Castle Wolfenstein is a computer game by Muse Software for the Apple II. It was released in 1981 and later ported to the PC for DOS, to the Atari 8-bit family, and to the Commodore 64. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates computer or video games. ... Muse Software was a software and computer game publisher and developer for the first generation of home computers. ... Video game publishers are companies that publish video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer. ... A game designer is a person who designs games. ... A game engine is the core software component of a video game. ... 1981 1981 in games 1980 in video gaming 1982 in video gaming Notable events of 1981 in computer and video games. ... This is a listing of computer and video game genres with brief descriptions and examples from each genre. ... Strategy games are typically board games, video or computer games with the players decision-making skills having a high significance in determining the outcome. ... Action games could be considered the video game equivalent of action movies. ... Player character Garrett hides in the darkness in Thief: Deadly Shadows A stealth-based game, unlike an action game, revolves around patience, avoiding combat, and using stealth and cunning to complete your objectives. ... In computer games and video games, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session. ... For the list, see list of computer and video games. ... The 1977 Apple II, complete with integrated keyboard, color, high-resolution graphics, sound, a sleek plastic case, and eight expansion slots. ... DOS refers to the family of closely related operating systems which dominated the IBM PC compatible market for the decade between 1985 and 1995: PC-DOS, MS-DOS, DR-DOS, FreeDOS, OpenDOS, PTS-DOS, and several others. ... Atari built a series of 8-bit home computers based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU, starting in 1979. ... For the hip hop group, see Commodore 64 (band). ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ... For other uses, see Joystick (disambiguation). ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Muse Software was a software and computer game publisher and developer for the first generation of home computers. ... The Apple II was one of the most popular personal computers of the 1980s. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In computer science, porting is the adaptation of a piece of software so that it will function in a different computing environment to that for which it was originally written. ... One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... DOS refers to the family of closely related operating systems which dominated the IBM PC compatible market for the decade between 1985 and 1995: PC-DOS, MS-DOS, DR-DOS, FreeDOS, OpenDOS, PTS-DOS, and several others. ... Atari built a series of 8-bit home computers based on the MOS Technology 6502 CPU, starting in 1979. ... For the hip hop group, see Commodore 64 (band). ...

Description

The emphasis on espionage can be seen here in the Apple II version of the game as the player attempts to pick the lock on a chest in the castle. A dispatched guard's body can be seen near the middle bottom of the screen.

Castle Wolfenstein is a combination action and adventure game. It is set in World War II during Hitler's reign of terror. The objective of the game is to traverse all the levels of the castle and find the secret war plans and escape alive. This is screenshot of Castle Wolfenstein, and old Apple II game. ... Espionage is the practice of obtaining secrets (spying) from rivals or enemies for military, political, or economic advantage. ... The 1977 Apple II, complete with integrated keyboard, color, high-resolution graphics, sound, a sleek plastic case, and eight expansion slots. ... Adventure is a genre of video game typified by exploration, puzzle-solving, interaction with game characters, and a focus on narrative rather than reflex-based challenges. ... Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 7 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945, standard German pronunciation in the IPA) was the Führer (leader) of the National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) and of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. ... In computer and video games, a level (sometimes called a stage, course, episode, round, world, map, wave, board, phase, or landscape) is a separate area in a games virtual world, in modern games typically representing a specific location such as a building or a city. ...

The game features a top-down view of each room on the level, though the characters are seen upright like in a side-scroller. The player tries to traverse the levels by stealth, impersonation and sometimes killing opponents. The game is controlled via a joystick, paddles, or the keyboard. The player successfully completes the game by finding the plans hidden in a chest and escaping without being captured. A screenshot of the original Donkey Kong. ... For other uses, see Joystick (disambiguation). ... A paddle is a game controller with a round wheel and one or more fire buttons, where the wheel is typically used to control movement of the player object along one axis of the video screen. ... A computer keyboard is a peripheral modeled after the typewriter keyboard. ...

Gameplay

Upon entering the castle, where the game begins, the player is equipped with a gun and bullets. Once the player starts moving, he attracts the attention of the guards, who will try to shoot or apprehend him. He must either run from the guards, or kill them. 155 mm M198 howitzer U.S. Army soldier with a compact M249 variant USS Iowa (BB-61) fires a full broadside of nine 16/50 and six 5/38 guns during a target exercise near Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, 1 July 1984. ... .357 Magnum cartridges, containing bullets. ...

Unlike most games of the era, not only did the player have to kill and defeat enemies, they also needed to search their bodies for possibly useful items. Here a player can be seen searching a guard's body in the Apple II version of the game.

There are two styles of guards, the basic guards, and the SS Stormtroopers who wear bulletproof vests with "SS" plainly emblazoned on them. The regular guards are fairly daft, reacting only to the sounds of gunshots and grenades, or seeing you wandering about without a uniform. The SS guards are much smarter, and tend to chase you once you grab their attention. They usually require a large number of bullets or a grenade to kill as well. A screenshot of searching a guard from Castle Wolfenstein Apple II game This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... The 1977 Apple II, complete with integrated keyboard, color, high-resolution graphics, sound, a sleek plastic case, and eight expansion slots. ... SS or ss or Ss may be: The Schutzstaffel, a Nazi paramilitary force Steamship (SS) (ship prefix) The United States Secret Service A submarine not powered by nuclear energy (SS) (United States Navy designator), see SSN A Soviet/Russian surface-to-surface missile, as listed by NATO reporting name Shortstop...

The player can attempt to kill enemy characters (guards) in two ways, either by shooting the guard, but this expends bullets, a scarce commodity in the game, and risks raising the alarm if another guard is present in the room, or by using a grenade, which is sure to attract the attention of nearby SS guards. The guards die with a scream of "Aieegh!", which is made even more chilling by the raspy quality of the digital sample. Once an enemy soldier is dispatched, his body can be searched for bullets, keys, grenades, and bulletproof vests. A WWII-era MkIIA1 pineapple fragmentation hand grenade A hand grenade is a small hand-held bomb designed to be thrown by hand. ...

An alternative to shooting your way out of the castle is to find a uniform (either in a chest or from a dead guard), at which point the normal guards will think you are one of them. However, the SS guards are smarter than that, and will usually notice that you aren't one of them. Typically, this means that the best strategy is to quickly obtain a uniform, and then attempt to sneak by any SS guards you run into along the way, since it is difficult (especially at higher levels) to win an outright shootout.

Guards do not always have to be killed, however. Pulling a gun on a guard usually will cause them to put their hands up, and you can frisk them for ammo, bulletproof vests, grenades, etc. The player can still choose to kill the guard at this point, but it is not strictly necessary.

Some rooms contain locked chests which can be picked and searched. Some are empty, but some contained useful items such as bullets, grenades, the war plans, uniforms, and bulletproof vests. And some contain Liebfraumilch, Schnapps, Eva Braun's Diaries, and other items that are interesting but worthless for gameplay. Edible items, when ingested, result in funny comments on their taste. Liebfraumilch is a sweet white German wine. ... Schnapps is a type of distilled beverage. ... Eva Braun and Adolf Hitler Eva Anna Paula Braun (February 6, 1912 – April 30, 1945) was the longtime companion (and ultimately, wife for a night and a day) of Adolf Hitler. ...

The alcoholic beverages, when used, would result in the comical message of "Hic!" being displayed, and the player's aim being thrown off balance, resulting in some of the shots missing their target, or a grenade to simply pass through the target, instead of exploding on contact. Apparently, using the bratwurst or sauerkraut would help cure this.

Analysis

The Commodore 64 version of the game featured somewhat better graphics than the original Apple II version. For example, distinct colors and uniform emblems were possible with the Commodore's superior graphics technology.

Though the game's graphics are dated—and almost comical—by today's standards, they were acceptable for an Apple II game. One of the main drawing points for fans was its use of digitized voices—an unprecedented technical achievement. Though the voices were scratchy and almost unintelligible because of the Apple II's limited sound facilities, they were good enough for such a break-through effect. Castle Wolfenstein video game for the Commodore 64 This is a screenshot of a copyrighted computer game or video game. ... For the hip hop group, see Commodore 64 (band). ... The 1977 Apple II, complete with integrated keyboard, color, high-resolution graphics, sound, a sleek plastic case, and eight expansion slots. ...

With an emphasis on the player trying to avoid detection for as long as possible, this game (along with its sequel) could be considered an ancestor of the first-person sneaker genre of games that would gain popularity in the 1990s. Player character Garrett hides in the darkness in Thief: Deadly Shadows A stealth-based game, unlike an action game, revolves around patience, avoiding combat, and using stealth and cunning to complete your objectives. ... The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, the last decade of the 20th Century. ...

Author

Castle Wolfenstein was written by Silas Warner (1949-2004). He was one of the original employees of Muse. In addition to developing Castle Wolfenstein, he wrote the sound engine (called "The Voice"), the game engine. He also wrote Robot Wars. Legend has it that he would typically program while wearing only his underwear, even in the office. Silas Warner (18 August 1949 – 3 March 2004) was a game programmer and one of the founders of Muse Software. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A game engine is the core software component of a video game. ... The house robot Sir Killalot about to drop Hypno-Disc into the pit. ... Urban legends are a kind of folklore consisting of stories often thought to be factual by those circulating them (see rumor). ... A pair of mens briefs Undergarments, also called underwear or sometimes intimate clothing, are clothes worn next to the skin, usually under other clothes. ...

Legacy

Muse followed Castle Wolfenstein with Beyond Castle Wolfenstein which was very similar in terms of game play and appearance. The objective of that game was to kill the Führer himself. Beyond Castle Wolfenstein is a 1984 computer game by Muse Software. ... Führer (Fuehrer or Fuhrer in English when umlauts are not used) is a proper noun meaning leader or guide in the German language. ...

Around the same time, an unauthorized parody called Castle Smurfenstein began circulating in the computer underground. Smurfenstein was a hacked version of the original Castle Wolfenstein; it used the same game engine, but replaced the graphics and sound assets with cartoon characters from the Smurfs TV series characters. In the Smurfenstein game, the player's objective was to escape the castle (either through the evasion or killing of smurfs) in order to "get home in time for dinner." To players familiar with both the original Wolfenstein game and the Smurfs cartoon, Smurfenstein was a hilarious spoof. Many interpreted the spoof as a sarcastic political commentary: Comparisons were made between fascist Germany and smurf society, in within which "Papa Smurf" exercised absolute power over the others. This made Papa Smurf the de-facto dictator of the smurfs. The Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs in French) are a fictional race of small blue creatures who live in a forest somewhere in Europe. ... The Smurfs (Les Schtroumpfs in French) are a fictional race of small blue creatures who live in a forest somewhere in Europe. ... In contemporary usage, parody is a form of satire that imitates another work of art in order to ridicule it. ... Look up De facto in Wiktionary, the free dictionary De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used in contrast to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law, governance, or technique (such as standards), that are found in...

But Castle Wolfenstein's greatest legacy was inspiring the break-through game Wolfenstein 3D by id Software. Though id's game shared a partial name with Castle Wolfenstein, its game play, plot and look and feel were vastly different. Wolfenstein 3D initiated the first-person shooter genre on the PC which is still healthy to this day. Few fans of Wolfenstein 3D know of its digital pedigree (indeed, to keep confusion to a minimum, most fans of the original game now call it "Wolfenstein 2D" to differentiate it), but inspiring the seminal Wolfenstein 3D is probably Castle Wolfenstein's most significant contribution to computer gaming. Wolfenstein 3D (commonly abbreviated to Wolf 3D) is the computer game that started the first person shooter genre on the PC. It was created by id Software and published by Apogee Software on May 5, 1992. ... id Software is a computer game developer based in Mesquite, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. ... Doom, one of the games that defined the first-person shooter genre. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ...

External links

• MobyGame's entry on Castle Wolfenstein
• The Underdog's entry on Castle Wolfenstein
• Lemon64: Commodore 64 version info and review