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Citadel is a computer game released in 1985 for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro by Superior Software. A platform game with some puzzle solving elements, the game's plot involves finding five crystals hidden in various locations in a large castle, together with areas outside it (including a wasteland, a pyramid, a sea and an island) and returning them to their rightful place. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual) that creates video games. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Superior Software is a software publisher whose titles are mainly computer and video games. ...
A game designer is a person who designs games. ...
Video games are categorized into genres based on their gameplay. ...
A simple platform sequence from the game Wonder Boy Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles. ...
A puzzle is a problem or enigma presented as entertainment; that is written down, acted out, etc. ...
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. ...
The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ...
An original press advertisement for the Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron was a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. ...
Typical 60-minute Compact Cassette. ...
A floppy disk is a data storage device that is composed of a disk of thin, flexible (floppy) magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell. ...
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. ...
An original press advertisement for the Acorn Electron The Acorn Electron was a budget version of the BBC Micro educational/home computer made by Acorn Computers Ltd. ...
The BBC Microcomputer System was a series of microcomputers and associated peripherals designed and built by Acorn Computers Ltd for the BBC Computer Literacy Project operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation. ...
Superior Software is a software publisher whose titles are mainly computer and video games. ...
Upon returning the crystals, the player must teleport to a separate set of locations to complete the game. Once the game is completed, the player is left free to roam the castle in order to achieve the maximum possible score if they have not done so already. The only way to see the final congratulatory message is to reach 99 points. Teleportation is the movement of objects or elementary particles from one place to another, more or less instantaneously, without traveling through space. ...
In a game the score refers to the amount of points achieved by a player or team. ...
Gameplay
Citadel has a number of distinctive features. Unlike many other Platform games, the player is not automatically killed if they come into contact with fireballs, snakes or other hazards; instead the player is allocated a set amount of energy, measured by a number, which is depleted through contact, which can be replenished by collecting objects shaped like bottles. If the player continuously loses too much energy in a room, the screen turns red and the player is transported back to where they entered the room. This prevents players from passing through a room simply by walking through enemies and taking the damage. A simple platform sequence from the game Wonder Boy Platform game, or platformer, is a video game genre characterized by jumping to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles. ...
The game also allows the player to choose the sex of their character and uses a different sprite accordingly. The player sprite is not superimposed over objects that it walks "in front" of; rather, the colour of the pixels of the character sprite is compared, using an XOR bitwise operation, with the colour of the superimposed object, resulting in a completely different colour. For instance, the male player sprite normally has pink hair and yellow skin, but has yellow hair and pink skin when placed in front of the cyan stones of the Stonehenge screen. This effect is quite distinctive (it was also used in the two "sequels"), and is used to indicate a number of secret passages and tunnels in the game. In computer graphics, a sprite (also known by other names; see Synonyms below) is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene. ...
Exclusive disjunction (usual symbol xor) is a logical operator that results in true if one of the operands (not both) is true. ...
For other meanings of Stonehenge, see: Stonehenge (disambiguation) Map showing the location of Stonehenge Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 8 miles (13 km) north of Salisbury. ...
Most enemies cannot be destroyed, only avoided. The exceptions to this are the 'monks' which can be destroyed by jumping and firing a projectile-like 'spell' into their face. Each spell expends one unit of energy, which is restored if the player is successful in killing the monk. If a player returns to a room where they had previously destroyed a monk, the monk reappears and must be killed again, often employing a different technique if the room was entered by a different way.
In addition to the crystals, various other items are located throughout the castle which can be collected and used to solve puzzles in order to obtain the crystals. These include coloured keys which open doors of the same colour, giving access to other areas of the game; an 'ice crystal' which whilst carried causes water in its vicinity to freeze, enabling access to previously inaccessible areas; trampolines which can be jumped on to reach high areas ordinarily out of reach, and many others. A trampoline is a gymnastic and recreational device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs to provide a rebounding force which propels the jumper high into the air. ...
The player is limited to carrying two items at any one time and a certain combination of objects in their inventory is often needed to solve particular problems. For example, one crystal is located in a room behind a brick wall. Access is obtained by finding a cannonball and sack of gunpowder and then walking past a cannon. These items are then automatically 'loaded' into the cannon which fires, blasting a hole in the brick wall giving access to the crystal behind. Inventory is a list of goods and materials, or those goods and materials themselves, held available in stock by a business. ...
Most of the items scattered throughout the game are needed to complete it, with the exception of the barrel (which can be used as a platform to jump to a higher area, although the same effect can be achieved with the trampoline), and the metal bars, which can be taken to the Stonehenge screen to be converted into energy, but add no points to the player's score.
Trivia Citadel was unusual at the time for playing digitised speech before loading the main game, as well as having other special effects advanced for the time, such as splashing water sounds. Digitizing, or digitization, is the process of turning an analog signal into a digital representation of that signal. ...
As with most Superior Software games during this period, there was a prize associated with Citadel. The winner was the first person to find three crowns which were hidden around the game map. It is possible for the player to complete the game without picking up the crowns, although the player cannot see the final congratulatory message if they are not collected.
Citadel received a great deal of acclaim at the time of its release, and remains one of the classic BBC Micro games. The game Palace of Magic, released in 1987, used extremely similar gameplay principles, and was in a way a de facto sequel. Although subsequent games from Superior, such as Baron and Ricochet, used many of the same elements — though without achieving the same cult status — an official sequel to the game was not released until 1993 when Superior decided to release The Fort, yet another such game, as Citadel 2 ([1]). However by this time the BBC Micro was declining in popularity — Citadel 2, written by "Symo" (Simon Storr) was one of the last BBC Micro games released — and the sequel is little known. Palace of Magic is a computer game released in 1987 for the Acorn Electron and BBC Micro by Superior Software. ...
Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...
Ricochet, published by Superior Software in 1987 was an adventure game for the Acorn BBC Micro and the Electron featuring elements of the platform and puzzle genres. ...
Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ...
Citadel 2 is a computer game released in 1993 for the BBC Micro and Acorn Electron by Superior Software. ...
Gallery
Loading screen (Acorn Electron) Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
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Title screen (Acorn Electron) Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...
| In game (Acorn Electron) Image File history File links Screenshot of Citadel for the Acorn Electron. ...
| The BBC Micro game screens are identical to their Electron counterparts except that they lack the multicoloured top and bottom borders. The numbers below the name of the screen ("The Prison" in this case) indicate the number of units of energy left, the player's score, and two coordinates indicating the location of the screen. The letter next to the key which is being carried in the inventory was used by players who only had access to a monochrome monitor.
External links - Game map A complete map of the game made from screenshots
- Citadel 2 website by the programmer
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