Released in 1989 by Core Design and Microplay Software, Rick Dangerous is an infamous DOS action-platformer known for its brutal, trial-and-error difficulty. Heavily inspired by 1930s adventure serials, the game tasks you with guiding the fedora-wearing Rick through trap-filled South American temples, Egyptian pyramids, and enemy bases. Success relies almost entirely on memorization: every screen is packed with hidden spike pits, rolling boulders, and enemies designed to catch you by surprise.
How to play
Your goal is to survive screen after screen of instantly fatal hazards to reach the end of each level. Rick is equipped with a pistol and dynamite, both of which have strictly limited ammunition, as well as a stick for close-range attacks. As a DOS title, movement is mapped to the arrow keys, with your keyboard’s standard action keys used to jump, fire your weapon, or plant explosives. Moving carefully is the only way to stay alive.
Tips
- Embrace the trial and error: You will die frequently simply to learn the layout of a room. Use each death to memorize where a trap triggers or an enemy spawns.
- Conserve your ammo: Bullets and dynamite are scarce. Save them for enemies or structural blockages that cannot be bypassed with a simple stick attack or careful jump.
- Never rush: Sprinting blindly into a new screen usually leads straight into a spike pit or a rolling boulder. Advance slowly.
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