Developed and published by Atari in 1982, SwordQuest: EarthWorld is an ambitious action-adventure game for the Atari 2600. Famous for being the first installment of a four-part contest that offered real-world prizes, the game tasks players with exploring a labyrinth of rooms based on the signs of the Zodiac. Rather than focusing on fast-paced action, the experience revolves around puzzle-solving, requiring you to find and drop specific combinations of items in designated rooms to reveal hidden clues.
How to play
Your objective is to navigate the Zodiac-themed maze, picking up various objects and dropping them in the correct rooms to trigger number clues. You must avoid or quickly navigate past roaming enemies in certain action sequences between rooms. Use the joystick to move your character and the trigger button to pick up or drop items.
| Joystick control: | ||
| Player 1: | Player 2: |
| joystick | ↑↓←→ | TGFH |
| trigger | Spacebar | A |
| turbo | Del | . |
| RESET | F12 | F12 |
| SELECT | F11 | F11 |
| Pause | Alt+P | Alt+P |
| black-white / color mode: F2 | ||
| paddle / joystick mode: Alt+L | ||
Tips
- Leave the Grappling Hook and the Rope in the Taurus room to trigger the first set of clues.
- When navigating the action sequences between rooms, prioritize memorizing enemy movement patterns, as rushing through will often lead to being sent back.
- Keep track of where you leave each item; the game does not provide an in-game inventory map, so writing down item locations is highly recommended.
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