive reviews. Bryan Welch reviewed the original Atari-8 bit version of
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in Japan on December 19, 2012, and in 2013 for North America on June 27, and Europe on July 18.
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in April 2017. It was later released as a download worldwide and physically only in Japan, as
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publishing company called Inovatronics. Eventually, Martin was a co-founder of the
528: 495: 385: 376: 279: 97: 974: 815: 502:. In early 1983, MicroGraphicImage developed games under contract for Broderbund, 996: 636:
in 1986 said that the Commodore 64 version's "graphics are amazingly intricate".
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to players who like arcade-type games and are looking for a challenge.
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Stone, David (February 1985). "Spelunker and Realm of Impossibility".
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series resulted to an unlockable minigame mode called "Neplunker" for
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developed by Timothy G. Martin of MicroGraphic Image. It is set in a
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with Atari and Apple computer programming. At the January 1983
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An updated version of the game was announced in 2018 for the
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Martin and Foley continued to work together, including at an
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Reprint of review from Atari Interface, Vol. 4, June 1992
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in 1986. A sequel was released in arcades in 1986 called
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MicroGraphicImage was founded by former employees of
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of the original Atari version features an excerpt of
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in 1984, with European publishing rights licensed to
242: 230: 115: 87: 77: 61: 41: 24: 274:Originally released by MicroGraphic Image for the 302:and September 1987 in North America, and on the 630:"a thoroughly enjoyable game ... a class act". 674:Sony Computer Entertainment of Japan released 527:Broderbund and made a version of the game for 1224: 8: 803:"The Giant List of Classic Game Programmers" 827:As found by comparing YouTube playthroughs. 1353:Video games developed in the United States 1231: 1217: 1209: 517:Martin and Barber had been developing the 30: 21: 36:Cover of the original Atari 8-bit version 923:Kunkel, Bill; Katz, Arnie (April 1986). 1123:Whitehead, Thomas (26 September 2017). 782: 127: 837: 835: 833: 667:. The game was made available for the 424: 790:https://www.famitsu.com/games/t/3000/ 494:, they developed a relationship with 7: 278:in 1983, the game was ported to the 1338:Nintendo Entertainment System games 561:. As of 2007, Foley was working at 406:Original music theme (Atari 8-bit) 14: 729:In 2016, a collaboration between 698:released the free-to-play sequel 154: 576: 531:, very similar to the original. 425:Problems playing this file? See 410: 1363:Virtual Console games for Wii U 1269:Spelunker II: Yūsha e no Chōsen 868:Stilphen, Scott (1982-07-23). 716:was released in Japan for the 313:Spelunker II: Yūja e no Chōsen 1: 959:15 February 1986. p. 21. 955:(in Japanese). No. 278. 726:on October 19 the same year. 655:The game was re-released for 643:listed the arcade version of 616:Buyers Guide and recommended 367:The cave is divided into six 296:Nintendo Entertainment System 870:"DP Interviews ... Ed Salvo" 669:Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console 339:The cave's hazards include 1384: 1318:Atari 8-bit computer games 742:Megadimension Neptunia VII 352:collect include sticks of 1368:Single-player video games 1247: 1050:"Spelunker Coming To PS3" 498:, one of the founders of 488:Consumer Electronics Show 445:Pictures at an Exhibition 29: 480:video game crash of 1983 375:and a varying number of 308:Spelunker II: 23 no Kagi 298:on December 7, 1985 in 1348:Spelunker (video game) 712:. A new game based on 399: 333: 1358:Virtual Console games 1205:, Atari 8-bit version 957:Amusement Press, Inc. 910:Computer Gaming World 665:Wii U Virtual Console 623:Computer Gaming World 466:Atari 8-bit computers 398: 347:on the player; and a 331: 290:. It was released on 276:Atari 8-bit computers 897:: 74. December 1984. 343:, which drop deadly 332:Commodore 64 version 1158:. October 22, 2018. 750:Intellivision Amico 686:PlayStation Network 510:, while developing 320:and in Japan only. 282:and re-released by 259:is a 1983 platform 1323:Commodore 64 games 1308:Arcade video games 1104:. January 13, 2017 891:"Spelunker Review" 588:. You can help by 476:Wizard Video Games 400: 334: 130:Atari 8-bit family 67:MicroGraphic Image 47:MicroGraphic Image 1285: 1284: 1078:. 31 January 2015 977:on March 21, 2008 606: 605: 556:Internet provider 482:and sold poorly. 440:Modest Mussorgsky 415: 252: 251: 1375: 1313:Ariolasoft games 1303:Broderbund games 1298:1983 video games 1233: 1226: 1219: 1210: 1160: 1159: 1148: 1142: 1141: 1139: 1137: 1120: 1114: 1113: 1111: 1109: 1094: 1088: 1087: 1085: 1083: 1068: 1062: 1061: 1059: 1057: 1046: 1040: 1039: 1037: 1035: 1026:. Archived from 1024:"IREM Home Page" 1020: 1014: 1013: 1011: 1009: 993: 987: 986: 984: 982: 967: 961: 960: 946: 940: 939: 937: 936: 931:. pp. 41–45 920: 914: 913: 905: 899: 898: 887: 881: 880: 878: 877: 865: 859: 858: 856: 855: 846:. Archived from 839: 828: 825: 819: 818:at AtariArchives 813: 807: 806: 798: 792: 787: 723:Spelunker Party! 710:PlayStation Vita 601: 598: 580: 573: 559:Internet America 514:for themselves. 417: 416: 397: 294:in 1985, on the 219: 203: 187: 175:December 7, 1985 174: 158: 156: 140: 124: 34: 22: 1383: 1382: 1378: 1377: 1376: 1374: 1373: 1372: 1288: 1287: 1286: 1281: 1276:Spelunker World 1243: 1237: 1169: 1164: 1163: 1150: 1149: 1145: 1135: 1133: 1122: 1121: 1117: 1107: 1105: 1096: 1095: 1091: 1081: 1079: 1070: 1069: 1065: 1055: 1053: 1048: 1047: 1043: 1033: 1031: 1030:on May 11, 2019 1022: 1021: 1017: 1007: 1005: 995: 994: 990: 980: 978: 969: 968: 964: 948: 947: 943: 934: 932: 922: 921: 917: 907: 906: 902: 889: 888: 884: 875: 873: 872:. Digital Press 867: 866: 862: 853: 851: 841: 840: 831: 826: 822: 814: 810: 800: 799: 795: 788: 784: 779: 758: 718:Nintendo Switch 714:Spelunker World 701:Spelunker World 657:Virtual Console 653: 626:of 1985 called 602: 596: 593: 586:needs expansion 571: 508:CBS Electronics 504:Parker Brothers 458:Games by Apollo 454: 432: 431: 423: 421: 420: 419: 418: 411: 408: 401: 395: 326: 226: 223: 214: 207: 198: 191: 182: 178: 169: 162: 153: 144: 135: 126: 125: 122: 72: 68: 54: 48: 37: 20: 19:1983 video game 17: 16:1983 video game 12: 11: 5: 1381: 1379: 1371: 1370: 1365: 1360: 1355: 1350: 1345: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1305: 1300: 1290: 1289: 1283: 1282: 1280: 1279: 1272: 1265: 1264: 1263: 1248: 1245: 1244: 1238: 1236: 1235: 1228: 1221: 1213: 1207: 1206: 1197: 1186: 1178: 1177:at Atari Mania 1168: 1167:External links 1165: 1162: 1161: 1143: 1115: 1089: 1063: 1052:. October 2008 1041: 1015: 988: 962: 941: 915: 900: 895:Antic Magazine 882: 860: 829: 820: 808: 801:Hague, James. 793: 781: 780: 778: 775: 774: 773: 770:SteamWorld Dig 766: 757: 754: 652: 649: 614:Antic Magazine 604: 603: 583: 581: 570: 567: 453: 450: 422: 409: 404: 403: 402: 393: 392: 391: 325: 322: 250: 249: 244: 240: 239: 234: 228: 227: 225: 224: 222: 221: 211: 206: 205: 195: 190: 189: 188:September 1987 179: 177: 176: 166: 161: 160: 150: 145: 143: 142: 132: 121: 120: 119: 117: 113: 112: 91: 85: 84: 81: 75: 74: 65: 59: 58: 45: 39: 38: 35: 27: 26: 18: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1380: 1369: 1366: 1364: 1361: 1359: 1356: 1354: 1351: 1349: 1346: 1344: 1341: 1339: 1336: 1334: 1331: 1329: 1326: 1324: 1321: 1319: 1316: 1314: 1311: 1309: 1306: 1304: 1301: 1299: 1296: 1295: 1293: 1278: 1277: 1273: 1271: 1270: 1266: 1262: 1261: 1257: 1256: 1255: 1254: 1250: 1249: 1246: 1241: 1234: 1229: 1227: 1222: 1220: 1215: 1214: 1211: 1204: 1202: 1198: 1196: 1192: 1191: 1187: 1184: 1183: 1179: 1176: 1175: 1171: 1170: 1166: 1157: 1153: 1147: 1144: 1132: 1131: 1130:Nintendo Life 1126: 1119: 1116: 1103: 1099: 1093: 1090: 1077: 1073: 1067: 1064: 1051: 1045: 1042: 1029: 1025: 1019: 1016: 1004: 1003: 998: 992: 989: 976: 972: 966: 963: 958: 954: 953: 945: 942: 930: 926: 919: 916: 912:. p. 33. 911: 904: 901: 896: 892: 886: 883: 871: 864: 861: 850:on 2008-05-02 849: 845: 842:Foley, Cash. 838: 836: 834: 830: 824: 821: 817: 812: 809: 804: 797: 794: 791: 786: 783: 776: 772: 771: 767: 765: 764: 760: 759: 755: 753: 751: 746: 744: 743: 738: 737: 732: 727: 725: 724: 719: 715: 711: 707: 706:PlayStation 4 703: 702: 697: 692: 690: 687: 683: 682:PlayStation 3 679: 678: 672: 670: 666: 662: 658: 650: 648: 646: 642: 637: 635: 634: 629: 625: 624: 619: 615: 611: 600: 591: 587: 584:This section 582: 579: 575: 574: 568: 566: 564: 563:Perot Systems 560: 557: 553: 548: 546: 542: 538: 532: 530: 525: 520: 515: 513: 509: 505: 501: 497: 493: 489: 483: 481: 477: 473: 472: 467: 463: 459: 451: 449: 447: 446: 441: 437: 436:splash screen 430: 428: 407: 390: 388: 387: 382: 378: 374: 370: 365: 363: 359: 355: 350: 346: 342: 337: 330: 323: 321: 319: 315: 314: 309: 305: 301: 297: 293: 289: 285: 281: 277: 272: 270: 266: 262: 258: 257: 248: 247:Single-player 245: 241: 238: 235: 233: 229: 220:June 10, 1986 217: 213: 212: 210: 201: 197: 196: 194: 185: 181: 180: 172: 168: 167: 165: 152: 151: 149: 146: 138: 134: 133: 131: 128: 118: 114: 111: 107: 103: 99: 95: 92: 90: 86: 82: 80: 76: 71: 66: 64: 60: 57: 52: 49:Tamtex & 46: 44: 40: 33: 28: 23: 1274: 1267: 1260:Spelunker HD 1258: 1252: 1251: 1239: 1200: 1189: 1181: 1173: 1155: 1146: 1136:26 September 1134:. Retrieved 1128: 1118: 1106:. Retrieved 1101: 1092: 1082:February 14, 1080:. Retrieved 1075: 1066: 1056:February 14, 1054:. Retrieved 1044: 1034:February 14, 1032:. Retrieved 1028:the original 1018: 1006:. Retrieved 1000: 991: 979:. Retrieved 975:the original 965: 952:Game Machine 950: 944: 933:. Retrieved 928: 918: 909: 903: 894: 885: 874:. Retrieved 863: 852:. Retrieved 848:the original 823: 811: 796: 785: 768: 761: 747: 740: 734: 730: 728: 721: 713: 699: 693: 677:Spelunker HD 675: 673: 654: 644: 641:Game Machine 640: 638: 631: 627: 621: 617: 609: 607: 597:October 2017 594: 590:adding to it 585: 549: 544: 543:versions of 533: 529:Commodore 64 523: 518: 516: 511: 496:Gary Carlson 484: 469: 455: 443: 433: 386:Spelunker HD 384: 366: 338: 335: 311: 307: 280:Commodore 64 273: 255: 254: 253: 208: 192: 163: 148:Commodore 64 147: 129: 98:Commodore 64 63:Publisher(s) 43:Developer(s) 1343:Platformers 1185:at Lemon 64 1156:PR Newswire 1108:January 24, 997:"Spelunker" 696:Square Enix 478:during the 452:Development 267:, with the 94:Atari 8-bit 89:Platform(s) 79:Designer(s) 1328:Irem games 1292:Categories 1102:Siliconera 1076:Siliconera 935:2024-09-04 876:2015-07-16 854:2008-01-17 777:References 639:In Japan, 500:Broderbund 462:Atari 2600 427:media help 381:difficulty 373:extra life 316:, both by 288:Ariolasoft 284:Broderbund 261:video game 83:Tim Martin 70:Broderbund 1333:MSX games 1253:Spelunker 1240:Spelunker 1201:Spelunker 1195:MobyGames 1190:Spelunker 1182:Spelunker 1174:Spelunker 981:March 17, 731:Spelunker 694:In 2015, 645:Spelunker 628:Spelunker 618:Spelunker 612:for 1984 610:Spelunker 569:Reception 545:Spelunker 524:Spelunker 519:Spelunker 512:Spelunker 492:Las Vegas 471:Halloween 256:Spelunker 25:Spelunker 1002:GameSpot 763:Spelunky 756:See also 736:Neptunia 733:and the 680:for the 354:dynamite 324:Gameplay 237:Platform 232:Genre(s) 53:(FC/NES) 1008:May 17, 684:on the 541:coin-op 243:Mode(s) 116:Release 1242:series 651:Legacy 506:, and 377:points 369:levels 360:, and 358:flares 292:arcade 269:player 193:Arcade 106:Arcade 929:Ahoy! 689:Store 633:Ahoy! 552:Amiga 349:ghost 345:guano 300:Japan 1138:2017 1110:2017 1084:2015 1058:2015 1036:2015 1010:2020 983:2008 708:and 704:for 539:and 434:The 362:keys 341:bats 318:Irem 265:cave 204:1985 159:1984 141:1983 123:1983 73:Irem 56:Irem 51:Tose 1203:map 1193:at 661:Wii 592:. 537:NES 490:in 442:'s 304:MSX 209:MSX 164:NES 110:MSX 102:NES 1294:: 1154:. 1127:. 1100:. 1074:. 999:. 927:. 893:. 832:^ 752:. 745:. 565:. 547:. 389:. 356:, 216:JP 200:JP 184:NA 171:JP 155:WW 137:NA 108:, 104:, 100:, 96:, 1232:e 1225:t 1218:v 1140:. 1112:. 1086:. 1060:. 1038:. 1012:. 985:. 938:. 879:. 857:. 805:. 599:) 595:( 429:. 218:: 202:: 186:: 173:: 157:: 139::

Index


Developer(s)
Tose
Irem
Publisher(s)
Broderbund
Designer(s)
Platform(s)
Atari 8-bit
Commodore 64
NES
Arcade
MSX
NA
JP
NA
JP
JP
Genre(s)
Platform
Single-player
video game
cave
player
Atari 8-bit computers
Commodore 64
Broderbund
Ariolasoft
arcade
Nintendo Entertainment System

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