UNDERWURLDE (c)1984 Firebird - Ultimate Play The Game (ACG) AUTHORS: Chris and Tim Stamper ---------------------------------------- CATEGORY Arcade Adventure AIM OF THE GAME Sabreman, fresh from his adventures in SABRE WULF, is trapped within a haunted castle. It's your job to help him escape... INTRODUCTION Underwurlde is a fast, action packed arcade adventure platform game. The game is set deep underground in the Underwurlde. Creatures attack from every angle and rather than kill you they merely bounce you around. This makes the game sound easy, but oh no! The enemies bounce you off cliffs, off ropes and into deep chasms, dropping to your doom. The object of the game is to guide Sabreman out of the Underwurlde and back onto the surface. This is easier said than done. The game features 256 screens and also large monsters blocking your way. These need to be destroyed by a particular weapon before you can continue on your journey. GAME PLAY Lots of running and jumping, basically. There are lots of unpleasant creatures around as usual but they don't kill you, merely knock you off your feet. The only thing that can kill you in this game is long falls. Unfortunately, there are a lot of long drops in UNDERWURLDE, so the creatures are more dangerous than they might at first appear. You do however have some defence against the creatures - there are several different types of weapon scattered around the maze. These will kill most creatures. However, there are three guardians covering the three exits from the castle which can only be killed with specific weapons. If Sabreman is to have any chance of escape, he must find at least one of these weapons and kill a guardian with it so that he can pass. There are many very, very long drops, particularly in the lower regions of the castle. Sabreman can climb down these by jumping onto the rope that often swings from the ceiling of these very long drops; by pressing the down key he can lower himself down to the floor several screens below. However, one collision with a creature is enough to knock him off the rope, in which case he will almost certainly plummet to his death far below. To get back up the very long shafts, Sabreman can use the volcanic bubbles which emerge from craters at the bottom of the shafts - the bubbles are strong enough to take his weight and carry him back up. Again, though, a collision with a creature is enough to make him fall to his death or burst the bubble. As usual, there are various bonuses to be collected. The most useful are, of course, extra lives but there are other things - for example, a temporary immunity to long drops can be gained from magic gems. With one of these, Sabreman can fall any distance without dying. The only problem with these is that their effect can expire in mid-fall... CONTROLS (SPECTRUM - Some may apply to C-64 version) KEYBOARD CONTROLS LEFT - move left using the Q key. | RIGHT - move right using the W key. | UP - move up and jump using the R key. | or JOYSTICK DOWN - move down using the E key. | FIRE weapon with the T key. | DROP FROM ROPE with the CAPS SHIFT, Z, X, C or V key. PICK UP/DROP a weapon using the B, N, M, SYMBOL SHIFT or SPACE. PAUSE The whole game with the ENTER key. --------------------------------------------------------- INLAY CARD TEXT THE BLACK VOID Long dark paths have I travelled, through caverns and hidden labyrinths, my path grown darker... Deathly chill as I approach the "Well of Evil"... guarding the UNDERWURLDE. I approach, fix my rope, and with a firm leap, swing down into the depths of THE BLACK VOID. The air rushes past as I descend down into the dark dank hollow, disturbing the dust, a debris of long-since fought battles and struggles. WINGED HARPIES AND GARGOYLES Silent fossilized creatures stir, emerging from centuries of hibernation, awakened by my echoing gropes and thuds. Their dormant evil, hungry from ages past sparks itself into life. Suddenly the whole cavern erupts into a scurrying slithering sadowy grave of beating wings and desperate gnashing jaws. Winged Harpies soar and swoop down with beakswide and talons spread. Hungry monsters and reptiles desperate not to lose their first meal in eons, batter and punish me until I can take no more, waiting for me to fail. SIRENS OF THE UNDERWURLDE All about are strange sparkling plants "Sirens of the Underwurlde", waving their poisonous gnashing deadly tendrils, beckoning me on toward them, their stifling odors a prelude to their vision of hideous ugliness. To touch their sticky putrid foliage would mean certain death. BEWARE ALL YOU NEED IS THERE TO TAKE LOCATE THE WEAPONS, THEN TO MAKE A JOURNEY ON IF YOU WOULD DARE. TO FIND THE DEVIL IN HIS LAIR, THE LONG DARK PALACE, SEEK YOU WILL THE GEMS YOUR POCKETS WILL NOT FILL. THO' ENERGY THEY'LL MAKE YOU FAST AND GARGOYLES THEN YOU WILL GET PAST. UP AND DOWN, THE JOURNEY'S SLOW SO DOWN IS FIRST THE WAY TO GO. The old traveler's words still singing in my head. UNDERWURLDE VOLCANOS In the distance the low rumbling of UNDERWURLDE volcanoes can be heard. Huge plumes of poisonous sulphurous devilish gases roll along the cavern roofs. As the enormous bubbles of inert plasma ascend the natural chimney stack causeways, eroded and forged from centuries of ancient fires and flames. My journey has only just begun. I must travel on through this deadly labyrinth of the UNDERWURLDE to find the ULTIMATE place of darkness, in which lies the way to my escape. UNDERWURLDE FEATURES -------------------- Sabreman Chest Of Drawers Volcanic Bubbles Caves Rocks Castle Poisonous Plants Guardians Eagles Falling Stalactites Bows Gremlins Arrows Multi-Lives Catapult Superb Graphics Daggers Statues Torches Extra Lives Fireballs Explosions Magic Gems Weapon Select Button Volcanic Craters Realistic Jumps Rope Swings Continuous Pause Ledges Amazing Animation Jumps Keyboard/Joystick Select Ducks Bookshelves Pictures Pick Up/Drop Tables ------------------------------------------------ SEQUELS/PREQUELS Underwurlde is the sequel to Sabre Wulf. Once Sabreman reaches the cave in Sabre Wulf he finds himself in the Underwurlde. There are 3 exits out of the Underwurlde. One takes the player to Knightlore, the other to Pentagram, and the third was supposed to take you to Mire Mare, but as most Spec-Chums know, this was never released. Comments "Definitely Ultimate's best game yet." Now A simple but highly enjoyable game. SCORES/REVIEWS Crash, Issue: 12, Page: 17, January 1985, Percentage: 92% GENERAL FACTS Underwurlde, and Knightlore, released at the same time, were the first Ultimate games to feature the fast but hard to run, hyperload. This was introduced to speed up loading times and reduce software piracy. Underwurlde was featured in a Crash "Map the Game" competition. The prize for the best map was a fantastic pickaxe and shovel trophey. -END-