Underwurlde ZX Spectrum

Underwurlde is a video game for the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64  developed and released by Ultimate Play The Game in 1984. The game is the second in the Sabreman series, following on from his adventures in Sabre Wulf. The format of the game is a 2D side view flip-screen platform game. The aim is to escape from the Underwurlde via one of the three exits, to go to either Knight Lore, Pentagram or Mire Mare.

Again taking on the role of Sabreman, the player must navigate a flip-screen maze (597 screens) that encompasses a castle and the large system of caverns beneath it. Unlike the maze in Sabre Wulf, which is viewed from above, rooms here are viewed from the side, and play takes the form of a platform game. Sabreman must make his way through the maze to one of three exits (one for each of the sequels to Underwurlde).

To get to the three exits, three different guardians must be defeated, but the guardians are vulnerable to different weapons hidden in the maze. Each cavern has one guardian, who rests beneath an enormous stalactite, requiring that the monster be destroyed in order to pass.

The location of all the weapons, other than the slingshot (which does not affect any guardians) is different each time, out of a variety of places.

Along the way, Sabreman is attacked by a range of enemies from winged harpies to floating jellyfish. Oddly bereft of his trademark sabre, Sabreman can fend off these adversaries with the weapons he collects on his journey (a slingshot in the screenshots below). Contact with enemies does not directly cause damage, their aim instead is to cause fatal falls by knocking the player off platforms. After one of the first two guardians is destroyed (the third one cannot be accessed except through passing the second one), two more enemies are added, one that resembles a seal and otherwise acts like the starting enemies, and the eagle, which has the added ability of picking up Sabreman, and possibly dropping him from an enormous height. Although Sabreman is tough enough to survive short drops, the caverns are full of chasms deep enough for a lethal fall. However, there is one item, the blue gem, that makes him temporarily invincible. These may only be found on ledges in vertical shafts in the caves. The only other item found besides gems and weapons are the extra lives, which are in fixed locations.

Climbing in and out of these pits can be achieved in several ways. Firstly, Sabreman can make rather athletic bounds between platforms. Alternatively, in the caverns he can make use of conveniently placed ropes to safely ascend or descend, but there is a risk of falling stalactites that will fall down the middle of the shaft, and even touching this obstacle when not affected by the Gem is instantly fatal. Also, in some parts of the maze, bubbles of volcanic gas can carry Sabreman up the chasms.

The ZX Spectrum version was voted the 17th best game of all time in a special issue of Your Sinclair magazine in 2004.

Source:Wikipedia