1984, the year Nomad of Time was released on Commodore 64. Made by Shards Software and published by Mosaic Publishing, this adventure game is available for free on this page.
The events of the rural village of Ambridge have captivated BBC Radio 4 listeners since 1950. The computer game recreation puts you in the role of one of the scriptwriters. The game is divided into four parts, in which you control Jack Woolley, Elizabeth Archer, Eddie Grundy and Nelson Gabriel in turn. Guide each character through their decisions (out of 3 multiple choices), with the goal of choosing the most favorable options for the listeners. Your choices directly affect the program's score, as well as changing the plot ahead much more than in The Secret Diary of 13-year-old Adrian Mole¾.
Characters can be eliminated from the program based on how certain plots play out, but be sure not to eliminate the most popular ones. Avoid offending interest groups, as the BBC is very tough on scriptwriters who generate complaints.
In some versions you can play all four parts individually; in others, switching to control one character is conditional on increasing the audience while controlling the previous one.
If you haven't played The Archers or want to try this adventure video game, download it now for free! Released in 1986 by Mosaic Publishing, The Archers was an above average puzzle element title for its time.
Using the same game engine and structure as Level 9's game The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, the book's sequel was recreated on the computer. The game is an adventure of sorts, presenting you with 18 months of life as seen through Adrian's curious, confused and intellectual eyes. Each section presents a series of challenges, where you have to choose one of three options on what to do. The aim of the game is to make Adrian as popular as possible by making the right choices to make a positive impression on Mom, Dad, Pandora, Nigel, Bert and everyone else. The game is divided into four sections, which can be loaded individually or in sequence, and the score is kept in memory as you progress through them.
Released in 1984 for the Commodore 64, the Saga of Erik the Viking invited players into a briskly drawn, myth drenched world. The game blended Norse storytelling with the stubborn logic of early home computer adventures, offering a grand journey rather than a mere arcade sprint. Its title bore the weight of a sagas memory, promising exploration, clever puzzles, and peril. From the first boot the user encounters a crisp interface and a bold sense of daring that defined much of the era.
Gameplay is anchored in exploration and problem solving rather than twitch reflexes. The screen presents a curious blend of topography, stock symbols, and limited inventory action. Players maneuver Erik through marsh, wood, and weather worn towns, seeking keys, treasures, and clues that unlock new routes. Puzzles hinge on reading clues hidden in the scenery, timing encounters with guardians, and manipulating objects to reveal hidden doors. The challenge rewards patient planning over frantic button mashing.
Visually the game leans on the greenish browns and muted reds typical of its platform, yet the isometric world feels surprisingly alive. Graphics suggest cliffs, fjords, and smoky villages with a few sprite animations that carry character rather than gloss. Sound design uses chiptune motifs that rise and fall like northern winds. The soundtrack underscores sparse dialogue with mood rather than exposition, giving the player a sense of antiquity and myth while pressing forward through its puzzles.
When players reached the ending, many remembered the game for its peculiar pacing and stubborn charm. It appeared during a wave of Commodore experiments that mixed storytelling with execution challenges, inspiring later designers to pursue atmospheric worlds rather than mere spectacle. Today this is preserved in archives and emulation, where enthusiasts trade tips about obscure rooms and lanterns that illuminate secret passages. Its reputation hinges on curiosity, resourcefulness, and a willingness to persevere.
The title embodies a transitional moment when home computer players sought epic quests warmed by Nordic myth. The game invites collectors of pixel art and explorers of memory to relive a time when imagination carried more weight than ribboned production values. It stands not as a perfect landmark but as a stubbornly artistic heartbeat of 1980s gaming. For those who treasure the odd corners of the Commodore 64 library, it remains a curious beacon in a crowded archive.
Sue Townsend created a phenomenon in the mid-1980s, essentially incorporating a lot of sharp satire and observational humor into the diary of a confused teenage girl. It may seem like an odd idea for a computer game, but Level 9 thought there was an adventure in there.
Most of the main characters from the book appear, including Adrian's warring parents and their respective adventures, his girlfriend Pandora, his best friend Nigel, school bully Barry Kent, and cantankerous pensioner Bert Baxter.
The game does not use many written commands. Instead, the player reads text passages (many of them from the book) and is given 3 choices about what to do, which lead to other events that unfold. You can also use a help option that displays information about the characters that appear in the diary. The aim of all this is to make Adrian as popular as possible. The player's score and ranking are displayed at certain points in the game. The percentage achieved is related to the rank, with 26% being 'a spotty creep' and 38% being 'a thick middle', for example.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ was a computer game released by Commodore 64 in the mid-1980s. It was based on the book series written by Sue Townsend, and transported players into the world of a schoolboy in the UK. It was set during the seventies, and followed Adrian Mole’s struggles with growing up, adult themes, family issues and relationships.
Players were immersed in an engaging and humorous storyline, as they answered questions to progress the game. Questions dealt with topics such as those reported in the titular diary, as well as general knowledge questions. The answers were taken from the various entries in the book series. Players could collect books to read and learn more about Adrian’s life.
The gameplay was a great source of knowledge and understanding of the character and story of Adrian Mole, as players navigated the game. Players had to navigate some of the more serious elements of the series, including the death of Adrian’s mother, and the consequences of marital issues between his parents.
The game was highly tactical in nature, as players had to use problem-solving to progress the storyline. Decisions made by the player could have different results, and scouting out possible options was key to success. A grappling with minigames, puzzles, and other tricks were essential to find the right answer.
The game was a classic for many, with an enjoyable storyline, and the ability to choose different paths at different points of the game. Players who worked to extend the game could uncover more of the secrets of Adrian’s life. It was well-designed for pushing players to the limits of their mental and emotional capabilities.
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ was a Commodore 64 game which provided hours of immersive fun. It was entertaining and often thought-provoking, as players navigated the life of this iconic character and pieced together the puzzle of his life. Fans of the novel series could have a deeper understanding of the situation surrounding Adrian Mole, while newcomers were exposed to a humorous and quirky narrative.
There is a mirror that, when you look through it, makes everything that looks beautiful become worse. The mirror has shattered into pieces and scattered around making it an ugly place.
Based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, The Snow Queen is a text adventure in which you play the role of a Gerda counselor who must find and rescue her friend Kay, who has been struck by one of the shards and has been taken to The Snow Queen. In an innovative twist on the traditional adventure game, instead of embodying the protagonist, you act as her advisor, and Gerda can choose not to do your bidding. This means that you have to try to think of the character when solving the problems you encounter in the game. Both versions have text describing your location, and you type in commands to control your hero and interact with each location. The Commodore 64 version has graphics that allow you to see your location.
This text-only adventure is based on one of the chapters of the science fiction short story series 'The Unorthodox Engineers' by Colin Kapp. The player assumes the role of the protagonist, Lieutenant Fritz van Noon, and his group of 'Unorthodox Engineers', as Dr. Maxwell Courtney asks him to try to discover the purpose of the pillar of indestructible darkness and its mysterious penumbral shadow (hence the name 'The Feather'), which was (obviously) left by an alien race on this otherwise normal planet. The story objective is described to the player during the early stages of the adventure. The accompanying short story book helps the player to better understand the story and contains some vital clues to solve some of the puzzles in the adventure.
Twice Shy is a thriller written by Dick Francis and published in 1981. This game is a text-based adventure game that puts you in the role of Jonathan Derry, a physics teacher at a comprehensive school in southern England. Dick Francis is famous for his complex thrillers based on the English horse racing scene and this game is based on one of his classics. Without giving too much of the plot away, the story is based around some Spectrum software cassettes, horse racing and the bad guys who want them. In addition to the adventure itself, there is a racing game that can be run independently, as a standalone game, or as part of the adventure, when the game requires the player to go to a racetrack to look for clues.
The text interpreter is easy to use and has a large vocabulary. It accepts simple commands such as 'Go south', 'South' and even 'S', as well as more complex combined commands such as 'Go south, east, north and open the gate'. Orders can be given to other characters in the game by typing 'Tell Jane 'Tell me about Ted'', and 'Sarah 'Go south and open the door''.
It is possible to save the game and restart it from a saved position.
