Elvira: The Arcade Game
Encyclopedia
Elvira: The Arcade Game is a platform
side-scrolling video game released in 1991 for the Amiga
, Atari ST
, Commodore 64
and PC
by Flair Software. The game is based upon the film Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, released in 1988, and she features as the playable character. Despite its name the game was not based on an arcade game or ever released in arcades.
, French
, German
and Italian
.
of Transylvania. According to the ghost
in the game's introduction, by right the castle belongs to Elvira. In their quest, players are able to use spells and weapons, as well as collect rune stones, food in order to replenish their health, and treasure chests. If they encounter difficulty in completing a segment of their current quest, the player may purchase information from a trader, found within each level, using rune stones as a currency
.
pointed to the high level of polish, but lamented the fact that there were "no gameplay surprises," and so awarded it 70%.
Platform game
A platform game is a video game characterized by requiring the player to jump to and from suspended platforms or over obstacles . It must be possible to control these jumps and to fall from platforms or miss jumps...
side-scrolling video game released in 1991 for the Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
and PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
by Flair Software. The game is based upon the film Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, released in 1988, and she features as the playable character. Despite its name the game was not based on an arcade game or ever released in arcades.
Development
Elvira: The Arcade Game was licensed for publication by Queen B Productions, the owners of the Elvira franchise. It was released in four languages: EnglishEnglish language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
Gameplay
The game features two worlds: the Underworld of Fire and the Arctic Earth, which must be unlocked in order to reach the third, the CastleCastle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of Transylvania. According to the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
in the game's introduction, by right the castle belongs to Elvira. In their quest, players are able to use spells and weapons, as well as collect rune stones, food in order to replenish their health, and treasure chests. If they encounter difficulty in completing a segment of their current quest, the player may purchase information from a trader, found within each level, using rune stones as a currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
.
Reception
Elvira: The Arcade Game received generally favourable reviews. CU Amiga awarded the game 82% and praised the graphics, describing the game as "brilliant arcade fun," but lacking any longevity. Similarly, Amiga PowerAmiga Power
Amiga Power was a monthly magazine about Amiga computer games. It was published in the United Kingdom by Future Publishing, and ran for 65 issues, from May 1991 to September 1996....
pointed to the high level of polish, but lamented the fact that there were "no gameplay surprises," and so awarded it 70%.