Beatle Quest
{{Short description|1985 video game}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Beatle Quest
| image = File:Beatle_Quest.jpg
| caption = Cover art by Alan Aldridge
| developer = Number 9 Software
| publisher = Number 9 Software
| engine = The Quill
| programmer = Garry Marsh
| released = 1985
| genre = Text adventure
| modes = Single-player
| platforms = {{Unbulleted list|Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum}}
}}
Beatle Quest is a text adventure video game developed and published by Number 9 Software. Written by Garry Marsh, the game was developed using The Quill software program. It was released for the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum computers in 1985.
Beatle Quest received mixed reception from video game critics. The game was commercially successful, debuting at number five on Commodore User{{'}}s sales charts. Beatle Quest was originally going be the first game in a trilogy but the plans were abandoned.
Gameplay
{{expand section|date=December 2023}}
Beatle Quest is a text adventure video game.
Plot
{{no plot|date=December 2023}}
Development
Beatle Quest was developed and published by Number 9 Software. Garry Marsh wrote the game using The Quill programme and was given permission from ATV Music to use the lyrics from Beatles songs.{{cite magazine|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|title=Tony Bridges Adventure Corner|last=Bridges|first=Tony|date=20-26 February 1986|volume=5|number=8|page=35|url=https://archive.org/details/NH2021_Popular_Computing_Weekly_Issue860220.pdf/page/n33/mode/2up}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Popular Computing Weekly|title=Quest for the Fab four|date=21-27 February 1985|volume=4|number=8|page=5|url=https://archive.org/details/popular-computing-weekly-1985-02-21/page/n3/mode/2up}} A fan of The Beatles, Marsh drew inspiration from the band's lyrics to develop the games story and design.{{cite interview|title=Interview with Garry Marsh re: Beatle Quest|last=Marsh|first=Garry|interviewer=John Aycock|publisher=University of Calgary|date=December 2017|url=https://prism.ucalgary.ca/bitstream/handle/1880/106226/2017-1101-08.pdf}} The cover art to the game was illustrated by Alan Aldridge.{{cite magazine|magazine=Your 64|title=Fab Four On Sixty Four|issue=11|date=July 1985|page=7|url=https://archive.org/details/Your64Issue11Jul85/page/n7/mode/2up}} The game was released for Commodore 64 in 1985 and was sold through mail order.
Reception
{{VG Reviews
|CVG = 0/10{{cite magazine|magazine=Computer and Video Games|title=Adventure Reviews|last=Marsh|first=Simon|issue=47|date=September 1985|pages=100–102|url=https://archive.org/details/ComputerAndVideoGamesIssue047Sep85/page/n101/mode/2up}}
|CRASH = 7/10{{cite magazine|magazine=Crash|title=Beatle Quest|issue=27|date=April 1986|page=73|url=https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-27/page/n95/mode/2up}}
|SUser = {{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Sinclair User|title=Beatle Quest|last=Price|first=Richard|issue=48|date=March 1986|page=73|url=https://archive.org/details/sinclair-user-magazine-048/page/n71/mode/2up}}
|YSinclair = 6/10{{cite magazine|magazine=Your Sinclair|title=Beatle Quest|issue=3|date=March 1986|page=77|url=https://archive.org/details/Your_Sinclair_003/page/77/mode/2up}}
| rev1 = Commodore Force
| rev1Score = 55%{{cite magazine|magazine=Commodore Force|title=Beatle Quest|issue=3|date=March 1993|page=37|url=https://archive.org/details/ZZap64Issue0931993Mar/page/n35/mode/2up}}
}}
Beatle Quest received mixed reception from video game critics. Crash praised the game for being well crafted and atmospheric for its subject matter. Your Sinclair, while positive about the game's graphics, felt that the game would be difficult to get into for those not fans of The Beatles. A reviewer for Home Computing Weekly called the game good but nothing special.{{cite magazine|magazine=Home Computing Weekly|title=Reviews|issue=120|date=9 July 1985|page=15|url=https://archive.org/details/home-computing-weekly-120/page/n13/mode/2up}} Simon Marsh for Computer and Video Games gave the game a scathing review. While not being a fan of The Beatles, he criticized the game for its depiction of drug use as a form of humor and overall gave it a rating of zero.
Beatle Quest was commercially successful, debuting at number five on Commodore User{{'}}s sales charts.{{cite magazine|magazine=Commodore User|title=Adventure News|issue=25|date=October 1985|page=21|url=https://archive.org/details/CommodoreUserIssue251985Oct/page/n19/mode/2up}} Marsh had made and sold 500 copies of the game. The success prompted Marsh to negotiate development of the next two games in the trilogy, provisionally titled A Day in the Life and Across the Universe. While Marsh had started on the second game, the planned trilogy was abandoned.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Internet Archive game|id=/zx_Beatle_Quest_1985_Number_9_Software}}
- {{mobygames|id=/beatle-quest}}
- {{WoS_game|id=5994}}
{{The Beatles}}
Category:1980s interactive fiction
Category:Band-centric video games
Category:Single-player video games
Category:Video games about virtual reality
Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom