Friday the 13th: The Computer Game

The player can roam freely around the scenery and walk both inside and outside buildings. Jason, as well as other characters, do the same. It is the player's task to make sure their friends do not get killed by Jason, who often appears disguised as one of them, unless he is hit once and becomes visible as a man dressed in black.{{cite web|title=Remembering the 'Friday the 13th' Video Game That Time Forgot|url=http://halloweenlove.com/remembering-the-friday-the-13th-video-game-that-no-one-remembers/|access-date=October 10, 2016|date=August 21, 2014|author=John Squires}} Various improvised weapons (e.g., a chainsaw, a pitchfork, a machete, etc.) are scattered around the camp and inside various buildings such as a barn, a church and a cabin. Once picked up, they can be used to confront Jason.{{cite book|pages= 45, 223, 224 443|title=The World of Scary Video Games: A Study in Videoludic Horror|author=Bernard Perron|isbn=978-1501316197|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic|year=2018}} There are five levels in the game and each time the player assumes the role of another character. The character assignment is random at the start of the round. The game uses an early pseudo-3D view along with a more traditional side view, depending on the character's location. The game also features a "fear meter", in the form of a blonde woman's head with hair standing on end, to symbolize the player character's level of fright at the time. Unlike the later Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) title, the game included scenes of gore consistent with the film franchise. For example, when a character is killed by Jason, sometimes there is a scream followed by a quick cut to a graphic image of a machete embedded into their head.

Domark based the game on Friday the 13th Part 2.{{cite magazine|title =D-D-Domark's N-N-New G-G-Game... Friday the 13th! |date =December 1985 |url =https://archive.org/details/Crash_Magazine_023/page/146/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield Limited |last =Spencer |first =Jeremy |issue =23 |pages =146, 148 |issn=0954-8661}} The game was revealed to journalists at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in London, England. In the cellar of the pub, Dominic Wheatley, co-founder of Domark burst through a solid door dressed as Jason and holding a cleaver, scaring the assembled journalists.{{cite magazine|title =Domarketting a Game |date =June 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-29/page/n49/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield Limited |issue =29 |page =51 |issn=0954-8661}} According to The Games Machine, some magazines refused to run ads for the game due to the game's graphic packaging; Crash ran ads for the game and prominently featured Jason Voorhees on the cover of issue #23, which caused the magazine to receive many complaints from parents, including one woman who also wrote to the Press Council about the incident.{{cite magazine|title =Lloyd Mangram's Forum |date =February 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Crash_Magazine_025/page/30/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield Limited |last =Mangram |first =Lloyd |issue =25 |pages =31, 32|issn=0954-8661}} Computer Gamer described the game's advertising as being "the subject of much controversy"; in March 1986 it was reported that ads for Friday the 13th were withdrawn by Domark due to complaints about their violent content, and the cover was redesigned.{{cite magazine|title =Gremlin |date =March 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_048/page/114/mode/2up |magazine =Sinclair User |publisher =EMAP Business & Computer Publications|issue =48 |page =114|issn=0262-5458}} Another redesigned version of the cover was used for copies sold at John Menzies stores, omitting the knife.{{cite magazine|title =Censored! |date =July 1989 |url =https://archive.org/details/The_Games_Machine_Issue_020/page/54/mode/2up |magazine =The Games Machine |publisher =Newsfield Limited |issue =20 |pages =54, 55 |issn=0954-8092}}

In regards to the game's controversial marketing and the criticism that children can buy the game, Dominic Wheatley stated that "Many X-rated films are accompanied by books which are often more vivid in their descriptions and yet under 18s can buy those. We are trying to amuse people — Friday the 13th will not incite anyone to run around and hurt someone."{{cite magazine|title =Friday 13: too violent |date =January 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Sinclair_User_046/page/6/mode/2up |magazine =Sinclair User |publisher =EMAP Business & Computer Publications |issue =56 |page =7|issn=0262-5458 }}

The game came packaged with two capsules of fake blood, which was omitted when Prism Leisure re-released the game as a budget title.{{cite magazine|title =The Chainstore Massacre |date =February 1988 |url =https://archive.org/details/The_Games_Machine_Issue_003/page/n91/mode/2up |magazine =The Games Machine |publisher =Newsfield Limited |last =Gilbert |first =John |issue =3 |pages =93, 94|issn=0954-8092}} To promote the game, Domark ran a trivia contest in Amtix magazine, with two winners receiving a "ghost hunting" trip to New York.{{cite magazine|title =Aaaaarrrgh!!! |date =December 1985 |url =https://archive.org/details/Amtix_Magazine_Issue_02/page/46/mode/2up |magazine =Amtix |publisher =Newsfield Limited |last =Spencer |first =Jeremy |issue =2 |pages =46–48|issn=0952-3022}} In a 1987 interview, Mark Strachan, co-founder of Domark, called the game "something I'd rather forget about", and said that the game's quality issues stemmed from being made by inexperienced programmers.{{cite magazine|title =Mark Strachan - The man who put Mark into Domark |date =February 1987 |url =https://archive.org/details/Amtix_Magazine_Issue_16/page/n79/mode/2up |magazine =Amtix |publisher =Newsfield Limited |last =Eddy |first =Richard |issue =16 |pages =80, 81|issn=0952-3022}}

{{Video game reviews

| rev1 = Micromanía

| rev1Score = 8/10 (C64){{cite magazine|title =La venganza de Jason - Friday the 13th |date =March 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/MicromaniaPrimerEpocaspanishIssue10/page/n17/mode/2up |magazine =Micromanía |publisher =Hobby Press |issue =10 |page =18 |language=Spanish|issn=9955-8726}}

| rev2 = Computer + Video Games

| rev2Score = 7/10{{cite magazine|title =C+VG FEB Software Reviews - Friday the 13th |date =February 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/ComputerAndVideoGamesIssue052Feb86/page/n33/mode/2up |magazine =Computer + Video Games |issue =52 |page =35 |issn=0261-3697}}

| rev3 = Commodore Horizons

| rev3Score = {{rating|5|8}} (C64){{cite magazine|title =Slasher |date =February 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/CommodoreHorizonsIssue261986Feb300dpi/page/n13/mode/2up |magazine =Commodore Horizons |publisher =Scot Press|page =15|issn=0265-4164}}

| rev4 = Your Commodore

| rev4Score = 6.5/10 (C64){{cite magazine|title =Friday the 13th |date =February 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Your_Commodore_Magazine_17/page/50/mode/2up |magazine =Your Commodore |publisher =Argus Specialist Publications |last =Doyle |first =Eric |issue =17 |page =50|issn=0269-8277}}

| rev5 = Computer Gamer

| rev5Score = {{rating|2.5|5}} (C64){{cite magazine|title =Friday the 13th |date =January 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue10/page/n71/mode/2up |magazine =Computer Gamer |publisher =Argus Specialist Publications |last =Hamlett |first =Gordon |issue =10 |page =73}}
{{rating|1.5|5}} (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Friday the Thirteenth |date =April 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_13_1986-04_Argus_Press_GB/page/n67/mode/2up |magazine =Computer Gamer |publisher =Argus Specialist Publications |last =Hamlett |first =Gordon |issue =13 |page =68}}

| rev6 = Sinclair User

| rev6Score = {{rating|2|5}} (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Friday the 13th |date =April 1986 |magazine =Sinclair User |publisher =Sportscene Specialist Press |last =Gilbert |first =Jason |issue =49 |page =33|issn=0262-5458}}

| rev7 = Popular Computing Weekly

| rev7Score = {{rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|title =Horror story |date =26 December 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/NH2021_Popular_Computing_Weekly_Issue851226.pdf/page/16/mode/2up |magazine =Popular Computing Weekly |publisher =Sunshine Publications |last =Moss |first =Andy |issue =1 |volume=5 |page =17|issn=0265-0509}}

| rev8 = Crash

| rev8Score = 32% (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Friday 13th |date =June 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/crash-magazine-29/page/n129/mode/2up |magazine =Crash |publisher =Newsfield Limited |issue =29 |page =130|issn=0954-8661}}

| rev9 = Commodore User

| rev9Score = {{rating|1.6|5}} (C64){{cite magazine|title =Screen Scene - Friday the 13th |date =January 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/commodore-user-magazine-28/page/n27/mode/2up |magazine =Commodore User |publisher =EMAP Business and Computer Publications |last =Lacey |first =Eugene |issue =28 |pages =28, 29 |issn=0265-721X}}

| rev10 = Your Sinclair

| rev10Score = 3/10 (Spectrum){{cite magazine|title =Screen Shots - Friday the 13th |date =May 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/your-sinclair-05/page/n37/mode/2up |magazine =Your Sinclair |publisher =Sportscene Specialist Press |last =Hughes |first =Gwyn |issue =5 |page =3|issn=0269-6983}}

| rev11 = Aktueller Software Markt

| rev11Score = 2.75/12{{cite magazine|title =Friday the 13th The Computer game - der flop des tages Friday the 13th|trans-title=Friday the 13th The Computer game - the flop of the day Friday the 13th|date =May 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/asm_magazine-1986-04/page/n13/mode/2up |magazine =Aktueller Software Markt |publisher =Tronic-Verlag |last =Zimmermann |first =Bernd|page =18 |language=German|issn=0933-1867}}

| rev12 = Zzap!64

| rev12Score = 13% (C64){{cite magazine|title =Friday the 13th |date =February 1986 |url =https://archive.org/details/zzap64-magazine-010/page/n35/mode/2up |magazine =Zzap!64 |publisher =Newsfield Limited |author1=Gary Penn|author2=Paul Sumner|author3=Julian Rignall|issue =10 |page =37|issn=0954-867X}}

}}

The game's main appeal was the obvious horror elements, which included atmospheric music and digitized screams.{{cite book|title=Horror Video Games: Essays on the Fusion of Fear and Play|page=33|editor=Bernard Perron|publisher=McFarland|year=2009|isbn=978-0786441976}}{{cite web|title=Friday the 13th for Commodore 64|date=December 1, 2014|author=Judge Greg|access-date=October 10, 2016|url=http://www.enthusiacs.com/the-attic-friday-the-13th-for-commodore-64/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210123160030/http://www.enthusiacs.com/the-attic-friday-the-13th-for-commodore-64/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=23 January 2021}} Some criticized that it changed elements from the franchise, such as Jason being dressed all in black, which has nothing in common with his appearance from the movies.

The game received otherwise negative reviews, regardless of the platform. Zzap!64 gave it 13%, Your Sinclair gave it 3/10, Crash 32% and Sinclair User 4/10.

In 1987, Crash called Friday the 13th "one of the worst tie-ins ever".

{{-}}

{{reflist}}

• {{moby game|/friday-the-13th_|name=Friday the 13th}}
• {{lemon64 game|id=982|name=Friday the 13th}}
• [http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=920 Friday the 13th] at CPC-Power
• {{WoS game|id=1874|name=Friday the 13th}}

{{Friday the 13th}}

Category:1986 video games

Category:Amstrad CPC games

Category:Censored video games

Category:Commodore 64 games

Category:Europe-exclusive video games

Category:1980s horror video games

Category:Survival video games

Category:Friday the 13th (franchise) video games

Category:Paramount Pictures video games

Category:Video games set in New Jersey

Category:ZX Spectrum games

Category:Domark games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom

Category:Video games set in summer camps