Clockwerx
Encyclopedia
ClockWerx is a computer game created by Callisto Corporation
that was released in 1995.
The game was originally released by Callisto under the name Spin Doctor. Later, with some game play enhancements, it was published by Spectrum HoloByte
as Clockwerx. The gameplay consisted of solving a series of increasingly difficult levels by swinging a rotating wand from dot to dot until you reached the "goal" dot. Enemy wands that kill you if touched march in predetermined patterns around each level's grid. The design is such that, with careful timing, you can swing through seemingly impassable groups of enemies. You can even swing from the same dot as an enemy by staying on the opposite side of it, since most enemy wands rotate at the same speed as you. At higher levels, more enemies are introduced, such as doors that open and close when your wand passes over a switch, hyperdots that send you to a different dot, and drops of acid that follow you around.
Your wand is in continuous motion; your only control is to reverse its direction of rotation, or to swing to another dot. You can also swing to another dot and reverse rotation at the same time. All your motion is controlled by just four keys (reverse direction immediately, "bounce" (reverse direction when your wand passes by another dot), move to another dot, and move and reverse direction simultaneously).
This method of locomotion is reminiscent of the early NES game Clu Clu Land
.
for the Super Famicom
, PlayStation
, and Sega Saturn
under the title . The title screen in all games features Alexey Pajitnov even though he didn't take part in the game development. Characters were introduced in the Japanese ports, and there are Clay animation
s in the PlayStation and Saturn games.
Callisto Corporation
Callisto Corporation was a software development company founded by Robert Harris, Mike Barta and Seth Lipkin in May 1989. Prior to founding the company, all three worked at GCC Technologies....
that was released in 1995.
The game was originally released by Callisto under the name Spin Doctor. Later, with some game play enhancements, it was published by Spectrum HoloByte
Spectrum HoloByte
Spectrum HoloByte, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher originally based in Alameda, California.The company was founded in 1983 and was most famous for its simulation games, notably the Falcon series of flight simulators and Vette!, a driving simulator from 1989...
as Clockwerx. The gameplay consisted of solving a series of increasingly difficult levels by swinging a rotating wand from dot to dot until you reached the "goal" dot. Enemy wands that kill you if touched march in predetermined patterns around each level's grid. The design is such that, with careful timing, you can swing through seemingly impassable groups of enemies. You can even swing from the same dot as an enemy by staying on the opposite side of it, since most enemy wands rotate at the same speed as you. At higher levels, more enemies are introduced, such as doors that open and close when your wand passes over a switch, hyperdots that send you to a different dot, and drops of acid that follow you around.
Your wand is in continuous motion; your only control is to reverse its direction of rotation, or to swing to another dot. You can also swing to another dot and reverse rotation at the same time. All your motion is controlled by just four keys (reverse direction immediately, "bounce" (reverse direction when your wand passes by another dot), move to another dot, and move and reverse direction simultaneously).
This method of locomotion is reminiscent of the early NES game Clu Clu Land
Clu Clu Land
is an arcade and Nintendo Entertainment System game released in 1984 and was later released in North America on the Wii Virtual Console on September 1, 2008 and in Europe on March 6, 2009. The game was called Vs. Clu Clu Land in video arcades...
.
Japanese ports
The game was released in Japan by Tokuma ShotenTokuma Shoten
is a publisher in Japan, that was established in 1954.The company was also the parent company for the film studio Daiei Motion Pictures, bought in 1974, and the record label Tokuma Japan Communications, bought in 1972, until both were sold off when Yasuyoshi Tokuma, who established this company,...
for the Super Famicom
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, and Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
under the title . The title screen in all games features Alexey Pajitnov even though he didn't take part in the game development. Characters were introduced in the Japanese ports, and there are Clay animation
Clay animation
Clay animation or claymation is one of many forms of stop motion animation. Each animated piece, either character or background, is "deformable"—made of a malleable substance, usually Plasticine clay....
s in the PlayStation and Saturn games.
External links
- ClockWerx at AllgameAllgameAllgame is a commercial database of information about arcade games, video games and console manufacturers.Allgame is owned by All Media Guide, along with Allmusic and Allmovie....
- ClockWerx (PC) at GameFAQsGameFAQsGameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...
- ClockWerx (MAC) at GameFAQsGameFAQsGameFAQs is a website that hosts FAQs and walkthroughs for video games. It was created in November 1995 by Jeff "CJayC" Veasey and was bought by CNET Networks in May 2003. It is currently owned by CBS Interactive. The site has a database of video game information, cheat codes, reviews, game saves,...